Salvation is coming

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

Remember, no matter what is going on in your life, no matter how bleak it is, God can and will come through. All we have to do is wait.

The Lord is with us...

Source: Kingdomservants.org

A psalm of comfort on a Monday...

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

-- Psalm 23 (NIV)

Who is your true god?

Source: The Journeys Project

"Jesus looked at him and said, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'" - Luke 18:24-25 (NIV)

Today's verses do not imply any problems with wealth, nor does it reference the discussions about the rich people in the world as brought up by groups such as Occupy Wall Street. Rather, it is part of a passage from the Gospels (Luke 18:15:-30) in which Jesus first rebukes his disciples for rejecting children coming to him, then probes the heart of a rich ruler who questioned him.

In this passage, Jesus gets the ruler, his disciples and the reader to probe their own hearts on what is their god. Is it God himself, as revealed through Jesus Christ? Or is it something else, whether it is money, possessions, career, sex, or anything else?

Pastor Brooks Simpson of Grace Community Church in North Liberty, Iowa, discussed this recently.

Remembering those who have fallen...



Source: The Sundries Shack

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13 (NIV)

Today here in the United States, we mark Memorial Day, where we remember those who have died while serving in our nation's military. According to USMemorialDay, at the behest of U.S. General John Logan, the day, first called Decoration Day, was first observed on May 30, 1868, with flowers being placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

New York became the first state to make it a official holiday, with northern states following suit by 1890, USMemorialDay.org said. Southern states held their remembrances until after the end of World War I in 1918, when the holiday was changed to honor all who had fallen fighting in American wars rather than just those who died in the Civil War. Congress made it a national holiday in 1971, moving the holiday to the last Monday of May, where it currently stands.

Jesus had a similar attitude. In his talk comparing himself and his followers to a vine and its branches, he talked about the love of God for people. John 3:16 tells us that "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." (NIV)

To show this, God sent his Son, Jesus, to the cross, to bear the punishment for the sins and all of the wrongdoings that we have committed and will commit once and for all. This is despite Jesus having committed no sin of his own (see 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5, Isaiah 53:9).

That is great love, willingly giving your life to save others. We remember those who died for their country today on Memorial Day, and we can accept the gift of salvation through Jesus' sacrifice (and his resurrection) by repenting of our sins and proclaiming him Lord (see Romans 10:9-10).

Have peace...

Sources: 20th Century Fox, Permanentstressrelief.com

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." - Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)

It can be argued that most people deal with some stress in their lives.

This stress can come from a variety of sources. Maybe it's a job that you do not know will be there next week, but you continue to go at it because you have mortgage and bills to pay. Maybe it is the stress of dealing with the diagnosis of a major health issue such as cancer or HIV/AIDS. Maybe you are a parent who has a child who continues to deal dangerous with the wrong kind of people at all times of the night. Maybe your marriage is in trouble, and likely to fail with some miracle. Maybe you are a student who is struggling in class with aspirations of getting into the school of your dreams.

The effects of that stress can not only cause worry, but also be damaging to your health. According to WebMD, 75 to 90 percent of all doctor's visits are for some stress-related ailment, including headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems and depression. The same article also said that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, said stress is a hazard of the workplace, costing American industry more than $300 billion each year in lost productivity.

So what to do about it?

Jesus said those who are weary should come to him for rest:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Psalm 55:22 tells us to "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." (NIV) 1 Peter 5:6-7 says we should humble ourselves and give our burdens and care to God, because he cares for us.

Yes, even Christians deal with stress in a fallen world, and Christians do have many of the same problems as anyone else does. However, followers of Christ can look ahead to the point where God "will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."(see Revelation 21:4)

Until then, the Bible tells us to do this:

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

The healing power of Jesus

"When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'  Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 'Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' - Mark 2:5-7 (NIV)

Jesus of Nazareth by all accounts was an extraordinary man.

During only three years of public ministry, he turned the world on its head and changed the course of history. He healed the sick, gave speech to the mute and sight to the blind. He rocked the religious foundation of the day to its core, enough where they gave him over to the authorities of the day, the Romans, to be mocked and publicly executed, though that was not enough to stop him either.

One thing that Jesus did while on earth, and continues to do now, is heal sin. By virtue of being God in the flesh (see John 10:30), he could forgive the sins of people for good, with true, eternal effect. He made and continues to make that gift available to anyone who believes in him and confesses their sins (see Romans 10:9-10).

In this video, Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, in his Easter sermon in April 2011 at Seattle's Qwest Field, talks about Jesus being able to heal sin.

Which way to heaven?

"Once more Jesus said to them, 'I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.'" - John 8:21 (NIV)

A popular bumper sticker in some cities calls for us to "coexist." The letters are made up of the symbols of various faiths, such as an Islamic crescent moon making up the "C," a Star of David as the "X," and a Christian cross at the "T." It reflects an attitude that no matter what you believe, no matter what your faith is, you will go to heaven when you die if your good deeds outweigh your bad.

However, sadly, that is bad theology. For starters, many faiths such as Christianity and Islam are exclusive beliefs, as in according to their teachings, their way is the only way to heaven. According to them, all other faiths are not the way of God or whatever higher being there is and will not help you in getting to heaven when you die.

So if each faith says they are the way, which way is THE way?

The Bible teaches that only faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient in any of us getting to heaven. Jesus himself is quoted in John 14:6 as saying,

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV)

Jesus is quoted in Matthew as saying,

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Romans 10:9 tells us,

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (NIV)

But why do we need a savior? Won't our good deeds, if they outweigh our bad ones, be enough to get us into heaven?

Unfortunately, sadly, no, they are not enough. Romans 3:23 says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." And even if we tried to be good, it still isn't enough:

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." - Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)

Jesus also had this to say about calling on God to let us into heaven, even if you go to church on a regular basis:
 
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" - Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
 
So how do we get to heaven then? One of the most famous verses in the Bible, John 3:16, 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." Eternal life means spending eternity with God in heaven. Death, in the eternal sense, means spending eternity apart from God, wallowing in our sins.
 
That is why Jesus is different.
 
"But he continued, 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.'" - John 8:23-24 (NIV)
 
Romans 10:9-10 says that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. It's as simple as that.
 
Want to know more? Feel free to contact us today.

What are you following?

Source: HBS Financial Planning

"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” - John 6:68-69 (NIV)

The world today can pull us in a million different directions. Our jobs can keep us occupied at all hours of the day and night, pulling us away from our families and other important things in our lives. A hobby can take up all of our time. Public opinion can also do the same with the masses, or "everybody else," believing one thing and making it so attractive or so compelling that we feel we must follow or suffer the consequences.

Little has changed since ancient times in that regard.

As documented in the book of 1 Samuel, the ancient Israelites demanded a king to rule over them. At the time, they had been ruled by judges who had learned the will of God for the nation and then led the people in that direction. This was unlike the nations surrounding them, each of whom had kings who ruled with varying degrees of strictness, all as absolute rulers.

Rather than be the separate people that God had called them to be, the Israelites clamored for a king of their own. The prophet Samuel, who had been overseeing the nation as judge, warned them, with words from the Lord, of what a king would do to them:

"This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day. " - 1 Samuel 8:11-18 (NIV)

Despite this warning, the people ignored him, saying, "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:19-20 (NIV)) So God gave them what they wanted, having Samuel anoint Saul, who was considered an "an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites" (1 Samuel 9:2), as king.

The arrangement worked for a while, with Saul scoring impressive victories early in his reign. However, it soon began to unravel. Following a victory, Saul offered up the burnt offering to God rather than waiting for Samuel and the priests as he had been instructed by God (see 1 Samuel 13:1-15), and he was soon replaced by David, who had risen to prominence after defeating Goliath (1 Samuel 17) and scoring other military victories.

However, with few exceptions, having a king rule over them "like all the other nations" did not work well for Israel. The Bible, in talking about future kings, often described them as having done "evil in the eyes of the Lord," causing the rest of the nation to sin as well. The nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, and eventually both were conquered by foreign powers as the people fell further away from the will of God. Psalm 106 explained the situation:

"They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves. Therefore the Lord was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance. He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin." - Psalm 106:32-43 (NIV)

But where do you go if the world's ways are not a good way to go? The Apostle Paul wrote on this several times in his letters to various churches:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2 (NIV)


"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." - Colossians 2:8 (NIV)

Jesus also provided the answers, offering eternal life. He is quoted in John as saying he is "bread of life," and that those who come to him and believe will never go hungry or never go thirsty. (see John 6:35). He was provided as the answer to sin and deceptive philosophies (see John 3:16-17). After a while, his apostles also saw this, even as people were deserting him, with the Apostle Peter saying Jesus has "the words of eternal life."

All it takes is to believe in that.

Are you ready?

Source: Jesuswalk.com

"Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'" - Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)

What would you do if you knew that Jesus was coming back today? Regardless of where you stood with God or what you believed, what if you knew for certain that at say, 3 o'clock today, you knew that Jesus would return as has been described in the book of Revelation (see Revelation 1:7)?

This past Sunday, Pastor Brooks Simpson of Grace Community Church in North Liberty, Iowa spoke on the Kingdom of God, based on Luke 17:20-37, covering how we will know for certain that it is indeed Jesus returning (Luke 17:22-25) and what we should be doing to be ready for when it does.

Give thanks

Source: interruptingthesilence.com

"Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?'" - Luke 17:17-18 (NIV)

Think back to all of the good things that have happened in your life. Maybe you just got married, or had a baby. Maybe you just landed a great job in an economy that is still having some issues. Maybe despite everything going on, you're stil healthy and thriving.

If that is the case, then like or not, you have been blessed mightily by God. The Bible teaches that God does bless us spiritually (see Ephesians 1:3) and on occasion, materially, particularly if you're generous yourself (see Deuteronomy 15:10). God is able to bless us because He is also in control of the world, whether we acknowledge it or not (see Proverbs 19:21, Ephesians 1:11-12, Psalm 22:28).

So what should we do in response to being blessed? We should give thanks where it is due. The Bible has at least 46 verses that say we should give thanks to God where it is due. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are told to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Psalm 107 begins with "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1), and later states,

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." - Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

In the story with the verse listed at the beginning of this article, Luke records Jesus having just healed 10 men of leprosy, having told them to go the priest to get cleansed (Luke 17:14). However, of the 10, only one of them, returns to Jesus to praise Him.  Jesus ended his healing with,

"Rise and go; your faith has made you well." - Luke 17:19 (NIV)

So the question is, do we give thanks to God where it is due?

What is Hell?

Source: OpusDeiAlert.com

"In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’" - Luke 16:23-24 (NIV)

The Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) record that Jesus talked about Hell 70 times in 58 verses. This is almost as many times as he talked about love, which is what He is truly known for. This means that despite the wishes of some people, Hell is a very real place, and a topic that should be taken seriously.

Rather than explain it more here, check out this talk recorded yesterday, Sunday, April 15, by Pastor Brooks Simpson at Grace Community Church in North Liberty, Iowa, as he explains what Hell is all about.

'Do as I say, not as I do...'

"You have not lied to men but to God.” – Acts 5:4b (NIV)

One of the major criticisms of the Christian church is that Christian are hypocrites, preaching that people should behave one way, but then the Christians themselves do the complete opposite of what they had been advocating. It is like they are saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.”.

The early church, shortly after Jesus had risen from the dead and had been taken back up to Heaven, had to deal with this in the case of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. It was the practice of members of the early church to take their personal possessions, sell them, and then give the money to the church leaders who would then distribute it for the work of spreading the message of Jesus Christ and helping the poor.

Ananias had a piece of property that he pledged to sell and give all of the proceeds to the church. However, with the full knowledge of his wife, he sold the property, but kept part of the profits for himself (see Acts 5:2). Peter caught him at this, saying he had been lying to God when he pledged the full proceeds to the church but did not keep his bargain. Ananias dropped dead on the spot, stricken by God. Sapphira had a chance to tell the truth, but instead also lied, and she soon dropped dead as well (see Acts 5: 7-10).

Sadly, far too many times, Christians also have committed the same sin, pushing for one thing, but then doing the complete opposite of they have been advocating. In recent years, there have been high-profile cases of Christian leaders, ministers and priests who had taught on the need to be sexually pure, for instance, but then were caught committing the very sin they had spoken against. Needless to say, they had been caught, and had to not only reconcile themselves with God, but also work to repair the damage done by their acts, if possible.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus Christ never condemned regular people for their sins, such as the woman caught in adultery (see John 8:3-11), reserving his harshest words for the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees. The Pharisees regularly ordered the people to be humble and serve the synagogue in the name of God, but then pursued their own power while appearing to still be serving God. Jesus said “woe” on them, saying they were clean on the outside, but dirty on the inside (see Matthew 23:23-28).

Simply put, Christians should always examine their own hearts as to whether they are truly following Christ (see 2 Corinthians 13:5). Then we will be able to present ourselves as worthy representatives of Christ, and the rest of the world will know what Jesus is like.

Who is God?

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Isaiah 45:5 (NIV)
Who is God?

As we finished celebrating Easter, which marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ, one question comes to mind: who is God? What makes God stand out? What bother with Him in the first place?

The Bible explains a few reasons why God is who He says He is:

• He is Creator of all we see. (see Isaiah 64:8)
• He is everywhere (see Psalm 139:7-10) 
• He knows everything (see John 16:30, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
• He has a will for all of us, including His Son (see Luke 22:42)
• He speaks to us (see Matthew 3:17)

God also is three persons, in the form of the Father (see Philippians 1:2), His Son Jesus Christ (John 10:30), and the Holy Spirit (see Acts 5:3-4). In the form of the Father, He is God, creator of all there is and holy (see Habakkuk 1:13). In the form of the Son, He is the resurrection and life for us, redeemer of us from our sin. In the form of the Holy Spirit, He points to Jesus as the way to be saved (see John 15:26).

So what does it matter? Because God made us (see Psalm 139:13-14), and He loves us. He loves us enough that he sent His Son to die for our sins:

“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 (NIV)

If God is willing to go to that length to save us, creatures who have effectively spit in His face, doesn’t that say something to us? We were sentenced to death (see Romans 3:23), but saved through Jesus Christ (see Romans 6:23).

And if Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, shouldn’t He mean something? Shouldn’t He be worthy of our affection and our attention, our loyalty as King?

To end, please listen to this sermon by Dr. S.M. Lockridge, titled, “My King.”

The 14th Station of the Cross: Taking Care

Courtesy: Vatican Museum

"As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." - Matthew 27:57-60 (NIV)

Jesus was dead. As He was taken down from the cross, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea was allowed to take the body and place in a new tomb.

Whether Joseph believed or understood Jesus' words that He would be raised again in three days is never specified in the Gospels. Yet, Joseph knew he had to do something to honor the man who had done so much for people and had been wrongly convicted and executed by the Roman authorities and Jewish religious leaders.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us your compassion that we may always provide for those in need."

In the same way, we need to have the compassion of Christ to help others. Repeatedly in the Gospels, Jesus came across different groups of people and had compassion on them (see Matthew 9:35-37, Matthew 14:13-15,and Mark 1:40-42, among others).

The great thing to come out of this is Jesus was true to His word: He did rise from the dead. After His resurrection, it is recorded that He appeared before several hundred people before He was taken into Heaven (see Acts 1:1-10). He also will come back again.

I've said it once and several times before, but we can be ready for Jesus' return. Romans 10:9-10 says this:

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

With the world celebrating Easter and the resurrection this weekend, this is as good a time as any to have your own rebirth through Jesus Christ.

Just ask Him. He is compassionate and willing.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 13th Station of the Cross: Who Do You Trust?

Courtesy: Liberia Editrice Vaticana

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." - Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth is ended our spirits may come to you without delay."

Settling where you will go when you die is the most important question you will ever have to answer. To ensure that we do get to heaven, the Bible tells us that we have to know God personally through His son, Jesus Christ. The truths outlined in the Bible are these:

-- God loves us.

-- We have sinned and are separated from God by that sin.

-- Christ died for us while we were still sinners and rose from the dead.

-- Christ is the only way to God.

-- To receive his gift of salvation and grace, we must repent and believe in Christ.

Jesus knew His ultimate fate as He hung on the cross, and we can know ours as well.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 12th Station of the Cross: A Solid Foundation

Courtesy: Liberia Editrice Vaticana

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." - John 19:25-27 (NIV)

Recently, I talked about being ready physically, practically and spiritually so that we may be able to help others in need. This station as celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1991 reiterates that thought.

A disciple (likely John) takes over Jesus' role as Mary's oldest son to care for His mother, who by this time is likely to be a widow with the death of Joseph (The Scriptures do not tell what had happened to Joseph by this point, but he had died by the time Jesus was crucified). Jesus, after being crucified, made arrangements that His loved ones would be taken of.

In the celebration of the 14 Stations of the Cross, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us constancy that we may be willing to stand by those in need."

1 Peter 3:15 tells us to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." It's a hurting world out there, with constant wars, growing crime in many parts of the country, and of course, the current economic downturn.

However, Scripture tells us that placing our hope in everything in Jesus is like building a foundation on rock (see Luke 6:46-49). Anything and everything else is like building the foundation on sand, which can easily shift and ultimately will break and fall.

That is why we need to be ready and place our faith in Christ and Christ alone. Putting that hope in anyone else simply won't do.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 11th Station of the Cross: Admitting Your Mistakes

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" - Luke 23:39-43 (NIV)

The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus had different approaches to life.

One remained angry at the world, shouting insults at Jesus and daring Him to do something. He was defiant and was leaving this world in the same manner he likely had lived most of his life on it, mainly looking out for himself.

His partner, however, knew this was the end. He had determined that the way he had lived his life was no good, and that the punishment he was now receiving was what he had deserved. He was repentant, or truly sorry for what he had done.

The second thief also saw Jesus for at least part of what He was. He knew that Jesus had committed no wrong, and had not deserved to be crucified. In prison, he had probably heard about the trials before Herod and Pontius Pilate. He might have also been present and saw the notorious murderer Barabbas released instead of the innocent Jesus.

So, at the end of his rope, the second thief turned to Jesus and asked for forgiveness. He wanted to go to Heaven, where he knew he would at last have peace.

Jesus saw this, knowing what the thief had done and how he had lived his life. He saw a truly repentant man who wanted to change his ways and get right with God.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us perseverance that we may never stop seeking you."

The Bible tells us repeatedly that we are to always seek God, since He is the source of life, peace and everything else. Life may be hard, and we may have done things that we know are not pleasing to God. But there is forgiveness found in Christ, and all we have to do is ask for it.

Now as a treat, here is Third Day's "Thief:"




(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 10th Station of the Cross: Lean on Him

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' And they divided up his clothes by casting lots." - Luke 23:33-34 (NIV)

The prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament wrote one of several prophecies about Jesus being crucified. Isaiah 52:13-15 says:

"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness — so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand."

Jesus had suffered much up to this point, with his arrest, a mockery of a trial and conviction, and the severe cruelty of being flogged by the Romans. He then, in his weakened and beaten state, had been forced to walk and carry a 110-pound cross (until He could go no further and the cross was passed on to Simon of Cyrene, who had been standing in the crowd) to Golgotha.

At Golgotha, the pain was just beginning. Crucifixion, as practiced by the Romans, was a method of execution designed for maximum pain and suffering, and had been reserved for the lowest types of criminals, according to David Terasaka at BlueLetterBible.org. First, nails of at least seven inches long were driven into the small bones of the wrists, the better to support the weight. The feet also then were nailed to the cross, Terasaka said.

Then the crucified person was left to hang until he died. Terasaka said that as a person who had been crucified hung there, it became very hard to breathe because of his arms being outstretched. The muscles would also start undergoing severe cramping due to a loss of blood and oxygen.

So it was a painful way to die. Psalm 22:14-15 prophesied of the suffering Jesus would go through:

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death."

But the kicker in all this is Jesus' reaction. Yes, He is suffering immensely, first from the flogging and the march to Golgotha, and then dealing with being crucified itself. But He said this:

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 (NIV))

Jesus knew that the people doing this to Him did not believe who He was. He knew that they had believed that He was God, they would have never done that. At the same time, though, he remained compassionate and loving toward even those who were killing Him.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us merciful hearts that we may bring your reconciliation and forgiveness to all."

Through it all, God still had the gift of mercy for His people (see John 3:16-17). Jesus wanted people to believe and repent, and return to the God who had created them and still loved them.

God still loves people today, and He wants to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and repent of their sins. Romans 10:9-10 says all we have to do is this:

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

It is a matter of giving up the battle to do it all on our own. It's not a crutch, but it is the means of salvation and peace that only God can provide.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The Ninth Station of the Cross: Preparing to Help Others

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, "Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!" Then they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'" Luke 23:27-31 (NIV)

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are encouraged by church elders to be prepared for any disaster, whether natural or man-made. That includes having things like extra batteries, water, etc., so that the family is prepared for the emergency and so they are ready to help others if need be.

As He was being led away to be crucified, Jesus encouraged the women of Jerusalem who were following Him and weeping to be prepared for hard times. In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us gentle spirits that we may comfort those who mourn."

In the same manner that LDS Church members prepare themselves physically and practically, we are encouraged to do the same in a spiritual matter by Jesus. He says for us to be prepared by knowing the truth of God's love and grace, and for us to have gentle spirits groomed by the Holy Spirit so that when bad times such as disasters (see the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or earthquakes) or economic downturns (like what we are experiencing now) come around, we can be confident that God is watching out for us and we can offer that same comfort to those around us.

Jesus offers that comfort to us (see Matthew 11:28-29) and in being Christ-like or like Christ, we can offer God's comfort to others.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The Eighth Station of the Cross: Answering the Call

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross." - Mark 15:21 (NIV)

Sometimes, life will press you into extraordinary situations. Simon, as was described in the Scripture, just happened to have in Jerusalem when Jesus was receiving his punishment from the Romans. Jesus was by then weak from the loss of blood due to the brutal flogging he had received earlier as well as having had no sleep due to his being arrested. It was not certain to the Roman authorities if Jesus would even survive the trip from the prison to Golgotha, where He was to be crucified.

That was when Simon was pressed into the greatest story ever, being called upon by the Roman guards to carry the cross for Jesus.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us willing spirits that we may be your instruments on earth."

God may call us into extraordinary circumstances at some point in our lives. It may be to save another's life, or to stop an injustice from happening. We have to be willing to be open and ready to step out in that way, rather than being selfish and consumed with our own self-interest.

When we do that, then we can truly be God's instrument on earth.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)