The God Who Changes Everything

by Kevin Tillman | Nov 6, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

We live in a world that is full of chaos. Noise, distractions and uncertainty are always present. Deep down, however, our hearts are longing for something more. We don’t need more information, we need revelation. This starts with a better understanding of who God is. The more we truly know Him, the more everything else in this world will make sense.

Throughout the Bible, there is a threefold revelation of the. character of God. This revelation reveals His heart, and also His desire to be in relationship with His creation. God wants us to experience His Presence, be transformed by His Purity, and then walk in His Power.

God’s Presence: He is With Us

Psalm 34:18

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

One of the most incredible truths in God’s Word is that He is not far away. From the moment that He walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden to the moment Jesus promised, “I am with you always”, God has revealed His heart. He desires to dwell with His people.

This isn’t just a Sunday morning or Wednesday night experience. It’s a daily awareness of the nearness of God. In the quiet moments and in the middle of the chaos, in the highs and lows, His Presence is constant, and it’s our peace.

I think of a child that’s afraid of the dark. The lights come on, but it’s not the light that alleviates the fear, it’s the presence of the parent that walked in. the presence of someone that love and trust makes all of the difference.

God’s Purity: He is Holy

Isaiah 6:3

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of armies; the whole earth is full of His glory.”

When Isaiah encountered God’s holiness, he wasn’t simply impressed, he was wrecked. God’s purity exposes what is impure in us, not to condemn us, but to cleanse us. Holiness isn’t God’s demand to keep us at a distance. It’s His invitation to draw us closer by being transformed.

God’s purity reminds us that He isn’t just some bigger version of us. No, He is altogether different. He is perfect in every way. He is full of light, and when that light shines into our lives it reveals not only what’s hidden, but also what is broken.

Think about sunlight shining through a window. That beam of light doesn’t create dust, but it definitely exposes it. It shows what is already there. That’s the way that God’s light works in our lives. There is dust in our lives that needs to be cleaned, but we may never even see it without the light shining in.

God’s Power: He is Able

Ephesians 3:20

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”

We often think of God’s power in relationship to the miracles, especially the big ones. The Red Sea parting, the blind seeing, the dead being raised. Obviously these are definitely outpourings of God’s power. But, His power is just as real in the unseen things. Think about the strength to forgive some that’s hurt you. Think about the courage to keep going. Think about the grace to change and grow from the inside out.

This same power that raise Jesus from the grave lives inside of every believer. The power of God isn’t something we have to strive for, it’s SOMEONE we walk with daily.

God’s Presence comforts us. God’s Purity refines us. God’s Power strengthens us. God’s Presence reminds us that we are never alone. God’s Purity reminds us that we’re never beyond redemption. God’s Power reminds us that we are never out of hope’s reach.

The same God that is with you, also works in you, and moves through you.

Complaints or Cries?

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 25, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Years ago, a fellow staff member called me to chat.  I had been in a great mood before the phone call.  However, by the end of the conversation all of life seemed bleak.  She had one negative thing to say after another about every situation: work, health, relationships, everything.  I was drained by the end after listening to her complaining to me for over an hour.

While I fell apart with just one person’s gripe session, poor Moses had to listen to millions of negative voices rising up against their situation and against him.

Exodus 15:22-23

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 

These people faced life-threatening circumstances.  This is a serious matter.  There is no water.  It had been three days.  Children kept telling their parents, “I’m thirsty.”  Imagine their fear.  If water was not found soon, people could die.  Finally, in the distance, they saw water.  Picture their joy of coming close to what seemed like an answer.  Hope was renewed.  They rushed onward, with dry mouths and parched lips, eagerly anticipating a refreshing drink.  Yet, their hopes were dashed as they took a sip.  The water was bitter, harmful, undrinkable.  What they thought was an answer just added to the problem.

How do we respond to difficult situations?  What do we do when our hopes are crushed?  There is a choice to make.  The people decided to complain.

Exodus 15:24

So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

Imagine millions of people grumbling.  If my heart was disturbed by one negative phone call, how would a murmuring crowd impact Moses?  It would be easy to join in and become a part of the complaints.  Yet, in the midst of all this grumbling, he took a different approach.

Exodus 15:25a

Then Moses cried out to the Lord…

The people complained; Moses cried out to God.  Millions of people focused on their circumstances.  Moses focused on the only One who could help with the problem.  Moses called on the Lord to intervene.  God gave Moses a creative solution.

Exodus 15:25b

 …and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

Millions of people stood around and complained.  One man prayed and received an answer that helped millions.  That is the power of crying out to God compared to complaining about circumstances.

Each difficult situation brings a choice.  Will I complain or cry out?  Maybe the Lord will reveal to us creative solutions that will help others as well if we choose to cry out to Him.

You Got Your Priesthood Back

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 18, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France competitive bike race seven consecutive years, from 1998 to 2005.  Due to the grueling nature of this race, speculations arose that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs.  Armstrong denied the allegations for years.  An investigation, however, concluded that he had been doping throughout his biking career.  Finally, in 2013, Armstrong admitted to the drug use.  His awards were stripped from him and he was punished with a lifetime ban of involvement in professional sports.

Everything can be lost in a moment by our own sinful choices.  Even future generations can be impacted.  The nation of Israel experienced consequences from their sins.  Children from eleven out of the twelve tribes of Israel were impacted by their forefathers’ idolatry for over a thousand years.

The nation of Israel had been miraculously rescued from Egypt by the hand of God.  The Lord brought them to Mount Sinai in order to meet with them, to establish a covenant with them.

Exodus 19:5-6

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

If the nation would obey God, all of them would be a kingdom of priests.  The priesthood was for everyone.  What a privilege granted to them!  However, the honor was soon to be stripped away from the nation.  They chose to worship a golden idol shaped like a calf, instead of the Lord.

Exodus 19:19

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

The covenant between the people and God was broken.  Their idolatry, their sin, their breaking of the rules led to drastic consequences.

Exodus 32:25-28

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”  The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 

Only one tribe of Israel responded to Moses call of being “for the Lord”.  The Levites came to Moses and were given the gruesome task of killing idol worshippers.  They chose to do what was right in a wrong situation.  Because of their choice, they received a blessing.

Exodus 32:29

Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

The rest of the tribes had the priesthood stripped from them.  Only the Levites and their descendants were able to keep the position of their priesthood.

Numbers 3:5-7, 11-13

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle…The Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. 

The Levites replaced the firstborn of every tribe.  What was meant for every tribe was given to the Levites instead.  The other tribes had this honor stripped from them and their children.

However, a miraculous turn around takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  He became the lasting High Priest on our behalf.

Hebrews 6:20a

where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…

Jesus from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, is now the High Priest.  What Judah lost with the golden calf was regained by Jesus at the cross.  Jesus, the First Born son, implements the regaining of the priesthood for all believers.  It is not reserved for a few but the office of priesthood is open to all.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We received the priesthood back!  We are now the priests of God.  Think of the honor the Lord has given you through Jesus.  You are not “just saved”; you are chosen to be in the royal priesthood.  This is beyond just being a serving priest but being bestowed with royal lineage as well!  We have been set apart to be holy.  Together, believers from all over the world, through all of history make up a new nation of people that are the special possession of God Himself!  That is a reason to give a shout of praise!  This honor of priesthood is for the privilege of serving Jesus, the one who suffered to grant us this sacred office.

Revelation 1:5-6

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

I do not know what you thought when you looked at the mirror this morning, but it should be “I am a royal priest of God”.  We will be celebrating the One who gave us this honor not only on earth but heaven as well. One future song is recorded in the book of Revelation honoring what Jesus has done and what Jesus will do.

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Everyone is called to the priesthood.  This is not for a special few.  Your past does not disqualify you.  Your age is not a factor.  Your excuses have no place.  You are the royal priest of the Lord, serving under the High Priest of Jesus.  It is time to step up into the fullness of your holy calling.

Jesus, Our Ark of the Covenant

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 11, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

He was chosen.  He worked with wood and had other skills in creating items.  He was one man in a nation of millions of people.  He was called to the work.  No other person in history accomplished the task that he alone could do.  It was a sacred job.  He was commissioned by God to create the place of mercy.  His name was Bezalel.

Exodus 31:1-5

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.

The nation of Israel had been rescued from Egypt.  In the wilderness, the Lord instructed Moses to build a tabernacle, a place of worship.  Bezalel was to lead this sacred task of constructing the house of worship for the Lord.  There were numerous holy items that were made.

Exodus 31:6b-9

…make everything I have commanded you:  the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand…

The most holy object of them all would be the ark of the covenant.  This box was the meeting place between God and the people.  It would be housed in the section of the Tabernacle called the “Holy of Holies” or “The Most Holy Place”.  Once a year, the High Priest was allowed to go behind the curtain and sprinkle blood on the ark.  It was the time of forgiveness of sins for the people.  It was Bezalel who would have the great honor of making the holy box.

Exodus 37:1

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

Bezalel had to take a rough tree, smooth it down, and fashion it into the shape of a box.  The box was then covered with precious metal.

Exodus 37:2

 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 

The Lord gave specific instructions about the lid of the ark.  It would be adorned with angelic creatures looking downward at the top of the box.

Exodus 37:6-9

He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

The ark was not empty but contained objects from the wilderness journey.

Hebrews 9:4

This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Bezalel completed his beautiful ark without the full understanding of how it would picture one of his relatives who would be born over fifteen hundred years later.  Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah.  Jesus, also from the tribe of Judah, fulfilled the purpose of the ark.  The ark was the meeting place between God and His people.

Exodus 25:22

There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

However, the ark could only be approached with the blood sacrifice, and only once a year by the High Priest.  The Lord wanted to meet with all of His people.  The ark was the picture of what was to come.

Let us ponder the fulfillment of the ark from the inside out.  First, inside the ark was the jar of manna.  This was the miraculous bread that came from heaven for the daily provision of the people, to sustain them in the wilderness until they reached the Promised Land.  Jesus declared Himself the true Manna from heaven.

John 6:32-35

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 

Another object in the ark of the covenant was the ten commandments.  This was the requirements for the people.  However, everyone failed.  Each one sinned until Jesus.  He lived perfectly.  Thus, He fulfilled all of the law.

Matthew 5:17-18

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

The last object in the ark was Aaron’s staff.  There had been a dispute where Israelite leaders believed they deserved the high priesthood just as much as the descendants of Aaron.  The Lord spoke to Moses on how to handle the dispute.

Numbers 17:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you.  The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout…

The following morning, the Lord miraculously showed His chosen tribe for the priesthood.

Numbers 17:8

The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

This staff shows that only God’s chosen priest can serve before the Lord.  Jesus, our High Priest, is chosen to approach God.

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The High Priest, the one who is the Mediator between God and man, is Jesus.  He approached heaven, not with the blood of an animal, but with His own blood.  His precious blood was shed on a wooden cross.  What was the ark fashioned out of?  It was made of wood.  Wood of the ark pictured the wood of the cross where the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of mankind was made.  He took on the sin of the world.  He was able to die for us because He was perfect, He was God in a human body.  The wooden ark was covered with gold, representing the deity of Jesus.  The God-man died for us, making atonement for our sins.

The word “ark” in Hebrew means “ark, or chest, or coffin.”  The very name of the ark gives a picture of the final placement of a dead body, a coffin.  After Jesus died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb.  Also, recall the ark of the covenant had a lid with two cherubim looking downward at an empty space between them.  Now picture the tomb of Jesus as it was discovered by the women on the third day.

Luke 24:2-4

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 

I think that those two angels had sat at each end of the body of Jesus, watching over his body until He rose from the dead.  Then they enjoyed staring at the empty place and telling the people who came:

Luke 24:5b-7

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 

Jesus is the fulfillment of all the symbolism of the ark of the covenant.  A distant relative, from the tribe of Judah, made a precious box that was a telling a story of what Jesus would do on behalf of His people.  Bezalel created the ark, but he would never see it again.  For the box was placed behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies.  Only the High Priest could access this room and only one time a year.  This changed, though, when our High Priest, Jesus, who was also our sacrifice, died on the cross.

Matthew 27:50-51a

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The curtain which shielded the ark of the covenant from all the people, all the priest, and even the High Priest except one day a year, was miraculously torn!  Access to God through Jesus, became available to anyone who would believe.  That ark pictured Jesus and gave a picture of what He would do for us.  We can now freely approach the mercy seat of God.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We can approach God boldly today because of Jesus.  In the past, the nation of Israel did not have complete access to the Lord.  That is why Bezalel toiled in his labor.  He completed the ark so that the nation of Israel could access the room of God through the High Priest once a year.  Jesus completed His work so that every person could enter in the Holy place of the Lord at any time, for any reason.  We have access to the true Ark of the Covenant, Jesus, at this very moment.  May we all take the time to enter into His holy Presence today.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 12)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 21, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Prisoner’s Paradise

I am afraid to write this chapter.  I do not want to miss a single word in describing this powerful scene of condemnation and of salvation.  This is an account of three men as well as all of mankind.  Who am I to write a chapter on the death of our Lord?  Yet, write it I must for He compels me.  Please, look past my humble attempts of explaining this passage.  Instead, let the Holy Spirit fully bring an impact on the death of the Lamb.

I have never been able to handle blood and gore.  I refuse to watch action films because I cannot bear the violence.  But the scene I do anything to avoid is seeing the crucifixion scene of Christ.  I will close eyes, often even cover my ears.  It is just too much for me to handle.  I cry at the thought of it, seeing the death scene had made me weep to the point of shaking and feeling physically sick.  I have almost fainted.  That was just the few minute depictions of this historical event, held near the end of movies documenting the life of Jesus.  But when I heard the movie The Passion had been released, I did everything I could to avoid seeing commercials of the film.  Yet, I knew God was calling me to view this motion picture.  I admit to you, I resisted.  Almost everyone I knew had already seen it.  A group of friends finally convinced me to go, even though most of them had already viewed the movie.  I watched a majority of it.  When I did close my eyes, I did not close my ears.  But my heart hurt the whole time.  The one thought that continued through my mind was, “Jesus, You love me this much?”  It was a question, for I still struggle with believing the love God has for one such as me.

Do some of you question His love?  His mercy?  His grace?  Do you feel like you need to do more for His acceptance, to earn His favor?  Do you question your salvation?  Would God even save me?  Then, come with me to a place where death reigned, where questions went unanswered, where confusion was rampant, where hope was lost.  That is until Jesus spoke.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43)

What do you want to be remembered for?  What will be your legacy? These nameless men, only known for crimes, were only mentioned for Who they died with.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 

 Three men are forced to go up the hill.  Three men knew what awaited them.  Three men carrying their crosses.  Three men facing capital punishment.  Three men scorned by Roman soldiers and despised by Jewish countrymen.  Three men finally came to the place of death.

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…

Three men were put on the crosses that day.  This form of torture perfected by the Romans is the most painful form of slow death that has ever existed.  Crucifixions took place on major roads leading into cities.  This was a gruesome reminder of what would happen to anyone who disobeyed the reigning tyrants.  Jesus was in the center.  The two nameless convicts were at His sides.  Crowds stood at their feet.  Some were screaming up at Jesus, mocking Him.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him.  They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”  (Luke 23:35)

The Jews were not the only group having fun at the expense of the dying Jesus.  The Romans, also, joined the cruel act.

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him.  They offered Him wine and vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  (Luke 23:36-37)

 Then the strangest mockery of all occurred.  A fellow convict, one of the three men dying, someone suffering the same fate of Jesus, joined the scorning session.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!”

Facing death, suffering excruciating pain, hardly able to gasp in air, why would you waste breath on insulting someone suffering your same fate?  On deathbeds, you hear of speaking words of love to family and friends, sometimes of confessions of wrongdoings committed during the lifetime, of a desire to pray.  But making fun of another person?  It seems outlandish.

In truth, this convict represents many people.  All of us are under the sentence of death.  We may not know when, where, or how our capital punishment will take place, but we all know it is coming.  No one will escape it.  We all will face it.  Yet, there are some who choose to shake their fist at God during their entire lifetime, even to the point of death.  Their insults take different forms:  He does not exist; He is just a Good Force; He is part of many ways; He is removed and unconcerned; He is just a dream.  Mockery, scorning, refusing to accept the Truth.  Determined to live out our opinions and often joining in on the crowd’s viewpoints, no matter how wrong they may be.

But not everyone joins the crowd.  Some see their death sentence and realize they deserve it.  They do not insult God for they know He did not put them there.  No, it was their own choices.  But now they realize they are wrong.  And the Lord alone is right.  When you realize this, you cannot be silent.

But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Two men, both criminals, under the same sentence draw such drastically different conclusions.  One views the crowd and joins them.  The other views the Christ and joins Him.  I believe this convict watched how Jesus reacted.  He heard His words of love earlier when

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a)

This criminal looked at the facts of his life and summed it up with

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. 

He studied Jesus and realized

But this man has done nothing wrong.

I do not know how much this convict knew about Christ.  Had he heard about Him before he was in prison?  Had he observed the Lord before being nailed to a cross beside Him?  We do not know.  All we do know is that He knew the Name above every name and called out to Him.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

This criminal was saying, “I know You are the Messiah.  You have a kingdom in heaven and You reign over it.  I realize I am a sinner.  I do not belong there.  Look at me.  You know what I am.  But please just remember me.  That is more mercy than I even deserve.

A hardened convict, humbled.  His heart was finally broken not when he received his punishment for the crime, but when he saw an innocent man face death with Life.  It was more than he could hope for when that Life was extended to him.

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” 

Life for the dying.  Hope for the hopeless.  Future for the end.  Today will not be ended with excruciating pain.  Even though you are suffering now, this day will end with you in paradise.  You are with Me now in death but you will be with Me again in life.  This is the truth I am telling to you and to anyone else who will listen.  Paradise is waiting for those who will receive it!

For you.  For me.  The choice is ours.  Two men were equidistant from the cross of Christ.  Both deserved to be there.  They were guilty.  But one decided in his last moments on earth to reach out for eternity.  Another held on to the temporal even in his dying moments.  Jesus listened to them both.  One hurled insults.  The Lord never responded.  He knew the convict would be judged.  The other one cried out for mercy.  Jesus immediately answered with the promise of paradise.  Neither deserved grace.  But the one who asked for it received it.

The same is true today.  We just receive paradise by believing in the One who rules over it.  We realize that we do not deserve it, far from it.  We have seen the consequences of our poor choices.  We feel the weight of our death penalty.  But we can choose to ask for mercy.  Jesus will give it.  You do not have to earn it.  Realize the convict was never able to do anything good for God.  He was on a cross when He confessed Jesus as Lord.  The criminal died not too long after that.  He never preached a sermon, helped the homeless, gave money to the church, said a kind word to family or friends.  Yet, he would be in paradise.  Do you regret your life?  Do you look at your past and realize that there is nothing good?  Do you think that you do not deserve to go to heaven?  You are right.  If it was based on our own merits, none of us have a chance.  But it has nothing to do with you.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

No one can boast.  Not a pastor.  Not a missionary.  Not a giver.  Not a criminal hanging on a cross.  Each of us is saved by grace, not merit.  It is a gift, not a wage.  Nothing we deserve, yet everything God wants to lavish on us.  Stop striving.  Accept his gift.  Jesus loves to pardon the prisoners and release them into paradise.  That is the wonderful truth!

One by One

One by one these one on one encounters mean nothing if one more change does not transpire.  Are you different?  Do you love the Lord all the more because of what you have learned from the letter of Luke?  Have you drawn closer to Him?  Are you in awe of His grace?  Has His mercy floored you?  If not, than this is just been a book you can check off your list.  Please feel free to throw away for my words are worthless.  Who cares what this crazy person thinks?  But I hope that the verses from Luke have inspired you to discover more of the Word yourself.  Let the Spirit guide you into gleaning new insights from the passages.

Some of you have heard the same Bible stories over and over again.  You try not to yawn when the minister is preaching.  You go ahead and prepare your own three-point sermon:  lunch, nap, and then golf.  But you are missing out.  Read the words for yourself.  Hear what God is speaking to you.  He may take you in a wholly (or should I say holy) different direction than the minister is preaching and teach you something new, amazing, refreshing.  Take time to listen.

There are others of you who have never known that you could read the Bible daily for yourself.  It was not until I was in college that I understood what a Bible study was.  I believed only preachers were called to read the Word of God on a daily basis.  I thought the rest of us only had to take it in on Sundays when a preacher would spoon-feed us.  Not true!  The enemy loves this lie.  He knows that the most powerful force at your fingertips is the Word of God.  For the Word keeps us on the path of God, the one thing the enemy hates.  Through the Word we can discern the will of God, which is the last thing the enemy wants us to know.  Speaking the Word can defeat the enemy; he hates to lose a battle since he has already lost the war.  (You can shout Amen to that!)

Begin today.  Open the Bible.  Pray.  Ask God to teach you something.  Read a chapter.  Listen to the Spirit speak.  Write down what He tells you.  Ask for help to be more like Christ.  Obey whatever He shares with you.  The Bible was given just for you.  This present has eternal power!  But you must open this letter in order to receive it.  You can learn your own life lessons from the Word.

Time with God needs to interrupt your day every day.  Just like the encounters we studied in Luke, you have the opportunity to approach Jesus with your cares, concerns, needs, joys, sins, and triumphs.  Speak to Him and allow the Lord to speak to you.  You are not going to inconvenience Him.   He is waiting for you.

From the stories in Luke, we have witnessed how each person was eternally changed by meeting with the Savior.  Maybe a new chapter will be written in heaven.  It is about another one-on-one encounter.  But this time, it is about Jesus meeting with you.  What an exciting story that will be!  Give Him glory.  Go ahead, right now, shout “Glory.  Praise the Lord.  Halleluiah…..”  You keep going.  He deserves it.  This is the beginning of your one-on-one.  Enjoy His Presence!