It Is Finished?

³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  John 19:30

So yesterday was the culmination of Holy Week, where churches across the U.S. were packed to the wall with many folks that came to celebrate Jesus either out of ritual, persuasion, curiosity, or sheer love & devotion to The One who took on SIN for every last one of us.    Now before someone jumps down my throat with THEOLOGY....please...I totally am aware that Jesus saying " It is finished" is about His work on the cross, that He redeemed us through having to take on our penalty...but....what I am talking about is addressing a different " It is finished?" angle that calls us to service.

This was my first Resurrection Sunday as the new pastor of Calvary Church Connections Campus, and I have to admit these words actually came out of my mouth, and probably many other staff members (and leaders) at churches across the country, " I'm glad it's over...."  I've had the day off, and much time to think about this....and I've had to repent of the feeling of rejoicing it (being the work, the preparation, the day) is over cause if ONE soul claimed the name of JESUS as their Savior...it's SO NOT OVER.  Heck in reality my/our work has just begun.  ( We had 3 people express a desire to rededicate their lives to Christ, and one desiring to be baptized!) We have to now spend time walking with them through life, and as Paul stated in 1 Thess. 5:15-15 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,^[a] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

SO I am saying all this to say YES, CHRIST PAID THE DEBT, and it wasn't on a payment plan or installments...THAT IS FINISHED...BUT WE HAVE WORK TO DO, and the Truth is, we should find ourselves celebrating His Resurrection each day, with how we treat those who have come, those who are slow to come, those who won't come, and those who are amongst us that are truly His, with His love, mercy, and compassion!  LGLP

Because of the Blood (the Passover)

^{EXODUS 12:13} But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.  ¹⁴ “This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time.
 
Pictured is a couple of men from Ntcheu that decided because WE traveled thousands of miles, that they would sacrifice a goat  to honor GOD and us for our time.  They don't tend to kill their livestock just to eat some meat because goats are really resourceful: they eat trash & grass (no lawn mowers or trash pick up) they provide milk which produces your dairy by products (cheese, butter, cream....etc.)so you can see why killing them is a big ordeal....and yet He's smiling as he is preparing it to celebrate!  TODAY IS FRIDAY, and often times we are celebrating today simply because it's the last work day of the week.....but today's scripture is a reminder of another reason we should CELEBRATE everyday....because of the BLOOD! (check out this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVTez_kwsAE ) 
 
 Take time to just stop and remember that even just last night....that because of the BLOOD the angel of death passed over your home last night.    That's right...today....you are YET STILL ALIVE and it's because of what?   THE BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST!   When you really stop to think about it, not a day that goes by  IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED  we have many reasons to CELEBRATE...we just have to get out of the mirror long enough to SEE IT!  I pray that you take a moment to THANK JESUS for HIS BLOOD SHED FOR YOU, and not just for you...but for every living breathing individual...saved and unsaved!  
 
Join me next week...as I launch " I SEE THE LORD" a series on praying.....for real!
 

CELEBATION BECAUSE OF GREAT GIVING

1 Chronicles 29:6-10 MSG - :

6-8 Ready and willing, the heads of families, leaders of the tribes of Israel, commanders and captains in the army, stewards of the king's affairs, stepped forward and gave willingly. They gave 5,000 talents (188 tons) and 10,000 darics (185 pounds) of gold, 10,000 talents of silver (377 tons), 18,000 talents of bronze (679 tons), and 100,000 talents (3,775 tons) of iron. Anyone who had precious jewels put them in the treasury for the building of The Temple of God in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.

9 And the people were full of a sense of celebration—all that giving! And all given willingly, freely! King David was exuberant.   

Pictured are the kids and people of Tslitza village in Lilongwe that literally poured out of their huts as we were walking their streets and began to celebrate our coming to BE with them.  No we didn't come with mealy meal, or clothes, or toys, but rather we brought ourselves and they were exuberantly joyous for just that!  The people in the scripture had decided in their hearts to give everything they had to the building of the Temple of God, and so much so they were truly cheerful givers and their cheerfulness spilled over to celebratory.   Calvary Church is trying to build up not JUST THE CHURCH (our 3 campuses) but also the people so that we can continue to DO GREAT THINGS for the Communities in which we are surrounded by in the PROJECT 50 promotion!   Scripture (Romans 12) tells us that we are to present out bodies as the reasonable sacrifice.....the people in Africa GOT IT, cause they were used to only having meager resources to offer, but giving of themselves fully!  

So what's my challenge for you.....1) GIVE YOURSELF AWAY   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld1cXry5nyM  (help a neighbor, give up your lunch to someone who doesn't have one, make a contribution at CHURCH, serve in some capacity in complete HUMILITY) 2) Truly celebrate someone's GIVING.....GOD's included!  ( I dare you to stand up, lift up your hands and truly WORSHIP GOD this weekend!)  WHO CAREs who's watching........this is between you and GOD!   LGLP

Let's All Celebrate.....The Return

Luke 15:21-24 (ESV) ²¹And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'^{[a] 22}But the father said to his servants,^[b] 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.

Pictured is the people of Katskatera, Africa that live on a mountain, and due to their lack of resources they are starving.   It was a 25mile trek up the mountain and due to the terrain (unpaved road) it took is 3 hrs to get up the mountain in a volkswagon van, that at one point we had to get out to walk because 12 of us was proving to be too much for the transmission on such terrain.  But once we got to the center these beautiful people awaited us.   Some of which traveled 12.5 miles by foot just to be there (some featured in suits) and others waited patiently for us to complete the trip for a few hours....but nonetheless when we arrived their was this exuberant joy filled with singing, dancing and hugs.   Were we lost?  No.  Had we chose a different path contrary to Christ?  No.  Were we bringing supplies or even food?  No (I wish we were...cause they were in need).  Were we bringing money or even a truck for them to keep so that getting the gov't provided food they'd have access to it now?  NO NO NO NO.....so why were they celebrating?  Because we had traveled many many many miles (from America) to come and just BE (not do.....but JUST BE) with them. 
In today's story the father saw a reason to celebrate the return of his wayward son, and I can identify with his feelings of having a child, or a love one who has chosen to "do their own thang" and how you worry about them, and really just want them to return, and when they do....let's party!   But what about you?  Do  you celebrate, or praise GOD ANY DIFFERENT when someone returns to work, home, or church after being away?  The people of Katskatera, DIDNT EVEN KNOW US, but they knew GOD, and they went all out to tell HIM THANK YOU FOR US! 
Here's a link to my friend Brian Ames (one of his favorite songs) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPF4BR8ECp0&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL494D5F5074EBC676 Let's All Celebrate and I challenge each of you today to CELEBRATE GOD's blessing of/on someone you know, or work with, or heard of coming back home.  Maybe you need to think back to Sunday/Saturday when you saw _________________________ and you hadn't seen them in awhile.    If they angels rejoice of just one (Luke 15:7-10)......so should you!  Let's All Celebrate!

GOD's Mighty Acts

Psalm 138:4-5 (AMP) ⁴All the kings of the land shall give You credit and praise You, O Lord, for they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].  ⁵Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.

This picture was taken by a friend of mine at church, no this isn't painted by a starving artist, but rather the first and BEST ARTIST I know, GOD!  The psalmist wrote that all the kings will give you credit and praise the LORD, but even though they may or may not.....what about you?  I read hundred a comments on Facebook, and while I absolutely adore what Facebook can offer, it can also be a sesspool of negativity regarding one's work, a relationship, people's thoughts of the church or other people....etc.   But we are called to praise the LORD FOR THIS IS THE DAY THAT HE HAS MADE, we are suppose to rejoice and be glad.   I challenge every FB reader of my blog to not make A NEGATIVE post this week, and rather when you feel overwhelmed, downtrodden, mistreated, disappointed, etc.....that you turn your focuses off of you...and turn them to locate the MIGHTY ACTS that GOD has done, or is doing in your life, why?  Because GREAT IS THE GLORY OF THE LORD.

May God richly bless your eyes to capture His MIGHTY ACTS done so that you may REJOICE and BE GLAD in the day that HE (only HE could) has made!  LGLP

What's there to CELEBRATE on MONDAY?????

    Leviticus 16:⁴ He appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to celebrate [by calling to mind], thanking and praising the Lord, the God of Israel:

Pictured is 3 of my children, Rajime & Tre (featured) , and it was taken many years ago in a hotel in Dallas after I said time to wake up!  As you can well see.....they both have smiles on their faces.  Today is Monday, and for many of us it's a return to something, maybe it's to school or to work...and I don't know but it's amazingly sad to get older and began to dred certain days of the week, and for some literally stress out about it.   Oh how I wish, scratch that.....OH HOW I PRAY we could get back to the attitudes of wonder and joy in being awaken to a new day!  A new series of blessings from GOD!  
The Levites, the priests to minister (worship) before the Ark and to celebrate (by remembering) and I challenge each of you as you WAKE UP to the NEW DAY, that you take a few minutes to call to mind WHY you should be FOUND CELEBRATING TODAY!  Maybe it's just that you STILL HAVE A JOB, or HAVE A PORTION OF HEALTH that allows you to..................., or maybe it's YOUR BIRTHDAY, or this past weekend GOD BLESSED  YOU TO________________.   There is song called  I GOT A REASON by Byron Cage...(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HSJRIoux0Q)and I wonder if GOD will find you finding reasons to celebrate not just this MONDAY but EVERY MONDAY!  Be blessed and LGLP!