Choices

Our afflictions sometimes seem unbearable. Though millions of people have come down the same road we are traveling doesn't make it any less lonely. Though we are assured that the pain is but for a moment doesn't ease our suffering. Though we see the light at the end of the tunnel that means we are surrounded by darkness. Though words from a true friend comfort and minister to our pain yet we still have to bare that burden alone. There are so many roads in life that are trials and tests meant to teach us and mold us into what God has designed for our life. But at the moment of the suffering or at the time of our loneliest or in the pit of despair it feels as though we are never coming out. But God has a specific plan just for you. No one else can fill the shoes he has prepared for you. Our afflictions are sent to prepare us. Our loneliness is meant to show us his ultimate gift. When Jesus went to the cruel cross and laid down his life for you and I. He was not spared part of the pain because of who he was. He was not spared the loneliness because of who he was. He was not spared the torture of shame and humiliation because of who he was. He was, and is, and ever will be the Son of God. The suffering that he went through was his choosing. Though he could have called a host of angels to his side in a moment. He chose...to suffer for you and me...The reality is that we have a choice to take the road called holiness or a road of our own choosing. But regardless of the road we choose affliction will come. It is part of life. The thing to consider though is when those afflictions come are they preparing us and molding us? or Are they simply because of bad choices? Jesus wants every soul to come to him. But every soul will not come. Hell has enlarged itself. Right now we can live our lives to the full in pleasure and run from the will of God and miss his purpose in our lives. We can even spend our life going to church and doing seemingly religious stuff. But what seems right in our eye's is not the true way. Jesus told us (Mat 11:29)"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Learn of me. To make ourselves understand his way. To learn of his purpose and agenda. To learn of who he really is. To know the heart of God. Jesus suffered miserably for our sins. Though once we've chosen to follow him there will be heartaches. There will be despair. There will be moments of loneliness. There will be affliction. But the difference is that we have the Word of God's assurance on our side to comfort. We have the blessed hope, which is the knowing that our lives are in his hands and we have a place after this life where there is no pain, no suffering, no loneliness, no heartache,no sickness, not even death is there. So though you may be going through a struggle in your life right now. If you will give your lives completely to Jesus in the middle of misery there will be a peace that passes all understanding. In the middle of sickness there will be an assurance of our healing. In the middle of our loneliness the will be a sense of God's presence. In the middle of our storm there walking right by our side is none other but the storm walker, the one that spoke to the storm and the wind laid down and the sea was calmed. Jesus chose us. We are given a choice. But when the door is open for our visitation don't hesitate. Run to Jesus. Because he wants to pick you up and help you in your affliction. Friend I ask you one simple question...How do you choose? You and your way or Jesus? I pray you choose quickly and wisely. Amen!

The place of a skull

Joh 19:17 "And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:" The son of God had authority to call all the angels in heaven to his defense. Yet for his passionate unyielding unfathomable unbreakable love for us, he went on bearing his cross. Not for any offense he had done but for us. For our sin. He carried the cross, bore that heavy burden that he might take away the handwriting written against us.He carried the cross to a place called the "skull". The Greek word used is "kran-ee'-on". Called in Hebrew Golgotha meaning in Hebrew "skull". The skull is symbolic of the thoughts and our emotions, our heart, the center of us.The place of this horrendous death and supreme sacrifice was a place of heavy anguish and despair. But it was also a battle of the thoughts. As our fight today is more in our thoughts than outward. Jesus made a way, where there seems to be no way. Doesn't it look sometimes as though we're trapped with no way out? But the battle is won simply when we take confidence off of self and put it all on Jesus and the work he did that day when he carried the cross to his death. What a story of love and mercy. What a God seemingly unobtainable yet he is a friend that is closer than a brother.We need not fear or fret what misery we face but lay it at the feet of the awesome King of kings. Take the Word in our heart, write it there, live it loud.Let the world see Jesus in our conversation, in our actions, and in the way we love each other. Jesus said you will know my disciple's for the love they have one to another. Twice in this verse there is the reference to the "skull" and as I pointed out the skull depicts the thoughts or heart. The real fight is not with our brother or sister or the world but rather it is our own lusts. Our thoughts dictate so much of our destiny. When we have confidence in the God of glory, yield ourselves to him, and to his Word we will have power and victory over our thoughts. If we stay in the Word and rehearse scripture in our minds we can walk in true victory and peace. Because of the work that day, when Jesus carried his cross.