Good Friday - the Crucifixion

As I woke in the early hours of the morning while it was still dark outside,  my mind immediately thought about Jesus and what He went through on "Good Friday" so many years ago. 

He had not slept.  They had arrested him in the late hours of the night before in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He spent the night being questioned and accused.  Peter stood outside warming himself by the fire, watching in fear to see what would become of the One he thought was their Messiah.

The Jews could not kill Jesus so they delivered Him to Pilate in the early hours the morning.  Pilate tried to release Him, but they refused and chose Barrabas instead. 

Pilate sent Him to be cruelly whipped.  He returned to Pilate beaten,  bloody, and with a crown of thorns piercing His brow. Can you imagine the agony and excruciating pain He was feeling at that moment for you and for me?

He was then led away to be crucified.  Pain was coursing through His body as the nails pierced through His hands and feet.  He hung there, writhing in agony for 6 hours. Six long excruciating hours of torture,  agony,  and pain. Three of those hours were spent in darkness as it covered the land.

Finally, Jesus cried out loudly "IT IS FINISHED!" as His mortal flesh died.

Hours of torment.   Hours of torture.  Hours of excruciating pain.  Yet, Jesus did it so that you and I can have the chance at eternal life. 

We should never treat His sacrifice lightly.  
He died for you - will you live for Him?

Go to Church faithfully,  not just special holidays.
Read the Bible and pray daily - He desires that relationship with each of us.
And live for Him - not just think of Him occasionally - but truly live for Jesus because in the end, that's what matters.

Will you receive His invitation to be Born Again as we remember what He did for us on Calvary?
Jesus taught we must be Born Again of water (Baptism in His name) and of Spirit (receiving the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in other tongues) or we cannot enter nor see the Kingdom of God.  He taught there are signs that will follow every Believer.  (John 3:1-16 + Mark 26:16-17) Jesus died so that we can be Born Again and walk in a new life with Him.  

No greater love than this! Happy Good Friday!

Interesting Biblical Facts About Events Leading Up To the Triumphal Entry

Interesting Biblical Facts About Events Leading Up To the Triumphal Entry

The Bible is full of such interesting details that we sometimes miss.  A recount of an event told from 4 different angles in the Gospels will have similar yet varying details.  One may add a detail that another may consider insignificant and vise versa.  To get a full understanding of what happened,  we need to look at all 4 Gospel accounts.  

Let's look at the Anointing at Bethany....

Jesus came to Bethany 6 days before the Passover. (John 12:1)  This was the town where Lazarus (whom Jesus raised from the dead), Martha, and Mary lived. 

Jesus and His Disciples were invited to dinner. 

John's account (chapter 12) mentions that Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus while Martha served. 

Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3 reveals that they were at Simon's house (one who used to be a leper).

Luke 7:40 again confirms they are at Simon's house. Luke 7:36,39 reveals Simon was also a Pharisee. 

So, we see from Scripture comparisons that Jesus was at the home of a Pharisee named Simon who had formerly been a leper whom Jesus healed. 

Going back to John's account, we see that Simon is also the father of Judas Iscariot. (Jn 12:4 + 13:2)

While Jesus was there, a woman came and poured very precious ointment from an alabaster box on Jesus' head. (Matthew 26:7 + Mark 14:3)

Luke 7:37-38 explains this woman was a sinner. 

John 12:3 + 11:2 reveal the woman's name is Mary, the sister if Lazarus, that anointed Jesus with the ointment.  Some accounts also tell of her humility and sorrow as she continued by washing Jesus' feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. 

Some within the house were appalled that Jesus would allow this sinful woman to touch Him. Some felt like she was wasting precious money. But Jesus, moved with compassion, forgave her of her many sins.  Mary came broken and unclean but left forgiven. 

I doubt she realized her actions were anointing His body for burial that was to take place only a few days later, but Jesus knew.  (Jn 12:7)  

Everyone thought He came to be their King, who would kick the Romans out and set up an earthly throne.  They could not comprehend His Kingdom was not of this earth.  They did not understand He must first die so that we may have a chance to live (eternally).

Jesus opened the door for us, but we make the choice to walk through it or not.  We must follow and obey Jesus' instructions to be Born Again of water and of Spirit. 

Everyone focuses on John 3:16 but just a few verses prior, Jesus instructed the same audience (Nicodemus and His Disciples) that unless a person is Born Again of Water (Baptism in Jesus name -Jesus taught His Disciples how to baptize) and of Spirit (receiving the Holy Ghost which is evidenced by speaking in other tongues) we CANNOT ENTER NOR SEE the Kingdom of God. Don’t marvel that you must be Born Again. 

Scripture ref KJV: John 3:1-16, 22 + Mark 16:16-17 + Acts 2:1-4, 38-39 + Acts 10:44-48 + Acts 19 and so many more...

Hypocrites!

Hypocrites!

I was having a conversation with someone the other day who expressed they do not go to Church because there are hypocrites there. I explained that there are hypocrites everywhere (even outside of Church) and that it should not stop us from going to Church.  

I pondered more on the topic as I studied the Bible today.  Yes, when you go to Church,  you will find some who are hypocrites.  A hypocrite is a person who puts on a false appearance - it is a person who claims to be a Christian yet lives opposite to Christian morals and Biblical teachings. 

Jesus addressed the topic of hypocrites in the Church in Matthew 6:2 - "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, AS THE HYPOCRITES DO IN THE SYNAGOGUES and in the streets, that they may have glory of men...."

AND IN THE STREETS? You will also find hypocrites in the streets (outside of the Church). Remember,  a hypocrite is a person who claims to be a Christian yet lives opposite to Christian morals and Biblical teachings. Yes, you will find those within the Church who claim to be a Christian yet are hateful,  spiteful,  bitter, rebellious,  gossipy, backbiting, etc. Their heart is not right. 

But there are also those who claim to be a Christian, yet they do not go to Church and live opposite to Christian morals and Biblical teachings (cussing, drinking, fornication, and so on).

I'm not casting stones,  but would that not also fall under the description of a hypocrite?  It is something to seriously ponder on.  

There were hypocrites at the synagogue yet that did not stop Jesus from going.  We should not and cannot let that stop us from going to church either lest we be found to be a hypocrite as well.  I'm not casting stones -  I'm reaching for souls.  That is one of many deceptive reasons the devil has created to keep people out of Church.  Don't fall for it.  

Christ-Centered Easter / Resurrection

 Has anyone else noticed how difficult it is to find Christ-centered Easter/Resurrection crafts and activities?  Even at Hobby Lobby (a Christian based company) I was only able to find 2 Christ-focused crafts (one of which I cannot use because it has a hippy long haired Jesus). The rest were Easter eggs and bunnies. 

Some may wonder,  "what's the big deal? They're cute! Everyone else is having egg hunts at Church.  Why don't you?!"

My reason - I'm not casting stones at anyone else who does, but when I think about the excruciating agony, the scourging, the thorns piercing Jesus' brow, and the torture He went through on the Cross,  I have to wonder how it makes Jesus feel when we focus attention more-so on bunnies and egg hunts than about the remembrance of what Jesus endured to purchase our Redemption?

We will have a Resurrection Story Stone Hunt which tells the story of what Jesus did for us ending with the celebration that He is Alive and wants to live in our hearts. And we will have a Candy Rain after Church on Resurrection Sunday to remind us of God's sweet love and blessings that He showers down on us. 

If you are looking for Christ centered activities and having trouble finding them as I did, this blog may give you some ideas....

https://heycreativesister.com/christian-easter-activities/

That I Might Attain....

 Paul, whom we consider one of the greatest Apostles,  and yet he wrote....

Philippians 3 (KJV)
¹¹ If by any means I MIGHT ATTAIN
unto the resurrection of the dead.
¹² NOT AS THOUGH I HAD ALREADY ATTAINED,
either were already perfect:
but I follow after,
IF THAT I MAY APPREHEND
that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus.
¹³ Brethren,
I COUNT NOT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED:
but this one thing I do,
FORGETTING those things which are behind,
and REACHING FORTH unto those things
which are before,
¹⁴ I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul realized his need to keep pressing forward,
to keep fighting the good fight of Faith. 
He had not made it to Glory yet.
He had not attained perfection.
He couldn't change his past, his failures, the things he had done before that kept coming back to mind to haunt him,

So, since he nor any of us could change our past, he exampled and taught what we can do: 

(1) FORGET THE PAST!  It's behind you once you've sincerely repented and your sins have been washed away in the waters of Baptism in Jesus name. (Baptism in Jesus name remits your sin it washes them all away. Acts 2:38 + 22:16)

(2) REACH FORWARD to the things that are before!  Seek the things that are above.  Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God AND His Righteousness.  Then everything else will fall in place and work out for the good. (Col 3:1 + Mt 6:33 + Rom 8:28)

(3) Then PRESS TOWARD THE MARK for the prize of the high calling of God!  It's not something that will come easy.  It's something you will have to work at and work hard for, just as an athlete training so they may be their best and do their best to win the race/game. There is a reward at the end!  Keep pressing!  Don’t give up!  It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

But until we finally attain, we keep pressing and working out our salvation with FEAR AND TREMBLING lest we become carnal and comfortable and fall asleep in the Light as the 5 foolish virgins only to wake up too late and find yourself to have become a castaway.  (Phil 2:12 + 1 Cor 9:27 + Mt 25)

We're too close to the end! 

Don't give up!  

Keep pressing!
Increase your Prayer life and Bible reading time!
The more heavenly minded you are, the more earthly good you will be because that's when God can use you!  And He wants to 🙌