It Is Finished

"When Jesus had received the sour wine He said, 'It is finished,' and bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  John 19:30

“It is finished.” Our sins on Him, Father God turned away from His only begotten Son. 

“It is finished.” There was more love in those three words than the words ‘I love you' or any other declaration of love--the words totally selfless. 

“It is finished” Heaven heard the words as a command tearing the veil that separated us from God--from top to bottom--so religion could not boast of its achievement.

“It is finished,” He cried out--shaking the core of His creation--causing an earthquake with the force of creation's grief.

“It is finished,” softly spoken from the cracked lips of the Son of Man, whose ultimate purpose was to become our ‘sin offering’ and die instead of us. 

The sinless Saviour hung on that cross and looked beyond time and space. With every drop of His blood, He accomplished what He stepped off His throne to do.

“It is finished.” Don’t let anything come between you and those words. Drink them in and let them refresh you. Bow your head in awe at the intensity of His love. Be humbled by our Heavenly Saviour who came not to be served but to serve. Let His love roll over you as gentle waves caressing you and making you…His!

“It is finished.” No one took His life--He gave it freely. What compelled Him? You!

"...It is finished,' and bowed His head and gave up His spirit.."  John 19:30

by Eve Montano

 

Power Of God

“On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, ‘Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. . .The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.”  Joshua 10:12-13

Joshua and his contemporaries had no idea how the universe worked. They knew the sun rose and set, and the moon and stars provided lesser light in the night sky. They were in a battle and they were winning, but the light was fading. The enemy could escape under cover of the dark or they could turn unseen and counterattack. The outcome of the battle could change.

The sun’s rising and setting, followed by the moon’s appearance in the same way, were--and still are--signs of God’s covenant of ownership and protection over the nation Israel. Perhaps it was only natural for Joshua to ask God to stop the path of the sun while they finished the battle.

Do you ever think about the power displayed in these verses? Our planet moves slowly, both in rotation on its axis, but also in its revolution around the sun. As a result, we have day and night and four seasons within twelve months.

Even if we aren’t scientists in the field of astronomy, those who study the heavens tell us the universe is in constant movement. Our planetary system moves around the sun. However, the whole system, including the sun, orbits around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. For any one of the heavenly bodies to stop moving, there would be climactic consequences. You know how everything that isn’t tied down flies out of place when the brakes are applied in a moving car? Or in our homes when the earth quakes? Imagine the effect of a sudden stop to the turning of the planet Earth. Nothing would be in its place. Nothing could remain standing against the force of change.

Yet, the sun stood still and the battle continued until victory was won. Why?

“There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day!” Joshua 10:14

BUT GOD. . . Here is another instance of God’s Power intervention.

“About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah went to visit him. He gave the king this message: ‘This is what the LORD says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’ When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. . .”  2 Kings 20:1-2

Scripture goes on to say the king reminded God of his faithful service to Him before he broke down and wept bitterly. Isaiah hadn’t made it past the courtyard before the LORD sent him back to Hezekiah with the message that He would give him fifteen more years of life. He would also defend the city for His own honor and “for the sake of my servant David.” (verse 6) Isaiah instructed him in the medical treatment of the infection threatening his life. Then Hezekiah asked the prophet:

“What sign will the LORD give to prove that He will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of the LORD three days from now? Isaiah replied, ‘This is the sign from the LORD to prove that He will do as He promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps? ‘The shadow always moves forward,’ Hezekiah replied, ‘so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.’ So Isaiah the prophet asked the LORD to do this, and He caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!”  
2 Kings 20:8-11

For Joshua, God made the sun stand still. In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God made the sun back up 10 degrees. What kind of affect would that have on this slowly spinning planet?

BUT GOD. . .

God answered the prayers of Joshua and Hezekiah with a brilliant display of His power. What do you need today? What Power intervention do you need in your battle with _________? You fill in the blank. Are you struggling with health issues? Financial needs? Relationships? Abandonment? Feeling unloved? Discouragement? Fear? Abuse? Anything that makes you feel distant from God? Doubt that He cares for you?

Here is one more evidence of God’s love for us and His power to intervene. The Cross at Calvary and the Empty Tomb. God’s power placed our sins upon Jesus and judged them there at the Cross. And His power provided the victory over the last enemy—death.

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man…And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:20-21, 26, 54b-55

Jesus is alive. The tomb is empty. There has never yet been a day like this before or since. Jesus fought our battle and won. Magnificent Love. Awesome Power!

by Marilyn Allison

Found By Jesus

"Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.' So He told them this parable..." Luke 15:1-3

The Pharisees and the scribes had heard Jesus speak before. Each time they came with a critical attitude, wanting to find a reason to condemn Him. They sadly refused to open their eyes and their ears to hear His words and let them reveal what was hidden in their hearts: their need to recognize their own sin and to humbly confess and repent the sin that ruled their lives.  They were missing the "why" of Jesus’ coming: Jesus had come to save the lost! Upon hearing their grumbling, He told several parables.

Jesus first told the parable of the lost sheep, verses 4-6:

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep, and lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

The second parable Jesus told was the lost coin, verses 8-9. In the same way, it portrays the length the woman, who had ten silver coins and loses one, went searching and searching until she found her one lost coin. She also calls together her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her in finding the coin that had been lost, but now was found!

The third parable Jesus told was the prodigal son, verses 11-32. The son had chosen to leave his father and family and live his life his own way. When he had lost all he had and became impoverished, he came to his senses, returning to his father confessing his sin. The father doesn’t scold him or rebuke him, but gladly restores him to his former position as a son.  His love for his son is so great! Verses 21-24 give us a portion of the conversation between the son and his father:

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.’”

You and I were at one time that lost sheep--that lost coin--and perhaps the prodigal, who chose to walk away. When Jesus searched for us--when we found ourselves found by Jesus--we humbly and gratefully allowed Him to carry us home, to restore us from our lost state, and rescue us from the bondage of our sin knowing our very life depended on Him.

Jesus came to save the lost. He came for you and for me. It is why he laid down His life at Calvary, taking all our sin upon the cross, knowing it was the only acceptable way redemption and salvation could be obtained for us whom He loved so deeply. These parables Jesus told that day speak to our hearts, letting us know we can never be so lost that Jesus’ love cannot find and restore us to Himself. We needed to recognize the "why" Jesus came and with faith believe His Word. And, we did!

At the end of each of the first two parables, we read that even the angels rejoice over each sinner who repents! The great love God has for the lost blesses my heart and my spirit! Jesus’ own words record it for us in scripture!

“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Verse 7

“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Verse 10

Easter is coming this next weekend. It is a good time to once again remember Jesus has broken the bond of sin over us!  He died on the cross carrying our sin. He was buried, and on the third day, He rose again!

This Easter let it find you rejoicing you were His lamb that was found, rejoicing you were His coin that was found, rejoicing you were the prodigal returned, rejoicing that the angels and heaven also rejoice over your salvation, and above all, rejoicing in the God of your salvation!

On the cross
He said “It’s finished!”

On the cross
He said, “It’s done!”

The price was high,
He paid it all.

Come, ye sinner
Hear His call.

Receive His forgiveness,
Bend the knee.

And, know that heaven
Is yours for eternity!

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

by Pat Tingwall

Deception and Discernment

"But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins. They put on worn out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy. When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, 'We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us." Joshua 9:3-6

Have you ever been deceived or misled by someone who wasn't who they claimed to be? Or by circumstances that were misrepresented? One day, not long after the decisive victory at Ai, a group of men showed up at Joshua's tent asking for an audience. They looked weather-worn and near to starving. In their exhausted state they lay their case before Joshua and the elders.

"We've come from a long way..." It certainly looked like they had been traveling a long time. Their clothes were frayed, shoes patched, wineskins cracked and about to burst, their food moldy, stale, and dry. 

Are you screaming along with me, "Don't listen, Joshua. It's a lie. Didn't you learn anything from the first battle of Ai? Ask the LORD..."

As with the situation at Ai, a crucial piece of information was missing. With Ai, they presumed God would give them an easy victory, but there was sin in the camp. This time, sin came to the camp and they didn't recognize it. They assumed their visitors were telling the truth because of how they looked. 

"So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD." Joshua 9:14

Have you ever presumed you knew the LORD so well that you assumed what His direction would be...without praying about it? I've had two recent occasions where someone approached me with what seemed to be a godly request. The first one definitely had a biblical precedent. I knew the scripture that supported the action the person was asking me to take. No sooner had I made the commitment than the trap slammed shut. Like Joshua, I was obligated to an action I now knew wasn't of the LORD. My error? I thought it was a godly thing to do so I didn't pray about it and then I had consequences to face.

The second person sounded like a very concerned fellow believer. The first contact was very supportive. However, a subsequent conversation triggered "red flags' in my mind. It didn't match with God's revealed character and my spirit became unsettled. I prayed about it and the LORD gave me discernment to see a deceitful motive. He gave me great peace in walking away.

In Joshua's case, he failed to seek the counsel of God and was tricked into making a treaty with people who lived a night's fast march from Gilgal--the very people God had commanded the Israelites to destroy. God doesn't contradict Himself. He had given Moses the directions for dealing with those in the land...

"When the LORD your God hands these nations (Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzite4s, Hivites, and Jebusites) over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy." Deuteronomy 7:2

...and with those who lived far away.

"As you approach a town to attack it, you must first offer its people terms for peace. If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor...But these instructions apply only to distant towns, not to the towns of the nations in the land you will enter. In those towns that the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing." Deuteronomy 20:10-11, 15-16

The people of Gibeon were Hivites. They duped Joshua into making a treaty with them and he was then obligated to keep the terms of the agreement. He was honor bound, as God's representative, to keep his promise even if it hurt.

The enemy of our souls is a master deceiver. Peter says the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking to devour prey (! Peter 5:8). He disguises himself as an angel of light, and the temptation he presents looks righteous. Paul exhorts us to never stop praying (aka consult God) and test everything that is said (1 Thess 5:17, 21).

May we heed these two lessons from Joshua to seek God for wisdom and guidance before we act. He is ever ready to give us the ability to discern what is right in His eyes.

by Marilyn Allison

What Price Victory?

"But the LORD said to Joshua, 'I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors." Joshua 6:2

The first chapter of Joshua records God telling this warrior He would be with him as he led the people of Israel to victory over the people occupying the land of promise.

"Moses my servant is dead. Therefore the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: 'Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you...No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you." Joshua 1:1-3, 5

Joshua and the children of Israel obeyed God's command and were rewarded with an incredible victory. They had done everything right. The land, everywhere they would set their feet, would become theirs. Why? It wasn't because they were good people.

"Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you...Recognize today that the LORD your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the LORD has promised. After the LORD your God has done this for you, don't say in your hearts, 'The LORD has given us this land because we are such good people!' No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that He is pushing them out of your way. It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The LORD your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath He swore to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Deuteronomy 9:1, 3-5

They were to have victory because of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God was with them. He would put fear in the hearts of the people in the land. He would go before them and they would quickly conquer and drive out the people currently there. Jericho was certainly proof of God's promise. They were invincible. Victory would be theirs in every battle, every test. Then came Ai. . . .

"The men of Ai chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away." Joshua 7:5

Incredible victory to devastating defeat, a defeat that got their attention. They desperately sought God as to the reason for their shame. They recognized they failed to honor His name, but did they also indulge a little in the "blame game?" 

"Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?" Joshua 7:7a

Sadly, I'm acquainted with that game. As a younger person, I usually questioned God when situations didn't turn out the way I hoped. "Why, God, did You let this happen." God's answers have always been instructive. Sometimes I've heard, "you need to wait" (Psalm 27:14). Other times He's reminded me His way is better than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9), and sometimes He's just said, "This is your plan, not mine." 

When I impatiently move from the locker room to the playing field and suffer defeat, God's answer is almost always, "There's sin in the camp." There's sin (self-interest) hidden somewhere in my heart, or my motives, or my request.

No one in Israel, aside from Achan's family, knew someone had been disobedient until God identified the sin (and the sinner). Achan's covetousness infected his whole family. Left unexposed and unjudged his sin would infect the whole nation. God warned He would not remain with them if the nation refused to deal with the sin and follow His commandments.

Our Heavenly Father loves us too much to let us think we can get away with sin and still have fellowship with Him, still walk in His blessing of victory. Over time, and many trials, He's changed me. My cry of "why?" has lost its questioning and accusatory tone. Instead, it has become a desperate surrender that recognizes the blame for defeat most often lies with me.

The price for victory is death. In Joshua, it was the death of Achan and his entire family. In my life, it is death to self-sovereignty.   The Apostle Paul writes:

"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of  God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." Romans 6:6-11

Jesus accomplished salvation for you and me when He spilled his lifeblood on the cross as our perfect sacrifice. His death broke the power of sin over you...over me. His Resurrection freed us. The power of life that lifted Him from the grave, gives us the power to override our flawed natures and live for the glory of God.

Do any of you like Math? Try these and see if they aren't absolutes.
Conviction plus Repentance equals Restoration.
God over me equals Glory.

Offered by Marilyn Allison