Jesus returned and had the Apostles move out to Galilee to finish the teachings. Since many of the lessons were not understood while He was in the mortal form, Jesus now had the opportunity to help them realize the truth in a way that only the Apostles were privy to. I would love to have been a fly on the wall while these lessons continued.
Think on how the Apostles must have felt seeing their teacher as a new being, the second Adam. What wonders He could have told them and the Spirit that was shown. They were probably still in shock for quite a few days after realizing the truth and understanding that they too would eventually become Spirit beings. The Joy that they must have been encompassed by when in His presence. I can only imagine the peace that surrounded their every thought, the Love that they finally could understand.
Peter and the others that fled must have really felt inadequate to be in His presence. John somehow knew that everything would be all right. They were truly blessed. I do feel a bit sorry for Thomas though. Think about the embarrassment he must have felt at the same time being speechless in His presence.
Just over a month after the Resurrection, Jesus would spend finishing the secret knowledge instructions to the men and women present. All the while forgiving Peter and sending them on their missions. The truth that Peter spoke is now the cornerstone of the believer’s faith and trust.
How precious is the knowledge that God gave to us through the sharing of the Holy Word by physically showing us how we are to live a right life. That the Son of God understood and followed the will of the Father even to His death so that the blood and water which held the living Word was spilt on the altar of the world to cleanse us all. That He came back to complete the second part of the mission through the Great Commission and the promise of His final return to take us home.
Brothers and Sisters the time is now that we must be vigilant in keeping His Word on our hearts and let it light up our lives so that we can shine for Him in this dark world. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit sparks our lights so bright that no darkness can overtake us ever again. With God, no evil can overtake us, without God we are lost. Let us seek the lost so they may be found and God receives the inheritance that is rightly His, the complete relational communion in Love, Peace, Hope, and Joy combined into one.
Blessings,
Rob, Servant of God

Before the Word came to us in Jesus, we were dead, lost, surrounded by darkness and apart from God.  But the Word of God came to us in the flesh, taught us, corrected us, was given as a sacrifice, and shed blood that was spotless. He paid for us with the blood of the sinless Word. He gave us life so that we would no longer be slaves to the sins that trap us in separation from God.  

Jesus died after being beaten, whipped, and hung on a Cross surrounded by common criminals. To the Sanhedrin and the political parties of the day this was a victory because they killed who they perceived as a revolutionary leader, a blasphemer, a problem against the status quo. They saw this as a removal of someone who would have caused their world to change. However, the true followers of Christ, the Disciples and the many who were changed by Christ, felt defeated, lost, without the hope and joy while in the presence of the Word.

According to Scripture, just before the last breath released from the body, the veil in the temple was torn in two, there was a great earthquake and storm that was the worst deluge on record for that time. The Roman soldier pierced His body, blood and water spilt on the ground. Nature was transformed and it cried in victory, for the Word had been restored. Still, humanity crumbled because they did not understand.

The devil thought he had won. He was victorious in killing God’s Son, the flesh, but in truth he released the Word and the Holy Spirit from the mortal shell. Jesus battled with Satan, broke his hold on us, and unlocked the gates.  Meanwhile in the mortal world……..

The Disciples went into hiding and practically ignored those who wished to hear of Jesus’ teachings. Peter was not being the rock because he feared being caught and killed. It was Shabbat so they remained still and fasted hoping and waiting to see what would happen.  

How often we feel defeated when things fall apart after everything going so well. Have you ever felt that way? Just when the silver lining looked like it was going to connect to itself, something blocks it and throws everything off. That is kind of what was happening to many who did not fully understand. Without God, the Word, belief in the Saving Blood and the Holy Spirit guiding us, we are lost

The Disciples hid out of fear of death but they still prayed and sang. Jesus warned them of the occurrences. He even told them to continue the work. What did they do? Hid and only comforted each other. Some would choose to hide elsewhere and some even considered going back to Galilee and fishing. But they had little time to move and had to do so under the cover of darkness while avoiding the Roman guards. Almost an impossible task.

There have been books and movies made which included artistic interpretation of these hours after the burial of our Lord and Savior so I will not go into great detail. The only thing I know is that they felt defeated. The Disciples probably argued among themselves to figure out what to do. They felt alone even with their spiritual (and some blood related) brothers and sisters surrounding them.

This time-frame of the three days had to be the longest 48-72 hours of their lives. Let’s reflect today on when we felt lost. Let us also reflect on when we found the empty part of our hearts that once were filled with the world and darkness, suddenly filled with the Word and the Holy Spirit as we are meant to be.

Brothers and Sisters, time is coming to a close. The signs are there but do not let the masses of prophesy fool you. Watch the signs for yourself and do not fall into deception. Those that keep saying the rapture is coming, heed the warning but listen with discernment. Remember, God will not reveal the Son until the appointed time which is known only to Him. Yes He left signs in the heavens but He can confuse them. Do not pray for Jesus to come quickly, pray that others turn to Him before it is too late. My hope is that we can spread His Word to the world so loud that the rocks and trees join us in singing His praises.

Love and Blessings,

 Rob, Servant of God

Today, many people around the world commemorate the installation of the Eucharist when Jesus gathered His Disciples in the Upper Room. What if I told you that It was a day earlier? When you look at the description and times of all things involving the Holy Week, you realize that things were condensed to fit a weekend celebration in order to meet the Catholic invention of the Lord’s Day and thereby ignoring the Sabbath. Think about this, the events celebrated on Good Friday include the flogging, the mocking, the decision of the Jews, the movement of Jesus to Golgotha, and the final moments where Jesus died and was placed in the tomb.
The events before that involved the Last Supper, Prayer in the Garden, The Betrayal, The Court of the Sanhedrin. All which happened in one evening. The next day included the court of Pilate, the court of Harod, the court of Pilate again, and Jesus eating an evening meal with Pilate. When you put everything together, Holy Week was really a couple of weeks due to everything that Jesus did in Jerusalem from His Triumphant entry, the teachings, final healings, and everything else that the Bible said occurred.
Why do we condense this to a week? Passover is one of the most highly regarded sacred times for the people Israel. The solemn celebration occurs over a two week period with the payers, preparations (physically and spiritually), gatherings, sacrifices, meals, and all that goes along with the time.
More and more the truth of times and days are being revealed to give us a better understanding and return to the reality that is testing the faith and trust of many. Jesus did do all the things it says in Scripture especially during the final time spent in Jerusalem. We are to remember His actions and Words which revealed many things. The final lessons in His mortal form taught us to be humble servants while leading others to Him. He taught us to affirm our relationship with others through Him by our actions. He also taught that even in our darkest, calling on Him we will be forgiven.
We celebrate Maundy Thursday as a commemoration of the beginning of the sacrifice and fulfilment of God’s desire for a relationship with us. It is the saving Grace of God that Jesus was given to our sins for redemption. All Glory and Honor belongs to God the Father who created us, Saves us, Redeems us, comforts us. Talk to Him today and say thank you.
Blessings,
Rob, Servant of God       
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One of the many things we are taught about God is that He desires a personal relationship with us. When this relationship was tainted by sin, God put a sacrificial system into place as a temporary measure until the appointed time.. There are many times in Scripture that speaks of God wanting to get rid of the sacrifices and regain what was lost because of the Fall. In Genesis, we see acts of obedience that do not require sacrifice even though man did it anyway where God was speaking directly with those who had faith.
Animal sacrifices took the place of the relationship because they thought it was the only thing that appeased Him. The action took precedence over prayer. Sacrifice eventually became a way of feeding the priests and their families. The sacrifice became tainted.

Samuel and Obedience
In this first example, Samuel discusses obedience over sacrifice:
Samuel said, “Does Adonai take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying what Adonai says? Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, and heeding orders than the fat of rams. “For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Adonai, he too has rejected you as king.”  1 Samuel 15:22-23
The Israelites only sacrificed and turned to God when they were in distress and troubled. This was not out of obedience but desperation for saving from an enemy. Once saved they would do the sacrifices and feasts for a little while then fall away again. This happened a lot.

David and Solomon, Realizing Brokenness, Developing a Relationship
Looking further down in Scripture, David understood the desire of God not to rely solely on sacrifice of an innocent animal, but for us to have full dependence and reliance on God. Our personal relationship with God begins with recognizing who He is, repenting and praising Him:  
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalm 51: 15-17
Solomon learned from his father David that a sacrifice done out of simple compliance without desire for true repentance is not what God wants from us. God desires a repentant obedient heart who communicates both troubles and adoration:
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. Proverbs 15:8
From this we understand that prayer and supplication are what God desires from us.

Isaiah and the Movement away from Sacrifice
During the time of Isaiah, God spoke and said He has had enough of the spilling and splattering of blood, and man-made celebrations:
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. Isaiah 1:11-14
The smell of incense, burnt sacrifices, and feasts were literally less desirable to God at that time. The sacrifice and other traditions became an routine act that lost the true meaning. At this point God seems to be trying to get Israel to understand that He desires a personal relationship in which He would be totally committed as long as the Believer was as well. Did they listen? No. What does God do? Send them into exile forcing them to develop a new relationship with God.

Hosea and Love
Hosea was a prophet that saw the future glory of Israel. He also understood that God desires a relationship that involves love, trust, and obedience:
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

Hebrews and Complete Surrender to a Relationship with God
The writer of Hebrews (said to be Paul) speaks clearly of the displeasure God has in the sacrifices. He also reiterated the purpose of Jesus as fulfilling the law of the sacrifices and feasts, as well as correcting the Word distorted by man. Because of Jesus, we are free from the penalty of sin as long as we believe and follow God’s Will and Word in our lives.
4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
    after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
    and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 10:4-6, 8-9, 18

How did the Israelites miss this?
As we see through the progression of scripture, the people  were so  concerned with pleasing God through the act of spilling innocent blood that they lost the spiritual truth. Eventually there was a turn towards a relationship which involves full submission to God’s Will. We know this as God’s Love through His Grace which saves us as we Trust in Jesus who gave up His life to complete God’s plan for Salvation of His Creation. The sacrifices of innocents and certain feasts and festivals are no longer valid as the new covenant covers all in the redeeming blood of Christ.
When will the rest of the Israelites turn to God and bask in His Grace? Hopefully soon. Brothers and Sisters, this part of the year we remember Jesus’ sacrifice as a willing lamb who does the Father’s Will. We seek the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Helper sent down after Jesus Ascended. We must diligently seek to hear the voice of God speaking to us through the Holy Spirit to develop the relationship that is desired of all God’s children.
Can we bring the lost children of God home? Yes. Will it be easy? No. But with God, all things are possible.
God’s Love and Blessings to all,
 Rob, Servant of God   
 
 

Worship through music is a wonderful thing but when the service is more music than the Word this becomes a problem. For the past fifteen years or so, music ministry has changed to the point that it has taken over the way we bring people to church. There is nothing wrong with music in the church, in fact God wants to hear Praise and Worship. But we need to hear the Word so that we understand why we are praising Him.

Remember when worship pastors were called music ministers? They had the specific purpose of leading us in songs of worship and praise. Back then there was no grey area, the Word was more present and all forms of worship were in the service. With the change in title, the music ministers took over the church and redefined worship.

There are Communities of Christians where music is the main focus who have completely distorted the Word. They are told to believe in and worship Jesus without explaining the reality that Jesus is the personification of the Word. Two things to remember: Jesus never demanded worshiping Him, and that Jesus is the Word of God Incarnate. Our goal should be a relationship with God which involves more than just instruments and words of praise and adoration.

We have become like the people of Athens during Paul’s travels who prayed to an unknown God:
Paul stood up in the Council meeting and said, “Men of Athens: I see how very religious you are in every way! For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which had been inscribed, ‘To An Unknown God.’ So, the one whom you are already worshipping in ignorance — this is the one I proclaim to you.
“The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples;  nor is he served by human hands, as if he lacked something; since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything to everyone. Acts 17:22-25

Because of these churches that are really bands with a following the one true God has been replaced by only Jesus. God the Father is the one who saved us, God the Father is our creator, our redeemer. He used Jesus to make that possible for us. Jesus was doing The Fathers Will and did nothing on His own accord.

The Concert Hall Setting
There are whole religious organizations that rely solely on the music to preach the Word. I sat in a Sunday service led by Hillsong (yes I will call them out) where it definitely was more of a concert than a gathering of Believers. The hour was 85% music, 5% prayer, and 10% talk. There was no real sermon or even devotion. There was no Word read, no homily, and the prayer was turned into a song that lasted 15 minutes. I walked out more confused than when I went in.

 Yes we sing to Him and hear popular songs that praise His name and try to teach us His Word.  but when music is the focus of worship we lose sight of the truth in the Word. We need to go back and put God’s Word first in our lives and in our gatherings in His Name.  

God First
The music of praise and worship is great but the persons creating the songs and leading worship need to remember their place. They are there to bring worship through song the Father and not fall into vanity because they are in front of people. Musicians and those who lead must remain humble remembering who the songs of praise are intended for and that there are other parts of worship that need to take place.     

Some religious organizations rely heavily on contemporary Christian music to bring in the youth. The truth is, they need the Word more than the song. Numerous surveys report that the youth who come to Christ through music only fall away quickly because they lack the nourishment of the Word, and there is no accountability or follow-up. I have heard from some teens and college students going to a Bible Study where there is a lesson that the Word is given but not fully explained. It becomes a social hour where the world sneaks in.

Our worship needs to be God centric and all forms of worship must be addressed during a gathering without one being more prevalent than the rest. Worship time should not be 20 to 30 minutes of music then tithing then the a 15 to 20 minute sermon. God’s Word must be the main focus and not just the feel good stuff either. People cannot feel convicted if all they know is Jesus is bringing joy no matter what you have done.

Brothers and Sisters, the older generation needs to put there foot down and get on their knees before God to show this generation who God truly is and what purpose He gave to His Son. We need to remove the man-made disruptions of His Glory and reopen our hearts to Him. I know we have not lost this generation completely, let us bring them home to God before we do lose them.

In God’s Love, Grace, and Compassion,

 Rob, Servant of God   

When will we stop putting material things before God? Can we in this day and age drop everything and put everything in God's hands? How much longer will we let the Prince of this world (the devil) rule over us? At this point we have a long time before we can let go without some human trying to control us even when we give up all things to put our trust in our Father God.
The Adversary, Satan, Lucifer, the Devil (whatever you want to call it), will do everything in the power to influence us to continue in our falling away until the Messiah returns to defeat darkness once and for all.

A few years back I wrote about worship being more than a song. That, like God's Word never changes but thee is something weighing heavy on my heart that must be spoken. 
When we think of worship the idea is singing a joyful noise to the Father in Praise and Adoration. That is only partially right. Worship is a relationship with God, not just for an hour or two on a Sunday and or Wednesday. It is a daily, monthly, yearly, ok it is a lifelong thing. It, in fact encompasses our very being as we are in a relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our moment to moment companion is the Holy Spirit so when we serve others, we are in obedient reverence to Him. Worship is a way of life, it is our Sabbath activity. 

When we present ourselves before God in song, we must remember that during corporate worship it is just that, a joining with others to give praise to our Father. It is not just one person leading and the others repeating, but a rising of voices singing praise as one but many. It is not a concert. Remember the songs “Heart of Worship”, or even "Come, Now is the Time to Worship"? Those are reminders it is not just for reminders for our hearts but the words elevate the Glory of God. 
When Worship/Praise Bands begin to reach out some have a major issue: the elevation of one or more members above the others. What I mean is that one takes the center stage more than three quarters of the time and it becomes more about the popularity than it does the songs sung. That is a major issue with Contemporary Christian Artists (CCA) today. When a few began to cross over to the secular, they lost their way and the teachings of when they were young. This is a danger for the them as they could become ostracized by their peers or the exact opposite happens where the popularity contest gets in the head of other CCA members. I have felt this beginning to take place in the band in which I currently serve and it is disheartening. 
Brothers and Sisters, we should be in constant discernment on what we listen to. In the car listening to the CCA radio stations, if you hear something that does not sound biblical, turn it off and listen to something else. Remember, just because they are popular in Christian does not mean that all their music is Scripturally sound. Many things go into our ears but it is to be discerned in our hearts to ensure that what comes out of our mouths is in line with God's Word.
Blessings,
Rob, Servant of God 

How often do we get discouraged when we expect something to happen or something to arrive. We literally wait in vain, and get frustrated to the point of not even wanting the expected results or item only to have a sigh of hardened relief when it finally arrives almost as if you are mad that it is done. Does that sound familiar? You are not alone.
Scripture teaches that the best way to learn patience is to be tested by first learning perseverance through tribulation. Some things we do in this world require much more patience than we are capable of. In our passage today, James talks about the patience of the farmer and the need for patience with each other no matter the circumstance.
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.  James 5:7-11
There is Strength in Patience
The farmer waits for the rain in anticipation of the crops that will be the reward for the labor of planting seeds. In this way we too must be patient as the seeds we had sown through witnessing His Word grow into new believers and the Body of Crist so we can wait for the Lord’s return as a Community of the Body of Christ.
It is also better to talk things through rather than grumbling over the words or actions of another. Face the brother or sister and talk things through so that forgiveness can be found rather than suffer the torment of judgement. The key is to have patience rather than a hardened heart.
Patience is Grown from Perseverance 
Think back to the opening statement. There was a struggle of the mind as it was developing feelings of frustration that could lead to anger. The key is to let things happen and not worry because things will happen the way God wants them to, not us. OK so the letter or package got lost in the mail or the person never arrived. What did it do to you when you got mad? Nothing could change the problem from happening that you could control. Sometimes circumstances make what we expect to happen to fall through. There is no need for frustration, make a call, send a text, talk things out the truth will be revealed in time.
Tribulation Leads to Understanding Patience
Sometimes we have to go through a rough moment to learn how to be patient. Think about Job and all he went through. What about Jonah, or Joseph? Each one was given a situation or task that caused trouble, second guessing when unsure if it was a true call, suffering loss only to receive more than they ever wanted. Problems can lead to success if we just give all over to God even in our weakest and He will provide a solution with a teaching point.
Being Patient is Not Easy, But it is Worth It
We are in the season where we celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus and His Ascension while we wait for His Glorious Appearing. Scriptures teach us how to have proactive patience where we continue the work given in the Great Commission until He returns to reap the harvest. What we do not need to be doing is guessing the time of His coming by making false assumptions on Facebook and You Tube. Sure the stars and other writings may point to certain dates but He Himself warned us not to guess. We are to just let things happen. All those who talk about dreams or prophecies and try to determine dates make it hard for those who are following God’s Work of patient adoration. Just let Him come as the thief in the night but have your oil ready for the holy lampstand.
Brothers and Sisters,
I wish you well this Holy Week coming soon as we celebrate Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and  Resurrection Day. In preparation, keep His Word on your heart and do not sway left or right. Keep your eye on the prize of eternal life.
Love and Blessings to all,
Rob, Servant of God