He is Risen

Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” – Luke 24:39

When Jesus was arrested, all of the disciples, fearing for their lives, ran away. All of them except for John. After three years of mentoring by the  Christ, they were cowards, milquetoast. When they should have stood for their Lord, when he needed them, they ran and hid.  But three days after the crucifixion, these very same disciples were emboldened champions, that went everywhere proclaiming Christ. 

From cowardice to courageous. From hiding to heroic. What happened that caused ALL unbelief to be removed from the hearts of these disciples?  

So powerful was this single event, that these men ultimately died as martyrs for their Faith in the Risen Christ!!!  If Christ did not die and rise from the dead, what then transformed these fearful, Christ deserters into fearless and powerful symbols of the truth? 

Something happened that was so profound and persuasive, that these men would die for Him.

The Resurrection!

Had these men not run before the crucifixion, and then witnessed the rising, the power of the truth would not have had the same sovereign authority. There is no greater gift from God than the resurrection.  NONE!

Take a moment to reflect on the final scene from the Passion:

The Resurrection from the Passion

The Resurrection on Twitter

"...knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 6:9-11


Imagine our world had God not sent his only son to die for our sins.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Rated "R"

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." – Matthew 28:6-7

Why the Passion was Rated "R"

By Tim Stevenson

The "R" of course is because of the violence, the gore.  In movie terms "R" stands for RESTRICTED, but in this movie "R" stands for REALISTIC, for it REALLY happened for a REASON because we were REBELLIOUS.

We needed a REDEEMER,

We needed to be RECONCILED,

We needed to be RECOVERED,

We needed to be REGENERATED.  

Jesus needed to be REJECTED so that we could have a RELATIONSHIP not just a RELIGION.  

The "R" is to REMIND us to REMEMBER what Jesus did to REMOVE our sin to RENDER Satan powerless, to RESCUE us from eternity in hell.  

The "R" rating is to show that Jesus was RESPONSIBLE for giving you REST. As a RESULT of his death Jesus RETIRED your debt.  

The "R" rating means that some will be REPULSED, some will REFUSE to believe, some will be RELUCTANT, some will think you are RIDICULOUS in believing that a death was REQUIRED.  

The "R" rating means that the RESULT of sin has been REVERSED and now through faith in Christ your REWARD is eternity and you are now RIGHTEOUS before God because you have RECEIVED him as the RULER of your soul.  

He was crucified, buried and RESURRECTED so that He could REDEEM mankind.  

Thank you Marcy, for sending on March 23, 2004.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

He Took the Nail for Us

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do." – John 17:1-4

Crucifixion was considered by the Romans to be the cruelest form of execution, and was reserved for only the worst criminals. So punishing was this death penalty, Roman citizens were never crucified.  So revolting were the details of Jesus' murder, the disciples could not write about them.

1 Peter 2:24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Is there anyone you love so much, that you would give your life?  Perhaps your children, spouse or your parents.  But would you die for me? Your neighbor, a criminal, or the homeless guy under the bridge? You see, Christ willingly went to the Cross because of us – for ALL of us!

John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

From the Passion

I BELIEVE!

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

The Easter Carrot

We all have heard of the Easter Bunny, but have you heard of the Easter Carrot? Well I hadn't either, that is, not until Dennis sent me his sermon for his Easter Sunrise Service.  Here is the condensed version:

The carrot is a root crop, so the soil must be prepared and readied for the seed to sprout, grow and mature. Likewise our hearts must be readied for the risen Lord to plant His seed of faith, so that we can grow and be fruitful in our relationship with Him.  The carrot must have a sound root system to create a good product, as our lives must be grounded in Christ to bring forth a Christlike life growing in His will.  

The carrot has a lush green top, but it does not define the carrot. Hidden beneath the surface, the carrot may have bad spots which are not discovered until the harvest.  Some of us may do church and look good on the outside, but on the inside where our relationship with Christ resides, there may be some bad spots. And not until our harvest, when we are “born again" do we become one with God.

The carrot is usually orange but can be found in white, yellow, pink, or purple.  It may be short and stout, long and thin, or any combination therein.  Sounds like us!  We can be all of those things in Christ, so long as we remember that God loves all of us, no matter the shape, size or color.  And when the Lord finds us, like the carrot he wants to pick us up and dust us off so that we are clean and useable.  Unlike the dirt on the carrot from growing in the ground our dirt is sin.  And this is why Easter is so important to the believer.  Because of the cross and the death of Jesus, we can be made clean and useful in service to the Lord.  This is made so by God’s grace through His son.  We cannot pull the weeds from our lives like we can in the garden, but we can ask Christ to do so. 

And finally we know that the carrot has nutritional value and can bring health into our lives.  So does our risen Lord, who brings strength and well-being into our lives.  

So as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, let us always be mindful of the "Easter Carrot” that we may go forth rooted in the love and will of God.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Denied!

"Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”And he went outside and wept bitterly." – Matthew 26:75

Peter just did something that he swore he would never do. He denied Christ – three times. His denial of Jesus left him with such remorse, that it stripped away ALL of his pride, clearing the way for true humility. With pride gone and his soul bare, Peter was prepared for real spiritual growth.

When we are able to conquer pride in our life, there is nothing left to get between us and the Lord. And we can finally listen, rely and grow in Him.

Think of the irony of Peter denying Christ.  Through his betrayal, Peter was broken, restored, and risen to become the rock of Christianity.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Wash My Feet – Part II

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me. “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” – John 13: 6-9

In ancient times, slaves were looked upon as the lowest form of human life. And with this prejudice, Peter cannot stand the thought of Jesus doing "slave's works." By this, we know that Peter loved Jesus, but lacked humility, is prideful (better than a slave) and self-centered – all of which are at the heart of all sin. Peter completely missed the point of Jesus' act of submission and humility. Through the footwashing, Jesus revealed, that by serving one another, completely void of pride or position, we can find our way to the heart of God.

And through the footwashing, what have we learned about volunteering in our community? Helping someone on public assistance? Serving a homeless person?

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Wash My Feet – Part I

"...so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." – John 13: 4-5



"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." – John 13: 12-15

At the time of this meal, the Last Supper, the shadow of the Cross was looming over all in the upper room. Having taken off His outer garment, Jesus was left with a shorter garment and dressed as a slave. He tied a linen towel around His waist which was used to dry the disciples' feet. In those days, washing somebody's feet was something only a Gentile slave would've been required to do, never a Jewish slave. But on this day, the Son of God, the Christ, took his disciples' feet into his hands and wash them – doing the work only the lowest of the slaves were required to do.



It was an act of humility that Jesus was teaching in one of his last lessons before going to the cross. Knowing that His disciples didn't yet understand, He realizes just how radical washing their feet was to them. On one level, it was an example of humility, on another, they would only fully understand after the cross.


What does this washing symbolize? Some think it represents forgiveness of our daily sins. While others interpret the footwashing as baptism. Regardless of the interpretation, we have the most profound revelation of the heart of God, self-sacrificing love from the creator of the universe.


The Last Supper: From the Passion

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Pass the Salt Please!

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet." – Matthew 5:13

In ancient times, refining salt was not a perfected process, and the mineral was often contaminated with other ingredients. It was not that the salt lost its taste, but over time, was leached out of, or dissolved away, leaving only the contaminate. The point that Jesus was making is that salt is good, but if over time dissolved away, became useless. Likewise with the saltless disciple, where only sin remained.

The "salt," was also a metaphor for God's wisdom used by the Rabbi's of the day. As pure salt does not lose its flavor, once learned, God's message will never lose its influence or importance. Through Christ, God put forth His doctrine, seasoned with knowledge and grace, so that His truth remains constant, and His significance will never be lost.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Anonymously Yours

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing..." – Matthew 6:1-3

Outward displays or inward principles?

Outward displays can be prideful, boastful and even hypocritical.  Sometimes false humility thinly disguises the attention that we actually crave for ourselves. Where as our inward principles are values of the heart – things held between God and us. They are pure, genuine, authentic and Christlike. And while we all want to be recognized for the good we do, God wants to recognize us for the good only He knows we do.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

King Me

What does it mean to be in the Kingdom of God? And do we have die to get there? Have we truly thought about what Jesus was saying when he said:  "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." – Matthew 6:10


Are we reaching for His full potential here on earth? Or are we doing things here, trying to earn our way into Heaven?


Are we living out our lives with Christ in our hearts, or are we just living, chasing after Christ's heart? 

Friends, I'm not sure that I have entirely processed all that Brian McLaren is saying here, but I feel my heart stirring.  There is a deeper message in this video.  Play it back a few times, because you won't get it all the first time through.  Please take a few minutes to listen to a little different perspective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NtgjNLNpao

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  – 1 John 3:17

The dictionary defines empathy as "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another." Compassion, sympathy and empathy are all emotions of passion, feelings of suffering. They also describe in part, God's mercy for us. 

Jesus is our shepherd, and through whom we find guidance and passion. And through whom, we also receive compassion, sympathy and empathy. Without Him we are helplessly and hopelessly lost.  With him, we have life, on earth and in heaven. As we learn to humble ourselves before Him, He teaches how to care for others, just as He cares for us. 

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Give it Away. All of It!

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35

Our church had a huge yard sale this past Saturday.  It was massive!  And people literally came by the hundreds. And at the end of the day, we didn't make a cent. People walked away with TV's, furniture, clothes, a basketball hoop, and dog kennels.  Everything walked... for FREE.  Yes for free, including water, soda, 250 hot dogs, popcorn and cupcakes.

In GIVING everything away today, everyone (the givers and shoppers) received God's blessings.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

One older lady who was in the plaza for kidney dialysis, when she saw the signs for the sale.  Her gratitude came out in tears, after finding bedding and some clothes. The bedding that she has at home is warn full of holes. We carried two large bags of her goods over to the dialysis center, and then helped her walk back so that she could receive treatment.  Through her tears, her only words were "God bless you. Jesus bless you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you." She could not believe how much she found... for free.  Meeting her was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Witnessing this lady firsthand, reminded me that our own hardships often pale in pettiness to the least of these who are in our own midst. As much as people may have been blessed by what they received at this event, it was our church who was truly blessed by what we learned – lessons on giving and serving.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Soul Surfer

 "...For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

We all go through seasons where we think we are not good enough, smart enough or worthy enough.  Bethany had it all: good looks, spirt and tons of talent.  She had the platform to share God to the world, but God raised the bar and gave her an even greater platform.  But not in the way that you may think.  Take a look at the testimony of Bethany Hamilton:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37l1WfdFNQE

What lessons can be learned from Bethany? She could have fell to self pity, self doubt and anger.  She could have given up on life, but she didn't.  After it appeared that all had been taken from her, Bethany drew on the only thing that she had left, her faith in Jesus Christ. And with all being taken away, finding success again could only be attributed to God.  Glory be to God.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

It Becomes Your Destiny

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." – Ephesians 4:29

Here is one of my favorite quotes:

Watch your thoughts; they become words. 

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become your habits.

Watch your habits; they become your character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Following and Seeing

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

The Myth of Christianity

"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" – John 16:33

A myth of Christianity is that in being saved, we are delivered from all adversity. Not true. It actually means being delivered in adversity. "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . ." (Psalm 91:1,10 )˜ 

If you are a child of God, you will encounter adversities, but Jesus says "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

Adversity in a Christian's life builds character. Without weakness there will be no strength. But once you face adversity, you will immediately get the strength. "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life..." ( Revelation 2:7 ). God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but for the moment. 

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Dangerous Curves and Caution Lights

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." – James 1:12

If you have ever been here, you are a witness to God, on how tough steadfastness can be. At times it is as if you are in a tunnel, with no way out.  The quote below is something that was sent to me several years ago, not realizing then that it would be inspiration today:

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, red lights called enemies, caution lights called family, and you will have flats called jobs. 

But with God in your life, you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, a driver called Jesus, taking you to a place called success. 

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

The Journey

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." – Romans 8:28

Have you ever had so much to say but could never find the words?
Have you ever dreamed of what might have been, and woke up before the end?
Have you ever lived life unbridled only to find that it has fenced you in?
Have you ever wondered where a path would've led if you had you not turned left or right?
Have you ever imagined reaching the top, to find the climb has just begun?
Have you ever wondered what He is saying and wondered what He wants for you?
Have you ever stopped long enough to thank the Lord for all that he has given, and listened to what He had to say?

If we always found the words, dreamed the dreams, lived unbridled, always had, never thanked, always heard, and reached the top, how boring our lives would be?

To find the courage, to live the dream, to follow the right path, to reach the peak, and to hear the call, we need only stop and call on Him, wait on His answer, and enjoy the blessing of the journey.

Thank you for the inspiration Michael.

Seeking and Following,
Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

The Hypocrite and the Sinner

"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income. But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." – Luke 18:10-13 

In the verse today, we learn that the Pharisee was unteachable, prideful, self-oriented, and lacked compassion. Some may say that he was a braggart. The tax collector in the presence of the Lord, was convicted in his heart. He knew he was a sinner, and humbled himself before God to the point where he could not lift his eyes to heaven.  He was remorseful, respectful and unpretentious. 

The tax collector displayed the kind of humility and repentance that God graces:

Luke 18:14: "I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Seeking and Following,

Dean


You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Metamorphosis and Heart Transplants

Those of you who receive email from "bugboy" (my son Ty), know that it's a perfect name for him.  He may very well be the next Steve Irwin.  Over the years, he has drug his mother and me to botanical shows at the University of South Florida and exotic nurseries to buy "sweet gum" trees, milkweed plants, parsley, and any other plants that attract butterflies. So it was no surprise today, when I found one of his portable terrariums sitting on the kitchen counter with a dozen or so monarch caterpillars devouring milkweed leaves.  About that time, we noticed one of them attaching itself to the side wall.  And in a matter of a minute or two, it had gone from a caterpillar, to a fully enveloped chrysalis. And in about two weeks, a beautiful butterfly will emerge.

Watching this metamorphosis was nothing short of amazing.  But it pales in comparison to the miracle transformation that takes place in our soul the day we invite Christ into our life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Within the new you, shines the beauty of Christ.

Only God can orchestrate a metamorphosis, heart transplant. But it's up to you to make the first move – invite him in:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inLmaG6qR7E

Seeking and Following

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

We Are Not a Christian Nation?

36,000 stones of marble and granite form it.  It has a foundation that is  55 foot square. It pierces toward Heaven, 555 feet into the sky.  It has 897 steps and 50 landings from bottom to top. On the 12th landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore. On the 20th landing is a memorial, a gift from Chinese Christians. Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia made a presentation on the 24th landing, reading from Proverbs and Luke.  And at its peak, the Washington Monument is capped with the inscription, "Laus Deo."

There are two words, unnoticed and out of sight, on top of the highest monument in our nation's capitol – Laus Deo.  "Praise be to God!" But that's not the rest of the story.  

If you were to draw a line from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial, and another line from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building. Where the two lines intersect, you find the Washington Monument.  But that's still not the rest of the story.

Below is what you would see, if those lines were made visible.

In God We Trust.

One Nation Under God.

May God Bless America.

Praise be to God.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.