As Jesus and His disciples rested together on the mountainside, we have the beautiful picture of the Good Shepherd, making His sheep lie down in green pastures, leading them beside the still waters, that He might restore them on the inside. Jesus knew the demands that would be made on the disciples and Himself that very day, and He knew in order to meet those demands, they had to have some time alone together.
Again and again, I have been amazed to discover that the verse of Scripture or thought or insight that God seems to give me in my early morning quiet time with Him is the very same verse or insight or thought I am called on to give to someone else during the day. Many times I have wondered how I would have been able to speak a “word that sustains the weary,” had I not first received it for myself in those brief, early morning retreats. Jesus offers us ample resources, but we have to receive them from Him in order to impart them to others.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” and He also said we are the light of the world. (Matt. 5:14) The sole light in Heaven will be the light that comes directly from God through Jesus Christ, and that light will be reflected in the life of each one of His children! The entire city will be saturated with the glorious light of His life, truth, righteousness, goodness, love and peace – through you . . . and me!
Praise God! The Light of the World is the Light of Heaven!
To clarify their choice, Pilate asked the mob a question that has reverberated through the centuries, “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” They demanded with one voice, “Crucify him!”
Whom do you know who is rejecting Jesus today? Whoever those people are, regardless of the vehemence of their words, or the hardness of their hearts there is still hope.
Because some of the very men who had rejected Jesus on the Friday morning of His crucifixion did repent of their sins and receive His forgiveness and salvation! This astounding turnabout took place fifty days after the rioting mob screamed its rejection of Jesus. In the very place where Jesus had been condemned by the religious leaders, Peter preached a sermon to a crowd of thousands at the Feast of Pentecost. Three thousand people responded with deep contrition to Peter’s powerful proclamation of the truth. They repented of their sins and claimed Jesus Christ as their own Savior and Lord, receiving His forgiveness.
For God so loved you that He gave His Son, His only Son, the Son Whom He loved – He gave heaven’s most precious Treasure – He gave everything He had – in order to offer you eternal life.
Do you doubt the love of God? Why? Because of the bad things that He allows to happen to good people? Because of the unfairness and injustice and unkindness and misery and suffering and pain and cruelty of life? Some questions we won’t have answers for until we get to heaven. But one thing we can know for sure is that God loves you and me. How do we know that? We know it by just looking at the cross where He proved His love for the world that mocks Him and ignores Him and despises Him and scorns Him and rejects Him.
We look at the cross and see “I love you” written in red – the red of Christ’s blood.
Praise God that you and I can be where Jesus is-now, and for all eternity-because He lives within us and has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us!
When your parents forsake you through death or abandonment, or your spouse forsakes you through divorce, you have His presence. (Ps. 27:10)
When the fire of adversity increases in intensity, you have His presence. (Dan. 9:1-25)
When you are overwhelmed by burdens or depression, you have His presence. (Isa. 43:2)
When you and I follow Jesus, He promises that we will be where He is. And there is not one place in the entire universe, visible or invisible, where He is not! What a blessing!
