Thy word:

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief. Matthew 17:22-23 NLT

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My Thoughts: Jesus first tells his disciples he will die in Matthew 16:21-

“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.”

Notice in these verses he tells the disciples where it will happen (Jerusalem), and that the religious leaders will be responsible for his death. However, in the verses we read in Matthew 17:22-23, he tells them something very unsettling: someone Jesus knew and trusted would be so unfaithful they would surrender him into the hands of his enemies.

I can’t help but wonder if these men considered whether the betrayer would be one of them? Did they discuss it among themselves? Did they worry about what the death of Jesus would mean for them? After all, they had left everything behind to follow Jesus. Did they worry as his trusted disciples if they would be killed too? There could only be one response from these men:

“And the disciples were filled with grief.”

Grief; for such a small word it carries a lot of weight in our hearts and souls, wouldn’t you agree?

Let’s look at a definition of grief: deep sorrow, especially that is caused by someone’s death. Synonyms- misery, sadness, anguish, pain, distress, agony, suffering (to name a few).

I’m sure you have noticed that I have been absent from the blogging world for weeks. There are a few reasons why, but it is mostly because of the topic of these verses. It is a subject I really didn’t want to discuss because of the grief it causes in my own heart, especially now.

You see, as a caregiver for my elderly relative, I know she has more days behind her than in front of her. With her new health issues, the number of days ahead seem uncomfortably short. We both know that she will not escape death; no one does, but it doesn’t stop us from wondering how it will happen. However, I know God doesn’t want us to worry about tomorrow:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34 NLT

My Mother, on the other hand, left this world eleven years ago on 9/21. As I am reminded again of her death it has made my heart lonely for her and rekindled difficult memories of her final days on this earth. Unlike the disciples’ shock hearing about the coming death of Jesus, our Mother’s death was not exactly a surprise as her health had been declining. However, it was a shock to face how she died (physician neglect and mishandling of medications). My siblings and I knew the “who,” we knew the “how/where,” and we felt like the doctor “betrayed her trust.” We, like the disciples, were filled with grief, but we were also filled with anger.

But let’s look at something very closely in these predictions: In Matthew 16 Peter attempted to criticize Jesus for speaking the truth and he was immediately admonished by Jesus (Matthew 16:23). Perhaps that exchange contributed to their response when Jesus predicts his death the second time?

Maybe it’s just me, but when I look at those predictions closely, my take-away is that sometimes the right response to death is simply grief.

When we learned about my Mother’s neglect (and we had proof), we were so angry. Initially, we did want that doctor to pay for his careless mistakes, but we chose not to handle it through the courts. Instead, our wise older sister took the proof directly to that doctor and placed in his hands. We gave him the guilt and we walked away from it, because it wasn’t our burden to bear.  Our decision to take that path gave us the freedom to simply grieve our loss and rejoice in the truth that she was with Jesus. This was such good news for our bruised hearts!

Which brings me to most amazing thing about both predictions from Jesus. The disciples didn’t ask Jesus what he meant when he said in BOTH predictions:

“on the third day he would be raised from the dead.”

How could they have missed hearing this piece of the prediction? This is good news! Why? Because the sacrifice Jesus made—to die for us—is absolutely the greatest gift and act of love we will ever be given, and we are free to receive it! When Jesus shed his blood for us, he covered ALL our sins as the final and perfect sacrifice! When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we freely receive the gift of everlasting life.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT

Eternal life begins when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. As believers in Christ, our lives continue with God after our physical death. That means when I die, I will be reunited with my Mother! I know that she will be so proud of us for surrendering our anger and for not adopting bitterness about her death. We will celebrate together that we chose to grieve, yes, but most importantly, to rejoice in her new life with Jesus.

So, how do we earn this gift of eternal life (salvation)? We can’t!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

We can freely receive this gift simply by surrendering our hearts to Jesus:

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

Another piece of good news is receiving this gift of salvation has nothing to do with our sin, because Jesus tells us that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). If your response is ‘you don’t know what I have done,’ well, look at what God says about that:

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV

When Jesus died, he died once to break the power of sin in our lives.  Once we surrender our hearts to Jesus the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts and we are no longer slaves to our sins. We can repent, meaning we can turn away from those sins, with the power of Jesus that lives in us!

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11

Why indeed, didn’t the disciples ask Jesus about that amazing piece of good news? Are you ready to receive that good news and surrender your heart to Jesus?

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Closing Prayer: Father, I am so sorry it’s taken me awhile to embrace the good news that Jesus offered amid the hard news about his death. I thank you for your patience and faithfulness to wait on me as I struggled with those old memories until I was reminded of our victory in You!! Father, I pray for the eyes reading these words–dictated to my heart by You–will surrender their heart to Jesus and receive that gift of eternal life. Thank you for the security of everlasting life because my heart belongs to You. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word: Then Jesus Said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

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My Thoughts: Sometimes help doesn’t come unless you ask. Walking back through Matthew for strength.

“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8

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Closing Prayer: Father, I thank you for the reminder that we need to continue to look in your word for the answers we seek when we are in over our head. I’m making my way back to you, LORD, and I am so grateful that you are always there waiting for me. Lord, thank you for taking my worries so my mind is at ease. Thank you for the promise that no matter what I walk through today you are with me. When the dark words are rained down in bitterness today, give me your precious words of praise to stop them before they damage my heart and mind. I belong to you LORD and not to the darkness that wants to steal me and throw me in the pit. I am not hopeless, I have hope because I am yours. In the name of Jesus clothe me today in your promises. Amen

Thy Word:

At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:14-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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My Thoughts: Today we see Jesus exhibit a bit of frustration with his disciples because their lack of faith kept them from healing this boy. Have we ever been guilty of doing the same thing? (Ummmm, I have….)

My year has been filled with a collection of hard things. I’ve had a feeling of constantly walking uphill. As the year progresses the hill seems to get steeper because I barely get through one thing and here comes another. Singularly most of these issues aren’t awful, but all together it feels like my shoulder is pushing against a wall. I have a feeling the father of this young boy felt the same when the disciples were unable to help heal his son.

Usually, when hard stuff comes, I lean into Jesus and read the Bible looking for answers and direction. Then I journal what I learn and what the Lord says to me. I’m still reading the Bible, although not consistently, and recently, I stopped journaling. This is not good for me because staying on track in the word and writing helps me track my journey and understand what the Lord is saying with more clarity.

I’ve allowed fatigue, confusion, and frustration about some issues cause me to behave like those disciples; as if they can’t be resolved by faith. Let me explain.

First: a beloved family member* is facing health issues that have left us both tired, frustrated, and perplexed as we seek answers for a somewhat frightening diagnosis. We started this journey in July and although we have a lot of information there are still missing pieces from the puzzle so we ‘hurry up and wait’ for the next doctor visit hoping they may have answers. Every stay at the hospital or visit to a different doctor has been somewhat enlightening but, in the end, they just tell us to go to another specialist. It feels like we are digging a trench with a spoon in order to get through the information and we still don’t have answers! It has been stressful.

Another issue that has frustrated and challenged me is a new twist to an old health issue that also came on in July. I suffer from osteoarthritis, but I manage it well with a team of doctors and responsible decisions (not always, but I try!). I was told early on that “motion is lotion” therefore I walk consistently. This year I intentionally focused on eating more sensibly and reducing portions to manage my weight which also helps lessen pain and pressure on my joints. Osteoarthritis is not life threatening, but it is life altering and can be painful. What has distressed me the most about the disease is that it progresses despite my positive efforts! Now I must balance management of this new treatment for pain with my other treatments for pain. Ugh!

Both situations have one thing in common: they are stressing me out!

Healthline has a lot to say about the effects of stress on the body, but what hit me square in the face was that some symptoms of chronic stress include irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, and insomnia. Good grief, I’ve had every one of these symptoms lately, therefore, I can clearly see that stress is making my problem(s) worse!

In addition, I find myself having conflicted reactions/responses to my problems. One day I fall back into old habits of pushing away from the Lord, the next day I’m reading a dozen different devotions or playing Bible roulette! I know what the answer is so what is wrong with me?

The apostle Paul also struggled with conflicting reactions:

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Romans‬ ‭7:15, 19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is a battle waging inside of me and my responses look exactly like these confusing verses from Paul! However, before we get discouraged let’s look at what happens next in our story: the disciples talk to Jesus.

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” Matthew‬ ‭17:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Talking to Jesus is a critical part of getting through our hard things! While I have been asking questions and many also begin with “why,” my questions give the impression that I believe my life should be less stressful, or perhaps I don’t deserve these problems.

What???

I’m embarrassed because I would never verbalize my questions that way, but that’s what they imply when I really look at them! Jesus never told us our lives would be perfect or easy! In fact, Jesus said:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NLT‬

The most important question I should be asking myself is “Cecilia, why in the world are you focusing more on the problem(s) than the solution(s)?” Maybe because I am afraid the solution isn’t exactly what I wanted, but what if I remember the journey could bring a better answer in the long run? What if I make the same important decision the disciples made? What if I just ask Jesus and get back to focusing on my faith?

Jesus was very candid with the disciples by telling them plainly that the real problem was a lack of faith. Then he immediately followed that truth with hope:

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew‬ ‭17:20‬ ‭NLT

Jesus gave his life for me so that I can be free from the bondage of my sins, including the sin of wrongful or destructive thinking (stress). The battles I face do not have to be faced alone because the Lord says he will fight for me.

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus‬ ‭14:14‬ ‭NLT

In addition, I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus! I did not surrender to:
1. Pride, because I don’t want to admit to a new health issue
2. Guilt and lies about my sins, because I am forgiven
3. Worry or stress, because neither ever solve a problem
4. Hopelessness, because Jesus is my hope!

“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” Psalms‬ ‭39:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for reminding me that my faith is in you which gives me the resolve to get back into your Word. Thank you for showing me when I said “yes” to you I can overcome any lie and put that truth in writing! Thank you for the reminder that I can do everything through You because You are my strength. I especially thank You for the reminder that some hard things, the ones that are breaking my heart, could be the very thing that leads to You. I surrender my heart, my worries, my stress, and my will for Your perfect will, Lord.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world [Cecilia], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV

Amen!

(*Side note: if you have seniors in your family who are experiencing changes in their health which require medical care, I hope they have an advocate! I truly believe we would not have gotten as far as we have with these physicians without my persistence because my family member is 87 years old. This is not me tooting my own horn, this is me telling you our seniors are often ignored in the healthcare system because of their age!)

Thy Word:

The Transfiguration

Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials —one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.

As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:1-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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My Thoughts: Let’s begin by looking at the definition of the transfiguration from the Merriam Webster dictionary:

Transfiguration-a change in form or appearance. An exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change.

Webster’s Dictionary from 1828 says almost the same thing but adds the specific event:

Transfiguration-a change of form; particularly, the supernatural change in the personal appearance of our Savior on the mount.

The transfiguration was a vision, a brief glimpse of the glory of the King as stated in the verses we just studied:

“For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” Matthew 16:27-28 NLT

This was a special revelation of Jesus’ divinity to three of the disciples, Peter, James and John. It was God’s announcement of everything Jesus had done and was about to do, and an open conversation between God, Jesus, and the prophets Moses and Elijah. These disciples were a witness to this glorious event.

Moses and Elijah were two of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah. Together their presence confirmed the mission of Jesus: the fulfillment of the law and the words of God’s prophets. God’s voice affirmed Jesus as his Son, and his love and pleasure for all that Jesus had done up to this point.

Can you even imagine what it would be like to be present at this glorious event? I simply cannot and if God had given me that opportunity, I know that my servant’s heart would have been just a confused as Peter’s! Instead of worshipping and adoring the Lord and what was happening, I would most likely repeat Peter’s behavior. He wanted to “do” something instead of just listening and learning. What a strong reminder that closing our mouths and opening our heart to listen and learn is vastly more important than allowing one word to escape our lips!

We all must understand that Jesus Christ is more just than a great leader, more than a prophet, more than a good example for our own lives; He is the Son of God! Have you taken the time to answer the previous questions from my past blogs about Jesus? Have you surrendered your heart to him as your Lord and Savior? The Bible constantly reminds us the time is drawing near for the return of Jesus and we must be prepared! I beg you to please search your heart and seek Jesus! Early in Matthew we were told if we truly seek Jesus, we will find him!

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone, who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 NLT

Won’t you please truly seek the answers? My heart cannot stand the thought of one day in heaven without you.

Jesus ends this glorious event by asking his disciples to keep what they saw to themselves. He knows they don’t fully understand all that they have seen and heard.

I find myself in this same position as the disciples some days. I don’t always fully understand what is happening, especially if a situation is tragic. Therefore, silence and prayer are often my best response.

When I pray and tell God my heart, I remember that he knows all, sees all, and nothing is a surprise to him. Eventually, while I wait and trust in the Lord, my faith grows, and I find comfort. In a world where we have knowledge instantly available to us with a few simple keystrokes, waiting and trusting can be a difficult, but rewarding, act of obedience.

Although Jesus knows his disciples are confused, he shows no frustration towards them when they try to discern what just happened by asking questions about what they had learned from teachers of the Old Testament that Elijah must come before the Messiah comes (see verse below). Jesus tells them that Elijah had already come but he was not recognized.

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.” Malachi 4:5 NLT

The disciple’s eyes are suddenly opened, and they see that indeed Elijah had come but through John the Baptist. In that moment they knew they were in the presence of the Messiah.

The day will come when we will all kneel before the returning Messiah. I ask you again, are you ready? Don’t you want to know and understand the Messiah as the disciples did in that moment? Have you truly asked for understanding? Because when you do, you will receive the greatest gift you can ever even imagine.

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Closing Prayer: Father God, I pray that the hearts of many will read this blog today and surrender their hearts to you. My heart cries and longs for my loved ones to surrender their heart to you now so they can benefit from the blessing you generously give to your followers. Father I pray if there is confusion, or if there is a need for someone to understand you more, they diligently ask, seek, and knock by reaching out to their local church, or to a man or woman who has a relationship with you. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word:

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Matthew 16:21-28 NLT

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My Thoughts: I just love Peter, don’t you? Sometimes I find myself acting just like him; I speak when I should be silent, or I pronounce judgement when I have no idea what I’m talking about! In our last lesson Peter had just proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah, but here he attempts to protect Jesus from suffering by denying what Jesus says will happen.

Jesus rebukes Peter immediately and says something harsh:

“Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Were you as stunned to hear those words from Jesus as I was? I find myself in Peter’s shoes confused and dismayed. Why were those words of kindness rejected by Jesus as if he believed it were Satan himself talking?

My study Bible tells me that we are to be cautious of advice from a friend whose only goal may be to encourage or protect us from discomfort. The temptation might be to walk away from a situation God had called us to do, especially if we think it might be unpleasant.

Also, we know in this world we will have suffering because we are warned by Jesus himself!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

Peter was only considering the words Jesus spoke from a human perspective which left God out of the picture. That was why Jesus rebuked the words that Peter spoke.

Satan is so conniving and cunning!

As slippery as the slope of sin is for us, it’s encouraging to know that Jesus loved Peter so much he eventually used him in a mighty way despite his failures. That gives me hope I will be used for the Kingdom too! I am aware of how easily I can be deceived if I am not spending time with the Lord and praying. My prayer right this moment is that we all remember when we read the Bible, we are putting on an armor of protection to open our eyes and heart to the wily ways of Satan!

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT

(To read more about the Armor of God read Ephesians 6:10-18)

Jesus then speaks very plainly to his disciples when he tells them if you want to follow me you will have to give up your own ways and follow mine, which included carrying a cross. When Jesus used this illustration, the disciples knew exactly what he was saying because crucifixion was a common method of execution for the Romans. A condemned criminal had to carry their own cross through the streets to the execution site.

If. Such a big word with only two letters! Even now, with the disciple’s commitment to give up their livelihood and their families, Jesus gives them another difficult choice to make: are you committed enough to follow me even though it will surely include persecution and possibly even death?

We have had some tough questions thrown at us from Jesus in our last few lessons: (1) will we believe in him even if we never witness a miracle of amazing proportions, (2) who do we believe Jesus is, and now (3) are we committed enough to Jesus to follow him even though it will not be easy?

My study Bible says this about a true commitment to Jesus:

“Real discipleship implies real commitment—pledging our whole existence to his service. When we give our lives in service to Christ, we discover the real purpose of living.”

The day came when I knew that my life no longer belonged just to me, it belonged fully and completely to Christ. Immediately my commitment improved some relationships in my life and others became more difficult. As much as that breaks my heart, I will not back down from my decision to follow Christ in true commitment. Do I stumble? Oh, yes, I do. But I pick myself up, I dust off the remnants and pain of sin—with the full forgiveness of Christ—and I get right back on the path again.

Have you made a commitment to Christ too? Then what ‘say ye’ about this new question of commitment? Are you willing to go all the way with Jesus even though it means you are accepting a life of hardship and potentially even death?

Here is a big reality if you find yourself waffling about making this decision: see John 16:33 from above! You will have troubles anyway! You will die eventually (the current statistics are one out of one human’s die!) so whose side will you be on when you face troubles and death?

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 NIV

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Closing Prayer: Father God, this post may seem harsh to the eyes of some and I pray if this happens you do a mighty work in their hearts. Father I recommit my heart and my life to you this day and I pray that I am not only an obedient servant but a mighty warrior for the Kingdom. Open my eyes to the wiles of the evil one so that I do not fall into temptation and turn from the path that you have called me to live for you. I pray for those I love, Father, to surrender their hearts and lives to you and walk with you in eternal life and victory. This is my hearts cry forever more. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Thy Word:

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”

Matthew 16:13-20 NLT

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My Thoughts: In my last blog we asked ourselves an important question:

“… would we really believe that Jesus is who he says he is even if we witnessed a miracle?”

With or without the benefit of a miracle, Jesus now takes our relationship with him to an even deeper level. He wonders if we know what the people around us say about him. Many thought Jesus was a prophet or a prophet who was raised from the dead. I myself have heard people say that Jesus is nothing more than a prophet.

In spite of the disciples response to his first question Jesus ignores what they tell him and asks what I believe is the single most important question any of us will ever answer:

“But who do you say I am?”

The first time I ever heard about Jesus was when I was seven years old at Vacation Bible School. Unfortunately, although a teacher’s comment was meant to be sweet and encouraging it wasn’t true. That remark hurt me and made me believe that Jesus didn’t like me or my family. During that week of study I learned enough truth about Jesus that I believed in him, I was just mad at him for about 40 years! (Details are in my July 2018 blog titled “The Power of Words” part 1 and part 2.)

I think when children have a misunderstanding about Jesus it is especially heartbreaking for our LORD. I can say that during those angry years Jesus never stopped trying to present himself properly to me and he was always gentle. My refusal to accept those truths was not a reflection of Jesus it was simply evidence of my sin of stubbornness, something that continues to be a struggle for me.

Overall, it’s an important reminder to all of us that we need to be careful what we say.

On the flip side, when a child is properly introduced to Jesus they often express a clear, yet simple understanding about who He is and how much they love Him. That child is oftentimes the very reason their parents come to know and love Jesus too. I’m pretty sure I can say with confidence this brings joy to the Lord!

I think the reason so many adults struggle today with Jesus is we make the answer to our question way too complicated. The late Billy Graham knew even the most educated and knowledgeable man/woman really only needed to understand the basics about who Jesus is and what He represents to gain the ultimate prize: salvation which results in everlasting life. His messages reflected the simplicity of Peter’s words in our verses:

Who do you say I am: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

What Peter gained when he understood the answer: Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Because Peter and the disciples walked with Jesus they came to know and love Him, and most important they knew He was the Messiah. Today our belief is based on faith, the words left for us in the Bible, or shared with us by other believers. Some of my favorite verses that express who Jesus is to me are:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NLT

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

“All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.” 1 John 4:15 NLT

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

The reason I love these verses so much is they validate what I believe about Jesus. They tell me Jesus is the Son of God, He died for my sins so that I can have salvation, God raised Him from the dead three days later, and He made this sacrifice because He loves me.

Although, there is nothing complicated about these truths, we like to make things complicated, especially when it comes to love. We attach all kinds of strings to love. “I’ll love you if…..” or “If you love me you will…” we fill in the “dots” with all sorts of conditions. But because of His perfect love, God asked his perfect son, Jesus, to die for all sinners, because of His love for us; there were no conditions, no fill in the blanks, no dots.

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 NLT

There isn’t a single person in this world that deserves the love of God because there isn’t a single day that goes by that we don’t sin! So why should I be so quick to set conditions on my love when Jesus freely gave His unconditionally?

Recently I was faced with a difficult situation and I knew my best response was little or no response until I took it to the LORD first. His reply was quick: ‘Amazing Grace.’

Immediately that song began to flow through my mind:

Amazing grace, How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, But now I’m found, Was blind, but now I see!

I didn’t need to go beyond the first verse of this iconic song before I completely understood what the Lord was telling me!

• Cecilia, it hasn’t been that long since you were a wretched unsaved sinner.
• You once were lost on roads that led to one depraved sin after another, but I came and found you and rescued you.
• You once were blind to your sins! You were even ridiculous enough to believe you had gone days without sinning at one time [see previous blog].

Oh my, my, my. Gently and lovingly again my Lord reminded me that I am and continue to be a sinner but through it all, he saved me and he forgives me.

What hit me the hardest were the words ‘now I see.’ I know perfectly well when I sin because Jesus has given me eyes to see, however, someone who remains blind cannot see at all. That’s when my love and grace should kick in and be extended to those who are blind, just like Jesus did for me.

A few years ago, I felt a tug in my heart to extend an invitation to those I love to join me and my husband for the upcoming Easter service. Most declined, but to my surprise one said they would love to go then added this:

I don’t mind going to church for Easter or Christmas because I see it as my get out of hell free card.

Beloved, there truly is only one way to get out of hell free and it is through Jesus Christ! Going to church, being good, helping your fellow man or any other act that you perform will not save you from an eternity in hell, only salvation through Jesus Christ will give you everlasting life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NLT

I pray that something in my blog today has tugged at your heart and helped you understand that having a relationship with Jesus Christ is a lot simpler that you may have originally thought. I pray that you ask yourself today:

“Who do I say Jesus Christ is?”

The time to keep quiet about Jesus has gone! As a believer the last thing Jesus said to us before he left the world was this:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NLT

I pray with all my heart that your answer is you have a desire to surrender your heart and life to Jesus today! If that is true, would you pray this with me?

• Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness for my sins.
• Please forgive me.
• Lord, I believe in my heart that you are the son of God, born of a virgin, and you died on the cross for my sins.
• I believe that after three days you were raised from the dead and you now sit at the right hand of God.
• Father thank you for the free gift of your forgiveness through Jesus Christ so that I now have everlasting life with you and the family of believers. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God and to everlasting life! I pray that you will join a Bible believing church and surround yourself with like-minded believers to help you as you learn to develop a relationship with Jesus.

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Closing Prayer:  Father God, thank you for the words and the courage to write this special message today and I pray that hearts are changed for the Kingdom of God. My soul hears the sound of a clock ticking and the pendulum swinging which says “the time is near” for your return. I pray earnestly that all believers extend the hand of grace so that many more come to know You. Father we are Your witnesses and Warriors and with Your almighty strength and courage may we confidently share this message with those who are blind. Let it be so. Amen.

Thy Word:

The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

So he left them and departed. When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:1-12 ESV

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My Thoughts: Our new chapter starts with a frustrated group of religious leaders demanding that Jesus prove he is who he said he is by showing them a sign in the sky, or from the heavens. Although this was something Jesus could easily do, he continued to refuse to produce miracles on demand.

Miracles…, what a touchy subject and I may be about to step on some toes.

I have had multiple people ask me (since I became a believer) why Jesus no longer performs miracles on earth. They aren’t talking about what they consider to be small miracles, but rather the ‘parting of the Red Sea’ type of miracle. I find it interesting that most of these skeptics have used this same example (with me) of the type of miracle they want to see. They affirm they simply cannot believe until they see the proof of such a magnificent miracle themselves.

Let’s begin by taking a quick look at the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. This occurs in the book of Exodus when God tells Moses he will be using him to set the Israelite’s free from oppression, tyranny, and slavery handed down by the Egyptians. Before the Red Sea is parted for the Israelite’s to cross and escape from the Egyptians, there were multiple plagues that caused horrible destruction and a lot of people died! After the Israelite’s crossed the sea, the wall of water collapsed and a lot of Egyptians died. If we look at what are considered other big miracles in the Bible I think we will see tyranny and destruction precedes or follows them as well.

Therefore, if Jesus responded to every request to see a Red Sea miracle or just a big miracle, aren’t we really asking for our world to be in a situation of chaos and oppression just so we can say we witnessed a miracle of this magnitude?

Do you know what really boggles my mind? If you read the entire account of Exodus, you will find that although God performs big miracles multiple times for his people, the Israelite’s were still very skeptical. While God is still leading them by a cloud in the daytime and a fire by night, something they witnessed on a daily basis with their own eyes, they went back to worshiping idols and even asked several times to be returned to their old lives as slaves!

So, that being said…, would we really believe Jesus is who he says he is if we witnessed a big miracle today? I wonder?

Besides, who of us can really say that big miracles aren’t occurring every day? Do we truly know what is going on in every teeny tiny place in the world? Do we really believe that God is going to have someone standing by at the ready to snap pictures just to prove to us there are miracles happening every day? Are we really that arrogant?

Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Listen, these questions are directed to me as much as they are to skeptics. In my last blog I confessed that I had to get back to the basics of remembering who Jesus is and what he has done in my own life. I will boldly tell you that I’ve experienced and been blessed to see miracles more than once since I became a believer. Those miracles may not seem big to you, but they are to me! Yet I’ve wavered in my faith, I’ve allowed hard things to bring me down, and I’ve even wondered if God hears my prayers because I’ve been praying the same prayer every day for nineteen years.

When I look at these religious leaders demanding to see a miracle, I remind myself of some things we’ve seen about their character throughout the book of Matthew. They really never cared about the miracles that Jesus did, they simply felt threatened by Jesus. They did not like that he was changing the foundation of what they believed because it threatened their livelihood.

But Jesus came for that very reason; so we no longer have to have an intercessory (religious leader) to approach God. We are no longer yoked by all the archaic sacrificial laws to receive forgiveness. Jesus died once for all and Jesus is the final and perfect sacrifice!

So why do we have to see a miracle? What is the basis of our real issue(s) that caused us to require a miracle before we believe? I pray that we all examine our own hearts to find out what is really going on and more than that, seek answers to our questions. However, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Meaning, do the real research; don’t just ask like-minded people to get the answers you want.

“Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:12 ESV

Finally, what if I told you that it doesn’t really matter if you believe the Red Sea parted to allow anyone to cross over, or if Jonah was swallowed by a whale and spit out after three days? What really matters is this:

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV

Believing these verses in your heart is the real miracle and sometimes when it happens it is a huge miracle!

This is what I hope you spend your time learning, understanding, and ultimately believing. Because if you don’t, that means that I won’t be with you in heaven and I can’t even conceive of that possibility. It’s what keeps me praying the same prayer every night and what keeps me from giving up:

“I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Genesis 17:2

That might not mean anything to you but it is everything to me; it’s a covenant between me and God and I know exactly what He meant when He said it to me nineteen years ago. It’s the hope that keeps me praying the same prayer willingly, every night…, for you.

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Closing Prayer: Father God, I pray that I honored you today with My Thoughts. When you began to unfold where we were going with Thy Words yesterday I wept for the potential persecution, but my goal is to honor and glorify You above anything else. I ask for Your forgiveness when I fail You. Father I pray there are many eyes that read this blog and I pray they ask themselves what is holding them back from surrendering their hearts to You. I pray Father that the hearts of those I love, the very ones that I pray for each and every night, surrender to you and receive that assurance of forgiveness and everlasting life. I pray this in the precious and holy name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.