I know that doesn’t seem like an earth shattering statement.
Thousands of people probably opened their mailbox yesterday and received a message in an envelope.
Maybe you were one of them.
My envelope and message, however, were sent from heaven.
I know.
I have gone from making a statement that wasn’t earth shattering to making one that is heaven shaped.
Let me explain.
Life has thrown one curveball after another at our family recently.
Mostly financial.
Mostly vehicle related.
We keep swinging and missing.
It’s been overwhelming.
We prayed and it was like heaven was silent.
I have had doubts.
Not in God.
In myself.
As a husband.
A daddy.
A provider.
“The fact that Satan is working against you just means you are doing something right,” others said.
“Or maybe you have done something wrong,” I said to myself.
I have been hearing that voice a lot.
My voice of condemnation and failure.
Yet I never stopped using my voice to cry out to the Lord.
Help.
Help me.
Help us.
Then the message in the envelope arrived.
A man came to the church I pastor.
He isn’t a member.
I had met him a few years ago in passing.
“May I have a few seconds of your time,” he asked.
“Of course,” I said as we walked the few steps down the hall to my office.
Once inside he handed me a bank envelope and said, “the Lord told me to give this to you.”
“To me,” I questioned.
“Yes,” to you he said matter-of-factly. “Not to the church but to you.”
I started crying.
I gave him a hug and simply said, “we have been going through a rough time.”
He stated once again that his presence there was simply an act of obedience and that the Lord had blessed him.
He then asked, “what does this mean to you?”
It’s a reminder God’s got me,” I said. “He knows what we’re going through.”
I thanked him for being used by the Lord and he left.
He left me with a message in an envelope.
A reminder.
A reminder that came to me again in a text message as I was writing this.
“You’ve been carrying so much. You’re doing your best and you’re doing it all while trying to take care of those you love. Here is a little reminder that you are being carried through what you are having to carry. You have a Father that sees your dedication and takes not of your effort. Keep going. You are loved.”
For reasons unknown to us, the local animal shelter had become her place of residence.
It could have been because she was no longer affordable, so she was dropped off as the humane option.
Possibly, she ran away from home because she had overbearing owners and wanted more freedom.
It’s part of her story we will never know.
All we knew at the time was that she needed us.
The first time we saw her, we were hundreds of miles away from home.
Our family had just enjoyed a few days at the beach and was making the long drive home when an unnamed passenger (closest to me in age) began showing us pictures of one cute canine after another.
It’s likely that sleep deprivation was the leading cause of her decision, but that wasn’t taken into consideration by the other five passengers. We saw an opening and united to persuade Mommy that another dog was exactly what we needed.
Not just any dog, though.
We needed the yellow lab mix who communicated to us through her eyes, “I need you.”
It had been almost a year since we had put down our beloved yellow lab, Bailey (Pooter), and it just hadn’t been the same around our house.
Something had been missing, and when we saw this yellow lab mix, we found what had been missing.
She needed us, but just as important, we needed her.
The rest of the trip home was spent reminding the kids of their responsibility to help take care of the dog and deciding on a name.
The shelter was calling her “Tammy,” but that wasn’t a name that would fit in our fur family tree.
Our previous Labrador Retrievers all had names that began with the letter B.
I wanted the name “Baptist,” but it was voted down. The irony in that wasn’t lost on me.
The favored name was Birdie, so we now had a name for the face in the photo.
When we got back into town, we went straight to the veterinarian’s office, where she was being housed for the shelter. We filled out the paperwork, paid the fee, and took Birdie home as the newest member of our family.
That was five years ago.
Today, we took her back to the same veterinarian’s office.
This time, it wasn’t to say hello but to say goodbye.
Last week, we found out she had a tumor in her stomach,which explained why she hadn’t been eating. We were told it wasn’t likely she would get any better, so we decided not to prolong the inevitable.
She needed us to make this decision.
Five years ago, we drove in a hurry to the veterinarian’s office.
Today, we drove slowly to the veterinarian’s office.
We filled out the paperwork, paid the fee, and then took Birdie home to lay beside Bailey.
All of us have moments when life becomes overwhelming and we’re afraid because it feel like we are drowning. During these overwhelming moments of life it’s important to know that we have a promise to anchor our soul.
Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you go through deep water, I will be with you. When you cross dangerous rivers, you will not drown.” This powerful scripture is a promise from God, a reminder that we are never alone in our struggles. Jesus is our lifeguard, watching over us in the deep waters of life that threaten to pull us under.
If a job loss, broken relationship, health problem or something else has got you overwhelmed to the point of giving up then look up. Jesus is reaching out to you. Listen up. Jesus is calling out to you.
“I’m here with you”, Jesus says. “I’m not going to let you go under.”
Jesus doesn’t just sit on the shore, watching and waiting. He is in the deep water with us to pull us to safety.
Jesus is our Lifeguard.
Jesus being our lifeguard means that we don’t have to face life’s challenges alone. His love and grace surround us, giving us the courage to keep swimming even when we feel like we can’t go on. He sees us, He knows our struggles, and He’s there to rescue us.
So, if you’re feeling like you’re drowning today, remember Isaiah 43:2. Remember that you have a lifeguard who is always by your side, ready to save you. Trust in Jesus, lean on Him, and let His love carry you through the waves. You are never alone; He is always with you, guiding you to the safety of His embrace.
Take a good look at those three crosses. If you are familiar with the story of the crucifixion then you know that two criminals hung on the two outer crosses and you know that Jesus hung on the middle cross. Did you know, however, that the middle cross wasn’t originally built by the Romans for Jesus?
The middle cross was built for a man named Barabbas. Who was this man named Barabbas? We don’t know much about him, but we do know enough to know that he was deserving of death. Barabbas was an insurrectionist. In other words, he was a man who participated in a violent uprising against the Roman government. There is a good chance that he was one of the key leaders of the insurrection. The Bible tells us that in the process of rebelling against the Roman government Barabbas, along with other insurrectionists, had committed murder. Mark 15:7 says: The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. Barabbas was a rebel, and a murderer. As a result of what he had done, he was not only deserving of death but was under the sentence of death. Unless something happened, Barabbas was going to be crucified on a cross alongside two of his partners in crime.
Something did happen.
We discover that one of the customs of Pilate, the Romans Governor, was to release for the Jews any prisoner they requested during the feast of the Passover. Mark 15:6 says: Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. Verse 8 we read: The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. So, Pilate asks them: Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews? We can only imagine his surprise when the crowd responded by saying they wanted him to release Barabbas.
Barabbas?
A man guilty of rebellion and murder?
You want me to release a man deserving of death?
After hearing that they wanted him to release Barabbas we find Pilate asking the crowd this question in verse 12:Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” If Pilate was surprised to hear that they wanted Barabbas released he must have been shocked when he heard what they wanted him to do to Jesus. In verse 13 we read: They shouted [a]back, “Crucify Him!”
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent.
Pilate knew that Jesus didn’t deserve to die.
So, he says back to the crowd in verse 14:“Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” Then we read words that will change the course of history for not only Barabbas but for the entire world. Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23:for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We all have missed the mark of righteousness God has set. We are rebels, lawbreakers, and deserving of death. We deserved to be on the middle cross as much as Barabbas deserved to be on it. The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23: the wages of sin is death. The verse doesn’t end there though. It tells us “the wages of sin is death” and then continues, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We deserve to die because of our sin but God offers us the gift of eternal life. It’s a gift received through Jesus Christ. On that Friday over 2,000 years ago Jesus wasn’t just nailed to that middle cross in place of Barabbas; Jesus was nailed to that middle cross in place of all of us reading this post. 1 Peter 3:18 says: For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God. The reason Jesus died for Barabbas and for us was to bring us to God. Sin separated us from God, so Jesus laid down His life to become our way back to God. In John 14:6 Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
When Jesus shed His blood on that middle cross it symbolized Jesus standing in the middle between God and man making a way for them to be reunited. Ephesians 1:7 says: In [a]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven of our sin when He took our place on that middle cross and shed His blood.
Jesus made a way for Barabbas to be forgiven of his sin, but the Bible gives us no record that ever happened. Instead of turning to Jesus in repentance and recognizing Jesus was taking his place on that middle cross; Barabbas turns away from Jesus and continues in his sin. Barabbas received the pardon of man, but he never received the pardon of God.
Let me ask you: are you living like Barabbas?
Has there ever been a time in your life when you have confessed that Jesus Christ took your place on the middle cross and died for your sin?
Would you like to receive the gift of salvation, the forgiveness of your sin, offered to you by God through Jesus Christ? John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Then in Romans 10:13 it says: Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. If the answer is yes I invite you to pray the following words with all your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.
If you just prayed that prayer the words “paid in full” have been written across the sin debt of your life with the blood of Jesus Christ. That’s something to celebrate. If you received news that a huge financial debt you owed had been forgiven you would shout about it and tell others about it. Something better than that has happened to those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ for our salvation. A debt we could never pay Jesus paid for us.
I close with the words of the hymn “Jesus Paid It All” written by Elvina Hall. As you read the words I want to encourage you to shout about it and then tell others about.
“Jesus paid it all All to Him I owe Sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow.”
Long before you knew there was a problem God already had a miracle in mind.
In John 6 we find a large crowd coming to Jesus. Large as in five thousand men plus women and children. Seeing the crowd Jesus asks one of his disciples, Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”
Jesus didn’t ask the question because he was in need of Philip’s help. The question was asked so that Philip could see he needed Jesus’ help.
Philip looks at the crowd then looks at the bank account and bread inventory and basically says to Jesus: “impossible.”
Long before Philip knew there was a problem Jesus already had a miracle in mind.
Before Jesus asked Philip about the bread situation He already knew the limitations that would be identified by Philip. More importantly Jesus already knew how He was going to turn the limitations into a miracle of maximization.
John 6:6 says: “Jesus already knew what he was going to do.”
In other words, Jesus had a miracle in mind.
One boy. Two fish. Five loaves of bread.
This was the miracle Jesus had in mind to turn twenty-thousand empty stomachs into twenty-thousand full stomachs.
John writes in verse 11: “Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.”
This book is all about how to hear the voice of God. If you desire to have a better understanding of how God speaks then check out this book. I haven’t finished it but am getting close.
Looking to lose some weight and have a more healthy lifestyle then Ryan Woodall is the guy to help you reach your goal. Ryan has trained 5,000 people over the past 5 years; that is an average of 1,000 people a year. At any given time Ryan has 300 active clients that he is helping on their journey to better health. I can personally speak of Ryan’s ability to help people accomplish their health goals because in 2014 Ryan helped me lose 35 pounds. Check out the link below and then contact Ryan ASAP. I can guarantee that it will be worth your time.
You can find this reading plan at YouVersion by clicking on the link below. I am currently on day 11 and have really enjoyed the journey of learning more about prayer.
I don’t know if you are a Dr. Seuss fan but the older I get the more I get Dr. Seuss. I’m not saying that I’m eating more green eggs and ham these days but I am saying that I’m finding Dr. Seuss’ stories have application to the greater story of life.
One Dr. Seuss story that is popular this time of year is “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. The story begins with these words “Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did not”. So the Grinch comes up with a “wonderful, awful idea. He’ll disguise himself as Santa and while all the Who’s are sleeping he’ll go down to Who-Ville and stop Christmas from coming by stealing all the symbols of Christmas. So off the Grinch goes to Who-ville. Once there he steals the stockings, the presents, the pudding, the roast beast, and of course the tree. With his sled all packed up the Grinch heads back up to Mt. Crumpit.
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it! Pooh-Pooh to the Whos! he was Grinch-ish–ly humming. They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming! They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do! Their mouths will hang open a minute or two; Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO. That’s a noise, grinned the Grinch, That I simply must hear! So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow…But the sound wasn’t sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn’t be so! But it was merry! Very! He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise! Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all! He hadn’t stopped Christmas from coming! It CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags! Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas….perhaps…means a little bit more.
As we journey through the Christmas Season I’m aware of another Grinch that would like to steal Christmas from many people and that is the Grinch of Grief. All around us the symbols of Christmas have appeared: trees, stockings, gifts, and lights. It’s a sight that seems to say that “we like Christmas a lot”. Lurking in the shadows of the souls of some, however, is the Grinch of Grief who does not. It does not like anything that resembles Christmas. This Grinch has come to try to take Christmas and metaphorically dump it over the edge of a cliff.
To those whom the Grinch of Grief has led to the edge of this cliff I would offer this word of encouragement before dumping Christmas over the edge. Look past the symbols of Christmas and see the heart of Christmas. The symbols of Christmas are nothing more than signs that point us to the true meaning of Christmas. The heart of Christmas is about a Savior, named Jesus Christ who came to this earth and clothed Himself in human likeness to bear our sin and grief and to carry our sorrows. Isaiah 53:4 says: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ coming to this sinful, grief-stricken world to identify with us so that He could give us the help we so desperately need. Jesus understands all of our pain, sorrow, and grief. Jesus came to take our pain and give us His peace. Jesus Christ came to take our sorrow and give us His joy. Jesus Christ came to carry our grief and give us His hope.
To those who might have been ready to dump Christmas over the edge of the cliff I pray that you have had a change of heart now that you’ve seen the heart of Christmas. There’s really no need to allow the Grinch of Grief your Christmas to steal for Jesus came to this earth and knows how you feel. There is no maybe about it. Christmas means a whole lot more; such as Jesus Christ came and our sins and griefs He bore.
