Day 29 – The Peace of the Cross

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation…the Lord has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God…Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.” (Isaiah 52:7, 10, 13)

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He is pleased!'” (Luke 2:10-14)

“And I, when I  am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” – Jesus (John 12:32)

The good news is that God has provided peace through Jesus and His death on the cross for all people.  Today let us celebrate the wonderful provision of God before we leave this call to peace.  We are reminded in Scripture that this peace has been His plan from the day we rebelled against Him.  The prophets were preaching the good news of the Savior to come long before the manger in Bethlehem.  He would bring peace and joy as the Messiah of all people.  The angels sang of the good news to the shepherds…the awaited Messiah…the Savior, was born!  God had not forgotten His plan!

“When I am lifted up”

But, the plan was not just for Jesus to come to Bethlehem.  He came there en route to Jerusalem where He would be “lifted up”, according to Isaiah.  Jesus referred to this when He talked to His disciples about His death on the cross.  The manger was not His destination.

“When I am lifted up”

The cross was the ultimate demonstration of the love of God…the necessary instrument of the salvation of God…and the only pathway to our peace with God.

“When I am lifted up”

This is, therefore, our calling as peacemakers…to lift up Jesus.  He is the fulfillment of God’s great plan to redeem this world to Himself.  It is through the cross that all “people” of all nations can find peace with God.  We can come home!  This is the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  This is the Joy of a restored fellowship with our heavenly Father!

So, if we are to be peacemakers, we must lift up Jesus so that He might draw people to Himself.  This is the beginning of peace on earth.  Before we can find peace with each other we must first find peace with God.

“When I am lifted up”

Today, what can you do to lift up Jesus?  An encouraging word?  Extending forgiveness?  Sharing what Jesus means to you?  Isaiah said, “How beautiful the feet of those who bring the good news”.

In other words, “Blessed are the peacemakers”

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Fifth Sabbath

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” (Isaiah 49:16)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” – Jesus (John 10:27-29)

Today is our fifth Sabbath rest on our Lenten journey to the cross.  We have already discovered that rest is a vital part of the life of a disciple of Jesus.  We have also discovered that in today’s world rest is hard to come by.  One thing that is essential for one to experience Sabbath is a sense of security.  An assurance that we are safe…taken care of…that the future, though unknown, is in good hands.  In the Scripture, God goes to great lengths to give those who follow Him this peace.

Jesus spoke the words above in order to assure His followers (His sheep) that they were safe and secure.  They did not have to live in fear of getting lost again.  They did not have to constantly look over their shoulder in fear of being “snatched away” by the evil wolves that are out there.  “I will take care of you.  I will protect you.  Come to me and I will lead you beside the still waters and into the green pastures to be refreshed.”

“Oh Lord, please don’t forget me.  Lord, I am afraid.  Don’t leave me.”

“My precious child, I cannot forget you.  Even if all others forget you, I will not…and just to make sure you know, I have engraved you on the palm of my hand.”

Does God have tattoos?  Seems a silly question to ask on a beautiful Sabbath morning, but if God had a tattoo what would it be?   Well, the prophet Isaiah says, it’s You.  Yep.

My beloved friends, God loves you so much.  He has you in the palms of His hands and He will never let you go.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  He will not forget about you.  So, take a Sabbath rest today.  Draw a deep breath that God has provided for you and allow yourself to be refreshed in the security of His presence.  Peace be to you.

Blessings.

 

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Day 28 – The Peace of the Cross

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgement.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

The call to be peacemakers is a call to unity.   The Scriptures tell us that each of us is uniquely created and individually appointed for a specific purpose in God’s Kingdom work.  God does not want us to “be” the same.  That would be uniformity and, unity and uniformity are not the same.  Unity is when all the different parts of an organization work together for one purpose…with one goal that supersedes individual agendas.  The Greek word “sympaneo”, from which we get the English word “symphony”, is used in the Scripture to describe the unity that should characterize the body of Christ.  In the symphony, each instrument is different and plays it’s unique sound at the appropriate time and it blends together to produce beautiful music that surpasses anything any one instrument could create on its own.

This unity takes effort.  It requires each instrument to follow the music and to submit to the leadership of the conductor.  For the church, the music is the Scripture…the Bible…God’s Word.  The conductor is God, who through the Holy Spirit directs us.  For example, if an instrument plays at the wrong time the Conductor calls attention to the music and makes sure that everyone is on the “same page”.   The conductor is the ultimate peacemaker, but not because he requires all instruments to play the same notes at the same time.  Quite the contrary, he allows each instrument to bring it’s unique sound into the piece at the appropriate time and, with his guidance,  blend with the others to create a musical masterpiece.

This is what The Prince of Peace does for His church.  He takes different people with different strengths and weaknesses and unites them around one goal…to glorify God.  He is the Ultimate Conductor allowing us to be who He created us to be and weaving us together into the greater tapestry of His Kingdom.  This is what God does. We are designed by God to work together in a symphony of fellowship…uniquely gifted, but unified in Spirit and purpose.

We are called to be peacemakers as well.  God is the Conductor but we are still required to work with each other and appreciate each other…to love one another.  This, however, is not always easy…or comfortable…or convenient…but…when you hear that symphony and you know you are a part of it…it is always rewarding.

What are you called to do in the symphony of God’s Kingdom?  Are you contributing to the unified purpose and mission of the church?   Are you working in harmony with others for one purpose?  Are you encouraging others to find their place?  Do you appreciate and respect the differences in those around us?

Let’s go!  It’s time to make some music!

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Day 27 – The Peace of the Cross

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9)

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – Jesus (John 13:35)

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:19)

As we stand before the cross in our Lenten journey we see the ultimate expression of love and sacrifice.  We see the One prophesied by Isaiah finishing the work that He came to accomplish…peace between God the Creator and His creation.  There has never been, nor will there ever be, a more vivid illustration of the price of peace.  Jesus, the Prince of Peace, gave up His life…laid aside His royal robes and sacrificed to bring reconciliation…to restore a broken relationship.  He was “Mighty God”, but did not destroy us.  He knew our sins, yet He did not condemn us or judge us.  He was right and we were wrong, but He showed us mercy.  Why?  To bring peace.

To bring peace always requires self-sacrifice.  It starts when loving each other and building up one another becomes more important than our need to be right.  Jesus says in this beatitude that we are recognized as children of God when we are peacemakers.  Later, as He had the last supper with the disciples, He said that their love for each other would be the identifying characteristic that they were His disciples.  Conversely, then, when God’s people are fighting and arguing is when they are most unlike their Father in heaven.  Paul told the church at Ephesus,

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”                 (Ephesians 4:31-32)

“Like father, like son” is a phrase that we have all heard or used.  It is usually a commentary on a young man’s behavior that identifies a resemblance with his dad.  In other words, “I can tell who you belong to by the way you are acting or talking.”  Jesus is saying that people will notice the family resemblance if we are peacemakers…if we love one another more than ourselves.

Let’s go back to the cross.  Jesus showed us that peace requires self-sacrifice.  This is when restoring a broken relationship is more important than people getting what they deserve.   Jesus demonstrated His love for us by dying for us so we could experience mercy and, as a result, peace with God.  When we do the same, people will recognize whose children we are…and we will be called “sons of God”.

Today, let us be peacemakers and may God’s peace be with you.

 

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Day 26 – The Peace of the Cross

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.  She came up behind Him (Jesus) and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased…And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.'” (Luke 8:43, 44, 48)

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1, 2)

The Gospels tell the gripping story of a woman who did not have peace.  She was sick…dying and had exhausted all the resources at her disposal to find healing.  For twelve long years she had searched for relief…to find rest, but she had come up empty.  Then came Jesus.  She had heard of this man and that He was a healer.  Could He heal her?  Could He bring an end to her suffering?  She was at rock bottom…the end of her rope.  But, she had nothing to offer Him.  She was considered unclean…an outcast.  He wouldn’t give her the time of day.  But…maybe…if she could get close enough, she could just touch Him or the edge of His cloak?  It was her only hope.

How long have you been sick?  How long have you been searching for relief from your suffering?  You have tried everything to stop the internal bleeding caused by your sinful condition, but there is no peace.  The cures this world has to offer are temporary and superficial and you have been left worse than before.  Then came Jesus.

I believe that the amount of peace we experience in our lives is directly related to our proximity to Jesus…our faith in Him.  “Just a touch” was her thought and she was right.  She was healed and, more importantly, she found peace.  Jesus said that it was her faith that healed her and finally brought her the peace she had been longing for.

The Gospel…the Good News for us today is that we can find that same healing…that same fulfillment…that same peace when we come to the cross of Jesus.  Paul says in the verses above that we have been “justified” by faith…”healed” and, therefore, we can have peace with God.

Are you tired of chasing the latest trends and prescriptions the world has to offer to find peace?  The shallow promises to find the deep healing that you long for have failed and left you empty.  Take heart, there is hope.  It is the cross of Jesus that opens the door for us all to experience that peace.

Today, reach out to Jesus.  Just a touch and you will find that He is faithful.   Today you can hear the words of Jesus, “your faith has healed you.  Go in peace.”

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Day 25 – The Peace of the Cross

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

The cross was not a peaceful event.  The shouting and the beatings that preceded it were more of a mob scene than the worship experience we sing about.  It was an ugly scene on that hill called Golgotha.  The soldiers nailed the three criminals to their crosses and cruelly lifted each one into the burning sun.  Those hungry for blood were cheering.  The friends and relatives of the condemned were weeping.  No…it is hard too find peace at the cross.  Amidst the blood, the pain, the suffering, and the humiliation…peace?

Even for the followers of Jesus it was the ultimate defeat.  It was anything but peace as they watched their hopes and dreams get shattered against the rocks of hatred and fear.  The Messiah…the Savior that was to come to free them has been captured and unjustly executed and now struggles to breathe.  It’s over…the hope for peace has been snuffed out.

But, according to the Prophet Isaiah it was this very act of violence that brought us the peace that we desperately needed.  The peace between the Creator and His creation…between the loving Father and His lost children…between the Shepherd and His wandering sheep.  Since our initial rebellion in the garden, the consequences of sin had disrupted our fellowship with God and left us unfulfilled.  In a constant state of unrest, we have searched for anything that would satisfy our thirsty souls.

Then came Jesus…the Messiah…”The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  God became flesh to live among us and to die for us.  He pierced the darkness of this world and shined the light of His love on us.  The barrier that had kept us from experiencing the peace that we were intended to enjoy was removed.  The walls came down.  The curtain that separated us from the presence of God was torn in two (Mark 15:38).  We were forgiven and set free by the selfless act of the cross.  Yes…peace…peace can now be ours…by His “stripes we are healed”.  This is the peace that is beyond understanding.  It is not peace as the world understands it which is the absence of conflict.  It is an inner peace that is there even amid the conflicts of this world.  A peace between us and God…a reconciliation…a home coming.

At the cross we find the answers to our questions about who we are and who God is.  At the cross we find forgiveness for our failures and grace for our future.  At the cross we are invited into a relationship with a God who loves us passionately.  It is at the cross that we see His unfailing mercy and grace.  In this most unlikely place…at the cross…we find what we have been searching for.  Yes, my friends, there is peace to be found at the cross.

Today, are you at peace?

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Day 24 – The Purity of the Cross

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners,  and purify your hearts you double minded.” (James 4:8)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1, 2)

We have discovered that a call to a pure heart is a call to being exclusively loyal…faithful to our God that we love with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind and all our strength.  It is not so much about being perfect as it is about being 100%.  We have also seen that this attention to purity positions us to be useful to the Master in the work of His Kingdom.  And…the life of Jesus illustrated that this is sometimes agonizing work, but the pure heart follows God’s will over our will every time. There is another reason to be concerned with the cleanliness of our spiritual house…we are no longer our own.  God has purchased us and has moved in.

As believers we must be continually reminded that we are no longer in the driver seat of our lives.  Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galations 2:20).  Jesus told us, “If anyone would would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23).

When you first invited Jesus to come into your life and take His rightful place as your Lord, He cleansed you from head to toe.  You had a total make over.  The Bible describes it as a spiritual resurrection.  You can’t be more radically transformed than that!  And now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, we are called to keep it clean…a life of purity.

Our temptation is to be distracted by the things of this world, the sins that weigh us down and our own pride.  In Hebrews we read that we must throw off these things and fix our eyes on Jesus!  This is the denying ourselves.  This is the daily taking up the cross.  This is following Jesus.

So what do you have to do to make the Holy Spirit more at home in your life?  Are there areas of your life that have fallen into disrepair or where sin has taken ahold of you?  Don’t let another day go by without asking the Lord to forgive you and cleanse you again from these things.  Recommit yourself to Him and keep your eyes on Him in whatever you are doing today.

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Day 23 – The Purity of the Cross

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

“Remember how 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.” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days…” (Luke 4:1)

“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done’…and being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood…” (Luke 22:41, 42, 44)

The process to purify a precious metal is interesting and enlightening.  Most of us know that once this resource is mined from the ground, it is put into the fire where the impurities are burned away.  This is done many times until the metal has been sufficiently “tested” or purified.

Likewise, to become pure in heart is a lifelong process that can, many times, be uncomfortable.  Sometimes it will take us into the wilderness where we are humbled and our hearts are tested.  Sometimes it can take us to a garden where our resolve to follow the Father’s will is pushed to the limit and it is so intense that we “sweat blood”.  Yes, Jesus was constantly being tested…put into the fire…and He was proven to be pure in heart.  We should not expect less as His disciples.  He stayed focused on doing the Father’s will which was to go to the cross and show His love for you and me.   Paul said, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For our sake” Jesus kept His eyes on the Father and followed Him into the wilderness…into the garden…and to the cross.  He was found to be pure in heart on all occasions, but it was not easy, even for Him.  The Scriptures tell us that Jesus has set the example for us to follow and that includes His resolve during times of testing.  Jesus has led the way.  That’s why James could say, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2)

Keeping our hearts pure is hard work and it is a continual process, but God has promised to be with us and give us the strength we need to get through every test or trial.  Today, as you get back to the task of “cleaning” your spiritual house, remember these words of wisdom from Solomon;

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.”         (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

 

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Fourth Sabbath

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 5:12)

“You are a hiding place for me…” – David (Psalm 32:7)

“God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear…’Be still and know that I am God’…The Lord of hosts is with us…” (Psalm 46:1,2,10,11)

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge…” (Psalm 91:1, 4)

The Sabbath is more than rest for most of us…it is a “refuge”…a safe place where we can go and know that we can find a loving Father who will hold us in His arms.  Have you ever been there?  Maybe it was during a special prayer time in the morning or while listening to a praise song on the radio or while walking through a quiet park.  The cares of this world seemed to melt away as you simply enjoyed the presence of God.  It was a refuge that allowed you to let go for a few moments and center again on being loved.

The Scripture tells us that God wants us to enjoy this kind of escape with Him regularly.  He wants us to do more than just stop and rest, He wants us to come to Him and “let go”.  The Psalmist paints the picture of the mother hen who gathers the chicks under the protection of her wings.  It is a warm place…it is a safe place.

Many of us don’t experience the depth of the Sabbath as it was intended because we are afraid.  We are afraid to relax and fully enjoy fellowship with the Lord.  We come to Him, but we keep one eye on Him and one eye on the world around us.  We are afraid that if we take our eyes off the ball for one minute, it might hit us right in the face!

Today, can I encourage you to run to the arms of the Father.  He will be your Shelter…your Hiding place.  He will keep you under His wings…warm and safe.  It’s OK.  He’s got this.  He’s got you.  Stop and rest…let go.  Turn your attention away from the worries of this life for a moment…a Sabbath…and let God hold you and refresh you.  You don’t have to be afraid you can trust Him.

May God bless you this fourth Sabbath of our Lenten journey.

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Day 22 – The Purity of the Cross

Posted on March 25, 2017 by Pastor Mike Bradley

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

“To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure…They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works.  They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:15, 16)

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.  So flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”                  (2 Timothy 2:21, 22)

Whenever God reveals Himself to us, it is for a reason.  It is a divine invitation to join with Him in the work He is doing.  In this beatitude, Jesus is saying that God reveals Himself to the pure in heart and, therefore, is inviting them to be a part of the work that He is doing.  Responding to that invitation (obedience) reveals the condition of our heart.  Conversely, if we are impure…polluted…defiled…we will not see God and become “unfit for any good work” according to the Scripture.  Obedience becomes a burden.  Purity begins in the heart but is confirmed or denied in our works.

So, our concern with the purity of our heart is also a concern with our usefulness to the Master.  I not only desire to see God working around me, but I want to join Him in whatever He is doing!  I want to get in the mix.  I want to be an instrument of His peace…an ambassador of His  grace…a minister of His work of reconciliation…a pipeline of His blessing!  This is God’s will as well.  He longs for you to be with Him in His work as a “vessel useful to the master”.  We, the church, are the body of Christ and His witnesses to the lost world around us.  His design is to speak and work through His people.  We do not have to come up with the plan…He already has it.  We are simply tasked to be ready to serve Him.

The passage from Timothy tells us that it is our responsibility to “cleanse” ourselves from the things in our life that compromise our purity of heart.   We are to flee from the “youthful passions” or lusts that would divide our loyalties and that would blur our vision of God around us.  Yes, only God  can cleanse us from our sin, but it is our responsibility to keep ourselves pure.  James said, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  God cleanses us and then, through His strength, we keep clean.

Has your vision of God become blurred?  Are you having trouble seeing the Kingdom work going on around you?  Maybe you have allowed some things to pile up in your life…your heart…that have compromised your purity.  Today is the day to clean house!  John said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)

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