Jesus Saves

Today we celebrate Easter.  Three days after a brutal death by crucifixion, the resurrection of Jesus Christ accomplished the greatest rescue ever known to mankind.  For all who believe in him, he provides eternal life (see John 3:16).  

Last month marked the passing of Billy Graham.  No man in history has ever publicly quoted the verses in John 3 to more people in his lifetime.   The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).  Dr. Graham devoted his life to preaching the message of a resurrected Christ.  Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  A person can only truly know God by believing in Jesus.  

Although I never met him or never attended one of his crusades, Billy Graham had a profound impact on my life.  Rarely did a message of his that I saw on the TV, or heard on the radio, not bring tears to my eyes at some point while he was talking.  God’s love brings overwhelming comfort to the soul.  Like none other, Dr. Graham helped instill deep into my spirit, a love and passion for sharing the good news of Jesus.  He communicated the gospel of Jesus with unmatched clarity and simplicity. Everywhere he went, and to millions of people around the globe, he had the same message.  Jesus saves.  God’s love is so deep, there’s absolutely no way God can turn a person away whose heart is fully surrendered.  

Soaking in the message that Jesus saves is the quickest way out of depression, anxiety, worry, or any trouble in life.  Common, ordinary challenges all seem easier to bear after stopping to ponder what Jesus endured to accomplish our salvation.  Jesus saves the lost.  To benefit from what he did, I have to admit I’m lost.  When I’m willing to admit I need help (when something went wrong and created loss), Jesus rescues.  Big messes or little goofs, no problem is too tough for Jesus to redeem.  Thank God, Jesus saves!

Jesus never promised to eliminate difficulties in life.  If we had no troubles, he would have nothing to save.  We cannot live a “good life” through our own will power. It’s not about being good enough, strong enough, or smart enough.  It’s about being “fed up” enough to let Jesus be enough.  Jesus is enough.  He is always enough.  

It really is that simple.  Jesus saves.  That message is enough.  

For the follower of Christ, every day is Easter.   Every day, Jesus saves.  My prayer is that you make him enough for you today!

To take the next step after you acknowlege you need what Jesus has done for you, is to say something like this, “I am thankful for what Jesus did for me by dying on a cross and being raised from the dead, I surrender to his power to make me a whole person.”   As you surrender to the teachings of Jesus as described in the Bible, you turn around your ways of thinking and acting, and take on his new life.  Join in company with other believers to help this process and you’re on your way to a new life to confess that Jesus saves.  

The Bible (most trustworthy book on the planet) says,

“This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.  ….

  The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”  (Psalm 91:2,14-16;New Living Translation)

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Champions Are Made Through Change

            The 2016 summer Olympic games ended last month with the top medallists taking gold as their  prize.  Great effort and sacrifice precedes a slot to compete.  Olympians and professional athletes do not just show up at an event and expect to do well.  Athletes understand the need for practice, in order to change an unconditioned body into a body fit for Olympic competition. 

            Mental and spiritual transformation requires similar conditioning and change to live a fruitful life.  Jesus told many stories that illustrate the need for conditioning our soul.  At conversion we are given a new personal spirit.  The need for change in our mind and heart continue through our whole life.  The more we welcome and pursue this change, the closer we arrive at championship living.  

            In the book of Matthew chapter 22, Jesus compared our life in the Kingdom of God to a person preparing himself for a banquet feast at a wedding. 

“ … and the wedding hall was filled with guests.  “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.  He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.  “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  “For many are invited, but few are chosen.””  (Matthew 22:10-14).  Wow, this seems like a harsh treatment for a seemingly minor offense of not dressing properly.  Although additional interpretations may apply, "dressing" in (changing into) proper clothes seems to indicate the necessity of proper heart attitude toward preparation and conditioning for our life's journey.  Remember, this is a parable (story) Jesus used to make a point.  I believe his primary point is that He is interested in having disciples committed to a process of change of heart and not just showing up for an exciting experience. 

            Pious people also asked of Jesus, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [the undesirables of the day]  On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:16-17).  Doctors are called on the diagnose health problems of sick people.  Jesus uses this picture to show that he heals the "sickness" of undesirable behavior (and sin).  I believe we can also infer from this that unless we consider ourselves "sick" (unprepared and unconditioned) our hearts are not in a place to receive the completeness of the healing Jesus has for us.   The healthiest thing we can do for ourselves is admit our need for further change and conditioning to live a more abundant life.  This involves examining inner attitudes and motivations (avoiding the extreme of being overly introspective).

            All throughout the teachings of Jesus, he connects the physical (tangible) condition with the psychological and spiritual (less tangible) condition.  Later in the book of Mark, Jesus speaks of this sickness as a problem of the inner person.   "Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him.  Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"  ...  He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'  For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean'"" (Mark 7:14-23).  The point of this list is not as much to try to identify specific behaviors where we may fall short, but to reveal that each person has an "unclean" heart that needs to be re-conditioned by a process to clean it up. 

            Most people think of  preparation, conditioning, and change in terms of behavior.  Examples might be bad eating habits changed to good nutritious eating, negative talk changed to positive speech, or an addiction/ bad habit totally wiped out.  However, behavior is merely an indicator of a belief system.  Bad behavior (fruit) comes from bad thoughts and beliefs (root).  If you really believe using illegal drugs are wrong and bad for your health, you won't use any,  If's that simple.  Changing behavior requires a change of beliefs.  Trying to justify smoking weed in certain situations, demonstrates double minded-ness, and threatens any positive steps you've made toward re-conditioning your thoughts ad beliefs.  For another example, if you use pornography, you really don't believe in the dignity of women (or men), nor the value of purity, fidelity, and loyalty.  A change of heart is needed to re-align behavior with a healthily growing value system.    (Note: I am generalizing here, and please understand that trauma and serious mental haalth conditions may create exceptions).  

            Behaviors reveal beliefs, and beliefs reveal who you are on the inside.  Who you are on the inside is the real you.  The only way to change and condition yourself, is to change your thoughts and core beliefs.  If you claim to be a disciple of Christ, you will "dress" for the banquet with him, let him treat/ heal your "sickness," and surrender your "unclean" core being to him for him to change.  This is the miracle of salvation.  This is the progressive work of salvation.   This is essential in receiving the full impact of what Jesus did for us through his death and resurrection from the dead.    

            Change and heart conditioning is what we are called to as Christians.  It won't work to show up in heaven one day unprepared.  When Jesus taught us to pray that Father's will would be done "on earth as it is in heaven,"  could it be that he had the conditioning of our hearts in mind?   Honestly ask yourself a few more questions to help you live a championship life.  Am I  "dressed" as a champion?  Am I "dressing" (readying myself for the banquet) so my inner being is prepared for greater things?  Where could my heart be more given to "cleaning" and surrendering to the progressive work of change and conditioning?  Do I have a habit or pattern of behavior that needs to go?  Might there be something destructive in my life that I have been excusing as a "part of my personality?"  What thoughts and beliefs may be keeping me from further surrender?  Do I need to ask God into my heart to show me the need for surrender?

            God  designed you to be a champion.  Let the change begin, and continue, until your gold medal is presented in heaven!  And, let the heavenly results begin now while you live out champion lifestyle here on earth!

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry 

             

Note:   A book I authored Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses truth for dealing with disappointments, offense and finding freedom through forgiveness (from a Christian perspective).  See more about the book by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_

Cross of Christ

      Have you ever wondered why Catholic symbols of the cross have Jesus hanging on it, and non-Catholics show the cross as two intersecting lines without the Christ? My background is not Catholic so I believed the "empty cross" was the best way to emphasize the risen Lord, and not get hung up on the suffering Lord. After all, we serve a God who is alive, not dead, right? Certainly our Lord is resurrected, and not overcome by the grave, but some verses in the Bible (such as the that shown below) help us appreciate both the humanity of Christ and his divinity.

      The following verses recently challenged some of my thinking. In chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews, the writer discusses what is commonly though of as the "heroes of the faith." Here is the last verse of that chapter and the first 3 of the next. "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,  since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 11:30-31, 12:1-3). Our Christian faith is based solely on what Jesus has accomplished on earth, culminating on the Cross, and in heaven, bulminating on the Throne. Jesus extends perfect mercy, while ruling with perfect justice.

      The phrase "fixing our eyes on Jesus" jumps out at the center of these verses. Our perception of Christ will determine how we live out out faith. There are two extremes to gravitate towards. One over-emphasizes mercy, and the other over-emphasizes justice. One over-extends the human activity, and the other over-extends the divine. One dignifies the human to diminish the divine, and the other devalues the human to over-spiritualize the divine. Our gaze on Christ should not be either human or God, but both human and God. The words used in the Scripture above are "pioneer" and "perfecter" of faith. Faith is "perfected" in the human condition, and faith is "pioneered" in the heavenlies. The physical and spiritual realms are both active together accomplishing the purposes of God.

      How does this work out practically? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Because of our confidence the spiritual reality, we can act with assurance in our physical world. For Noah, it meant bulding an ark to protect from floods, even though the world had never known rain before that time. For Abraham and Sarah it meant trying for a promised child though Sarah had not been able to bear children and they were well beyond child-bearing years. For Moses, it meant leading his people out of Egypt even though the king's army had the ability to wipe them out with little effort. For King David, it meant many incidents of courageous battle in the face of overwhelming odds against him. For Samson it meant returning to God for a second chance, even though he had lost his strength to wild living.

      The cross of Christ is more than a symbol. It is the intersection of the divine and the human. God desires relationship with his created human race. He wants humans to know him. Religion does not produce relationship with God. Religion emphasizes human self-effort to perform good works for gaining favor with God. Contrary to what many believe, God is not impressed with good works. Religion has a way of erecting barriers to nullify the Cross. Relationship, on the other had, breaks down barriers. Relationship accepts the Cross for what it really means. Jesus paid the debt owed by the human sinful condition. No matter where you are in your relationship with God, the Cross can have more power to resurrect your circumstances. If you already know Him, great. By surrendering more of your heart to God, his divine ability to wash your soul clean of shame and guilt becomes more real. If you don't know God at all, it's never too late, or too soon, to start to get to know Him. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" and you're sure to find God. Jesus is a safe refuge. The cross is our refuge and hope.

Note: The book Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with disappointments, offense and finding freedom in forgiveness. This book is designed to help people (especially in the Christian faith) to discover and dislodge things in life that lead to defeat. Don't miss out on your chance to use this book as a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ. It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm . If you get anywhere near Pennsylvania for vacation or on business, be sure to look us up for lodging at http://bluerockbnb.com

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry