Excited About Jesus

Our desires can distract us from our greatest needs.

Luke 19:37-41  When He reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38  "Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!"

39  But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, "Teacher, rebuke Your followers for saying things like that!"

40  He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"  41  But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep.

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From the beginning of Jesus ministry there was alway a lot of excitement, Jesus didn't go very many places quietly, there was a noisy crowd with him and his disciples just about everywhere that they went.

As Jesus approached the city of Jerusalem, the city was all worked up about Passover, there was the normal festival excitement but this was so much more than that. This Passover came at a time when the local news featured miraculous stories about a man born blind that could finally see, a dead man that came back to life after three days and then there was also the thousands of people that were fed from a sack lunch.

Could this Jesus be the political Messiah that we have been looking for and is he getting ready to announce that he is going to take charge?

The excitement had intensified to a higher level than ever, the rumors and speculation were all over the city. the crowds loved the drama and they often daydreamed about the possibilities. Everyone knew that they needed better leaders and Jesus seemed to be the one that could bring them a better life.

Jesus tried to make it crystal clear that he wasn't rising up to power but instead he would be going down to the grave. What they thought would be Jesus moment of glory would quickly turn out to be a great humiliation.

It is too bad that their excitement for what Jesus was doing didn't equate to love for Jesus, too bad they were more interested in the temporary benefits of Jesus in the physical realm and they didn't perceive or care about the benefits that he would offer them in the spiritual realm.

They remind me of the generations of people in the Old Testament that saw many signs and miracles, they got to experience God close up and witness such mighty deeds, they would taste of his goodness and delight in him but soon they would push him aside.

The people of Israel, on the heels of unthinkable miracles, with their pockets full of Egyptian jewelry, grumble at their less-than-five-star accommodations in the desert. This wasn't just headache-induced grumbling or low-blood-sugar complaining. This was faithlessness.

-John Piper

We like to criticize the people in the Bible but most of the time we are them. Our pockets are full, we have homes that are more accommodating than most of the world, our stomachs are overfilled, and just like the Israelites we grumble about the Lord's goodness and we pray for even more blessings.

When my excitement for Jesus is based on what he can do for me it won't take long for the thrill to go away. It is easy to love and serve him when there is a perceived return on our investment in this life but when the flow of blessings seems to slow down we are easily disappointed and our willingness to serve can disappear.

1 Corinthians 15:19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

Our hope in Christ should be for the eternal benefits but too often our hope is for Christ to provide the perceived needs that we think that we have in this world. We begin to use Jesus for what he can do for us down here in the physical realm rather than focusing on what we can do for him because of what he has done for us in the spiritual realm.

After Jesus resurrection and ascension the disciples got a new focus, they realized that the purpose of his ministry wasn't to give them a better life now, their excitement was based on the reality of a better life later in Heaven.

Just like the disciples, we can go from being disappointed with Jesus to become excited about Jesus again, if we realize that our hope in Christ goes beyond our current situation. It is okay to pray for a better job, restored relationships or for healing but if our hope becomes focused on the things of this life then we are going to be disappointed because we will never have everything our way.

Forgive me Lord for being so fickle, for losing my excitement and for trying to get you to fulfill my plans, I need to stay focused on your purpose for my life.

Our Conqueror Will Return

Jesus return is mentioned in the Bible more often than his first coming.

Revelation 19:11-16 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns. A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was the Word of God.

14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

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The moment that all of Heaven and earth have been waiting for is finally here! The event that we have been waiting for ever since the consequences of sin became known. (Genesis 3:15, 2 Samuel 7:1-29, Luke 1:31-33)

The plans of Satan to destroy God's most precious creation will be stopped, Satan couldn't stand to see God enjoying time with Adam and Eve each day in the garden, he couldn't stand that they were made in God's image so he went after Adam and Eve and tempted them to make the same choice that he made.

In all 66 books of the Bible we see the story of God redeeming sinful man and the ultimate return of Jesus to restore the kingdom. Next to the subject of faith, there is no other topic mentioned more often than the return of Christ. Jesus first coming fulfilled hundreds of prophecies but that is nothing compared to the number of prophecies that will be fulfilled when he returns.

For every time the first coming of Christ is mentioned, the Second Coming is mentioned eight times. And the Lord Himself refers to His coming twenty-one times and over 50 times we are exhorted to be ready for that great event.

-John MacArthur

It is amazing that a lot of people believe in the miracle of his first coming to be with us and all of the prophecy that it fulfilled but they ignore the fact that much more is predicted about his return and the severe consequences for those that are not ready.

Revelation 19 announces the victory that God's children have longed to see. Our conqueror rides out of Heaven on a white horse to instantly obtain victory just by speaking a word. He will bring his bride with him but she will not join him in battle, we will only be spectators of this extremely short battle, our Savior will execute God's judgment quickly with just one weapon.

Our Conqueror's favorite weapon is the sharp sword of God's word, think about it, God's word spoke creation into existence, it caused a fig tree to wither away, his word spoke to a legion of demons and instantly they fled, and now He speaks a word and the war of all wars is instantly over! (Revelation 1:16, 2:12,16)

Use God's Weapons

Isaiah 11:4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of His word, and one breath from His mouth will destroy the wicked. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. 4 We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. Ephesians 6:17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Our Conqueror shared God's word with us and applied it to almost every situation he encountered, whether he was teaching, rebuking or doing battle with Satan, he almost always quoted the Old Testament. It is amazing that we don't have a higher regard for God's word and have more respect for its power.

We need to be digging into God's word everyday so that we will know what it says. One thing that the Bible shows us is that Satan knows God's word and he knows how to use it improperly, distorting the facts to try and trip us up. God's children need to be well acquainted with our weapon so that we will know how to use it well.

Our Conqueror is preparing a place for us, a place that we should be longing to see, a place where justice and righteousness will rule, when it is ready he will return to earth to setup his kingdom.

Is He Your Conqueror?
John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."

Don't be conquered by Satan and his deception! Don't be conquered by religion and all of it's empty rules! And don't be conquered by your self defeating thoughts and bad habits. If we view ourselves through the reality of the gospel, the fact that Jesus loves us and is preparing a place for us, then we should never feel defeated. (1 John 5:4)

Our Conqueror came the first time to offer us the opportunity to be victorious as one of God's children. We can overcome this evil world and have true peace because the battle has already been won.

Celebrate The Day

I'll sing, I'll dance, my heart will overflow, from the day You saved my soul

I Am They - "From The Day"

When You found me, I was so blind

My sin was before me, I was swallowed by pride

But out of the darkness, You brought me to Your light

You showed me new mercy and opened up my eyes

From the day You saved my soul

'Til the very moment when I come home

I'll sing, I'll dance, my heart will overflow

From the day You saved my soul

Where brilliant light is all around

And endless joy is the only sound

Oh, rest my heart forever now

Oh, in Your arms I'll always be found

From the day You saved my soul

'Til the very moment when I come home

I'll sing, I'll dance, my heart will overflow

From the day You saved my soul

My love is Yours

My heart is Yours

My life is Yours

Forever

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What A Glorious Day!

You called my name and I ran out of that grave!

Video: Passion - "Glorious Day"

I was buried beneath my shame

Who could carry that kind of weight

It was my tomb

Till I met You

I was breathing, but not alive

All my failures I tried to hide

It was my tomb

Till I met You

Now Your mercy has saved my soul

Now Your freedom is all I know

The old made new

Jesus, when I met You

You called my name

And I ran out of that grave

Out of the darkness

Into Your glorious day

I needed rescue

My sin was heavy

But chains break at the weight of Your glory

I needed shelter

I was an orphan

But You call me a citizen of heaven

When I was broken

You were my healing

Your love is the air that I'm breathing

I have a future

My eyes are open

Celebrate Resurrection Day

Daniel 12:1-3 “At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued." "Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever."

He's Risen!

Time to celebrate our risen Savior!

Oh, oh, Hallelujah
Oh, oh Hallelujah

Grave where are you now
You've been overpowered
Death where is your sting
Conquered by the King

Resurrected One
Shining like the sun
Breaking through the fear
Victory is here, victory is here now

Oh, oh hallelujah
Oh, oh hallelujah
Jesus be lifted higher
We serve a risen savior

Risen He's risen forever glorified
Risen He's risen King Jesus
King Jesus is alive
Hallelujah, hallelujah

The same power, the same power
That crushed the enemy
The same power, the same power
The same power lives in me

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Jesus King Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive!

Luke 24:1-7  But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Thank You For All You've Done

Died! Arose! Saved! I Know, we are redeemed and loved!

We stand amazed in awe of You
All of Your ways proclaim the truth

Only You alone can save us
Only by the blood of Jesus

We stand amazed in awe of You
In awe of You

Thank You for all You've done
Come on lift your hands up Come on
We join in Heaven's song
Come on lift your hands up Come on

We sing Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest

We join in Heaven's song
Thank You for all You've done

Died. Arose
Saved. I Know
We are redeemed and loved

Celebrate Jesus!

1 Peter 1:3-5 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.