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This time it’s Isaiah’s turn to be right. This old guy Isaiah had predicted years before; that even though the people around Jesus would see what he did, they would ignore who he was. And worse still these guys not only couldn’t see Jesus was the Son of God because of their hatred, they were even out to kill him. All too often that happens today. People around us can see God. They can see God in his wonderful creation around us. They can see God in the things you do. They can see God in the things that happen in their life’s. But they choose to ignore him, they choose to be blind, they choose to have hard hearts. So what should our reaction be to our mates and family that are like that? Do we grab the Bible and quote large passages at them every time something goes wrong in their life? Do we tell them they are sinners and are going to hell? Well there may well be the odd time where it might be right to do this with gentleness, but what was Jesus most common reaction? Well in this passage he says that he does not reject them, and that he didn’t come to this world to reject them. No Jesus came to save the world not reject it. Jesus just kept on keeping on. Jesus kept on praying to his Father about the people he came to save, and eventually go to the cross for. We just need to keep on keeping on; we just need to pray to God about our friends.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

The time has come this is where it starts, that’s what Jesus is saying here. From here on in it is going to get rough because Jesus will end up on the cross and the devil will be beaten. Jesus is telling those around him as well. Now’s the time guys put up or shut up. Jump on board wholehearted or prepared to get left behind. That happens to us as well. Every couple of years, I seem to need to make a decision about whether I want to go one level deeper with Christ or not. It all started when I before I became a Christian. I was looking and finding out more about God when one day he just seemed to say to me. “Ok you know enough now, time to make a decision.” Then a couple of years later he seem to say, “Ok there are some things you need to change are you ready to go deeper?” I would love to say that I go for it every time, but the truth is sometimes I am too scared to. Thankfully we have a God who is persistent, and he never seems to show any disappoint but just tries again a couple of years later. I am not sure why I simply don’t go for it every time because when ever I accept Gods challenge I am never disappointed. How about you?

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

I have heard so many people tell me that you need faith to believe in Jesus, and I understand where they are coming from. But I do love the fact that God has given us intelligence and he is not afraid for us to use it. We can investigate the truth about Jesus and it stacks up every time. For example, in this seeming little passage we see yet another prophesy about Jesus coming true. This really old guy Zech says to all the people; that this king they are expecting to come and save them will come into town on a donkey. Not with an army riding on a white stallion, but on a donkey, what’s that all about? This would be like your great great great great grandfathers mates, cousins, dads, nephew, writing you a letter from all those years ago that says your pastor is going to ride into church on a tricycle and teach you the truth. And if that’s isn’t weird enough, it actually goes and comes true. Faith, yes we are told to have faith, but God is not afraid of your brain. Don’t take for fact something you are told by other people, without looking into it. If you non-Christian mates say stuff that seems to knock God, look into the answer seek the truth, don’t take it on face value. If God can you people years before Jesus came to predict his coming; then God can use your intelligence to give your more faith.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Oh dear Judas, your motives may have sounded pure, but you have been found out. It’s true isn’t it? Judas would have sounded right on and correct when he moaned about this. How can anyone argue against him, on the face of it giving food to the poor, would have been better then washing Jesus feet. But then we are dealing with the creator of the universe here, and my guess is he knows better then us. And that’s another thing; we are dealing with the creator of the universe, what hope did Judas think he had in fooling Jesus? Did Judas really believe he was going to tell a lie to Jesus and Jesus was going to fall for it? If I were Jesus I would have had a go; “Hey doughnut, wake up and smell the coffee.” Probably a good job we are not Jesus really isn’t it? I mean after all how many times have you said something to Jesus knowing that it’s not the truth? I know I have often said things to Jesus that are not completely true, or even sometimes remotely true. I am just thankful that he is a forgiving God. After all, who am I trying to fool? I’m praying to the creator of the universe here. I can almost hear him now “Hey doughnut, wake up and smell the coffee.”

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Seems to me that there is nothing new under the sun. Jesus has always caused a reaction. You can love him, you can hate him, but you cannot ignore him. In the times when Jesus was on this world there were those who loved him and there were those who hated him, not least the Pharisees. But there were also those who were curious and just couldn’t ignore him; and it’s no different now. There are those who for some reason or another claim to hate God and all he stands for. They have a completely unreal response when you say you are a Christian. They go off on one claming all sorts of stuff. They say things like all wars were started because of religion, and much more. Often these people have been badly hurt in some way, do pray for them to find Gods love. Then there are those who are your Christian mates. They are full on for Jesus and they encourage you with their love for Jesus. They might be guys in your small group or Church, or simply mates you have met over the years. But actually the largest group of people are those who are curious about Jesus, who simple do not seem to be able to ignore him. These are the guys who watch you and the things you do. They look for Jesus in you and are curious about how Jesus affects the way you lead your life. And just like the group in this passage they are wondering if Jesus will show up. Well Jesus will show up and he may use you to show these mates of yours who are curious.

Author - Max Cross, Uncategorized | No Comments »