The Power of Blessings
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerA blessing is a divine act bestowed upon an individual or group of people, meant to invoke favor and protection. Blessings can be viewed as a bridge between the divine and the human. For example, Moses instructed Aaron and his sons to speak the Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6:24-27 upon Israel declaring, “You shall invoke My name on Israel and I will bless them.”
All the blessings that Jacob spoke upon his sons in Genesis 49 played out over time. Esau cried an exceedingly bitter cry because his brother Jacob stole his blessing, and Isaac’s blessing could not be reversed. When Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount He pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek and merciful, etc. With these powerful examples in mind, I am impressed by our LORD to pronounce and invoke God’s blessings of His divine grace, peace and increase upon your lives at this time of new beginnings, and fresh starts (Exodus 12).
Therefore; may the LORD our God empower each of you to forgive every person who has ever injured, robbed or slandered you in your past, remembering that Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do (Luk 23:34).” As you release each person may God remove every spirit or soul which has been allowed to torment you (Mat 18:21-35).
May you be blessed exceedingly as you refrain from walking in the counsel of the wicked, standing in the path of the sinners, or sitting in the seat of scoffers. May your delight be in the Word of God as you meditate on it in 2025, day and night. Be like a tree firmly planted by the water, experiencing and displaying abundant fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). May your life flourish, not wither, and may you prosper in all you do.”
In Jesus’ Name
Pastor Huck
Changing the Calendar
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerBefore Common Era (BCE) and Common Era (CE) are alternatives describing the years BC, which represents the years before Christ, and AD which stands for Anno Domini. In its fullness, AD reads more like, “Anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi,” which translates, “in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Therefore, the year 2024 CE and 2024 AD each describe the same current year. Well big, fat, enormous deal. This Common Era nonsense is simply another attempt to eliminate Jesus Christ from our vernacular. There are always some intellectual knuckleheads afraid that Jesus may offend somebody. So what? He’s been offending people for a long time.
Jesus did not come to change the calendar. He came to change people. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re a mess. All have sinned and plenty of Christians have yet to die to self. That’s bad news. All of humanity should be terrified of hell, while a few non-believing eggheads are afraid we’re going to call this year, “2024 in the year of Our Lord.” Try as they may, they will never get rid of Jesus, and that’s the good news.
I remember the western musical called, “Paint Your Wagon,” when Lee Marvin sang, “God made the mountains. God made the sky. God made the people. God knows why.” Did you see that? A Hollywood movie giant declared that God made the people. God did make the people because He really loves the people, and He loves us enough to change us, not the calendar.
As another Christmas approaches, with all the decorations, parades, light displays, shopping, eggnog, tree lightings, parties and a fair amount of drunkenness on our highways, let’s make a special effort to include Christ in our homes as well as any family gatherings. I love how Pastor Al Cicolelo of Calvary Dayspring in Prescott Valley has his family gather to read the Christmas story together after a great Christmas dinner. The calendar of current events reveals, He cometh soon.
Keep Looking Up
Pastor Huck
That Most Expensive Tree
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerBlack Friday is regarded as the first day of the traditional Christmas shopping season, on which retailers offer special reduced prices and shoppers snap up some of the season’s best deals. Crafts, dinners, gifts, artists, Santa, parties, parades, lights and decorated trees have all highlighted the start of the season, with little attention given to the world’s most expensive tree of all time, and that tree would be the one God decorated.
Matthew 1:23 reads, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel meaning, God with us.” Some three decades later that child became the required innocent sacrificial victim, as He was hung on a tree fashioned into a cross (John 19:19). That most expensive tree was decorated with the body of our Kinsman Redeemer, the sinless Jesus Christ. The decorations included a sign declaring His Kingship, His cleansing blood, as well as spikes, thorns and wood that He spoke into
existence.
God the Father also decorated His tree with lights, for His Son who was nailed to it is known as the Light of the World, although not much light is shed on Him by the masses these days. On that most expensive tree the wrath of God against all sin was satisfied as Colossians 2:14 declares, “God canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the (that) cross.” Thus, Jesus Christ becomes the greatest gift ever offered, and to receive this gift one must repent of sin and entrust their spiritual well-being to Christ for eternal life (John 1:12).
I have no higher goal in this life than to increase my love and deepen my friendship with my Savior, my God and best friend ever, Jesus Christ (John 9:38). May we demonstrate our commitment to Him whenever and however we can, for He has certainly demonstrated His commitment to us.
Including Him
Pastor Huck
The Power of Blessings
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerA blessing is a divine act bestowed upon an individual or group of people, meant to invoke favor and protection. Blessings can be viewed as a bridge between the divine […]
Changing the Calendar
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerBefore Common Era (BCE) and Common Era (CE) are alternatives describing the years BC, which represents the years before Christ, and AD which stands for Anno Domini. In its fullness, AD […]
That Most Expensive Tree
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerBlack Friday is regarded as the first day of the traditional Christmas shopping season, on which retailers offer special reduced prices and shoppers snap up some of the season’s best […]
Do Yourself a Favor
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerInside every one of us there is a contest going on for the right to dominate. Is it going to be Jesus Christ, or will it be me who rules […]
Defining a Disciple
/in Calvary Corner /by Huck KusnerA disciple is a learner who is also a follower of Jesus Christ. There is a big difference between being saved and being a disciple. Not all people who are […]