Are you looking for Jesus just like those women that early Easter morn? He wasn’t where they expected Him to be…the grave couldn’t keep Him…the devil couldn’t restrain Him…the world couldn’t contain Him. No, He had risen just like He promised. If you’re looking for Jesus today…don’t bother to look among the dead…for He’s alive!
Tag: blood of jesus
Luke 23: 52-53 ” Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in whom no one had yet been laid.”
Jesus was dead. The Disciples had fled into hiding. The World was in disbelieving silence. But Sunday was coming.
His body was hidden behind a rock. His Followers were in mourning. The World waiting. But Sunday was coming.
If you find yourself today as good as dead. If you’re searching for answers. If life has handed you more than you can handle. Sunday is coming.
If the world is closing in – grieve and pain over whelming. If life is getting too hard to continue on, and you’re thinking of ending your life. Sunday is coming…and with it peace, healing, and restoration for your mind, body, and soul.
Sunday is coming!
John 13:37 ” Peter asked, ‘ Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.’ “
Jesus had just told the Disciples that where He was going, they couldn’t go with. Was Simon Peter hurt, or smugly contending that he would proudly die along side Jesus when he asked why? Peter was one of Jesus’ closest Disciples, a big, loud man who had a habit of speaking first and thinking later. Was his outburst a show of hurt feelings, or brash vibrato…of concerned protection, or a foot in the mouth quip?
John 13: 5 “…He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.”
At a wedding recently, the couple washed each others feet in a lovely symbol of unconditional love and servant hood in their new marriage. The difference between the two Greek words for wash and bathe have great significance in our walk with God. Louo, means to bathe the entire body and is done by God when we’re made right before Him…justified, once for all. Where, Nipto, means to wash part of the body, symbolizing our daily, ongoing journey of sanctification. Jesus washed the disciple’s feet to not only demonstrate humility, love , and holiness…but then He dried them with the towel tied around Him…the towel tied around God.
Mark 14: 10-11 ” Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priest to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand Him over.”
Jesus saw promise in him…his fellow disciples saw honesty, and entrusted him with the group’s money. So what really happened to Judas? He was the only non-Galilean among the twelve, so did that make him feel outside the group, not really belonging, not part of the inner circle? Or did he feel frustration and disappointment that Jesus wasn’t taking over the Roman Empire by force as the disciples had envisioned? What prompted Judas to abruptly change from an ardent follower to the most infamous betrayer in history? It’s difficult to say, but we all possess that same willful sin nature Judas did, and all of us could make that same treacherous choice.
John 12: 12-13 ” The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’ ” ‘
Instead of being astride a fiery stallion, coming to make war…He came to Jerusalem riding a donkey, a sign of desiring peace. Instead of being surrounded by multitudes of troops, He came with a rag-tag group of twelve men, who didn’t have a clue what was happening. Yes, Jesus could have rode into Jerusalem with all the pomp and glory befitting the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but He didn’t. However, He did ride in victorious, as signified by the symbol of the palm branches… victory was already His.
Micah 2:13 ” One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”
The cross Jesus was crucified on bridged the gap between God and man. The chasm was spanned once , for all , by His dying on that cross. Sin had separated us from God…but Jesus made a way when there was no way, back to Him.
Philippians 1: 3-6 ” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Thank you! Thank you for reading this devotional today…thank you if you are reading this for the very first time, or if you have been on this journey with me for the last 2 1/2 years. What started out as simple obedience and one post, has now grown to 823 posts read in 95 countries around the world. My focus and purpose has always been to lead you to the full realization of just how special you are to God. I thank the Lord for each one of you daily…we share in this fellowship together, and I will never take it lightly. You are all very special to me…whether I know you personally, or not… for we are all in the family of God. And I am confident that the Lord will accomplish His purpose in each one of us as we continue this journey together.
Hebrews 13:5 ” Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”
Why can’t we just be happy and more importantly – thankful for what we have? We are ever looking for the next best thing…the new and improved model…always wanting to add to our collection of whatever…but never content with what we have. Paul summed it up best when he wrote to the Philippians in Chapter 4, verse 11 – “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Paul understood that contentment started from within, and no amount of money or stuff could ever give him that kind of peace or happiness.
Psalm 108:13 “With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.”
It’s through the mighty name of Jesus you’ll have victory over the enemy. Call His name, stand back, and watch God’s power come into force on your behalf. It’s the Lord that will crush your foe under His feet. You don’t need to fight alone…call on His name.
Safetypinlove 