Intimate Encounters with Jesus of Nazareth

Fiction by Gary Piper

(Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve wanted to quit?  Have you ever reached the point when it seems as if Jesus has left you leaving you feeling empty?  Have you ever reached the point when the struggles and adversities of life have been so real they’ve overpowered the reality of your faith?  If you’ve answered yes or even if the possibility exists that you have then please read on.)

Easter 2010: the Journey Continues

By Gary Piper

"Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved."

WE NEED JESUS!

You may be saying to yourself, “Hey, Gary that’s a no brainer!”  And you’d get no argument from me because it is a no brainer!  Yet at the same time it is perhaps one of the biggest understatements ever!  Not only is it an understatement it also is one of the biggest storm generators of all time.  In fact Jesus himself said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”  (Matthew 10:34)

As Easter Sunday approaches the cross, Jesus’ death, and resurrection remind of us of our need for salvation and life after death.  However, the cross, Jesus’ death, and resurrection are also reminders of our need for Jesus here and now.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 

At no other time of the year does the impossible become possible than at Easter.  Speaking only for myself I need the impossible to become possible!  I write these words gripped by the power of the impossible and with all that is in me look for the power of possibility to take its rightful place in my life.

At no other time of the year does hope come alive more than it does at Easter!  In fact when you really think about it without Easter there is no hope!  But there is more to Easter than just the hope that lies in resurrection into eternal life there’s the hope of a new life in Christ!

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:16 – 5:19)

Easter 2010 Journey to the Tomb

Written by Gary Piper

Scripture quotes have been taken from the New English Translation of the Bible.  For more information, a free download of the NET Bible or to purchase a hardcopy please go to www.bible.org. 

Many times we celebrate significant Jesus Holidays without thinking about how the happenings in Jesus’ life so long ago can impact our lives today.  For Christmas we celebrate through the giving of gifts, family dinners, worship services, festive decoration, and Christian decorations.  For Easter our celebrations begin with Lent, then we worship on Ash Wednesday, then we worship on Palm Sunday, then we worship on Maundy Thursday, then we worship on Good Friday, then on Easter Sunday we begin with Sunrise worship services, Sunrise breakfast, then later we worship one last time where we see people we rarely every see in church and everyone displays their new spring wardrobe.  And somewhere sandwiched in on our Easter Sunday Worship on behalf of the Easter Bunny we hide Easter Eggs and give children Easter Baskets.  

But Easter is more than all that… 

Easter is more than just remembering and celebrating Jesus’ sacrifice for us!

Easter is more than just celebrating God’s ultimate gift of eternal life! 

Easter is about transforming our lives in the here and now!

Easter is about journeying down a new road!

Easter is about the dying of our flesh and the resurrection of our spiritual lives!

Easter is about the coming of age of God’s kingdom in our lives!

Easter is about Jesus’ life in you!

Easter is about taking the things of this life and giving them eternal significance!

*All scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (registered).  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.  All rights reserved.

I have titled Part One the Hinge because every thing you are about to read can not be proved and will depend on one five letter word, FAITH.  It is our faith that will give reality to Jesus.  It is our faith that will allow us to feel God's love and forgiveness.  It is our faith that will give wings to the Holy Spirit so we can enjoy the promises of heaven. So before proceeding further I think a simple basic understanding of faith would be in order.

Because faith is multi-faceted and book after book has been written a theological discussion would only complicate it further.  It is much easier to understand what faith does rather than what it is.  Faith can be illustrated by using electricity as an example you can not see how electricity goes about lighting a light bulb but you can see what electricity does.  In a like manner it is much easier to see what Faith does than see what it is.

Normally people think of faith as an intricate system of beliefs or the act of believing in something.  Faith is all that and more.  For simplicity let’s examine faith as a journey.  A faith journey is walking into the uncharted areas of life.  It is a journey where faith will take us through our brokenness, our pain, our loneliness, our despair, and our conflicts.  But as we travel its road we will be carried on the Wings of Spirit.  It is a journey filled with great expectations, peace, comfort, and wholeness.  It is a journey of starting points that begins with the acknowledgement that we ourselves are helpless that we must depend on others.   It is journey that will, at times defy logic.  The following Journey Verse sheds light on faith as a starting point.

*All scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (registered).  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.  All rights reserved.

A number of years ago there was a series of books titled "…….Made Simple" covering a variety of topics.  I remember reading a couple of them when I had trouble with English in school, and when I became interested in electronics, they were really helpful. To my knowledge they are out of print and no longer available.  But not to worry they have been replaced today you can buy "………For Dummies".

Somehow we have gone from being simple people searching for answers to what we consider complex topics to dummies.  Here's what the dictionary says about dummy: "One who is incapable of speaking; One who is habitually silent; One who is stupid; A large puppet; Having the appearance of being real;  Existing in name only."  I cannot speak for you but that does not describe me.

My father who by the way was the smartest person in the world (to me) wanted to purchase one about computers.  "Dad," I told him, "You're no dummy."

"Yes I am," he told me, "I know nothing about computers."

"Dad, all that makes you," I told him back, "Is a man that doesn't know a lot about computers, it doesn't make you a dummy.  In fact a dummy would be someone who would never seek to learn something new in the first place."

At the dawn of creation God, and his Son Jesus said, "Let us make man in our image and our likeness."  They did not say, "Being the dummies we are, let us make man in our image and our likeness.  We are (you and I) God's greatest creation, we are (you and I) his greatest achievement.  Never, never let yourself anyone else or a book tell any you different.

The Journey of Jesus

by Gary Piper

Do I follow the Journey of Jesus or not, is the single most important question you will be confronted with in your life.  You will be confronted with it more times in a day that you can imagine.  If you do follow the Journey of Jesus all shadows cast by your life will be illuminated with the Light of Eternity. 

Jesus Christ is the divisor, the journey of Jesus divides light from darkness, right from wrong, good from evil, eternal from temporal, victory from defeat, and forgiveness from unforgiveness.  To take the journey of Jesus is to push headlong into the everyday minute by minute struggles in life with all it's complexities.  To push headlong into the struggles of others on their journey, it is to be a Divisor for Jesus.  It is rolling up your shirt sleeves and getting dirt under your fingernails as you help others deal with the complexities of their lives.  It is picking them up and dusting them off when they fall and helping them get started again. 

The journey of Jesus is not painful, it comforts and heals.  It is not hard and difficult because you are carried by the wings of the Spirit.  It is not lonely because the Spirit of Jesus walks with you each and every step.  It is the adventure of a lifetime.   Want to proclaim Jesus?  Then you must first walk his walk, and talk his talk.  Ready to begin?  Then ask him to extend his hand and then take it.  But don't mind the dirt under his fingernails, he got it from you.

Will you journey with Jesus?   

 Written by Gary Piper

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

The 23^rd Psalms

The LORD is my shepherd;

I have everything I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

through the dark valley of death,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You welcome me as a guest,

anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the LORD

forever.

Dr. M. Scott Peck in his book “The Road Less Traveled” wrote that once we realize that life is difficult it is no longer difficult. I have thought long and hard about what he was trying to say and while there are times when I think I agree along comes life with a difficult stretch of road and blows his statement out of the water.

The Kingdom of God, the Church, and Jesus Christ

Written by Gary Piper

 “Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.bible.org. All rights reserved.”  

 John the Baptist said:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2)

Jesus said:

“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”  (Luke 17:20 – 17:21)

I believe Jesus did not come to build a church but to build a Kingdom, but not just any Kingdom a Heavenly Kingdom built one person at a time.  I believe many of the difficulties facing the Christian Community is directly related to the time, energy, and resources used to build up our own individual church organizations rather than building up One Kingdom with One Throne Room.  

In the early 1970’s I began an in depth exploration into the history of my church and in response to that exploration I began a historical sponge.  At that point in my life my church began the center of my spiritual life.  Then one day I believe God spoke to my spirit telling me that I was learning more about my church than I was learning about Jesus.  He went on telling me that for me Jesus was beginning to take the identity of church.  Basically what I was doing re-creating Jesus into the image of my church.  I vowed from then on to learn as much as I could about Jesus.  A vow to this day I still base my life on.

The Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Ten

Written by Gary Piper

“Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE.  Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002.  Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.”

I am not a prophet but with a working relationship with the Holy Spirit I can be prophetic.  In fact it is God's will that each one of us be prophetic.  I understand the difference between being a prophet and being prophetic as the difference between speaking FOR God and speaking OF God.  While I still believe   in prophet's and our modern day need for those who speak for God I believe the need for those who testify of God's active involvement in their lives are of equal importance.

I believe one of the most important roles of being a prophetic person is that of making God come to life.  It is giving someone with out hope – hope.  It is giving someone who is lost – direction.  It is giving someone floundering in a sea of conflict – peace.  It is giving someone who is walking in spiritual darkness – light.  It is giving someone who is on spiritual death row – life.