The Passover Lamb

Traditions of many different religions have been incorporated into the rituals of “Easter.” Easter bunnies and Easter eggs were handed down from pagan religions as symbols of fertility. These symbols were adopted into traditional observances of a holiday associated with spring, the “vernal equinox” the season where the earth is renewed with life after the “death” of winter. Church history incorporated many of these pagan rituals as the Roman Church assimilated different cultures and their religious rituals. The Passover holiday is observed by Jews according to a calendar that’s different from our Gregorian calendar. This year Passover and Easter coincide.

Exodus 12:1-2 is the first reference of the celebration of Passover.
1. “AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”

The Jewish calendar no longer acknowledges this month as the beginning of the year. They have changed it to the deliverance of the Law as the first month of the Jewish calendar. Their tradition changed the first month from the month of Passover to the month of the Law.

Exodus 12:3-6 says, “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day”“of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”

They kept the lamb and inspected it for four days to make sure it was without spot and blemish.

According to Daniel 9:25, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”

The time frame is 69 weeks.

Nehemiah 2:1 says, “AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been”“beforetime sad in his presence.”

There was a command to rebuild Jerusalem. Nehemiah had a command from God to rebuild the wall. 483 years is 69 times seven weeks of years.

Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on the colt of a donkey on the tenth of the month of Nisan. He was the Passover lamb in fulfillment of this prophecy. God always honors his word according to his timetable. God is never late. All things are accomplished according to his Sovereign will.

On the tenth day they began inspecting Jesus. On the day before Passover, the inspection became intense. Jesus had just finished the “Last Supper” with his disciples.

Luke 22:39-46. And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46. And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

The prayer of Jesus to his Father is the prayer that overcomes the evil one. At sundown on this day was the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of the Passover. Why would Jesus have wanted this cup to pass from him? The prayer at Gethsemane gave Jesus the power over the adversary. Prayer is aligning our will with our father’s will. Jesus said, “not my will but thine be done.”

Why did Jesus live the perfect life without sin? Jesus said, “I always do my father’s will.” Even though he was tempted in all things like as we are, yet he never sinned. He never “missed the mark” of the high calling of his Father. Sin separates us from our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ according to Romans 6 was the “last Adam” the only man who kept the first of the Ten Commandments, “thou shalt have no other Gods before my face and your face.” He was without spot and without blemish because he always did his father’s will. Even though Jesus hated and despised sin, he willingly took the sin of the world upon himself for the joy that was set before him. According to Hebrews 12, He who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is seated on the right hand of God. The joy that was set before him was your salvation and mine.

Jesus went to the cross to prove that “death is swallowed up in victory.” Without a crucifixion, there can be no resurrection. What amazing grace! For he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Why the Savior?

Luke answers the question, “From what did Jesus come to save us?” According to Luke: “And thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.” Sin is the “missing of the mark” of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Sin is that which separates our hearts from God. Some types of sin are listed in Galations 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Another list of sins is in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

According to Revelation 22, the fearful and unbelieving are also sinners.

One who “practices” such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. A “practitioner” is one who confesses and practices that which he preaches. Jesus was the perfect sinless “lamb of God.” Jesus inherited the nature of his Heavenly Father. According to Romans he was the “last Adam.” He was in all things tempted like as we are and yet without sin. This is why Jesus Christ was the lamb of God without spot or blemish. Jesus did not sin… he had a keen awareness of that which is holy. Holy is the same as “sanctified.” Holy means to separate according to the purpose designed by the designer. He said, “I always do my father’s will.”

According to Isaiah, All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone unto our own way. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey on the tenth of the month of Nisan in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. This day was the day when the Passover lamb was inspected to be an acceptable sacrifice “without spot and without blemish.”

Israel thought that the Messiah would come as “king of kings and Lord of lords” according to the prophecy in Isaiah. They were not expecting him to enter Jerusalem as a humble servant riding on a donkey. They did not know that Jesus Christ himself was God’s Passover lamb without spot and without blemish.

The day that Jesus was crucified was the tipping point of history… On that date, Jesus fulfilled his holy purpose for which God ordained…for he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “If there be any way, let this cup pass from me.” The cup was the cup of wrath of sin and death, the cup of separation for sin of the world. Jesus’ will was to serve his Father. Prayer is not aligning God’s heart with our heart, but rather prayer is aligning our heart with God’s heart. The conclusion of Jesus’ prayer was “not my will but thine be done.”

What was the price that Jesus paid? He bore your sin and mine. He took upon himself the sin of the world. He shed his innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood. All men deserve to die, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Upon the cross, he died so that we may be presented blameless before the Father. What is the value of a life? Value is counted by the price paid. God valued our life according to John 3:16. For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For what were we sanctified, for what were we made holy? We were sanctified and set apart for God’s purpose…that we may bear witness of the Cross of Christ. For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ and him crucified. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I live, I live by the faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Reverence and Awe

Have you ever been in the presence of God? We must prepare our hearts in order to approach the throne of God. To enter into God’s holy presence we need God’s grace and mercy. We cannot enter on our own merit for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We can enter into God’s presence by God’s mercy only because of the sinless innocent offering Jesus Christ paid on our behalf. For he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

To serve God we must serve him with reverence and awe. If Israel did not escape when they disobeyed, much more shall we not escape if we do not listen to the voice from heaven.

Hebrews 12:18, and 21-29 says, “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 21. And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:
22. But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26. Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (awe and respect):
29. For our God is a consuming fire.”

The fire represents God’s judgement. Holy and righteous is he that judges all the earth.

The eternal fire is not cast away from God but rather the fire remains in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb of God. Our God is a consuming fire. The question is not whether all roads lead to God. The real question is “What will you do when you get there?” Isaiah 61:10 says when we get there we who are born again will put on robes of righteousness:
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Isaiah 66:22-23 says, “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

To the righteous, judgement is not a fearful concept. It’s only fearful to the unrighteousness. Isaiah 33:14-15 says, “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16. He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.”

Psalm 24:9-10 says, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.”

To stand before a holy God, we must stand in the righteousness of Christ alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

According to Matthew 16, there is a chasm fixed between the saved and the unsaved, however they are both in close proximity. The chasm prevents those in hell from entering into heaven.

Hebrews 12:14-15 says. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

Satan has tricked some churches to stop preaching about “holiness.” Holiness is to be set apart, sanctified according to the purpose for which he designed us. To know God is to walk in righteousness. Eternal life is to know God and him whom he has sent. Those who have seen the presence of God cannot leave unchanged. Every man’s work shall be tested by fire. The fire is that which consumes and separates the righteous from the unrighteousness… the holy from the unholy.

For those who have been born again clothed in righteousness, the righteousness of the Lamb of God protects them from the judgement of God’s holy fire. We can rejoice in the holy presence of Almighty God, clothed in the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Spotless Lamb

Passover in Israel was celebrated every year according to the Old Testament Law. This is the time of the year beginning with Palm Sunday in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 and Daniel 9, the prophecy that Jesus would ride into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. On that Passover, Jesus Christ himself became the spotless Passover lamb of God.

Those of us who have died to the world in order to live for Christ, convict the world of sin and separation from God. To confess is to “speak the same thing.” It means to align my heart with God’s heart, my will with God’s will and my word with His word.

Before the Passover feast was the inspection of the lamb. This is the “trial” of Jesus when they “inspected” Jesus Christ the lamb of God. They found him without spot and without blemish. The “inspectors” we’re mad at Jesus because he convicted them of their separation from God. The Pharisee’s had asked Jesus, “Who gave you authority to do these things?” Jesus replied, “I’ll tell you who gave me authority if you can answer this question: “was John’s baptism from heaven?” They couldn’t answer Jesus’ question because they would be wrong if they answered either yes or no. If they answered yes, then the question is “then why don’t you follow his doctrine? He said that I’m the messiah.” If they said, no, then they feared the people because John was popular with the people.

Why do we need to concentrate on the “spotless lamb of God?” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

Churchinanity has taken “holiness” out of the church. It’s too controversial a subject. Holiness is not sinless perfection. Holiness means to separate according to the purpose intended by the Designer. Jesus’ holy purpose was the cross. The cross of Christ was God’s purpose for his only begotten son.

Likewise, the cross of Christ is also our purpose for this life. When Jesus gave the “upper room discourse” at the “last supper” he said the Holy Spirit will come after me. In order to be raised in righteousness we must recon ourselves dead to sin. According to Psalm 91, Jesus made his father his dwelling place. He needed his father’s strength to be able to withstand the crushing weight of the sin of the world.

The requirement to approach the cross of Christ is to die to our sin nature in order to live for him. Confession unto salvation is to change lords: to turn from my selfish nature to the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. If you lost everything in this world, would you still have everything in Christ? For what shall it profit a man if he gains the world but loses his soul?

At the cross, the Roman soldiers did not kill Jesus. He willingly laid down his life as the perfect and spotless lamb of God. For he who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Fire From Heaven

1 Chronicles 21:26 says, “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”

How many have longed for revival? When there is a true revival from the Lord, where does the fire fall? True Christianity is according to the Word of God or it’s not Christianity at all. Jesus Christ himself is the word of God made manifest in the flesh. Any doctrine that is based on man’s accomplishments and man’s happiness is “Humanism” and not Christianity. If a person who calls himself a Christian is in it for his own happiness, he’s a humanist and not a Christian. Christianity serves the Lord because he alone is worthy.

The context of 1 Chronicles 21 is the account of King David who took a census contrary to the Lord’s command. Joab had told him not to number the people but David didn’t listen to the word of the Lord. The angel of the Lord had drawn his sword to slay Israel and David saw the Angel. David said, let me not fall into the hand of mine enemies but in to the hand of the Lord. That’s when David built the alter to the Lord to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. He said, “I will not offer unto the Lord something that cost me nothing.” Therefore, David bought the thrashing floor upon which he built the altar. Where does the fire fall? It falls upon the altar. Fire from heaven either falls in judgement upon the earth or it falls upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. When people judge themselves guilty according to the Word of the Lord and build an altar, then the fire falls upon the altar of the Lord.

Examples of fire falling upon the altar were when fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Another example was when Elijah built an altar to challenge the prophets of Baal. On the day of Pentecost fire from heaven figuratively came down when there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon the twelve apostles.

Jesus Christ will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgement. If the Holy Spirit is the power of God to judge our sins as “crimes against God,” then God’s righteous judgement has fallen upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. For Jesus Christ himself who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Some people say, “you don’t need to hate the things of the world to love God.” However, the scripture says, “Hate that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good.” Friendship with the word is enmity against God. He who loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love and hate according to the Word do not sit in the “emotions.” Facing the enemy is not a matter of emotions. To conquer the enemy means that you must face the enemy at all costs.

According to a Barna Group survey, 95% of all Christians consider themselves “immature” Christians. One person commented that this is comparable to taking a survey of the armed services and finding that 95% of soldiers consider themselves Cub Scouts. Paul said, “you’re still babies stuck in the elementary doctrines of the faith and need the milk of the word because you haven’t grown enough to to digest the meat of the depth of the Word of God.”

Love is not an emotion. According to John 3:16, love is a choice. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life…. He loved us in that while we were yet sinners. The Greek word “agape” is a special word for love. According to verse 19, men loved (agape) the darkness rather than the light. Love is not an emotion. Agape means commitment. Men who love and are committed to darkness cannot forsake their sin. God cannot do anything for them because they are committed to darkness and cannot enter into the light. Men of God must choose to hate sin.

God sent his son Jesus as judgement for sin as the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf. Until we commit our lives to Christ, we cannot approach God’s throne of grace. God has no power over us unless we love and commit our lives to him.

To return his heart to God, David was broken. God gave David three options to atone for his sin of numbering the people. The question is, how far will you allow yourself to be broken before the Lord?

There was a ritual for cleansing before presenting a sacrifice in the temple before the Lord. Likewise, in order to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto the Lord, we need to cleanse our hearts and commit ourselves to the Lord.

In the words of the old hymn:
What shall wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O blessed is the flow, that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know; Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Fire From Heaven

1 Chronicles 21:26 says, “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”

How many have longed for revival? When there is a true revival from the Lord, where does the fire fall? True Christianity is according to the Word of God or it’s not Christianity at all. Jesus Christ himself is the word of God made manifest in the flesh. Any doctrine that is based on man’s accomplishments and man’s happiness is “Humanism” and not Christianity. If a person who calls himself a Christian is in it for his own happiness, he’s a humanist and not a Christian. Christianity serves the Lord because he alone is worthy.

The context of 1 Chronicles 21 is the account of King David who took a census contrary to the Lord’s command. Joab had told him not to number the people but David didn’t listen to the word of the Lord. The angel of the Lord had drawn his sword to slay Israel and David saw the Angel. David said, let me not fall into the hand of mine enemies but in to the hand of the Lord. That’s when David built the alter to the Lord to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. He said, “I will not offer unto the Lord something that cost me nothing.” Therefore, David bought the thrashing floor upon which he built the altar. Where does the fire fall? It falls upon the altar. Fire from heaven either falls in judgement upon the earth or it falls upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. When people judge themselves guilty according to the Word of the Lord and build an altar, then the fire falls upon the altar of the Lord.

Examples of fire falling upon the altar were when fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Another example was when Elijah built an altar to challenge the prophets of Baal. On the day of Pentecost fire from heaven figuratively came down when there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon the twelve apostles.

Jesus Christ will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgement. If the Holy Spirit is the power of God to judge our sins as “crimes against God,” then God’s righteous judgement has fallen upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. For Jesus Christ himself who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Some people say, “you don’t need to hate the things of the world to love God.” However, the scripture says, “Hate that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good.” Friendship with the word is enmity against God. He who loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love and hate according to the Word do not sit in the “emotions.” Facing the enemy is not a matter of emotions. To conquer the enemy means that you must face the enemy at all costs.

According to a Barna Group survey, 95% of all Christians consider themselves “immature” Christians. One person commented that this is comparable to taking a survey of the armed services and finding that 95% of soldiers consider themselves Cub Scouts. Paul said, “you’re still babies stuck in the elementary doctrines of the faith and need the milk of the word because you haven’t grown enough to to digest the meat of the depth of the Word of God.”

Love is not an emotion. According to John 3:16, love is a choice. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life…. He loved us in that while we were yet sinners. The Greek word “agape” is a special word for love. According to verse 19, men loved (agape) the darkness rather than the light. Love is not an emotion. Agape means commitment. Men who love and are committed to darkness cannot forsake their sin. God cannot do anything for them because they are committed to darkness and cannot enter into the light. Men of God must choose to hate sin.

God sent his son Jesus as judgement for sin as the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf. Until we commit our lives to Christ, we cannot approach God’s throne of grace. God has no power over us unless we love and commit our lives to him.

To return his heart to God, David was broken. God gave David three options to atone for his sin of numbering the people. The question is, how far will you allow yourself to be broken before the Lord?

There was a ritual for cleansing before presenting a sacrifice in the temple before the Lord. Likewise, in order to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto the Lord, we need to cleanse our hearts and commit ourselves to the Lord.

In the words of the old hymn:
What shall wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O blessed is the flow, that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know; Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Walking on the Water

Matthew 14 records the miracle of Jesus’ feeding the five thousand. His disciples had said to him that the people were hungry. They wanted Jesus to dismiss the multitude so that they could go into town to eat. The disciples had not yet understood who Jesus was and the power he had at his command. Jesus told his disciples that they needed to feed the people. After Jesus had performed the miracle by feeding the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Jesus sent the crowds away and went alone to pray.

Jesus told the disciples to take the boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the night Jesus was walking on the water and the disciples who were in the boat saw him thinking it was a ghost. They were terrified. Jesus said to them, “Be of good cheer, It is I, be not afraid.”

In John 6 is the account of another miracle that Jesus performed. He was asleep in the boat when a storm arose. The disciples were terrified and thought the boat would sink. When they woke Jesus in their panic he said to them, “O ye of little faith.” Then he said, “Peace be still.” Immediately the wind and waves ceased. They marveled and said, “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him.” You can’t have peace until you have the Prince of peace. Part of peace means, “capable of harmonious coexistence.” When the winds and waves of life are unsettled, can you trust the Lord Jesus Christ to come to him and walk on the water? Can the God who created the universe and set the stars and planets in motion according to his word overcome the little crisis in you life?

According to 1 Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul said, “I could not speak to you as grown men because you still need milk instead of meat. You are walking like mere ordinary men when you should be walking according to the spirit of God in Christ in you.”

We have been indoctrinated into the world’s man-code. This man code says that we can’t appear needy and incapable of making it on our own. This man code says that if you’re working for the ministry of the church, you should be ashamed to ask the congregation to give into the offering plate. However, in giving the congregation will be blessed. Jesus said, “it is better to give than to receive..” When Pete accepted a salaried position, his wife Suzan said, “I’m disappointed that we no longer need to believe God to meet our needs.” Pete was humbled and convicted by his wife’s remark. He was thankful for his wife’s level of pure believing her for Lord to meet their needs.

The most frequent command in the scripture is, “fear not.” The antidote to fear is pure believing faith according to the the Word of God. If there were ever a time for men to come to Jesus “walking on the water,” now is the time. God’s men are not confused about their life mission. They are willing to take a risk by walking out on faith according to the promises of God. Our Lord has called us to do the impossible in obedience to his command. He has called us to live in the eye of the storm and ask him without doubting. For he who doubts is like a man who is tossed about by the waves of the sea, for a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Jesus had a heart of compassion. However, he has called men of God that they might have life and have it more abundantly. The abundant life is a life lived according to the fruit of the spirit…a life filled with love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control.

After a church service, one person came up to Pete and said, “I believe God has called us to “make America great again.” Pete’s response was, “What if God hasn’t called us to make America great again? What if God has a different plan. Would you still honor and serve him?” Oswald Chambers said, “God requires extreme obedience with no complaining or questioning on our part and no explanation on his.”

Jesus has called us to live in the midst of troubled waters. The wind is fiercely blowing and the waves are crashing. You have no control over the storms of this life. God calls us and allows crises to confront us. These are challenges to turn away from the wind and the waves to focus our eyes on Jesus Christ himself. Like he said to Peter, “Come walk with me.” When we sink, this is our opportunity to cry out to our Lord, “save me!” Not in my strength, but in his strength alone. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael