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Would I Be a Peter?
By Sue
While reading about and pondering the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus this past week, my heart has been drawn to Peter. I have been asking myself if I would have done what Peter did—deny Jesus, not once, but three times?
After walking with Jesus for a longer period of time than Peter did—51 years compared to 3 years—would I declare my love and devotion to Him, only to deny my closest friend and teacher?
On Palm Sunday, the crowd was cheering and welcoming Jesus as royalty. Peter and the disciples probably thought they were even more dedicated to the Master than the crowds. Then, less than a week later, some of those same people were calling for His crucifixion. And, at a desperate time when Jesus needed them the most, the disciples fell asleep and finally deserted Him.
When times of persecution come to us in our nation—and that is happening right now. When I am told that I can no longer worship or possibly even speak to others the Name of Jesus, how will I respond? When those in authority ask me whether I believe in Jesus what will I say? What will you say?? Will I be willing to lose my life to keep it? Will I stand with Jesus or desert Him?
These are very real questions that we need to wrestle with NOW! The day may be coming, though I pray not, when we will be challenged to stand firm with Jesus or deny Him. And, if we don’t have our hearts and minds settled now, we may find ourselves being a “Peter”!
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Happy Ressurection Day
I hope that you are enjoying your Easter Sunday, which is better referred to as Ressurection Day because we are celebrating the resurrection of Yeshua, the Son of God, and the Passover Lamb who was slain for your and my sins. As the following Stepping Stones devotion asks, “Where do you keep Yeshua (God)?”
Do You Keep God in a Box (or Tomb)?
Transformational Thought
For our Easter celebration, let’s continue our journey back in time to that first glorious Easter morning than more 2,000 years ago. When Mary, Mary, Salome, and the rest of their crew visited the tomb that day, they were sad, upset, worried, and edgy. They had just lost their leader at the end of a bizarre and devastating but prophesized week. It actually started with a triumphant entrance on Palm Sunday and ended with the execution of Jesus by all the powerful ruling elements in their land.
Would they be rounded up as well to endure a mock trial, persecution, and violent execution? What should they do next? Remember, they didn’t have the benefit of the completed Bible like we do. They only had a promise of something that had never happened before. But they must have forgotten the prophecy that was passed down over the years.
So imagine their surprise when they saw the stone already rolled aside. They had no idea what to make of the empty tomb. They still didn’t remember the prophecy. Thankfully, they met two angels who explained that Jesus was not there, He had risen. But, they still didn’t believe. They just thought the body had been stolen. Then they ran to tell Peter and John, who were perplexed as well. Didn’t they read all the Old Testament prophecies either? They needed to come to the tomb to figure it out. Once inside the tomb, seeing the evidence of the wrappings, they were still confused. Mary really didn’t get it until she spoke with Jesus outside the tomb.
I can’t understand their stupidity, ignorance, disbelief, and nearsightedness. Jesus performed so many miracles, talked of ruling His kingdom, raised Lazarus from the dead, and taught that He would rise from the dead in 3 days. Why were they afraid, sad, and surprised instead of expectantly excited? Why were they fearful when they saw an empty tomb? Why weren’t they expecting it, rejoicing and happily guessing where they would see Him for the first time?
Stupid, thick, dim, mistrustful. Can you guess where this is going, cause we need to get off our high horses. How often do we react the same way as they did? Thinking that God is limited like us and restricted to the same reality we are indicates we don’t believe His promises and predictions either. We underestimate His power and knowledge every day. I have no right to criticize Mary, Mary, the disciples or other followers. I have the whole Bible, know how the story ends, and I still limit Jesus and God just as they did.
So today of all days, don’t put God in a box. My life has really changed since I realized He is bigger than I am and that He will stand by His promises. I now expect the awesome unexpected and so can you! Don’t think He’s dormant in a tomb. He is at work in and around you. Expect it, embrace it, and enjoy it. Thank God the tomb is empty. I hope you aren’t dismayed in the midst of your everyday trials, because God will show up. Remember, He didn’t rise from the dead immediately. He waited three days for a specific reason. So be patient. His timing is always better than yours.
Happy Easter from Honey Lake Clinic and Lighthouse Network. May His power over death give you boldness and courage as you advance against whatever trials and threats you face. Please go and wear His power on your sleeve so that everyone without exception will see your joy and His glorious victory over despair and death. Whether you let God be God, or you put God in a box and keep Him in the tomb is your decision, so choose well.
Prayer
Thank You, Father, for Christ’s death and resurrection, which has given us power over sin’s grip and Satan’s schemes. Give me a heart that will love You even 1/1000th of what You love me. Keep Your promises and character fresh in my mind, so that I don’t put You in a box and limit my expectations and understanding of Your plan and power, especially during times of uncertainty. I pray You grant the Stepping Stones readers eyes that see and trust to accept Your awesome plans for them. In Christ’s powerful and magnified name; and all God’s children say – AMEN!
The Truth
For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40
for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. Mark 9:31
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” John 2:19-20
The post Do You Keep God in a Box (or Tomb)? appeared first on Lighthouse Network.
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Disclaimer: As mentioned in my Welcome post, I do not necessarily endorse authors or organizations that I quote or repost. This also applies to Lighthouse Network. I am blessed by many of the Stepping Stones devotionals and they give blanket permission to share them. However, I have not researched any of their help resources and, therefore, I do not personally endorse them.
A Cool Video for Easter
I saw this video this morning and had to share it. The video was created by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and tells the Passover story in a unique way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Passover Pesach Technion 2016 Breakdance High Tech Haggadah.
As you celebrate Yeshua’s Sacrifice and Resurrection this weekend, remember the Passover story. It belongs to all of us who follow Yeshua (Jesus), not just Jewish people. Without it, we might not have had Yeshua, the Lamb of God, whose ultimate sacrifice and resurrection, enabled us all to become part of God’s family.
Refer to my posts Passover and Easter, What Do Easter and Passover Mean?, and An Appointment with God–Passover.
Have a joyous weekend and
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Tempted and Tried
Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder
SOUTHERN FOLK HYMN
Why it should be thus all the day long,
While there are others living about us,
Never molested, though in the wrong.
Farther along we’ll know all about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.
Yeshua is always by your side if you will just look to Him! Have a good day!
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Easter Traditions
While writing the “Passover and Easter” post, I got to thinking about some of the usual American Easter season traditions. I recalled my mother doing a thorough spring cleaning of our home around the time of Easter and a special Easter meal following church on Easter Sunday. We went to church every Sunday and had a nice Sunday dinner afterward. But Easter dinner was usually something special, sometimes with guests. My wife remembers similar traditions in her home.
But, where did these traditions originate? I haven’t researched their origins, but could spring cleaning be derived from the Jewish tradition of cleaning all the leaven from the home? (Leaven represents sin.) Could the special Easter Sunday meal be derived from the special family meal on Passover? I’m not sure how ham got into the picture, but we won’t go there today.
Just a fun thought to keep in mind as you observe your personal Easter Season traditions.
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Passover and Easter
Yesterday (3/28/2021), Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) around the world celebrated the first Passover when God Passed-Over the homes of anyone who followed God’s instructions to place the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of their homes. This blood protected their firstborn from death. This plague of death was the final plague before Pharaoh’s heart was finally softened and he allowed the Israelites, the Jews, to leave Egypt as commanded by God.
We often forget that Gentiles participated in the first Passover. It is not improbable that some of them placed the blood on their doors as well. The band of people who left Egypt included many Gentiles who wanted to tag along because: they were already followers of the God of the Israelites; they were impressed by Pharaoh’s defeat; they realized the Egyptian gods were not gods and came to faith in the God of the Israelites; they were non-Israelite slaves who wanted to escape; or because they wanted to follow the crowd (Ex 12:38).
It is appropriate for all followers of Yeshua to celebrate Passover, Jew and Gentile alike. Without the first Passover there would not have been a second, Great Passover—Yeshua’s final Passover before He willingly shed His blood as the most important Passover Lamb in history.
With Good Friday and Easter occurring this coming Friday and Sunday (4/2 & 4/4/21), I want to remind us all that Good Friday and Easter were not added to the calendar until hundreds of years after His crucifixion. They are not the dates of Passover and we should be celebrating His ultimate sacrifice according to God’s schedule. (Refer to: “An Appointment with God–Passover.“)
Besides, Good Friday and Easter have pagan origins, as do many of our “Christian” holidays. I’m not going into those in this post. However, if the Easter season is when the congregation that you attend celebrates His sacrifice, please celebrate that and not the “Easter Bunny.”
When celebrating Yeshua’s last Passover, which we do every time we observe Communion, we must never forget the greatest event of all—His resurrection from death as promised by the prophets. Without His resurrection, the first Passover and His last would have had no meaning! It is His resurrection that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the Son of God, the promised Jewish Messiah, and the Savior of mankind!
He came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God was at hand and calling mankind to repentance. Because through His sacrifice as the Lamb of God, and His resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of God, every man, woman, and child who repents of their sin (living in opposition to their Father God’s direction) will receive the Holy Spirt to help them in this life and will live in the presence of God their Father for eternity!
If you have never answered Yeshua’s call to repent and acknowledge Him as your Savior, do so now! If you did acknowledge Him at one time but have strayed from Him, repent and renew your relationship with Him now! It is never too early or too late to acknowledge Him. But what better time to do so than when celebrating His reason for coming to earth! God created you to have a relationship with Himself. Repenting and turning control of your life over to Him is not hard or complicated. Simply tell Him in your own words or use words similar to this simple prayer:
Father God, I am sorry for the many ways that I have ignored You and Your instructions. I thank You that because of Yeshua’s sacrifice and resurrection I have Your forgiveness. I give You my life. I will allow You to guide me as a member of Your family. Thank you, Father. Amen
After praying to give your life to Yeshua, or to rededicate it to Him, get a Bible and begin reading it daily. Start with the New Testament Book of John followed by the Book of Acts. Start talking to Him daily like you talk with a good friend (that’s called prayer). If you don’t have a place to worship, find one that teaches the full truth of the Bible. Among other things, that means that they teach repentance and honor the Jewish people as God’s chosen people.
Also, please contact me through my blog site and tell me of your decision to follow Yeshua. That way, I can pray for you. I promise you will not be put on some automated email list—a least not unless you subscribe to my blogJ)
May God richly bless you as we walk together as members of His family.
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
What Do Passover and Easter Mean?
Hope
I am the Lord. I will bring you out… (Deut 6:6-8)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! According to his great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua from the dead. (1 Pet 1:3)
Deliverance
…from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose…
(Deut 6:6-8)
The Father has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:13-14)
Redemption
…and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God and you shall know that… (Deut 6:6-8)
He gave Himself for us to set us free (to redeem us, purchase our freedom) from every kind of lawlessness [from all violation of Torah] and to purify for Himself a people who are truly His, who are eager and enthusiastic about living a life that is good and filled with beneficial deeds. (Titus 2:14; Deut. 14:2; Ps 130:8; Ezek. 37:23)
Sanctification
…I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord! (Deut 6:6-8)
Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. In the Messiah He chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in His presence. (Eph 1:3-4)
Remembrance
Remember for the rest of your life the day you came out of the land of Egypt. (Deut 16:3)
So you shall remember and do all My commandments, and be holy to your God. (Num 15:40)
You should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of your Master and Savior. (2 Pet 3:2)
Love
The Lord! The Lord! A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, Keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. (Ex. 20:6, 34:6-7; Num. 14:18; Deut. 7:9)
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His loyal love endures forever. (1 Chron. 16:34)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. (John 3:16)
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
An Appointment with God—Passover
This year (2021) Passover is March 28, but it starts at sundown on March 27 because the Hebrew or Biblical day runs from sundown to sundown. Passover is then followed by a 7-day feast called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Over time, the two feasts have been grouped together and simply called Passover.
But, what is Passover, or Pesach (PAY-sach)? You may know it as something that the Jewish faith celebrates every year, but what and why are they celebrating?
Passover is one of the seven appointed times (meeting appointments with God) that He scheduled with the Israelites (Jewish people) in Lev. 23:1-2. Through each of these meetings, He reveals more of Himself and calls His followers into a deeper relationship with Him. All seven yearly Feasts or festivals commemorate His faithfulness and the many miracles of deliverance that He performed as He set Israel apart as His own special people. They serve to remind us of His holiness, our impurity, and that, despite the disparity between God and man, He wants us to be in fellowship with Him.
But, you ask, “I am a Gentile, why should I care, even if I follow Yeshua as my Savior?” Well, I’m a Gentile as well, so I’ll try to provide a brief answer to your question.
The fact that these festivals are part of the Old Testament, or better yet Bible Part 1, they are often considered as being irrelevant for New Testament, or Bible Part 2, believers. However, they open up a complete understanding of the continuity of the Scriptures and just how central Yeshua is to all the festivals. And, Yeshua faithfully observed each of these seven festivals. If we are a follower or disciple of Yeshua shouldn’t we follow His example? After all, a disciple emulates his leader.
So, without digging deeper into that question (we’ll cover that in a future post), let’s move on to the subject of this article, the Feast of Passover. God introduced Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread in Ex. 12:1-20 and Lev 23:5-8. As you probably recall from Sunday school, the first Passover occurred, on the night of the last plague when God was releasing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Now, He could have easily accomplished this very quickly without doing the “plague thing.” However, He wanted the Egyptians to know without a doubt that He was greater than every god they worshipped. Each of the plagues was a direct assault on one of those gods. I encourage you to read the story of the plagues and the first Passover for yourself. It is found in Exodus 6:28-12:32.
The Passover was the defining moment in Jewish history. God called them out of slavery and delivered them from 400 years of bondage in Egypt to give them a land of their own and make them not only a people but a nation. Now, that is something to celebrate! It even surpasses our Fourth of July. 🙂
Even better, though, is that the Passover is prophetic of the coming of Yeshua. It presents a scene or a shadow of something yet to come. The Feast of Passover looks back to the liberation of Israel from the land of Egypt, and it looks forward to the saving work of the Messiah, Yeshua, our Passover Lamb. Because Yeshua came 2000 years ago, we, Jew and Gentile who follow Him, can celebrate Passover as a celebration of His death as our Passover Lamb and Resurrection as our Savior. There is nothing more worth celebrating than the sacrifice of Yeshua. It completed His purpose of proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand and His call for all mankind to repent of our sins and turn to Him, our once-and-for-all sacrificial Lamb.
The celebration of Passover is centered around a meal. What’s a “feast” without food? The story of the first Passover is retold with various food items as symbols of the suffering and sacrifice associated with the first Passover. Leaven is not permitted at the Passover meal and during the following 7-day Feast of Unleavened bread. Leaven, or yeast, symbolizes impurity, sin. The Passover feast includes a specific remembrance service called a Seder (SEY-der). The order of the service is outlined in a booklet called a Haggadah (HAH-gah-dah), which means “telling”. It guides the service and prayers using the symbolic food items while it explains the significance of the event. A full-blown Passover Seder can last for hours, though most are only an hour or two.
In future posts, I plan to cover the meaning of the symbolic items in a modern-day Seder, Yeshua’s last Seder before His crucifixion, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
Scriptures related to Passover:
Exodus 12:1-20, 39; Leviticus 23:4-8; Deuteronomy 16:1-8; Luke 22:1, 7; Acts 20:6; 1 Cor 5:7-8; Hebrews 11:28
For further study:
Arlene Bridges Samuels, “Passover and Easter”, The Christian Broadcasting Network
Barney Kasdan, “God’s Appointed Times”, Lederer Books
Jewish Voice Ministries, International, “The Spring Feasts and Purim”, JVI Publications
Kevin Howard, Marin Rosenthal, “The Feasts of the Lord”, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Equality Act? In No Way Is It!
The “Equality Act” is about much, much more than biological males playing on biologically female sports teams and taking away their records and trophies. Read the following article by the Liberty Counsel to learn what else is involved.
Do you know what the “Q” in LGBTQ stands for? Read the following article and find out.
The “Equality Act” will make abortion a federal right and override every state law against the killing of innocent babies. Read the following article.
After reading the article, contact your senator, regardless of party, now and tell him or her to ensure that this act does not get passed into law. If you’ve already contacted them, do so again! Even contact Senators from other parts of your state – they represent you too.
(Do you get the idea that I want you to read the following article??)
In actuality, this act will further divide and have a negative effect on the LGBTQ community. Their lifestyle is blatantly against the Word of God, but He loves each of them as His creation and wants to help them, and so should all Yeshua-followers. However, don’t sit back and say that this act can never pass, that it can never happen in the USA! It will happen if we don’t stand up and be counted.
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
(The following article was distributed by the Liberty Counsel Action and is quoted in its entirety. I am not soliciting funds for them but did include one of their links in fairness to them.)
Bride’s Dressing Room Invaded By Biological Man…
Mar 23, 2021
LGBTQ lobbyists want Americans to think objections to the misnamed “Equality Act” come from just a couple of teen girls missing out on a sports trophy. However, the actual cost of this bill is so, so much worse.
A beautiful young bride-to-be was thrilled to be picking out a wedding dress. She had saved herself for her husband for their special day, but unbeknownst to her, the wedding store was paying a biological male dressed as a woman to help ladies try on their dresses. Many modern wedding dresses are designed to be worn without even a bra. …
Wearing a mask and a dress, this man repeatedly undressed this bride, touching different parts of her body while helping her in and out of wedding dresses.
When she realized the person under the mask and dress was a man, she was horrified! She never wanted to be undressed before any man except her future husband.
When she complained, the wedding store owner said the store was required by law to treat the man as if he were a woman. My legal team is pursuing all available options against the store, but this story and many more will play out again and again if the misnamed “Equality Act” passes.
The battle in the Senate will be fierce, but we can win. —Mat
If the “Equality Act” passes the Senate, there will be very little we can do to stop the abuse—like this traumatized bride-to-be. Your daughter or granddaughter will be next. A crossdressing preschool teacher may help toddlers use the bathroom—or worse, a pedophile will have legal rights.
At any moment the Senate is in session, a single senator can ask to include the “Equality Act” in the budget vote. This circumvents the 60-vote filibuster to allow a simple majority.
Thankfully, this can be blocked. If one senator objects to this maneuver, then a full vote with the filibuster rule is required. We are working with senators to make sure the floor is covered every minute to object if needed.
California provided another example of how far this nonsense will go. California legislators introduced a bill to levy a $1,000 fine against any retail chain that separates clothing, toys or any product for boys and girls into gender-specific sections. Imagine trying to set up your store and being fined for organizing items according to your customers’ preference!
This insanity will sweep the country under the “Equality Act,” yet it will do so much more than affect your shopping habits.
I know it’s hard to believe, but the “Q” in LGBTQ comprises about 550 sexually deviate paraphilias—including pedophilia.
The activist group LGBTQ Nation states: “A queer definition … goes far beyond mere sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The “Q in LGBTQ can also signify other sexual orientations and gender identities not covered by the acronym’s preceding letters. If you’re gender-neutral, non-binary, agender, genderfluid, pansexual, asexual, solosexual or something else not covered by LGBT, the ‘Q’ has got you covered!”
And if this bill passes, you will not escape its reach!
The “Equality Act” will also make abortion a federal right, and EVERY STATE LAW will be preempted—including parental notification and consent, informed consent, and doctor regulations.
If we do not stand up right now, the “Equality Act” will bring persecution to churches and schools. It will silence truth and common sense!
WE MUST STOP THIS BILL! Send your fax to the Senate to stop the “Equality Act” from endangering people in our communities.
While there is nothing that can reverse the abuse of this young bride-to-be, you can make sure what happened to her does not spread nationally. We can stop this abuse from spreading if this bill is blocked.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to stop the “Equality Act.”
From changing the minds of legislators on Capitol Hill to defending brides-to-be, my team can provide this hope and justice because of you and other faithful donors who give each month to allow us to fight—and win—these cultural battles all across our nation.
I appreciate your prayers and your support. Join our extended Challenge Grant to DOUBLE the impact of your gift right now. Support Liberty Counsel Action today.
Onward,
Mat Staver
Chairman
Liberty Counsel Action
Sources:
H.R. 5. Equality Act of 2021. (2021, Feb). 117th Congress (2021-2022 Session).
Baker, G. (2021, Feb 27). California Bill Would Force Retail Stores to Use “Gender Neutral” Signage. Todd Starnes.
Thought for Today
The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.
Samuel Chadwick
So, make him tremble all the time. Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:17)
Until next time…“May the LORD bless and protect you…May He give you Shalom.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Bill
WJB's Turn 