Are we really aware of what happened that day at the cross? We know that Jesus gave His life for us and we know that if we believe Jesus died for us, we are saved from eternal damnation. But do we know we have to have a passion for that day? That it can’t just be something we know in our head and then just say we believe it—but we have to be emotionally tied to the emotions of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and what was taking place in their lives that day and even before.
I’m not special but I can only tell my story which is what I want to do today, to reveal to you the part of the Father’s heart, the part He has shown me, and has asked me to share with you.
I was about nine years old when I heard the story of the cross. It was the first time that I heard God gave His Son for us so that we could be saved. I remember myself standing behind the pew in church crying my eyes out, asking God how He could let that happen to His Son. The saving part wasn’t what got to me as much as the part of what Jesus went through to save us. The horrible actions of those who didn’t appreciate Him just tore me apart inside. I had already been talking to God ever since I could remember, but hadn’t heard the story of what happened that day until that day in church. I will never forget my emotions that day and how touched I was by the love I felt even though I didn’t have the understanding I longed for.
What I want to share with you since that day, is some of the revelation God has given me to answer that question I asked way back then.
What I didn’t know that day is that Jesus wanted to do all that He did; it was His passion to save us. He told the Father He would go show who He was. He said if you have seen Me you have seen the Father. He said I only do and say what the Father tells me to do. He said He came that we could have life in abundance. He said He decided to give His life; He has the power to lay it down and pick it up again.
John 10:15 Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father—and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd. 17 For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life—to take it back again. 18 No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father. AMPC
Since the beginning we haven’t had a clear understanding of God and the love He has for us. Obviously God from the beginning, knew everything to come; even that man would betray Him over and over. After the flood when He started over, He said He was sorry He made man. He knew He would have these emotions, so why did He make man? I think He thought we were worth all the trouble He had to go through to have a family. Even though He has to keep sorting through us to keep out the evil there are some of His children that truly appreciate and adore Him and I think that makes it worth it to Him.
The plan to send Jesus, who lives with our Father and knows the Father—knows His emotions, His thoughts, and His pain was the perfect plan because Jesus did know—what the Father was enduring in His love for us. Jesus’ passion came from knowing the Fathers’ passion for His children. God wanted us to know Him, to know when we choose Him, we’re choosing to be loved by the only One who can love us for who we are. What better way to know Him then to send Jesus to show us His love?
God knew we needed Him to come and show us the way. Jesus said, Father I’ll go, Father I know your passion. I know the love you want to give to Your Children I will go and show them.
God knew Jesus was willing to go. How many years has God prepared for that day? In Genesis He said to Satan, One is coming that will bruise your head and that was about 4000 years before Jesus actually came.
Can you imagine preparing for that day for 4000 years? Knowing all that time the pain He would endure— it must have been very emotional. I can imagine their conversations were intense and painful, but still full of love for His children. I am sure we were the focus to ease the pain, because of course God is so in love with us. He is so in love with us that He keeps finding a way to save us, to convince us He is the way, the life we long for.
God is all about His children. Did you know that? God has you and me on His mind all of the time. Even though He knows many will reject Him, He was willing to go through all He did and will still go through to make things good for us— to save us from damnation.
Think of the pain— and as well the decision to endure that pain to eliminate the pain He has for His children, knowing His children don’t know Him or the love He has for them. He must have thought His sacrifice was worth giving Himself to us.
Jesus said Father I will go, I will show them who You are and how much You love them. I will do Your will. It was Jesus’ passion to love us for the Father, to give us the revelation knowledge we needed —to know the truth.
Remember when He was sweating blood in the garden and He said Father if there is any other way? Think of the pain, think of the pressure that was on Him to back down, but He wouldn’t because He knew the Fathers heart. He witnessed the suffering of our Fathers love for us.
Jesus knew what was going to happen, but as the time grew near He became weak, but when He called upon the Father, the Father empowered Jesus to do His will. Jesus never retaliated, not even once. He was thinking of us the entire time, not Himself. He was thinking of you and me. He was thinking about us living with Him in the new heaven and the new earth —for eternity. He was thinking of easing the Fathers’ pain. Yes He knew some wouldn’t believe in Him, but it was worth those of us who would.
Jesus was so committed to God that He lived His life for us, for love— not for Himself. He didn’t think of Himself, but He was thinking of you and me. That was only one example of love He gave us, He came to show us love, how to love and how love never fails, Love never gives up or becomes obsolete.
He came to show us we can live in His Kingdom even at this very moment. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within us, therefore that is how we live in the Kingdom of God—by living by His principles from within. Jesus lived in the God’s Kingdom while He was here, He didn’t conform to our way, He lived in the Kingdom of God the entire time He was here.
That is what He is asking us to do. As believers He is asking that we live in His Kingdom right here, right now. That we wouldn’t conform to the world, but that we would too, go for the Father and show who He is. That we would partake in His passion to make known the truth of who He is.
That is the greater work He is calling us to, to be so emotionally tied to Him that we care about what He cares about to the place where we think about what He is thinking about, care about what He cares about so much that we are saying Father, I will go for You, what do you want me to do for You Father? Father what is on Your mind today?
The time is short before His return again. I don’t know the day or the hour but Jesus said He would be back and at that time He would collect those who are His, those who believe, cling to and rely on Him.
If we believe Him, then we will get emotionally involved in His life, care about what He cares about and partake in His plans.
Would you partake in helping the Father in His time of pain? He is preparing for the new heaven and the new earth, another time of grieving. Over two thousands of years have gone by since Jesus left. God is going to start over once again, He is planning for a new heaven and a new earth where He will finally dwell among us.
The earth is going to burn and many of those who God is in love with, His own children will turn against Him. Even though it is not His will that one should perish, many will reject Him.
We wonder what is taking Him so long, but have we thought of the pain He will endure on that day. His own having rejected Him and His own having to suffer the consequences of that rejection?
If it is so painful —can’t God change His mind? No He cannot, because God from the beginning— only can do good. His first decisions are His right decisions. If God were to change His mind, and He won’t —then He would be allowing evil to live with Him and He would never do that.
God is against evil and if we don’t choose God, who is good, we have chose evil and then we can’t live with God.
But it is His will— His heart that not one should perish, He is not here yet because all who will accept Him haven’t seen Him yet.
How will they see Him? He is asking us to show them who He is, He is asking to dwell in us so they see Him in us. He is asking that we abide in Him, that we get emotionally involved in His mission.
When we allow God to dwell in us and among us, when we carry His presence —they will see Him in us. When we choose to show the Father, when we choose to say and do what the Father feels, they will see Him in us.
His beauty awaits to be shone in us so those who don’t know Him will see what they are missing.
Preparing for heaven is the time frame we are in—but many can’t see that because they haven’t taken God seriously. Many are living just to bide their time here— not having the understanding that a choice has to be made. We have to have a plan, not for our funeral, but for our eternity.
This is message is one that I believe God is giving to us today to warn us of His return. Jesus warned us —He gave us signs to look for, He told us parables to ensure we are well prepared, ready for His return.
The time is near, prepare, be ready, the King is coming!
How do we prepare for His coming? Find out what He is thinking, get to know Him, get emotionally involved! He is His Word, you can start there, and as He sees you seeking Him, He will make Himself known to you. As you obey Him in all things He will manifest Himself to you.
When you humble yourself before Him, He will speak to you and upon you receiving all that He speaks to you, you will have believed, and then because you believed by action, you will be saved!
John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
Believe!