The Separation

Matthew 27:37

 

37And they put over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

Remember that before Pilate the Jews shouted to crucify Jesus. Well the NKJ Study Bible notes that the crucifixion of Jesus is not just documented in the gospels but also by non-Christian writers Tacitus, Josephus, Mara bar Serapion and Thallus. In many PBS programs that research the life of Jesus, the writings of Josephus are often referred to. So even non-Christians admit that Jesus was not made up, nor is His crucifixion a fable. But going back to the Study Bible translation, it notes, "the Jews detested this inhumane act of execution." So if it was a detested practice, why would the Jews elect to have Jesus crucified? In further study, Deuteronomy 21:22-23 records that a man had a to commit a sin deserving of death in order to hang on the tree. But more importantly, that if hanged on a tree, a man had to be taken down immediately because he was hanged in a blessed place. The one hanged was considered to be "accursed of God." In other words, he suffered God's wrath.

 

What does all this mean you ask? Remember, Jesus said Himself that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. So his crucifixion was based on the law because He became sin for us, hung on a tree and suffered death so that those who believe Him will have everlasting life. Many may have had the question how was Jesus separated from God. He was considered to have sinned so badly by the Jews for saying He is the Son of God that He suffered what was considered by law the wrath of God. His crucifixion was the separation. How many times has your sin been worthy of death? Because you believe Jesus to have died for the remission of your sins, raised from the dead and repent sincerely by the blood of Jesus, you have everlasting life.

Where Your Blessings Come From

Deuteronomy 8:18

 

18"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

 

 

The Word of God is very clear. Anything you have attained is because the Lord gives you the power to do so. Remember, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills as said in His word. Jesus said in John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you." Would that not imply that God has unlimited wealth? People wonder why the Word says seek first the Kingdom of God and all else shall be added unto you in Matthew 6:33. It's because God has abilities and wealth beyond what any earthly man or woman can conceive. In seeking Him first and doing what He needs of you in His kingdom, He has the ability and will supply your needs. You think you know wealth? Revelation 21:21 tells us that the new heaven has streets paved with gold. When was the last time you saw a city paved with pure gold and pearls?  So God having all of this, gives you wisdom, ideas, creativity, inventions, strategies, etc . Solomon didn't ask for money, He asked for wisdom and God gave him wisdom and wealth because He sought God with sincerity of heart and desired to serve God's people. The NKJ Study Bible translation says, "in the desert, the Israelites depended on God for their food, clothing, and shelter. Once they had settled in the land, it would be easy for them to attribute their gains to their own abilities. Moses warned against this, stating that even the ability to produce their own shelter, food, clothing would be a gift from God."

 

Remember where your blessings come from.

Not a Demonstration of Love

Genesis 2:27

 

27And Adam said:

 

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man."

 

Your spouse is part of you not just spiritually but physically. The word says that the two become one flesh. So abusing your spouse is the same as abusing yourself. Where there is abuse there is lack of respect. I am not attaching male or female to the abuser as unfortunately, abusers can be men or women. Jesus said we are to love others as we love ourselves. How is hitting or constantly verbally attacking your spouse showing love? It doesn't. If anything, it shows that there is a lack of love and a huge amount of insecurity and fear in the abuser. If you treat your spouse as you would yourself,  you would never raise a hand to them. For men, your wife is a gift to you from God. Proverbs 18:22 states it as so. And just before it Proverbs 18:21 says the power of life and death lie in the tongue. Women,  Ephesians 5:23 says that the husband is the head of the wife , also as Christ is head of the church. The marriage covenant is reflective of Christ's relationship with the church. When did Jesus raise a hand to his disciples and the women who followed? Jesus told Peter, "If you live by the sword you shall die by the sword."  How is one demonstrating the love of Christ when abuse is present? They aren't. For women there are shelters where you can go for assistance. For men, it is a lot harder but if you have to leave for the violence to stop, then it must be done. There are support groups for battered husbands. Abuse must be treated just like an addiction to substance abuse. One must first admit there is a problem before help can be effective and sustaining and that's on both sides of the table. 

A Package Deal

Matthew 1:20

 

20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Joseph was contemplating divorcing Mary because the baby she carried in her stomach was not conceived with him. But God had another plan for Joseph. Joseph would raise God's son, someone else's flesh and blood that was not his. From an earthly and emotional standpoint, it's not an easy job by no means.

 

Most people don't go around planning to raise someone else's child. It's unfortunate that sometimes stepparents get a bad reputation as a whole because of the mistakes of others. I will tell you that I understood blended families before my stepfather came along. But when he came, it was during a time in my life when I really needed a lot of love and extra special care. When a child is abused, they don't feel so good about themselves. The teenage years are difficult enough but I had an additional cloud over my head and in my heart. I will tell you personally that I have a lot of respect for stepparents because it takes a lot of love to raise children you didn't help conceive. It takes love for children in general but even more love because you realize the natural parent was with someone else and likely loved someone else before they fell head over heels in love with you.

 

My stepfather passed away nine years ago. I had a tough week with little reminders of things that happened the week before he died. So yes, I have shed a lot of tears over the last few days leading up to Father's Day this year. Father's Day 2004 I was dealing with some issues. I was in the minivan with my stepfather crying on his shoulder. I was thanking him so much for being there for me as a father. He attended every awards ceremony, choir and dance performance he could. He even displayed his culinary skills for one of the an international program I was in back in high school. He bought needed items for the move to my first place and even parted with sentimental items of his to give to me for my move. As I cried on his shoulder he said, "How could I love your mother and not love you? You are part of her. It's a package deal." My late Dad used to carry around my picture in his wallet just like he did the children that were from his loins. As we helped my mom plan the memorial, I was crying on my stepbrother's shoulder, he shared with me that our late Dad talked of me just as he did them and knew I was loved.  I had no idea at the time that God gave him as a living example of sixteen years for me to understand how to love children I had not birthed. Within a year after he died, I became a volunteer mentor through the education company I began working for, part of a team working with children through AWANAs (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed), a godmother for the first time and had been set up by God to teach Vacation Bible School for the first time in what I didn't know was the set up He used for being nominated to teach Children's Sunday School. My mentor in education, Baltimore City School Board Commissioner Mrs. Jerrelle Francois knew I was running from the call to teach Sunday school because I didn't think I was capable and equipped. She has spent more than 30 years loving, teaching and caring for children she had not birthed. She had a heart to heart with me that God confirmed later that night. When God chooses you, He will equip you.

 

They say parenthood is the toughest job you'll ever love. Well loving, caring and teaching children not from your loins is a close second. Stepparents are still parents and they deserve respect too. The parents who deal with the complicated exes, and the children who sometimes don't appreciate them because they know, it's a package deal. If you are a stepparent, I extend a bow to you, because you are displaying the love God as Joseph did. I extend a bow to you because you deserve to be appreciated for the love you give. I want to extend a bow to educators who teach children too because they are the ones outside the family who help stretch and strengthen children and it takes love to do it well.

Get Ready

Joshua 3:5

 

5And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

 

Mosses passed the torch to Joshua to lead the Israelites because he had been hand picked by God. How awesome it is to be hand picked by God for anything! But even more so, what level of responsibility it is. Repeatedly, God reassured Joshua not to fear. And then Joshua gave the people he was called to lead the heads up about that God would do magnificent wonders. How many times are you told ahead of time that God is going to do something wonderful? Joshua was in the midst of leading the people to the promised land. Yes, the very promised land they waited for 40 years. God revealed to Joshua that He would do great things. In Numbers 23:19 it says that God is not a man that He should lie. So when God tells His servant that He is going to do something, like Bishop Jakes says, "Get ready, get ready, get ready!" Their way to get ready was to sanctify or consecrate themselves; in other words, make holy in preparation to receive. God instructs Joshua to command the priests holding the ark of the covenant that when they get to the Jordan river they would stand in it. In case you missed, when is the last time you were able to stand in a river and not be carried away by the current? The word says that the Jordan River overflows all its banks. Therefore, anything touching the Jordan would get carried away. But God! Just as He did when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, so they crossed the dry land of the Jordan River. Again, God is not a man that He should lie. Not only could He do it but remember, God had already done it once. The first time the Israelites had no warning. This time, God told a whole new generation what He was going to do before He did it. Once God told His faithful servant, it was done. If the Israelites doubted and dared to grumble, they didn't have time to say it before God worked. God is the same yesterday as He is today so if He sends you a faithful servant to say get ready, then that is what you must do. When God tells you directly, get ready, then let it be so. Whatever He says remove from your presence that you may receive what He has promised, just do it. Consecrate yourself and be in the right place to receive. God is faithful.

Remember the Greatest Father

Romans 8:15-16

 

15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

 

Father's Day is this coming Sunday and many people, whose fathers are still on earth, are buying gifts or sending cards. For those whose fathers are no longer with them or those who did not know their earthly fathers, you still have a father. His name is Abba. He is the one who wakes you up every morning.

 

All week, my mind has been returning to my college days when I took my first international trip. The trip was to the United Kingdom. My friend and former co-worker, Kate, had invited myself and her former roommate. Kate was an exchange student. I remember we were at work on campus during a summer prior. I was thinking of where I wanted to go the following year and she invited me to England. I spent months planning. And both my biological father and my now late stepfather chipped in with my earnings and my mom's gift. Both fathers were happy for me. My stepfather was so giddy with excitement that he wished he was able to do more. My biological father, being the researcher, discovered the recent bombing and was a little concerned about what airport I would arrive at. Kate had told us the best airport. It was Abba that ensured our safety in flight and on the five hour train ride to the countryside. It was Abba that recalled my secret desire to visit Edinburgh, Scotland from a European Travel program on MPT/PBS. He remembered and a year to the very month that I viewed the program, I was there. I had no idea that accepting my friend's invitation would lead me not only to experience a lovely time with her and her family, discovering how much my facial features really are Irish but seeing many beautiful English cities and townships and a Scottish one I was fascinated by on television.

 

What does all of that have to do with Father's Day? Everything!! Fathers played a role but the greatest Father that we forget is with us everyday and knows our every need and want. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. He is Jehovah Shalom, the God our peace. He is Jehovah Roi, the God who sees. Remember to say Happy Father's Day to the one who never leaves you nor forsakes you, even after your natural parents, stepparents, adopted parents or godparents are gone. Abba is always there.

 

P.S. HAPPY EARLY FATHER'S DAY to all fathers and father figures!

A Walking Miracle

Matthew 14:28-29

 

28And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

 

Most often when this scripture is looked at it is seen from the prospective of letting go of fear. But God showed me something else this morning. Peter, by the power of the Holy Spirit within Jesus had been given the same ability to do what no man had seen. Remember, Jesus is the greatest teacher, preacher, prophet, apostle, evangelist. Jesus did and still does many miracles. He is the Word made flesh. The stronger your belief in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit's power, with prayer, God can do through you many of the miracles Jesus did during His earthly ministry. The gifts that Jesus possessed during His earthly ministry are distributed through the Holy Spirit to those who make Him Lord over their lives. God gives them to believers as He deems and the gifts of the Spirit are often dormant until you grow in Jesus. The apostle Paul talks about the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Jesus demonstrated to Peter that his belief in Him and the one who sent Him would allow him to do great things. You want to do something great? Stick with Jesus and move as He tells you to move. He will make you a walking miracle by the power of the living God.