"Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Thousands of people all over the world will celebrate Passover this weekend, commemorating the day the Angel of Death passed over the Israelite slaves in Egypt, sparing their firstborn because the blood of a lamb was applied on their doorposts. Many believers in Jesus also recognize this as the day that Messiah was crucified, offering Himself as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, which reconciled man to His Maker, and restored them to close relationship. The word for sacrifice in Hebrew is "korban"; its root coming from the word "karov" which means closeness, or relative. So the word itself is an expression of what it produces; closeness...between man and God. Since the fall of mankind, sacrifice has been a way in which God expresses love for man and man expresses love for God, bringing the two closer in relationship. Brothers & Sisters, Passover is a yearly reminder of the sacrifice of Messiah, provided for every person who desires to be close to God. He longs for intimate relationship with us. His Korban is our way of approach to be near to Him...as near as we choose to be. We who love Him might take the time this Passover season for offering spiritual sacrifices and drawing near to our Lord Jesus. He opened the way as our "korban" because He loves it when we do. GET CLOSE FOR PASSOVER!

"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:"Exodus 12:2-3

This past Tuesday marked the beginning of the season of Passover on the Hebrew calendar as it was the 10th of Nisan and also the day that Jesus would have entered Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Every 10th of Nisan, four days before Pesach, the children of Israel would choose a lamb for the Passover sacrifice. Each man would take a lamb for his household. Four days were required to inspect the animal to make sure it was perfect and without blemish. Can you imagine having a lamb at home for four days -- the children feeding it, petting it, perhaps even naming it -- only to know that it would have to die soon? We also have a Lamb to choose today. Jesus, our perfect Passover Lamb who is without blemish. Some of us reading this today have already chosen Him. Some may have forgotten of our choice, others may be undecided. Brothers & Sisters, as the scripture says, today is the day of salvation; those who have chosen Jesus remember His great work of atonement which brought us out of bondage from sin. This was a supernatural deliverance just as it was for the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. The Passover lamb, brought into the houses of the Israelites, became dear to them because of its precious innocence and because its death invoked the memory of the first Passover when the lamb's blood literally saved their lives from the Angel of Death. Our perfect Lamb, so dear to us, will do the same for all who receive Him; since the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus the Messiah. Amen,(Happy Holiday). CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!

"But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."Isaiah 64:8

God is envisioning what we are to become in Him! But in order for the Him to make a beautiful monument of us, we must allow ourselves to be mold-able. He wants to mold us into the image He desires -- His own! He wants to chip away at our rough edges and make us into a fine work of art, that all who see us will be awed and enriched. In the hands of a great artist, we can be created into incredible works of art that survive the ages, even after we have passed through this life into the next! Brothers & Sisters, let's become mold-able in the Father's hands and make Him proud to show off what He's created! HE IS THE POTTER, WE ARE THE CLAY!

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."Isaiah 64:4

I want to share the following illustration a friend sent me. I believe it will truly bless you. A sick man turned to his doctor one evening, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die -- tell me what lies on the other side, will you?" "I’m really not sure,” said the doctor. "You don't know? You, a Christian man, don’t know what’s on the other side?" Suddenly, there came a sound of scratching and whining at the door. As the doctor turned the handle, a dog sprang into the room and leapt on him with an eager show of gladness. Lovingly bending down and holding the cute pup, the doctor turned to his patient and said “Have you met my dog? I do apologize; He usually comes and sits with me in my office when I work late. After a short pause, he continued. “He’s actually never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear… I know little of what is on the other side of death, my friend, but I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that’s I all I need." Brothers & Sisters, we may not know exactly what we will find in that glorious home that awaits us, but those of us who know Jesus, know He’s there! Be encouraged today! Our long journey here will end in our loving master’s arms. IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."Romans 8:28

I suppose one of the hardest questions to answer is: "Why do I have to deal with so much adversity?!" Quite honestly, one of the best answers I've ever come across was written by C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity. Lewis likened God's use of adversity to walking a dog. If the dog gets its leash wrapped around a pole and tries to continue running forward, he will only tighten the leash more. Both the dog and the owner are after the same end: forward motion. But the owner must resist the dog by pulling him opposite of the direction that he wants to go. The master, sharing the same intention, but understanding better than the dog where he really wants to go, takes an action precisely opposite to that of the dog's will. It is in this way that God uses adversity! We really don't like being pulled and corrected by the Lord -- but when we understand there's a greater purpose involved, then we can pass through adversity with hope, expectation and steadfastness knowing these events are for our greater good! Brothers & Sisters, let's learn from the trials and tribulations we go through because God has a purpose in them. We may not enjoy it, but when all's said and done, enduring trials faithfully will produce perseverance, character, and hope. And hope will not disappoint us for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit...[Romans 5:4-5] We truly can trust in the God who loves us with an everlasting love because He knows the direction we need to go, AND He knows exactly how to get us there! SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO UNDERSTAND ADVERSITY -- BUT THERE'S A PURPOSE!

"and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."Matthew 18:3

Hebrew is the only language in the world that was completely dead as an everyday tongue and then resurrected to become a living language after thousands of years. The "Father" of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, was devoted to restoring Hebrew for the Jewish people of our time, when for centuries it was strictly a written language. Ben-Yehuda knew that language fluency is best acquired in childhood, and thus raised his first-born son exclusively speaking Hebrew, convinced that he would become a living sign for its future revival as a living language. He believed by raising his child exclusively in Hebrew, that a national linguistic revival was possible! Ben-Yehuda's conviction and hard work inspired the usage and training of Israeli children in Hebrew at schools throughout Israel. So it was that the children who were born in Israel and went to school, learned Hebrew first -- and since, of course, the adults didn't know Hebrew, it was the children who taught their parents. There is a profound example in Ben-Yehuda's inspiring act of faith -- for as Jesus said, "Unless you are changed and become like little children you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven." If you want to speak the language of Heaven, you must learn it as a child would learn! Little children are open, receptive, hungry to learn, believing, humble,and lighthearted. According to Jesus, these qualities are necessary for entry into our Lord's realm. Brothers & Sisters, they are also the qualities of mature saints, who, even as they grow in Him, never lose a childlike relationship with their Heavenly Father. ENTER THE KINGDOM AS A CHILD!

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."1 John 2:15

Have you ever noticed that when people are in love, they tend to forget everything else? Everything becomes secondary -- cars, houses, money -- nothing matters -- it is all secondary to love. Then, when they fall out of love, as in a divorce, all of a sudden those things mean everything! They argue about all the little meaningless things they ever owned together. Each wants it all for himself. The same is true with the Lord. Before we know Him, all we really have are possessions. But when we come to know God -- truly know Him -- those things mean very little -- we're in love! We're willing to give up everything. Those people who are most in love with God and filled with His love are the least possessive and the least materialistic. Brothers & Sisters, if we have been wrapped up in our possessions, we've lost sight of our greatest treasure! All that stuff means nothing. Let go of it. Return to your first love. Lighten your heart and fall in love again with the love of God! ARE YOU IN LOVE?

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."2 Corinthians 4:5-6

Charles Spurgeon was a minister often accused of being "controversial". One day a friend of Spurgeon's remarked, "So, I hear you are in hot water again." "No, I'm not the one in hot water," Spurgeon answered. "The other fellows are. I'm the man who makes the water boil!" We're living in amazing times. Wars are being waged. Prophecy is being fulfilled. And we. what are we doing exactly? More than ever before, we should be focusing on the condition of our heart before the Lord and in prayer for God to open the eyes of the blind. We should be talking about the truth of Messiah daily with those who don't yet know Him. Who cares if people think it's controversial? This is not the time to care what people think of us! This is the time to get the water boiling! Brothers & Sisters, what's your spiritual temperature today? Is it causing anybody to boil? Good! There's so much work to be done! WHEW, IT'S HOT!

"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."Proverbs 15:15

Solomon wrote, "a merry heart has a continual feast!" But why does it seem like so many of us are not feasting? How do we maintain a merry heart? Too often, we brood and complain over all the things we lack. Somehow we've come to believe that if good things would only come our way, we'd be truly happy. But it's not good things that bring a merry heart - it's living a life of wholehearted faith! Paul said that he was content both in want and in plenty! Mathew Henry said, "Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment and makes men torment themselves; it makes the spirit sad, the body sick, and all the enjoyments sour; it is the heaviness of the heart and the rottenness of the bones." A third-century man penned these last words to a friend: "It's a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians--and I am one of them." Lord, help us not to focus on the worldly things we lack. Help us to master our souls and overcome the world. We want to be men and women of GREAT FAITH! Lord, you have come that Your joy would remain in us, and that our joy would remain FULL! Help us to experience the full joy you have for us today! In Jesus Name we pray! Brothers & Sisters, let's begin feasting and filling our spiritual bellies with His Word! Let's make our mouths to be filled with His praise! The joy of the Lord is our strength! FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS!

"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."Matthew 5:39

People read this verse, and think God is telling them to be passive -- to overlook what happened. That is not a bad thing -- but it isn't exactly what Jesus was saying. Turning the other cheek is not about being passive. It's about being active! So active that it actually confounds your enemy! Turning the other cheek is about taking an action so revolutionary, so shocking, so out of the ordinary that it shocks everyone around. It confounds the world -- and can also change it! Do you truly want to overcome evil? So stop sulking about it, stop dwelling on it and stop doing nothing about it! Take a most unexpected action of surprising love -- because that is what Jesus did for us.....and it changed our lives, didn't it? Has someone hurt you or sinned against you? Those things happen and they always will because of our sinful human nature. But now -- turn that into an action of love! Brothers & Sisters, let's make a habit of surprising those who hurt us! It may radically change lives, especially our own! TAKE YOUR ENEMY BY SURPRISE!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."James 1:17

We as saints of the most high have a real Heavenly Father who sits on His throne in heaven. While we live in these mortal bodies, we're called to do extraordinary things in this life! We have a Spiritual Father sitting on the throne who wants to give us wisdom from above. He wants to give us "peace that passes all understanding." And He's calling us to live a life outside this natural realm -- a life worthy of a "King and a Priest" of the Most High. Brothers & Sisters, your life is a reality -- the reality that God is Your heavenly Father! Don't place God in a box -- but recognize that God is calling you to live outside the box! Your life before you were born again was a "mortal" life, but having crossed over, you're now called to live a supernatural life! So live it -- because your life is an inheritance directly from your Heavenly Father! DON'T FORGET YOUR GODLY ANCESTRY!

"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."Matthew 13:23

We all travel different roads. Sadly, many of us miss wonderful opportunities to change and bring added beauty to our landscapes. In our families, at our jobs, in the world around us, God has given us opportunities to color those landscapes! It's far easier for us to complain and resign ourselves to settling for those landscapes, than it is to be the catalysts of change. From this point on, let's resolve to stop complaining about the lifelessness around us and do something about it! God has given us the power and anointing to change those landscapes! Brothers & Sisters, let's start sowing the seeds of the Gospel, the seeds of salvation and new life. Let's sow the seeds of love, joy, righteousness and all the tasty fruits of the Spirit. As we sow them throughout our daily lives, those dull, dry landscapes will begin blossom into something beautiful and we will be remembered as the ones who sowed those seeds. CHANGE YOUR LANDSCAPE BY PLANTING SOME SEEDS!

"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."Proverbs 15:15

A new driver for an interstate trucking company was having a difficult time. He found the long cross-country trips extremely tiring. The older driver who traveled with him, however, seemed to thrive on those long trips. He always seemed to look as fresh at the end of the ride as he did at the beginning. One day, the young man asked the older what his secret was. "Well, it's really all in the way you look at it," he replied. "While you went to work this morning, I went for a ride through the country." Our focus will determine whether life is work or a ride in the country. We are privileged to be here in this day and age. God is doing awesome things right before our eyes and He’s allowing us to take part! Brothers & Sisters, let's get excited about taking a ride with the Lord today! He has great things to show us and teach us along the way! HOP ON AND TAKE A RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTRY!

"And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued. And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant. But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants."1 Chron. 20:4-8

When Saul was king of Israel, there were no giant slayers in their midst; so when Goliath stood against the armies of Israel, the Israelites trembled! There was, however, a young shepherd, whose intimate knowledge of His God inspired and empowered him to fight the evil giant, and defeat him. David's victory over Goliath paved the way for those after him to slay the giant's offspring, who were also giants. So when those giants arose to fight, they already had knowledge that they could be defeated. David's breakthrough had set a powerful precedent for all of Israel's "mighty men". Brothers & Sisters, all around us there are "Goliaths", evil giants...but none of them are "undefeatable". In fact, we have an entire Bible full of examples of saints who stood their ground and routed their enemies. Let’s follow their example, and set new precedents fighting the giants of our day. We too can leave a legacy of victory, inspiring our children and grandchildren to victory over the "sons of Goliath"! BREAK THROUGH AND SET NEW PRECEDENTS!

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done."Matthew 21:21

An elderly teacher, with a pupil by his side, took a walk through a forest. Suddenly he stopped and pointed to four plants close at hand. The first was just beginning to peep above the ground, the second had rooted itself pretty well into the earth, the third was a small shrub, while the fourth was a full-sized tree. The tutor said to his young companion, 'Pull up the first plant.' The boy did so eagerly, using only his fingers. 'Now pull up the second.' The youth obeyed but found the task more difficult. 'Do the same with the third,' he urged. The boy had to use all his strength to uproot it. 'Now,' said the instructor, 'try your hand with the fourth.' The pupil put his arms around the trunk of the tall tree and couldn't even shake its leaves. 'This, my son, is just what happens with our bad habits. When they are young, we can remove them readily; but when they are old, it's hard to uproot them, though we try and struggle ever so sincerely.'" We all have weeds and even enormous Redwoods that need uprooting in our lives. It takes a LOT of effort to get strong enough to move those big ones on our own. Instead, let's take that same effort and start practicing faith in the Lord! Brothers & Sisters, perhaps you're weary of pulling. God doesn't expect us to pull these bad habits ourselves. Let's ask the Lord to do the uprooting today and watch Him gain the victory! STOP YOUR PULLING!

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days."Hebrews 11:30

After spending forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land arriving to immediately face what seemed an impregnable fortress and an impossible task. Imagine receiving the instruction to march around the fortified city seven times, then finally be commanded to shout with all your might and sound shofars! It seemed like such a ridiculous warfare strategy...and yet, this time, they followed the instructions, marching around the walled city of Jericho and on the 7th day, after 7 rounds, witnessed the miraculous collapse which opened the way to victory. Obeying the voice of the Lord in faith was met with His supernatural intervening power. The object lesson? Do what God says, follow His instructions, putting your faith into action! Brothers & Sisters, faith that works is true faith, and it reveals the awesome God whom we serve! Respond to God's word obediently, no matter how ridiculous it may seem, and when He is ready your breakthrough will come! HAVE OBEDIENT FAITH!