Jesus Came

by Tim Howard

Have you ever met someone who changed your life for the good? Someone, you can point to who made you a better person? Every individual I’ve had the privilege of knowing has impacted me on some level but there’s a handful of people who have influenced me greatly and are a part of my foundation. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t met them.  My wife is one of them… Because of her I have changed for the good and am a better man. Jesus, however, has altered the course of my life and profoundly changed me in ways I find extremely difficult to convey. I would be nothing if He had not come!

Jesus came to change people and it’s not because He doesn’t like who we are! He’s not mad, uptight or dissatisfied with us. It’s not because He finds us unappealing or distasteful but because He loves us. After all, we are created in His image. He loves us enough to accept us on the basis of who we have become, but loves us too much to leave us in our current condition.

When God created the world, everything was good. You can read about in Genesis chapter 1 and 2. We were designed in His image with the objective of having open communion with Him on a personal basis. Mankind, however, decided to rebel. From the beginning of time to present, people have wanted what they want, when they want it and how they want it. They have tried to make God into their image rather than accepting the truth. We are created in His image.

That rebellious streak has played havoc in relationships and created a breach in our communion with God. You cannot be self-centered, self-willed and selfish without causing damage. Relationship of all sorts will suffer. We were designed for good but damaged by evil.

We are all broken! We are all damaged! There is not one of us who has it all together. That’s why Jesus came! He came to help and to return us to our original status. Under all the damage and debris, there is an original you, who Jesus wants to restore.

This weekend Christians all over the world are remembering the crucifixion and celebrating His resurrection.

 As we celebrate this Easter season, God wants to give all of us a divine perspective and help us see from His vantage point.  Those who are receptive will see more than a man dying on a cross and hear stories about His resurrection. They will see a Savior who lived among us, died for us and walks with us to help us live life to it’s fullest. 

The Apostle John puts it this way: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. That’s Good News!

Celebrate!

by Tim Howard

Easter celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Because of Him – people are able to experience freedom, joy, peace, love and a future hope. He provides the power for people to live and is the foundation and focus of the Christian faith!  That’s a reason to celebrate this weekend!

The death and resurrection of Christ not only changed our calendar from B.C. to A.D. but also has the power to change your past, your present and you destiny – when you put your faith in Christ.

The Apostle Paul had a tremendous desire to experience the power of the resurrection and said: “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Phil. 3:10-11 NLT

Resurrection is the Power to cancel your past sins and failures. Paul in his letter to the Colossian people said that Jesus has “forgiven all our sins… and canceled every record of the debt we owe.” Christ did this through His death on the cross for those who would repent and turn to Him.

Resurrection is the Power to conquer your present problems and the challenges you face. We are told in the book of Romans that nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ. Since He is for us and not against us – we are more than conquerors. Check out Romans 8:35 & 37

Resurrection is the Power to change your identity and destiny. "When someone becomes a Christian he or she becomes a new person inside.  He or she is not the same anymore. A new life has begun." 2 Cor. 5:17 (LB)

Resurrection is the Power that reveals a God who is alive and actively involved in the universe. Across the world this weekend tens of thousands of people will remember and rejoice in a God who Was, Is and Will Be – He is Alive!

Today God wants everyone to experience the power of his resurrection and I have been praying for that to happen in those who live in Kings County – Our country  and the world at large.

I am a follower of Christ because I accepted His invitation over 60 years ago and began my journey back then. That being said, I have leaned that resurrection power doesn’t remove all difficulties and obstacles.

For every Sunday of rejoicing, there is a Friday of sorrow – Just like it was for Jesus. But for those who put their confidence in Jesus and rely upon Him for their daily existence – their Friday will succumb to His Sunday.

Up Close and Personal

by Tim Howard

Big news hit Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified about 2000 years ago. The whole city was in an uproar. But that was nothing – compared to the bewilderment of the resurrection. People were astounded and astonished. If a ‘Jerusalem Times’ existed it would have been front-page news. If CNN had been there – all programmed news surely would have given way to ‘Live Breaking News.’

A doctor named Luke in his book: ‘Acts’ tells us that Jesus began to reveal Himself to hundreds of people at one time plus many individuals and small groups on separate occasions. These revelations restored joy and faith in those who were followers of Christ and hope for future would-be followers.

Steven Spielberg wrote a fictional movie called “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” but the resurrection, which was celebrated last weekend, records a non-fictional Encounter of a ‘Divine Kind.’

The Bible is full or historical records in which common, everyday people, like you and me had more than ‘close encounters’ but ‘divine encounters’ with God.

Beginning in Genesis we see Adam and Eve talking directly to God. Abraham encountered an angel who assured him that his 90-year-old wife would give birth to a child, Moses encountered God as he viewed a burning bush and David saw God’s power when he fought Goliath.  Other similar encounters are recorded in many non-biblical writings.

Is a ‘Divine Encounter’ possible? Could that really happen to someone like you or me? Is God up close and personal?

I believe so! Sometimes it happens indirectly but at other times directly.

When considering the possibility of Jesus actually being alive and revealing Himself today as He did for 40 days after the resurrection – it may help to ask a few thought-provoking questions. Especially for those who are curious but not convinced.

1.   Could Divine Encounters happen but we simply don’t recognize them? When the supernatural is conveyed in natural means, it’s difficult to identify. Many people had face-to-face encounters with Jesus but didn’t realize they were talking with God.

2.   Are we missing some encounters because of our busyness? To identify a divine encounter you must STOP! Moses stopped to look and listen. When he did – God spoke to him. In a fast paced world it’s easy to fly by significant events and not see the depth of what is taking place. At the end of each day, it’s good to pause and ask God if you missed something.

3.   Does an encounter with God require a person to stretch beyond their comfort zone of knowledge? We all tend to find comfort in our own experiential knowledge but growing up means we must consider things beyond our limited vantage point. This is the realm of faith. All facts of history are passed on to us and require this ingredient. Faith is not only used for spiritual things but needed for everyday life. The question isn’t – Do we have faith? But what do we put our faith in?

Divine encounters can’t always be explained and many don’t believe they happen today. I tend to disagree and that’s O.K. We must learn to agree to disagree.

If they do happen as I believe – I don’t want to miss them! You can’t make one happen but you can be prepared. Jesus is the Light of the World and wants to meet with you! Are you ready for Him to be Up Close and Personal?

Is God Dead?

by Tim Howard

If you were alive in the 60’s then you may remember the April 1966 issue of Time Magazine, which had this question on its cover, “Is God Dead?” It alluded to the widely quoted statement by a German philosopher named Friedrich Nietzsche. He wrote several articles proclaiming, ”God is Dead.”

The New Testament followers of Christ believed just the opposite. They knew that God was alive through Jesus Christ because he had in fact risen from the grave. A Doctor named Luke tells us in Acts chapter one these facts: “During the forty days after his crucifixion, Jesus appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.” Then in 1Cor. 15:6 Paul tells us, Jesus was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time after His resurrection…

One of the reasons the New Testament Church succeeded in their mission is because they served a living God. Unfortunately many people today have killed God in their mind through rationalism, a faulty understanding of science and a number of other things for a myriad of reasons. If there is no God then you can make up your own rules. If there is no God, you are not accountable to anyone for your actions. If there is no God, you can live a life of self-focus and elevate yourself to the place of being a god. It was tempting to Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis and it is tempting to people of the 21st century.

If on the other hand God is alive, you will have to give an account for the decisions you make and the actions you choose. The author of Hebrews in chapter 10 makes it clear that God is living and He will ultimately bring us before Himself to have a time of reckoning. The author goes on to say this can be a fearful thing if you have been living a life as though God is dead.

The disciples and other followers of Christ were not at the mercy of those who had an argument or made bold statements like Friedrich Nietzsche because they had a valid and verifiable experience. They knew He was alive because they were in his presence, they felt his closeness and a saw his acts. Once you have had an encounter with the living Lord revealed in the scriptures, all lies about Him lose their power.

For the present day person, it is good to know that God is not only alive but He’s actively involved in the lives of those who put their faith in Him. He is not aloof or far away. He helped Moses when he faced a crisis at the Red Sea. He assisted Noah when the rain started to pour down. He delivered Daniel from the mouths of lions when death was imminent and He will guide and assist you each and every day through every challenge.

Only a living God can do these things! By the way, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche died August 25, 1900 but God is still alive and doing quite well. He is not dead!

Why not visit one of the many church families this weekend in Kings County and encounter a living God. Don’t go as one who visits a cemetery to remember the dead but go seeking the Lord who is alive. Luke 24:6.