Jesus — Page 2

December 19, 2023

Lord, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?

December is a month for some significant birthdays in my life. My precious Mom’s birthday was on December 6th. The birthday of one of my Godly mentors is December 26th.

Oftentimes, I ask a simple question to those we love before their birthday: “What do you want for your birthday?” If you are like me, I just want to ensure my loved one is honored in the most meaningful way. Isn’t that what we want for our birthdays…to know we are loved and cherished?

The most significant person in my life, really in this world, celebrates His birth each December 25^th. Isn’t it wonderful that we all adorn our homes in Christmas finery and decorate the inside and outside with bright lights in honor of His birthday? We bake treats, buy gifts and send cards to our most significant loved ones , friends, and coworkers (and even strangers), and go above and beyond to volunteer and do “random acts of kindness” this time a year. Why? Perhaps it truly is all part of His birthday celebration, honoring the Light Of The World (John 8:12).

However you may feel about Him, one fact is irrefutable. History sets its time stamp of demarcation with Jesus’ birth—BC, “Before Christ”, and AD, “Anno Domini,” Latin for “In the Year of Our Lord.” Even the Old Testament prophesied Jesus’ birth (especially in the book of Isaiah) at least 700 years before He was born! Isn’t it fitting that we give Him our best as we celebrate His birthday?

When I was growing up, we baked a birthday cake for Christmas Day and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. I will always remember those sweet memories.

So, in this December 2023 AD, in the year of our Lord, I encourage you to ask Him a simple question:

“Lord, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?”

Then listen…

Could His birthday gift be:

–to reconcile with your loved one…

–to rake the yard of and sit with an elderly neighbor…

–to babysit for a worn-out married couple to have a date night…

–to share your testimony and love of Jesus with your co-worker…

You can almost hear His still, small voice, can’t you?

“Your Heart, Dear One. That’s all I want. Your Heart.”

Reflect:

How will this Christmas, Jesus’ birthday celebration, be different from years past?
How can we listen and act more intentionally after asking the question, “Lord, what do You want for your birthday?”

Renew:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” –Colossians 3:23
“I am sending Him—who is my very heart—back to you.” –Philemon 1:12.
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the Truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart.” –1 Peter 1: 22

Recharge:

After asking, seeking, and listening, what intentional actions in your life have you been prompted to take?
Consider baking a birthday cake on Christmas Day and singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Let’s party!
Please leave a comment.

April 15, 2022

Good Friday/Passover–It is Finished

Ironically called Good Friday, it is the most somber day of the year and of humanity for Christians.

Today for 2022 is even more significant in that Jewish Passover begins this evening also. One of our Messianic ministry clients with Blessings Brokers hosted a “Preparing for the Passover” Virtual Event Tuesday evening. It is beautiful and heart-rending to witness that every part of the Passover points us back to Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah. Even the way the blood was put over the doors in Exodus with one stripe of blood at the top and one stripe on both sides is just like Jesus’ crucifixion. He was our Ultimate Sacrifice.

Let’s reflect back now on what we now call Good Friday of Holy Week. It was before 9am that Good Friday morning when Pontius Pilate handed the badly beaten and scourged Jesus over to be crucified. Although Jesus was innocent, he was being crucified in place of Barabbas. As He carried His heavy cross, He began the agonizing climb to Calvary or Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.

“Here they crucified him, and with him two others–one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS…’ (John 19:18-19 NIV).

The criminal on one side of Jesus threw insults at Him asking if He were Christ, why didn’t He save Himself and them? The other criminal feared God and rebuked the other criminal, saying Jesus had not done anything wrong. The criminal humbly 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 23:42-43 NIV).

Like the two criminals, one on each side of Jesus, we are given a choice. Perhaps that’s why there were two criminals being crucified beside Him– not one, not five, but two–because of THE choice.

To accept Jesus as our King of King and Lord of Lords or not.

To ask Jesus to remember you in His Kingdom or not.

To hurl insults at Jesus or honor Jesus with humble praises.

Have you humbly asked for Jesus to remember you as His and to join Him in the paradise of eternal life? Friend, if not, there’s a simple prayer at the bottom to pray and make the most important decision of your life.

“…Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed his head and gave up His spirit.” –John 30b NIV

The Greek word “Tetelestai” means “It is finished.” During New Testament times the word “Tetelestai” would have been stamped or written on business documents or receipts to indicate that a bill had been “Paid in Full.” The connection between this common business transaction stamp and the Ultimate Transaction Jesus accomplished on the cross was conveyed crystal clear in the Gospel of John with Jesus’ words.

Sweet friend, you are so loved. Jesus paid a sin debt He did not owe because we owed a sin debt we could not pay.

One of my favorite hymns, “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us,” includes the following tender, honest revelation. May these words echo in our souls this Easter and each day of our lives.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Friday’s here, but Sunday’s comin’! Happy Resurrection Day!

Recharge:

If you would like to welcome Jesus as the King of your life, pray with me this simple prayer:

Dear God, I need You. I am humbly calling out to You. I’m tired of doing things my own way.

Help me to start doing things Your way. I invite You into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.

Fill the emptiness in me with your Holy Spirit and make me whole.

Lord, help me to trust You. Help me to love You.

Help me to live for You. Help me to understand Your grace, mercy and peace.

Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Congratulations! Send me an email to danya.jordan777@gmail.com, and I’ll send you a free devotional book to encourage you in your new faith journey! 🙂

Reflect:

–Please try to fathom how deep Jesus’ Love is for you. How will you show your gratitude and tell others? Please comment.

–Which crucified criminal beside Jesus do you relate to?

Renew:

–Please read Psalm 22 and compare it to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John story of Jesus death and resurrection.

–“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations…They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn–for He has done it.” –Psalm 22: 27, 28, 31 NIV (written hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” –Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV (written 700+ years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect.” –1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV

April 11, 2022

What Is Truth?

In our world today with so much division and controversy, even with our own genders, many consider truth to be an opinion. God doesn’t make mistakes, especially how we are formed.

I dated a guy several years ago who I heard telling his friends a totally different story about how he and I met. Later when I asked him about it, he said “that’s my truth.”

Friends, absolute Truth exists. Just like a compass tells the exact direction we are going. The Bible is our moral compass for Truth.

In this Holy Week, in reading through the Gospels, I find it fascinating that the Governor Pontius Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38, “What is truth?” To set up the scene, Jesus had been betrayed, then arrested, and was on trial, all in mere hours, not due process.

“Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”–John 18:35-39 ESV

Sadly, much like today, Pilate caved to public opinion and yelling. So many of the same people only four days early on Palm Sunday who cried out “Hosanna,” were the same ones who yellow “Crucify him” on Good Friday.

Four chapters before in the Gospel of John is when Jesus said to Doubting Thomas one of the most important verses in the Bible, ‘Jesus said to him, ‘ I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

That is the Truth.

Friends, now or in 100 years from now, just as it has been for all of history, when an archaeologist discovers a skeleton, that archaeologist will be able to determine if it was a man or woman by skeletal remains and DNA. Our souls and spirits will be either in heaven or hell. No pronouns of how that person “identified” himself or herself will remain. That is the Truth.

May we continue to tell the Truth and nothing but the Truth, so help us God.

What issues are you struggling with today with revealing the Truth?

Have you made the decision to go to heaven, to accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior? If so, Message me and I’ll be honored to send you a free gift to encourage your new faith journey.