Happy Resurrection Day!!!

The Happy Wordcrafter

We don’t have to do anything to earn acceptance and love from the Creator of the universe.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemned the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes on Him is not condemned.”  (John 3:16-18).

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ.  … God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.  … For He has made Him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us … that we might be made the righteousness of…

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Who Owns the Land of Israel?

*** God’s Word, His oath, and His everlasting covenant are guarantees …. Nobody is authorized or permitted to sell, barter, give away, or negotiate any part of the land for any reason! ***

“And I give to you (Abraham)and to your descendants after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

— Genesis 17:8

To study the nation and land of Israel is to pursue what is, without question, an additional proof of the existence of God. No other people or ethnic group even comes close to the endurance record of the Jews. And no other tract of land on earth has ever attracted so much daily attention. All of it is related to claims for territory by both Jews and Arabs.

In this connection all eyes are on politics and political maneuvering; but the issue goes far deeper. Almighty God is getting ready to prove something – that His Word is accurate and invincible.

So the question is who owns the land? In Leviticus 26:40-44 God gives a prophetic warning to the people through Moses. They had turned their backs on Him, yet He promised He would still remember them, and also “The Land!”

What is it about this remote piece of real estate, no larger than the state of New Jersey — a virtual dot on the world map – that would cause God to be so interested in it and make such a firm commitment to it? Joel 3:1-2 clears up the mystery. This passage concerns the end times when He will bring judgment and justice. Here He clearly identifies Himself with Israel, as “My people” and “My inheritance.” Then He levels a final indictment against the unbelieving nations. Why? “Because they have divided my land.” Many years after promising the land to Abraham and his descendants, He still calls it “My land”.

Now, to whom was the land given and entrusted? Scriptures answering this question in detail are abundant. To conserve space, we will not attempt to quote them verbatim, but the reader should search out and read them. Here is a sample: Genesis 12:1-7 (the original land grant), Genesis 15: 18, and Genesis 26:4, plus others to follow. God’s Word, His oath, and His everlasting covenant are guarantees that what God Himself entrusted to Israel in terms of territory is unquestionable and everlasting! God Almighty, who owns the land, entrusted it to a particular people whom He commanded to possess and dwell in it. They were to conduct their lives in accordance with His statutes and commandments. The land belongs to God, and nobody – not the United Nations, Washington, European Union, or the Peace Table – nobody is authorized or permitted to sell, barter, give away or negotiate any part of it for any reason! What we have here, then, is God’s divine plan clashing head-on with human politics.

Scriptures tell us that Israel violated God’s conditions, and actually rebelled, resulting in disqualifying themselves from tending God’s land. As a result, both people and land entered into a time of shame and desolation. Jerusalem became a half-ruined, flea-infested village. The blessing had been withdrawn; rainfall diminished and almost everything became desert. And yet these same Scriptures also spoke of hope that this calamity would not go on forever; that there would be a restoration, a healing and a fruitfulness. (Please refer to Ezekiel 36: 5,6,8). Here is a prophetic vision thousands of years ahead when the Jews would be gathered and returned to their homeland. Verses 15 and 24-27 of the same chapter speak of the Lord’s continuing passion for the land. The promise here for spiritual restoration will take place but it will not and cannot happen until the Jews are returned to the land.

Over 1900 years have passed and most of them have been years of desolation and despair for both people and land. But the season of restoration has begun. Isaiah 66:7-9 speaks prophetically of a nation being born in one day. This prophecy was fulfilled in amazing detail on May 15, 1948. Within 24 hours of its introduction, the UN passed a resolution declaring Israel to be a sovereign nation. It was then promptly announced by the new Prime Minister, “This nation shall be called Israel!” She then fought three wars perpetrated by the Arab nations with the sole intent to drive her into the sea, but with God’s help and many real miracles, she prevailed.

In spite of the truth of Scripture and factual history the cry for “Palestinian Autonomy” to replace the nation of Israel continues to come forth with a surprising number of supporters outside the Arab world. So who are the “Palestinians”? Where did the name “Palestine” originate? Here are the answers:

There never was a “Palestine” state. There never was a “Palestine” entity. There never was a “Palestine” culture. There never was a “Palestine” language. There never was a “Palestine” government. They, who claim to be “Palestinians” are simply Arabs. And the Arabs own and control 99.9% of the Middle East, compared to Israel’s 1/10th of 1%. In the year 70 AD, when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, the Emperor named the region “Ceasarea Palestinia” a derivative from the ancient Jewish enemy, “Philistines”. This was a deliberate slap at the Jews by the Roman Emperor.

The Jewish-Israel connection to that land goes back 5,000 years, and the Jew’s right to the land is God ordained. He said He would bring them back, never again to be pushed out. Hear the words of Jeremiah, chapter 33, verse 24: “Have you heard what people are saying? They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation, but this is the Lord’s reply – I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws of night and day, of earth and sky. I will never abandon the Jews ….” (TLB).

Now Ezekiel 11:17, “Therefore say, thus saith the Lord God; I shall gather you [Israel] from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I shall give YOU the land of Israel.”

Case closed!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

The Night Season

“When I remember thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches; for Thou hast been my help, and in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.”   Psalm 63:7

Several years ago, one of America’s leading pop singers had among his many hit records a song titled, “Strangers in the Night”. A few days ago, for no explainable reason, I found myself humming and then whistling the beautiful melody of that song. Then, as I became conscious of what I was doing, my mind began to wander. This tune, of course, is a romantic ballad dealing with a man and a woman in love; but my mental progression moved beyond those sweet thoughts and into a spiritual application that is anything but joyful.

As a citizen of the Kingdom of God, ask yourself this question, “How do I see this God created phenomenon called “night”? Do I look forward to the pleasure of snuggling into a comfortable bed? Do I welcome this special time in the 24 hours, to wrap up the day, give the Lord a cheery “Good night” and fall into a sound sleep?

The above, in one form or another, is the way it should be, but unfortunately, that is not always our experience. Many of us operate in high gear during the daylight hours; we have our special time with the Lord, we get into the Word and faithfully pray for all the needs on our agenda. Then as night approaches, a dread sets in; then apprehension, which finally progresses into blatant fear.

By the time our head hits the pillow, we have shifted into reverse. Somehow, all the joys and accomplishments of the day take the proverbial back seat, and the fears of tonight and of the tomorrows take over. Those extra bills coming due that we don’t have the money to cover; the possibility of being laid off from my job; those strange noises coming from my car; the pains I had off and on today … so and so had those, and he had a bad time; and on, and on, and on. Then we may drift off into a fitful sleep, only to awaken again deeper into the night with more of the same thoughts. The room is very dark — foreboding; fear and hopelessness hang on.

At that moment, you and your Lord — who promised to supply all of your needs, heal your body, give you joy in His strength, and never leave you or forsake you – You (the potential Bride — and the Groom of the Ages) are nothing more than “strangers in the night.” All day He is your partner, but at night, a stranger.

How sad! Stop and think, Beloved; God purposely and deliberately created the night; that special time when He tucked away the sun for a while so our body and soul could be rested and refreshed. We speak of our “quiet time” with the Lord; there can be no better time for such meditation than restful bedtime. Our nights can be the sweetest part of our entire day, and I believe our Lord is grieved when He is left out of that important part of our lives.

Look at our text again. The great King David, who had his problems day and night, knew how to turn to his Lord, then lie down on his pillow with a clear conscience, forgiven and at peace. “I remember Thee on my bed,” he said. “I meditate on Thee in the night.”… and “In the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.” Then Psalm 42:8 says, “The Lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime, and His song will be with me in the night.”

Fear and anxiety in the night are basically aberrations of the mind and can be overcome by deliberately turning your thoughts to Jesus. Instead of counting sheep or troubles, count your blessings, praise Him, and let His song be with you in the night. Then in the shadow of His wings you will sing for joy!

His mercy endures forever … even in the night!

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(This article was originally posted in 2011 by Ted Pavloff. Ted is with the Lord now, but he wanted his anointed teaching to continue to bless people, so this site continues the work he started here.)

You’re Invited To God’s Healing Meal

 “I assume I am addressing believers now who are mature. Draw your own conclusion. When we drink the cup of blessing, aren’t we taking into ourselves the blood, the very life of Christ? And isn’t it the same with the bread we break and eat? Don’t we take into ourselves the very life of Christ?”
1 Corinthians 10:15-16 (The Message)

Holy Communion was not an invention of the early church. Neither was it a spur-of-the-moment idea of Jesus the Messiah, simply to give a ritualistic flavor to this different faith movement that had captivated the disciples. The true meaning behind this holy convocation is deeply rooted in God’s relationship with His people, and traverses the centuries back to that ominous night in Egypt when the angel of death moved through the land. The only exclusions from this death sentence were the Israelite families, all of whom were saved by the blood … the blood of a lamb slain according to God’s direction. With the blood of that lamb applied to the doorposts and lintels of their houses, the death angel “passed over” them. The blood applied meant life to everyone in the house.

Then God issued additional instructions regarding the lamb. After the blood was applied, the body of the lamb was to be roasted and eaten (Exodus 12:8). Jehovah’s directions were: “Apply the blood, and eat the body.” There was special significance to this part of His instructions. God not only wanted to deliver His people from something – the brutal slavery of 430 years – but He also wanted to deliver them to something – the land flowing with milk and honey.

By this time the Israelites had grown to about 3.5 million souls, including everyone from the advanced in age to the newborn; from the robust to the physically handicapped, sick, weak, and infirm. The death angel would pass over them, and they would have life; but they also needed strength, physical health, and restoration in order to make the long foot- journey to their new home. Jehovah God was fully aware of these circumstances and already had the answer. His orders were, “Roast and eat the lamb”. And when they obeyed, the greatest healing and miraculous restoration service this world has ever seen occurred that night in Egypt.

The great King David confirmed the results in Psalm 105:37, “And He brought them forth out of Egypt with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble, [sick orinfirm] person among their tribes.” (KJV).

Down the centuries of time, on the Thursday night before Good Friday, Jesus the Messiah; the One whom John the Baptist introduced to the world as “The Lamb of God,” sat at a table with His twelve disciples. They were celebrating the Feast of Passover and were enjoying the Seder Supper.

After they had finished the meal, Jesus took the unleavened bread, broke it into pieces, and, according to Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 26, after offering a prayer of thanks to the Father, He distributed it to the disciples with the words, “Take and eat, this is my body.”(KJV).Then He took the cup of wine, which was the Third Cup in the Passover Service, and after giving thanks, passed it to the disciples with the words, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”(KJV). Then He told them to do these things in remembrance of Him.To this day, that Third Cup in the Passover Seder is called “the cup of redemption,” which magnifies the truth that Passover is the Feast of Salvation.

As Jesus passed the unleavened bread and the wine to the disciples, notice that He did not say, “this represents” or “this is a token of”, or “here is a symbol of” my Body and Blood. He said, “This is my body, this is my blood”. We need not get involved in semantics or word wars over “how can this be?” We simply need to accept the word of our Lord. Martin Luther gave what is perhaps the best explanation when he said, “in, with, and under” the bread and wine, is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One additional point requires some attention. Jesus admonished the disciples to celebrate this meal in remembrance of Him every time they did it. Jehovah had instructed the Jews to celebrate the Feast of Passover every year as a remembrance of His mighty deliverance of them from Egyptian slavery. But now, because of this instruction by Jesus, we take Holy Communion in remembrance of Y’shua, Jesus – the real Paschal Lamb who has fulfilled the Feast of Passover. It is His Blood that cleanses from sin and gives life that will never end. And it is His Body, broken for us, that gives us strength and health. Yes, Beloved, there is healing in Holy Communion!

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Without Hanukkah There Would Be No Christmas

Original article written by Ted in 2011, but re-posted for this Hanukkah season.

A Walk In The Word

I do not hesitate to say, or apologize for saying, that our Christian heritage is in Judaism. If you dig down into our foundations deeply enough, you discover the Jew. That is not only a spiritual truth, but also a historical fact. Jesus was a Jew—100%, full-blooded, full-fledged Hebrew. This was in God’s plan. That is why He called Abraham and, through him and his wife Sarah, established the Jewish nation. Through this Jewish bloodline would come the promised Messiah. No other nation or ethnic people on earth at that time were worthy of that honor. It had to be a brand new people living and worshiping under the law of Jehovah God.

From that point, everything should have run smoothly, but it didn’t. Israel had her problems with sin and idolatry; plus she had her national enemies who also were responsible in part for her sins. You see, Satan…

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God’s Weight Loss Program

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” — Hebrews 12:1

Without doubt, one of the most consistent preoccupations of the American mind today is this subject of weight – more specifically, too much weight. As a result, about every two weeks a new diet plan is foisted upon gullible Americans, and another fortune is made by some clever soul.

Maybe it’s time we looked into this matter of weight from a different perspective: not the kind of weight that an exotic diet will solve, but the burdensome weights that the Apostle Paul admonishes us to lay aside. He is referring to that excess baggage that affects our Christian walk and witness – weights that make it difficult for us to move along as well and rapidly as we should, delaying, and even preventing, progress. The apostle directs us to lay them aside, and the clear implication in this Scripture is that we can do that by an act of our will: put it away! Whether it is hanging on our backs or sitting in our paths, we must move it out!

Weights appear in many and varied forms, and Satan will use any one or all of them to prevent our being the effective Christian witnesses Jesus wants us to be. He will also use them to keep us from having a happy and peaceful life. Some are so commonplace and deceptive that we hardly recognize them as such; we just thoughtlessly pick them up and carry them.

Let’s examine some of the weights noted in the Scriptures:

Possessions:  First, let’s remember the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler in Luke 18. Having possessions is not a sin, and, in fact, properly handled they are, or can be, a blessing. The problem surfaces when possessions begin to dominate our lives — as was the case of the rich young ruler. How much better for us if we keep our material blessings in perspective and use them in all ways to the glory of God.

The Cares of the World:   In Jesus’ parable of the sower, as recorded in Matthew 13. Here is a weight that can get so heavy it will simply override the things of God. We get so wrapped up in jobs, social schedules, sports, and selfish desires that our church attendance and commitments are relegated to a lower position on our priority list. Then there is too much busyness. God expects us to provide for our families. The Apostle Paul told Timothy that he who provides not for his family is worse than an infidel. But he also reminded Timothy that there is a place where we are to be content – not continually striving for more.

To some men (even Christian men) their jobs take precedence over everything, including God and family. The same is true with some women. This is a terrible weight, and it will drag our vital fellowship with God to a complete stop.

Self:  Self can also be a weight. We need to consider carefully whom we are serving and whose will we are concerned about. How did Jesus deal with this problem of the importance of “self”? His whole attitude and focus can be summed up in this one statement: “I delight to do the will of my Father,” He said. “I do the will of Him who sent me.”

The Desire to be Seen and Heard: This desire can be a weight. In one of His teachings, Jesus admonishes us to “take the worst seat at the table.” Remember that Jesus washed feet! He also instructed us to do as He did. Remember, it is God’s job to elevate us to the higher positions – not ours.

Timidity: This characteristic can develop into a weight. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked flee when no on is pursuing; [this is actually a picture of timidity] but the righteous are bold as a lion!” and 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Murmuring: This habit is one of the heaviest weights of all. First Corinthians 10:10 needs no clarification: “Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed.” Something about us is always destroyed when we murmur. It may be our fellowship with our Lord; it may be our strength or joy, or even our health. But something is definitely affected in a damaging way. God said so.

Beloved, it is important to remember that God never tells us to do something we cannot do. If He admonishes us to put away from us each of these hindrances to serving Him effectively, then He does so in order to make our lives freer and better. He does not intend to add another burden by insisting we do something that is going to make our lives harder. So let’s believe our Father when He tells us the way to a happier and more effective life. Let us eagerly “… lay aside every weight,” and “… put off the old man …” and let us run the race that is set before us with top efficiency – all the way to victory!

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© 2006 Ted Pavloff

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THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS: Are You Listening?

(Although brother Ted has gone on to be with the Lord, he wanted his teaching to continue to bless people and help them know the Lord Jesus better. So we – his family – are continuing to post lessons by him from the treasury of his anointed teachings from God’s Word. We hope they bless you as they did when he was here to post them personally.)

 

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS: Are You Listening?

The Shofar: Israel’s Trumpet

“Speak to the sons of Israel saying, in the seventh month on the first of the month, you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of the trumpets, a holy convocation.”
— Leviticus 23:24

 

The Seven Feasts of Israel were specific convocations that Jehovah God ordered the Israelites to celebrate faithfully in their proper order. They make up the Hebrew Sacred, or Festival, Year. The first three Feasts occurred in the festival month of April. Pentecost or the Feast of Harvest, is celebrated in early summer, exactly fifty days from the date of the Resurrection of Jesus. Now we advance all the way to early fall. This is the time appointed by Jehovah God for the celebration of the fifth Feast – The Feast of Trumpets. The present day Jew celebrates this day as Rosh Hoshanah – the beginning of the New Hebrew Calendar Year.

The trumpet, in the form of a ram’s horn has been an integral part of the nation of Israel from the beginning; at least as far back as Isaac. And God seemed to hold this instrument in special favor, often commanding it to be used at special times. As Joshua and the children of Israel surveyed the imposing walls of Jericho, God commanded them to use the trumpets with a great and miraculous effect. The result was a conquered city. In the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, Jehovah God ordered the trumpets to be blown in the year of Jubilee, “To proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” That is the Biblical inscription the founding fathers had cast on the famous Liberty Bell, still on display in Philadelphia. Here is a striking reminder of the spiritual principles and foundation upon which this nation was founded.

The time span between the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Trumpets is clearly representative of the Church Age, and as you survey the order of the feasts, there is little doubt that the Feast of Trumpets foreshadows the rapture of the church. As Jesus taught and ministered, He always maintained a vision of that day when the Bridegroom would come for His bride, and often used real life analogies as He taught. For example, in the Bible days the trumpet was used to signal Israelite workers in the fields to come in to the Temple for worship.

The priest would stand on the southwest parapet of the Temple and sound the trumpet, which could be heard for miles. At that moment the workers would stop their field work – finished or not – and leave immediately for the Temple. It was common for Jews and Gentiles to be working the fields together, and Jesus made use of this real life picture when He spoke in Matthew 24:40, “… two shall be working the field; one shall be taken and the other left ….” At the trumpet blast, the Jew would drop everything and leave, while the Gentile remained on the job.

According to 1 Thessalonians 4, and 1 Corinthians 15, a trumpet will sound at the Rapture of the Bride of Christ. At that moment the world will experience the second greatest miracle of the ages: graves will give up the righteous dead, and the still living believers will rise with them to meet our Lord in the air! What a day!

Remember the great victory of Joshua at Jericho? At the sound of the trumpets the walls collapsed, and the Scripture says each man “ascended up” into the city! For them, it was the first sight of life and beauty after forty miserable years in the desert. It is the same for us Christians; our sight of heaven will be the glorious climax of a long journey of faith.

We, too, are living the story of Exodus. Saved by the Blood of the Lamb; through the Red Sea by way of our Baptism, we have come out of the wilderness of sin into the promised land of salvation! And as in the experience of the Israelites, our promised land has its collection of giants that we continually fight and defeat with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God! We walk the walk of faith, drawing as many as we can into the Kingdom with us, before that trumpet sounds and we “ascend up” into our Jericho … Heaven!

There is a striking resemblance between Joshua chapter 6 and 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 – read them! In addition to the similarity in action, the names of the leaders are the same … Joshua at Jericho, and Jesus at the Rapture! You see, Jesus’ name in Hebrew is “Yeshua”; and translated to English, it is “Joshua”!

When will the trumpet sound? Jesus said, “Only the Father knows.” In the meantime, we are to maintain an attitude of expectancy and stay busy in the fields, “For they are white unto harvest.” Glory !!!

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Another Soldier of the Cross Has Received His Promotion

by Sandra Conner — Guest Blogger

To all the friends and readers of “A Walk in the Word”:

I am writing this post as a sort of “guest blogger” today, in that I am making an announcement on behalf of Ted Pavloff, the host of “A Walk in the Word.” Ted is my father, and I have the sad duty of letting all of you know that he passed from this earthly life on Friday, July 19, 2013. My dad gave his heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ when he was 12 years old, preached his first sermon at the age of 15, and faithfully loved and served Jesus for the rest of his 88 years on this earth. We know he is, right now, in the presence of Jesus Christ, rejoicing, and receiving great rewards for his service.

Dad’s greatest joy was sharing the Word and the power of God with others and helping them know God better. He was blessed to be used many times to lead others into the experience of salvation. He was used throughout his life in a healing ministry as well. He always had a deep love for the Jewish people and recognized that our Christian faith is simply the completion of the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that the Christian believer is indebted to the faith of those same Jewish patriarchs, out of whose loins came our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ted Pavloff will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, and the thousands of people that he ministered to throughout his lifetime. But he has gone on to become a member of that “great cloud of witnesses,” that the book of Hebrews tells us about. He is now cheering us on, encouraging us to run our race faithfully and finish the course as he has. And he is waiting to welcome each of us into that glorious place where there are no more tears, no more sorrowing, and no more death – but where light and love and life reign forever. One of his favorite phrases – which he became virtually famous for among Christians far and near – was, “Well … GLORY!”  I’m sure those were the first words he shouted when he crossed into the presence of the Lord.

Our family has decided that because sharing God’s Word was Dad’s life, we would be going against his wishes if we closed this site. So we will leave “A Walk in the Word” online, as it is, and pray that many people will be led by God’s Spirit to find this place and be touched, delivered, healed, and strengthened by these words of life and blessing.

My dad closed every service or meeting where he officiated with a blessing that was very dear to his heart. He prayed that blessing over every member of his family regularly, and I would like to leave you readers with those words because they carry God’s own life and blessing in them:

“The Lord bless thee and keep thee:
The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26)

Obituary and Guest Book for Comments
http://vannattafuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=2175830&fh_id=11562

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A Purpose in Patience

“Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.”
(Psalm 27:14)

As Ben left his office in lower Manhattan, he followed the usual pattern for Friday and stopped by the little flower stand on the corner to pick up a bouquet for his wife. The stand was unpretentious, and the lady who operated it a study in contrasts of human nature. Elderly, frail looking, shabbily dressed, and yet, a pleasant personality with a perennial smile.

Although Ben had stopped by the stand of the “flower lady” every Friday for months, he had never taken the time to talk to her beyond making his selection. But this time was different; something prompted him to comment.

“Every time I come by here you seem to be happy.”

“Sure, why not? Everything is good,” she replied.

“Well, you mean you don’t have any troubles?”

“Oh yes, just like that man walking over there, and you, and everybody, I have troubles. But when trouble comes, I just think about Jesus and Good Friday.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, the worst day in the world. But after three days came the greatest day in the world … Resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead and everything was OK. So, when I have trouble I tell Jesus about it, wait three days, and everything always turns out OK for me too.”

Interesting philosophy … “Tell Jesus then wait three days.”

But there is a dilemma here; we are part of a “want-it-now” society that will not wait any length of time for anything. Even the most elementary student of the Word cannot help but notice that our God is just the opposite. He is organized, deliberate, extremely patient, on time, and always successful. Have you ever wondered about the death and resurrection of Jesus, and why the climax of that earthshaking event had to wait until the third day? He died on Good Friday; why didn’t God the Father bring Him out of the tomb the next morning … or even late Friday night?

We must remember that when Jesus died on the cross, only His physical body experienced the phenomena of death. His Spirit lived on and continued to function in the Father’s business. His Father had much for Him to do during the period described as “three days and three nights.”

He told the repentant thief, “Today, you shall be with me in Paradise.” Here is solid indication that upon His Spirit’s separation from His body, at the instant of death – on that day (today), He traveled to Abraham’s Bosom … Paradise, where all the faithful saints of old were peacefully awaiting that moment of fulfillment. They had believed the prophets and anxiously anticipated the coming of the Anointed One, but fell asleep in death before the appointed time. Can you imagine the excitement among those joyful souls, as they saw with their own eyes the vindication of their faithfulness? Then, the Risen One completely emptied Paradise and escorted all of the jubilant saints to heaven. Just think, they will be seated with us at the great wedding feast.

Now, on to the next job.

In 1 Peter 3:18, we are told that His body (flesh) was put to death, but He was alive in the Spirit and (in the Spirit) went to proclaim His victory to the spirits kept in prison. Those who rejected the message of God’s spokesmen, and (v.20) who thumbed their noses at Noah, as the Creator waited patiently for them to repent. All of the deceased unbelievers, now in Hades – the place of torment — saw the Messiah as He presented Himself as a proclamation of His eternal victory and proof that God’s Word was and is true!

And now, one final detail before Sunday morning. Our Lord faced Satan, himself, toe to toe. Undoubtedly the devil thought he had Him, and probably summoned every demon he had to join him in trying to keep the King of Kings in hell. Now, Satan is not stupid, but he does stupid things, and this act ranks as his dumbest move since his rebellion.

In a flash of divine power, Jesus stripped the evil one of every vestige of authority, and as an act of totally disarming him and his hordes forever, snatched the keys of death and the grave from his grip. Satan and his cast fell back in cringing fear, and could not stop the Messiah as he blasted out of the confines of hell and in a flash, returned to His body in the tomb.

And not a moment too soon, for dawn was about to streak across the Jerusalem sky. The Resurrection power of the Holy Spirit was dispatched by God the Father, and Christ the Anointed One, came forth out of the tomb in His glorified body … the First Fruit of many to follow!

It was the third day!

Hallelujah!

Wait three days …

There is a message here that has eluded us far too long: “Wait three days” or “wait until the third day” are simply metaphors for “waiting upon the Lord.” If Almighty God, Creator of all, had reason to wait three days before He brought His Son forth from the tomb, why can’t we trust Him to answer our prayers regardless of the time span? His Word assures us that He is faithful — that our prayers in faith that line up with His will (His Word) are heard and will be answered.

Sometimes the answer comes immediately. At other times, for reasons only He may know, the answer does not manifest until “the third day.”

Listen to the “flower lady.” In faith, tell Jesus about your situation; then wait three days! He has promised everything will be OK!

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