Prison

Is That a Trumpet?

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. Revelation 1:10 NRSV

In Hebrew, the word translated as trumpet was a ram’s horn called a shofar and God chose the shofar to be used for many important occasions. The shofar was blown at the beginning and ending of religious festivals, called the people together for meetings and its blast was also used as a signal for armies to advance in battle. When God blows a trumpet in our lives, we should not be afraid because it is HIs sign that we are His people and that He has a message we need to hear.

At the time of the writing of the book of Revelation, the apostle John had been exiled to an island used for prisoners called Patmos. On that island, John was as far from home as he had ever been in his life. But even in his isolation, instead of surrendering to despair, John chose to worship. Though very few of us will ever experience circumstances, like John did, all of us have our own times of difficulty, isolation and even despair. But Gd, even at those worst of times, is still with us and wants us to hear his voice. We never know what unusual ways He may choose to speak, so we need to be always ready listening. Then when we least expect it God just may come to us today and blow a trumpet and bring us news from Heaven.

Prayer: Father recently I have been battling fears and feelings of isolation. Thank you for remembering where I am and blowing a trumpet so I can hear your voice in my life today!

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No Throw Away People

/ pastorpete51 / 11 Comments

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV

“They’re a bunch of rapists, murderers and drug dealers. Filthy animals! Let’s lock ’em up and throw away the key!” When we read accounts of the recent deportation of gang members to a prison in El Salvador, if we are honest, we might have to admit that we have used these kinds of words. Does our heart secretly do a little dance each time we hear of another one being thrown in the clink, deported or shot by the police? I struggle with these very thoughts myself, but the Holy Spirit reminded me recently that God created each one of those young men and women in His own image. He breathed the same breath of life into their lungs, knit them together in their mothers’ wombs, and planned a home in heaven for them, just as He has done for me. Though they may have covered themselves with tattoos, and have lived a lifestyle contrary to God’s will, it in no way means that they have no value to Him. When Jesus looks down from heaven over them, He doesn’t say, “Well I told them so! Now they’ve finally gotten what they deserved!”

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In fact, in the Bible we can find a list of men and women, a lot like them. “Yeah, like who?” you might ask with a gasp. Well, we could start with a murderous guy named Saul, who tells us that he was the chief ringleader of sinners. Then there was the working stiff named Peter. He fell to his knees in shame when Jesus blessed him with a boatload of fish, shouting, “Go away from here, I am a sinful man!” We also mustn’t forget the unfaithful woman caught in bed with her neighbor, the corrupt tax collector named Zaccheus and the brutal executioner standing at the foot of the cross, waiting for Jesus to die so he could go home for the night. None of these folks sounds like the type of company we hope to have sitting next to us in church on Sunday, but Jesus does! No, He didn’t join them in their sins, but He loved them with a radical love, that drove Him to the cross, accepted nails to be driven through His hands and feet, and allowed Himself to be stripped, crowned with thorns and spit on. His kind of love reached the thief dying next to Him, forgave those who killed him and even allowed Judas to kiss Him. The God who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to die for us, came for sinners, because there were no other kinds of people. We all deserve to be locked away in the dark place of eternal punishment named hell and have the key thrown away forever. But instead of throwing us away, Jesus took our place and gave eternal life to everyone who repents and believes in Him: no exceptions! Now He commands (not suggests) that we offer that same love and forgiveness to others, because there are no, “Throw away people.” and no one so far away, that they cannot return to Him!