THE BRIDGE KEEPER

THE BRIDGE KEEPER

I posted the following story before, however it is so powerful that it bears repetition.  Enjoy and be blessed by the knowledge that God’s grace and mercy is always so powerful and prevalent in our lives.

There was once a bridge which spanned a large river.  During most of the day the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river parallel with the banks, allowing ships to pass through freely on both sides of the bridge.  But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross it.

A switchman always sat in the small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place so trains could cross safely.  One evening while the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to cross, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train lights.  He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was within the prescribed distance when he would turn the bridge.  As he turned the bridge into position, to his horror he found that the locking mechanism did not work.  If the bridge was not secured in position it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train crossed over it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river.  These passenger train always had many people aboard.  

He left his customary position and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever switch he could use to operate the lock manually.  He would need to hold the lever back firmly in place while the train crossed.  As he heard the rumble of the train, he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his body weight against it, securely locking the bridge.  He kept applying all the pressure he could muster to keep the mechanism locked.  So many lives depended on this one man’s strength.

Just then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold.  “Daddy, where are you?”  His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.  His first impulse was to cry out to the child, “Run! Run!”  But the train was much too close and his tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left his lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety.  But he realized that he could not get back to the lever in time.  Either all the people on the train or his little son must die.  In one agonizing moment, he made his decision.

As the train sped safely and swiftly on its way, no one onboard was aware of the tiny broken body that had been thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train.  Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing switchman, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed.  They did not see him walking home, more slowly than he had ever walked, to tell his wife how their son had died so tragically.

If you can somehow wrap your head around the powerful emotions that overwhelmed that man’s heart, you will begin to understand the feelings of OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN when He sacrificed HIS SON to bridge the gap between us and eternal life.  Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when HIS SON died on Calvary?  And how does He feel when we speed along through life without giving serious thought to what He has done for us through JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON?

JESUS CHRIST is THE LAMB OF GOD (John 1:29) and THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

John 10:11-16 (New King James Version)

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  ¹² But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  ¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  ¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  ¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”

HE is both the Bridge Keeper and The Son, and how great is His everlasting love manifested so freely and fully toward us.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

JESUS STOPS BY

JESUS STOPS BY

Ruth looked at the envelope again.  There was no stamp or postmark, only her name and address on the outside.  She read the letter one more time…

Dear Ruth,

I will be in your neighborhood Saturday evening, and I’ll stop by for a visit.

Love Always,

Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table.  “Why would the Lord want to visit me?  I’m nobody special.  I don’t have anything at all to offer,” she thought.

Then Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.  “Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer.  I’ll have to run to the store and buy something for dinner.”

She reached for her purse and counted its contents.  Seven dollars and forty cents was all she had.  “Well, at least I can get some bread and cold cuts” she thought.  And throwing on her coat, she went scurrying out of the door.

When Ruth bought a loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey and a carton of milk, she was left with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday.  Nonetheless, she felt satisfied as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked carefully under her arm.

“Hey lady, can you help us?”  Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans that she hadn’t noticed two figures huddled in the hallway.  It was a man and a woman, both dressed in little more than rags.

“Look lady, I ain’t got no job and me and my wife been living on the street.  It’s cold and we’re awfully hungry, and well, if you could help us lady, we’d really appreciate it.”

Ruth looked at them both.  They were dirty and unkempt, but she felt that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.  “Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself.  All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread.  I have an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving it to HIM.”

“O.K. lady, we understand.  Thanks anyway.”  The man put his arm around his wife’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the street.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.  She cried, “Wait!”  The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.  “Look, you can take this food.  I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.”  She handed her grocery bag to the man.

“Thank you, lady!  Thank you very much!”  Shivering in the cold, the man’s wife chimed in, “Yes, thank you!”

“You know, I’ve got another coat at home.  Here, please take this one.”  Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders.  Smiling she turned toward home – without her coat and with nothing at all to serve for her special guest.  “Thank you, lady!  Thank you very much,” they called after her.

Ruth was chilled to the bone by the time she reached her front door, and really worried too.  The Lord was coming to visit and she still didn’t have anything to offer him.  She fumbled through her purse for the door key.  As she did so, she noticed another envelope in her driveway.  “That’s odd,” she thought.  “The mailman doesn’t come here twice in one day.”  She took the envelope inside and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again.  Thank you for the lovely meal and the warm coat.

Love Always,

Jesus

The winter night was bitter cold and Ruth had little to eat, but she hardly noticed it.

Matthew 25:37-40

Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of min, you did it for me.”

Serve…

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

OUR FOREVER GIFT

OUR FOREVER GIFT

According to the APOSTLE OF LOVE, the gospel writer John, our HEAVENLY FATHER loved us so much that He quite willingly “gave his only begotten SON” that, believing on Him, we would have eternal and abundant life. (John 3:16 – John 10:10)

Centuries before Christ’s advent, the EAGLE-EYE PROPHET, Isaiah, foretold His coming:

Isaiah 9:6 (New King James Version)

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As the CHILD that was BORN, he was fully MAN.  As the SON that was GIVEN, He was fully GOD.

As the CHILD that was born, He experienced hunger, thirst, pain, loneliness, illness, isolation, indifference, sorrow, and even death.

As the SON that was given, HE IS The Living Bread, The Water of Life, The Great Physician, The Burden Bearer, The Friend of Sinners, The Comforter, The Resurrection and The Life.

During this Advent season, we should celebrate the CHILD and the SON by fully embracing and sharing the good news about THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL…JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD and THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.   He belongs to us and we belong to Him, henceforth, now and evermore.  Amen!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

NOEL: THE SIGNFICANCE OF THE SEASON

NOEL: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEASON

The French word “NOEL” is derived from the Latin root, “natalis,” which means BIRTHDAY.  When capitalized, it is synonymous with the angelic heralding of yuletide or CHRISTMAS.  This term came into popular usage when “The First Noel” was penned during the 18th century by an unknown English composer. Its joyous lyrics are perennially familiar to us.

The first Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel!

Nevertheless, as we reflect upon our contemporary celebrations of Christmas, the central message of the divine incarnation and redemptive birth of Jesus Christ is noticeably absent.

Our focus seems to be on the festivities: food, parties, gatherings with family and friends, or the exchanging of gifts.  The result is a time of tremendous emotional upheaval and widespread depression (even suicide) for many, especially those who lack sufficient resources to fulfill the more mundane and material expectations of this festive season.  The gospel of Jesus Christ becomes virtually sidelined by our cultural and customary traditions.  We believers silently ask ourselves: “Should this be?”

Another question is begged: “Is it logical (or even possible) to remove JESUS CHRIST from Christmas?”  I think not.  After all, HE IS THE ONE who voluntarily disrobed Himself of the eternal splendors of Heaven and entered a fallen and finite world system that is dominated by insidious quests for fortune, fame and power.  Jesus Christ, alone, is the Savior of our world.  The scriptures testify of His matchless and miraculous gift to humankind:

Psalm 40:6-8
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, LO, I COME: IN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Isaiah 9:6
FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

John 1:11-12
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, even to them that believe on HIS NAME:

Because of the victorious life, vicarious suffering and vital atonement of JESUS CHRIST, we are free forever from the power, practice, penalty and guilt of sin.  

HALLELUJAH…WHAT A SAVIOR!

Romans 8:1-4
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in CHRIST JESUS, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Bottom-line: JESUS PAID IT ALL!  So, in this season (and always) we thank you, JESUS, for your timely birth, your sinless life, your substitutionary death, your victorious resurrection and your marvelous legacy of spiritual power, life and peace that has been eternally bequeathed to us.  We pledge to remember the real reason for this season and we will collectively celebrate OUR GREATEST GIFT with unbounded joy.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

LIGHTS NEEDED

LIGHTS NEEDED

One cold day in December, a Christian gentleman was walking down a Chicago street.  He noticed that someone had thrown a handful of bird seed on the ground to nourish the sparrows who were now experiencing the cruel cold of winter.  Dozens and dozens of sparrows had come (seemingly out of nowhere) to enjoy their unexpected feast.  

This man edged closer to enjoy the satisfying sight of God’s creatures being fed.  But as he approached, the birds became anxious.  Another step forward, and they prepared to flee.  Two more steps, and they all flew away, leaving their winter banquet behind.

The man stopped and considered what had happened.  Why had the sparrows scattered when he had no evil intentions toward them?  Then it dawned on him.  It was not his intentions, but his bodily presence that had so frightened them.  He was so big in comparison to the tiny sparrows, and the only way he could have walked among those birds without scaring them would be to somehow assume their own characteristics. 

If only he could become a sparrow for a while, the man thought.  He could be close and he could communicate.

Isn’t this a clear picture of THE INCARNATION?  God’s righteousness loomed so large and humankind’s sins and shortcomings caused us to seem so very small.  Nevertheless, “God SO loved the world” that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, i.e. to become “Emmanuel,’” God with us, and ultimately to endure our shame, our sin, our pain and our judgment. (John 3:16 – Matthew 1:23 – Romans 5:19)

We existed in absolute darkness until “the light of the world” drew nigh to us and forever redeemed us from the curse of sin and death. (John 8:12) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) 

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Now, it is our turn; it is our task to BECOME THE LIGHT and to shine brightly in the darkness of this world system, especially into the lives of those persons whom God has positioned in close proximity to you. (Philippians 2:15 – Matthew 5:16) 

SHINE.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

ONE NEVER KNOWS

ONE NEVER KNOWS

If anyone of you are tempted to feel sad or depressed during this Christmas season due to a lack of adequate resources or the absence or loss of a loved one, you must read and share the following story written by an unknown author.  It will surely inspire and bless you.

A pastor and his wife were given their first assignment, to reopen a church in Brooklyn, New York.  They arrived in early October, thrilled beyond measure to be entering this very exciting ministry opportunity.  However, as they entered the church, their enthusiasm faded because they found the building to be run down and in dire need of restoration and repairs.  But right then and there, they set a goal to have all the necessary work done in time to have their first worship service on Christmas Eve.

They worked diligently, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18th they were well ahead of schedule, just about finished with their daunting task.  Nevertheless, on December 19th a stormy tempest hit the area and lasted for two full days.

On the 21st of December, the pastor went over to inspect the edifice.  His heart sank when he discovered that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary, just behind the pulpit.  The pastor swept up the mess on the floor.  Not knowing what else to do, he headed homeward, planning to postpone their first service.   On the way home he noticed a local business sponsoring a flea market for charity, so he decided to stop by.

One of the items on sale was a beautiful, hand-made, ivory colored, crochet table cloth.  It was truly an exquisite work of art, with striking colors and an ornate cross embroidered at the center.  The new pastor thought, ‘It is just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall of the sanctuary!’  So he bought it and quickly headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow.  An older woman hurried from the opposite direction, trying to catch a passing bus, but she missed it.  The pastor invited her to wait inside the warm sanctuary for the next bus, which was due to arrive 45 minutes later.  The grateful woman sat in a pew and paid little attention to the pastor while he gathered a ladder and wall hangers to mount the gorgeous tablecloth as a church tapestry.  The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and how perfectly it covered the entire problem area.  Just then, he noticed the woman walking slowly down the center aisle, wearing a shocked facial expression.

“Pastor,” she inquired, “Where…where…did you get that tablecloth?”

The pastor related the story of his recent purchase.  The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials “EBG” were present there, and they were.  These were actually the initials of that very woman, who had made the tablecloth herself 35 years previously while living in Austria.

The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.  When the Nazis arrived, her husband sent her to safety, and planned to follow the next week.  Unfortunately, she was captured, detained in a camp, and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor offered to give her the tablecloth, but she insisted that he keep it for the church.  He said “Then I will drive you home; that is the least I can do.”  The woman lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day doing a housecleaning job.

Christmas Eve arrived, and what a wonderful service they had!  The church was practically full, and the Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of all who attended.  At the close of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many people promised to return often.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews with a blank stare on his face, and the pastor wondered why he did not leave with all the rest.  The man asked, “Where did you get the tablecloth on the front wall?  It is identical to one my wife made years ago when we lived in Austria before the war.  Could there be two tablecloths so much alike?”

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for safety with plans to follow her, but then he was arrested and placed in a concentration camp.  He never saw his wife or his home again for all the 35 years in between.

The pastor smiled inwardly and asked the gentleman if he would accompany him on a ride.  They drove to Staten Island, to the same building where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.  He helped the elderly man climb three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and saw the greatest Christmas reunion one could ever imagine!

What a miraculous story of the matchless grace and marvelous love of our God!  None of this heartwarming story would have been possible without the terrible storm and the resultant hole in the church sanctuary!  So often, our apparent 'storms' are simply divine appointments that ultimately bless us and others.  

In truth, ONE NEVER KNOWS what GOD has in store.  So…please…do not surrender to doubt or despair.  It is my prayer that your Christmas will be endowed with the fullness of peace and joy that is the life and legacy of OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

ENTONCES

ENTONCES

After studying the Spanish language for five years in junior and senior high school, one of the more memorable and significant words I learned is “entonces.”  It simply means then.  I like both the sound and the meaning of that word because it is a reminder that all of God’s promises are conditional.  We, as covenant people, have struck a solemn agreement with God, i.e. we will faithfully honor His Word and, in turn, He will surely fulfill His promises.  We have been afforded a powerful scriptural witness to this truth.

II Chronicles 7:14
IF my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN [entonces] will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

IF…THEN…

Think about it.  Our culture continues to deteriorate – morally, ethically, socially, financially and spiritually.  Nevertheless, whenever I hear Christians complaining and bemoaning over our current state of affairs, an unseen bubble mentally materializes overhead.  These words are inscribed within: “What are WE doing about our societal situation?”

IF…THEN…

IF believers would once more take hold of “the horns of the altar” of consecration, as Moses did, and sanctify it (and ourselves) with the precious blood of the covenant, we would rediscover the awesome power that so often lies dormant and invisible in our generation. (Leviticus 8:15) Obviously, God is not calling us again to animal sacrifices, as were honored and observed under the old covenant.  Rather, God is summoning us to become “living sacrifices,” absolutely willing to serve and secure His Kingdom and to thereby transform a challenging and compromising world system. (Romans 12:1-2)

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

In view of the above scriptures, every Christian’s THEN is actually right NOW.  Therefore, it is incumbent on us to be healed, unified, empowered and mobilized in this hour.  As such, we will seize every opportunity to become fully operational “POWER TOOLS” in the skillful hands of THE FATHER.  After all, within this present world system, GOD’S POWER IS ULTIMATELY ON DISPLAY IN US.  My friend, kindly embrace your THEN (right now) by faith in the Word He has declared about you before the foundation of the world.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!