All In

Thus says your Lord, the LORD and your God, who pleads the cause of His people: See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury; you shall no longer drink it.' Isaiah 51:22

Here's one bait and switch you want to be a part of. Yeah, I know it's not usually a good thing, but trust me on this one.

See, God has two cups-a cup of wrath, anger, and judgment, and a cup of blessing. I know, this sounds like a really hard choice, right? But here's the deal, every single person on the face of this planet throughout the entire history of the world was born with the first of these cups glued to their hands. Every day they lived only brought that cup of wrath and judgment closer to their lips, at which point they would be forced to drink it down to the dregs.

Do you know what dregs are? The dregs are the particles and sediment at the very bottom of the glass. That means that those who down that cup drink, not just a sip, but the whole thing. Down the hatch. Lick out the bottom. Leave nothing left. Just go and swallow and ingest God's entire wrath, anger, and judgment for your sin.

Happy thought? I don't think so. There's a reason this cup is also called the cup of trembling.

But it's not the only cup, remember? The other cup is a cup of blessing, and I mean, there is no cup that is more opposite the cup of God's wrath and judgment than the cup of His blessing. As much as His cup of wrath brings pain, destruction, punishment, and rejection forever, His cup of blessing brings healing, restoration, wholeness, and acceptance forever.

The only problem is that the cup of wrath is glued to our hands, right? And the cup of God's blessing is out of reach.

But God, in His incredible love and mercy, chose to switch cups with us. I know, who would do that, right? But God did. Jesus came to Earth to take the cup of wrath from our hands, drink it all Himself right down to the dregs, suffer and die in our place, bearing our sins and shame-and then He gave us the cup of blessing instead.

If you have Jesus in your heart, then you have the cup of blessing, thanksgiving, and love in your hands. His desire in exchanging cups with us wasn't just to take ours on Himself, but to give us His. Thank the Lord today and drink deeply to the dregs of His cup of blessing.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I can't believe that You would make such an incredible exchange with me. Thank You for taking the cup of wrath and giving me Your cup of blessing instead! Please help me to remember the blessings You have given me and see the blessings that You still have in store for me!

Amen

The Crowd at the Crossroads

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!' And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? Matthew 21:9-10

Do you know the difference between going to church and being a Christian? I hope you know, because your eternal destination depends on your answer.

See, there are a lot of people in America who call themselves Christians, but really have no idea what that means. They even go to church. I mean, they're really involved! They bring their kids, they go to Bible studies, they engage wholeheartedly in the worship times, but somehow they never really found Jesus in all the learning and participating and activities.

That's why Paul wrote, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5). And there's the bottom line, isn't it? Is Jesus Christ in you? Because if He's not in you, then you're not saved.

Take a look at our verses today for a great picture of some people who should have examined themselves. Those multitudes were the ones praising God as Jesus rode into town on Palm Sunday, just five days before He would be crucified. And the whole crowd gets caught up in the stir of what's going on, so that they all cry out together in praise to God-but then what happens?

Jesus gets into Jerusalem, finding that the whole city-the WHOLE city, not just someis stirred up about this parade that just came to town. But they don't even know what they're stirred up about. They're all asking, Who is this?

It's like, Praise God! Hallelujah! Oh wait, who is this all about again? They got caught up in the emotions of the moment and had some kind of incredible experience that they probably thought was pretty significant, but it had no connection to truth or reality. They sang the song, but they had no idea who they were singing for. They danced the dance, but couldn't tell anyone the reason for their joy.

How about you today? Are you just singing the songs, or are you really worshiping Jesus? Are you dancing because that's what everyone else is doing, or do you have joy because you know Jesus saved you?

Are you following the crowd, or are you following Jesus?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I want to make sure that I am following You today and every day of my life! Whenever I get into crowds, please help me to live for You in truth, no matter what the crowd is doing.

Amen

How Do You Do Life?

Yet indeed I also count all things loss...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection. Philippians 3:8,10

Have you seen the news lately? We know that we shouldn't expect good news on the news, but some historically terrible things have been happening.

We've seen riots spread throughout the Middle East; war in many nations; earthquakes in Indonesia, Iraq, China, Haiti, and Japan; tsunamis in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan; volcanoes in Europe; the threat of nuclear meltdown; and economic crises all over the world.

What disaster are you facing? Maybe it is not as dramatic as these international issues, but for your life as an individual, a smaller disaster can wreak just as much havoc. Whether it is brokenness in your family, financial and career issues, or the death of a loved one, these things are difficult. They make us ask, How am I supposed to make it through life when such terrible things happen?

The answer is hope. As a Christian, you can always have hope!

Imagine this-Jesus was so far past hope that He was dead. Think of that. Are you dead in your circumstances? Jesus was dead. There was no hope. He had raised dead people back to life, but how could He raise Himself? It was impossible. No chance, no way, no hope.

But wait. Something shook the ground, and then an angel appeared in blinding light and struck the soldiers like dead men. The stone rolled away and-it can't be!-Jesus walked out alive!

The power of the resurrection in Him overcame even death. Hope was restored!

If you are a Christian, then this Jesus is alive in you. You always have hope! No matter what you are facing today, ask Jesus to help you. Ask Him to resurrect your circumstances and bring life to you again.

Then, as you go throughout your days, give this hope to others around you who need it. Everyone is shaken at one time or another, but we can bring them what they need-hope.

Let your hope be strong, for Jesus is alive!

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You are alive, and that You are alive in me! I repent for losing hope in You because of my circumstances. Please restore my hope and bring life to what seems dead around me.

Amen

The Essential Elements of Redemption

Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. Exodus 12:40

Have you ever gotten lost? Now, I know none of the men reading this have ever been lost, but let's just pretend for a second, okay, that all of us have been lost at one point or another in our lives.

What do you do when you're lost? Or let's make it even worse. You're in another country and you don't speak the language. No one can give you directions. You don't have a map. And somehow, you got lost in a maze of streets and find yourself in who-knows-where.

This is essentially what happened to Israel. They went to a foreign nation and got stuck there. It's like they were lost, trapped in a country that was not their home. Only, for Israel, they were lost for 430 years!

Now, if you ask me, after 430 years, the place where my great-great-great-great grand pappy got lost would probably feel a whole lot like home. But that's not God's perspective on this. God says that Israel was sojourning in Egypt for that whole time. It never became their home, not once, not ever, not even in 430 years.

Let's make this personal for us. Our great-great-great-great grand pappy, Adam, got lost. He stepped into a world of sin that was separated from God and he settled there. Ever since then, all of his descendents were born into a place that was not their home, no matter how at home we have felt there. We-you and I-were born into a world that is not our home. It's like we're living in Egypt, waiting for God to set us free into the Promised Land.

To set Israel free, God told them to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on the lintel and posts of their door. Covered, so to speak, by this lamb's blood, the angel of death passed over them and Egypt kicked them out. They were on their way home after sojourning for 430 years.

To set us free, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die as the fulfillment of the picture we see in the Passover Lamb. Now, covered by His blood, we are redeemed out of sin, slavery, sojourning, and death, set free to return to the place where we were created to live-a place with perfect fellowship with Him.

You don't have to be lost anymore. Your Passover Lamb already gave His life and His blood for you so that you could be free. But here's your choice: As Israel had to take the lamb's blood and put it on their doors, we have to receive Jesus' shed blood on our behalf and let it cover us.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for dying for me so that I can be free! Please cover me today. Show me how to live for You as You lead me all the way home.

Amen

Whatever It Takes

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17

Do you remember where it all began for you? Where did you first meet Jesus? What was it like? Who was with you? What could you hear, see, smell, and feel? What was it that finally compelled you to give your life to Him?

All Christians have a starting point in their walk with Jesus. That walk then begins to move around as we follow Jesus through life, but sometimes it's as though we lose sight of Jesus. It's like we've lost Him and either don't know or don't care where He is anymore.

This is what happened to the disciples. Jesus met them and called them in the region of Galilee, then He led them all throughout Israel and they never once lost sight of Him until He died and was buried. Boy, did they think He was lost then, and that they were lost with Him!

Of course, that's not where their story ended, for when Jesus rose from the dead He called them to join Him in the exact same place where it had all started-Galilee. Not only that, but He invited them up to the mountain to have some one-on-one time with Him away from everyone else.

Now, they could have had a few objections. They could have said, You know, Jerusalem isn't the safest place right now; I don't think we should leave our wives here. They could have argued, Yeah, I could come, but that's a four day walk, and then I'd have to climb a mountain. I'm just not sure I'm up for that. I mean, I'm so emotionally drained right now; I just don't have it in me. Just give me some time to recover. Or maybe You could come meet me here. That would be great; just come meet me here.

But that's not what they said. Instead, they said, Whatever it takes, I will get back to where I started so that I can find Jesus again.

Do you feel like you have lost sight of Jesus today? If so, then be like the disciples and go back in your heart to where you first found Him. He will still be there, waiting for you to come, no matter what it takes.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I don't know how, but I confess today that I somehow lost sight of You. I know that You're still there for me, so I choose to look to You today just as I first did when I began walking with You. Please come and meet me again today as You did then!

Amen

The Ultimate Power and Purpose of the Cross

There He...said, If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.' Exodus 15:25-26

Have you ever experienced something that was bitter? I know I have. Bitter experiences are no fun. You want to spit them out of your life like sour milk.

Bitter experiences are just that-bitter-often leaving an unpleasant and even painful residue in our hearts. But because of the cross of Jesus we can be healed.

There is a story from the exodus of Israel from Egypt that gives us the perfect picture of what Jesus has done for us. Right after they had crossed through the Red Sea, they traveled for three days in the wilderness, and after three days they came to a small pond.

As you can imagine, they excitedly went to drink their fill of the water, but when they did they found that the water was bitter. It was so bitter, in fact, that they could not drink it. Instead, they complained to Moses. Moses cried out to God and God answered Moses by showing him a tree.

Then, in the sight of the whole nation, Moses threw the tree into the water and imme-

diately the whole pond was transformed, not so that it was tolerable, not just okay, not just I think I can manage, but so that it was sweet.

And right there in that profound moment, the Lord made a promise to the people that if they followed Him, then He would take away from them everything that made their lives bitter, all the sicknesses and plagues and death that He had brought on the Egyptians.

This is what God has done for us already through the cross of Jesus Christ. He has removed the sickness, the death, and the sin that have plagued us all our lives. He declares over us today, I am the LORD who heals you.

Salvation is not a process and redemption is not a road. It is an event, and either it's happened to you or it hasn't. Either the cross has invaded your life like the tree invaded the pool or it hasn't. Either your life is filled with living water or with bitter water.

Which one is it for you?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I have had a lot of bitterness in my life, but I praise You that You have thrown the reality of the cross into my spirit so that I can be whole. I put my trust in You today. Please make my bitterness sweet!

Amen

High Noon

A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table... Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.' Matthew 26:7,13

Every story has a focal point, and the focal point of the Bible is the cross.

Every story also has supporting characters and mini-stories that lead up to the climax. Our verses today tell us the story of one of the most important supporting characters in the story of the cross.

This person is Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She came to the dinner party to which Jesus and all His disciples had come, and she brought with her a flask of perfume that represented her life, her dowry, and her identity. She broke open the flask and poured the whole thing out on Jesus' head so that the entire house smelled of the fragrance.

The perfume was all that she had. If she gave it away, wasting it on Jesus, then she was giving away every hope she had of ever getting married, of ever having children. And in those days, husbands and children (sons, specifically) were the ones who provided for the women. Without that flask, Mary was probably stuck with Lazarus for the rest of her life.

None of this was lost on her. She knew what it meant. She knew the full ramifications of her actions that day.

But she didn't care. She had already sold out to Jesus so completely that she knew He was worth such extravagant, fully surrendered worship.

No one else in the room agreed with what she did. Everyone thought it was a waste of her life. That is to say, everyone except for Jesus.

Jesus saw the devotion in Mary's heart that moved her to give her all to Him, and He praised her for it. In fact, He promised that wherever the gospel is preached, her story will be told. Incredible!

Are you like Mary, or are you holding out on God like everyone else in the room? Because if you're not like Mary, then you're missing out.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

You are worthy of me being like Mary, so I choose to have that same heart! I offer up all of my life to You right now. I break it open and pour it out before You, and I invite You to do whatever You want in my life. My life belongs to You!

Amen