The two quotations below came within the same week, Holy Week, and I rejoice to ponder them and learn from them, as the Holy Spirit takes me on a bit of a Camino, or journey. Perhaps you will be Blessed as well …

Palm Sunday is celebrated to remember the day Jesus triumphantly entered the City of Jerusalem, fulfilling Messianic prophecy to become, as the Baptist testified, “The Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.” For Believers in Christ today, “we should celebrate His triumphant entry into US !!!” (Anita Dugan, Dayspring Christian Fellowship)

“We live caught in the tension between the already and the not yet.” (Amanda Cronin, Operations Coordinator, Humanities and Social Sciences, Biola University)

Jesus Christ doesn’t come “into” us without purpose. His “triumph” over death, hell, and the grave is not just for the days past, as for others, but also for us, in the now. This is why WE can rejoice, because He is available to us, now, for whatever victory we need.

But we are caught between the ‘already and the not yet’! Isn’t that a great insight? What HAS happened is so wonderful, yes, but we can’t live in or upon the past. What we face right now is so dominant in our lives that the future is hard, sometimes, for us to grasp. The “not yet” seems to stifle our faith! We can weaken in spirit because of the “not yet.” Perhaps the entire concept of ‘backsliding’ is because of the “not yet,” as we give up on the Promises of God.

Don’t give up! God is not dead! His Promises are certain, because He is Faithful. We may be between the ‘already and the not yet’ but that doesn’t limit the power of Almighty God. He isn’t deterred by time. He isn’t taken off His game by the mistakes of mankind. Just think of what the Power of Forgiveness has done for you! Just think of what the Power of Forgiveness could do THROUGH you!!! Today, right now, dare to believe! Risk the step of Faith that God is calling you to take! The ‘already’ has happened, and proves God’s Love and incomprehensible ability to do whatever He wishes to do. The ‘not yet’ is about to unfold, and it will most certainly be according to His Victory In Us!!!

It is Good Friday, and this little phrase came to me: CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER. But why? What is the Lord trying to say to me? To us?

We know that in team sports, CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER are not only sought, but necessary to win.

We know that in the world of commerce, companies buy up one another in CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER, to better compete in the marketplace.

We know that in the history of the world, one country after another has launched CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER to advance their national or political agenda.

What we see in the world’s religions today are CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER to win both converts and economic advantage. The desire to ‘win’ is a pretty normal thing in the animal kingdom.

Jesus Christ talked about another Kingdom. His Kingdom.

It seems to me there are CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER happening right now, not only on earth, but in the Spiritual realms. Look at the newspaper, or TV, or any source for news you have. It’s impossible to miss the tension developing all over the world between Islam and Christianity.

And yet, somehow, we must understand that Christianity is not a power. Christianity is a following. Christianity is a relationship with a person. Christianity is a faith IN someOne.

The Power in Christianity is not us; it is Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of Christ is His. His rule. His reign. His Power. It’s not like we join the winning side in some human contest and we win the trophy! Jesus Christ is the Victor, and we, if we will, are His.

It’s Good Friday, for us! His sacrifice was for us! His Victory is for us!

The great CONCENTRATIONS OF POWER going on right now, however they might be, have an outcome already decided. Jesus Christ defeats the other powers, builds His Kingdom, and unfolds eternity …