Month: March 2024

The Help We Need

DrJayCook Easter , , , , , , , , ,

If my truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere, I hope someone stops to help.  If my back goes out when I have a lot of work to do, I hope someone can help.  If I am about to eat something that could harm me, I hope someone lets me know.  Basically, if I ever need help, I hope I get it.

My friends, we all need help.

Heaven is perfect.  We are not.  We cannot undo the wrongs (sins) we have done.  And we will all die someday and face God.  We need help.

THAT is Easter!

God loves you.  He is willing to forgive you.  He offers salvation to you.  But you must accept His offer.

Because we do not deserve Heaven, God made a way through Jesus and the cross.  2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Jesus paid the price that we owe.  1 Peter 2:24 states, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed.”

Before He died, Jesus uttered the words that could change our lives (they changed my life): “It is finished!”  He paid the price.

That payment is not automatic for anyone, though.  Jesus offers forgiveness and salvation if you are willing to accept His salvation and follow Him.  We do not get to make up our own way; we lost that right by not deserving salvation. We must choose His way.

Jesus even proved His power over sin and death by rising from the dead.  He showed us that nothing is greater or more powerful than He is.  And that power is available to you.  Romans 6:4 states, “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”

We may have added a lot of extra festivities, fluff, and decorations to Easter, but the day will always be about Jesus loving us, dying in our place, offering salvation to us, and defeating death.

If you have never accepted His gift on His terms, the time to do it is now.  We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who holds tomorrow.  Reach out to me if you would like to know more.

And Happy Easter!

If you’d like to dig into the evidence behind Easter, check out the following excellent resource…

How Much Do You Care about Those in Your Life?

DrJayCook Evangelism , , , , , , ,

If a bridge is out of commission, don’t you want someone to post a warning?

If a convict escapes, don’t you want someone to let the public know?

If a fire breaks out, don’t you want someone to warn you?

We want to know if we are about to face trouble.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday.  It marks the day (before Jesus faced the cross) when the crowds cheered in excitement as Jesus came to Jerusalem.  They lined the road, laid clothing on His path, waved palm branches, and shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” (Luke 19:38)

It was thrilling and joyous.  People were excited and thought that everything was going to be great.  However, they chose not to remember all that Jesus had said concerning the consequences of sin.  They wanted a “savior” to bring power and prestige for their nation, but they did not want to admit their need for spiritual salvation.

What we sometimes forget about Palm Sunday is that just after the pomp and excitement, Jesus looked out and wept for the city.  He knew what they were bringing on themselves.  He knew the danger because He had warned them again and again.  He was about to give His life in payment for their sins against God, and they didn’t seem to care.

Yet Jesus faced the horrors of the cross anyway.

Today, we see a similar situation.

Many people seem to ignore the reality of eternity.  Many seem to want to ignore what Jesus said about how to have salvation and instead think they can make up their own rules.  Many seem to ignore what Jesus said about following Him and instead think their own standards are good enough.  Consider the rise of bitterness, anger, division, and lawlessness as proof.  Consider the decline of participation in the churches for which Jesus died as proof.

What will you do about it?  How much do you care about those in your life?

The bridge is out.  The convict is on the loose.  The fire is spreading.  Are you warning them?  Do you weep over where they are?

Jesus deserves the praise of a Palm Sunday.  Jesus also deserves the concern that He showed as He looked out over those whom He loved.  Jesus deserves our full devotion because He gave His full life and love to us.

Though talking about Jesus may seem scary or overwhelming, you may want to check out the following book for insight into how ALL of us can do it…

Discover What St. Patrick’s Day Can Show Us

DrJayCook Christian Life , , , , , ,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I hope yours is a special one.

Honestly, most of us (if we celebrate at all) focus on wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage, and decorating with leprechauns and shamrocks.  That is how we often celebrate holidays – not for what they represent but for what they have become.

St. Patrick’s Day is about a missionary who changed a country, and we celebrate it in honor of the day he died (March 17).

Patrick was born in Britain in the late 300s.  When he was 16, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he was forced to tend sheep and treated terribly.  However, during that time he grew in his trust in God, in prayer, and in living the way He should.

He wrote later in Confession of Saint Patrick: “After I arrived in Ireland, I tended sheep every day, and I prayed frequently during the day.  More and more the love of God increased and my sense of awe before God.  Faith grew, and my spirit was moved, so that in one day I would pray up to one hundred times…”

After several years, he escaped and went home where he felt God’s direction to enter the ministry.  He faithfully served and became a bishop, but there was more to come.

Patrick felt the call to return to Ireland to share the hope of Jesus.  He did return, but it was not easy and was often dangerous.  He served 29 years in Ireland, baptized over 100,000 people, and built 300 churches.  He also became known for the unique way he explained the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit): he used a three-leaf clover to describe it.

Very little will be said about Patrick’s actual life and impact, but you now know.  And I hope it makes the day more meaningful because his life shows us great truths.

Life is often cruel and hard.  People can be mean and thankless.  But we are reminded in Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”  God did not say that all things are good, but He did say that all things will work together for the good of His faithful followers.

We must remember that God has a bigger plan for our lives than we could imagine.  After all, we are reminded in Psalm 31:15: “The course of my life is in your power…”

Like Patrick, we must keep our eyes focused on the prize.  We must let God lead.  We must trust Him completely, and we will find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  The good news is that that pot of gold is what God has in store for those who persevere.

Dig into more of this man’s life by checking out the following resource…

What Do You Do When You Are Tired?

DrJayCook Rest , , ,

I am sure that you are looking forward to what happens this Sunday.  It is Daylight Savings Time!

OK, that was a joke.  Few of us seem to enjoy it because it makes us tired.  Not only do we lose an hour, but we also know that we are losing an hour.

However, being tired has become a normal thing for many of us.  There is so much that we need to do.  There are so many people that we think we have to please.  There is so much to worry about.  There is so much sickness to deal with.  There are so many hateful, hurtful people to deal with.  There never seems to be enough money or time.  It is truly tiring.

So what do many people do?  We medicate.  We moan and complain.  We get intoxicated.  We try to do things and go places to amuse ourselves.  But at best, we are only masking the symptoms.

God does not want you to live a weary and tiresome life.  Jesus even told us in Matthew 11:28-30: “‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’”

God knows what we face.  He has all the strength and power that we need.  And He keeps His promises, so let’s get rid of the tiredness.

Rest your mind.  Get your mind off of what is happening and get focused on something else – like exercise, a hobby, or reading.  After all, we see that Jesus often took the disciples and Himself out of the situation to rest and rejuvenate.

Rest your body.  If you are tired, rest.  Sleep is important, and you can be sure that God is at work even when you are not.

Rest with others.  Rejuvenate with those who build you up – just as you build them up.  Church is the best place to do that.

Rest spiritually.  Life is going to continue, but God is greater than anything you may face.  You need Him.  You need His strength.

And know that God can give you whatever you need to face whatever you face.  Consider what 2 Corinthians 9:8 states: “And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.”

If you are tired, get the right rest.  You will be glad that you did.

And for further insight into this, click the book below for a great resource…