Matthew 26:66
"What do you think?"
"He is worthy of death," they answered
The high priest was extremely frustrated and wanted nothing more than to humiliate Jesus. It was forbidden for the high priest to strip one on trial of their clothes according to the NIV Study Bible but in the case of Jesus, their hatred went beyond the law. Jesus didn't respond the way anyone anticipated which frustrated the high priest even more. For the Sanhedrin to say that Jesus "is worthy of death" was to say that he is nothing more than a common criminal and not the King of kings and Lord of lords. But in our Heavenly Father's eyes, Jesus is spotless and without sin therefore He is the perfect sacrificial lamb. A lamb without defect was usually slaughtered to atone for sin. Jesus is the ultimate lamb which made Him worthy of death on behalf of the entire world present and future and the sins you have yet to commit.
We are in Holy Week. Prayerfully you are in a time of reflection and not just tradition. Is Jesus not worthy of your thoughts since He was worthy of death for you and I?
P.S. Countdown to LifeLoveSoul in AMC Theaters the weekend of April 13th! Checkout the trailer at www.noelcallowayfilms.com!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Runaway Train
Isaiah 30:18
18Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
The Israelites had been punished by God for their sin once again but the Lord actually desired to bless them. Most parents do not enjoy punishing children but know it's necessary in order to teach them. God is our heavenly father and He doesn't delight in punishing us but as His children, He knows that punishing us is often the only way we learn. We associate the incorrect behavior with the negative outcome so to prevent the negative outcome we no longer distribute the behavior which brought it on. The Lord desires to bless us just as He wanted to do for Israel but misdeeds must not go unpunished. It is sometimes hard to conceive that God doesn't like punishing us but think about it. He would prefer that we listen to Him in the beginning so we can avoid the misdeeds that lead down the wrong track. A runaway train that's headed off the cliff to death has to be stopped with an emergency brake. The emergency brake is the punishment or consequence we must endure that causes us to stop in our tracks but keeps us from the edge of the cliff. Once the wheels go over the cliff, gravity pulls the train downward and nothing can stop it. If we keep going in whatever the bad behavior is, eventually we go over a cliff to a fate we don't want. The punishment is not always equal to the misdeed THANK GOD! If it were, we'd all be dead. But God doesn't want to keep us there. He wants us to understand the lesson so we can move on and extend a blessing to us. Not because we deserve it but just because He loves you and me. How long have you been the runaway train? Is the Lord about to put on the emergency brake or is it already on? Are you at the edge of the cliff?
18Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
The Israelites had been punished by God for their sin once again but the Lord actually desired to bless them. Most parents do not enjoy punishing children but know it's necessary in order to teach them. God is our heavenly father and He doesn't delight in punishing us but as His children, He knows that punishing us is often the only way we learn. We associate the incorrect behavior with the negative outcome so to prevent the negative outcome we no longer distribute the behavior which brought it on. The Lord desires to bless us just as He wanted to do for Israel but misdeeds must not go unpunished. It is sometimes hard to conceive that God doesn't like punishing us but think about it. He would prefer that we listen to Him in the beginning so we can avoid the misdeeds that lead down the wrong track. A runaway train that's headed off the cliff to death has to be stopped with an emergency brake. The emergency brake is the punishment or consequence we must endure that causes us to stop in our tracks but keeps us from the edge of the cliff. Once the wheels go over the cliff, gravity pulls the train downward and nothing can stop it. If we keep going in whatever the bad behavior is, eventually we go over a cliff to a fate we don't want. The punishment is not always equal to the misdeed THANK GOD! If it were, we'd all be dead. But God doesn't want to keep us there. He wants us to understand the lesson so we can move on and extend a blessing to us. Not because we deserve it but just because He loves you and me. How long have you been the runaway train? Is the Lord about to put on the emergency brake or is it already on? Are you at the edge of the cliff?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Happy Birthday!
Good Morning Everyone,
The daily messages started 3 years ago today. While it took a lot for the Lord to get me to a place to obey and do what He said to do, I have come to see it as a privilege and honor to come before you each morning. The Lord has chosen a wretch like me to do His bidding in the earth. From the daily message came a book available at all online bookstores. BLESS GOD!! I thank You LORD and give YOU ALL HONOR, GLORY AND PRAISE! Without you LORD, there is no message!
Many of you do not understand that the title is as it is. The title is based on scripture.
Psalm 30:5 (KJV)
5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life:
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
I had to weep a lot before I found any joy and the weeping was from my sin and His anger with it. But I thank God for His favor!!! The JOY stands for (J)esus (O)n (Y)ou. Jesus wants to be closer to you everyday. He makes steps toward you. What steps are you making toward Him?
P.S. Check out my man V on the Artist to Artist Show Saturdays on www.Qliveone.com at 8am CT/9am ET!
The daily messages started 3 years ago today. While it took a lot for the Lord to get me to a place to obey and do what He said to do, I have come to see it as a privilege and honor to come before you each morning. The Lord has chosen a wretch like me to do His bidding in the earth. From the daily message came a book available at all online bookstores. BLESS GOD!! I thank You LORD and give YOU ALL HONOR, GLORY AND PRAISE! Without you LORD, there is no message!
Many of you do not understand that the title is as it is. The title is based on scripture.
Psalm 30:5 (KJV)
5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life:
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
I had to weep a lot before I found any joy and the weeping was from my sin and His anger with it. But I thank God for His favor!!! The JOY stands for (J)esus (O)n (Y)ou. Jesus wants to be closer to you everyday. He makes steps toward you. What steps are you making toward Him?
P.S. Check out my man V on the Artist to Artist Show Saturdays on www.Qliveone.com at 8am CT/9am ET!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
An Unworthy Servant
Luke 17:10
10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'
Jesus had a frank conversation with the disciples regarding duty. He used the parable of a slave and his master. The slave would not ask for a reward for doing something he was told to do. But many of us look for a reward when we are doing what the Lord told us to do. As Jesus said, we must count it our duty. To be a servant of the Lord is a great privilege as Jesus points out. But many of us think we're doing Him a favor. The Lord doesn't need us but He wants us. Need and want are two different things. He can raise up a rock to do His bidding if necessary. The Lord doesn't have to tell us to do anything but out of His love for us, He desires to see us grow. He desires to see us walk to the next level of faith in Him. He desires the best for us. So doing so may mean simply doing what He says to do no matter what the outcome. But more importantly, it's time we change our mindset. It is the Lord who continues to shower grace and mercy upon us when by right, none of us should be alive. When the Lord tells you to do something, are you looking for a reward or do you see it as a privilege to serve? Better yet, have you done what He said to do? If you don't, He can raise up someone else and you can miss whatever growth and faith builder He has for you. Count yourself an unworthy servant but by grace and mercy.
10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'
Jesus had a frank conversation with the disciples regarding duty. He used the parable of a slave and his master. The slave would not ask for a reward for doing something he was told to do. But many of us look for a reward when we are doing what the Lord told us to do. As Jesus said, we must count it our duty. To be a servant of the Lord is a great privilege as Jesus points out. But many of us think we're doing Him a favor. The Lord doesn't need us but He wants us. Need and want are two different things. He can raise up a rock to do His bidding if necessary. The Lord doesn't have to tell us to do anything but out of His love for us, He desires to see us grow. He desires to see us walk to the next level of faith in Him. He desires the best for us. So doing so may mean simply doing what He says to do no matter what the outcome. But more importantly, it's time we change our mindset. It is the Lord who continues to shower grace and mercy upon us when by right, none of us should be alive. When the Lord tells you to do something, are you looking for a reward or do you see it as a privilege to serve? Better yet, have you done what He said to do? If you don't, He can raise up someone else and you can miss whatever growth and faith builder He has for you. Count yourself an unworthy servant but by grace and mercy.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Your Desert Journey
Deuteronomy 8:2
2Remeber the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Moses wrote to the people of Israel what God had given him. They would soon enter the promise land and the Lord wanted to be sure to remind His people what He brought them through so they wouldn't forget Him when He gave them what He promised. The people of Israel started out very disobedient and with a complaining spirit. So the Lord spent forty years stripping them of the old mindset and replacing it with new thinking so they could receive the new things He wanted to give them. Understand when the Lord desires to bless us with what He promised, we cannot receive it with old eyes, ears, heart and thinking. Everything has to be new because what He is giving is new. So however long it takes to break us of the old things is our desert time. During that time the Lord will still provide the necessities and even a few surprises but what is promised is on hold until the Lord knows we are at a place where we can receive. The catch is not to forget who blessed us when the gifts are released. God is the giver of the gifts and it's not because we have deserved them but because He decided to bless us. We are not to forget to have a heart of gratefulness. Being without humbles us enough so that when we do receive we will appreciate. Where are you in your desert journey? Are you about to enter the promise land? Remember, it's because of the Lord not you.
P.S. Check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com 6am-10am ET!
2Remeber the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Moses wrote to the people of Israel what God had given him. They would soon enter the promise land and the Lord wanted to be sure to remind His people what He brought them through so they wouldn't forget Him when He gave them what He promised. The people of Israel started out very disobedient and with a complaining spirit. So the Lord spent forty years stripping them of the old mindset and replacing it with new thinking so they could receive the new things He wanted to give them. Understand when the Lord desires to bless us with what He promised, we cannot receive it with old eyes, ears, heart and thinking. Everything has to be new because what He is giving is new. So however long it takes to break us of the old things is our desert time. During that time the Lord will still provide the necessities and even a few surprises but what is promised is on hold until the Lord knows we are at a place where we can receive. The catch is not to forget who blessed us when the gifts are released. God is the giver of the gifts and it's not because we have deserved them but because He decided to bless us. We are not to forget to have a heart of gratefulness. Being without humbles us enough so that when we do receive we will appreciate. Where are you in your desert journey? Are you about to enter the promise land? Remember, it's because of the Lord not you.
P.S. Check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com 6am-10am ET!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
For Who You Are
Luke 23:8
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been waiting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a miracle.
How interesting is it that a man who had been wanting to kill Jesus for some time wanted to see him perform a miracle? Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because he didn't want to kill to Jesus. He knew that Jesus had committed no crime. Herod had wanted to kill Jesus for a long time because he feared that Jesus was and is who He claimed to be. He feared that he would lose his control over the people and they would revolt against him. But Herod still wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. Jealousy and fear of losing control were Herod's reasons for eliminating Jesus. How could a man that desired to kill Jesus still want to see him perform miracles? Herod feared Jesus to be true. His desire to kill was never about Jesus being false.
What does this have to do with you? Sometimes people hate you for who you are and the threat you pose to their plans, not because you're saying you're someone you're not.Those that hate you may actually know who you are or have a pretty good suspicion. So if they can get rid of you before anyone else discovers who you are then their plans are kept in place. If they can distract everyone's attention long enough to get you out of the way, they believe no one will know. But God! God reveals ALL things done in the dark. GOD ALWAYS KNOWS!! Herod had no idea that he was actually part of God's plan. It was God's plan for Jesus to be sacrificed. That's why He came, to save you and me.
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been waiting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a miracle.
How interesting is it that a man who had been wanting to kill Jesus for some time wanted to see him perform a miracle? Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because he didn't want to kill to Jesus. He knew that Jesus had committed no crime. Herod had wanted to kill Jesus for a long time because he feared that Jesus was and is who He claimed to be. He feared that he would lose his control over the people and they would revolt against him. But Herod still wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. Jealousy and fear of losing control were Herod's reasons for eliminating Jesus. How could a man that desired to kill Jesus still want to see him perform miracles? Herod feared Jesus to be true. His desire to kill was never about Jesus being false.
What does this have to do with you? Sometimes people hate you for who you are and the threat you pose to their plans, not because you're saying you're someone you're not.Those that hate you may actually know who you are or have a pretty good suspicion. So if they can get rid of you before anyone else discovers who you are then their plans are kept in place. If they can distract everyone's attention long enough to get you out of the way, they believe no one will know. But God! God reveals ALL things done in the dark. GOD ALWAYS KNOWS!! Herod had no idea that he was actually part of God's plan. It was God's plan for Jesus to be sacrificed. That's why He came, to save you and me.
Monday, March 26, 2012
A Lost Crown
Lamentations 5:16
16The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
The people of Judah recognized their sin and asked God for His forgiveness and restoration of their once glorious state. In order for the Lord to forgive you of sin, you have to admit out of your heart and mouth to Him that you committed it. Without out admission, there is no repentance, forgiveness nor restoration. Judah lost its crown. It lost the delight of the Lord due to sin. What is a crown? According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, a crown is 1.mark of victory or honor, esp : the title of a champion in a sport 2. a royal headdress 3. the top of the head. There are more but the focus is the first definition. Judah had a mark of victory or honor and admittedly lost it. It is a sad day when the Lord takes away that which identified you as great. When the Lord removes His favor from you, it hurts. But thank God you can call on Him, admit your fallen ways and ask for forgiveness. Then comes restoration. He can restore everything He allowed to be taken from you for disobedience. He can restore a lost crown but you have to admit you lost it first.
16The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
The people of Judah recognized their sin and asked God for His forgiveness and restoration of their once glorious state. In order for the Lord to forgive you of sin, you have to admit out of your heart and mouth to Him that you committed it. Without out admission, there is no repentance, forgiveness nor restoration. Judah lost its crown. It lost the delight of the Lord due to sin. What is a crown? According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, a crown is 1.mark of victory or honor, esp : the title of a champion in a sport 2. a royal headdress 3. the top of the head. There are more but the focus is the first definition. Judah had a mark of victory or honor and admittedly lost it. It is a sad day when the Lord takes away that which identified you as great. When the Lord removes His favor from you, it hurts. But thank God you can call on Him, admit your fallen ways and ask for forgiveness. Then comes restoration. He can restore everything He allowed to be taken from you for disobedience. He can restore a lost crown but you have to admit you lost it first.
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