Come Up Here And See

With arms raised high worshipping The Lord God Almighty I stand in continual gratification, thankfulness, and praising Him for His gift to me of Jesus Christ. Then in turn I thank Jesus continually for His beautiful, amazing, wonderful gift to me of the cross, crucifixion and resurrection, the perfect Lamb of God for the last sacrifice for me and others so that we could be redeemed and brought back to Father God.

It may sound crazy, but I am thankful that Jesus was not crucified alone but that there were three crosses. Those three crosses give me hope for many reasons. I hope that I will be able to share those reasons clearly.

Those other two crosses continually give me hope because I know that as I pray many lives are being saved. Those two crosses also inspire me that it is never too late to be praying for someone but to keep on praying. Those crosses remind me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, believing that He can do all things and to keep on praying.

Romans 12:12 ESV Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV Pray without ceasing,

Philippians 4:6 ESV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

The ones that I am praying for may be saved in their last breath. The criminal with an unchanged heart kept mocking Jesus but the criminal who had come face to face with Jesus rebuked the other criminal who was mocking Jesus and then turned to Jesus and asked that the Lord would remember him. Jesus gave out forgiveness so that criminal could be saved in his last breath.

Luke 23: 39-43 ICB    ³⁹ One of the criminals began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Christ? Then save yourself! And save us too!” ⁴⁰ But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “You should fear God! You are getting the same punishment as he is. ⁴¹ We are punished justly; we should die. But this man has done nothing wrong!” ⁴² Then this criminal said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!” ⁴³ Then Jesus said to him, “Listen! What I say is true: Today you will be with me in paradise!

Jesus in His great pain, suffering, agony, brokenness which He did not deserve but chose to be the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world said to that thief, “Today you will be with Me in paradise”.

Our Lord God Almighty who is the King of all Kings is a merciful and compassionate God who is waiting for people to surrender and all to come to home to Him for redemption.

2 Peter 3: 9 NASB The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

That criminal who asked Jesus to remember Him, first came to the realization that Jesus was the King of the Jews, sinless and did not deserve the horrible crucifixion. That criminal also saw himself for the first time in a mirror of which God wants all of us to see ourselves so we can see who we truly are, that we were born with a sin nature, who need to fall on our knees, surrender our heart and mind and will to the Lord and ask forgiveness and to come into His Kingdom.

It is amazing that that criminal did not have a long time to say, “Father please forgive me for my sins, I surrender my will to Yours, I surrender my heart to You, I ask You to guide and direct me”, no, all that he had time to say to Jesus was “Remember me”. What happened before that is what we must do first and to acknowledge who Jesus is, stand up for Him, also acknowledging who we are and that we need a Lord and Saviour.

That criminal in his last breath asked forgiveness. Praise the Lord, I love this story and I am so thankful that the Holy Scriptures had it written for us to read, hear and share that it is never too late to come unto the Lord Jesus Christ and ask forgiveness and surrender all to Him and He will respond with His loving compassion and mercy.

When you have a personal story then the story of the three crosses mean even more to you. Let me explain. One day I received one of the most terrible phone calls that one can receive. I answered the phone to hear crying and deep regret and almost unbelief that one of my closest family members, a parent, had taken their lives. It was so out of character that you just stood in shock, crying, and falling to my knees praying. When you have been believing for almost three decades to see salvation but never seeing the salvation how I wanted to it was dreadful.

Within a half hour I was walking around my house praying to the Lord that I was going to take nothing but good out of that and I will see my family saved. It has been over a decade and still I have not seen the salvation how I desire to see. However, God is a faithful God, He delivers, and I trust Him.

On that horrible day one of my pastors came to our house to pray and comfort us. When he walked in, he looked me square in the eyes and said Lisa, remember God is a Merciful God and a Just Judge and leave it there! That truth of who God almighty is has kept me firm to Him. When my pastor told me that truth, I felt tons of garbage was lifted off me of which I cannot begin to describe. This is why the three crosses give me such hope.

You see our God is a Merciful God so my family member could have cried out with their last breath saying to Jesus, remember me, because I know how great you are because I have seen my daughter’s faith in You, heard the testimonies and seen the testimonies in her life that I know that You are righteous, You are merciful, you have kept her from horrors, You have changed her from a belligerent child to a submissive wife and loving mother, I know who You are, so Please remember me. I know without a shadow of doubt that My God Almighty would have said to my parent, Today You will be with me in Paradise.

Oh, what a Merciful God and a Just Judge we serve, so leave all confusion, troubles, shame, hurts, wonderings there and He and only He can take that garbage away.

Have a wonderful Easter remembering that Jesus saved a sinner on the cross beside him in that criminal’s last breath. Jesus is so wonderful.

Holy Spirit I ask that You reveal to us of Your Mercy and Justice. I also ask that we have a revelation of the power of prayer and not to give up on ourselves and others but to keep on praying and believing that You answer our prayers. I also ask that we believe in You and Your word that our households will serve the Lord. That as we pray and trust You, we would know that this is happening in our households. We thank you Lord Jesus that You hear our prayers and You answer our prayers. Amen.

Joshua 24: 15b NASB but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”