The Message of the Cross --

READ/ 1 Corinthians 1:17-25
-------
UNBELIEVERS cannot make sense of the cross as a symbol of God's love. How could affection motivate a Father to sacrifice His Son? Many decide to ignore such "foolishness." Instead, they expect to enter heaven because of their strong character and decent acts. According to the Bible that belief is truly unwise (Is. 64:6). But the prevalence of a "good works gospel" reveals that the church needs a stronger voice in delivering its message of truth to the world.

We must explain holy justice in tandem with divine care: God does love the world, but He cannot overlook mankind's sin (John 3:16). He is righteous, which means He is perfect. No taint of wrongdoing can enter His pure presence. A person cannot show up at heaven's gate hauling a lifetime of sin baggage and demand to be allowed in. God does not excuse sin; however, He provides a way to deal with it.

Three fundamental facts undergird the Father's plan to make sinful people righteous. First, as Romans 3:23 tells us, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Next, the soul that sins shall die (Ezek. 18:20; Rom 6:23). Finally, a perfect sacrifice offered on behalf of a sinner pays his or her debt (John 1:29). God satisfied His own justice by placing our sin upon Jesus and allowing Him to die in our place.

EARLY LIGHT/ We humans oftentimes try to simplify God's character, but the truth is, all of His attributes make up one perfect Father. Realize that the cross symbolizes more than His love: it also represents His wisdom in creating a plan to maintain His holiness without diminishing His perfect justice.
~~~
Pastor Charles Stanley
In Touch Ministries
Blessings, Abishag <>< + + +

+ + + <><

"It was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day." Luke 24:46

WHAT was the power and influence that changed the cross from an instrument of bloody torture into the most glorious and beloved of all symbols? The Romans had crucified thousands of people before and after Calvary.

If Jesus had not risesn from the dead, no right-minded person would have glorified anything so hideous and repulsive as a cross stained with the blood of Jesus.

By the miracle of His rising from the grave, Jesus placed the seal of assurance upon the forgiveness of our sins. A dead Christ could not have been our Savior.

An unopened grave would never have opened heven. By bursting the chains of the tomb, Jesus proved Himself to all ages the conqueror of sin. The sacrifice on Calvary had fulfilled its purpose; the ransom price paid for your sins and mine had been accepted by God. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Prayer For the Day:
Each time I see the empty cross, let me be reminded
of Your suffering and Your victory, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Billy Graham, Evangelist
Day by Day
Blessings, Abishag

Have a Blessed 'Good Friday' and
a joyous 'Easter Sunday'!

~~~~"WITHOUT the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." Hebrews 9:22

Jesus' blood paid the sin-debt we could not pay.

"Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love." EPHESIANS 3:19

~~~IT wasn't right that spikes pierced the hands that formed the earth. And it wasn't right that the Son of God was forced to hear the silence of God.

It wasn't right, but it happened.

For while Jesus was on the cross, God sat on his hands. He turned his back. He ignored the screams of the innocent.

He sat in silence while the sins of the world were placed upon His Son. And he did nothing while a cry a million times bloodier than John's echoed in the black sky: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Was it right? No.

Was it fair? No.

Was it love? Yes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Applause of Heaven
Max Lucado <><
Have a Blessed Easter Sunday.
Christ Jesus is alive !!!

Blessings, Abishag

His Broken Heart -- + + +

"When he saw the crowds, he felt
sorry for them because they were
hurting and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd." MATT 9:36

~~~~I CAN'T understand it. I honestly cannot. Why did Jesus [die on the cross]? Oh, I know, I know. I have heard the official answers. "To gratify the old law." "To fulfill prophecy." And these answers are right. They are. But there is something more here. Something very compassionate. Something yearning. Something personal.

What is it?

Could it be that his heart was broken for all the people who cast despairing eyes toward the dark heavens and cry the same "Why?" Could it be that his heart was broken for the hurting?....

I imagine him, bending close to those who hurt. I imagine his listening. I picture his eyes misting and a pierced hand brushing away a tear. ...He who also was once alone, understands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~


Pastor Max Lucado
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior ~

Have a wonderful Easter Sunday celebrating the Resurrected Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ!

HE'S ALIVE! Blessings, Abishag <><

LOVE HUNG ON A CROSS ~~~~

"God loved the world so much that he gave his
one and only Son so that whoever believes in
him may not be lost, but have eternal life."
JOHN 3:16

~~~HE looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldier's garb sat on the ground near the trio....

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill,...faces tear-streaked.

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

"It must be done...." he said, and withdrew.

The angel spoke again. "It would be less painful...."

The Creator interrupted softly. "But it wouldn't be love."
_____________________________

Pastor Max Lucado
In the Eye of the Storm

Blessings, Abishag <>< JESUS IS ALIVE!

The Message of God to Man --

"When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he
said, "It is finished." Then he
bowed his head and died." JN 19:30

~~ IT IS FINISHED!

Stop and listen a moment. Let the words wind through your heart. Imagine the cry from the cross. The sky is dark. The other two victims are moaning. Jeering mouths of the crowd are silent. Perhaps there is thunder. Perhaps there is weeping. Perhaps there is silence. Then Jesus draws in a deep breath, pushes his feet down on that Roman nail, and cries, "It is finished!"

What was finished?

The history-long plan of redeeming man was finished. The message of God to man was finished. The works done by Jesus as a man on earth were finished....The sting of death had been removed. It was over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max Lucado <><
No Wonder They Call Him Savior ~
Blessings- for an Easter Resurrection Sunday!
Abishag <><

The Power of the Cross ~

READ/ Mark 15:26-32

~~~~SOME people jeered at Jesus as He hung on the cross. 'The Son of God should be able to save Himself', they taunted. These men and women thought that Christ's death proved Him weak. But in fact, the opposite was true. The Lord's power was so great that Jesus died with the world's sin on His shoulders, and He arose three days later. Furthermore, anyone who believes in Him doesn't have to pay his or her own death penalty. God's awesome power sets captives free.

I treasure a letter from a former addict who described God's power in his live. One night, just before drugs stole his consciousness, he heard through an open window a single sentence from a radio preacher: "No matter who you are, God loves you and cares about you." Weeks later, while searching for a program on his own radio, he came across a familiar voice. Intrigued, he listened to that entire In Touch broadcast. What happened, in short, is that he got the message, received Christ, cleaned up his life, and reconciled with his family.

The cross's power is life-changing. God used a phrase heard in a drug-induced haze to prepare a man's heart. Then, once the Lord had his attention, He yanked that fellow out of a deep pit of despair!
~~~~~
EARLY LIGHT/ Human strength is insufficient to rid ourselves of sin. The truth is that we are all in need of a Savior. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to die in our place, which was not a show of weakness. On the contrary, He made the most powerful sacrifice He could--He did it for you and me (John 15:13).
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pastor Charles Stanley
In Touch Ministries -
Have a Blessed Easter Morning, Abishag <><

Christ's Triumph over the Grave !

READ/ 1 Corinthians 15:50-57
~~~~~~
EASTER is a season of promises fulfilled and promises waiting to be realized. One of the latter is that believers, like the Savior, will experience physical resurrection (John 5:25). Christ's triumph over the grave makes possible our victory against death.

When the Lord returns, the dead in Christ will hear His voice and come forth from their burial places. Each soul that shed a mortal "cloak" upon entering heaven will now dwell in an imperishable body. Next, believers still living in "earthly tents" will be transformed (2 Cor. 5:1). In these customized vessels, God's children will be perfectly suited for reflecting His glory.

When I preach on this subject, I am often asked,"What will we look like?" To answer that let's think about Christ's seaside encounter with His disciples following the resurrection (John 21:1-14). John, who witnessed the event, said that the seven men did not immediately recognize Jesus. Only after interacting with Him for a few minuts did thy know their Lord. Though He seemed familiar, He was also amazingly changed. In a word, He was 'GLORIFIED'.

Believers, too, will have glorified, perfected bodies (1 Cor 15: 42-43). We won't be limited by time, space, or matter. Therefore, nothing can stop us from serving God to the very best of our abilities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EARLY LIGHT/ Studying about the saints' physical resurrection can bring up more questions than the Bible answers. But we know some things for sure, so let me leave you with this assurance: believers are going to be in God's presence forever. This means that whatever we and the new heaven and earth are like, we will be satisfied. AMEN!

Pastor Charles Stanley
In Touch Ministries ~
Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday! Abishag <><

JESUS IS ALIVE! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! GO TELL THE WORLD! HALLELUJAH!

Yes... (((( Smiles))))

We will not survive the global storms to come on sandy ground..
But on solid rock.
There is no other foundation that is worth building on..
{ 1 Corinthians 3:10}

He is our foundation stone.
He is the basis for everything we are, everything we do, and most importantly, the wonderfull and glorious future he has for us.
Only when we give ourselves to him, fully entrust ourselves to him, do we really begin to be what he made us to be.


It's Holy Week,...

It's Passover and the devil is steamed.
satan rants about from on high.

As the world's 2 plus billion Christians commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ..
Christ points to a new life, going beyond our regrets.

Jesus Christ is widely recognized as the greatest man who ever lived.
He gave his life for us, being killed in a most painfull manner.
Only hours earlier, when instructing his disciples how to remember his death,
Jesus said: " Keep doing this in rememberance of me."
--- Luke 22:19...

Jeremiah 29:11:
For I know the purposes which I am purposeing for you, declares Jehovah, purposes of peace, and not for evil; to give you a future and a hope.
Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me and I will listen to you.
And you shall seek and find me when you search for Me with all your heart.

1 John 4:9:
By this the love of God was revealed in us, because His Son, the Only begotten , God has sent into the world that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son (to be) a propitiation relateing to our sins.

The Sermon on the Mount concludes with a parable about building.
Those who build on sand will see their houses fall, while thoses who build on a solid foundation stone will see their houses endure..
( Matthew 7:24-27}.

Not on the idols which Micah had placed his trust that had no power to protect themselves, much less their owner..
(Judges 17:1-4}

In the parable, both builders heard the words of Jesus, but the wise builder is the one who acted on thoses words.
It is thoses who do the will of God who are accepted (verse 21 )

And Gods's will is that we believe in the son of God.
(John 6:28-29,40}

He is the Author and Finnisher of our faith, the foundation on which we can build the faith that can never be taken away.

Our only sure hope is Jesus Christ--- our faith must be in him, not in any human, not in any system, not in any organization.
He is the One will never leave us nor forsake us.
(Hebrews 13:5-6}

In Gods eyes we are all sinful and need forgiveness to enter into his presence..

But it's a gift from God...
A beautiful wonderfull gift..
What he did for us..
Giveing us life and future hope.

JESUS IS ALIVE! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! GO TELL THE WORLD! HALLELUJAH!

"But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." LUKE 12:31

~~~A Burst of Love

SOMETIMES God is so touched by what he sees that he gives us what we need and not simply that for which we ask.

It's a good thing. For who would have ever thought to ask God for what he gives? Which of us would have dared to say: "God, would you please hang yourself on a tool of torture as a substitution for every mistake I have ever committed?" And then have the audacity to add: "And after you forgive me, could you prepare me a place in your house to live forever?"

And if that wasn't enough: "And would you please live within me and protect me and guide me and bless me with more than I could ever deserve?"

Honestly, would we have the chatzpah to ask for that?....

Jesus already knows the cost of grace. He already knows the price of forgiveness. But he offers it anyway. Love burst his heart.

~~~~~~
Max Lucado
He Still Moves Stones <><
Blessings, Abishag

"God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain."
Revelation 21:4 ~

~~~~No Worries in Heaven

-----WHAT have you done today to avoid death? Likely a lot. You've popped pills, pumped pecks, passed on the pie, and pursued the polyunsaturates...Why? Why the effort? Because you are worried about staying alive. That won't be a worry in heaven.

In fact, you won't be worrying at all. Some of you moms worry about your kids getting hurt. You won't worry in heaven. In heaven we'll feel no pain. Some of you fellows worry about getting old. You won't in heaven. We'll all be ceaselessly strong....

We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death.

The next life, however, is different. Jesus urged the Christians in Smyrna to "be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).

~~~~~~
Max Lucado
When Christ Comes ~
Blessings, Abishag

LOVE HUNG ON A CROSS ~~~~

1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

"Quickened" means "made alive".
Jesus did that for us.
He considers us family, his bretherns.
If we ever get to feeling sorry for ourselves because we are persecuted, think what they did to Him.
They crucified Him!

Through the resurrection of Christ, and baptism into the family, we have eternal life.
Isn't that beautiful?

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain."
Revelation 21:4 ~

---THE HEART OF
THE GOSPEL

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-6
------------------
We all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in
a mirror the glory of
the LORD, are being
transformed.
---2 Corinthians 3:18

AS Christians, we must begin to live more like Jesus. The Christian faith should be presented without any adulteration. Christians should emphasize love, which is at the heart of the Gospel.

These insightful suggestions are the key to effective evangelism around the world. As messengers of God's love, we are to be human mirrors who reflect without distortion a growing likeness to our Lord; we are not to walk in "craftiness" (2 Cor. 4:2).

If our lives reflect an image that is spiritually blurred, the truth of saving grace may not be clearly communicated (vv.3-5). We are also to share the Biblical essentials of our faith clearly. We must not handle the Word of God "deceitfully" (v.2). And our lives are to be marked by love for God and others (1 John 5:1-2).

Let's be sure that we reflect a clear image of Jesus' likeness, the truth of God, and love.

Called to be salt and light in this world,
Called to preserve and to shine,
Called to reflect the glory of God---
Oh, what a calling is mine !
__________________________________________
THE PRIMARY REASON FOR LIVING IN THIS WORLD
IS TO REFLECT THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST.

Our Daily Bread

~~~~Building-Vine-Body ~

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3)

~~There are three wonderful figures in the New Testament which depict the relationship of the individual believer to all other believers and to Christ Himself. Christians are like little branches in the great vine, which is Christ. They are stones in a great building of which He is the foundation and corner stone. They are all members of the great body of which He is the head. In each case, they have been placed "in Christ," and they derive all life and meaning from Him.

As a stone lying alone on the ground is useless and ugly, so would be a professing Christian who is not truly in Christ. But we, "as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5) as "the household of God; And are build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together..." (Eph. 2:19-22).

Similarly, a branch without its vine and roots is lifeless. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

The members of a body are funtionless without the head to direct them. "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Corinthians 12:18),..intended that we "may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:....maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:15-16).

Outside of Christ, we are useless, and lifeless, and without direction. In Him, we become a beautiful temple, a fruitful vine, and a strong body.

Days of Praise
ICR/HMM
Blessings!

--THE CROSS/
GRACE DISPLAYED

READ/ROMANS 3:21-27

--AT Calvary the Lord displayed His grace for the entire world to see. The cross represents the intersection of His holiness and His love. From there, he poured out mercy on an undeserving population: all of humanity, including you and me.

Our holy God is absolutely without fault. He's so "perfectly perfect" that no earth man or woaman can look upon Him and live (Ex.33:20). The problem has to do with our sinful nature--we all have an inborn desire to rebel against His authority (Rom 3:10). Anyone who thinks otherwise is deceiving himself (1 John 1:8). It's important to understand that God hates sin. He cannot abide evil in His presence, so He pronounced a death sentence on sinners (Rom 6:23).

But Scripture also tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and He created people with the intention of caring for them. What's more, the Lord desires that all people spend eternity with Him. Yet there remains the problem of our sin and the death penalty that we owe.

The Lord cannot viiolate His own nature. Though God loves mankind, His holiness would be compromised if He permitted the filth of sin into His presence. So the Father made a way to cleanse dirty hearts and transform wayward natures: He put the sin of all mankind on Jesus Christ's shoulders.

In Touch Ministries
Pastor Charles Stanley
Thank you, Jesus, for dying to save a wretch like me.
AMAZING GRACE! Jesus died for YOU!

THE SACRIFICIAL
LAMB ~~

READ/ HEBREWS 10: 1-14

GOD'S grace has no limits. His mercy can reach the darkest part of our hearts. What's more, the forgiveness Jesus offered on the cross stretches back to earth's first day and forward to its last. Christ not only erased 'our' past, present, and future sin; He also paid for the wrongs of every generation.

When the ancient Israelites brought a goat or a lamb to the temple for a sacrifice, they placed their hands on its head and confessed their sins. The priest then killed the animal and sprinkled some of its blood on the altar of atonement. The ritual symbolized a confessor's payment for sin. But the lamb could not actually take on the sin and die in place of the Israelite (Heb. 10:4).

If an animal's blood could actually erase a sin-debt, we'd still be offering those frequent sacrifices, and Jesus' death would have been unnecessary.

Yet we must remember that, though the act itself had no saving power, the ritual of sacrifice was God's idea (Lev.4). He established such offerings as a powerful illustration of the seriousness and penalty of sin. The practice also pointed to Christ's perfect sacrificial death on our behalf and the salvation He offers.

To use a modern metaphor, sacrifice can be thought of as a credit card. God accepted the lamb's blood as temporary payment. When the bill came due, Jesus Christ paid the sin-debt in full. ~~
------
Pastor Charles Stanley
In Touch Ministries
---
Like the Israelites, we must also look to a lamb--the Lamb of God. When we receive Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, we are forgiven forever. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

The Crucial Point ~

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14)

~~~Whenever people speak of "the crucial point of the issue" or "the crux" of the matter," they are inadvertently acknowledging the centrality of the cross of Christ, for these words are derived from the Latin 'crux', meaning "a cross."

The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is right at the very heart of Christianity and also at the very heart of the opposition to Christianity. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1Corinthians 1:18).

It was at the cross, and on the cross, that Christ defeated Satan."Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it ot his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:14-15).

And it is at the cross that we also must be crucified, spiritually, if Satan is to be defeated in our own lives. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24). "Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:6).

Crucifixion, of course, is exceedingly painful, and therefore there is a very real "offense of the cross" (Galatians 5:11). Many Christians resist the demands on the life and the mind and the body that are entailed in such total identification with Christ. They would rather glory in earthly things. But how much better it is to glory, as Paul did, only in the cross, crucified unto the world. ~~

ICR/HMM
JESUS IS LORD! Tell someone today! Blessings!

THE CANDYMAKER ~~

"I am only a candymaker," he thought sadly. "No one will listen to me when I tell of the wondrous love of my Lord, about how and why God entered our world, born as a baby in Bethlehem."

"How can I tell the children about the love of Jesus?" he wondered.

Then he smiled. "I will make them some candy. I will begin with pure white for the virgin birth of Jesus and his sinlessness. It will be hard and pure. I will make it into the letter 'J' so that all may be reminded that it is by the name of Jesus that we are saved from our sins. It will also look like a shepherd's staff, so that we may know Jesus is our Shepherd, our Saviour and Lord."

"To remember the awful price of Jesus' love for me, I shall include red to tell of the blood he shed to save me from my sins. Three small stripes to show his scourging, and a large red stripe for his blood shed on the cross by nails and spear."

And so the candy cane was made: Crafted in love, and made to help us remember the costly love of Jesus.

The Bible says:
'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.' JOHN 3:16~~

THE LOVE OF JESUS IS FOR YOU. OPEN YOUR HEART AND BELIEVE!
The reason for the season is JESUS CHRIST, the Saviour of all mankind.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR LORD JESUS!

" Because we exercise faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven----Acts 2:38

--Life in the Blood

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." (Leviticus 17:11) -

This great verse contains a wealth of scientific and spiritual truth. It was not realized until the discovery of the circulation of the blood by the creation scientist William Harvey, in about 1620, that biological "life" really is maintained by the blood, which both brings nourishment to all parts of the body and also carries away its wastes.

Its spiritual truth is even more significant. The blood, when shed on the altar, would serve as an "atonement" (literally, "covering") for the soul of the guilty sinner making the offering. In fact, the "life" of the flesh is actually its "soul," for "life" and "soul" both translate the same Hebrew word (nephesh) in this text. When the blood was offered, it was thus an offering of life itself in substitution for the life of the sinner who deserved to die.

Human sacrifices, of course, were prohibited. No man could die for another man, for his blood would inevitably be contaminated by his own sin. Therefore, the blood of a "clean animal" was required. Animals do not possess the "image of God" (Genesis 1:27), including the ability to reason about right and wrong, and therefore cannot sin. Even such clean blood could only serve as a temporary covering, and it could not really "take away" sin.

For a permanent solution to the sin problem, nothing less was required than that of the sinless "Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). Since His life was in His blood, He has "made peace through the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:20).
--
ICR/HMM

--We Are the Reason
By: Avalon
--
This song speaks to me every day of the year. At Christmas time it is most significant! Enjoy!



He is my reason to live! Thank you, Jesus!

1st JOHN 1:1-3 -THE INCARNATE WORD ~

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life--

..and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--

..what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

Christmas is the MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!

--Message of Warning
1 Corinthians 10:13
--
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." (1 Peter 5:8-9)

It was a hot day on Australia's Gold Coast when I stepped into the beautiful, still water to be refreshed. Within seconds my legs began to sting. I couldn't see anything down in the water, but I could feel something was wrong. On hearing my complaint, the lifeguard whisked me out of the water and treated me for a Portuguese Man-of-war sting. Warning signs had been posted and the caution flag raised, but because I didn't know what to look for, or how much it would hurt, I didn't take care to watch.

Satan is much more destructive than a jellyfish, and sin much more devasting, but they both work somewhat that way. God's message to Adam and Even was simple: "Do not touch this tree." They did not listen to the warning or grasp how severe the consequences would be. Sin entered the world, and paradise was lost.

God's messages of warning come to us out of His great love, to protect us from Satan's lies. Because of that love, even at the inception of sin, His plan was in place to save us and bring us back through Jesus ~~
--
Jesus knows Satan completely and warns us not to follow this deceiver. How much better to heed Jesus' warning and follow Him!

Haven Today Ministries ~

--Message of Righteousness
Isaiah 11: Ephesians 6:10-18

"The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power...Righteousness will be his belt." (Isaiah 11:2,5)-

ISAIAH 11 is one of those remarkable, God-breathed messages about the promised Messiah. From the line of Jesse (Matthew 1), all was fulfilled in Jesus. The evidence of the Spirit on Him would be seen in His wisdom, understanding, counsel, and power. Reflect on Jesus for a few moments: His teachings, miracles, knowledge and embodiment of Scripture. Even at the age of 12, He amazed the priests, for already His understanding was not common for a man, let alone for a child.

Then look at His righteousness. Scrutinize every part of His life, and you will find there is not a moment in which He was not the full incarnation of righteousness and faithfulness. How Mary and Joseph must have marveled at the thought as the tiny babe looked up at them with the eyes of God. As He grew, His words and actions were always consistent, always honoring the Father, always filled with truth.

Living righteously is extremely hard--actually impossible for us. Yet Jesus promised that His life, through the Holy Spirit, was available to us. Have we accepted it?
---
Jesus, the pure and righteous Son of God, came to take our unrighteouness on Himself, including our punishment.
--
What a faithful Saviour!~
Haven Today Ministries

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God... Hebrews 10:12

The Message Of The Cross.
Christ no longer needs to be "On" the cross anymore as it has been fulfilled. One sacrifice, one time, it is done.
The cross is empty now and the empty cross reminds us that Jesus is in Heaven.
The empty cross reminds us of His sacrifice and that He is no longer there anymore but is at the right hand of God!
A single sacrifice, one time, for sins.

Jesus, the pure and righteous Son of God, came to take our unrighteouness on Himself, including our punishment.

Thank You Jesus! Amen!

Thank you, Lynn! That's a very timely word.
---
Message of Hope
1 John 1:5-7

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2)

Darkness can be frightening. In Isaiah 9:2 the word translated as darkness is the picture of blindness. The "land of the shadow of death" is from the Hebrew word meaning very thick darkness or terror. Those do not sound like pleasant places to be, but they picture our world of sin and hopeless blackness.

In the beginning, darkness covered the face of the earth, but God pushed it away when He created light. Sin and death are dark because they are separated from God, but He has pushed them away, giving us light and hope.

Isaiah points us to the only hope we can have of breaking the suffocating darkness of sin--Jesus. Praise God that the Light of the World had come!!!
---
God saw the darkness of our spiritual state and promised us a great light. THAT LIGHT IS JESUS! Joy to the world the Lord has come!
--
Haven Today

There is none like you, Lord! I could search for all eternity Lord and find, There is None Like You!

Come, Now is the Time to WORSHIP!

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

"That at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

"And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."



PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 --

--Message of Humility
Matthew 18:1-14; John 13:1-17

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who,...taking the very nature of a servant...humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!"(Ph 2:5-8)-

GALILEE is a beautiful sea and is surrounded with biblical history. There and in nearby towns Jesus chose fishermen to follow Him, taught parables, performed miracles, walked on water, and calmed a violent storm. But it was also an area that was looked down on by many Jews.

Isaiah prophesied that God would "honor Galilee of the Gentiles" (9:1). To devout Jews this didn't make sense. The people of Galilee were considered poor, uneducated, and unclean. Why, then, would God honor Galilee and not Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship?

God did not need fanfare to redeem us. Choosing for the Saviour to arrive in the lowliness of Bethlehem's leftover accomodations showed that. Could there have been a more humble way for Mary's miracle baby to arrive?

When God sent His Son, we saw the full scope of His love through Jesus' humility. Only true humility would empty Himself of all that was rightfully His, wash His disciples' feet, hang on the cross for the sin of a thief next to Him. And only true meekness would do that for you and me.
--
Jesus, our humble King, would be born in a most humble way, live in a most humble place, and die on a most humble cross.

Come, let us worship the King of all kings, JESUS! He is our message of hope!

Haven Today

--Message of Focus
Luke 2:36-38; Hebrews 12:1-2

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.."(Heb 12:1-2) -

ANNA was a widow who had spent her life in the temple worshiping God. But why, at age 84, did she briefly enter the pages of history? Because, at that time, great respect was placed on the elderly, and when they spoke people listened. Her moment had come to speak, and because of her age she would be heard.

Though Anna's physical eyes were likely dimming, her spiritual eyes were insightful. She had sepnt her life prayerfully watching for the Messiah, and now, as she saw Simeon holding the Christ-child in his arms, she recognized Him as the Promised One. Immediately, she began joyfully telling everyone that she had seen the Saviour. Those who had also been watching listened to her.

Anna had kept her focus clear. As she grew older, it became sharper. We are told to fix our eyes on Jesus, too. It's easy to let our eyes wander, but that's when we find ourselves struggling with sin and confusion. Jesus understands. He wants to be the focal point of our lives, and He's the only One who can help us. ~
--- --
We like to keep the baby Jesus in the manger, but He's in heaven now, seated by the Father. Let's keep our eyes on Him.~~

Haven Today ~~

--CROSS
By:Douglas G. Pratt

--IN the 1993 movie In the Line of Fire, Clint Eastwood played Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. Horrigan had protected the life of the president for more than three decades, but he was haunted by the memory of what had happened thirty years before. Horrigan was a young agent assigned to President Kennedy on that fateful day in Dallas in 1963. When the assassin fired, Horrigan froze in shock.

For thirty years afterward, he wrestled with the ultimate question for a Secret Service again: Can I take a bullet for the president?

In the climax of the movie, Horrigan did what he had been unable to do earlier--he threw himself into the path of an assassin's bullet to save the chief executive.

Secret Service agents are willing to do such a thing because they believe the president is so valuable to our country and the world that he is worth dying for: Obviously they would not take a bullet for just anyone.

At Calvary the situation was reversed. The President of the Universe actually took a bullet for each of us. At the Cross we see how valuable we are to God. Jesus died that we might live, through Him.
--

THE WONDERFUL CROSS BY: Chris Tomlin
--
Please listen to these beautiful words. Jesus died that YOU and I might LIVE!

When I survey the wondrous cross

on which the Prince of Glory died....

My richest gain I count but loss
and pour contempt on all my pride.

O the wonderful cross,
O the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die
And find that I - may truly live!

--The Savior's Message
John 3:1-21; Acts 16:16-34

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." JOHN 10:9-10-

THERE was one purpose in Jesus coming to earth and one purpose alone. What sin had robbed us of in the Garden of Eden, God was giving back--life. This was not just breathing-in-and-out life, but the highest form of life possible. It was life that includes our spirit, our complete person, affecting eternity as well as the present.

When Nicodemus asked Jesus what He meant by being "born again," Jesus answered some of Scripture's most well known words: "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Later Paul and Silas answered the jailer's question the same way. Eternal life is given only through believing in Jesus.

It is all about Jesus. Even before the moment we fell from God's glory into sin, God had prepared for the Savior to come and redeem us (1 Peter 1:18-21).

What is that message to those who believe on Him and receive His gift of eternal life? The same as always, "My child, you are Mine and you are loved."

'At the cross I bow my knee,
where your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this....'

--The Saviour's message has been the same since the beginning. Nothing can separate us from His love. How can we not love Him in return[b]?[/b]

Haven Today ~

-Message of Watchfulness
Mark 13:24-31; John 14:1-14

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
(Matthew 24:42,44)-

Israel waited in great anticipation for the promised Messiah, but they were watching for the wrong person. They had their facts wrong. They assumed He would be a mighty leader who would free them from the oppression of Rome. In reality, He was going to free them from their spiritual oppressor, Satan. Instead of coming as a conquering hero, He arrived as a helpless baby. Because He didn't appear as expected, most missed Him.

Scripture tells us that Jesus is coming again, and we have been instructed to watch for His return. This watchfulness is not in the physical realm, but the spiritual. This time there is nothing wasted in the waiting. Jesus instructed His disciples to "watch and pray" so they would not fall into temptation. As we watch for His return, He keeps watch over our hearts and minds.
---
When Jesus spoke of watching and praying, He meant that we should not fall asleep spiritually. Remain watchful. Jesus is coming again!

Haven Today

Message of His Presence
John 14:15-31; 16:5-14

"'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...And surely I will be with you always...'" (Matt. 28:18-20)

Israel had been turned upside down by this man, Jesus. Controversy surrounded His birth, miracles, and teachings. Especially in His own town He'd been despised and misundertood. After three years of intense ministry and teaching, Jesus knew the time had come for Him to return to His Father, but He knew those closest to Him would grieve His going.

They would not understand. So He gave them a promise--that though they would not still see Him, He would actually never leave them! Jesus knew how difficult the days ahead would be, that His followers would be rejected and persecuted for their faith in Him. He also knew by leaving He would be able to send His Holy Spirit to be their ever-present Comforter and Helper.

How we need Him now! We are still in a spiritual war against Satan and sin, and we cannot win it on our own. No matter how hard we try, we struggle with discouragement and confusion, and we need His guidance and care. Jesus reigns in our hearts through His Spirit. His promise is true for us today.~
-- --
The Promise of Jesus' presence was given earlier through Moses, "The LORD Himself...Will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Haven Today ~~

Yes, Lord, I just want to be where you are, surrounded by your glory!




I want to be where You are, Lord!, to enter boldly in Your Holy presence....Draw me near to where you are!

May you all feel His Holy presence throughout this next New Year 2011! JESUS IS LORD!

Thank you Russ, Laura, and Herb Allure for your wonderful forum and all you do for His kingdom! God bless you!

--Message of Worship
Matthew 2:1-12

"All the angels...fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever." (Revelation 7:11-12

Mystery surrounds the Magi who came from the East looking for the One who had been born king of the Jews. We don't know exactly where they came from or how they came to look for Him. However, these facts we know: they saw God's sign, the star, and followed it; they brought gifts of honor; and when they found this Child-King, they fell down and worshiped Him

They were wise men, indeed. Without the historic blessings of Israel, God's chosen people, they had not seen His glory. Yet they recognized Him the very moment they reached Mary and Joseph's house, and they worshiped Him with reverence. Today we worship false gods, people, things, ourselves, but rarely do we fall down before Jesus in humility as these men did. True worship is uninhibited adoration. It is pure surrender and love together.

The angels are already worshiping the Lamb who is now on the throne, and our day will come. Our time here, though, is a good dress rehearsal, so when we worship, let's do it with full hearts of love and surrendered spirits. ~~
---
Jesus in on the Throne. God the Father is looking for us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).

Haven Today ~~

Message of the Garden
Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4-9

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; it it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." ( John 14:1-2) -

Everything about man's first home was perfect. Nothing was overlooked. In fact it was not until every detail was addressed that God created man and woman. He did not place humans there until all parts of creation were complete and in perfect balance. Then God set His crowning design in the center and said, "It is very good."

The message of the Garden is that God cares for us. It is also a picture of what is yet to come. God did not rest until He knew the ones created to bear His image and to be intimate with Him would be perfectly cared for in their earthly home.

That grand plan would go into high gear when Jesus left His own home to be born among us, lived and died perfectly for our sins, and now is preparing our glorious heavenly home. AMEN!
---
Jesus, part of the Trinity, was Creator of the Garden, man's first home. Now He is lovingly preparing our second home in heaven.

"Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." (Luke 12:40)

Message of Obedience
Matthew 1:18-2:23

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22)

Joseph, hand chosen by God to be the earthly father for Jesus, is an example of one who learned early to listen and obey. We read in the Gospel account that four times he was given a direct message from God, and each time he obeyed, fulfilling specific prophecies about the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14: Hosea 11:1).

Disobedience has been an issue for humankind since the Garden of Eden. Through willful defiance of God's directives, sin entered creation, and we have fought its hold on us ever since. Joseph understood the severity of choosing to disobey God, and he would not dare to risk it. As Joseph submitted his own will to the Lord, the promised Savior made His entrance into our world.

Obedience is always a test of our love, trust, and willingness to surrender "our rights." Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (John 14:3a). Since perfect obedience would never be attained by any of us, our King has stood in our place, surrendering His rights, trusting His Father's great redemption plan, and proving His limitless love for us.
---
Joseph obeyed his heavenly Father who gave us our Savior. Jesus obeyed His heavenly Father and became our Savior on the cross.
--
Haven Ministries ~~

Message of Revelation
Luke 2:21-35

"Sovereign Lord...my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32

Jesus was only a month old when Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple in Jerusalem for the required ceremony. Walking up the grand steps of that magnificent building must have been overwhelming for these new parents. After all, it would have felt like just yesterday since His birth in the stable and the shepherds' stories of angels. Their hearts must have still been filled with wonder.

As they headed into the temple, a godly old man named Simeon approached, took their baby into his arms and began praising Gof for Him. How could he possibly have known this little one, held close to His mother's breast, was the Messiah? Only because the Holy Spirit had revealed it.

God delights in shedding light on dark places. Simeon's prophecy that Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" and that "the thoughts of many would be revealed through this child" (vv.32,35) would come true, for Jesus was the complete revelation of God. Through Him all things, all truth would be opened up and made clear.
--- --
Through His life and teachings Jesus revealed much about the mystery of God. The final chapter will be written when He comes the second time.

Haven Today ~~

Hungering For God ~
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When Jesus said that the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be blessed, He was not talking about someone who had a mere appetite, He was talking about a starving man.

God made us in such a way that we couldn't exist long without food. What is a starving man interested in? The latest football scores? The flower arrangement at the pink lemonade society? The number of stars in the universe? No! He's only interested in one thing, food!

In fact, I did some research and discovered that a man can exist about forty days without food, about three days without water, and only eight minutes without air. In the spiritual realm of eternity, man cannot exist one second without Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:
May God help us narrow our focus to the glory of God and the saving of souls.
-----

ARISE MY LOVE / Newsong


The grave no longer had ahold on Him!

JESUS IS ALIVE!

The Power of the Cross --

'Why did Jesus Christ not remain alive and eliminate, generation by generation, all the evils which harass humanity?
Simply because he was the Great Physician, and in the finest tradition of medical science, he was unwilling to remain preoccupied with the symptoms when he could destroy the disease.

Jesus was unwilling to settle for anything less than elimination of the cause of all evil in history.'~~

--Richard C. Halverson

The Power of the Cross +++



I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see!
Amazing Grace! Thank you JESUS!

The Fellowship of the Cross

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (Philippians 3:10) -

The third verse of "Deeper and Deeper" speaks of the suffering we will encounter if we are mature in Christ and effective in His service.

Into the cross of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go,
Following through the garden, facing the dreaded foe,
Drinking the cup of sorrow, sobbing with broken heart;
"Oh, Savior, help! Dear Savior, help!
Grace for my weakness impart."

But this suffering is not to be avoided or refused. We are privileged to experience "the fellowship of his sufferings." He did so willingly, but not without asking God to "remove this cup [of sorrow] from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). His suffering included betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and dying with a broken heart, but purchasing our eternal life with His death. By "fellowshipping" in His sufferings, we identify with His death, share His reproach, and follow His example. We, through Him, pass through death into a new life of victory over sin and death (1 Peter 4:13).

Therefore, we welcome sufferings as a gift from God. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Philippians 1:29). Paul said, "We ourselves glory in . . . all your persecutions and tribulations . . . that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God" (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5). Of course, suffering isn't easy, and we need our Savior's help to "endure" (James 5:10-11).
But "if we suffer, we shall also reign with him" forever (2 Timothy 2:12). May God grant us a deeper fellowship in the cross. -

ICR/JDM

-CONTROVERSY
OF THE CROSS ~

1 Corinthians 1:17-25
---
The message of
the cross is...the
power of God.
--1 Corinthians 1:18
--
A case before the US Supreme Court focused on whether a religious symbol, specifically a cross, should be allowed on public land. Mark Sherman, writing for the Associated Press, said that although the cross in question was erected in 1934 as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I, one veteran's group that opposed it called the cross "a powerful Christian symbol" and "not a symbol of any other religion."
-- --
The cross has always been controversial. In the first century, the apostle Paul said that Christ had sent him "to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:17-18). As followers of Christ, we see the cross as more than a powerful Christian symbol. It is the evidence of God's power to free us from the tyranny of our sin.

In a diverse and pluralistic society, the controversy over religious symbols will continue. Whether a cross can be displayed on public property will likely be determined by the courts. But displaying the power of the cross through our lives will be decided in our hearts.
---
Nothing speaks more clearly of God's love than the cross.

ODB/DM

-The Offense Of The Cross
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased” (Galatians 5:11).

The cross is profoundly offensive to the natural man, for it brands him as a hell-deserving sinner. It makes his only hope of salvation a humbling acknowledgment of Christ, the rejected Creator, as his personal Savior who died for his sins.

It is especially sad when Christians seek to escape this offense of the cross by accommodating their preaching of the cross to the opinions of those who reject it. In the case of the Galatians, legalistic Christians were insisting that Christian converts from paganism be circumcised in order to avoid offending the Jews. When Paul, instead, preached salvation by grace alone, he was persecuted for it.

This particular compromise has long been forgotten, but a multitude of others have arisen during the ensuing centuries to take its place. Whenever some new philosophy or practice becomes popular in the world, a Christian party will soon be found advocating its adoption in the church, ostensibly to promote easier acceptance of the gospel, but in reality seeking to mitigate the offense of the cross.

Whenever the pagan world follows after a new dress trend or a new music form, a new philosophy or a new life style, many Christians are sure to follow. Witness the widespread compromise with pantheistic evolution and its so-called geologic “ages” by Christian accommodationists, for example. Or, consider the current acceptance of Eastern or Freudian thinking by Biblical counsellors, or the common sanction of divorce for trivial reasons.

Instead of fleeing from the offense of the cross, we need to say with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).
--HMM

-Jesus The Bible Teacher
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44,45). -

On the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus had given a wonderful session of Bible teaching to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus. “Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the thing concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Later that same evening, Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles and the other disciples, probably in the upper room, and gave a similar study to all of them together, as summarized in our text above.

We can learn much from our Master Teacher concerning how we also should teach the Bible, for it was He, through “the Spirit of Christ” (I Peter 1:11), who in effect wrote the Bible in the first place. Note in both cases, for example, that the whole Bible speaks of Christ in prophecy, or type, or in other ways. Note also that He began with the writings of Moses, which means first of all the account of creation and primeval history which is the foundation of all the rest.

It is evident, too, that He regarded “all the Scriptures” to be of divine authority, which “must be fulfilled,” either at His first coming or His second coming. He believed implicitly in plenary inspiration of the Bible, as well as the miracle of fulfilled prophecy.

Finally, even in the case of these closest followers, it was essential that the Holy Spirit “open their understanding” if they were really to “understand the Scriptures.” All who would hope to be teachers of the Word today should teach as He taught, for He is our teacher.
-- HMM

-The Meaning of the Cross
-MATTHEW 16:21-27
-
The theme of God's redemptive plan runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. At its heart is Calvary, the place where Jesus died so we could be forgiven. As we read the Scriptures, we see that the cross symbolizes . . .

Salvation. Jesus bore our sins upon the cross and died in our place so we could be reconciled to God and receive eternal life.

Sacrifice. Christ, who was "in very nature God" (Phil. 2:6 niv), chose to leave the perfection of heaven and live among sinful people. Laying aside His divine authority, He was born a helpless baby, completely dependent upon others. His first 30 years were spent in obscurity, without recognition of His Messiahship. During His public ministry, He faithfully carried out God's plan all the way to His death on the cross. Jesus' days on earth are an example to us of the sacrificial life (Rom. 12:1-2).

Service. Jesus said He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Christ's supreme act of service was dying on the cross so we might have eternal life. Our Savior calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him through sacrificial service to others (Luke 9:23). As we embrace a lifestyle of humility and servanthood, we will bring glory to our heavenly Father.

In our culture, success is based on achievement. We admire those who perform well in athletics, business, and the arts. However, greatness in God's kingdom is found in a life of obedience. Are you following His plan and helping others as Jesus did? Have you shared with them the good news of Christ?

--In Touch

-Heavenly Minded, Earthly Good
Colossians 3:1-4

"...we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

God loves it when I long for heaven and can't wait to be with Him. This does not come naturally to me at all. My mind and time are consumed with earthliness, rooted to people, things, desires, fears, goals. My "to do" list dominates and determines how I approach the day. Habitually dazzled by creation and all that it offers and requires, I forget the Creator and His promise that I will be with Him and be like Him. Frankly, the thought of worshiping God all day every day can seem quite boring...until I sin again!

When I fall once more, I love for the day when I will be able to enjoy my Creator without this heap of sin which clings to me, follows me, weighs me down and blinds me to His glory. Here on earth, I cannot escape this twisted fallen-ness. But, oh, the joy that is in store for me!

One day, with unveiled eyes, and not a single thought for myself and my own glory, I will see His face and be like Him. And then the real party will begin!
--
"They shall not always be as they are; A little while and they shall be freed from this vile body, which...must be entirely taken down."
---(John Newton)

--Haven Today ~~

-The Good Confession

"I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession." (1 Timothy 6:13)

Young Timothy also had "professed a good profession (same word as 'confession') before many witnesses" (v. 12), evidently of similar substance and quality to that in the witness of Christ before Pilate. When the Jews urged Pilate to condemn Jesus to death, their charge was that "he made himself the Son of God" (John 19:7). Pilate gave Jesus opportunity to deny this charge and save His life, "but Jesus gave him no answer" (v. 9). Both by His silence, when a denial of the charge could have saved Him, and by His open testimony before Pilate that He was, in fact, a King from heaven itself--indeed "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15), it becomes clear that our own "good confession" must be a confession of our faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God, our Savior and Lord, especially when that confession is made openly before hostile witnesses.

Jesus said: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). Paul said, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9); and John said, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (1 John 4:15).

Despite the great blessings awaiting all who make a courageous and good confession of saving faith in Christ, most people will refuse until it is too late. There is a time coming, however, when "every tongue |will| confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11).

ICR/HMM

-The Power of the Cross
-ROMANS 1:16-17

The scene of the cross is a paradox. It demonstrates the power of God in what appears to be the weakest moment in His Son's life. With hands and feet nailed to rough wood, Jesus looked totally helpless. Adding to that impression was the fact that He remained there while the crowd jeered, "If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross" (Matt. 27:40).-

Strength is not always revealed in a dramatic display; at times, it's demonstrated in determined endurance. What power held Jesus on that cross, when with one spoken word, He could have been free? Divine love kept Him there. With mankind's eternal destiny at stake, Christ hung on the cross until our salvation was attained.

But the power of the cross didn't end when Jesus finally finished His suffering, gave up His spirit, and died. His death thrust open the door of salvation to all people, and those who walk through it by faith are forgiven for every sin and insured a place in heaven.

Yet even after salvation, the power of the cross continues in believers' lives. Millions of people have been transformed as a result of the Savior's victory over sin and death. He sets us free from sinful habits and addictions, empowering us to live victoriously in His righteousness.

Have you let the cross do its work in your life? The Lord does not force its benefits on anyone. Rather, He offers them freely to all who will believe in Him and walk in His ways. With each step of faith that we take, the mighty work of God in us increases.

--In Touch

-The Justice and
Mercy of the Cross

READ/ Romans 3:23-27

THE cross of Jesus Christ presents us with a dilemma. If the heavenly Father is good and loving, why would He allow His Son to endure the agony of crucifixion? From our human perspective, there is noting loving in this scene. But by looking beyond the visible, we'll see an awesome demonstration of love.

To grasp what was going on at the cross, we need to first understand that the Lord is absolutely righteous and just. He always does what is right and never acts contrary to His nature or His Word. On the other hand, mankind is sinful and deserving of eternal punishment. God couldn't simply decide to forgive us, because He would then cease to be just--justice requires that a penalty be paid for sin. Either the Lord had to condemn us all to suffer His wrath, or He needed to devise a plan that would satisfy His justice, yet allow Him to show mercy.

Praise God that even before the foundation of the world, He already had such a plan in place (Rev. 13:8). The sinless Son of God came to earth in human flesh to be our sin bearer. The Father placed upon Him all our guilt and punishment. Because the Savior's payment fully satisfied divine justice, sinful man could now be declared righteous. Justice punished sin, and mercy rescued sinners.

Now anyone who accepts Christ's payment on his behalf can be saved. God's goodness and love were proved by the very act that looked cruel and hateful. This was the sole plan that could save us, and God's perfect Son was the only one qualified to be our substitute. And Jesus did it all willingly.

--In Touch

-TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
-By: Max Lucado

The phrase “take up your cross” has not fared well through the generations. Ask for a definition, and you’ll hear answers like, “My cross is my mother-in-law, my job, my bad marriage, my cranky boss, or the dull preacher.” The cross, we assume, is any besetting affliction or personal hassle. My thesaurus agrees. It lists the following synonyms for cross: frustration, trying situation, snag, hitch, and drawback.

The cross means so much more. It is God’s tool of redemption, instrument of salvation—proof of his love for people. To take up the cross, then, is to take up Christ’s burden for the people of the world.

Though our crosses are similar, none are identical. “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me” (Luke 9:23 CEV, emphasis mine).

We each have our own cross to carry—our individual calling. Discover your God-designed task. It fits. It matches your passions and enlists your gifts and talents. Want to blow the cloud cover off your gray day? Accept God’s direction.

“The Lord has assigned to each his task” (1 Corinthians3:5 NIV). What is yours? What is your unique call, assignment, mission? A trio of questions might help.

In what directions has God taken you?

What needs has God revealed to you?

What abilities has God given to you?

Direction. Need. Ability. Your spiritual DNA. You at your best. You and your cross.

While none of us is called to carry the sin of the world (Jesus did that), all of us can carry a burden for the world.

Check your vital signs. Something stirs you. Some call brings energy to your voice, conviction to your face, and direction to your step. Isolate and embrace it. Nothing gives a day a greater chance than a good wallop of passion.
_________________________________
From Great Day Every Day: Navigating Life’s Challenges with Promise and Purpose
By: Max Lucado

-RUN TO
THE CROSS ~

Hebrews 10:28-39
---
It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands
of the living God.
--Hebrews 10:31
---
Whenever a tsunami warning is given on the northern coastline of Maui, Hawaii, the people living in Hana rush up the side of a mountain to a high place of safety. Nearby is a tall wooden cross that was placed there many years ago by missionaries. For their physical safety, people run to the area where the cross is located.

In a similar way, all of us need a place of spiritual safety. Why? Because the Lord gives us these warnings in His Word: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and "the wages of sin is death " (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Hebrews 9:27 states: "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." We might not like to think about what the consequences of our sin will be as we face a holy God, but it's a serious thing "to fall into the hands of the living God" (10:31).

The good news is that out of love for us, the Father has provided a place of safety! He sent His Son Jesus to die so we wouldn't have to be separated from Him forever (Rom. 5:8-10; Col. 1:19-22).

Because of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, that place of safety is available. Have you run to the cross?

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
---
-To escape sin's curse, run to the cross!

--ODB/AC

-The Cross: The Believer's Victory
-1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (Recommended Reading)

From a worldly perspective, Christ's death signaled His defeat. After all, dying in agony on a cross hardly seems like the path to victory. But it was! And He did it all for us. Because Jesus triumphed over death, we can be victorious in life. Just consider what He won for us by sacrificing Himself on the cross.

Our Eternal Salvation: The cross was the means of our salvation. Without it, we'd have no hope of heaven. If Christ hadn't died in our place, we'd have to stand before God and receive the just punishment for every sin we've ever committed.

Power over Sin: Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin; He also brought us present victory over it. When He was crucified, our old sinful nature died with Him (Rom. 6:6). The power of the "flesh" was broken, and Jesus now lives His triumphant life through us. That means we are no longer enslaved to sin and can choose obedience to God.

Defeat of Satan: At the crucifixion, the list of decrees against us was nailed to the cross, and the Devil lost his power over our lives (Col. 2:13-15). None of his accusations can stick, because God holds nothing against us anymore. And now every time we yield to the Spirit within us, Satan is defeated once again.

Christ met all our needs on the cross. By making us a part of His family, He gave us a sense of belonging. When He died in our place, He affirmed our value. And by coming to live His life through each believer, He gives us the ability to live a victorious, obedient life.

--In Touch

- The Cross: The Believer's Motivation
-1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (Recommended Reading)

Paul was single-minded in the message he preached. The cross was not only his primary subject; it was also his motivation for living. When we begin to understand all that Jesus did for us at Calvary, we, too, can receive fresh motivation to live for Him. For instance, we can...

Walk humbly before God. Since the power to live the Christian life is supplied by Christ, there is no room for pride. When Jesus died, our "flesh" nature was crucified with Him so that we could live in newness of life. Any success we achieve in living righteously or walking in obedience is possible only because He is working through us.

Serve the Lord faithfully. At the cross, we were placed "in Christ," and He is in us (Gal. 2:20). We are now His body on earth, created for good works which God has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). Jesus wasn't crucified so we could sit in pews each Sunday and listen to sermons. He has specific tasks for each of us to achieve during our lifetime.

Share our faith. Knowing all that Jesus accomplished at the cross should motivate us to share the gospel with others. This world is filled with hurting people who know nothing about salvation. Since their eternal destiny is at stake, how can we keep our mouths closed?

Too often we view the cross only as a past event that secured our eternal destiny, and we fail to see how it can motivate daily choices and activities. Stop to contemplate all that God is continually accomplishing in you though the cross. Let it be your motivation to live wholeheartedly for Christ.

--In Touch

-THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES
-By: Max Lucado / JESUS IS LORD!

The belief of French philosopher Voltaire: The Bible and Christianity would pass within a hundred years. He died in 1778. The movement continues.

The pronouncement of Friedrich Nietzsche in 1882: "God is dead." The dawn of science, he believed, would be the doom of faith. Science has dawned; the movement continues.

The way a Communist dictionary defined the Bible: "It is a collection of fantastic legends without any scientific support." Communism is diminishing; the movement continues.

The discovery made by every person who has tried to bury the faith: The same as the one made by those who tried to bury its Founder: He won't stay in the tomb.

The facts. The movement has never been stronger. Over one billion Catholics and nearly as many Protestants.

The question. How do we explain it? Jesus was a backwater peasant. He never wrote a book, never held an office. He never journeyed more than two hundred miles from his hometown. Friends left him. One betrayed him. Those he helped forgot him. Prior to his death they abandoned him. But after his
death they couldn't resist him. What made the difference?

The answer. His death and resurrection.
For when he died, so did your sin.
And when he rose, so did your hope.
For when he rose, your grave was changed from a final residence to temporary housing.

The reason he did it. The face in your mirror.

The verdict after two millenniums. Herod was right: there is room for only one King.
________________________________
From He Chose the Nails: What God Did To Win Your Heart
-By: Max Lucado

-Forty Days
-Jesus Shows Himself after the Crucifixion! HE'S ALIVE NOW!

"To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)

It is interesting how often the Scriptures refer to a fortyday period. There are nine different forty-day periods noted in Scripture (the phrase itself occurs seventeen times), and it may be noteworthy that forty days is 1/9 of the original (and prophetic) lunar/solar year of 360 days (note Genesis 7:11; 8:3-4; Revelation 11:2-3). Thus the total of the nine forty-day periods equals the ideal year.

The periods are as follows: the intense rainfall at the Flood (Genesis 7:12, 17); the first giving of the law (Exodus 24:18; Deuteronomy 9:9, 11); the second giving of the law (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:18, 25); the searching of Canaan by the fearful spies (Numbers 13:25; 14:34); the defiance of Israel by Goliath (1 Samuel 17:16); Elijah's journey to Horeb (1 Kings 19:8); Jonah's reluctant preaching in Nineveh (Jonah 3:4); Christ's temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2); Christ's post-resurrection ministry (Acts 1:3).

Each of these periods was a time of intense testing for one or more of God's people, except the last. The final forty-day period, encompassing Christ's ministry to His disciples after His resurrection, was a time of triumph and great blessing. He had come victoriously through the most intense time of testing that anyone could ever experience, and now He could show Himself alive eternally to His disciples and promise them the same victory. Forty days of testing, then forty days of triumph!

Even a lifetime of testing is more than balanced by an eternity of blessing. "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

--ICR/HMM

-The Blood Of The Lamb
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11).

This is the last reference in the Bible to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; here it is the overcoming blood, enabling believers to withstand the deceptions and accusations of Satan.

There are at least 43 references to the blood of Christ in the New Testament, all testifying to its great importance in the salvation and daily life of the believer. Judas the betrayer spoke of it as “innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4), and Peter called it “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19). It is the cleansing blood in I John 1:7 and the washing blood in Revelation 1:5, stressing that it removes the guilt of our sins.

Paul calls it the purchasing blood in Acts 20:28 and the redeeming blood twice (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; see also I Peter 1:18,19; Revelation 5:9), thus declaring the shedding of His blood to be the very price of our salvation. Therefore, it is also the justifying blood (Romans 5:9) and the peacemaking blood (Colossians 1:20). Its efficacy does not end with our salvation, however, for it is also the sanctifying blood (Hebrews 13:12). There is infinite and eternal power in the blood of Christ, for it is “the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20).

The first reference in the New Testament to His blood stresses this aspect. Jesus said at the last supper: “This is my blood of the new testament [same as ‘covenant’], which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Let no one, therefore, ever count the “blood of the covenant . . . an unholy thing” (Hebrews 10:29), for the blood of Christ is forever innocent, infinitely precious, perfectly justifying, always cleansing, and fully sanctifying. HM

<http://youtu.be/sxz1gq6DXOU>
The Cross was necessary because 'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin.' So thank Jesus for giving up His life for YOU. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
--JESUS IS LORD!

--Deliver Us From Evil
-By: Ravi Zacharias

Joseph Damien was a nineteenth-century missionary who ministered to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. Those suffering grew to love him and revered the sacrificial life he lived out before them.

One morning before Damien was to lead daily worship, he was pouring some hot water into a cup when the water swirled out and fell onto his bare foot. It took him a moment to realize that he had not felt any sensation. Gripped by the sudden fear of what this could mean, he poured more hot water on the same spot. No feeling whatsoever.

Damien immediately knew what had happened. As he walked tearfully to deliver his sermon, no one at first noticed the difference in his opening line. He normally began every sermon
with, "My fellow believers." But this morning he began with, "My fellow lepers."

In a greater measure Jesus came into this world knowing what it would cost him. He bore in his pure being the marks of evil, that we might be made pure.
"For this I came into the world" (John 18:37). ~~

--The Message of the Cross boils down to this.....

---CHRIST BECAME OUR SIN ~

Why is the Cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the Cross itself. Its design couldn't be simpler. One beam horizontal--the other vertical. One reaches out--like God's love. The other reaches up--as does God's holiness. One represents the width of His love; the other reflects the height of His holiness. The Cross is the intersection . The Cross is where God forgave His children without lowering His standards.

How could He do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on His Son and punished it there.
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousnesss of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Envision the moment. God on His throne. You on the earth. And between you and God, suspended between you and heaven, is Christ on His Cross. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. God, who punishes sin, releases His rightful wrath on your mistakes. Jesus receives the blow. Since Christ is between you and God, you don't. The sin is punished, but you are safe--safe in the shadow of the Cross.

This is what God did, but why, why would He do it? Moral duty? Heavenly obligation? Paternal requirement? No. God is required to do nothing.

Besides, consider what He did. He gave His Son. His only Son. Would you do that? Would you offer the life of your child for someone else? I wouldn't. There are those for whom I would give my life. But ask me to make a list of those for whom I would kill my daughter? The sheet will be blank. I don't need a pencil. The list has no names.

But God's list contains the name of every person who ever lived. For this is the scope of His love. And this is the reason for the Cross. He loves the world...(John 3:16)

--(From: He Chose the Nails
-By: Max Lucady)

-The Serpent in the Wilderness

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." (Numbers 21:8)

This might seem an incredible story, but it was confirmed by none other than the Lord Jesus Himself: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15).

A plague of poisonous snakes had infested the camp of Israel, sent as a divine judgment because of their complaints and ingratitude, and many people had died. When they confessed their sin and Moses prayed for their deliverance, God in His grace prescribed this unique remedy.

There is, of course, no naturalistic process which can heal a deadly snakebite merely by a look. Neither, of course, is there a naturalistic explanation for the salvation of a sin poisoned soul merely by looking with faith upon the crucified Son of man. Both are mighty miracles, with the first being beautifully designed by God to be a prophetic foreshadowing of the other.

The symbolism is striking. The brass serpent impaled on the pole represented the poisonous serpents slain, but it also spoke of "that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan," eventually cast forever into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:2, 10). Thus it also symbolized the judgment on sin itself and its final banishment from God's creation.

All of this, however, was only the symbol. The real deliverance required Christ to be made "sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Son of man must be lifted up on the cross, and then all who see Him, and believe, receive life instead of death.

--ICR/HMM

-THE INVITATION OF THE CROSS
-By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God looked down upon a sin-sick world of people bound in prison-houses of fear and despair and He sent His own Son. Jesus came to earth, taking on the frailty of human flesh, and told all who would listen: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

The invitation of the cross is a call to every soul that is sick of sin. Jesus calls out to all who are burdened with binding chains, powerful habits, besetting sins. “Come to Me now with all your heavy burdens. There is no other way but through My cross!"

Jesus died on the cross not only to forgive sin, but to break its wearying power over us. You see, sin wearies the flesh. It saps away all that is good and kind and precious. It hardens the heart, destroying peace and causing guilt, sorrow and shame. It consumes the mind's thoughts, weakening and darkening the soul. Sin brings on fear and, worst of all, it shuts off all communion with God.

If I were to preach about the demands of the cross in many churches today, with its death to all lusts and worldly pleasures, the crowds would flee, just as they did when Jesus told them of the cost of following Him.

Such churches never even mention the cross. Instead, they pour their energies into clever meetings full of showmanship, dramatic illustrations, and sermons on how to cope with life's problems.

I believe God must wink at many of these frail attempts to attract souls with modern enticements. He seems to have much patience with such well-intentioned, fleshly efforts to promote the gospel. But God help the ministers of these
churches if they refuse to warn their people to forsake their sins.

Jeremiah lamented, "They strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness . . .” (Jeremiah 23:14).
"But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings" (verse 22).

I say to ministers, "Bring back the cross — or the people's blood will be upon your hands."
----

-CRISIS AT THE CROSS
-By: David Wilkerson
-[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

How do we get Jesus' victory and power in our own lives? How do we appropriate His resurrection and newness of life?

First, let me ask you: How do you know you are saved? It is by faith, of course. The knowledge of our salvation comes by our faith alone in God's Word.

Likewise, we are to take up the cross, embrace it and receive victory by faith in the overcoming power of Jesus' shed blood.
We must admit, "God, I have no power. I do not have the ability to deliver myself or crucify myself or have any power over sin. I give up all my own efforts to die to sin."

By faith, we are "in Christ" — and we are to enjoy the benefits of all He has accomplished. You see, from the very moment we were born again, we have been in Christ — and that means we entered into everything that happened to Christ.
This includes His victories as well as His crucifixion. If we agree with God's Word that our sins are exceedingly wicked, we must also agree with the good things the cross offers. They are ours — because Jesus accomplished them all for us.

God's Word says that once we embrace the cross, we are crucified with Christ and resurrected with Him into newness of life. We are set free! We can yield our bodies to the service of the Lord and offer our members as instruments of
righteousness.

At times you may stumble because of unbelief, but you can hold on to the truth that ultimately victory is yours, because you cry, "Lord, I'm going to trust You until victory comes."

I thank God for the cross of Christ and I thank God for its crisis. I know by experience that the greatest "grace preaching" in the world is the preaching of the cross. Have you had your crisis of the cross? What about that one stronghold you long to be delivered from?

There is deliverance for you today but it won't come until you kneel before Jesus and have your crisis at His cross.
There you must agree with His word: "I can no longer continue in my sin, not for another hour. God, I bring it to You now!"
---

--The Life-Giving God
-John 5:1-21; Acts 17:16-32

"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it."
--(John 5:21)-

Today we read that the Father and the Son give life to whomever they will. God has life to give because He is life. He has it in infinite perfection. By His authority, He gives it to whomever He wills. The Father and the Son share this life-giving power, and so does the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit ( John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

We serve the Life-Giving God. He is pleased to impart life to us, real life; eternal life. He does this through Jesus Christ.

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)

Apart from God, we are all condemned--destined for God's judgment because of our sin. Yet He tells us more truth: There is hope. His words bring life; moreover, it is eternal life. When we believe the Gospel, we cross over--move--to a new place. A spiritual change of address happens. God moves us from condemnation and death, to pardon and life.

The Christian life is a pilgrimage. We are on the way to our final home--forever with the LORD. The best is yet to come!

--Haven Today

--Three-Hour Blanket of Blackness

-Amos 7:1-9:15-Recommended Reading/

--Situation:
-Amos saw God's coming judgments on Israel through two visions. After each vision, he prayed that God would be merciful.

--Observation:
God sent His prophet Amos to warn the people of Israel to repent of their sins. God gives us these examples to teach us that He hates sin. And He promised a Savior who would save us from our sins.

--Inspiration:
At midday, darkness falls like a curtain. "From the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land" (Matthew 27:45).

This is a supernatural darkness. Not a casual gathering of clouds or a brief eclipse of the sun. This is a three-hour blanket of blackness. Merchants in Jerusalem light candles. Soldiers ignite torches. Parents worry. People everywhere ask questions. From whence comes this noonday night?...

Of course the sky is dark; people are killing the Light of the World.

The universe grieves. God said it would. "And it shall come to pass in that day...I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight...I will make it like mourning for an only son, and its end like a bitter day" (Amos 8:9,10)...

Christ lifts his heavy head and eyelids toward the heavens and spends His final energy crying out toward the ducking stars. "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why did you abandon me?" (Matthew 27:46 TEV).

We would ask the same. Why Him? Why forsake your Son? Forsake the murderers. Desert the evildoers. Turn your back on perverts and peddlers of pain. Abandon them, not Him. Why would you abandon earth's only sinles soul?

Ah, there is the hardest word. Abandon.The house no one wants. The child no one claims. The parent no one remembers. The Savior no one understands. He pierces the darkness with heaven's loneliest question: "My God, my God, why did You abandon me?"

Paul used the same Greek word when he urged Timothy: "Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica" (2 Timothy 4:9,10, emphasis mine).

As Paul looks for Demas, can he find him? No. Forsaken.

As Jesus looks for God, can He find Him? No. Forsaken.

Wait a second. Doesn't David tell us, "I have not seen the righteous forsaken" (Psalm 37:25)? Did David misspeak? Did Jesus misstep? Neither. In this hour Jesus is anything but righteous. But His mistakes aren't His own. "Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right" (1 Peter 2:24 NCV).

Christ carried all our sins in His body. 'Thank you, Jesus, that you died for such a wretched sinner like me.'
-From: Next Door Savior
-By: Max Lucado
-Application:
Take a moment and meditate on the truth that Jesus carried your sins in His body that day when He died a horrible death on the cross--abandoned by God because of your sin. Thank Him for His astonishing love.~~

-AMAZING LOVE, YOU ARE MY KING!/Rachel Robinson <http://youtu.be/oPLVllFwTKM>

-THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS THAT JESUS GAVE UP HIS LIFE TO SAVE SINNERS. WE ARE ALL SINNERS, SAVED BY GRACE. IF YOU HAVEN'T ACCEPTED THE LORD, PLEASE DO SO. HE WILL GIVE YOU HIS PEACE. IT IS NOT 'WORLDLY PEACE'. HIS PEACE IS ONLY FOUND IN CHRIST JESUS, YOU MUST BE 'BORN-AGAIN' TO HAVE HIS PEACE.
PLEASE READ THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 3, DESCRIBING THE NEW BIRTH IN CHRIST.

-The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
- Numbers 6:26

When we receive Christ as an abiding guest in the soul, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The Saviour's life on earth, though lived in the midst of conflict, was a life of peace. While angry enemies were constantly pursuing Him, He said, "He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." John 8:29.

No storm of human or satanic wrath could disturb the calm of that perfect communion with God. And He says to us, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest." John 14:27; Matthew 11:29. Bear with Me the yoke of service for the glory of God and the uplifting of humanity, and you will find the yoke easy and the burden light.

It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult.

"Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth."
--- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, R.V.

-Christ and the Four Thieves

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

There were four thieves closely involved in the events surrounding the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first of these was one of His own disciples. "[Judas] was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein" (John 12:6). It was Judas, of course, who betrayed Christ, facilitating His arrest and conviction.

The second was not only a thief, but also a revolutionary and a murderer. "Barabbas . . . who had committed murder in the insurrection . . . was a robber" (Mark 15:7; John 18:40). This convicted criminal, appointed to death, was released and Jesus condemned in his stead. Thus, Barabbas benefited temporarily from Christ, receiving an unexpected and undeserved liberty because Christ was willing to go to the cross.

"Then were there two thieves crucified with him" (Matthew 27:38). Their names are not given in the Bible, but their attitudes toward Christ, and therefore their ultimate destinies, were diametrically different. One of them berated Christ, saying, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us" (Luke 23:39).

The fourth thief, on the other hand, believed Christ, and therefore heard His saving words: "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

All were thieves, deserving punishment. One was a betrayer, ending his life in suicide; one was a beneficiary, though only for a time; one was a berater, destined for hell; but one was a believer, receiving salvation and eternal life.

Jesus, who received the penalty for thievery, can save even the thief, for He came "that they might have life, and . . . have it more abundantly."
--ICR/HMM

--WHAT THE CROSS REALLY MEANS

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
---- 1 John 5:11–12

I was recently thinking about just what the cross means for us. I’m not talking about the actual wooden structure on which our Lord was crucified, but the act of love Jesus performed when He died for you and me. And it hit me: The cross means that sin is exposed. It’s a vivid, terrible picture of the consequences of our sinfulness.

As we think about what Jesus did for us, it serves as proof of how much God hates sin. It also shows us a picture of the holiness of God, who knew the only way for our sins to be taken away was for His holy, spotless lamb to die a wretched death.

But not only that, we also see at the cross the glory of God’s love… a love the Old Testament calls hesed. This is a loyal, forever kind of love that’s not based on our performance, but on who God declares us to be.

When God looks at the world through the cross, He says, “I love you and My arms are open wide for you to return to Me.” We do that by conscious faith that Jesus Christ took our sin at the cross so that we can have eternal life. What a wonderful love our Father has for us!

THANK GOD FOR HIS LOYAL LOVE FOR YOU. TRUST JESUS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS AND ETERNAL LIFE IS YOURS!

--RECEIVING THE BLESSING OF THE CROSS
--By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God delights in using failures—men and women who think they can do almost nothing right. A woman wrote to me recently saying, "My marriage is failing. I seem to do everything wrong in raising my children. I feel like I'm not worth anything to anybody. I've not been a very good wife, mother or Christian. I've got to be the world's worst failure."

She is just the kind of person the Lord is looking for—people who know that if anything good happens through them, it must be because of God. All the hotshot Christians who go about bowling people over with their great abilities never impress God. God looked down on a scheming, base, weakling of a man called Jacob and said, "Fear not, thou worm Jacob . . . I will help thee . . . behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth . . . thou shalt rejoice in the Lord" (Isaiah 41:14–16).

Men often use God to achieve fortune, fame, honor and respect. Talent, personality and cleverness are used to advance God's kingdom, but He is not impressed. His strength is perfected in our weakness, our inability to obey His Commandments in our own strength.

God calls us to a life of holiness and separation. He tells us we can be free from the bondage of sin. His Word comes to us with some impossible challenges:
"Resist the devil. Walk in the Spirit. Come out from among them. Love your enemies. Leave behind all your fears. Put down your lustful desires. Let no sin have dominion over you."

When you think honestly about how little you can do on your own to fulfill these challenges, you realize how very weak you are. Your heart begins to cry, "Lord, how can we do such great, holy things?" That is when our Lord takes over! He comes with such a comforting message: "Lay down your weapons. Quit trying to be so self–sufficient and strong. I am your weapon and your strength. Let Me do what you never can do. I will give you My righteousness, My holiness, My rest, My strength. You cannot save yourself or please Me in any way other than by receiving the blessings of the cross by faith. Let Me be in charge of your growth in holiness." ~~~

--FIRE AND RAIN

--Isaiah 16:1-5
------
In mercy the throne
will be established;
and One will sit
on it in truth...
judging and seeking
justice and hastening
righteousness.
---Isaiah 16:5 --
---
--GOD'S JUSTICE AND MERCY MET AT THE CROSS. ~~

-WHEN a wildfire raged through the beautiful canyons near Colorado Springs, Colorado, it destroyed the habitat of all kinds of wildlife and hundreds of homes. People across the nation cried out to God, pleading with Him to send rain to douse the flames, put an end to the destruction, and give firefighters relief. Some people's prayers had an interesting condition attached to them. They asked God to show mercy and send rain without lightning, which they feared would start even more fires.

This reminds me of how we live in tension between things that save us and kill us. With fire, we cook our food and keep warm, but in it we can be consumed. With water, we keep our bodies hydrated and our planet cooled, but in it we also can drown. Too much or too little of either is life-threatening.

We see the same principle at work spiritually. To thrive, civilizations need the seemingly opposite qualities of mercy and justice (Zech. 7:9). Jesus scolded the Pharisees for being sticklers about the Law but neglecting these "weightier matters"' (Matt. 23:23).

Jesus keeps justice and mercy in perfect balance (Isa. 16:5; 42:1-4). His death satisfies God's need for justice and our need for mercy.

--"Thank you, Lord Jesus, for offering Your life as a living sacrifice so that we might have eternal life with you. We praise and bless you, our Rock and Redeemer."

--ODB/JAL

--"The Message of the Cross"~~~

"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the Word of truth of the Gospel."
----(Colossians 1:(3-5)

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:3).

"Be ye of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels. nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~~ (Romans 8:37-39)

--'Thank you, Jesus for dying on the Cross that we, Your people, will live eternally with you! Blessed be the Name of the Lord God Almighty! Jesus is LORD! Oh, The Wonderful Cross!' Sung By: Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman ~~
<http://youtu.be/qGlUdgrvJgo>
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--THE WONDERFUL CROSS! Blessed be the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! He died that we might live eternally with Him!

--A Way of Escape...RUN TO THE CROSS!

-1 Cor. 10:12-13
-Matthew 4:1-11
-----
-[God will] make
the way of escape,
that [we] may be
able to bear it.
--1 Corinthians 10:13
------
--HIGHWAY 77, which passes through the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, features a series of ranaway truck ramps. These semi-paved exits appear in an area of the highway where the altitude drops nearly 1,300 feet over the course of about 6 miles. This steep descent combined with the road's winding path can create problems for motorists--especially truck drivers.

Just as a runaway truck needs an escape route from a highway, we also need "a way of escape" when out-of-control desires threaten our spiritual well-being. When we face temptation, "[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13). God enables us to say "no" to enticement through the power of His Word. Jesus conquered Satan's temptation relating to food, authority, and trust by quoting verses from Deuteronomy (Matt. 4:4-10). Scripture helped Him resist the devil despite the effects of a 40-day fast in the wilderness.

When we are tempted, we may feel like disaster is just around the bend. Memories of past failure and isolation from others can intensify this feeling. However, we can trust God in moments of temptation: He is faithful. He will provide a way for us to resist the sin's allure.
-------------
--The best way to escape temptation is to run to God. ~~
--ODB/JBS / HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US
<http://youtu.be/3IQUXJ_H16Y>
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--THE WATER OF THE SERVANT, JESUS ~~

"He poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."
--John 13:5

~~To place our feet in the basin of Jesus is to place the filthiest parts of our lives into his hands. In the ancient East, people's feet were caked with mud and dirt. The servant of the feast saw to it that the feet were cleaned. Jesus is assuming the role of the servant, He will wash the grimiest part of your life.

If you let him. The water of the Servant comes only when we confess that we are dirty. Only when we confess that we are caked with filth, that we have walked forbidden trails and followed the wrong paths....

We will never be cleansed until we confess we are dirty. We will never be pure until we admit we are filthy. And we will never be able to wash the feet of those who have hurt us until we allow Jesus, the One we have hurt, to wash ours.~

--A Gentle Thunder/ML
[Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father, by way of the Cross. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of His love." --(John 13:1-2)
=Worthy is the Lamb, thank you for the Cross, Lord!
<http://youtu.be/PRR03YAHtKQ>
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--THE VERDICT ~~

-Jesus said to her, "I also don't judge you guilty. Go now and don't sin anymore." (John 8:11)

--IF you have ever wondered how God reacts when you fail, frame the words [of that verse] and hang them on the wall. Read them. Ponder them...

Or better still, take Him with you to your canyon of shame. Invite Christ to journey with you...to stand beside you as you retell the events of the darkest nights of your soul.

And then listen. Listen carefully. He's speaking...."I don't judge you guilty."

And watch. Watch carefully. He's writing, He's leaving a message. Not in the sand, but on a Cross.

Not with His hand, but with His blood.
His message has two words: Not guilty.
Jesus nailed all of your sins to that Cross. He died that we might live eternally with Him.
And after we repent, He says, **'Go and sin no more.'** ~~
What a mighty God we serve!

--He Still Moves Stones/ML
<http://youtu.be/fDm4NGErvcU>
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