Surprise: When Jesus Sneaks up on You

When Jesus sneaks up on you, what a surprise!

Death is upended, with all of its lies.

When He takes the worst of your fears by surprise.

Discouragement shatters, and all compromise.

 

God’s elect have been crying out all through the night,

Longing to see dreams and visions take flight,

The things they’ve been hoping for so many years.

“Lord, save us from bondage. We’ve so many fears.”

 

Prayer warriors knocking upon heaven’s door

Cry, “God, grant us justice we’ve not seen before.

The enemy’s raging. We cannot hold back

These poisonous darts of his latest attack.

 

“We stick to your Word and your promises claim,

Yet satan’s been getting the glory and fame.

We’re weary of battling the spirit of death.

Silence rules while we fight with our last dying breath.”

 

Then, behold! Jesus enters the temple: Surprise!

He conquers all fear with one look from His eyes.

“Treason!” shouts Athaliah, the wicked old queen,

As the brightness of His sudden coming is seen.

 

The thief sent the whirlwind that shattered Job’s house,

And made the poor sufferer feel like a louse.

His heart had been broken, success stripped away,

Disease gripped his body, he cursed his birthday.

 

His friends sought for reasons. Why did this occur?

But their words held no comfort. Their words could not cure.

Then, surprise! God showed up. Through a whirlwind He spoke,

And by His appearing, fresh faith He awoke

 

Restoring the joy that those old guys had lost

(And reminding a few of the lines they had crossed,

In not speaking right of the life-giving One

Who endured greater loss but the victory has won.

 

For, many years later, upon a long road

That led to Emmaus, two sad people strode.

Then a stranger snuck up, someone they did not know.

Where did this man come from and where would he go?

 

They spoke of their sorrow and all of their strife.

“We’re so disappointed right now with this life.

We thought we had found our Messiah at last.

But now He has died and our hopes are all past.”

 

 

Then, how their hearts burned as he opened God’s Word

To understand scriptures they knew they had heard.

They begged him to stay, and with them he shared bread

Which opened their eyes to great truths they had read.

 

 

When Jesus sneaks up on you, what a surprise!

Death is upended, and all of its lies.

Watch HIM take the worst of your fears by surprise

Revealing the truth behind your greatest “why’s.”

 

https://atomic-temporary-102676306.wpcomstaging.com/faith/seeing-believing/

 

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Two Points of Energy Sit on Your Tongue

I. Two Points of Energy Sit on Your Tongue

No matter how old you may be or how young,

Two points of energy sit on your tongue,

Offering choices: speak death or speak life.

Submit to God’s fire or the fire of strife.

Whether bitter or sweet, you have power today

To decide how to flavor the things that you say.

Do your words justify? Do they condemn?

Because you can’t turn a millstone to a gem.

Take, for example, Christ’s wilderness fast.

Forty days is how long this fast did last,

In which He was tempted to turn stones to bread.

But He turned the devil’s own words on his head.

 

II. Don’t Use Your Tongue’s Energy to Glorify satan

So, Satan changed tactics and promised Him power,

Declaring, “I’ll save you from your desperate hour.

With the right words you can save yourself from the cross.

Why should you, God’s own Son, suffer such loss?”

The devil said, “If you’ll adore me, I’ll give

To you all of these people. Yes, I’ll let them live,

While you enjoy fortune and revel in fame.

All you have to do is to worship my name.”

“To clarify what that means, Glorify me

For all that I’ve done and the misery you see.

Do not speak of victory won through your death.

Those people aren’t worth it, you’ll just waste your breath.”

“All I want is some credit for all that I’ve done.

For, it can’t be too hard to admit that I’ve won.

So, let’s talk about all of the problems I’ve caused,

With all of the suffering, all that’s been lost.”

“Sympathize with their grumbling, as I see fit,

And make them feel sorry for you, just a bit,

Because loving problems and talking of pain

Is the best way to glorify my evil name.”

 

III. Jesus Used His Tongue o Glorify satan

To thus misuse his tongue Jesus was tempted.

But the Father’s provision it would have preempted.

Yet how many of us today fall for this trick?

It’s packaged up pretty, but boy is it slick!

We fret and we worry ’bout each little task,

But the energy lies on our tongues if we’ll ask.

We mumble and grumble because we are bored,

But that needn’t be so if we’re serving the Lord.

Others of us, swallowed by circumspection,

Forget the great hope of our Lord’s resurrection.

While we might remember to lift up the cross,

We focus on suffering and count it as loss.

 

IV. Remember the Power of Christ’s Resurrection

But where is the joy that He purchased for us

When he rose from the dead? Oh, why do we still fuss?

He spoke to that mountain of death, and it moved.

To remember this victory it would us behoove.

So let’s not proclaim sadness or pity or shame,

But think about Jesus and lift up his name.

Talk of His victory, and ALL that He’s done,

ALL that He is, and ALL that He’s won.

For the tongue has the power of life and of death,

The power to give or to take away breath.

So rather than grumble or mourn or complain,

Let’s use our tongues to lift up Jesus’ name!

 

https://atomic-temporary-102676306.wpcomstaging.com/healing/comic-books-bibles-portals/

For the Isaac (Laughter) Set Before Him, Jesus Endured

Isaac, who means laughter, was the man-of-faith’s true joy,

For God gave Sarah grace to bear this promised baby boy.

Where faith met grace, the LORD performed a miracle so great,

It gave their friends and family great cause to celebrate.

 

Through Hagar, Abraham had Ishmael, who was very weak.

His mother had to shelter him while water she did seek.

For, like God’s holy law, he lacked the strength to set men free.

His line did not reveal the truth that leads to liberty.

 

His hand would be against all men and they at war with him.

As for escaping Ishmael’s judgment, it seemed less than slim.

Because, like law, he had no strength to save mankind from sin.

Therefore, only Through Isaac (laughter) can we really win.

 

Yet laughter’s dad was told to offer up his only son

Upon an altar to be sacrificed – God’s will be done.

He laid the wood on Isaac’s back as they went up the hill,

In order, this “obedience unto death” he might fulfill.

 

When asked “Where is the lamb?” Abraham said, “God will provide,”

Not knowing that a ram was coming up the mountainside,

Faith laid his Laughter on the wood, prepared to take the knife

And slay his son, believing God could bring him back to life.

 

But then an angel called from heaven, “Do not harm your son!”

“’I know now that you love me,’ says the Lord. The work I’ve done,

Because old Abraham beheld the ram in thick vines caught,

A substitute for Isaac who from death now had been brought.

 

For God so loved the world, we read, His only Son He gave.

To save our joy from perishing. He overcame the grave.

And for the Isaac set before him, Jesus bore the cross

That those of faith like Abraham might escape eternal loss.

 

 

From Shards of Shattered Homes New Heroes Arise

I. Shattered Homes: Signs of a Villain at Work

His home life: shattered. His peace: stolen. The world as he knows it: blown to bits.

Jesus said, “The thief (meaning Satan the accuser, also known as the devil) comes to steal, kill and destroy.” (John 10:10). The major villain of the story, Satan works behind the scenes, taking every chance he finds to ruin people’s lives. Unfortunately, he often succeeds.

Yet from shards of shattered homes, new heroes arise. This is a common superhero theme. Take the comic book figure Superman, for example, the hero from the exploded planet. He gets torn from his parents and his home gets shattered – literally. But after he lands on earth, he discovers he has superpowers which he uses for the good of all mankind.

Moses is another example. The “thief” in his day, Pharaoh, stole the Hebrews’ joy, killed their male babies, and destroyed their happiness. To save his life, his mother sent him sailing away from home. After he grew up, he led his people – his “shattered home,” if you will – out of bondage. With power from above, he freed them from the evil Pharaoh’s grip. Moses was like the superhero of the story, while Pharaoh played the villain role.

From a Christian viewpoint, the devil was and is the real villain, however. His influence results in many a shattered family. He enjoys ripping homes to shreds, leaving children with no sure place on which to stand. After all, how can they build their lives on sinking sand? Such “houses” always crumble. When storms beat on them, they sink. “And great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27)

II.  Brokenness May Help Provide a Cure

The resulting brokenness,  however, may serve as a vessel to release the new hero into his destiny. That’s because, as he bursts forth from the eggshell that once shielded him, he discovers a new level of freedom. People who “walk on eggshells” no longer step on him. The Spirit of resurrection life he’s found in Christ gives him breath (see John 10:10 and Romans 8:2). He doesn’t have to feed off bland egg white anymore, but feasts freely off kernels of truth he finds inside God’s Word (see Deuteronomy 8:3 and Matthew 4:4).

Moreover, as he grows, he sees he can’t fix windows shattered by idolatrous points of view. But as he gazes at the only Rock worth serving, he gains a new perspective: who he is  and what he’s called to do. As he sees God work bad situations in his life for good,  he learns to trust Him more.

God Save the King Who Saves Us!

“God save the king!” whispered the three people who knew about it,

Yet they had to be extremely careful not to shout it.

For at the time, a very wicked queen ruled Judah’s land.

She put her grandchildren to death so she could rule as planned.

 

Death and destruction overtook the country known as “Praise.”

As evil screamed for recognition, death ruled many days.

Meanwhile, sequestered in a room until six years had passed,

One boy remained protected from the bad queen’s vicious blast.

 

“God save the king!” whispered the three people who knew about him.

Of course, to save him from the queen, they dared not shout about him.

The little king was very much alive, that much they knew.

His whereabouts stayed veiled to all, except the chosen few.

 

The king would live as long as he remained obscure, unknown

Until the day arrived for him to sit upon the throne.

That’s when a larger group convened to help protect the king.

Before a larger audience His praises they would sing.

 

When finally, they fetched him, shielded well on every side,

And placed him in the temple, evil found no place to hide.

The trumpets blew. “God save the king!” his subjects now declared.

The mean queen’s ears picked up on it. Soon she was running scared.

 

She rushed into the temple, tore her clothes, and yelled “Unfair!”

“It’s treason!” she announced to see the true king standing there.

“It’s like a resurrection, but of course it can’t be real.

I killed them all. No one survived. Before me all must kneel!”

 

The priest who oversaw the celebration told his men

To drag her from God’s house, never to enter it again.

Out by the horse’s gate they went and slew her with the sword.

Deliverance took place that day as they obeyed the LORD.

 

And that’s how evil Athaliah finally met her doom.

Because the king still lived, her deadly reign had no more room,

For as the crowd rejoiced in him, the fear of her did cease,

Replaced by shouts of joy and unimaginable peace.

 

The story in II Kings chapter 11 tells how young King Joash escaped the murderous clutches of his evil grandmother. He remained hidden in God’s house for six years while Athaliah ruled the land, just as King Jesus remained hidden from Herod who tried to have him killed.

We live in an information age where keeping secrets has become very difficult. It can tempt  us to share too much of what we know. But sometimes truths need to be kept hidden for a while, until the time is right to share them.

In some ways, the truth of Jesus’ resurrection has been hidden from the church – not in the sense that His followers don’t believe He rose from the dead but in the sense that they don’t act as if He’s truly alive. Rather than expecting Him to empower them the way He empowered the early church, they reason that God no longer does the same miracles He did back then. They have allowed the spirit of death epitomized in Athaliah to dash their hopes and kill their faith. To them the true identity of the real king remains hidden.

But as the time of deliverance draws near, those of us who know our king will be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). We will share the awesome truths God shows to us with those who are willing to help us defend it, just as Jehoiada gathered numerous commanders to guard the young king. The difference is, we don’t need to cry “God save the king!” because King Jesus doesn’t need saving. He gave His life to save us. As we lift our hands and rejoice in Him, the devils in our lives will exposed themselves just as Athaliah heard the people’s praise and exposed herself. That’s because Satan wants to be worshiped and will always complain when we worship Jesus, who IS the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).

A sword of metal killed Athaliah. To cast out devils, we have God’s Word, the truth that’s found in Christ. The Holy Spirit makes His resurrection power real to us. (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:11)

There’s nothing to worry about because Jesus has won the victory for us.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

 

https://miracle-times.com/resurrection/when-life-stinks/

What to Do When Your Life Stinks

It stinks, it stinks, my life does stink

Groaned the woman on the brink.

Into the well she thought to sink.

Then Jesus offered her a drink.

 

“Believe in me, I am your life.

I bring new hope to calm your strife.

With peace to overcome your fear

As long as you have ears to hear.”

 

From her viewpoint, the world seemed bleak.

She doubted what she heard him speak.

In sorrow drowning, trembling, weak,

Before the one she’d come to seek,

 

She said, “If you’d been by his side,

My brother never would have died.

I knew the good times couldn’t last.

The time for miracles is past.”

 

“I’m with you now. You’re not alone.

Go to the tomb. Remove the stone,”

The Lord commanded in a way

She knew she needed to obey.

 

“But, Lord, it stinks. Don’t make me face

The stench of death which brings disgrace.

It stinks, it stinks, the pain’s too great.

I told you that you came too late.”

 

“Remove the stone from off the tomb.

And give the man some breathing room.

Remove the stone, complete the story

If you want to see God’s glory.”

 

“Believe,” is what he said to her.

So, she obeyed His Words so sure.

Then Jesus called. The man arose,

Because to heed God’s call she chose.

 

Does your life stink? Are you in pain?

And can you barely stand the strain?

Then take the stone from off your heart

And let God speak to every part.

 

“But Lord, the stench is far too great!

I fear you have arrived too late

To stop the sin I want to hide.

I dare not let you touch my pride.”

 

Some won’t let Jesus near their tomb.

They will not give Him any room.

But for those who let Him in,

God’s glory will be seen with in.

 

 

We all have things in our lives that stink, areas in which God wants to shine His light. He wants to do miracles for us, replacing death with life. But in order for Him to do that, we must surrender whatever “stones” lie in the way. Perhaps the greatest stone is pride. Pride won’t let anyone smell the dead thing that lies behind it. But like Martha at Lazarus’s tomb (story in John chapter 11), we need to be willing to air out the sepulcher. If we do, we will experience God’s awesome resurrection power.

https://miracle-times.com/miracle-killers/fear-man-miracle-killer/

https://miracle-times.com/miracles/miracles-good-fruit-persecution/

Resurrection Blast

It isn’t time to cry or mourn. It’s time to have some fun.

Children, see the empty tomb, each and every one.

The treasure’s really cool. There’s no body buried there.

The women wept all night, but now they’ve no time to despair.

Off come the funeral clothes. They’ve got the greatest news to share.

 

As they came near the spot, it’s true, those gals were feeling grim

About the stone that sealed the tomb where they had buried Him.

To move the thing would take more strength than all of them combined.

Yet on that dark and lonely road, and to their task resigned,

(for with a solemn sadness they were hopelessly aligned)

 

They talked among themselves. “Who’s going to roll that thing away?”

But to the angel swooping down, the task was child’s play.

The soldiers cried in fear and fainted when they saw his face.

The earthquake woke them up, though, and they bolted from the place

The sixteen men who failed to guard the tomb feared sure disgrace.

 

Let’s watch it in slow motion, kids. You’re sure to have a blast.

See them scramble, see them fall. They’re running really fast.

They nearly knock the ladies over in their zeal to flee.

“Watch where you’re going!” cries a Mary. “Can’t you blind guys see?”

“It may be dark out, but that’s no excuse to bang my knee!”

 

“Hey, aren’t those guys the guards that Pilate placed around that tomb?”

They shake their heads and mutter, as they watch the fellows zoom.

The women too had felt the quake while walking up that hill.

Their thoughts were not on wonders though, but on the bitter pill

They had to swallow when He died. In their hearts, they felt ill.

 

Just picture their amazement when they saw the stone removed

When the angels said “He’s risen,” oh how must they have been moved!

It was no pirate’s treasure they’d unearthed inside that tomb.

No dead men’s bones would be found there, no shades of gloom or doom.

But there’s a hidden message in the walls, if you’ll make room.

 

So, hurry, kids. Let’s share the fun, because He’s coming soon!