Tag Archives: Galatians 2:20

Mothers And Crosses??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 13

12 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Cross, Moms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.13      Mothers And The Cross???

A Repost Edited from 2013.

A happy Mother’s Day to all-whether you be the mother or the child!!!  What a beautiful day to celebrate our mothers—and to celebrate The God who created us all-mother and child!!

“In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”    Isaiah 4:2

And Isaiah also wrote:

“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,     

which shall stand for an ensign of the people;

to It shall the Gentiles seek:                             

and his rest shall be glorious.”   Isaiah 11:10

These verses have a double reference, referring to the future time of the Lord’s return, and also to His “ensign” of the cross. We can take comfort and delight in the joy of the Lord today.  Our Lord who is beautiful and glorious and, I am convinced, soon returning, He who blesses us day by day in more ways than we are aware of!!!

I pray that you took some time to spend with your mother today, or at least spent some time in reflection of her if she is no longer with you; and whether you have/had the “perfect” mother or if you have less pleasant memories—God gave each of us the mother He planned and we can trust Him.  Psalm 139:13-17 reminds us that God knew everything about us—everything!

 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I    will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and  curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members   were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of    them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”

Consider the commonality of God and Mothers.   Both made sacrifices for us!!!  Consider and know that God IS—Jesus the Son IS—and God the Holy Spirit IS!!!!!  They are and always were, and without the sovereign, eternal, omniscient God of the universe we wouldn’t even exist.

 “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by he word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of        the Majesty on high”.   Hebrews 1:2-3  

God IS the creator who brought us into existence, and we know that although we sinned, HE had already planned for our redemption before the world was founded!!!  I find that amazing and am reminded that not only did our mothers give us birth, care for and provide for us, but I am also reminded of the GOD who “created” us, provided for our salvation and cares for us continually, through Calvary, and HE is the same God who gave us mothers!  So, whatever your childhood experience, whether good or difficult, God has always been, and continues to be there for you!!!! (see Hebrews. 13:5). He gave HIS own Son for our salvation, and Jesus came, lived and died that we might spend eternity with Him!

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”  John 17:24

Jesus confirms His own pre-existence before the world was made (also see Col 1:16 & John 1:3 which clearly reveal Jesus as “Creator”) and scripture tells us in several other places that our salvation was planned before we needed it!!!

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”                        Ephesians 1:4

And Peter wrote:

“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without        spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the  dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”   1 Peter 1:19-21 

As the Dennis Jernigan song says, “I belong to Jesus”!!!  He loved us and gave Himself FOR us.  Do we truly understand that Christ Jesus gave His all for us at Calvary?  When we do, I think we will be able to say with Paul,

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”     1 Corinthians   2:2

Depending on the Cross for our life, breath and being, helps us to live our lives with HIM in mind, as we find in Galatians 2:20:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  

When we are born into a family, we take on the “name” of our family!  When we are “Born Again” we take on more than the “name” of our heavenly family, we actually receive the Holy Spirit of God who continually conforms us into Jesus’ likeness.

 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the        righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,  and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”   Philippians 3:8-10 

Always reminded that “I am crucified with Christ”, knowing that God is ever working in me. And much like our mothers were teaching us when we weren’t even aware of it, God is always at work in HIS own!

“And we know that all things work together for    good to them that love God, to them who are the        called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he   did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be    conformed to the image of his Son, that he     might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  Romans 8:28-29

God is ever at work, by His Spirit within us (Remember Romans 8:9b, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”), and we can trust His work– ever conforming us into the image of The Lord Jesus!!!

As we think today of our Moms, may we also spend each day appreciating The Lord who created them and us!!!

 “…… this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those  things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

May we commit ourselves anew and afresh to “press toward the mark”; taking our confidence from Colossians 1:27

 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” 

Christ is our eternal hope, His Spirit our total supply, and God the Father our complete confidence.  Praise HIM for giving us “Mothers”; but even more that HE GAVE US HIS OWN SON, for our salvation on the cross!!  May God bless you with joy and grace for this coming week’s work for His kingdom. Thank YOU, Lord, for mothers!

Expect Suffering, Really??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #554

08 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Persecution, Perseverance, Suffering With Jesus

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #554    Expect Suffering, Really???

We appear  to be living in a culture that is pervaded by an entitlement mentality.  I’m entitled to be happy and have my needs met, and ‘you’ are responsible to see to that! A stark contrast to the intent of the founders of this country who said, we have the ‘right’ to “life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness”; a totally different thing!  Even Christians are being influenced by this pervasive mindset!  We no longer desire to know God’s will, God’s Word or God’s way, but we simply want to be entertained for a time, have our ‘ruffled feathers’ soothed, and our consciences put to sleep as we continually seek to have our “ears tickled”! Paul confronted those of Athens with a similar issue on his journeys.

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens,

I perceive that in all things

ye are too superstitious…

…24 God that made the world

and all things therein…

…. seeing he giveth to all life,

and breath,

and all things; …

..27 That they should seek the Lord,

 if haply they might feel after him,

and find him,

though he be not far

from every one of us:

28 For in him we live,

and move,

and have our being; …

..[and] commandeth all men

every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day,

in the which he will judge the world

in righteousness

by that man whom he hath ordained;

whereof he hath given assurance

 unto all men,

 in that he hath raised him

from the dead.

32 And when they heard

of the resurrection of the dead,

some mocked:

and others said,

We will hear thee again

of this matter.”   Portions of Acts 17:23-32

Paul shared the Gospel of Jesus with the Athenians, and they were eager to hear what he had to say until he got to the “resurrection” of Jesus, then they mocked and put him off.  Why would we expect people to treat us differently when we are sharing the truth of the Gospel?  We ought not! But we are to share continually the truth of Jesus, knowing that some will receive it others will not; and some will ridicule and oppose us.  Jesus Himself said that we should expect it!

“If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater

than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.” John 15:19-20

And if you remember correctly, ‘they’ put Him to death!  I would like to share a few passages of scripture with you to encourage you to remember that we are called to suffer with HIM! It’s not an option, for Paul made it clear that those who choose to follow Jesus will pay a price.

“Yea,

and all that will live godly

 in Christ Jesus

shall suffer persecution.”   2 Timothy 3:12

“The Spirit itself beareth witness

with our spirit,

that we are the children of God:

17 And if children,

 then heirs;

heirs of God,

and joint-heirs with Christ;

if so be that we suffer with him,

that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings

of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

with the glory

which shall be revealed in us.”   Romans 8:16-18

And in closing a wonderful message of assurance.

“Yea doubtless,

and I count all things but loss

for the excellency

of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

my Lord:

 for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung,

that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him,

not having mine own righteousness,

which is of the law,

but that which is through the faith

of Christ,

the righteousness

which is of God

by faith:

10 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

All because of His provision for us to live the ‘crucified’ life!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith

of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Are you suffering with HIM?  Only you can answer that question; and if we’re not willing to live for Him under persecution, why would we think we’d be willing to die for Him?

 

 

Ice Cube Philosophy??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #551

24 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Consider Your ways, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Father of lies, IN Jesus!, JESUS, Lies, What's The Word?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #551  Ice Cube Philosophy???

 

I’m sure you’re wondering what “Ice Cube” philosophy is all about, and I’ll be glad to share it with you this morning! I saw a phrase the other day that struck my heart, it said something like, “We can’t raise our children like we were raised, because we live in a different world!”  I must tell you that when I read that it just broke my heart—we have bought the lies of the enemy and have become so entrenched in the culture and philosophy of the world that we are convinced that the “world” we live in is what dictates our life, our belief, and our actions!  That is totally not true, and it surely isn’t a biblical way to look at things and isn’t how we are to order our lives!

This is the very thing that Paul warned the Romans about—and it is what “Ice Cube” philosophy is all about.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

Paul calls believers in Jesus to give ourselves to God as a living sacrifice—Jesus wants us to live for Him, not just to be willing to die for HIM!  He calls us to know the same things that Paul called the Galatians to remember:

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”   Galatians 2:20

This takes us right back to Paul’s call to the Roman believers: “be not conformed to this world”! We are not to let the world “squeeze us into its image”, or to fit our post—we aren’t to be like “ice cubes”! Water is poured into any form and frozen in that form, it takes on the form of the mold—regardless of what that mold is.  You can make square cubes, round cubes, animal shaped cubes, or virtually any shape that you can imagine.  But followers of Jesus are clearly called to NOT be ‘frozen’ into the world’s mold! We must never say that our life style, our parenting skills, or our beliefs are “conformed to this world”!!! We are to “withstand in the evil day”!!! And friends, that is where we live– “in the evil day”—; but may we never, never, never give up to that which is trying to prevail over us! Jesus has promised us that the enemy will not prevail against us when we walk with Him, live for Him and obey HIS principles.

But there is a price!  We will be ridiculed, called names and laughed at when we stand for God’s Word and His ways.  Yet HE promises us that His plan will work—it has worked– for God never fails!  Deuteronomy chapter 6 is the most profound outline for parenting ever given (in my humble opinion!).  I will share it with you here, but I’d encourage you to read the entire chapter.   I’ll simply make a few comments on it, and let it speak for itself.  God gave His people a few simple (not easy, but simple) steps to faithful parenting and passing the baton of truth and faith to the next generation.

Love God—first and foremost in all things yourself—

Live, speak, share and proclaim His Word in all—

Do these things before your children at every turn—

Use teachable moments to share YOUR trust in God—

       (Simply put—practice what you preach!)

Then, when time has passed, and you have lived a life

different from the world

your children will ask WHY?—

And then—you have the wonderful opportunity

to share your personal testimony

of what God has done

and is doing

IN you—NOW!

We are NOT to conform to the world, but we are to share truth with our children in a world that is running amuck with the lies of Satan!  Ponder God’s antidote to the world’s lies!

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God

with all thine heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy might.

6 And these words,

which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them

diligently

unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them

when thou sittest in thine house,

 and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign

upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets

between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them

upon the posts of thy house,

and on thy gates…

…17 Ye shall diligently keep

the commandments of the LORD

your God,

and his testimonies,

and his statutes,

which he hath commanded thee.

18 And thou shalt do that

which is right

and good

in the sight of the LORD:

that it may be well with thee,

and that thou mayest go in

and possess the good land

which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee,

as the LORD hath spoken.

20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying,

What mean the testimonies,

and the statutes,

and the judgments,

which the LORD our God

hath commanded you?

21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son,

We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt;

and the LORD brought us out of Egypt

with a mighty hand:

22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in,

to give us the land which he sware

unto our fathers.

24 And the LORD commanded us

to do all these statutes,

to fear the LORD our God,

for our good always,

that he might preserve us alive,

as it is at this day.”  Portions of Deuteronomy 6:5-24

Amen and Amen!

How Far Away Is Your Cross??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #547

10 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Cross, Crucified With Christ, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, The Crucified Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #547  How Far Away Is Your Cross???

 

There’s an old hymn (The Old Rugged Cross, by George Bennard, Public Domain) that I love, which speaks of the cross on “a hill far away” in reference to location from us.  But I’d like to ask how ‘far away’ is your cross and mine?  Have we allowed ourselves to lose sight of the cross in our everyday living?  Or are we committed to following our Lord with the cross in sight.

“Saying, The Son of man must suffer

many things,

and be rejected

of the elders

and chief priests

and scribes,

and be slain,

and be raised

the third day.

23 And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny

himself,

and take up

his cross

daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life

for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

or be cast away?”  Luke 9:22;25

Jesus made it clear that He would die (for our sin), and that those who desired salvation must come to Him and yield their own life for the “life” of Jesus!  In fact, He goes on to say that in HIS cross is the only real salvation—we can’t keep our own lives, our own selves, for, as Paul made clear to the Romans, sin has a cost!

“For all have sinned,

and come short

of the glory of God;”  Romans 3:23

And to come short of the glory of God, is to miss life—abundant life here and now, and eternal life with God, all through Jesus’ death on that ‘cross’!  His death bought our eternal life, and makes us free from the power of sin, by keeping close to that very ‘cross’ of Jesus!

“But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ

 our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23

To have Jesus as “our Lord” is the picture of the crucified life—being willing to “take up his cross daily, and follow me”! It’s keeping the cross in sight with each and every step we take, following Jesus where ever He leads!  As a friend shared with me the other day, she had on a shirt that said, “It’s not about “me”—It’s about HIM”.  When someone questioned what the shirt meant (for they thought it was some smart-aleck reference to spouses or something else) she explained to them that it was a reference to living for Jesus, that my life isn’t just about “me” anymore, but it IS about JESUS!  Then she shared with me that she had memorized the verse to share the truth of that when she was asked.  I was so proud of her willingness to keep Jesus and the cross in sight.  And the verse she learned; you can learn too!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith

of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”   Galatians 2:20

So, my question for us today is, “Are we living the crucified life—with the cross clearly in view?”  Or have we drifted so far from that ‘cross’ and the One who gave Himself for us, that we seldom consider it? He loves us and to be in HIS presence is unequaled joy and peace.  I’ll simply leave you this morning with some words that Paul shared with the church at Philippi:

“Be careful for nothing;

but in every thing

by prayer

and supplication

with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known

unto God.

7 And the peace of God,

which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts

and minds

through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren,

whatsoever things

are true,

whatsoever things

are honest,

whatsoever things

are just,

whatsoever things

are pure,

whatsoever things

are lovely,

whatsoever things

are of good report;

 if there be

any virtue,

and if there be

any praise,

think on these things.

9 Those things,

which ye have both learned,

and received,

and heard,

and seen in me,

do:

and the God of peace

shall be with you.”   Philippians 4:6-9

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

Because Jesus IS Alive!!! Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 07

31 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abundant Life In Jesus, He's Alive, Power of The Cross, Resurrection

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.07   Because Jesus IS Alive!!!

 

As we approach the season of celebrating the resurrection Of Jesus Christ our Lord, I thought we’d just take a few minutes today to simply rehearse the wonder of HIS victory.

“And the angel answered and said

unto the women,

Fear not ye:

for I know that ye seek Jesus,

which was crucified.

6 He is not here:

for he is risen,

as he said.

Come, see the place

where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly,

and tell his disciples

that he is risen

from the dead;

and, behold,

he goeth before you

into Galilee;

there shall ye see him:

lo, I have told you.”  Matthew 28:5-7

HE is risen—just “as he said”!  And Jesus did “say” he would rise from the dead and overcome sin, death and hell!

“And while they abode in Galilee,

Jesus said unto them,

The Son of man shall be betrayed

into the hands of men:

23 And they shall kill him,

and the third day

he shall be raised again.

And they were exceeding sorry.”  Matthew 17:22-23

And Mark also gave us a great insight into the way that Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for the coming night of despair that they would endure—but they just didn’t understand the morning of GLORY that would turn their despair into JOY!  Exultant, exuberant, JOY “unspeakable”!  They had no way of comprehending all that this Master, Rabbi and Messiah had truly come to accomplish—that what started (and seemed to end) on the cross—would bring in the fulfillment of all that God had promised for the redemption of man.

“Saying, Behold,

we go up to Jerusalem;

and the Son of man shall be delivered

unto the chief priests,

and unto the scribes;

and they shall condemn him

to death,

and shall deliver him

to the Gentiles:

34 And they shall mock him,

and shall scourge him,

and shall spit upon him,

and shall kill him:

and the third day he shall rise again.”   Mark 10:33-34

He told them that HE would “rise again”!  But how would you comprehend what you had never seen before; for even though Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead—it wasn’t to eternal life, for he would die again—Jesus was raised as victor over death and He not only overcame death, but He gives “eternal life” to those who come to Him in repentance and faith.

The book of Acts shows us the wonder of God’s plan for our salvation and deliverance from sin!  It was God’s plan from before the “beginning”—our beginning, not God’s!  As Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost.

“And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call on the name

of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God

among you

by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves

also know:

23 Him, being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”   Acts 2:21-24

Jesus is the “power of God unto salvation”—God’s plan to deliver us!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God

unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.

17 For therein

is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written,

The just shall live by faith.”   Romans 1:16-17

Praise God and thank Him for His amazing grace that brings us life—abundant life, and keeps us unto salvation.

“Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

which according to his abundant mercy

hath begotten us again

unto a lively hope

by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead,

4 To an inheritance

incorruptible,

and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away,

reserved in heaven

for you,

5 Who are kept

by the power of God

through faith

unto salvation

ready to be revealed

in the last time.”   1 Peter 1:3-5

While we are saved at the point of our faith in Jesus and receiving His Holy Spirit, or hope is in our eternal, perfect, sinless future hope in Jesus.  And while we struggle in this world, we have a hope sure and certain in glory with our Lord!  Yet, we have an intercessor sure and certain in our Lord Jesus, and His Holy Spirit who takes our feeble thoughts and words and works God’s work in us and before the Father!  It’s what Paul describes in Romans 8.

“For we know that the whole creation

groaneth

and travaileth

in pain together

until now.

23 And not only they,

but ourselves also,

which have the firstfruits

of the Spirit,

even we ourselves groan

within ourselves,

waiting for the adoption,

to wit,

the redemption of our body.

24 For we are saved by hope:

but hope that is seen

is not hope:

for what a man seeth,

why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not,

then do we with patience

wait for it.

26 Likewise the Spirit also

helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not

what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself maketh intercession

for us

with groanings

which cannot be uttered.”   Romans 8:22-26

Our risen Lord has accomplished the great work of redemption and sits at the right hand of The Father ever interceding for us!  Praying for you and me on the basis of the redemption that He bought for us at Calvary–because HE didn’t stay dead, but HE arose!!!

“Wherefore he is able also

to save them to the uttermost

that come unto God

by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us,

who is holy,

harmless,

undefiled,

separate from sinners,

and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily,

as those high priests,

to offer up sacrifice,

first for his own sins,

and then for the people’s:

for this he did once,

when he offered up himself.”  Hebrews 7:25-27

He gave Himself for us!  And for that I am eternally grateful!  How about you?  Are you celebrating bunnies or the Risen Lord!

“Grace be to you

and peace

from God the Father,

and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins,

that he might deliver us

from this present evil world,

according to the will of God

and our Father:

5 To whom be glory

for ever and ever. Amen.”    Galatians 1:3-5

And because He gave Himself for me, what less can I offer Him?  How about you?  May we truly take this season to focus on the real wonder of our redemption.

“Looking for that blessed hope,

and the glorious appearing of the great God

and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us,

that he might redeem us

from all iniquity,

and purify unto himself

a peculiar people,

zealous of good works.”    Titus 2:13-14

And finally, may we all pursue with Paul, the crucified life!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”    Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!