Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland's Podcast

My prayers have been: Lord, where are we with you as a people and a nation? The Word of God speaks to us in contemporary times as we review His past actions within the Nation of Israel. Our God is the God of all hope, the God of all comfort. We will learn together by studying God's mercy upon a people who had forgot God, but at the same time, a God who never forgets His people. This will be of great encouragement to those of us who are battling despondency and who also look to God for the future with renewed faith and hope that God will once again be faithful to His people.

The Glorious Resurrection has occurred and Jesus again appears to his Disciples to give them the most important directions for their future ministries. Our Lord shows by example the ministry of hospitality through His own servant-heart in providing a meal for His disciples. He also helps them with providing for their daily bread showing them where to fish. In this chapter, The Lord feeds His sheep showing each of us this is what we are to do until He takes us home. It's apparent, even today, as we all over the earth, that we are all being impacted by adversity, and the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:4 rings true, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Then in John 21, He says, "If you love me feed my sheep."

We have the glorious privilege to Worship our Lord in a time of adversity that we never have experienced in our lifetime. The Resurrection means more than ever before as Christ had to die a violent and lonely death for our sin. He conquered the forces of hell and death bestowing life to all who will come to Him in faith. This Easter is not focused on anything but the absolute emptiness of our churches in light of His empty tomb. The verse He is not here for He has risen takes on deeper meaning. God does not dwell in temples made with hands. He dwells in His Body the church made up all who have repented and turned their lives over to Him as Savior and Lord. There are little distractions this year as we Worship and Celebrate the truth of Christ's Resurrection, the quietness and stillness of our hearts this year is different than any other Easter. He is our only focus today which I know He truly rejoices in!

We are now getting closer to the Cross of Christ. Jesus, after the Passover Supper with His Disciples, is now preparing to be betrayed by Judas and forced to follow his accusers to stand trial for crimes He did not commit. This is the ultimate frame job by the evil haters of God. The irony is that those who presided over the trials knew Jesus was innocent and that He was not guilty of any crime. None the less, prophesy foretold of His suffering back in Isaiah 53, that He was wounded for our transgressions. The plan before the world was created was that Jesus would be the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. We get the opportunity today to really focus upon what He has done for us in the darkest days the world has ever known.

Jesus is moving closer to the cross on which He is to be crucified upon. The agony He is facing along with the desire He has for His followers is depicted in His openness before His Father. Jesus prayer is the example to us on how we are to talk with God. Our vision in prayer starts with our heart need for prayer, for those we serve together with, and praying for all believers. In this time of tribulation we are encountering presently this prayer will encourage us to follow His example. Jesus said " I have glorified You on the earth. May we do the same.

As we are moving through the days leading up to Christ's Death and Resurrection? He taught His disciples much regarding how to survive the pressures of a world that is in opposition to Christ's Kingdom. Today we study specifically the work of God The Holy Spirit within the world and the life of the believer.

Today, we begin the six week journey to the most important event in human history: The Resurrection!

Jesus is called The True Vine in John Chapter 15. The most difficult Christian life lesson to learn is that apart from Jesus in our life, we cannot do anything that would impact His Kingdom. The key to impact-living is to abide in Jesus; to find your life truly living in Christ. Through His life, we have the power to love and to embrace the suffering that comes from people that hate and reject us because we are followers of Jesus. The promise of the Helper, The Holy Spirit, is given to those who abide in Christ. Over these next six weeks, we will prepare our hearts to experience more richly and fully the power of Christ's Resurrection.

In today's world, we meet many people who identify themselves as Christians or followers of Jesus Christ, but in this environment - where many believe that salvation exempts them from suffering - it's important that we know what it means to be a true disciple. In this passage of scripture, Jesus lays out for those listeners, and for us, what it means to be His disciple. We must do what He will do: deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. We must be prepared to surrender our will, affections, desires and life to Him as He surrendered to the Father.

The Apostle Paul is beginning the ending of this letter as he also knows his own life is ending. He has an absolute trust that he has finished his ministry well. He is ready to meet His Lord with no spiritual ministry regrets. How can we be made spiritually ready in our own lives so we're encouraged when it's our time to depart this life? Paul gives us the formula: Be Ready, Know life is short, Fight the good fight, Finish The Race, Keep The Faith! Knowing that God has a crown awaiting all who have loved His appearing.

The preaching of The Word of God is the most important work of the church. Christ told us that we are sanctified through His Word, His Word is Truth. In these days of false ideologies and teachings people are turning away from the truth. The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy the pastor to Preach The Word and fulfill his ministry. Pastors have great responsibility to stay in the Word of God so they only teach and live out the Word of God in a culture that is adamantly opposed to God's will and plan for the human race. The Word of God changes the eternal destiny of all who receive it and believe it. We receive salvation, forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting. Only through the Preaching of The Word of God can we know the mercy, love and forgiveness of God. Pray for pastors to Preach The Word!