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On a Donkey!

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming,Sitting on a donkey’s colt  John 12:14-15

The fact that Jesus chose the most humble animal to ride gives me hope today. I am not powerful, wealthy or amazingly smart. I am just an ordinary person in an ordinary neighborhood with common everyday problems. Why would God, the universe creator, the King of Glory, the awesome, glorious and Holy ruler of all life be accessible to me? Why would I dare even think I could bring my needs for daily bread and forgiveness for my mean-spirited sins to him?

Because according to scripture our king is coming, but not to harshly conquer us who by nature are His enemies. He is coming not to imprison us and cast us into prison or worse. He is coming humbly to take His throne and righteously rule over the life of anyone who will welcome Him into their gates. He knows we are afraid but He is not angry. He understands the feelings of our infirmities and He has shared inimage our weaknesses. He has been through every temptation we have faced, yet without sin. He has tasted death for every man and woman who has ever lived. He is coming, according to the Father’s plan, to be our king, seated on a donkey, so we will not be afraid. Today is the day to greet our king with palm branches along the path He is coming to our city and He has chosen to give His life for us again today!

The God Who Hears

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears Psalm 34:4

In my imagination I sometimes wonder just how soundly asleep Jesus really was during the storm at sea. I have thought that perhaps he was more aware of the circumstances than the disciples knew. Perhaps as He climbed into the boat that day He said something along the lines of,

“Okay while you guys start rowing us across Galilee, I am going to take a nap. Then as He borrowed a pillow and went to sleep He was saying to himself, “I know what is coming next, I wonder how long it will be before they wake me up?”

Then as the wind picked up and the sky darkened with storm clouds the disciples kept rowing as hard as they could. They didn’t want Jesus to have to worry about anything; after all they were all experienced fishermen. Then as the first wave or two sloshed over the side of the boat some may have begun to worry. Finally as wave after giant wave tossed the little boat up and down and it began to take on water panic took hold of their hearts.

“Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Mark 4:38b

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Just like us, they had come to the place where they wondered if God even cared about their fears. But Jesus is in our boat, to be our Immanuel through any storm. He listened to the disciples. He listened to King David. He is listening to you.

If today you are facing your biggest fear God is with you in your boat. He is waiting for us to cry out like David, like the disciples and like countless generations of believers. He is with us and He hears!

Moshia Our Deliverer

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears Psalm 34:4

God knows and He hears is our Immanuel, but He is also something more, He is “Moshia” Our Deliverer. Jesus not only goes with us through our problems, He is able to deliver, which can be translated as Save or Heal as well.

Imagine you have a high fever and a terrible cough. You go to your family doctor whom you trust and who has taken care of you for years. He takes x-rays, listens to your chest and takes your blood pressure. Then he clears his throat and says, “Well you definitely have a severe case of pneumonia. If it isn’t treated this week you could die, but the bad news is I have no antibiotics left to give you In fact there has been such a run on anti-biotics this year that the entire supply is depleted and you will just have to go home to die! I wish I could help. I would like to help but I can’t!”

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You might laugh and say, “That never happens!” There is always someone who can help!” But as certain as we are in small problems that we do understand, we also need to believe that no matter what we face; Jesus is “Moshia” He is our deliverer. He not only knows our problem. He not only cares about our problem. Jesus holds the waves and wind of our storms under his command. Jesus is king over every King. Jesus is the forgiver of every sin. Jesus is the healer of every disease (whether we pick up our prescription here or in heaven)! Jesus knows about not just some of our problems, not just some of our hurts and not just some of our fears. Jesus knows them all. Jesus is “Moshia” who delivers us from ALL our fears!