Holy Uprising - Wed Mar 31

The Big Day Approaches!


"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well." 1 John 5:1


Do you know Jesus? Do You "Love" Him?

If you have ever been around an engaged couple, then I'm sure you can testify that their excitement, for their "soon to be wedding," is contagious. Just mention the words and their thoughts, plans, hopes and dreams will come spilling out with smiles and anxious giggles. And, as the day approaches, the soon to be bride may on occasion scream out in anticipation and excitement as each day is a count down for the "Big Day".

Oh, all the thoughts of preparation. The invested time, resources and energy. Oh, the planning....Oh, the expectancy.

Have you ever given thought to how we can know the bible forward and back, and still not know the author personally. We can know all about him and still lack love "for" Him.

The bible refers to the body of Christ as a bride preparing herself for her bridegroom. We are encouraged to make ourselves ready and live with the expectancy of the soon coming King. One day, we will all see Jesus face to face. We will be able to look into the eyes of the one who loves us and gave his life for us. We will be able to hear His audible voice say "I love you". I guarantee He is longing for the day with great hope and anticipation...Are you?

Do you long for the day we stand in his presence?
Do you still need to prepare and make yourself ready for the Big Day? Every day is one day closer! The time is drawing near!

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' Revelation 19:6-9


"Lord, awaken my heart to Know you."
"Lord, awaken my heart to Love you."

Holy Uprising - Tue Mar 30

Road Signs for the Journey . . .


"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:5-8

What images cross your mind when you see a railroad crossing sign? The train whistle, the bell clinging, the red light flashing? Most likely, these are strong, clear warning signs that help us stay out of the way when a train is coming. Railroad signs are there to keep us safe.

Detour signs are there to help us find our way when a road is blocked because it is not safe. We have to follow all the detour signs carefully until we’re back on the road, and on the other side of the blocked section. If we don’t follow the detour signs carefully, we could easily get lost. Detour signs help keep us going in the right direction.

What about “road signs” from God? Road signs in the Bible?

That might sound kind of odd, because they didn’t have cars in First Century Palestine.

But there is Truth all over the Bible to help guide us and keep us on the right path in our lives. For the past 5+ weeks we've been looking at much of the Truth that God has provided to help us remain in Jesus and bear much fruit. And the journey continues . . .

Look at Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” This is a verse to help keep us safe – to keep our hearts and emotions safe. It’s like a railroad crossing sign – it says, pay attention! Approach with caution! Don’t disregard the lights and guard rail – pay attention to the warning signs! You MUST guard your heart!

The ten commandments are good detour signs, especially the ‘don’ts’ – don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t have any other gods before me, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, don’t steal, etc. – these are all ‘signs’ and guidelines that keep us from straying from God’s will for us....they keep us going in the right direction.

What about a stop sign? Read Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.”

And a “yield” sign? What does it remind us to do? Slow down and see if someone else is there.

We see this many times in the Bible when someone is told to 'slow down.' (Good Samaritan (stops to help someone), Esther (prepares the feasts for the king), Jesus (when he was tempted in the wilderness).

The Bible is full of road signs for us. But you must be dwelling in God's Word to see them! You must ask God for the desire to be on HIS journey and then seek His hope in His Word.

What road sign is God putting in your path today?

"I have refused to walk on any evil path,

so that I may remain obedient to your word.

102 I haven’t turned away from your regulations,

for you have taught me well.

103 How sweet your words taste to me;

they are sweeter than honey.

104 Your commandments give me understanding;

no wonder I hate every false way of life.

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet

and a light for my path." Psalm 119:101-105

Holy Uprising - Mon Mar 29

MONDAY


It's Monday. Another Monday in Jerusalem. Although this one is different as people are scurrying about preparing for the Passover, the biggest Celebration of the year. It's a beautiful day, the sun is out, there's a Spring breeze.

Wives are gathering everything they need at the market as all will be shut completely down for days during the celebration. They need to be sure they have enough to feed the out of town relatives as well who will be in town to go to the Temple and observe the Festival.

Fathers are busy getting some last minute work done, items delivered, animals cared for. Many of them are taking their eldest sons to the field surveying which lamb will be sacrificed. Only the best for the Passover.

Children are excited and having a hard focusing at school, the Spring Sun and the anticipation of the holiday.

All is well.

And who would guess that this Friday will be the darkest day in the history of the world. Followed by the most mysterious and miraculous day in the history of the world on Sunday.


Today, for us, is the Monday before we Celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday. How do you think, if they had known the eternal impact of this week, it would have altered the Monday of those Jews 2,000 years ago? How does it change your week?

Here's some Scripture focused on Resurrection. I encourage you to meditate on it today . . . This week.

How is the Resurrection changing your life this week?


"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importanceOr you at the first

">: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,Greek Cephas

"> and then to the Twelve." 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

"For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God." Romans 6:9-10

"“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,Or Messiah. “The Christ” (Greek) and “the Messiah” (Hebrew) both mean “the Anointed One”; also in verse 36.

"> that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." Acts 2:29-32

"If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection." Romans 6:5

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Some manuscripts do not include and the life.

"> Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.'" John 11:25

"We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence." 2 Corinthians 4:14

Holy Uprising - Sat Mar 27

We are the Body

"4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."

Romans 12:4-8

As I was reading through Romans, God really spoke to me on this passage. Just as the human body has its many parts, the body (of Christians) has many gifts. If each of us does our part in serving, teaching, giving, leading, and showing kindness to one another, our body will be able to fully function as a body. But what does it mean to be a 'fully functional body of Christians?'

Ephesians 4:11-13 explains that: 11 He [God] also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts to his church. 12 Their purpose is to prepare God’s people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard."

To become a 'fully functional' body, we must ALL use our gifts in order to spread our faith and knowledge until every person comes to know Jesus Christ. Notice that it's not the 'paid professionals' (paid church staff) who God uses to build His Kingdom - but it's their job to prepare/equip ALL the other members to serve and build the Kingdom.

We, as Christians, are the body of Christ. How are we living out our share of the body?

Are you using your gifts to further the Kingdom? To spread God's Word? Do you have gifts that need exercise?

Maybe we serve in one capacity or another, but feel as though God is calling us to do something more. Do we make excuses, telling Him "I'm busy." "I'm already serving in _______ ministry." "I have too much school work." "Work is hectic." What are we using as an excuse to 'get out of' using our gifts to serve the Kingdom? What do we need to push aside to really and truly impact the Kingdom?

Take time to pray about the gifts God has chosen to give YOU.

Now, put those gifts into action!!

Holy Uprising - Fri Mar 26

Is It Nearly Over????


"Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" Luke 9:23-25

Alright only a little over a week left – Most of me is saying I cannot wait until I can try those things again – the things I have fasted from – the things I have given up to seek to be closer to God! So I have to ask myself – what am I really saying here??? Am I looking forward to being distracted from God again? Am I looking forward to partaking in my fleshly desires so I can escape from reality – so I can escape from my relationship with the Creator?

WOW! That is convicting! I really have to sit down and ask God what He really wants from me. Did I just want 40 days of not doing something just to not do it; OR do I desire a lifetime of reminders that He is in control, He has our back, and He is all I need.

This is the difference between religion and freedom. I choose Christ over obligation and pleasing others. I choose our King over earthly desires. I choose God over myself.

I have appreciated the extra time I have had with God every time my body told me, “Forget about Lent man, and just do what you want to do!” Because I needed God to get past those times – and His pleasure in me was greater than the temporary pleasure my desires fulfill. But even knowing this, I tried to come up with excuses to break it several times. I thank God for giving me the strength to persevere and make it till Easter. Now I am asking Him to help me persevere for life. I love Him so much – why would I want to try and hide again after 40 days of greater life – greater Joy – and a more real connectedness.

Thank you Jesus for your perfect plan. Now let’s all choose to follow Him every day after Lent. Let’s be the light of the world and show the lost and the helpless who their true Father is! We are not on our own. We do not have to live life to some man made standard. We will always fail to be perfect, to be religious, to do enough on our own. But He is there for us! We just have to seek Him – get in His Word. We only need to ask!

"If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you." (John 15:7 NIV)

Have a great, fruitful, powerful week basking in His love and His desire for you – then keep it going – you won’t want to stop!

Holy Uprising - Thur Mar 25

My Refuge and Strength

"God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

Can you say with me that the earth as we know it has changed and that the mountains seem to be slipping into the sea? Or is it just me?

The industry in which I own a business has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. There are new regulations, new guidelines, increased demands, and less money. And that was before the economy bottomed out. I’ve wondered lately if as the owner I could fire myself and collect unemployment! Each day brings even more challenges than the day before.

Then there are the challenges of continuing to run a household on a reduced income, being available to aging parents, and keeping up my level of commitment to the non-profit entities that I am invested in.

For me, those things will begin to produce sleepless nights and the physical challenges that that brings with it. The earth beneath me is trembling and my mountains are slipping into the sea.

In the midst of this endless chaos, our church is in the middle of the 40 days of Holy Uprising. I confess to false starts and stops since the beginning of the Lenten season. While I may have waivered, God has been faithful. There are several things that God has continued to impress upon me during this season:

1. My joy is not dependent upon my circumstances.
1 Chronicles 16:10-11: “Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength.”
True joy comes only from seeking the Lord.

2. Every day I need to give myself entirely to God, to be His instrument, to be set apart anew for His purposes.
Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
God has given me a job and I must purpose to be available for His job and not be distracted by mine.

3. Make a fresh commitment to be a giver.
Don’t let Satan deceive you into thinking that you have nothing to give. No matter how small or limited it may seem, I need to invest my time, money, all my resources in God’s business. The parable of the talents depicts this quite well (Matthew 25:14-30).

So, if I can live out Psalm 46 and embrace God as my refuge and my strength, not fear, find my joy in the Lord, give myself entirely to Him, and recommit to be a giver in all areas of my life, will my business suddenly begin to thrive?

Maybe – or maybe not. It may well be God’s plan to move me to something else He has in mind for me.

If God chooses to restore my business and my finances, I will rejoice. If God chooses to move me to something else, then I will rejoice. Either way, I know He will use my experiences for His good, no matter how things turn out.

So while the world might say that I’ve failed, I’ve only failed if I fail to seek to live out God’s plan in my life. And that plan includes His joy, living for His purposes, and using the resources God has given me to further His kingdom.

Holy Uprising - Wed Mar 24

Jesus is BIGGER Than evil! (Part 2)


Luke 8:26-39:

26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, Other manuscripts read Gadarenes; still others read Gergesenes; also in 8:37. See Matt 8:28; Mark 5:1.

">* across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.

28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil Greek unclean.

">* spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. Or the abyss, or the underworld.

">*

32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.

So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.

So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

Evil tells you, ‘you’re not good enough, you’ll never amount to anything’ and little by little, you begin to believe it. At first you fight against the temptation to give into the lies of Satan, but you become tired and worn out until one day you find yourself asking, “how did it get this bad, how did I get here?”. You know the answer but it’s hard to accept. It’s hard to face the many sinful choices, attitudes and actions that got you here, it’s much easier to blame circumstances or others. You resign yourself, evil must have been right all along and now, there’s just too much to overcome, too many things you’ve done that need forgiving, too many wrongs that need to be right, too big a mess to clean up! I think that is how this man in Luke 8 must have felt and Praise God he was wrong!

We read about a large herd of pigs nearby on a hillside. This man is possessed by a legion of demons, so many they are no longer known by their individual names, but the collective name of Legion. We are not told what evils had stacked up in this man’s life to get him to the day that is recorded here, but we can guess: lies, gluttony, lust, pride, greed, anger, hatred . . . . It seems easy for us to guess because they are the same evils that are still around, tempting us all to give into their control. And slipping into our lives.

We know this man’s life has been a big mess, we read he has separated himself from all others and he lives off of the wilderness. If ever someone’s life seems too far gone, too complicated to be fixed it would seem it is his. But all hope is not lost and it never is, today God would provide just the right amount of hope + desire to = complete healing. It would take every ounce of desire left in this man's heart, soul and mind and every single pig in the herd!

On this day, this man decides to let go of the need to reconcile, ‘how did it get this bad’ with the desire to seek out permanent change. He seeks out Jesus and he brings evil to the one with the power to banish it. Jesus sends the legion of evil out of this man into the large herd of pigs and apparently, it takes the whole herd to carry all of the past mistakes, bad choices, wrong decisions, misplaced trust, lies, envy, greed, anger, and all of the other evils that have stacked up in this man’s life. Luke 8 tells us the ENTIRE herd,that is now possessed by the evil that this one man had been carrying around, plunges over a cliff and this man is restored to his right mind! Thank you Jesus, that there were enough pigs!

What seems so big or so overwhelming in your own life right now, that you think perhaps there are just not enough pigs to fix it? Do you realize that's a lie? There is nothing too big for Jesus.

Will you bring it to Jesus? Just lay it down in front of Him like the man.

Pray: God I admit to you it’s scary to let go of the things that have control over me, the things that are not of you. They are my excuse, my reasoning away of the sinful choices and decisions that make my life spin out of control. I need your strength to let go of them, I need your encouragement to bring them to you, I need your peace that it’s not so bad and so overwhelming that you cannot heal me from it completely. Jesus I need you. Amen