Showing posts with label Calvary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calvary. Show all posts
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Jesus Loves Me... This I Know
Beloved, it's 1:36am July 8, 2012 for me as I start to write this to you. I wanted to confess something that was on my mind to you. Moments ago as I headed into the bathroom to make preparations to go to sleep, I said to God, “Lord, I certainly do not feel spiritual or godly this moment.” In that very moment I received an answer from God not in the audible sense, but a confirming truth, as I started to receive His Word into my spirit, loudly saying to me that He hasn't left me, nor has He forgotten about me, but He certainly loves me and will comfort me. Amen.
Once that comforting moment overcame me, these lyrics to a very popular Christian hymn that originated in the 1800’s written by a woman named (Anna Barlett Warner) filled my mind:
“Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.” Amen.
Many stanzas had been added over the decades, and in the line of my predecessors I will add a stanza (unofficially) of my own.
“Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Holy Spirit in me confirms it so.”
That stanza above is a comforting promise. How so? Picture 2000+ years ago. It's around 33 A.D. and Jesus is in His last days before being crucified. It’s the night before He would die on the Cross at Calvary's Mountain. He tells His disciples who have lived, ate, slept, traveled, learned and grown very close to Jesus in their 3 years as His followers, that He is about to be sent up to be crucified and die for the sins of many. Shocking stuff, huh?!
This news sent shockwaves into the hearts and minds of 11 men who had become not only followers of Jesus, but friends as well.
Yet! What would follow would be even more surprising. Jesus tells them, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7 NKJV)
This “Helper” Jesus spoke of, is the same Helper that comforted me, as I spoke those words, ‘I certainly don't feel spiritual or godly this moment.’
This Helper is the Holy Spirit, as Jesus mentioned it earlier to His disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV)
The Holy Spirit is an ever present reminder that I am not alone, and even the littlest of concerns to me are important to God. Amen.
Tonight I was blessed and pleasantly reminded that God will never leave me nor forsake me. Amen Lord Jesus!
Beloved, in closing, I wanted to remind you of something you may have already grasped from reading the words God fills my heart with to share with you— And that is, God is love. He isn't a cosmic killjoy. He isn't an impersonal God. He isn't a figment of the imagination. He isn't out of touch with the concerns of His creation.
No! God wants all of us to experience an abundant life. He is a personable God. He is very real and is Truth. He is in tune and very much in touch with the human condition and how very fragile we really are whether we’re willing to admit it or not.
In my lifetime beloved, it's my absolute desire for all of you to experience how real God truly is, and it all starts by experiencing the immeasurable love of God that comes to us and is available to all through a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Therefore, if you desire (as who wouldn't!) to know such a love. Call out to the Lord Jesus, that you too just as I have and continue to, will experience the immeasurable, infallible, immutable, all encompassing perpetual love of God. Amen!
May you be forever blessed to know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.
As always...YOU ARE LOVED.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Easter 2012: A Love Unforgettable
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| "Easter 2012 @potentialchurch Come be a part of Life Change!" - F. Lugo |
Good morning! Today I am honored to share with you exactly what was in my heart when I got up at 8am.
Woke up to this song of praise in my heart, "I am yours and You are mine."
This praise song had me thanking God He is on the throne- both in heaven and here on earth in my very heart! What do I mean by this? God rules in my heart. My heart is permanently pinned to Him as He is permanently pinned to me. Hence that song of praise..."I am Yours and You are mine."
As Easter is fast approaching (11 days away) I am further reminded of my King's great and everlasting love. You see, Jesus was pinned to a tree taking away my curse 2000+ years ago once and for all as the Word of God describes, 'Anyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.' (Deuteronomy 21:23).
I am Free! because He was lead into captivity. That captivity was death because of sin and as the Word of God proclaims, "the penalty for sin is death." (Romans 6:23). Jesus had to die. And because He died I am no longer a slave to sin, as the Word of God promises, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) and again, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).
When those nails penetrated my King's flesh a shout of praise began to circulate in the heavens. And in all creation many captives were going to be lead free from their slavery by a merciful Hand, as the Word of God describes this great act of love and courageousness, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." (Deuteronomy 20:2). In fact! This merciful hand was a pierced Hand. A Hand forever engraved by a scar that would triumphantly say YOU ARE LOVED! I AM YOURS AND YOU ARE MINE. Amen! Lord Jesus!
This Easter as you make your way with your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to your church, or are invited to a church (http://potentialchurch.com/easter-2012/) maybe for the very first time. Know this! Jesus is no longer on that tree known as Calvary's Cross. He is alive, on the Throne of righteousness and grace. And He wants you to know that the message is still clear today as it was 2000+ years ago. He died for you because He Loves You.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
I have come to embrace and believe fully that Love isn't on a billboard. In a club. On a street corner. In a bar. With a gang. In a needle or a bottle. Love isn't on a website late at night when no one is around and certainly not in a magazine or a tinted window location. But Love can penetrate all those avenues of darkness and destruction, because Love conquered eternal darkness itself! Jesus raised from the dead three days later conquering death and all its ways of conquering us once and for all. These words of victory haunts evil and makes way for good, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you...‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:5-8 emphasis added).
The picture of Easter can be expressed by many picture painting expressive words as you can see but truly, only 7 things are needed to grasp fully what Easter and God's Love is all about.
A tree (Luke 23:21). A crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29). Nails (Mark 15:25). Blood flowing (Matthew 27:26). A prayer of forgiveness (Luke 23:34). Paradise promised (Luke 23:43). A shout representing Victory! "It is Finished." (John 19:30)
Beloved, Jesus loves you and that's no cliché. It's a proclamation of truth that cost Him His life. This Easter as you enter God's House, don't leave without giving your whole heart; your whole life to Him as He gave His one and only Son up for you, for me, for all who would believe. Amen.
Beloved, I leave you with these words sang from hearts that know Who True Love is (Sing Along)
I have come to embrace and believe fully that Love isn't on a billboard. In a club. On a street corner. In a bar. With a gang. In a needle or a bottle. Love isn't on a website late at night when no one is around and certainly not in a magazine or a tinted window location. But Love can penetrate all those avenues of darkness and destruction, because Love conquered eternal darkness itself! Jesus raised from the dead three days later conquering death and all its ways of conquering us once and for all. These words of victory haunts evil and makes way for good, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you...‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:5-8 emphasis added).
Knowing that My Savior and Lord has Risen! I can now say with confidence, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)
55 The picture of Easter can be expressed by many picture painting expressive words as you can see but truly, only 7 things are needed to grasp fully what Easter and God's Love is all about.
A tree (Luke 23:21). A crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29). Nails (Mark 15:25). Blood flowing (Matthew 27:26). A prayer of forgiveness (Luke 23:34). Paradise promised (Luke 23:43). A shout representing Victory! "It is Finished." (John 19:30)
Beloved, Jesus loves you and that's no cliché. It's a proclamation of truth that cost Him His life. This Easter as you enter God's House, don't leave without giving your whole heart; your whole life to Him as He gave His one and only Son up for you, for me, for all who would believe. Amen.
Beloved, I leave you with these words sang from hearts that know Who True Love is (Sing Along)
"My whole life is Yours, I give it all
Surrendered to Your name
And forever I will pray
Have Your way, have Your way"
Beloved, as always...YOU ARE LOVED.
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