A Personal Invite

"...But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,

just as he told you.'"  Mark: 16:7 

Just wanted to touch base with everyone to let them know that the LORD blessed the concert efforts more than I could imagine, and how humbling it was for me to see Him working in the hearts of His children.  What an honor to be used as a vessel in His hands to minister to the hearts of His children.  :) 

In preparation for last weekend's concert, I was searching God's Word to see whatever it was He would have me to share, and how would He tie it into the music He had given?  I want to share those little lessons or "golden nuggets" with you here.  ;o)

Remember how Peter pledged his allegiance to the Lord, and yet he quickly denied Jesus not once, but three times before the rooster crowed. . just as Jesus had told Peter?   Can you imagine the anguish Peter must have felt knowing how he denied Jesus?  And here Jesus had been crucified? Then how must Peter have felt when he heard the news that Jesus' body was not at the tomb, and in fact Jesus had risen?  If I were Peter, I would have probably had mixed feelings:  perhaps excitement, tinged with guilt and even fear of seeing Jesus again.   Yet, in our verse today, (Mark 16:7) we see what the angel said at the tomb. "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."  Does this statement "exclude" Peter as a disciple?  No!  Once we are saved, we are always saved.  We find this to be a personal invitation.   "Go and tell his disciples, especially Peter....."  Why would Peter even need a personal invite?  I'm sure he was wondering if the Lord would even welcome him into His presence! 

This spoke volumes to me!  I hope it will do the same for you as well!  Jesus personally invites you to come to Him, no matter what you've done..no matter HOW long it's been since you've spoken to Him. . .and especially if you've been rejecting His invitation to "Come to Me.."  Now is your chance to come and find that HE is here, just as He promised HE would be.  A personal invitation, what more could we ask?
                  

Luke 24:13-35 tells us of another account on Resurrection Day.  Two of them were on the road to Emmaus.  Walking along, discussing the events of the day, probably wondering about whether they would see Jesus.  Then the Lord Himself began to walk with them.  However, they did not recognize Him.  In fact, He spoke with them and walked along for quite a while and even went with them to the house.  It wasn't until Jesus was at the table, blessed the bread and then broke it that their eyes were opened.  (verses 30 and 31)

Isn't it that way with us too?  We can be walking along with the Lord in our spiritual "walk," and have Him speak to us as we read the Word; we hear His message preached, but it seems that when we become broken THAT's when we really see Him. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  Purification is by fire.  Removing the dross, purging the impurities away.  This implies extreme heat (suffering and brokenness.)  At the end of Job, when God had spoken to Job and caused Job to catch a glimpse of God's majesty, Job said, "My ears have heard of You, but NOW my eyes have seen You."  Job 42:5  Job had been broken, but now his eyes were opened.  His heart was purer than ever before.  God allows us to be broken in order to purify our hearts, so that He can reveal more of Himself to us...and that's when we will reflect more of who HE IS to others.  :)

Going through some extremely difficult times? 

Could this be a chance for our Lord to reveal MORE of Himself to you?  I think so.  Be still and know that HE is God, and He will be exalted--even to you, right now, right where you are.  :)

We all remember the account of when the parents brought their children to Jesus. . and the disciples "shooed" them away.  Jesus rebuked the disciples and allowed the children to come to Him.  I never noticed until last week, that the Bible says in Mark 10:13, that the parents wanted Jesus to simply touch their children.  But in verse 16 we read "And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."  Jesus wants to do SO much more for us than simply "touch our lives."  All we need is the faith to COME to Him. . .and then watch and see what He will do. . He will scoop us up into His arms, place His hands on us, and bless us!! 

Do you have a child in need of a touch of the Master's hand?  Keep asking God for more faith and continue to bring your child before the throne of grace!  God wants to do more than touch your child!  He wants to pick him or her up and bless them abundantly!  And guess what!? He WILL!  Keep on praying according to His will!   

This lesson of the parents bringing their children to Jesus could also symbolize salvation.  He wants us to come to Him for salvation (to touch us) but He also wants to "give us life more abundantly!"  (pick us up, place His hands on our lives and bless us!)   God is certainly a GIVER of LIFE, and "LIFE more abundant" too! :)

Jesus' life is to be lived in and through us.  Each day, as we surrender our will to His, "He must increase and I must decrease."   How is His life to find rest within our hearts?  How can His life in us "Grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with both God and man?"  Simply look at the stable in Bethlehem.  Mary placed Jesus in the manger.  That was not a typical "bed fit for the King of Kings!"  It is a feeding trough. 

After Jesus had risen, and "reinstated Peter" by asking Peter three times "Lovest thou Me more than these?"  He told Peter to "feed My sheep."  How are we to feed God's sheep?  By allowing the Bread of Life to live and grow from within our hearts.  Our hearts are to be like the manger in that Bethlehem stable so many years ago.  Once we have humbled our hearts, and allowed His life to find a resting place in our hearts, He will continue to grow, and others will see a difference in us...they are hungry, and don't even know what they are hungry for. . .But we do!  They are hungry for the Bread of Life.  Allowing Jesus to live in and through us, by keeping our hearts humble, will cause others to come to us. . .not for US, but to find the Bread of Life within our hearts. .  we are simply the "trough" or "manger" that holds the precious Bread of Life within!  God's great Master Plan for our salvation had a humble beginning ~ a stable in Bethlehem!  And so His purpose for your and my life must have a humble beginning too:  our hearts. :)

                              

Feed My sheep!  Jesus knows that His dear children are in need of nourishment and encouragement.  What are we doing to allow His life to grow within our hearts so that others can find that we offer the Bread of Life to them--not because of anything we have done.  No.  But because of Him choosing us, like that little manger was chosen, to hold His life and allow His life to rest within our hearts. . .

May His life in us continue to grow so that others who are hungry will be drawn to the Bread of Life.  "IF I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me."  He was lifted up once, on that cross.  Now, is He being lifted up in our hearts?  In order to do that, we must "decrease."  We must humble our hearts. . .

Oh dear Heavenly Father, thank You for these wonderful lessons You opened my eyes to.  The "concert" last weekend was not about music, but rather about Your message of encouragement.  Thank You for the privilege and honor to have shared Your message through not just the music but most importantly, Your Word, to the hearts of Your children.  Please help us all to keep our hearts humble, so that Your Son's life, Who is the Bread of Life, can continue to grow and be lifted up.  Please draw all men unto You, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, before our time on this earth is over.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.