Nails and Chains? My Savior Reigns!!!!!!!!

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Friends ~ What I have written in-between these images today is meant to reflect how Jesus was treated throughout the entire time He walked this earth, which culminated into what happened on calvary, fufilling the Word of the Lord, and giving us the option of accepting salvation through Him and living with Him for all eternity.

I do so, primarily to celebrate Him, all He has done for us, and scream at the top of my lungs along with you all that HE IS RISEN!

But I also do so, because as we are persecuted, spit upon, mocked, ostracized, hated, and a host of other things, I want to remind you that we are here to encourage one another, as He tells us to do, and as He tells us we will need to do.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”  John 15:18

“Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and
reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.” Luke 6:22

Yes, we can celebrate being hated. We can count it all a blessing. It is an indicator that we are His, and not of this world. And it is an indicator too, that all that He did for us is pointing towards that blessed hope – that soon, very soon, He WILL come back for us.

And when He does ~ it’s not gonna look like this.

The looks
The stares
The darts and arrows through the glares

The envy
The division
The ignorance and derision

The haughty
The pride
The presumption of what’s inside

The withholding
The willfulness
The commitment to their stubbornness

The indifference
The so blasé
The I don’t care for you to walk this way

The silence
The lack
The sneaky way a face to slap

The distrust
The gavel
The sentencing already unraveled

The crowd
The chosen
The ones whose eyes are frozen

The world
The kings and queens
The pent up judging screams

The move
The apathy
The power to kill ability

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His love,
Divine
His life for yours and mine.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

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His grace,
Poured out
Truth in a whisper, not a shout

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

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His humanity
A son’s compassion
Providing a loving direction

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” John 19:26-27

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The agony
The separation
The full weight of all our sin

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

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The thirst
The suffering
The fulfillment as they were gloating

Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, “I am thirsty.” John 19:28

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The final act
The fulfillment
Ensues a new covenant

……he said, “it is finished.” John 19:30

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His entrance
Into His Father’s hands
Upon His sacrifice, salvation stands

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:46

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And THEN……………….

THEREFORE……………………

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:19-25

THIS, more than anything else, is why I started this blog. Yes, I wish to share all the Lord is teaching me in my day to day life, and hopefully encourage you all through that. But primarily, I wish to find any and every way that we can “meet together” ~ regardless of the miles that may separate us, we are bound together in Christ Jesus.

You all amaze me ~ your love, desire to spread the love of Jesus Christ, and the edification and encouragement I have experienced here in the mere 3 months I have been a part of this community.

Stay amazing for Christ, my friends. Don’t allow anything to stop you from meeting here, and other places to do just what He asks us to do ~ He has proven the importance of it for us ~ I think we do well to listen.

Blessings to each and every one of you, my dear, dear friends. Let’s look forward to that day while we celebrate Him in these remaining “days” we walk this earth.

And then…..we can celebrate together ~ all of us ~ with HIM ~ for ever and ever more!

I can’t wait!!!! Come Lord Jesus, Come!

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