Dear Weekly Readers around the world! God’s Peace!
As we journey through this life day after day, week after week as God gives us grace, we experience so many things. We may be very busy with many pursuits, many of which are necessary, as well as many that are non essential. We may have sorrows, sadness, trials, and temptations. We may have joy, reasons for happiness, and reasons for rejoicing. There are so many different situations in life that we find ourselves in.
Dear readers that are followers of Jesus and those reading that do not yet follow Jesus. I want to talk to you today of rest! Rest for your souls! Is it not time to rest? Have you had enough yet of this worlds problems? Are you ready to rest?
Who has the right to be at rest and peace?
We know that scripture says in Galatians 6:7-9
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Are we listening and sowing to Spirit or to our own flesh? If we are following the Lord, the following promise is for us!
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…
God’s word even tells us what to seek:
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
When should we seek and call up the Lord?
Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
When we have called upon him, repented and believed, then what have we entered into? What do we still have to do?
Hebrews 4:9-11
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Is it always easy to believe that this rest is for us? No, but Hebrews 4 verse 11 says
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Read and believe scriptures about this rest!
There is no escaping Almighty God by trying to work our own way by some other method. Dear readers please understand that God sees and knows all!
Hebrews 4 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
As the followers and believers of Jesus, we have the greatest power by our side and going before us. He knows all of our struggles, temptations, and problems. Turn to Him, our Great High Priest for help!
Hebrews 4 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
There is always help at the throne of grace for the sinner. Call upon His holy name! Come to the throne of grace! The veil has been rent (torn) the throne of Grace is open today! Call upon the Lord! You SHALL find REST!
Call out with your mouth! Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Seek Jesus; He is in the heart of the believers through His Holy Spirit. Confess and believe!
What a beautiful thing when no matter where in the world we live, what we look like, what language we speak, the facts written in these verses above are eternally correct!
So many wonderful promises and certainties are recorded in God’s Holy Word for us!
Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Live and be at Rest!! May God Bless your week! John R.
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Road to Emmaus
Dear Weekly Readers! This week our article is written by Pastor Wayne Juntunen. Please enjoy as we remember the mighty happenings that took place after our Lord's resurrection! May God Bless your week! John R.
AN EMMAUS WALK NEVER TO BE FORGOT!
Two disciples on an afternoon stroll from Jerusalem to Emmaus had heard some amazing things that morning. Some of the women had returned to the disciples to say they had “seen a vision of angels, which said that he [Jesus] was alive (Luke 24:23). And some of them, especially Peter and John, who were with them went to the sepulcher, and found it even as the women had said, but they didn't see Jesus (Lk. 24:24). They were saying this to Jesus whom they did not recognize. To them he was a stranger.
Undoubtedly Jesus chose to remain “a mystery man” to them for at least two reasons—1) to give these disciples an opportunity to talk about their understanding of what had happened during the past few days; 2) to provide Jesus with “an opening” to help them understand what happened in the light of the fulfillment of the Old Testament thereby making their faith more sure. (See 2 Peter 1:19). While they thought this “stranger” was the only one in Jerusalem who didn't know what had happened, in reality Jesus was the only one who did know what had happened.
What a special few hours for these two disciples! May it bring comfort and encouragement to each of you to know that Jesus cares about you as much as did for these two. Though we may be as sad, disheartened, confused, or bewildered as were these men, Jesus loves us and will draw near to us and walk with us to encourage, enlighten, comfort and guide us in our walk of faith. Because we all see through a glass darkly (1 Cor. 13:12), we constantly need Jesus to draw near to us. And He does so through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Life is so filled with so many trials and tragedies only the assurance of Christ's presence with us can help us to go through them.
While the hearts of these two disciples burned within them while Jesus talked with them and opened to them the scriptures (Lk. 24:32), they still did not know this was Jesus speaking to them. When they reached their home in Emmaus, Jesus “made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (Lk. 24:28, 29). Jesus went in to spend some time with them and “as he sat at meant with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” (Lk. 24:30, 31).
Can you imagine how important it was for these disciples to invite Jesus into their home; even though they didn't know it was Jesus? Jesus, the gentle Lamb that he is does not and will not impose himself on anyone. Even with the Laodicean Church, of which we read in the Revelation of St. John, Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus may walk with us, talk with us, open his Word to us, but until we long for him to enter our homes, our hearts, our lives, we will never truly “know him.” It is a precious and blessed thing to know the Scriptures as they speak to us about Jesus. But we need to know “the Christ” of the Scriptures in a real, personal relationship.
When these disciples knew Jesus as the once crucified, but now the resurrected, living and actual Messiah, Jesus could leave them. And their personal experience with him was so powerful, they hastened back to Jerusalem, probably as fast as their feet would carry them, to tell the others that the Lord is risen indeed!
May this glorious message of the resurrected Lord have such a powerful impact upon us that we, too, will hasten to tell others this Good News! Everyone needs to know that Jesus, our crucified Savior, is living. And he longs to dwell within us for it is in him that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Or as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (11:36)
Pastor Wayne Juntunen
AN EMMAUS WALK NEVER TO BE FORGOT!
Two disciples on an afternoon stroll from Jerusalem to Emmaus had heard some amazing things that morning. Some of the women had returned to the disciples to say they had “seen a vision of angels, which said that he [Jesus] was alive (Luke 24:23). And some of them, especially Peter and John, who were with them went to the sepulcher, and found it even as the women had said, but they didn't see Jesus (Lk. 24:24). They were saying this to Jesus whom they did not recognize. To them he was a stranger.
Undoubtedly Jesus chose to remain “a mystery man” to them for at least two reasons—1) to give these disciples an opportunity to talk about their understanding of what had happened during the past few days; 2) to provide Jesus with “an opening” to help them understand what happened in the light of the fulfillment of the Old Testament thereby making their faith more sure. (See 2 Peter 1:19). While they thought this “stranger” was the only one in Jerusalem who didn't know what had happened, in reality Jesus was the only one who did know what had happened.
What a special few hours for these two disciples! May it bring comfort and encouragement to each of you to know that Jesus cares about you as much as did for these two. Though we may be as sad, disheartened, confused, or bewildered as were these men, Jesus loves us and will draw near to us and walk with us to encourage, enlighten, comfort and guide us in our walk of faith. Because we all see through a glass darkly (1 Cor. 13:12), we constantly need Jesus to draw near to us. And He does so through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Life is so filled with so many trials and tragedies only the assurance of Christ's presence with us can help us to go through them.
While the hearts of these two disciples burned within them while Jesus talked with them and opened to them the scriptures (Lk. 24:32), they still did not know this was Jesus speaking to them. When they reached their home in Emmaus, Jesus “made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (Lk. 24:28, 29). Jesus went in to spend some time with them and “as he sat at meant with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” (Lk. 24:30, 31).
Can you imagine how important it was for these disciples to invite Jesus into their home; even though they didn't know it was Jesus? Jesus, the gentle Lamb that he is does not and will not impose himself on anyone. Even with the Laodicean Church, of which we read in the Revelation of St. John, Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus may walk with us, talk with us, open his Word to us, but until we long for him to enter our homes, our hearts, our lives, we will never truly “know him.” It is a precious and blessed thing to know the Scriptures as they speak to us about Jesus. But we need to know “the Christ” of the Scriptures in a real, personal relationship.
When these disciples knew Jesus as the once crucified, but now the resurrected, living and actual Messiah, Jesus could leave them. And their personal experience with him was so powerful, they hastened back to Jerusalem, probably as fast as their feet would carry them, to tell the others that the Lord is risen indeed!
May this glorious message of the resurrected Lord have such a powerful impact upon us that we, too, will hasten to tell others this Good News! Everyone needs to know that Jesus, our crucified Savior, is living. And he longs to dwell within us for it is in him that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Or as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (11:36)
Pastor Wayne Juntunen
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