Christ’s Hands

~ The Hands of Jesus Christ ~

 His Hands Were Pierced For Our Sin (The Dying One)  ~  “For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16). “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center” (John 19:17-18). “Then [post resurrection] He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing’”(John 20:27).

His Hands Were Shown For Our Peace (The Risen One)  ~  “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’” (John 20:19-21). 

His Hands Are Uplifted For Our Blessing (The Ascending One)  ~  “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen” (Luke 24:50-53).

His Hands Are Opened For Our Supply (The Glorified One)  ~   “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them” (Psalm 145:16-19).

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

The Search

We have come to that wonderful place where our only desire is to do God’s will. We have begun to view our time on earth with an eternal perspective and are now in the process of aligning our life with His desires. We truly desire to do the will of God, so we desperately (and often unceasingly) search for His will. This is a significant step of maturity for any believer, but it can also be a time of great frustration.
Before we were saved, we were controlled by a sinful nature. This nature manifested itself in a variety of ways; “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Through the Spirit of Christ, we now have the power to break free from the control of the sinful nature. And, though most of the sinful nature is clearly out of character with a Christian walk, the sin which is often the hardest to recognize is that of selfish ambition. Even in our striving to live according to God’s will, we continually battle the desire to achieve and accomplish.

The deception which surrounds selfish ambition sounds so good and spiritual: “God, let me do something really great….for You! I’m ready to have a MAJOR impact in Your Kingdom.” We look for God’s will as if it is some sort of mountain to climb, and then we become frustrated when we never seem to arrive at the summit. But God’s will is never a destination. His will is always a process – always found in the journey! His will is that we love Him, trust Him, and seek Him with all our heart.
Psalm 9:10
“Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.”
Anyone who earnestly searches for God’s will has a strong desire to please Him. They love God with all their heart and are leaning on Him for guidance like never before. This love and trust mean more to God than anything we could ever accomplish. But God allows us to search, because the search is what brings us to His throne.
We must continue to seek His desire for our life and always be prepared to follow where He leads. But we must also strip back the layers of pride which require an achievement of something grand. We have found His perfect will when we walk in humble submission, with a thankful heart, and are actively involved in the search.

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Christ Working For You

~ Three Ways Jesus Christ Works On Your Behalf ~

Jesus Christ is Working FOR US  ~  Jesus Christ speaking to His Father in heaven said, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). 

Jesus Christ is Working IN US  ~  “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Jesus Christ is Working WITH US  ~  “And they [His followers] went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16:20).    

What are you doing for Him? Are you working with Jesus Christ? Are you working on His behalf? Are you working for His kingdom? 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make! 

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A Taste of Eternity

 In the message “An Eternal Perspective” we saw the need to consider our life on an eternal time scale and to weigh our current burdens against the eternal glory of Heaven. But there are many believers who are unable to gain strength or comfort from this view of life. Although they know the concept, they lack anything on which to base their hope.
This lack of tangible hope is unfortunate, but understandable. If our view of Heaven contains no real foundation, the thought of eternity will never make our troubles seem “light and momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17). And while it’s true that “faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), we still need some understanding or our faith will never generate the hope which can truly impact our life.
When Jacob was looking for a wife, he found Rachel. Jacob quickly fell in love and promised to work seven years in exchange for receiving Rachel as his wife.
Genesis 29:20
“So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”
Jacob worked hard for many years, but the hope of being with the one he loved eased any burden he might have felt. Jacob had a good understanding of the one he hoped for; and this brought him great comfort. He saw Rachel’s beauty every day and was certainly permitted to talk with her often. He knew Rachel and probably spent many hours dreaming of her and holding her in his arms. There was undoubtedly a longing inside Jacob which he knew only Rachel could fill.
God gave His Son so we could be brought back to a full and right relationship with Him for all eternity. But God did not leave us with an empty view or ask us to cling to a blind hope. He allows us into His presence and gives us the ability to know Him NOW! We will never grasp all that Heaven has to offer until we see Him face to face. But God allows us to taste eternity if we will remove the competing distractions, draw near to His side, and ask for our hunger to be satisfied.
Let’s dedicate our lives to knowing the One with whom we will spend eternity – the One on whom we base our hope. Let’s commune with our Father in prayer and learn of His nature through His Word. Let’s strive for an all-consuming love – a love complete with the empty ache which only His presence can fill. Let’s rejoice, receive comfort and gain strength, as we draw near and are allowed a taste of eternity.

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Sing unto the Lord

⁷Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
 ⁸Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
 ⁹He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. 
(Psalm 147:7-9, King James Version)

Sing unto the Lord

          Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.

Have you ever thought about what a great blessing it is to be able to sing? What an awesome way to express our emotions. Not only do we get to enjoy music, but we can add a whole new depth of meaning with the lyrics.

The birds can sing, and many have truly stunningly beautiful songs, yet each is limited by its own God-given song. We, however, are not limited. As we lift our voices in praise, whether alone or in a large congregation, the result is truly awe inspiriting. Can you imagine the joy we will experience when we hear the angels sing? The heavenly chorus we will hear will be unlike anything ever heard or even imagined on this earth.

 Of course, songs are written to convey many meanings. Some are just light songs written to express happiness or joy, some are meant for dancing, some are written as laments, but most are probably written, especially in our day, as love songs. When you think of it, the world has no greater emotion to express than love, with the highest emotion expressed being one of love for another person.

We, as believers, have songs which express emotions even greater than mere love for another human being, for we know the love of God! What an amazing God we serve, and how wondrous to express our love to Him through music. Every blessing we experience on this earth is given to us as a gift by God, who loves us more than we can possibly comprehend. Even those things which one might consider bad, or evil, are tempered by God's Almighty hand, so that we are confident in His constant care and guidance.

Whether we are on the mountain heights or walking through the valley of the shadow of death, our God is with us, guiding us through every single step. As a matter of fact, everything in this world is under God's protecting hand. As the Psalmist reminds us, He covers the heaven with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow upon the mountains. He gives food to the beasts and to the young ravens who cry out to Him.

The beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky know their Creator. In their hunger they cry to Him and He provides. Who can resist the joyous cry of the birds every morning when the sun rises and a new day is thrust upon the earth. By the hundreds and thousands, the birds join their voices in praise to God for each new day He brings forth.

Let us, then, listen to the advice of the Psalmist and sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving.

 ²⁴This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24, King James Version)

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An Eternal Perspective

The path of a “successful” Christian walk is one of daily commitment to Christ and submission to the leading of His Spirit. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Paul understood this commitment when he said, “I die every day” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Our old nature died when our heart was transformed by the Spirit of God; yet, there remains an on-going death which occurs as we continue our walk and battle temptations from a world which seeks to pull us away from Christ.
Our daily commitment, denial, and “self-death” can become a painful burden if we focus on our present circumstances. Anytime our walk is characterized by self-pity, and our trials become viewed as the heavy cross we must bear for Jesus, we have missed the true joy and peace – the true success – that God desires for our life.
1 Corinthians 15:19
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”
If our hope in Christ is only for today’s protection and blessings, then we have grossly underestimated the power of the gospel. This limited view of a Christian life will always fall short of our expectations. Through faith in Jesus, we have been given eternal life! This means the life we now live must be viewed on an eternal time scale.
When we place our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, our life begins anew. But this means far more than a fresh start. In an instant, EVERYTHING has changed. The burdens that were once so heavy must now be weighed against the magnificent glory of Heaven. And our “never-ending” trials must now be timed on the clock of eternity.
The world screams at us to focus on the here and now – on immediate gratification from what we can see and feel. It tells us life is short so fill it with sensual pleasures and tangible possessions. God’s Word agrees that our earthly life is short; “A mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). But it also teaches that our spiritual life continues forever! “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
We have been given new eyes! Let’s begin to view our life in the context of eternity and gain the greater hope and power this view can provide today. Let’s carry our cross with greater joy, live with more peace and contentment, and experience new victories in life’s many battles. Let’s find true success as we evaluate all areas of our life from an eternal perspective.

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The Happiest Man In Eternity

~ Need Happiness? ~

Do you know who’s going to be the happiest man in all eternity?

Now the Lord Jesus said this, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Why? “For they shall be filled.” Hunger and thirst. Why didn’t He say, “Blessed are the righteous?” Because most of us aren’t. He said this, “Blessed are those who do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Why? “Because they shall be filled.” Depending on your hunger for righteousness, depending on your thirst for righteousness, to that extent you will be filled.

Do you know who’s going to be the happiest man in all eternity? I’ll tell you who it’s going to be. It’s going to be Jesus Christ. Do you want me to tell you why? Because Jesus Christ was parched for God and for righteousness. He loved both. He had moral passions. That’s what the Scripture says, “Thou lovest righteousness.” Notice the sequence. “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.”

Because Jesus Christ loved righteousness and hated iniquity, God filled His cup full. He loved righteousness more than any other man loved righteousness, because He was infinite in His desire. Thou hast loved righteousness, therefore God has filled Your cup fuller than the cup of those around you.

 

Understand this and you will be happy. You will have whole-hearted joy in heaven and a corresponding desire for righteousness on earth. The Lord Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the righteous,” but rather, “Blessed are those who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” 

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Christ-Centered Analysis

In the message “Promotion to Servant” we saw our need to turn aside from the self-advancement mentality of the world and to become a humble servant of Christ. We also acknowledged this was no trivial task. Every morning, we must decide which analysis method we will use to guide our decisions. We must either choose the method given by the world, or the method given by Jesus. It’s unfortunate so much of our “training” has been in the method of the world.
As children we are taught that more is better and one plus one equals two. And as we become adults, we are trained to make decisions based on a spreadsheet type analysis. We learn to choose a direction based on which path will bring the greatest pleasure, or which path will add the most to the “bottom line.” And we even allow a Godless media to define what it means to be a man, what it means to be a woman, and what it means to be married and raise a family.
But Jesus, as our supreme example, was never constrained by our finite way of thinking or our pathetic worldly influences. He taught us the correct path is the path of simple obedience; and He demonstrated that one plus one, plus faith, will always equal whatever God desires.
John 6:5-7
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do. Philip answered Him, ‘Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’”
I imagine Philip sitting beside Jesus with his laptop computer, frantically entering numbers. After analyzing the data, he points to the screen and says: “Look Jesus, it just doesn’t compute. Your plan cannot be accomplished!”
Of course, Jesus then swept aside Philip’s analysis, blessed two fish and five loaves of bread, and proceeded to feed over 5000 people.
Our Heavenly Father has given us various tasks for today, as well as for the coming weeks, months and years. Many of these tasks will be challenging and require serious decisions. In our finite, number-crunching, mentality we will often shake our head and say the task isn’t practical or can’t be done. But Jesus is calling us to a new analysis – a new way to live which is centered on Him – one that believes “all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).
When we face our challenges, let’s learn to “Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Let’s live each and every moment by faith and allow each step along our path to be guided by a Christ-centered analysis.

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