Henriet's Blog

Good Friday: Good because Jesus bore our sins

And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it. Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” 

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”  Mark 15:22-26; 33-34

^{Happy Good Friday to you!}

It's always interesting to think of the word "good" in light of this day where Jesus was crucified. It was horrible for him. He endured incredible suffering. Just imagine the brutal beating leading up to it. After a sleepless night, humiliation, and a crown of thorns, he was forced to carry a heavy cross beam up to the place of his execution. That was just the warm up. This was followed by Roman soldiers nailing him to a cross before hoisting him in the air for all to see. The time on the cross lasted six hours, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The last three hours were in darkness... He was abandoned by God in total separation because he took our sins on his shoulders. 

It is finished!

The Gospel of John records that at the end of his suffering Jesus loudly exclaimed that his mission was done!

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.  John 19:28-30

In her "15 Minute to Focus Call" this morning, Pastor Tamara Buchan encouraged us to focus on the words "It is finished!" Jesus completed his mission. Eternal life with God is available to all who accept it and embrace a relationship with him. How amazing. We do not have to live in fear, bondage, shame, pain, or any other condition that keeps us from experiencing joy, peace and the fullness of life. It is finished! In every circumstance you face you can know that Jesus has won! He completed the mission his Father sent him on. He is our Savior, friend, High Priest and our conquering King.

Enjoy this Good Friday!

It is good. Jesus came, suffered and died. It is finished! Are you living in that truth and enjoying the freedom he purchased with his blood? If not, why not accept his free gift of life and freedom this Easter! Want to talk about it? Contact me.

Semper Vita at the NW Ministry Conference 2012

Semper Vita is announcing its new GROW Events at this year's Northwest Ministry Conference! The conference is held at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Washington. In addition to our booth (#G3 in the Gym) I'm teaching five workshops. 

Today I taught:

• Called to Lead! What the Bible and Jesus teach about women in leadership
• Called. Capable. Equipped. Now What?: Answers for women in ministry

Tomorrow, Friday, March 23, I'll teach a workshop on "Go Do Some Serious Good: Five realistic ways to live the Great Commission" at 10:30 am.

On Saturday, March 24, I'll present Semper Vita on stage in the main session at 8:30 am (a 3 minute feature) and I'll teach two more workshops:

• Incarnational Leadership: Be equipped to move Jesus' mission forward
• Be You! Serve Jesus in the way he made you

Please come visit me at Booth G3. Or attend one of my workshops! Not at the NW Ministry Conference? Visit www.sempervita.org to learn about the GROW Events. 

Chris Quilala: Your Love Never Fails

This is such a great song! In my community we've been talking about Romans 8:28. God is for us. In fact, "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (ESV) He does not work all things for good but he works IN all things for my good. How great is our God.

HT: Susan Newland

Funny Video: Cat retrieves ball

This is our cat, Mr. Boots. He loves whiffle balls and retrieves them. Sometimes he even puts them where he's told...

 

What's the ROI of Your Life?

1 Corinthians 3:10-15  (NIRV)

God has given me the grace to lay a foundation as a master builder. Now someone else is building on it. But each one should build carefully. No one can lay any other foundation than the one that has already been laid. That foundation is Jesus Christ. A person may build on it using gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw. But each person's work will be shown for what it is. On judgment day it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good everyone's work is. If the building doesn't burn up, God will give the builder a reward for his work. If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames.

What's the ROI of your life?

This was the title for my message last Sunday at Life at the Ridge. It was part of the series on the church based on 1 Corinthians.

In 1 Corinthians 3:10-17, the Apostle Paul writes about being a builder of God's church. He makes it clear that Jesus is the only true foundation and anyone who contributes to building the church can only build on him.

Paul is not the only builder. Every Christian builds as part of being in God's Kingdom. What do we build? What is our work? It is the work that God calls each of us to do. As Christians we each have a task or tasks. God expects us to be builders in his Kingdom. He invites us to partner with him in Kingdom construction!

All of us have a choice of how we build and what materials we use. The way we build will show by the results! What does our work look like? Is it of lasting value or only for temporary benefit? According to the Apostle Paul we can use two kinds of materials, either:

Gold, silver and precious stones.

These are materials that bring lasting value. They:

• cost more
• take longer to prepare
• require greater skill of the craftsman
• are harder to find
• last

OR

Hay, wood and stubble.

These materials are perishable. They:

• are cheap
• are readily available
• are quick to build with
• don't require much skill
• perish

What do gold, silver and precious stones represent? The Word of God, prayer, the truths of the Gospel, investing in others, and applying God's truth to our lives. We can also let God build in us with these  "tools" when we allow him to redeem our lives and use our challenges, hardships and difficulties to help others who are struggling.

What do wood, hay and stublle represent? These worthless materials, include those things that are empty, useless and without eternal value such as the world's wisdom, idle speculations, and anything self-based. These materials may even include church rites, ceremonies, prejudices, and religious practices if those do not grow people into the image of Christ.

Fireproof or fire starter?

The Bible tells us that God will test each person's work by fire. In this test, gold and precious stones last. Gold and silver are refined by fire! When we build with these our work is fireproof. Whereas through the test of fire wood, hay and stublle burn up and leave only ashes. When we build with those our work makes for a great fire starter!

Those who use gold, silver and precious stones will get a reward...both in in this life and in the life to come. On earth, our reward is seeing changed lives, including our own, and seeing our pain, struggles and hardships redeemed. In heaven, we get a more glorious reward or better welcome in heaven.

Those who use wood, hay and stubble are people who (according to my friend Arlene Stevens) are in "the smoking britches" group. They will be saved but will get into heaven with their pants on fire!

What is God's ROI?

What return is God getting on his investment in our lives? He gave the most precious "thing" he "owned." He sacrificed his one and only beloved Son for us. He allowed Jesus to become human, spend time on earth and then be tortured and killed. Why? So that everyone who believes in him would have everlasting life! That's God's investment in you and me!

How is his investment paying off? Is he getting good return? Is his investment paying dividends? Are we investing by building in our own life and in others' lives using gold, silver and precious stones? OR...Are we living for ourselves and building with worthless materials that amount to nothing? Are we becoming refined as gold and silver, or will we enter heaven empty handed and with our pants on fire?

When I get to heaven my goal is to hear "well done you good and faithful servant!" That requires building with gold, silver and precious stones. Often I fail to use these materials but I strive to be a good builder. How about you? Are you building? What materials do you use? Will your work be fireproof or merely fire starter?

During Lent, let's reflect on how we've been building. Let's commit to giving God a great return on his investment!

Pray for the release of Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and for other persecuted Christians

On February 23, Reverend Franklin Graham appeared on Greta Van Susteren's On The Record to discuss the plight of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and to urge people to pray for his release. 

Pastor Nadarkhani, 34, leads a church network in Rasht, Iran. He is being held and now has been sentenced to death by hanging because he refuses to recant his Christian faith. He was arrested in October 2009 because he protested the Iranian government's decision to force all children to be taught about Islam. He did not want his own (or other) Christian children to be subjected to that. He has been in prison ever since. Over time the charges against him were changed to apostasy (falling away from Islam) and evangelism (from Islam to Christianity). In September 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to death. The sentence for apostasy is hanging. Appeals to the Supreme Court of Iran failed. The court said his death sentence could be annulled if he recanted his faith. Nardakhani never was a Muslim but because his parents were Muslim, he is considered a national Muslim and required to recant his Christian faith. This past week he refused to disavow his faith four times, the final one being on Wednesday. Now many fear his death is imminent. Pastor Nadarkhani's wife, Fatema Pasindedih, and his two sons, Daniel (9) and Yoel (7) wait to learn further news on Pastor Youcef's fate.

According to the Christian Post, the White House and the U.S. State Department issued statements to demand Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's immediate release on February 23, 2012. 

This story has grabbed international attention and has highlighted the plight of many Christians who suffer because of their faith. The killing of Christians started very soon after Jesus' death and resurrection. Stephen was stoned for his faith as recorded in Acts 7.

I cannot relate to that level of suffering. Sure, I have had some tough times but I have never faced death because I believe in Jesus. During Lent, as I "sacrifice" eating sugar and refined carbs, I am painfully aware how shallow this is compared to what my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world face on a daily basis. Will you join me in praying for Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all the other Christians who are suffering for their faith? An organization dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians is The Voice of the Martyrs. Do you know of other stories of people suffering for their faith that we could support in prayer? Let's really make this time of Lent count by praying for suffering Christians!

Lent is about following Jesus and sacrifice

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”   Jesus in Mark 8:34-38, NLT

I need to be reminded all the time to keep my focus on Jesus and not try to do things my way. Jesus' message is paradoxical...to keep my life and truly live I need to let go of my (old) life. It's a daily walk, a daily choice. What better time to practice following Jesus than these weeks as we prepare for Easter? I definitely do not want him to be ashamed of me!

Lent: A Time to Prepare for Easter

Today is Ash Wednesday. It is the beginning of Lent, a 40-day preparation for Easter. Ash Wednesday actually occurs 46 days before Easter but Sundays are exempt from this time of repentance and abstinence. Sundays are set aside for worship and celebration. The other 40 days of Lent are a time for self-denial as we focus on Jesus and his road to the cross. Many Christians choose to give things up during Lent. I've given up sugar, coffee, TV and other things in previous years. I think sacrificing something during this season is a great discipline that helps me think about what it cost Jesus to go to the cross to secure our salvation.

The Center for Biblical and Theological Education at Seattle Pacific University put together a free study plan that can be used as a resource during Lent. I highly recommend this resource.

This year, I plan to give up sugar and refined carbs. I also plan to work through this study. What are your plans for Lent? Will you give something up as you prepare for Easter?

Enjoy Fat Tuesday aka Mardi Gras!

Today is Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French. This celebration came to the United states in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville.  Check out my blog post on Mardi Gras.

For some people it's a day to eat, drink and be merry. Why? Because Lent starts tomorrow. Traditionally, Lent is a time of abstinence and repentance as we get ready for celebrating Easter. 

Do you celebrate Mardi Gras?

Belle the Boxer Finds Her New Home

As a third generation boxer owner I can honestly say boxers are the only dogs for me. They are just wonderful and suit our family's personality. My husband and son are boxer lovers too. They've been eager to get another one after our previous boxer had cancer and died on June 26, 2010. We've waited to get just the right one for our family. A few months ago, Jill Dyche posted a boxer on her Facebook wall that needed rescueing. We could not do it at that time but it started the ball rolling. We had never rescued before. So after talking with Jill we were determined to rescue rather than get another puppy. Our first attempt to get a dog from a local boxer rescue did not work at all. Then, also via Facebook, Charlotte Campanella put us in contact with Northwest Boxer Rescue. They were great and matched us with the perfect boxer for us.

Meet Belle!

She is 3-years-old and was used to breed. Her owners dropped her off at a shelter eight weeks after her last litter. Luckily she was rescued by Northwest Boxer Rescue and put in a loving foster home for about a month. We met and adopted her on February 4, 2012. We named her Belle. She is a beauty! She had lived a beastly life but now will be loved and have a safe home.

Consider Rescue

This morning I was at a doctor's office. The nurse asked if I had plans for this coming weekend. I mentioned that we would be home to play with our new dog. She told me her mom has a rescued boxer. I'm running into people all the time now who rescue dogs. Very cool!

If you're thinking of getting a dog, check out dog rescue! If you're looking for a boxer, contact Christian at Northwest Boxer Rescue. They really are in need of foster and adoptive homes right now. Another puppy mill breede... so now they have lots of boxers that need a good home. Do you have room for a wonderful dog?

Have you ever rescued? I would love to hear your dog story!