Inspired by . . . He Is Risen!

"Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. 
As for the word that He sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. 
He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. 
They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. 
And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 
To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."  (Act 10:34-43)

Blessings on your Easter!

Inspired by . . .  He Is Risen!

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. (John 20:1-8NKJV)

***

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:29-31NKJV)

That you may believe.

Shalom,

Inspired by . . .  foolishness

Much of what I write about here may seem like foolishness to you.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Pro 14:12)

This man, Jesus, and what He did may seem foolish to you.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." (1Co 1:18-19)

I understand. Without the Holy Spirit to enlighten you, these things will make little sense.

The things of God must be spiritually discerned. However, God is easily found by anyone who seeks Him.

And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In Him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed His offspring.' (Act 17:26-28)

You have a choice when it comes to Jesus. To accept or deny Him. This choice can be put off, but it cannot be escaped. In the end, a choice you will make.

Your disbelief does not offend me. It grieves me. I pray that your heart will soften. That you will seek the Truth.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (Joh 8:31-32)

So what is the truth?

all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23)

Our sin separates us from a Holy and Just God.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23)

But GOD . . .

but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (1Pe 3:18)

The debt of sin must be paid.  Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Heb 9:22)

For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2Co 5:21)

There is no magic formula to faith in Christ. You don't have to say special words or be forgiven by a priest. Jesus is our High Priest. Go to Him. Confess to Him your sin. Repent (turn away from your sin) and believe in Him.

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Rom 10:9-10)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1Jn 1:9-10)

Remember,

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9)

If you have taken theses steps of belief today, I greatly rejoice with you! You are a new creation!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2Co 5:17)

And just as a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis needs time to strengthen his wings before he can fly, you will need a time of strengthening, too. I urge you to connect with other believers in a Bible-teaching church. Let someone (I'd be honored if it were me) know about the decision you've made. I've listed some ministries at the end of this post that can give you guidance.

But most important of all - read His word! Get to know Your Savior! 

For He Is Risen!

Celebrate this truth today!

Amen.
Blessings on your Easter,

Resources:

Online Bible Reading: https://www.youversion.com/

Truth for Life Ministry of Alister Begg: https://www.truthforlife.org/

How to Know Jesus: https://peacewithgod.net/

Online Bible Resource: https://www.biblegateway.com/

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Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Bird D’pot,
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Inspired by . . . the agony of His love

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:3-5)

Walking slowly through the events of John 19 hurts my heart. I want to read quickly - run to the empty tomb. Cling, like Mary to my Risen Savior.

But I believe there is always a purpose to suffering. A lesson woven through the trials of this life. A molding of our hearts to be like His. No matter how much it hurts. And, friend, it will never hurt us as much as it hurt Him.

Flogging, scourged, mocked, spit upon. The written word can seem benign until we dig deeper into its meaning.

The truth is when the soldiers placed the purple cloak around Jesus the flesh on His back had been stripped to the bone. Already close to death, the soldiers would have had to hold Him upright to receive the mocking they were about to give Him. The thorns that dug into His scalp were barely felt amidst the fire flaming from His back.

And yet, I wonder if the emotional pain He felt from the mockery, the betrayal of those He loved wasn't worse. I think it was. 

The hatred in the eyes of the crowd, His people, the people He healed, the people He came to save. The hatred in the eyes of the soldiers. This is what crushed our Lord.

The agony of the cross is love. The lesson of the cross is love. The command of the cross is love. [click to tweet]

In the garden when Judas betrayed Him, Jesus called him Friend.(Matt 26:50)  Does it surprise you that even then Jesus reaches out to Judas with love? It shouldn't. 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2Pe 3:9)

Even Jesus' question to Judas in Luke 22:48 is a plea of grace.

That is the wonder of a grace that is amazing. It is the challenge to the redeemed heart from the heart of the Redeemer. ~Bill Crowder, The Path of His Passion

The fact that Jesus continued to love and have compassion for those who hated, rejected, mocked and reviled Him doesn't change the depth of His suffering. The rejection didn't hurt any less.

In truth, I believe His capacity for love made His suffering worse. Just as His purity made the slightest thought of being consumed by the sins of the world total agony for Him.

Yet He bore it all. Willingly.

For me. For you.

Because of His great love for us.

The cross is the action behind the words of Jesus that we so easily stumble over.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [Jn 13:34]

I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you [Matt 5:44]

The power of the cross is the power of Christ in us. It enables us to obey, even where obedience may seem impossible. [click to tweet]

Like loving your enemy. The one who has betrayed you. Mocked you. Rejected you. Abused you.

As I sit at the foot of the cross and listen to my Lord and Savior, 

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luk 23:34)

I realize the amazing gift of forgiveness isn't one I can keep just for myself. Just as the message of the cross is meant to be shared, I must also share the grace I have been given, while I was yet His enemy, to those who are yet my enemies.

For it is by grace, His grace, that they may be saved.

Shalom,

Sharing inspiration here:
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Faith On Fire, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
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Counting My Blessings, Grace Moments, Heart Encouragement,
#DanceWithJesus

Inspired by . . . the weight of grace

I'm still lingering in the upper room. Arrested by the weight of the love and grace that Jesus offers in these moments.

Love and grace that is fatally and tragically rejected.

Again, we have the benefit of viewing these passages from the other side of the events that were to take place. We know what Jesus knew and what the disciples did not.

Betrayed by a kiss.

From the moment Jesus fashioned him in the womb He knew His betrayer. Yet the fact that the disciples didn't suspect Judas suggests that Jesus showed him no less mercy, no less love and no less grace than any of the others.

This man walked with our Lord! Saw the depth of His compassion and mercy day after day. And yet was compelled to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave.

How could this happen? 

I have my own theory about how dipping into the money bag hardened Judas' heart to spiritual things over time. [John 12:6] Scripture has many warnings that we should heed in this regard. 

The ultimate tragedy is that Judas could have turned to Jesus in his remorse, but he did not. [Matt 27:3-5] (Maryleigh posted a wonderful piece here on the difference between Judas and Peter)

"Judas Iscariot symbolizes wasted opportunity, rejected grace, and unaccepted love. Fatal choices all." Bill Crowder, The Path of His Passion [click to tweet]

Grace, wrapped in a piece of lamb, bitter herbs, and a radish.

We see John 13:26 as the unmasking of the traitor. But Jesus meant it quite differently. In the tradition of the Passover meal, the first piece of dipped "sop" was given to the guest of honor! 

Grace freely offered.

Beyond the shouts of "Hosanna!" we hear the echoes of, "Crucify Him!"

It was not Judas Iscariot who sent Jesus to the cross.

It was each one of us. But the darkness of that truth cannot overwhelm us.

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on His right and one on His left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luk 23:33-34)

For we are forgiven. Washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. The unmerited favor of our Lord.

In the coming week, as we walk the final steps with Jesus to the cross, as we try to identify in the darkness and pain of His rejection, let us hold fast to the Light of His Grace. . .

. . . and grace will lead us home.

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
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Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
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Counting My Blessings, Grace Moments, Heart Encouragement,
#DancewithJesus

Inspired by . . . bitter herbs

As we walk with Jesus toward the cross we find ourselves in a large upper room, reclining at the Passover table. The sharp smell of bitter herbs and human sweat mixes with the pungent odor of the oil lamps.

Water laps against the side of a wooden bowl as Our Lord kneels to wash the feet of one who will abandon Him. One who will deny Him. One who will betray Him.

Don't rush over these familiar verses. The message and warnings of the discourse here are muli-layered and of great value. (Matt 26:18-49)

Lean in when the Lord speaks, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 

"Is it I, Lord?"

We have all denied Him in some way. Failed to speak. Failed to act.

Sit with that for a moment. Let it hurt your heart.

But do not despair.

For we have something the terrified and disillusioned disciples did not have in between the kiss of betrayal and the empty tomb. [click to tweet]

But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 

We have the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us. To comfort us when we fail. We have grace and forgiveness.

We have the cross and the resurrection.

We have Jesus, Himself.

Rest in these truths. Let them comfort you in times of failure. Let them embolden you to go forth and speak and act in His name.

May we always be willing to admit when we fail Him. To come to Him in humility and repentance and accept the bread of forgiveness He offers, which is His body, broken for us. [click to tweet]

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,
Faith On Fire, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Sitting Among Friends, #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
Counting My Blessings, Grace Moments, Heart Encouragement,
#DancewithJesus, Pink Saturday

Inspired by . . . He Is Risen!

Blessings on your Easter.

He Lives!

I serve a risen Savior

He’s in the world today.

I know that He is living,

Whatever men may say.

I see His hand of mercy;

I hear His voice of cheer;

And just the time I need Him

He’s always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

 In all the world around me

I see His loving care,

And though my heart grows weary,

I never will despair;

I know that He is leading,

Through all the stormy blast;

The day of His appearing

Will come at last.

 Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,

Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him,

The Help of all who find,

None other is so loving,

So good and kind.

Happy Easter!

Inspired by . . . the veil

The hardest part of Holy week, for me, is Friday.

I can barely get through a reading of the Gospel accounts of His betrayal, the mockery of the court, the beatings and, finally, the crucifixion of our Lord.

Can I read of Judas’ betrayal and not question my own heart?

Can I read the shouts of the crowd to, “Crucify!” and not remember that shouts of “Hosanna!” that came from those same lips just a few days before, and not be ashamed?

Can I read of Pilate’s cowardice, and not be filled with disgust?

Can I read of the mockery and the beatings, and not be filled with sorrow, horror and fear over the injustice?

If I let the words paint a picture in my mind, if I take them to heart and think upon these things, I am undone.

Yet, I force myself to read. And that is good. Because I need to feel these things. I need the hardness of my heart to be broken in grief, and in sorrow.

I need to feel His death.

Because He died for me.

 

 

But I also need to read because there are still things God wants to teach me. No matter how many times I’ve read these words, He has something new, something more to say.

 

Jesus again gave a loud cry and breathed His last.

Then the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook, the rocks split apart, the graves broke open, and many of God's people who had died were raised to life.

They left the graves, and after Jesus rose from death, they went into the Holy City,

where many people saw them.

When the army officer and the soldiers with Him who were watching Jesus saw the

earthquake and everything else that happened, they were terrified and said, "He really was the Son of God!"
Mat 27:50-54

 

I wonder if those grieving at the foot of the cross were aware of the miracles that accompanied our Savior’s death. The Roman soldiers believed. But they did not understand.

Can you imagine the chaos in the temple that day, as the Jews preparing for the Sabbath witnessed the veil tear in two? This was no small curtain. The veil was, "fine twined linen, with Cherubims of cunning work,” a substantial tapestry that could not be torn by human hands. The veil separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. A place where only the High Priest could enter, and even then only once a year. The High Priest entered, carrying the blood of the sacrifice, offered for his sin and the sins of the people.

 

 

The significance of this miracle is immense. Worthy of our time to study and meditate upon.

In the Pursuit of God, Tozer writes about the journey of the soul from the wilds of sin into the Presence of God and how this is beautifully illustration in the Old Testament tabernacle. Of the veil, he writes:

“this rending of the veil opened the way for every worshipper in the world to come by the new and living way straight into the divine Presence.”

Some of my favorite passages in Hebrews speak of this uncomprehendable reality.

 

We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure,

and goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner sanctuary.

On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a High Priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.
Heb_6:19-20

He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain---that is, through His own body.
Heb_10:20

 

 Direct access to God. Being in His divine Presence. The thought overwhelms me. I am so unworthy - you cannot truly stand in His presence and feel anything else.

Unlike the priest, I don’t come bearing the blood of goats or bulls. So what do I bring? What can I possibly bring?

Nothing.

There is nothing in my life, nothing material, or immaterial that I could offer God that would redeem the sin in my life.

Nothing.

This truth descends upon me like a cloak of despair.

 

But just as quickly, another truth, this truth . . .

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:23

. . . falls like a sweet summer rain.

The blood of Jesus rains down, cleansing, redeeming, restoring.

The blood of Jesus is what I bring into His Presence.

The blood of Jesus is the only thing I can bring that He will accept, the only currency that will pay my debt.

 

 

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:57

Victory because Friday wasn’t the end of the story.

We can endure through the dark hours of Saturday,

because Sunday dawns.

It is bright with Hope.

It is bright with Victory.

He Is Risen.

He Is Risen, indeed.

Blessings on your Easter,

June

 

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Inspired by . . . a risen Savior

 

When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they didn't break His legs.
However, one of the soldiers stabbed Jesus' side with his spear, and blood and water immediately came out.
The one who saw this is an eyewitness. What he says is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth so that you, too, will believe.
This happened so that the Scripture would come true: "None of His bones will be broken."
Another Scripture passage says, "They will look at the person whom they have stabbed."

John 19:33-37

 

A garden was located in the place where Jesus was crucified. In that garden was a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed.
Joseph and Nicodemus put Jesus in that tomb, since that day was the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

John 19:41-42

 

 

Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb. They were carrying the spices that they had prepared.
They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb.
When they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzled about this, two men in clothes that were as bright as lightning suddenly stood beside them.
The women were terrified and bowed to the ground. The men asked the women, "Why are you looking among the dead for the living one?
He's not here. He has been brought back to life! Remember what He told you while He was still in Galilee.
He said, 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people, be crucified, and come back to life on the third day.'"

Luke 24:1-7

 

A week later Jesus' disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Take your hand, and put it into My side. Stop doubting, and believe."

John 20:26-27

 

Thomas responded to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to Thomas, "You believe because you've seen Me.

Blessed are those who haven't seen Me but believe."
John 20:28-29

 

He Is Risen!

Inspired by . . . tradition

 

And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" Luke 22:17-20

 

I had never really thought much about it before now, but the Last Supper wasn't the "Last Supper" for the disciples of Jesus.

For many of us, it's a familiar scene: The long table, with Jesus at the center, His disciples reclining around Him. The breaking of the bread, His body. The drinking of the wine, His blood. Do this in remembrance of Me.

And I do.  When I partake of the Lord's Supper, when I eat the little square piece of unleavened bread, I remember His body, broken on the cross.

For me.

When I drink the little cup of grape juice, I remember His blood. Dripping down where the thorns pierce His brow. Soaking into the wood of the cross.

For me.

 

 

But Jesus' disciples weren't preparing the upper room for the Last Supper. Certainly Jesus knew what He planned to do, but they didn't. In their minds, they were preparing the Passover meal. A meal prepared in a certain way, eaten in a certain way, to remember a specific occurrence.

 

“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord;

throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast." Exodus 12:14

 

The disciples might not have understood it at the time, but after Jesus rose from the grave, He made sure they understood.

 

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:27

 

Oh, to travel back in time and be a fly on Peter's tunic when Jesus was interpreting His Word and all things concerning Himself!  The Word made flesh – God's Word in action – oh, how glorious! Does it not say that their hearts were burning within?! {Luke 24:32}

 

Perhaps the following is a glimmer of what He shared with them....

 

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,  “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Exodus 12:1-2

Jesus' death and resurrection marks a new beginning. "Behold I make all things new." Rev 21:5 Jesus' death, His payment for our sin, gave us a new start, direct access to God, the Father. "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." Matt 27:50-51

 

Your lamb shall be without blemish... Exodus 12:5

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

 

Then they shall take some of the blood {of the lamb} and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it... Exodus 12:7

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain... Rev 5:6

 

The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:13

For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. Romans 5:9

 

Textured with kk_mary

 

When Jesus instituted the Last Supper, He set aside the ritual of the Passover and revealed His end game.

The Victory!

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Talk about your heart burning! My heart burns and my pulse quickens every time I read that scripture – Amen?!

The Last Supper, what we call the Lord's Supper [or Communion}, is not so much a ritual as it is a sacrament. It is something we receive, rather than give.

We invite Him to commune with us, we receive His presence,

Yes, it's all about Jesus. His broken body. His blood poured out. I still think of the cross. I still visualize my sin, not the nails, holding Him there.

And weep.

But I also remember. I remember that the event in Exodus that the Jews celebrated {and still celebrate} every year was a glimpse,  a symbol, of what was to come.

Jesus, the Messiah. The lamb – slain so that we might be "passed over" when God judges sin.

Jesus has come. Jesus has paid. He has overcome death and conquered the grave!

 

Jesus Lives!

 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

 

Rejoice with me,

and invite Him to your table.

 

Blessings,

 

 

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