The Bride

I came across a question a few weeks ago that set my mind on fire. It burned for days and days getting my heart caught up in the tortuous pondering until my soul joined the mêlée of sorrowful conjecture. My goodness you say, what on earth would disturb you so? Here’s the question I’ll let you ponder it’s depth for awhile. Did you ever stop to think about what a bad deal Jesus got when He chose us to be His bride?

Ugg! I can’t bear the pain of that question. I’ve grown into the belief over the last 49 years with Coach Wonderful that marriage is the one relationship on earth that prepares a person for the intimate relationship with Christ Jesus. Why you ask? It’s the one relationship that teaches you to die to yourself on a daily basis or the marriage relationship dies. There seems to be a cultural impression that a good marital relationship is an inalienable right. Folks appear to be escaping marriage commitments by the droves with the thought there is someone else out there with whom a good relationship will be easier. Good grief, didn’t anyone read the fine print? Relationships are going to have their challenges and even the best of them will be severely tried. Dan Haseltine wrote in Relevant magazine a few years back, “Look at the marriage of Jesus… the one with the bride who sleeps around, never listens, disowns, scorns, dishonors, runs away, intentionally proves to be more interested in anything but her husband, is selfish and bears the children of every affair and the scent of every escapade. It was a marriage that killed Jesus. And it was the Gospel that brought Him back to life to love once more”.

Our groom Jesus doesn’t look for a way out. "I will never leave thee." -- Hebrews 13:5 He waits expectantly and with great love for his bride while she clothes herself in wedding attire. He isn’t thinking about Himself or His own rights. He is thinking about us. He sees us as holy, blameless and beautiful. He sees the completed bride that He paid for and washed clean through the healing blood of His forgiveness on the cross. With that kind of love shinning on us we should be able to see each other that way, die to ourselves and live offering one another to Jesus in love.

A pearl to string: Mark Steel said, “Jesus can turn water into wine, but He can't turn your whining into anything”.   None of us will find peace within ourselves until we find peace in God’s gift of eternal life. 

Humbled by His continuous grace,
                                       Lyndi

Resurrection Mural by Ron DiCianni

A friend sent me a copy of this wonderful artwork by Ron DiCianni that is now on display in the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas.

Pictured from left to right: Abraham, Isaiah, David, Moses, (an angel on either side of Jesus), Elijah, Noah, Queen Ester, John the Baptist, Daniel.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"

Hebrews 12:1 verse used for artist's inspiration

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By Ron DiCianni
March 28, 2010

Every artist longs for the definitive subject to paint, the one that captures a moment in time, hoping that viewers will put themselves there. Mine is the Resurrection. The one act in history that separates Christianity from every philosophy, every religion, and stops the mouths of every critic of Christ. Some may choose to ignore it, but none can deny it.

Two years ago, the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas, asked me if I would consider painting a mural on the theme of Jesus’ resurrection. After praying and summoning up the courage to face such a task, I agreed. My only solace was in knowing that God had promised me many years ago that He would hold my hand whenever I painted. Knowing that the God of the universe is with you is what caused David to confront Goliath, Elijah to stand alone against 400 crazy prophets, and is what sustained Jesus when faced with the cross.

Taking my cue from Hebrews 12:1, I envisioned Christ emerging from the tomb with many heroes of the faith waiting for Him. These Old Testament faithful were able to see the One who fulfilled what they could only have dreamed of!

On a more practical note, I have to laugh when I think of how God loves to go against the grain of our comfort zone. I paint on a mechanical lift that raises a small, unsteady platform quite high off the floor. For as long as I can remember, I have been terrified of heights! Isn’t that just like God to make us face the very thing that proves He’s bigger and stronger than our fears? No question who is going to get the glory from such an assignment!

The mural required extensive preparation. Every costume for each model was hand-made. Every prop for the photography (for reference to paint from) was professionally made. The tomb was custom sculpted for me by the same people who had worked on such films as Indiana Jones. I even solicited the help of four prominent Christian painters. Thomas Blackshear posed as Abraham, Michael Dudash as Isaiah, Morgan Weistling as David, and Chris Hopkins as John the Baptist. The reason for all the effort? Whatever we, as artists, put our hand to, ought to be the best for our King! To Him belong the best efforts, time and talent we possess. No one else should get better treatment for the greatest message of all!

When I look at the finished mural today, I see in the details reminders of God’s guidance.

You might miss some of these messages at first glance. Notice the rock beginning to crack under Christ’s feet due to the earthquake. Look up to the top right of Noah and see the dove flying across the rock. On Moses’ belt in Hebrew are the words “I AM.” (Jesus used those words to describe himself in John 8:58.) On the angel’s swords are the letters for Alpha and Omega. On the top of the swords is the Star of David. Notice the “keys of death and hell” tied on Christ’s belt. The three kneeling figures are David, Esther and Daniel … royalty bowing to the greatest of all kings! In the right top background is Mount Calvary, also known as “the place of the skull.” You can see the hint of a rainbow above reminding us of the promises of God.

With any of my paintings, my prayer is that viewers will have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ as their Savior. Friend, have you met Him? Has the Resurrection brought you new life? You can discover that life today.
________________________________________
RON DiCIANNI is an internationally recognized artist. His paintings depicting the four cardinal doctrines of the Assemblies of God are on permanent display at the Fellowship’s headquarters in Springfield, Mo. Prints of this mural are available at TapestryProductions.com. A portion of the proceeds from Pentecostal Evangel readers will provide Bibles for African AG pastors.

Jeruselem.... OBITUARIES..... 33AD

I Am The Door

There is a story told of George Adam Smith, the 19th century biblical scholar traveling in the holy land and coming across a shepherd and his sheep. Not exactly an unusual experience but it was in the course of conversation with that shepherd  the man showed him the sheepfold into which the sheep were led at night. It consisted of four walls, with a way in. 

Smith asked him, "This is where they go at night?" 

"Yes," said the shepherd, "and when they are in there, they are perfectly safe."

"But there is no door," said Smith. 

"I am the door," said the shepherd.

He was not a Christian man and wasn't speaking in the language of the New Testament. He was speaking from an Arab shepherd's viewpoint. 

Smith looked and him and asked, "What do you mean you are the door?"

"When the light has gone," said the shepherd, "and all the sheep are inside, I lie in that open space, and no sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf comes in unless he crosses my body; I am the door."

God's Word tells us in John chapter 10: " Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep".  (John 10:7-11).

A pearl to string: Only Jesus can save us from sin. Muhammad cannot save us. Buddha cannot save us. Krishna cannot save us, nor can Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, or even the law of Moses.  Nothing opens heaven's door except the One who is the door, and that is Jesus Christ. Just makes me want to break out in song:

Oh, how He loves you and me,
Oh, how He loves you and me.
He gave His life, what more could He give;
Oh, how He loves you, Oh, how He loves me,
Oh, how He loves you and me.

He does you know...

God loves you and me.

Happy Resurrection Sunday,

                                     Lyndi

SIMON

A pearl to string: Sometimes things are so good you just have to share them. Max Lucado's devotional, "Simon from Cyrene Carries Jesus' Cross" is just one of those good things I just have to share with you.

“A man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming from the fields to the city. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus” (Mark 15:21)

Simon grumbles beneath his breath. His patience is as scarce as space on the Jerusalem streets. He’d hoped for a peaceful Passover. The city is anything but quiet. Simon prefers his open fields. And now, to top it off, the Roman guards are clearing the path for some who-knows-which-dignitary who’ll march his soldiers and strut his stallion past the people. “There he is!” Simon’s head and dozens of others turn. In an instant they know. This is no dignitary.  “It’s a crucifixion,” he hears someone whisper. Four soldiers. One criminal. Four spears. One cross. The inside corner of the cross saddles the convict’s shoulders. Its base drags in the dirt. Its top teeters in the air. The condemned man steadies the cross the best he can, but stumbles beneath its weight. He pushes himself to his feet and lurches forward before falling again. Simon can’t see the man’s face, only a head wreathed with thorny branches. The sour-faced centurion grows more agitated with each diminishing step. He curses the criminal and the crowd. “Hurry up!” “Little hope of that,” Simon says to himself.  The cross-bearer stops in front of Simon and heaves for air. Simon winces at what he sees. The beam rubbing against an already raw back. Rivulets of crimson streaking the man’s face. His mouth hangs open, both out of pain and out of breath.  “His name is Jesus,” someone speaks softly.  “Move on!” commands the executioner. But Jesus can’t. His body leans and feet try, but he can’t move. The beam begins to sway. Jesus tries to steady it, but can’t. Like a just-cut tree, the cross begins to topple toward the crowd. Everyone steps back, except the farmer. Simon instinctively extends his strong hands and catches the cross.  Jesus falls face-first in the dirt and stays there. Simon pushes the cross back on its side. The centurion looks at the exhausted Christ and the bulky bystander and needs only an instant to make the decision. He presses the flat of his spear on Simon’s shoulders.  “You! Take the cross!”   Simon dares to object, “Sir, I don’t even know the man!” “I don’t care. Take up the cross.” Simon growls, balances the timber against his shoulder, and steps out of the crowd onto the street, out of anonymity into history, and becomes the first in a line of millions who will take up the cross and follow Christ.

He did literally what God calls us to do figuratively: take up the cross and follow Jesus. “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me” (Luke. 9:23 CEV).

Happy Resurrection Sunday

You are dearly loved,

                            Lyndi

Jesus Rose

A carpenter by trade, Earl was involved with the demolition of an old dilapidated apartment building in town  While tearing out the walls he discovered an antiquated note.  He opened it carefully.  It had been protecting a dried up red rose.  He read the signed note with great interest, because he recognized the names. "This little rose was given to me on our first-month anniversary. I hung it inside this wall with the hope that all who live in this apartment will be as happy as we have been."

    

The two people mentioned still lived in the community and were still married. Hugs and tears of joy followed when Earl hand-delivered the single dried rose and vintage note!

    

Another person might have ignored the rose, or called it junk and tossed it. However, Earl recognized it for what it was: love.

Ah love... the Beatles sing: All You Need is Love. Mary J Blige sings Love Is All We Need. Céline Dion sings about the Power of Love. In the love chapter of God's Word 1 Corinthians 13 Paul calls love the greatest of all.  Love is not a noun to be defined but a verb to be acted upon.

   

A pearl to string:  What makes love so amazing? For starters, it is what inspired the Father to send His only Son to die for us. Without love, there would have been no redemption for mankind. Not only would we be without love, but without the redemption that was activated by love, there would also be no faith, and no hope. You see, nothing else matters, without love. It is foundational for every other good thing in our lives.

Jesus rose from the dead. Some deny it. Some refute it. Others leave the resurrection hanging where they found it -- no decision for them. But others see that Jesus Rose and understand the message. And they want to pass it on. Have you seen the Jesus Rose for yourself?

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life".

The Jesus Rose, the emblem of God's love

In His fragrance

                      Lyndi

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:17)