BibleForums Christian Message Board - Blogs - Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/blog.php/20364-Cloudwalker A free online Christian Community. Active, moderated Christian Message Board. en Sat, 18 May 2013 15:26:55 GMT vBulletin 60 http://bibleforums.org/images/misc/rss.jpg BibleForums Christian Message Board - Blogs - Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/blog.php/20364-Cloudwalker Doors http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2930-Doors Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:38:25 GMT *DOORS* One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. The other day I was reading in one of his books. He was telling a story about a beggar that went up to a mansion to get some food and was sent around to the back. Every time the owner started...
DOORS

One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. The other day I was reading in one of his books. He was telling a story about a beggar that went up to a mansion to get some food and was sent around to the back. Every time the owner started to lead the beggar in pray the beggar would pray “Your Father which art in heaven.” When asked why the beggar said that if he prayed “Our Father” that would make them brothers and he didn’t think the Father would be pleased with him making his brother go around the back to get bread.

That got me thinking about doors. Particularly the doors in the house I grew up in. We had 2 doors in that house. The front door opened into a vestibule. As you entered, on your right was a closet and on the left was mom’s cedar chest with a large picture on the wall over it. This was the formal entrance to the house.

The back door, however, was different. When you entered that door right in front of you was the stairs down into the basement and up a couple steps on your left was the kitchen. You can tell a lot from the doors on a house. More importantly, you can tell much more about how people use those doors.

Growing up the only people that used the front door were strangers, usually salesmen. We never used the front door. It was always locked (the key hang on a nail right beside it). Whenever the bell rang we went to the door and had to unlock it before we opened it.

The back door was a very different story. That was the door we lived through. It was never locked. In fact, in the summer the main door was rarely even closed (this was in the days before air conditioning so it was better to leave the door open to get brease3s through the screen door).

Anybody who knew us came and went through the back door. The Milkman (back then milk was delivered to the home) stopped at the back door, and if mom or dad wasn’t home us kids would let him in and he would look in the refrigerator and leave what we needed.

Close friends didn’t even bother to knock. They just opened the door, yelled, “it’s me,” and came right on in. I lived in that house until my senior year in high school and I can never remember knocking on the door of my best friend’s house. I always went right in and he came into ours. Of course the family didn’t even bother to do that. We lived there and just went in and out as we pleased. And then there were those that came to stay for a while but not permanent residents. Those went to the back door and knocked the first time they came but afterwards, until they left, went in and out like family.

So the question becomes, what door does Christ use? Which of the doors of your life does Christ use? Is he family? Does come to the back door of your house and come right in without bothering to knock? Or does he come in and holler “it’s me” familiar enough not to have to knock but not really part of the family, and not living there? A frequent visitor, but a visitor none the less. Or is he treated like an extended guest, allowed to come and go as he pleases but knocking at first and never staying long? Or is he rather someone that comes from time to time but has to knock each time? Or is he relegated to the front door? Is he, rather, a stranger, waiting to be invited in for the first time?

It’s up to you what door Christ uses. He want’s to be a permanent resident, free to come and go as he pleases without asking, or even announcing his presence. But he will wait at the front door until you let him in. He longs to live with you, but he won’t force himself on you. He will wait until you ask him in. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2930-Doors Christmas A Time of Joy? http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2576-Christmas-A-Time-of-Joy Sat, 18 Dec 2010 23:15:17 GMT Christmas is almost here. People are bustling around trying to find that perfect gift. Choirs are working hard to prepare and preform their special music. Children work on memorizing lines for their special programs that will be watched eagerly by... Christmas is almost here. People are bustling around trying to find that perfect gift. Choirs are working hard to prepare and preform their special music. Children work on memorizing lines for their special programs that will be watched eagerly by family and friends, even though they have heard it all hundreds of times before. Radios play joyous Christmas music and congregations sing songs such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.”

But if you look beneath the surface you will find that not all is “calm and bright.” If you look at the faces of the people you will find that many where the smile seems pasted on, and not genuine. And often there is a darkness underneath the glitter of the season. And this darkness isn’t always touching that group of people that we euphemistically refer to as “them.” If you look you will find people that are touched by this darkness even among your friends. My friend Graceblest and her husband had to travel to be with his family just recently as his mother died. And I, myself, found myself in need of a shoulder to cry on. A coworker received some roses and it reminded me of all the times I bought a rose for my wife and I was reminded that I don’t have anyone to buy flowers for anymore. The tears still start as I think about this. And the statisticians tell us that the rate of suicides rises dramatically at this time of year. No, this isn’t a time of Joy for everyone.

But stop and think for a moment. This wasn’t a particularly joyful time for Mary and Joseph either. They lived in a land dominated by the Romans. Mary was pregnant but it was likely known by all that Joseph was not the father. On top of this they had to make a long trip to Bethlehem to register for a new tax. This when Mary was almost ready to deliver. And when they get there they can find no place to stay. No, we live in a fallen world and even in the brightest and most joyful times there is darkness.

So as you go about your preparations and celebrations remember in the people around you there may be people that are suffering. And that suffering may be felt even more in this time because of all the celebrating that is going on all around. Try and reach out to those that are suffering and sorrowful and do what you can to ease their burden. Remember, the Christ child was welcomed by a star. But the beauty of the stars is only seen because they shine against the darkness. Be one of the stars this Christmas and shine into someone’s darkness and do what you can to make it bright. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2576-Christmas-A-Time-of-Joy I Knew Him-The Shepherd http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2549-I-Knew-Him-The-Shepherd Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:32:20 GMT *The Shepherd* I’m a shepherd. I guess you could say I was among the first to welcome him. Oh, that was a wondrous night, but it didn’t start out that way. Far from it! It started out just the same as any other night. But it sure didn’t stay...
The Shepherd


I’m a shepherd. I guess you could say I was among the first to welcome him. Oh, that was a wondrous night, but it didn’t start out that way. Far from it! It started out just the same as any other night. But it sure didn’t stay that way. We were gathered on a hillside just outside of Bethlehem that night. Normally we don’t gather the flocks together at that time of year, but the weather was a bit cool and so we banded together to keep a bit warmer. It was just an ordinary night. The sheep were all bedded down, and so were most of us, for that matter. There were just a few of us up at the time, taking our turn at watch while the others slept. It was a quiet night. Those of us watching spent the time joking and quietly telling stories. Anything to keep awake. Just an ordinary night out on the hillside around Bethlehem. Just us and the sheep.

Then, without warning, everything changed. What once was blackest night, suddenly was brighter than the brightest day. One moment we were alone, trying to fight off sleep, the next we were all wide awake and trembling in the presence of a being to bright to behold. One minute everything was ordinary, the next, nothing would be ordinary ever again.

The first words the angel spoke were "Fear not." I’ll never forget them because they are the most needed and, at the same time, most useless words ever spoken. After all, you stand in the presence of an angel of God and I defy you not to be petrified. And no amount of urging to "fear not" will change that. But I did manage to calm down enough to hear the angel’s message.

"Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this night in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you. You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

As soon as the angel finished the sky became a hundred times brighter as the entire sky, as far as the eye could see, instantly became filled with angels. All of them praising God. I will never forget that sound as long as I live. It echo’s in my ears even now. All the musicians in all the world throughout all time could not produce a sound one tenth as beautiful as those Angels singing "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." And just as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone.

You didn’t have to urge us twice. Immediately we began to run as fast as we could toward Bethlehem. We wanted to see for ourselves what the angel had told us about. It didn’t take long to find Him. Usually shepherds are a boisterous lot, but not that night. The best word to describe us that night as we entered the stable was reverent. And one look at the child would tell you why. I can’t put my finger on what it was, but that child was special. He captured me that night, and he holds me still. I will never get over that night. And you know what? I don’t want to.


Authors note: This is a part of a series of monologues I am writing from people that knew Christ. Since we are approching the Christmas season it seemed appropriate to post this one now.

copyrite 2010 David Cloud, used by permission. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2549-I-Knew-Him-The-Shepherd The Empty Stage-Part 7 http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2526-The-Empty-Stage-Part-7 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:25:02 GMT Some time ago I started writing a series of poems about my life. The First one was called The Empty Stage. With each major event I have added a new part. As you may know a year ago Oct. 2 my wife died. I have written a poem for the Empty Stage cycle... Some time ago I started writing a series of poems about my life. The First one was called The Empty Stage. With each major event I have added a new part. As you may know a year ago Oct. 2 my wife died. I have written a poem for the Empty Stage cycle in honor of her death. I post it here in memory.

The Empty Stage: Part 7

The Stage is full of players
But empty it seems to me.
Tears flow that blind my eyes
And see not their forms.

For a player most important goes,
She has shared this stage with me.
A vital part of this production
And long stood by my side.

But the Great Director calls,
And she must leave the scene,
And go where He directs,
And wait me there beyond.

And so here I stand,
Though I too long to leave the stage.
The grief, it weighs me down
And my knees would hit the floor..

And though with blinded eyes
I cannot see them there,
I know the players come
And lend to me their aid.

For though I cannot see them
I feel them all around,
Holding me erect
And helping me go on.

And so I continue on,
For the Great Director wills.
And His strength as well I feel
Helping me go on.

But some sweet day I too shall go
And join her there beyond.
And then we two shall be as one
And never part again..
_____ _____
____David E. Cloud____
(9/24/10}
]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/2526-The-Empty-Stage-Part-7 Lament http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1946-Lament Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:49:58 GMT *Lament* Friend, Lover, Companion, Partner in every sense of the word. My other half in ways no other could, Comforter. You held me as I cried when my dad died.
Lament

Friend,
Lover,
Companion,
Partner in every sense of the word.
My other half in ways no other could,
Comforter.
You held me as I cried when my dad died.
Who will hold me now?
Who’s shoulder will catch my tears?
Who’s arms will wrap themselves around me?
The pillow just doesn’t work.
It’s not the same.
I cry into it, and it catches the tears,
But it only gets wet.
It can’t comfort me like you did.
My friends and family try,
And I’m glad they do.
Their prayers and support are often all that keep me going.
They do try.
But can they really understand?
Can they really understand what it really means?
Means to loose someone so close to you,
And so much a part of you,
That you read each other’s minds,
Not just now and then,
But constantly.
Dear Lord, hold me close
The others try to understand,
In their limited way.
You really do.


_____ _____

____David E. Cloud____

(12/14/09)


 unpublished work David E. Cloud 2009 ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1946-Lament So Your Friend Is Grieving http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1864-So-Your-Friend-Is-Grieving Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:25:59 GMT *So Your Friend is Grieving* You have just learned that your friend, coworker, acquaintance has lost someone close to them through death. What do you do now? How do you handle this situation? Obviously you cannot avoid the issue, and...
So Your Friend is Grieving



You have just learned that your friend, coworker, acquaintance has lost someone close to them through death. What do you do now? How do you handle this situation? Obviously you cannot avoid the issue, and avoiding the person is impractical. If you don’t do or say something the next time you see them it will be like refusing to talk about the elephant in the room. So what do you do?

The first question, obviously, is “what do I say.” The plain answer is: Nothing. The plain, simple fact is that there is absolutely nothing that you can say that will help to relieve, or even ease, the grieving person’s pain. The plain truth is the only thing that will really help is time. Since I am going through this process as I write this, I feel very qualified to speak to the subject. So, what do you say? That depends on you and the circumstances. If you are particularly close to the person, especially if it is at the funeral home or church during a visitation, or before or after the funeral/memorial service, words may not be necessary. Just being there may be enough.

A good friend of mine related to me a perfect example of what I am saying. She put it this way, "We had a relative of one of the community members in a former church to pass away. The grief was extremely deep because of the manner of death. As pastor, of course, my husband was right there as soon as possible. While he was there one of our deacons visited the father of the deceased. The deacon did not say a word. He hugged the father and sat down beside him. They cried and cried together for about 30 minutes. Then the deacon quietly hugged the father again and left. David said that was the most powerful sharing of grief he had ever seen. I have to agree. Nothing that could have been said could have lessened the grief. But grieving with the family member did."

However, the chances are, that won’t be the circumstance. So what do you say? It really doesn’t matter, actually. A simple “I’m sorry” or “I’ll miss her/him” is plenty, particularly if the loss is fresh. You can add an “I just heard” or something similar. The point is, keep it simple and from your heart. Be natural. If you will be grieving as well, such as a case where a close friend has lost their spouse, do not be afraid to let your own emotions show. If you find that you are beginning to choke up and the tears are starting to fall, let them. If you let yourself cry it gives the person suffering the permission to cry as well, and the Lord knows they need to cry. They need the release.

While there is no “right” thing to say, there are a few “wrong” things. Avoid the empty platitudes that everyone seems to say. They say them because they feel awkward and don’t know what to say. Things like “they’re in a better place” or “She lived a good long life” don’t help, and in some cases may make someone feel worse.

“They’re in a better place.” The simple fact is that unless you knew the deceased well you can’t know where they went. At best this phrase sounds like the empty words that it really is. At worst it elicits thoughts such as “yes they’re in a better place but why can’t that place be with me.” And “he/she lived a good long life” isn’t any better. Again, these words are empty, and may not necessarily be true. Only rarely will you ever be in a position to actually know the kind of life a person has led. And you can be mistaken even by people you know well. A person you think has led a good life may have been married to an abuser and you may never know. And even if it is true that someone has led a good long life it will still be to short for the person who is suffering the loss.

And, by all means, avoid “I know just what you feel", "are going through", or any other variation. Even if you have gone through something similar you cannot know how the person feels, or what they are going through. At best this sounds like you are making light of their sorrow. Equally to be avoided is the question “Are you going to get married again.” Obviously only asked if the loss is of a spouse. Believe it or not, I have been asked this question. First of all, it’s really none of your business. Second, no matter when you ask this question (unless it is several years after the loss) it is way too soon for the grieving person to be thinking about that. This is a question focused on the future and the grieving person is focused on the past, or at best the present. He, or she, is concentrating on getting through today. Thinking about what may happen in the future is beyond what should be expected. Plus, there is no good way to answer this question. If you say no, the response will probably be “but they (i.e. the person who died) would want you to be happy,” (this was the response to me) and if you say yes it may sound like you are looking already. The very question only adds to the pain of loosing someone who, in all likelihood was very close and will be greatly missed.

If the circumstances allow feel free to talk about the person that has passed. If the person meant a lot to you, or did something special for you, feel free tell the story. Even if the story is an amusing one. Especially if the story is an amusing one. Nothing eases the loss, even if momentarily, like a good laugh. As I write this I am morning the loss of my wife of 20 years. She told me once of an incident where she saw an armadillo for the first time and tried to catch it. I wasn’t there so I didn’t actually see it. But she told me about it and I can picture it. The picture brings a smile to my lips and it eases my heart. The Bible says “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Joy and laughter can help ease a heart heavy with grief.

But beyond what you say, what do you do? Again, that depends a lot on you and your relationship with the one grieving. For most, a handshake, or a touch on the shoulder is plenty and all that is expected. However, if you are particularly close to the person, more may be appropriate. I have one dear sister in Christ. When her sister died I stood up at the service to try and say what her sister had meant to me, and to attempt to offer some feeble words of comfort and instead she ended up comforting me. Needless to say, that particular sister in Christ is one that is particularly close to me. Especially since she has also offered me her shoulder to cry on when the grief over loosing my father came back with a vengeance after several years. The first time she saw me after my wife died she came over to me, and without saying a word, gave me a big hug. Words weren’t needed and the hug was very welcome.

In any case, do not be afraid to touch the person, whether it be a handshake, a hug, or something in between. We all need human contact. The grieving even more so. But be sensitive as well. Some people aren’t ready to be touched yet, or ever, for that matter. So don’t force the issue. If you must err, do so on the side of caution. It is much better to offer a hand and be pulled into a hug, than to offer a hug only to find your offering rejected.

During my time of grief, both the current one, and when my dad died, I often heard people say “If I can be of help call me.” I have 2 things to say about this. First, this is fine if you mean it. Please don’t say it if you aren’t willing to go out of your way to help if called upon. Realize that when someone that is grieving calls upon you to help, they may not know until just before they call that they need the help, and often the need is immediate. If you mean it, but find you can’t help at that time, we will understand but if you can help, or even help find someone who can, it will be greatly appreciated.

When I found out my wife died I was at work. I couldn’t get away, but I could call my choir director at church. I am eternally grateful for her willingness to pick up the phone and make some phone calls to people in our church who needed to be notified. (I am equally sure that there were several others that picked up their phones as soon as they heard and started calling because there were numerous people that heard than my choir director could have called). I may never know who those people were, or ever be able to thank them personally, but they are unsung hero’s, and while I may never be able to thank them, I rest assured that Christ has seen what they did to aid a brother in pain, and will reward them for it, even if I can’t.

Which brings me to my second point about “if I can help, call.” Don’t expect those of us that are grieving to remember all those who offered, even if you meant it. First, if you really want to help, don’t be afraid to ask again if there is anything you can do to help. And don’t be afraid to be specific. If the grieving person is a parent, and if it is appropriate, offer to watch the kids for a while so they can get away to do some of the things they need to do. Or offer to stay at the house during visitation or the funeral/memorial service so that anyone that drops by with food, or whatever else they may bring, will find someone there to help them.

Speaking of food, this can be an incredible ministry and a tremendous help in the right circumstances. When my father died we received an outpouring of food brought over to the house. It was a great blessing since we had numerous people constantly in and out of the house, as well as out of town guests. Not having to worry about what to feed everyone when we had a chance to eat was great. We just pulled it out of the freezer, heated it up, and ate. On the other hand, in my current circumstance, having food delivered to me would be more of a hindrance than a help since I don’t have anywhere to store it. And since it is just me, no real need of it.

So a couple practical matters here. First, know the situation. Know if food is needed, or wanted. If possible, get one person to coordinate things so the grieving person(s) aren’t overwhelmed by everyone bringing over food all at once. Second, don’t expect to get your pans back to soon. It may be a while before they have a chance to even think about practical matters such as returning pans. If possible use disposable pans that don’t have to be returned. If you absolutely must use something that you want returned, label it clearly.

If you run in religious circles, as I do. One of the most common things you hear in this situation is “I’ll be praying for you.” To those people I say THANK YOU!!! I am confident that it is the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world that is keeping me going during this time of grief. If you offer to pray, DO IT. Don’t just say you will. And don’t be afraid to stop right then and offer a prayer. One of the biggest blessings in this time has been when someone who has said they will pray for me has stopped what they were doing and offered a prayer right then. It didn’t matter that they were talking to me on the phone, over the internet (yes typed out prayers are just as effective as spoken ones), in the aisle at church or standing around in the supermarket.

The willingness to stop what you are doing says something to those that are grieving. It says, beyond a doubt, “You are important to me. You are worth spending time with, no matter how busy I may be.” This is more important than you can ever know. It is important because, no matter the situation (in my case my wife was 92 and it didn’t really come as a surprise) the grieving person feels deserted by the loved one who died. It may not make sense, but it is true. Helping the person that is grieving feel important again, even if they don’t realize that is what they are feeling, will be more help than you can know. Those few minutes you take to stop and say a prayer can help change a person’s life.

And don’t worry if you don’t feel that your prayer isn’t as good as someone else’s, or that you aren’t a good prayer. And please, don’t worry if you feel awkward praying out loud. In all likelihood the person you are praying for, and with, will not notice what you say as much as the fact that you were willing to take the time to do so. And God, to whom your prayer is addressed, after all, will certainly not mind any stumbling that you may do. After all, He looks at the heart.

So don’t be afraid to pray where ever you find yourself when the need arises. God is just as available in the aisle at the supermarket as kneeling at the altar rail in a church. And, in some cases, maybe more so. We all have seen churches so cold that you know that God hasn’t been in them for years, if not decades. But the supermarket is in the middle of where life happens, and, if you study the Gospels you will see that Christ was always in the middle of where life was happening. Christ went where the people were and was willing to get His hands dirty, so to speak.

And speaking of getting your hands dirty. I know I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Be practical in your aid to those who grieve. In essence “put legs on your prayers.” Find practical ways to help. Mow the lawn, help with the dishes, help clean the house, fix something around the house that needs fixing. Be practical and imaginative. But also be sensitive. The person may not want help just now, and if that’s the case, back off. But don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Unfortunately, as the time passes, those who were not directly affected by the death of the loved one move on. The relatives and friends from out of town go home. The friends that were so eager to help stop calling. And the name of the departed soon gets dropped from the conversation, if not the mind, of everyone around the person that is grieving. For everyone except the grieving person that is. For that person, the sorrow over loosing the loved one may be as fresh as the day it happened. For the rest of the world, life goes on. But for the grieving; in spite of the fact that they still get up in the morning, and go to work, and do all the other things involved in living; for the grieving the world may have stopped the moment their loved one died. A sorry fact, but, unfortunately, often true. I am not sure my aunt ever got over the passing of her parents.

So one final suggestion. Don’t let your caring for the sorrowing stop after just a month or so. After it has been a while, and it seems as if the person has settled down into the business of living, ask again if there is anything you can do. Or ask how they are doing. Every so often, if something happens that reminds you of the departed, mention it to the person. They will be glad to hear it. Earlier I mentioned my sister in Christ who comforted me at her sister’s funeral when I was trying to comfort her. That incident happened several years ago. Just a few weeks ago I was talking to her and I mentioned that every now and then I see someone out of the corner of my eye and it looks, for a moment like her sister. We both stopped and shared a memory of her sister and how her sister could communicate more with “the look” than most people can with countless words. It was good for both of us. For a moment her sister was a part of our lives again. She will never physically be there, but she will never truly be absent either.

My wife was my partner in every sense of the word for 20 years. She and I literally became one, even to reading each others minds. She is gone now, and I will always miss her, but she will always truly be with me. Try to remember that and let the grieving person know that you miss the departed as well. Maybe not as deeply as they miss them. But you still miss them. A grief shared is a grief divided. A joy shared is a joy multiplied. Try to share the griefs and the joys of those who grieve. You will be blessed, and, more importantly, you will truly be able to minister to those in sorrow.

Thank you.

copyright 2009 David Cloud used by permission ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1864-So-Your-Friend-Is-Grieving Caroline, my partner in every sense of the word http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1731-Caroline-my-partner-in-every-sense-of-the-word Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:41:29 GMT As many of you know on Oct. 6th my wife died. Since none of you have ever had the chance to meet her, let me tell you a little about this incredible woman that it has been my honor to have a part of my life for the last 20 years. It probably won’t... As many of you know on Oct. 6th my wife died. Since none of you have ever had the chance to meet her, let me tell you a little about this incredible woman that it has been my honor to have a part of my life for the last 20 years. It probably won’t surprise you to know that we met in church. Actually in the same church that I am still a member of. We were attending an evening Bible Study. I say we but I was not always there as I often had to work, but I went as often as I could. I sat on one side of her and the man that became my best man at our wedding sat on the other. She called us her bookends.

I only lived a few blocks from the church so I walked. Caroline gave me a ride home. We soon discovered we shared a mutual interest. Books. Caroline loved to read and any time I have a book in my hand I am content. On those nights when she would give me a ride home we would end up spending hours talking, mostly about books. We soon became very good friends.

However, it wasn’t our love of books that started us moving toward a relationship that was more than just friends. That honor goes to the fact that she was a retired nurse. You see, I got sick. Those of you who know me, know that I NEVER get sick. However, on the rare occasion that it happens, it’s a dozy. This time I was so sick I couldn’t even keep water down. I knew I had to get some help. It was a case of try and drive up to my sisters house, a 35-40 minute trip, not a pleasant prospect, or go over to Caroline’s, just a few blocks away.

That is how I ended up on her doorstep as sick as a dog. She brought me in, sat me down and then went and got something for me. As she handed it to me she said, “Here, drink this. It will either make it better or bring it up. Either case is better than where you are now.” A very wise woman. I drank it, got better and we started growing closer.

To state the obvious, Caroline and I never were the “normal” couple. After all, how could we be? When we got married she was twice my age. But it worked. It worked because the Lord had brought us together. It had to be God, only God would think of a pair like us. And I never actually asked her to marry me, we never did anything the ordinary way. What brought it about was I had been trying to picture my life without her in it, and I couldn’t. So one day while we were walking around, I can’t even remember where we were, except I think it was at a shopping center somewhere, I turned to her and something to the effect “I guess we should make this legal.”

Even our wedding wasn’t “normal.” We didn’t plan it. It just grew. Our friends threw us a wedding. Since it was the second wedding for both of us our original thought was to just go into the ministers office with a couple witnesses and get married. Then we got to thinking and thought of a couple friends we would like to have there. And then a few others found out and said they wanted to come. And then a few others. Then someone said “are you…” and took over that, and then someone else wanted to help her. And, before we knew it, our friends were throwing us a wedding. And there couldn’t have been a better wedding if we had planned it.

As you would expect, Caroline soon became involved in my other passion, music. She even paid for some of my voice lessons. As some in the choir at our church will remember, Caroline was a regular member for some time. She decided to join when one Sunday 3 people in a row asked her when she was joining the choir. She told the third “I’ll be there Wednesday.” She didn’t have much, if any, experience in singing in a choir so she didn’t know what part she sang, so the director tested her. When he got done he said “My God, you’re a bass,” and she was. I was singing Tenor at the time and she could sing lower than I could.

Caroline was a true partner to me in every since of the word. We even read each other’s minds. You think I’m joking? Hardly a week, sometimes hardly a day, went by that didn’t have one of us saying something the other was thinking causing the other to exclaim, “get out of my mind.” The ordinary things like Caroline being cold and me getting up to adjust the temperature without either of us speaking happened so often that we never paid attention to it. It’s when things got totally off the wall that we really noticed them. Like the time when we were leaving Sunday school and out of the blue I turned to her and said “You know we ought to do …with….” And she had been thinking the same thing. That one wasn’t the strangest one. For some reason we were trying to think of the most awful combination for a pizza (no we were not going to order it, and don’t ask me why we were doing it. I can’t remember.) We had come up with an anchovy and ice cream pizza and one of said, and the other was thinking “extra pickle.” Like I said, we never were “ordinary.”

Caroline was my partner in a way that nobody else could have been. Whether it was following me around to my rehearsals and performances, and don’t even think of suggesting she stay home, had I suggested that we would have had our only fight, and it would have been a dozy, and I would have lost. Or helping me pick out music, I have over 5 hours of taped accompaniment, most of which we picked out together. Or holding me as I cried when my Dad died. Or helping me get over my divorce, yes I was still struggling with that and she helped me get over it. No mater what it was, Caroline was my partner, and was with me through it all.

But as much as Caroline loved me, she loved Christ more. When I met her she was a strong Christian and over the years she got stronger. When invited to become a Lay Speaker she jumped at the chance and continued in that for many years. She even preached at an evening service or 2, if I remember correctly. She loved the Lord and prayed regularly, even praying for things like finding lost keys. If there is someone reading this that is not a Christian, or isn’t as close to the Lord as you should be. Please stop now and do it. The idea that her life had spurred someone to come to Christ would thrill her no end. The Bible says that all of heaven rejoices when one sinner comes to Christ, and I know that Caroline would be leading in the celebration. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1731-Caroline-my-partner-in-every-sense-of-the-word I knew him-Jusdas Iscariot http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1650-I-knew-him-Jusdas-Iscariot Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:43:15 GMT *Judas Iscariot * Did I know him? I thought I did. After all I traveled with him for 3 years, along with the rest of his close associates. The Twelve, they called us. We walked with him. Talked with him. Ate with him. Listened as he...
Judas Iscariot

Did I know him? I thought I did. After all I traveled with him for 3 years, along with the rest of his close associates. The Twelve, they called us. We walked with him. Talked with him. Ate with him. Listened as he taught. And I was there the entire time. I even carried the purse for the group and paid our bills. I thought I knew him. I thought he was the Messiah. That he would restore the kingdom to Israel and get rid of our Roman oppressors.

When he rode into Jerusalem that day I was sure he would ride to the palace and kick Rome out. Instead, he rode to the temple. And instead of kicking Rome out, he kicked out those who changed money and sold animals for sacrifice, people who had legitimate business there. Ok, maybe there could have been a better place to do that than the court of the temple. So maybe he was right to start there. But when he spent the rest of the week just teaching and healing, instead of raising an army, or whatever else he would need to do to kick Rome out, I began to wonder.

It was becoming obvious that Jesus wouldn’t restore Israel on his own. Maybe, I thought, he just needs a prod in the right direction. But how to do it. That’s when I thought of the High Priests. I knew they hated Jesus. They were afraid of him, as well they should be. Once Jesus reestablished the kingdom their power and prestige was gone. If I could just put Jesus in their hands he would be forced to show his hand and establish his kingdom, and I, of course, would be at his right hand.

So I went to the chief priests and made the deal. For thirty pieces of silver I would lead them to where they could “arrest” Jesus without all the crowds around. I didn’t care that they did it privately. The people would learn soon enough. As soon as the priests started Jesus would declare himself and it would all be over. Only it didn’t happen that way. They put him through a mockery of a trial and then took him to Pilot. Pilot wanted to release him but the crowd wouldn’t let him. In the end Pilot caved in and had Jesus crucified.

Why did Jesus let them kill him? Why didn’t he stand up to them and establish his kingdom? Why did he force me to betray innocent blood? Why Jesus? Why? There’s only one thing to do now. I can’t live with what I’ve done. It’s time to end this farce. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1650-I-knew-him-Jusdas-Iscariot In honor of Fathers http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1463-In-honor-of-Fathers Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:27:01 GMT In honor of Fathers day coming up I thought I would post this sermon I preached on Fathers day a couple years ago. *Legacy of a Father * Today I would like to introduce you to someone very special to me. My Father. I wish I could introduce... In honor of Fathers day coming up I thought I would post this sermon I preached on Fathers day a couple years ago.

Legacy of a Father

Today I would like to introduce you to someone very special to me. My Father. I wish I could introduce you to him in person because he was a very special person, but he died several years ago. But he is as much a part of my life today as he was when he was alive. Of all the things I remember about Dad the one I remember best, and miss most, are his hugs. Dad gave the best hugs. He would wrap his arms around you, completely enfolding you, and hug the stuffing out of you. The main reason that I would like to introduce my father to you is because he left me something before he died. Something more valuable than any inheritance of money or things. Before Dad died he left me a legacy.

As we were growing up my sister and I always knew that Dad knew the bible. Many times when we were growing up we would go to him and ask “Dad, where in the Bible does it say…?”. And Dad’s answer was always the same “Bring me my Bible.” We knew where he kept his Bible. And sure enough, in about 10 minutes or so, he would have found the passage in question. And the irony of the situation is that, in all the years I knew him, I don’t ever remember seeing my Dad actually read the Bible. Of course, now I know why. Dad was always up and reading long before I got out of bed.

Another early memory happened when we were visiting His mother and twin sister. On Saturday afternoon He was in the corner with Rev. Amos, the minister of the local Nazarene church that Grandma and Aunt Wilma were members of. And they were heavily engaged in a discussion of some point in the Bible. My sister and I sat by, loving every minute of it. Adding to the scene was a counterpoint of my Grandmother saying “Now Walter, you listen to him. He knows his bible,” every so often. Pastor Alexis will attest to how rare those people are, outside of Seminary, that can, and will, stretch you and your understanding of the Bible and will debate you on an equal footing. Dad was such a person. And Rev. Amos was loving every minute of it.

This was the first legacy that my father left me. The Bible is important and it is important to know what it says and to try to understand and apply what you know. And he did it, not with words, but with his life. He showed me that the Bible was important, not by telling me it was, but by showing me that it was important to him. He didn’t tell me he knew what it said. He didn’t have to. I knew he knew what it said because he had demonstrated that knowledge to me over and over. (By the way. I’ll let you in on a little secret. A lot of the understanding I have of the Bible and practical Christian living did not come from any of the degrees I have from various institutions of higher learning. They came from my dad).

But that wasn’t the only part of the legacy that my dad gave me. He also taught me the importance of working for the Lord. My dad and I were both very involved in a lay renewal program called “Lay Witness Missions.” My tenth was his twentieth. I often heard him say, when asked what he did, that he “worked for the Lord and let Caterpillar pay the bills.” Often I heard him say that a new Christian needs the same 3 things a new baby needs to thrive, air or breath, food and exercise. Food is Bible study, Air is prayer and exercise is witnessing, or sharing with others what the Lord has done for you. The fact was, when I was growing up it was a foregone conclusion that on Sunday morning we were going to church. There was no discussion on the matter. The only way you could get away with not going would be to be sick. And you had better be actually sick because Mom could tell the difference and if you tried to fake it you would get caught and then you would really be in trouble. The truth of the matter is that almost every time the doors of the church were open, we were there. With this background, is it any wonder that I got the message that working for the Lord is important?

The other thing my father taught me was the importance of family. Many of you will know how close my family is. When trouble comes, and many of the families in our society disintegrates, mine immediately comes together, and unifies. We spent a portion of our vacation on trips, visiting various family members. And my dad’s twin sister often traveled with us. And I learned that family wasn’t limited to biology. I can’t count the number of my friends that “adopted” my dad as a second father. And I was, and still am, proud of that fact. In our house you were a stranger only once. After that you were family. Family is very important to me, and I will do almost anything for family.

When I first started working on this sermon I did not intend it to be a tribute to my dad. I am not sorry that it ended up that way because, as you can see, I learned a lot from my dad. He, truly, has left me with a good legacy. But the question is, what kind of legacy are you leaving for those around you. And make no mistake; you are leaving a legacy. Now I know that there are among us some whose legacy we are already seeing. We have celebrated several young men receiving an Eagle Scout award. We have another of our young people that is spending a year working on missions in Guatemala. These are not accidents. The adults surrounding them have spent their lives leaving them a good legacy. So I ask again. What kind of legacy are you leaving? Take a moment and take stock.

Make no mistake. You are having an impact on someone’s life. You may not know who. And you may not know when or where. But someone is watching. As I have mentioned, my dad and I were very involved in Lay Witness Missions. We were on the team for the only church that I know of that voted their "Mission" a failure. I happen to know that it wasn't. I found out years later from my dad, who had been in contact with some of them, that one boy's life was changed. During that weekend that boy was a part of a group of 3 boys that were always together. If you saw one, you saw the other two. Two of the boys were part of the team the third was from the town. I know for a fact that the two team members never thought once about whether, or not, their friend from the town should be included in what they were doing. They just included him. I know they didn't think about it because I was one of them. Our including him changed that boy’s life and I didn't know it until years later.

And I've had other instances where I was forcefully reminded that someone may be watching me, and listening to what I say. I have sat in the pews of this church and listened as the person delivering the message for that service quoted something I had said in a sermon. Talk about being jerked awake. I will never forget that. It is one of the reasons that I am constantly aware that I will one day be called to account for what I teach and preach. And if things like that can happen to me, they can happen to you.

Now I know, some of you are probably thinking “but it’s to late for me. My kids are grown.” Wrong! As one of my favorite radio preachers puts it. “That is a lie strait from hell and it smells like smoke.” It is never too late to leave a legacy or influencing someone for Christ. For years a former member of this church and I meet together for fellowship and Bible Study. In spite of the fact that we often tried to get other men involved with us, it always seemed to be just the two of us. I got a lot out of those sessions. During our last meeting he told me how much our meetings had meant to him. We each had left a legacy with the other.

As I have already mentioned, family isn’t just limited to biology. There are people around that are dear brothers and sisters that I have no biological link with. There is, for instance, a person in this church that has had a profound influence on my life. When the grief over loosing my dad came back with a vengeance. She didn’t hesitate for one moment but understood what I was going through and hugged me and gave me comfort. No it is never too late to leave a legacy.

And, ladies, just in case you think I am talking to just the men. This goes for you as well. I have been talking about my dad, in part because that is who I was closest to, and partly because it is Fathers Day. But my Mom was a part of that legacy as well. She’s the one who made me feel at home in the kitchen and helped me become a good cook. It is equally important that you leave a good legacy as well.

But how do you leave a legacy. First, you must decide what is important. What has lasting value? What do you want those around you to remember? Then look at your life. Is what you think is important what you are spending your life on? If you want to check and see if what you say is important and what your life says is important just look where you spend your time and your money. The Bible says, “where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” So ask yourself, is that extra round of golf, or spending the day fishing as important as spending time with your kids. Is watching that football, or basketball, or baseball game more important than going to that Bible Study. And before you even think it, let me tell you, you can’t have quality time with your kids without quantity time. Because, morals and values are not taught, they are caught.

My Dad left me a legacy because he invested his life in me. I knew that the Bible was important to him because I knew that he knew what it said, even if I didn’t see him reading it. And how did I know? Because he demonstrated his knowledge to us over, and over, and over. I knew that working for the Lord was important to him, not because he said so, but because I saw him spending time working in the church. And not just in our local church, but taking time to work in other churches as well. I knew that family was important, because I saw him going out of his way to visit and help family members. I knew that family didn’t just include those who are linked biologically, because I saw him welcoming others, often my friends, as family, and mentoring and “fathering” others. I also knew that this country was important, because my parents took the time and money, to show it to us.

Lately, as I have been out living my life and going about my daily business, something strikes me as funny, and I hear my father’s laugh coming out of my mouth. Or I hear my fathers sneeze. Or I say something that I have heard him say. And I say, “I am my father’s son.” That sounds like just a trite saying, but it’s not. I am my father’s son. As I have grown up, and as I get older, I realize that I have become my father. I am proud of that fact. Because I know I couldn’t do any better than that. You each have your stories. I am my father’s legacy. I pray, frequently, that I can live up to it and that I leave a legacy behind me even a fraction as good as the one he left me.

But what about you? What have you done with the legacy you have been left? If it was good, how are you passing it on? If it wasn’t so good, what are you doing to learn from it and teach others how to avoid the pitfalls that you have encountered? It is up to us what we do with the legacy we have been given. And it is up to us to decide what type of legacy we leave behind. And it is up to us to change what we leave behind if it isn’t what we would like. Because our God has always been a God of second chances, as well as third, and fourth, and fifth…. And He still is. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1463-In-honor-of-Fathers I Knew Him-The Rich Young Ruler http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1422-I-Knew-Him-The-Rich-Young-Ruler Fri, 22 May 2009 00:28:11 GMT *The Rich Young Ruler* I met Jesus just once. Of course I had heard of him. Everybody had heard of him. It was impossible not to hear of him. I suppose that is why I went to find him. I mean, everyone was talking about him. Talking about...
The Rich Young Ruler



I met Jesus just once. Of course I had heard of him. Everybody had heard of him. It was impossible not to hear of him. I suppose that is why I went to find him. I mean, everyone was talking about him. Talking about how he taught like nobody else had. With authority. And they talked about his wisdom. I think that is what made me go to him. They way they talked about his wisdom. I needed someone wise. I had lived a good life, a religious life, a righteous life. Every day I tried to follow all the commandments that the Lord had given us. But something was still missing. So I did the only thing I could think of. I went to Jesus. If he was as wise as people were saying, surely he could help.

When I got to him I asked him “Rabbi, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Without pausing he started quoting the 10 commandments. “Lord,” I responded. “All these I have kept from my youth.” Then he looked at me and smiled. His eyes were filled with love and compassion, but there was something else. He seemed to be looking right through me. It was as if he could see every single thing I had ever done, and he was analyzing each and every one of them. Then he said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell all you possess and give it to the poor, and come, follow me.”

My heart sank. How could I do that? I was rich. Sell everything I had and give it to the poor? Did he know what he was asking? Didn’t he know how much I had? How could he ask me to give all that up? I turned and left, my heart heavy. I went to the only person I knew of that might have the answers, and the answer he gave me was to follow a path I could not bring myself to walk. I had too much to give it all up to follow him. But still I wonder. What would have happened if I had? Every day I ask myself “what if?’’ It echoes in my brain every day. What if? What if? What if? What if? ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1422-I-Knew-Him-The-Rich-Young-Ruler I Knew Him-Barabbas http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1373-I-Knew-Him-Barabbas Sun, 03 May 2009 18:41:07 GMT *Barabbas* I had heard of Jesus. After all, who hadn’t? He was the main topic of conversation. Face it, when someone does the miracles he did, people talk. So, sure, I had heard of him. But I never really paid attention. Religion just...
Barabbas


I had heard of Jesus. After all, who hadn’t? He was the main topic of conversation. Face it, when someone does the miracles he did, people talk. So, sure, I had heard of him. But I never really paid attention. Religion just isn’t for me. I’m not really interested. To me it was just a lot of talk, and I’m not one for talk. If it weren’t for what happened to me I suppose I never would have paid much attention to him. But it’s hard not to pay attention to someone who saves your life. I suppose it’s pretty obvious that over the course of my life I have done some pretty bad things. I’m not proud of them, at least not now, but I’m not going to gloss over it either. After all, if I hadn’t been in prison, waiting execution, I doubt I would ever have come to Christ in the first place.

I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I was sitting in my cell, just like I had for countless days before, when I heard a crowd nearby yelling. I couldn’t hear all that was going on but parts of it were very clear. Especially when they started yelling “give us Barabbas,” “let him be crucified,” and “let his blood be on us and on our children.” I mean, when I heard that I figured my time was up and the crowd was yelling for my death. Then I heard him coming down the corridor. When he stopped and opened my cell and motioned for me to come out, I knew that he was taking me to be crucified.

You can understand, then, my shock when, instead of taking me out to be crucified, he took me to the door of the prison and let me go. Understandably, I was confused. What was going on? Why wasn’t he taking me to the cross? Why was he letting me go? That’s when I found out that Jesus was to take my place. When I heard that I started running like all the demons of hell were after me, and I didn’t stop until I collapsed.

It wasn’t until I came to that I discovered where my running had led me. I was at the foot of his cross. I guess you could say that over the years I’ve kind of gotten used to Roman cruelty, but what they had done to him was hard to believe, even of Romans. He hardly looked human. But as I stood there looking up at him, something captured me. It was his eyes. As I stood there looking up, he looked down at me and the love in his eyes shown down on me like nothing I had ever experienced before. And it was there, as he hung dieing, that he captured me, and I became his.

copyright David Cloud 2009, used by permission ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1373-I-Knew-Him-Barabbas Mary, his mother http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1356-Mary-his-mother Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:29:13 GMT *Mary, his mother* The first time I heard about Jesus was when the angel announced his coming. I couldn’t believe my ears when he told me I would be the mother of the Messiah. Me, a poor peasant girl. Nobody special. The mother of God. How?...
Mary, his mother


The first time I heard about Jesus was when the angel announced his coming. I couldn’t believe my ears when he told me I would be the mother of the Messiah. Me, a poor peasant girl. Nobody special. The mother of God. How? Why? Why was I chosen for this honor? How could it be, I was a virgin? I had a million questions. But in the end all I could say was “I am the Lords servant. His will be done.”

Nine months later, in a stable in Bethlehem, Jesus was born. I will never forget that night. No mother ever forgets the birth of her child, especially her first born, but this one was special. After all, what child’s birth is heralded by Angels and a star, or is welcomed by shepherds, or worshiped by Wise men from the east. And how can I forget Anna and Simeon who greeted him when we went to the temple to present him.

No, this child was special. It soon became obvious how special when we took him to Jerusalem when he was twelve. On the trip back we had traveled all day when we missed him. We assumed that he was with friends and relatives among the group traveling. It wasn’t until we stopped for the night that we realized he wasn’t with the group. Three days later, when we finally found him, he was in the temple talking with the elders and astonishing them with his wisdom. When we confronted him his answer was “didn’t you know I must be in my Fathers house and about my Fathers business?”

Standing there at the foot of the cross, watching him die, I finally realized what Simeon had meant when he said that a sword would pierce my soul. It isn’t easy for any parent to watch their child die but to watch one that had never done anything wrong, and had done so many wonderful things for so many people, dying, and hear him praying for those who were killing him was especially agonizing.

Over the years of his ministry his brothers and sisters never did quite accept that he was actually God in the flesh. And, I suppose, neither did I. That is, until that Sunday morning three days after he had died. I mean, after you have stood at the foot of the cross and seen him die. You’ve watched as the soldier plunged his spear into his side and seen the water and blood flow from his side, and you know he is dead. You’ve accompanied the men to the tomb and watched as they wrap his body, place it in the tomb and seal it. And then, three days later see him alive again. After that it’s hard not to accept that he really is God, just as he claimed.

copyright David Cloud 2009, used by permission ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1356-Mary-his-mother I Knew Him http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1354-I-Knew-Him Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:13:26 GMT I am currently writing a series of monologes from people who met Jesus. Not all of the people are those that accepted Christ, for instince, I have written one for Judas. I thought I would post some of them here. I pray that they bless you. ... I am currently writing a series of monologes from people who met Jesus. Not all of the people are those that accepted Christ, for instince, I have written one for Judas. I thought I would post some of them here. I pray that they bless you. Constructive criticism is welcome. ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1354-I-Knew-Him The Way of the Cross http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1295-The-Way-of-the-Cross Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:21:22 GMT Since we are in the middle of Lent I thought that this sermon that I have preached a couple times would be appropriate. *THE WAY OF THE CROSS* I would like you to do something for me. First close your eyes. Now picture a cross. OK, you... Since we are in the middle of Lent I thought that this sermon that I have preached a couple times would be appropriate.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

I would like you to do something for me. First close your eyes. Now picture a cross. OK, you can open your eyes now but remember that picture. Now when you pictured that cross what did you see. Did you see a cross similar to the one on our altar, all shiny, and nice? Or did you see something like the one on the wall behind me. Or maybe it was a piece of jewelry like the one I’m wearing. And while there is nothing wrong with wearing a cross as jewelry, especially if it means something more than just adornment. And there is nothing wrong with these, or any other pictures of the cross. Today, however, I would like to take your picture of the cross and change it, at least for today, into something more closely resembling the reality of what actually happened.

After the Last Supper Christ and the disciple's went to the Garden of Gethsemane and there Jesus went off by himself to pray and, as Luke 22:44 says "and being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." This is a rare condition called HEMATIDROSIS in which under emotional stress tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing with the sweat. This alone could produce marked weakness and possible shock.

From the garden Christ is taken to the High Priests house for a mockery of a trial. I won’t go into the trial except to say that there were many Jewish laws broken that night. Among them were a prohibition of trials at night, they could not get 2 witnesses that could agree, and the verdict of the trial could not be rendered on the same day of the trial. Not to mention that they changed the charges from blasphemy to his claiming to be a king when they took him to Pilot.

Pilot tries to release Jesus and avoid the inevitable, even going so far as sending him to Herod, but Herod just sends Jesus back. Finally, thinking to appease the crowd, Pilot has Jesus scourged.

The soldiers prepare the prisoner by striping him of his clothing. Then his hands are tied to a post above his head. Then the scourge is brought out. This is a rod about 1 foot in length with 9 leather straps attached to it. At the end of each strap is attached a broken bone, a rock with sharp edges or the like. The aim is to remove every bit of flesh from the prisoners back without killing him. At first the whip only cuts through skin, but as the beating continues it cuts deeper and deeper into the muscle. By the time it is finished, the back is reduced to an unrecognizable mass of bleeding tissue. The Jews had a law prohibiting more than 40 lashes (thus the reason for the 39 lashes of tradition) but this beating was inflicted by Romans, and they had no such law. so it is entirely possible that Jesus received more than 40.

This does not satisfy the mob, so finally Pilot acquiesces and turns Christ over to the soldiers to be crucified. Before taking Christ out to Golgatha the soldiers make sport of Jesus. They put a purple robe on him, give him a rod for a scepter and push a crown of thorns on his head. The crown was made from a material commonly used for fires and had 1 or 2 inch thorns that would have pierced the scull as it was eventually beaten onto his head. The image from the Shroud of Turin suggests that instead of the simple circlet that traditional pictures show, this crown may have been more in the form of a cap. This would certainly fit with what we know of the cruelty of the Crucifixion.

When they had finished, the soldiers removed the robe, which, by this time, had begun to adhere to Christ's back, reopening the wounds on his back, and causing them to bleed again. Then they gave his own clothes back to him and prepared him to be taken to Golgotha. The condemned were forced to carry the heavy cross beam of the cross to the place of execution. This cross beam would have weighed approximately 110 pounds.

Christ, exhausted as he was from a sleepless night, the agonizing in the garden, and the beating, couldn’t carry the cross and stumbled several times, pushing the rough wood of the Cross into his back. when it becomes obvious that Christ cannot continue on his own the soldiers force Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross the rest of the way.

When they arrive at Golgatha the prisoners were again stripped of their clothes. Christ is offered wine mixed with Myrrh, which is a mild analgesic, which Christ refuses. He is then thrown down on the cross, where spikes are driven through the wrist bones where the medial nerve is located, and deep into the wood of the cross. The placement of the spike makes it so that every time he wants a breath, Christ is forced to cause his weight to press upon the medial nerve, sending shooting horrific pain all through the nerves of his body.

He is then lifted up. Then his left foot is pressed backwards against the right foot and both feet are extended, toes down and a spike driven through the arch of each, again, where the nerves would cause the most pain. The weight of the body fixes the intercostal muscles in a position of inhalation. The only way to exhale is to lift himself with his arms and push with his legs, to hold himself up for a few seconds. to avoid suffocation the prisoner is forced to cause his own excruciating pain by putting pressure on the medial nerves. It is during these times that Christ speaks from the cross.

As his arms fatigue great waves of cramps knot them in deep relentless throbbing pain and Christ is forced to relax until he is forced by the need to breathe to raise himself again this process continues with his back being torn up and down the rough wood.

In the end all the condemned can do is raise himself for a quick gasp. The average life span on the cross was 3 or 4 days. Roman compassion for the condemned was to break their legs to speed up the process and cause the shoulder muscles to lock, allowing the prisoner a relatively quick death of exhaustion, asphyxia, or suffocation.

As Christ is upon the cross all the sin of the world is placed upon him. The Sinless Son of God becomes sin. The holy God, unable to abide being in the presence of sin, turns his back on his Son. Christ, for the first time, experiences separation form God and cries out "My God, My God why have you forsaken me," quoting form Ps 22.

As Christ feels death coming closer he realizes his mission is over and so he speaks 2 last times. First, "It is finished," announcing that his mission of redemption is done. Then, "Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit." and with those words he allows himself to die.

With Passover drawing near the Jewish authorities prevail upon Pilot to break the legs of the prisoners so they will not remain on the cross over Passover. But when they come to Christ they find that he is already dead. To be sure the soldier drives his lance through the 5th intersperse between his ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart (Jn 19:34). There is an escape of watery fluid from the sack surrounding the heart and blood from the interior of the heart. We, thus, have conclusive post mortem evidence that our Lord died not form the usual death of crucifixion (i.e. suffocation) but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.

The people that put Christ on the cross did not kill him. He gave up his life of his own accord. Of his own accord Christ went through the mockery of a trial. Of his own accord he suffered the pain and humiliation of the beating and torment by the soldiers. Of his own accord he endured the agony of the cross, and of his own accord he died, because he didn’t have to. In Mt. 26:53 he tells Peter "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than 12 legions of angles?"

But if this is the case, why did he do it? Part of the answer is found in the most well known verse of scripture, John 3:16 "for God so loved the world that He Gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life." But there is a problem. God is a holy God and cannot abide the presence of sin. That is why he had to turn away from Christ when he was on the cross. And we are all infinitely sinful.." Romans 3:10 reads "As it is written there is no one righteous, not even one:" Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." In Romans 5:12 Paul goes on to say "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned." For, as we find in Romans 6:23, "for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." But we have hope. In Romans 5:8 Paul says "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Because Romans 10:9,13 says "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 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" This then is the miracle of the cross. This is why Christ went through it all. He loved us so much that He was willing to take our punishment so that we could be restored to fellowship with Him if we will only believe and accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. And He did it not after we has straightened our lives up, but when we were His enemies. When all we deserved was His wrath, God sent His love in the form of Christ, so that we can have eternal fellowship with Him. This, then, is the way of the cross. And right now you can say yes to Christ if you have never accepted him as your Savior. Or you can turn back to him if you have wandered. All you have to do is pray and tell him "Lord I know I am a sinner. I have gone my own way, but now I want you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior and to lead me in your ways, even if it is the Way of the Cross. Come into my life." And He will.


LET US PRAY
 ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1295-The-Way-of-the-Cross Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will be Done http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1257-Thy-Kingdom-Come-Thy-Will-be-Done Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:21:06 GMT *Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will be Done* Last week Pastor Alexis started a series on the Lord’s prayer. She started by talking about the intimacy of our relationship with God. Christ addressed God as Abba or “Daddy,” as it would most accurately be... Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will be Done

Last week Pastor Alexis started a series on the Lord’s prayer. She started by talking about the intimacy of our relationship with God. Christ addressed God as Abba or “Daddy,” as it would most accurately be translated. For some people addressing God as daddy seems much to personal, intimate, and familiar. However, when I think of addressing God in that way a very dear friend is brought to my mind.

Her name is Mieke, and many of you have heard me talk about her. In fact a number of you continue to pray for her. Mieke is one of the most remarkable people I have ever had the privilege to know. She lives in Holland and is one of my Internet friends. What makes her remarkable? In spite of the fact that she is suffering from an incurable disease, one that causes severe, almost constant pain, she never lets it get her down. She only goes out of the house once a week, unless it is to a Dr.’s appointment. She can’t go to church, as much as she would like to. The last time she went was at Christmas and it took her 3 weeks to recover. Another of my friends has set up an Internet connection to his church in Tennessee, so that when she feels up to it she can go to his church (River of Life Missionary Baptist Church is a truly international church). Even then she can’t always go.

So how does she get through this? How does she not let it get her down? Very simply, her relationship with her Daddy. And yes she calls Him Daddy. When she says, “Daddy will help me get through this,” we all KNOW who she is talking about and who is giving her the strength. Mieke is an inspiration and teacher to all of us who know her. So you see, I don’t need to hear “sermon” about the power of an intimate relationship with God, I know a living one.

God is our loving parent. Our Daddy. How many of you are parents? Those of you who are will find this scenario easy to picture. You are busy doing something, it doesn’t matter what. Perhaps you are cooking dinner, or fixing something, or shopping, it doesn’t matter what. When out of the blue you hear a small voice saying “Daddy,” for you women, feel free to translate that to “Mommy.” You all know what comes next, and you brace for it. “Can I have…?”

Unfortunately, all to often we approach prayer just that way. We come to God with a laundry list of want’s and desires. And I’ll be the first to admit that many of them, if not most, are worthy requests. One man needs a job. Someone else is sick. Still another may be having trouble with their marriage. The leaders of our church, country, state, city, etc. need wisdom. All worthy requests and I’m as guilty as anyone. And our loving Daddy knows we need these things and is happy to have us bring these requests to Him, and there is a place for them in this prayer, but not yet. It’s not time yet to bring our requests before God. That won’t come until “give us this day our daily bread.”

There is something that is necessary before we can bring our requests to God. We need to get our priorities strait. I had a dream the other night. I was coming home. It had been a hard day. I had faced hundreds of problems and there were even more things that I needed and wanted. In short, I was literally swamped by cares and concerns. I got home and opened my door and there, sitting in my living room was the President of the United States and he said “I am here to help you but I only have 5 minutes.” In a case like that suddenly all your requests take on a much different look. What is the most important?

So what are our priorities here? We have boldly come before our Heavenly Father. Yes, He is our loving Father. Yes, we have a personal and intimate relationship with him. Or can, if we desire it. But, and this is a very important but. But He is still God. The creator of everything that is, was, or ever shall be, since the beginning of time, until it’s end.

So, what is our priority? Do we spend our time with our laundry list of requests? Or, do we, rather, orient ourselves on what is important to God, knowing that by so doing, our God, who loves us so much that He would give His life so that we can have fellowship with Him, also knows what we need, and what is best for us. Yes, he wants to hear our requests, but first things first.

The most obvious answer to what is our priority is establishing “The Kingdom of God.” To many of us, unfortunately ignore our responsibility for working to bring in the kingdom. We assume that the kingdom is something that will come only when Christ returns. We forget that Christ began by preaching “the kingdom of God is near (Mt 4:17).” This means the kingdom starts now. It is not something external that we await. Remember, at His trial Christ said “my kingdom is not of this world.”

But if the kingdom isn’t of this world, how will we recognize it? It shouldn’t be hard. Christ spent most of His time describing the kingdom. Four of the most memorable comparisons Christ uses compares the kingdom to a mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure and a pearl of great price. When we look at these we see that the kingdom is small and easy to miss, but with great power and worth, and almost always the opposite of what we expect. The kingdom is based on grace, rather than works, love, not legalism and open to all. It is also most concerned with the ignored, neglected and oppressed of the world. It is an unfortunate fact, however, that even when we actually do seek God’s will, we do so with little, or no regard for establishing God’s kingdom even in our little corner, let alone doing what we can to establish it to the four corners of the earth.

The simple fact is that when we pray “thy kingdom come” we are not indulging in wishful thinking, or making a request. We are taking a vow. We are pledging our willingness to allow God’s kingdom to be established in and through us. When we say “thy kingdom come” we are inviting the Messiah himself to walk into our world and occupy every corner of our lives. A bold appeal indeed.

Now that we can start recognizing the kingdom of God, how do we know God’s will? The basic will of God is really very simple. It is nothing more, or less, than to bring all the earth, and everybody in it, into His kingdom. It’s when we try to apply that to our personal lives, and situations that things get confusing. So how do we know God’s will? How does He speak to us?

The first way that God speaks to us is through His word. By studying the Bible you get to know God and the better you know Him the easier it is to do His will. Often God will use what you are reading to speak to you and teach you. Remember when Christ talked to the men on the road to Emmaeus before He revealed Himself at the supper He first expounded to them out of the Scriptures.

The second way God speaks to us is through other people. After His resurrection Christ first revealed Himself to Mary and told Mary to tell the others. As we interact with other Christians through Church, Sunday school, Small groups or just fellowshipping over dessert God can, and often will, use other people to speak to us. This is one reason Satan doesn’t want you in Church. He knows that God can use that time to draw you closer to Him.

The last way that I’m going to mention that God uses to communicate with us I have already alluded to. That is through our personal relationship with Him. The better we know someone the easier it is to know their will. If you were to ask me Pastor Alexis’ opinion on beards on men, for instance, I would have to ask her. On the other hand if you were to ask me the same question about my mom’s opinion, that would be another matter. I already know her opinion on the subject. She’s made it no secret, in spite of the fact that both of her sons wear beards. The same is true of God. The better you know Him, and the closer you walk with Him, the easier it is to know His will.

But do we really want God’s kingdom come, His will done? Do we dare? After all, when we pray that prayer we don’t know where He will lead us. God’s will often leads us to places that are uncomfortable and inconvenient, at the least, and are sometimes dangerous. It lead one of our members to put her plans on hold while she spent time working in Guatemala. God’s will led Mother Theresa to work with the poor in India.

Lucius Newsom was a retired Baptist preacher. God prompted him feed the hungry and clothe the naked and take Jesus seriously when He said “the least of these.” He was a retired man on a fixed income but he began to fill his van with food and cloths and share what he had with people in need. Another church heard what he was doing and decided to help buy more food and clothes. When the head of the missionary committee took the check to Lucius were he was setting up to help the needy Lucius refused. He said, “I don’t need your money. I need your hands. But if you want to stay here and help me serve these people, I’d be obliged.” It wasn’t until the volunteers had worked several months and Lucius had seen their hearts that he accepted the money.

Some of you may have heard the story of Steve Elliot. One of my favorite quotes comes from him. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose.” God led him to work among the natives in South America. Those natives eventually killed him. Amazingly God led his wife to return to those same people. She took her children and went to live among the very people who killed her husband. And she led them to Christ.

Following Christ is not easy. It can be frustrating, uncomfortable, challenging, and sometimes even dangerous. As all the people I have mentioned can tell you. God’s will even led Christ to the Cross. So I ask you again. Do you really want God’s kingdom to come and God’s will to be done? DO YOU DARE?

AMEN ]]> Cloudwalker http://bibleforums.org/entry.php/1257-Thy-Kingdom-Come-Thy-Will-be-Done