Author: Steve Nickel

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love,…My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:9-10a, 12).

Many of us grew up singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.” Well, John 15 is one of the places in the Bible that speaks of Jesus’ love for His followers. Reading and singing about Jesus’ love is easier than receiving His love in oneself.

None of us deserve God’s love. Our sins and sinful nature are enmity toward God. I do not deserve one breath or one day because the wages of my sin are death – physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23). In spite of that, God chooses to love me and the extent of that love is revealed in Jesus’ life and death.

Jesus told His disciples, “I have loved you.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes His love for His disciples and for us. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” These words of Paul give a practical sampling of how Jesus loved and still loves His followers.

Read the following aloud. “Jesus is patient with me. He is kind towards me. He is not easily angered. Jesus not only forgives me, but He also does not keep a record of my wrongdoings. He protects me. He trusts me. Jesus has the highest hopes for me, He does not give up on me. JESUS LOVES ME!”

Remaining in this level of Jesus’ love involves obeying His commands. He said, “My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). An elementary truth of life is this: YOU CAN ONLY GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED! Jesus commands us to love others has He has loved us. An underlying command of Jesus that makes the stated command possible is: “YOU MUST RECEIVE MY LOVE FOR YOU!”

You can only obey Jesus’ command to love others as He has loved you if you receive His love for you. YOU CANNOT GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED! In fact, the level of your ability to give Jesus’ love to others reveals the level you have received Jesus’ love for yourself. If you are struggling forgiving someone who has wronged you, ask yourself, “Did this person hurt me more than I have hurt Jesus with my sin against Him?” When you become impatient with someone, remember Jesus’ patience with you.

Who do you know needs some of Jesus’ love today? It may be that you do or maybe you know of someone who struggles receiving love. Today, be reminded of this…FREELY I HAVE RECEIVED JESUS’ LOVE, FREELY I GIVE THIS LOVE TO OTHERS!

“’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42).

“Don’t just stand there – do something!” I can remember my father saying these words to me while we were building a house, working in the garden, or doing some other project. He had a point as we were there to work and he was teaching me a good work ethic, which I am thankful for. If we don’t do something, nothing gets done.

Contrast that with Henry Blackaby’s statement in Experiencing God, “Don’t just do something – stand there!” His point is: “you need to take time to hear from God before you act.”  There is a need to find the balance between my dad’s statement and Henry Blackaby’s statement. We need to find the right formula between being and doing.

This is the point that Jesus was making with Martha. Jesus had come to the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany. He began to teach to those in the house. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening intently to every word He was saying. Meanwhile, Martha was busy working on preparing a meal as well as other things. Apparently, she could not convince Mary to help her so she asked Jesus to intervene. Jesus replies, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We must be careful to not equate our doing with being. I am reminded of these verses in Matthew 7, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). This informs us that WE CAN BE DOING WITHOUT BEING. On the other hand, THERE CANNOT BE BEING WITHOUT DOING. Therefore, we see that BEING must be emphasized before DOING. It is intentionally choosing “what is better.”

We like to focus on our “doing” because we can measure that. It is tangible. In fact, in the Church, we promote doing. We ask believers to attend, serve, give, witness, etc. We can acquire tangible external data for these activities. We must be careful to not promote the “doing” over the “being.” It is hard to gauge the internal – the being.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of “being” in John 15:5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This is a powerful and sobering truth. My “doing” without “being” will not accomplish anything that will last for eternity. We must be continually reminded of this because, like Martha, our “doing” can become a major distraction that can keep us from our “being”.

What is the balance between “being” and “doing”? First, the Lord says, “Don’t just do something – stand there.”  We must first sit at His feet to hear from God’s Word and Spirit. Then He says, “Don’t just stand there – do something.” Once we get our “word from the Lord” we quickly respond in total obedience.

Don’t get so focused on your “doing” that you forget your “being”. When you focus first on your “being” you will accomplish most in your “doing”..

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners” (Romans 5:6).

A truth about God I have learned from the Word of God and personal experience is: “God is an ‘on-time’ God, not a ‘my-time’ God.”

When I was 20 years old, I took out a $30,000 construction loan to build a house to sell. I had a plan. I would build the house, sell it, and have enough money to pay for the rest of my education at North Central Bible College (now North Central University). It was the perfect plan, except God had other plans. As I was completing the construction of the house, interest rates increased dramatically and as a result, the housing market plummeted. I was desperate. I remember laying on the particle board in the living room of that house, crying out to the Lord and asking Him to intervene.

God did intervene to a point as He provided enough rental income to pay for interest on the loan, but there were no offers to purchase the home while I was at North Central for the next 2 ½ years. The plan was not according to my timeline. However, I learned that God is an “on-time” God, not a “my-time” God. Shortly after graduating from North Central, Jeanne and I were married. A few weeks later, we traveled to Canton, Ohio, to candidate for a Youth Pastor position at Canton Bethel Temple. We were offered the position and accepted it. I remember driving back to Wisconsin thinking, “What am I going to do with the house?” The day we arrived back to our home in Wisconsin, I received a call from my father informing me that my house at sold. God is an “on-time” God, not a “my-time” God.

The verse in Romans 5:6 reminds us of that truth. We were utterly helpless to deal with the sin that separated us from God. But “Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” The Jews had been waiting a long time for the Messiah to come. When He did come, many did not recognize or receive Him. Galatian 4:4 reminds us that Jesus came into the world at the right time, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son…” Just as Jesus was born at the right time and died at the right time, He will come again AT THE RIGHT TIME!

Just as Jesus’ second coming will be at the right time so His “coming” will be at the right time to minister to you at your point of need. It may be that you are in need of healing, a job, a financial miracle, an answer to a desperate prayer. I want you to know that God knows and sees. He is not ignoring you. He is working in you and around you. At the right time, He will come! Today, be strengthened in your faith as you remember truth: God is an “on-time” God, not a “my-time” God!

“Then they gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:6-8).

There has been much discussion regarding when society will be able to return to work and to a semblance of normalcy. The main parameter given as an answer to the “when” question is, “It will be data-driven and not date-driven.” Rather than project a certain date for a “grand re-opening”, a state will have to meet certain data criteria before it can begin the process. This is frustrating for many because human nature likes a date to look forward to.

The disciples were not any different. They were looking for a time frame or date when Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel. He told them to not be focused on the date. However, in Matthew 16, Jesus made it clear that being aware of the “data” of the times was important. The Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Jesus, asking Him to show them a sign or miracle from heaven. In reply, Jesus contrasted their knowledge of the weather with their understanding of prophecy: “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:2-3).

We will not know the date of Jesus’ return, but we can and should be aware of the “data” that points to His return. Jesus, in Matthew 24, gives much “data” or signs to watch for. He said there will be religious deception, wars and rumors of war, famines, pestilences (disease epidemics and pandemics, earthquakes, persecution of followers of Christ, lawlessness, and the gospel going out to the whole world. We now have a world economy which is a precursor to the setting up of a one world system – another “data” sign.

We are living in the last days! The data confirms it. The immanence of Jesus’ return should put an urgency in our lives! Jesus told His disciples to not worry about the date of His return, but to be focused on His mission of being His witnesses. Just because times and circumstances change, the mission still remains the same. We need to be more diligent in prayer, more intentional to care, and more prepared and available to share the good news of Jesus who desperately need Him whether they realize it or not. Jesus fills us with His Holy Spirit so we can be a capable participant in fulfilling His mission on earth.

Even though the data for the opening of Wisconsin and the coming of Jesus are different, my prayer is the same. “Even so, come quickly!”

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

Even though it is a little chilly this morning, the sun is shining, which makes it seems warmer. Even on a frigid winter day, the sun shining makes it feel a little nicer. A ray of sunshine on a mostly cloudy day is encouraging. People are drawn to light. In fact, we were created to be a people of light. Adam and Eve were created to walk in the light – to have fellowship with God. However, when they sinned, “darkness” entered their lives. Life became more confusing.

Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, in this manner. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” ((saiah 9:2). Jesus is not only the way to eternal life. He is the revelation of how we are to live! He says, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus lived by kingdom of God principles, not by the pattern of the world. Living by the world’s pattern will result in confusion because there are so many patterns to choose from. Living by the world’s pattern will result in dissatisfaction and unfulfillment because we were created for a different purpose. Paul challenges us in Romans 12:2a, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,…” Following Jesus means conforming to the pattern of the kingdom of God.

Paul goes on to say, “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2b). There is only one way your mind can truly be renewed. That is by meditating on the Word of God. To “meditate” means to “murmur” or to “mull on it in your mind”. It has been illustrated by a cow who chews its cud. Meditation on the Word of God “sows” a divine thought in your mind. Remember, when you sow a thought, you reap an act. When you sow an act, you reap a habit. When you sow a habit, you reap a character. When you sow a character, you reap a destiny.” This progression shows how a thought can not only renew your mind, but will transform your life.

Today, instead of just doing your daily Bible reading, ask God to give you your verse of the day. As He does, take time to meditate on it. Read it aloud several times. As you read it aloud, put emphasis on a different word each time. Think about how it will be applied to your life today. Listen to the Holy Spirit. When the “light” comes on, the darkness leaves and another piece of your life has changed…for God and for better! Less becomes more!

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future and live is worth the living just because He lives.”

This song, written by Bill Gaither, gives several applications that result from Jesus resurrection. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Jesus’ resurrection brings hope because in His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated the penalty of sin, the finality of death, and the dominion of Satan. Therefore, I can face tomorrow and whatever it brings, because the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me. The Holy Spirit will give me whatever I need to handle whatever comes. Not only that, Jesus is alive and is interceding for me! I can come boldly to His throne of grace 24/7 to receive mercy and find grace to help me in my times of need.

Because He lives, all fear is gone! The death of Jesus on the cross and the resulting resurrection has God’s love for me written all over it. God’s perfect love for me removes all fear because is God is for me who can be against me. God’s love for me is unconditional, sacrificial, and continual. God’s love is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. As I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I am filled with His perfect love. Because of this love, there is no room for fear!

Because He lives, I know He holds the future! I do not know the future. I only have today and need to make the most of today. However, God knows the future. He knows the future plans He has for me. He knows the future plans He has for you. God is ever-present. Our past, present, and future in our perspective is always present for God because He lives in an ever-present state. God is with me today and He will be with me tomorrow, whatever that brings!

Because He lives, my life is worth living! The value is something is determined not but what I think it is worth. It is determined by what someone will pay for it. You might not think your life is worth much. I beg to differ. You have much value because Jesus came and took your place on the cross and rose from the dead so you could receive all that He has for you. You were redeemed not by gold or silver, but by the precious blood of Jesus. This is how much you are worth. Jesus died so you could live. Therefore, your life is worth living. Live it to fullest by pleasing God in everything you say and do!

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23;46).

Jesus’ last “word” from the cross was a prayer that once again expressed the submissive spirit that He had displayed throughout His life. John records this moment with the statement, “With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

In one sense, Jesus was murdered by evil people. “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:23). Looking at it another way, it was His Father who sent Him to die on the cross. “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,…” (Isaiah 53:10a). From another perspective, no one took Jesus’ life. He gave His life willingly as a substitute sacrifice for the sins of the world. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again…” (John 10:17-18a).

The scene at the end of Jesus’ ordeal on the cross is an antithesis of everything leading up to this last moment. Jesus had gone through the betrayal of a friend, the desertion of His disciples, the railroading trial, unfathomable scourging, undeserved mocking, and excruciating pain. There was so much unrest because of the inner turmoil and physical pain. Yet, at the end, there was a peace that transcends all human understanding as Jesus commits His Spirit to His Father, breathes His last, and dies.

This is a great example for us today. With all the unrest and uncertainty in our lives today, it is great opportunity to recommit our lives to the Lordship of Jesus, submitting ourselves to the will of God as Jesus did on the cross and in the Garden of Gethsemane. How about praying His final words in the Garden, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42b). Submission of your soul will bring a transcending peace to your mind. Try it, you will like it!

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’” (John 19:30a).

This is the 6th of the 7 “words” or statements that Jesus spoke while on the cross. “It is finished” is the English translation of the Greek word “tetelestai”.“Tetelestai” comes from the verb “teleo”, which means “to bring to an end, to complete, to accomplish.” It’s a crucial word because it signifies the successful end to a particular course of action.

“Tetelestai” is in the perfect tense in Greek. That’s significant because the perfect tense speaks of an action which has been completed in the past with results continuing into the present. It’s different from the past tense which looks back to an event and states, “This happened.” The perfect tense adds the idea, “This happened and it is still in effect today.”
There were several ways the word “tetelestai” was used in Greco-Roman culture—all of them illustrative of Jesus’ finished work on the cross.

A servant might have confidently said “tetelestai” when asked by his master if the work he had been assigned to do was complete. Likewise, Jesus, the Suffering Servant, completed the work His Father had given Him when He said, “It is finished.”

A judge might have said “tetelestai” when he conferred a sentence or when issuing a ruling that a sentence had been completed. The judge would say, “Justice has been served.” On the cross, Jesus satisfied the justice of God by paying the penalty for sin, death. “It is finished” meant God’s justice had been served.

A soldier might have said “tetelestai” as a battle cry toward a defeated enemy. The soldier would yell, “You are finished!” Jesus’ cry on the cross was not one of despair or defeat. When Jesus cried with a loud voice, He was declaring victory of the enemy–Satan, sin, and death. Satan, you are defeated! Sin, your power is gone! Death no longer needs to be feared!

A merchant might have said “tetelestai” after stamping a bill “the debt has been paid.” The Christian’s debt has been paid in full by the propitiation of Jesus Christ. “God [has] made [us] alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:13-15). It is finished!

Because “it is finished” and Jesus paid my debt in full, I don’t have to. Jesus took my place on the cross! Because “it is finished”, I now realize how awful my sin was and is as well as how awesome God’s love for me is. Because “it is finished”, I can have the assurance of eternal life. Because “it is finished”, I can live differently. Jesus has defeated the power of sin! Because “it is finished”, I can have a close, intimate relationship with God. Because “it is finished”, I can receive healing – spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical!

“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)” (Matthew 27:46).

Jesus not only experienced tremendous physical pain on the cross. He was physically mutilated. He was also relationally rejected. Judas, one of the 12, had betrayed Him. The other eleven disciples had deserted Him. Three times Peter denied even knowing Him. His brothers did not believe in Him. The world that He had come to serve and save turned on Him.

Jesus was emotionally abused. Crucifixion was a supreme punishment. The stripping and exposure of victims was not an accidental or incidental element. It was a deliberate action that the Romans used to humiliate and degrade those they wished to punish. It meant that the crucifixion was more than just physical, it was also a devastating emotional and psychological punishment. He felt humiliation and a helplessness as the gawkers look on.

Jesus was mentally tormented while on the cross. Jesus is horrific pain. He is at the doorstep of death. He is looking out at the crowd through the sweat and blood in his eyes. He sees the spiritual forces behind the human faces, doing everything they can to secure His death. The battle of the mind rages as Satan wants Him to curse God and die making His substitute sacrifice ineffectual for the salvation of mankind. Remember the words of 1 Peter 5:8, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Now we come to Matthew 27:46. On the cross Jesus was physically mutilated, relationally rejected, emotionally abused, and mentally tormented. He also felt spiritually abandoned by His Heavenly Father! Jesus expressed his honest feelings; feelings He had never felt before. Jesus felt abandoned because of the separation he sensed.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” This does not mean Jesus sinned. It means that God imputed mankind’s sins on Him. As a result, Jesus felt the full effects that sin deserves. God was punishing His own Son as if He committed every sin done by every sinner! In doing so, Jesus felt the separation from God that sin brings. Hence, He felt forsaken and abandoned. Jesus did this out of love for His creation.

God placed my sins – past, present, and future – on Jesus while He was on the cross. Jesus took my place so I could receive His right standing before God. He became sin for me so I might become the righteousness of God. When I placed my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord, God gave the same right standing that Jesus has before His Father. I do not deserve it. I did not earn it. I can never repay Him. All I can do is humbly thank Him for His mercy and grace by living a life that pleases Him! This is what puts the “good” in Good Friday.

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:43).

Jesus was not the only one who was crucified on Good Friday. Two criminals were also crucified, one on each side of Jesus. Luke records that one of the criminals joined in the mockery of Jesus. “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’” (Luke 23:39). It is hard to grasp that kind of response by someone going through the same ordeal.

The other criminal had a different response. “But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong’” (Luke 23:40-41). He confessed his own guilt and acknowledged his penalty was just. He somehow realized that Jesus was innocent.

He then makes a bold request. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). It is amazing, first of all, that Jesus even responded because all the physical and emotional pain He was going through. But He does as He gives His second “cross word” when He says, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). This is a great illustration of the truth that salvation is by grace through faith. This man did not deserve salvation. He was in a hopeless situation. His request was a desperate plea for mercy and grace he did not deserve and did not earn.

Jesus’ words to the dying criminal conveyed a promise of the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life. It did not change the criminal’s immediate circumstances. He was going to die via crucifixion, but his soul was comforted with the assurance of forgiveness and salvation.

Today, I thank my Lord Jesus Christ for dying on the cross for me. I have received the forgiveness of my sin and the assurance of eternal life. The Bible affirms the fact the I can have 100% assurance of eternal life. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

The two criminals represent two choices. You can choose to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. In doing so by faith, you receive the assurance of eternal life. You can choose to reject Jesus as your Savior and Lord. In doing so, you remain in your sin and have the assurance of eternal death – separation from God for eternity. It seems like a no-brainer decision to me!