He's Not Finished Yet

 Hope everyone woke up celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and realizing all He has done for us. I was just thinking about the tomb and how His followers found it empty except for his grave clothes lying where they had fallen but that handkerchief folded nearby.

..... Jesus was no longer contained in that sealed tomb, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was now empty! The grave clothes that had covered his body were laying where they had fallen, but yet, they saw the handkerchief used to cover His face was neatly folded and was laid near where He'd been laid!

So what was the significance in noting that the linen cloth used to cover His head had been found folded and lying by itself (John 20:7) "and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself." With all the disarray of the other grave cloths, why was this cloth folded together?

Jewish tradition holds that 'the folded napkin' was a message between the master and his servant! When the servant had furnished his master's table to specifications ordered, the servant would then wait out of sight until he saw his master crumple or fold his napkin. Now if the master was finished eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, mouth and beard with the napkin, then wad it up and toss it onto the table; a message to the servant to come ahead and clear the table since the master was done. BUT, if the master got up from the table and folded his napkin neatly and set it to the side of his plate, the servant dared not touch the table, because 'the folded napkin; meant "I'm Coming Back!" So even at Jesus' Resurrection, the sign of 'the folded napkin' had been given so they knew their master was not finished, but HE WAS COMING BACK!!!

Jesus was indeed coming back as He appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, and to his disciples on several occasions; and as noted in John 20, He declared that because they had seen Him, touched the holes in His hands and side, they had believed; but "Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed."(v.29). He continued to do many things with the disciples over the forty days following His Resurrection teaching them about the kingdom of God throughout John 21 and into the book of Acts 1 where we see Him preparing His followers for His ascension. He continues to teach them and to reassure them that He was not leaving them ALONE but was sending them another Comforter, Holy Spirit; but also remembering the sign of 'the folded handkerchief' with Jesus declaring He was coming back!

And so The Best continues even more and more!.... As you think on these things, enjoy the blessings He has given thus far, because the Best is yet to come, dear friends! Happy Resurrection Sunday! God loves you and so do I~~~

Jesus Ascends

 Jesus was preparing His followers for His ascension back into Heaven even before His crucifixion, death, and resurrection. He told them in John 14:1-3,"Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not true I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

He reassures them in John 15:15-19, "If you love Me, keep My commandments; and I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter that He may abide with you forever--even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because they neither see Him or know Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in my Father; and you in me and I in you."

We see Him continuing to reassure them that His departure was for the good of all His followers, and that He was not leaving them comfortless, but He was sending them another Teacher and Comforter as noted in John 16:12,13, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth." and in v.33,“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

He sees the anxiety of His followers so He prays for them and for us in John 17 a beautiful prayer I like to call "Jesus' Prayer" because He is praying to the Father on our behalf and then just as our Lord is ready to ascend back to the Father, He declares one more bit of assurance noted in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

And as they watched Him disappear into a cloud, the angels reassured them that the same Jesus they watched ascend would return in like manner! So they went into Jerusalem, into the upper room, and locked the door behind them and began to pray in one accord; waiting for the promise of Holy Spirit that would empower them for service as the Lord had instructed!

Salvation's Plan continues because the best is on it's way as Jesus promised to send back the Comforter who would never leave nor forsake His followers but would guide and teach them in the way they should go. So they waited in prayer and in one accord as the Best was on the way! Such a loving Saviour, Such a loving Lord, the Author and Finisher of the Word, Our Jesus!

Without a doubt, God loves you and so do I~~~

Resurrection Sunday

 He's Alive!!! It's Resurrection Sunday everybody! A day of Celebration! So come on! Let's celebrate our risen Lord Jesus! Death could not hold Him! The tomb could not contain Him! Everything required for our Eternal salvation had been accomplished by and through Him, so the Spirit of God quickened Jesus' crucified body and out of the tomb He came! Alive and Well! Praise His Holy Name, Jesus! He's Alive! He's Alive! and He reigns forevermore!

And today because He lives, you and I can face tomorrow! Because He lives, all fear is gone! And because we know He holds our future, our life is worth living just because He lives! Praise the Lord forever more! NO more darkness, NO more sin, NO more bondage; Free from sin and able to live an abundant life in Christ Jesus forever more! Praise the Holy Name of Jesus!

A new day has arisen! A new day bringing Hope and Freedom from ALL our sins! A New Hope founded in Christ Jesus, Lord of lords and King of kings! A brand New Hope is ours as we no longer have to be sick and afflicted, burdened down and oppressed, no more grief, no more pain; but deliverance is ours through His Holy Name, Jesus! No more do we carry our old sinful nature, but because His ultimate sacrifice sets us free, we are new creatures created in Christ Jesus! And Because He conquered all things, we are made more than conquerors in Christ Jesus who lives within our hearts! Forever and ever all who choose to believe and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior can rest in Him and His works alone. By No other name can man be saved but the name of Jesus! What a price He paid, so willingly paid for you and me!

I pray that on this Resurrection Sunday you make Jesus Lord over your life so you can live with Him forevermore! Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friends; Jesus Is Alive! and He loves you and so do I~~~

Making of Palm Sunday

 Sunday marks Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the donkey's colt; we see the revelation of the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 which declared; "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion, Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See your king come to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." and we see how those who believed Jesus to be their Messiah laid clothing down before His pathway while others waved palm leaves shouting, "Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Everything Jesus did was to 'Fulfill All Righteousness' and knowing the time was drawing near for His Ultimate Sacrifice and needing to accomplish All that was destined for Him to do on earth, it was necessary for Him to be riding on a donkey, humbly representing Peace for this journey. Little did the people know the depth of His Kingdom nor the extent He was willing to suffer to accomplish ALL that was required for their Deliverance. Truly The Word of God had become man; a Man full of Grace and Truth; a man filled with such Unconditional Love to Fulfill All Righteousness so you and I could be Delivered, Redeemed, and Set Free Forevermore by the works He would Fulfill!

Arriving at Jerusalem, we see where Jesus goes up to the temple as was His custom to teach those who were in awe at His teaching; but finds people buying and selling and turning the temple into a marketplace. This angers Him but without sinning, He begins clearing them out of the temple and overturning tables of money changers and shouting at them not to make His Father's House a den of thieves.

Well this certainly did not set well with the scribes and chief priest, much less the sellers; who were all angered and fearful of Jesus!

As we look deeper into the days prior to His arrest and crucifixion, we see how satan runs rampant deceiving and manipulating minds of Jesus' own disciples. But until then, we will remember the works Jesus accomplished for you and me and all those who believe and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Because of Jesus, we can enjoy a wonderfully blessed day, because He loves us unconditionally and so do I~~~

No Greater Love

 We had communion tonight in honor of our Lord Jesus and my mind is on Jesus and all He endured for you and me before His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. I find it so incredible that Jesus knew He was to become the sacrificial lamb; that precious lamb without spot or wrinkle, pure and unblemished necessary to redeem the sins of all mankind, and still He chose to come!

Knowing God's plan of salvation and the abuse and torture He would have to suffer, He still chose to come. He was aware that His own creations would reject Him, persecute Him, and say all manner of evil against Him..... and yet He still chose to come. Knowing He would be tortured beyond measure; every stripe for our healing laid across His back ripping His flesh apart.... still He chose to come.

The very Son of God stepped down from His Holy Throne, laying aside His royalty and humbling himself to the point of being mocked with a crown of thorns piercing His head....still He came. Knowing He would be crucified on the cross and suffer the most horrible humiliating death for sins He never committed.....He still chose to come! Knowing all things He had to endure for our righteousness in Him.....He chose to come.

Isaiah 53:3-5 tells us, "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 grief, 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." Jesus chose to become the blood sacrifice needed for you and me to be pardoned from all our sins through Him, once and forevermore!

I cannot begin to fathom His love for me to endure it all and yet Jesus knew that without His ultimate sacrifice, I would be doomed forever.....and so He came.....and He fulfilled all that was needed for my redemption as well as all mankind. And because He came, His precious blood now atones for all the sins of everyone who will repent and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.

"He left the splendor of Heaven, knowing His destiny; was the lonely hill of Golgotha, There to lay down His life for me. If that isn't love, the ocean is dry; There's no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can't fly; If that isn't love, then Heaven's a myth; There's no feeling like this, if that isn't love. Even in death He remembered the thief hanging by His side; He spoke with love with compassion, Then He took him to paradise. If that isn't love, the ocean is dry; There's no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can't fly; If that isn't love, then Heaven's a myth; There's no feeling like this, if that isn't love."

The words of this precious song warms my heart, as it tells of the Amazing Love of our precious Lord Jesus, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and because He chose to come, we are made victorious over sin and darkness, sickness and disease, Because He came, we are made more than conquerors through Him who abides within us! Because of Jesus fulfilling all requirements necessary, we can face tomorrow with a new found Hope and blessed assurance of eternal salvation in Him!

Because He chose to come, we are made One in Him through His Amazing Grace, Dear friend, God loves you and so do I~~

Arrested and Crucified

 "They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed; they led Him through the streets in shame; they spat upon the Saviour, so pure and free from sin; they said 'Crucify Him, He's to blame." To the howling mob He yielded, He did not for mercy cry; the cross of shame He took alone; And when He cried, "It's Finished," He gave himself to die; Salvation's wondrous plan was done! He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free. He could have called ten thousand angels but He died alone for you and me!"

IT IS FINISHED!" Jesus cried from the cross; and having completed everything required for man's salvation plan, He committed His Spirit into the Father's hands, hung His head and died. As His spirit ascended, darkness fell upon the earth; the ground shook violently causing a great earthquake and fear fell upon those nearby.

His body was taken down and placed in a tomb which was then sealed by Roman Soldiers to assure no escape or theft of His body. Grief and devastation struck His followers and sadness was upon His mother Mary and all His followers while a great celebration was going on in Heaven! Jesus had just fulfilled Salvation's Plan and the separation between sinful man and God was forever eradicated by the blood of this Precious Sacrificial Lamb!

When Jesus died, the grounds shook so violently that the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in half, from top down to the bottom; an act that could have only come from heaven above, since the top of the veil was too high for man to reach (noted to be almost 60 feet in height). No longer would sin separate man from God; and no longer would man be required to offer up blood offerings yearly by a High Priest of the temples for his sins.

Hebrews 9:24-26 explains, "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself."

Jesus was now the High Priest for all mankind, once and for all time sake. His ultimate sacrifice broke down the barrier between man and God. Man can now come boldly before the throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16} knowing that "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."[1 John 1:9].

Jesus became the bridge between God and all mankind, to all who will believe and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. No longer is man separated from God by the great gulf of sin. His supreme sacrifice made it possible for you and me to enjoy a personal relationship, a one on one relationship with our Heavenly Father, through His Son, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

His death on the cross was not the end.... oh no, but only the beginning for all who believe and receive the works Jesus fulfilled for their salvation. What joy to know that when this earthly life is over, we're not dead, but alive in Jesus forevermore. As we close our eyes on earth we open our eyes seeing our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus who reigns forevermore! What Glory awaits us on Heaven's bright shore when we see our Lord face to face;

So Holy Week continues with Good Friday on the rise and then that 3rd Glorious day....... "But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on; until the day my eyes behold that city; until the day God calls me home!" God loves you dear friend, and so do I~~

Celebrating Holy Week

 As we are celebrating Holy Week and rejoice greatly in the willingness of our Lord Jesus to endure all the persecutions, the torture of those stripes ripping thru His body for our healing from all sickness and disease; and we rejoice greatly in Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, surrendering His life as ransom from all sin for all mankind on that old rugged cross; and we rejoice greatly in His Resurrection from the dead; knowing that the same power that raised Him quickens our mortal bodies and creates our new man in Christ Jesus ensuring eternal life with Him forevermore. And this same Power that raised Jesus from the dead and brought Him forth from the tomb can quicken and heal our wicked world from this pandemic virus if we repent and turn from our sins and magnify the Holy Name of Jesus; because to Jesus and Him only belongs ALL Glory, Honor, and Praise! 

So let's begin renewing our minds in Christ Jesus and in all our ways let's lift up the name of Jesus over all sickness and disease, over financial loss and loss of loved ones, and by faith let's boldly declare Him Lord of lords and King of kings; and walk by Faith not by sight; not by believing in man's word but declaring God's Word and His Faithfulness in all things; and let's rejoice in this day He has given and be glad in it! Have a wonderfully blessed day, dear friend, God loves you and so do I~~~