Tag: forgiven

Moving Forward in the Song of Ascents

Walk with me in victory in the Song of Ascents as we run our race and fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith . . .

The Song of Ascents were recited as the children of Israel journeyed up to Jerusalem. Journey with me. Speak aloud the Songs. Pray the Songs, for such a time as this, together we ascend to our promised land:

Psalm 120, A Cry in Distress A Song of Ascents:

Quite accurate for our year 2020, Psalm 120.

In my distress I cried to the LORD, And He heard me.

Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you, You false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree!

Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war Psalm 120.

We won’t stand still, we keep moving forward. Psalm 121 will help us with our focus:

Psalm 121, God is Our Keeper. A Song of Ascents.

The LORD will preserve those who trust in Him from all evil, from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Perhaps we walk in a desert place, but when we feed our hungry soul with faith as we drink the Living Word, we are refreshed in ways beyond our mind’s eye.

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.

He who continually goes forth weeping

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

Bringing his sheaves with him Psalm 126: 5,6.

But I can’t get ahead of myself. “The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.”

We can rejoice in the Lord, always:

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness, ” Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

How glad we are to enter the house of the LORD!

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Our feet have been standing Within the gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built. As a city that is compact together, Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD . . .

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”

For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good”Psalm 122.

“Yes, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem because You, dear Lord command us to. We seek Your good this day dear Lord. We rejoice that You hear our prayers.”

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.

Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud Psalm 123.

Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me

Cevilla D Martin, His Eye is on the Sparrow

Bring us to a new beginning Lord. We seek You. Help us believe You and Your Word. Help our unbelief. We cry “Mercy Lord.”

Renew.

Restore.

We walk with ears to hear:

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper . . . Psalm 1:1,2,3.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish Psalm 1:6.

The LORD God, Creator of heaven and earth, He is our hope and defense:

If it had not been for the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, . . . Our help is in the Name of the LORD who made heaven and earth Psalm 124. (Calligraphy, tonirypkema.com)

“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,” Let Israel now say – “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us;

Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.”

Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth Psalm 124.

Those who trust in the LORD are like mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever Psalm 125:1.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.

For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel! Psalm 125.

Breath by breath, step by step, with our eyes focused up, we walk this journey meditating on God’s Word that we might be as trees planted by the rivers of water whose leaf shall not wither, (Psalm 1).

Because: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.“

The Bible tells us so. Today, I hear the voice of the Lord, and I will stand on His promises. Join me in faith to believe God more and more and grow in understanding of His Holy Word? Yes and amen.

“For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity Psalm 125:3.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

We remember our hope:

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus by Robert Lowry, 1876.

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy . . . The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad Psalm 126.

When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him Psalm 126.

Do we sow in tears? We shall reap in joy.

Do we continually go forth weeping? We are bearing seed for sowing. We will rejoice again because the Lord is working. He is helping. He is drawing near as we draw near to Him.

“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
    and have carried since you were born.
 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you Isaiah 46:3,4.

“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
    To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
Some pour out gold from their bags
    and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
    and they bow down and worship it.
 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
    they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
    From that spot it cannot move.
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;
    it cannot save them from their troubles.

“Remember this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels Isaiah 46:5-8.


Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
 I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.


I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’Isaiah 46: 9,10.


From the east I summon a bird of prey;
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned, that I will do.
 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
    you who are now far from my righteousness.


 I am bringing my righteousness near,
    it is not far away;
    and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
    my splendor to Israel Isaiah 46:11-13.

Do we hear the voice of the Lord? Do we believe?

“I believe You, Lord.”

Aloud we proclaim Your Word. Our faith in increased. We are being changed.

Unless the LORD builds the house they labor in vain who build it Psalm 127:1.

Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is vain for you to rise early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is His reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. they shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate Psalm 127.

Moving forward in the Song of Ascents. Psalm 128:

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.

When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table.

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel!

Life might be messy, but with the LORD, it will be blessed!

Blessings come in many ways. Often by trial and hardship. They’re the good things that draw me closer and closer to the Lord. The pain brings remembrance of Him:

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed 1 Peter 2:24.

In this collage of God’s Word and Psalms and hymns, I share encouragement from a Traditional Spiritual written in about 1800, There Is a Balm in Gilead:

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

  1. Sometimes I feel discouraged, And think my work’s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again.
  2. If you can’t preach like Peter, If you can’t pray like Paul Just tell the love Jesus, And say He died for all.

Step by step we journey, fixed on the Author and Finisher of our souls. He speaks, . . .

with each step we’ve all been given privilege to choose:

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess Deuteronomy 30: 15,16.

 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,  I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. Deuteronomy 30: 17,18.

 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live  and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.Deut. 30: 19,20.

Who will repeat His Word back to Him in faith and believing: “I chose life, so that me and my children may live. That we might love You, Lord God, and listen to Your voice, and hold fast to You.

For You, Lord are my life, and You give me many years in the land . . .

Peace be unto Israel. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Bless or Curse? That is the question.

Do I remember all the benefits of God?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” John 12:24.


Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

How can we bless the Lord at a time of trial or loss? We can . . . when we remember all His benefits as Psalm 103 reminds us:

 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:

Circumstances change continually. We’re tempted to fret. We try to figure things out. We become angry and impatient.

Will we remember our great and mighty Lord?

 He forgives all (y)our iniquities,
Who heals all (y)our diseases, . . .

The struggle is great, . . .

to fret, or choose faith?

God waits. He’s patient and kind. It’s one thing to be patient, but patient and kind? That is glorious. That is the Lord. Fret brings on a deaf ear. Faith opens the hearing,

“Look up. Let go. Turn around. Follow Me.”

The struggle is great. There’s a war in our spirit. We have a choice to make.

When we look into His Word, we’re reminded that He who is faithful and true, keeps His promises:

He redeems (y)our life from destruction,
He crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
He satisfies (y)our mouth with good things,
So that (y)our youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Emphasis mine).

What will I think on today? What will I remember? The losses, the hurts? Or the promises of God?

Do I choose to believe the Lord, this moment, this day? Who is my Lord? Is it my own understanding or God’s proven character:

 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water” Jeremiah 2:13.

Selfishness and a stubborn spirit steal and bring thirst to my soul. But to all who seek Him, Jesus, He gives benefits:

” . . . but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” John 4:14.

If I’m aware that I’m full and overflowing with the Lord’s love and sufficient grace, then my eyes see the green pastures the Lord has made me to lie down in, ( even in the storm), then I understand He restores my soul, yesterday, today, forever. He is God.

Circumstances change, but God doesn’t.

Who is God that I should bless?

 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

He is a gracious and compassionate Lord whom we can trust at all times.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Is He “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name?” Do we agree and ask to surrender as His children under His will?
 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.

Do I bless the Lord and remember His Word? It is light and life to our soul when we choose Him, Jesus.

Yes, when we remember His benefits toward us, those who choose to be children, forgiven and free:
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The battle is won in prayer and praise.

Dear Lord, with all that is within me, let us remember all Your benefits:

 The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all Psalm 103: 1-19.

Amen. Amen. And again, amen.

Separate for God or Self?

“Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near” Revelation 1:3, Amplified.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Do I believe it? Do you believe it? Why does this matter?

If God’s Word is truth, as Jesus Himself proclaimed in His prayer for those who follow Him in John 17:17, Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth,

then, I must understand there is blessing in hearing and receiving the Book of Revelation along with the entirety of the Bible. This is the revelation of Jesus.

Jesus is the Word. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God Revelation 19:13.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth John 1:14-15.

Everyday I need revelation of Jesus Christ. I need to see His glory. How about you?

The Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Am I separated to Him that I might receive His amazing grace, one time for salvation, everyday for light in the midst of a dark world.

Let our hearts sing, “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”

 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 

 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17.

“Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved . . . “

Am I separated to receive the fullness of His grace? Grace is His unmerited favor on my life. Jesus offers sufficient grace and forgiveness. Am I in a place to receive this?

Happy, blessed, and safe are those who read and hear, who keep these words in our heart, who choose to believe and follow the prophesy. From the first Book of Genesis to the final Book of the Revelation of Jesus.

Where do I stand? Where do you stand. Are we separate unto the Lord?

Can we sing, “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.”

What does it mean to be sanctified?

Why would I want to be separated to God? Will He take away my life’s desires? Does fear keep me from receiving God’s love and life eternal through His Son Jesus Christ?

Am I half-hearted or set apart?

Jesus was all in:

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit John 19:28-30.

Jesus gave all when our backs were turned to Him: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

The revelation of Jesus is grace and truth. “And of His fullness we have all received grace for grace.” We receive because he gave us what we didn’t deserve. This makes me want to be on His side, no?

Read in Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828, the definition of sanctify:

SANC’TIFY, verb transitive . . .

1. In a general sense, to cleanse, purify or make holy.

2. To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Genesis 2:3 . . .

5. To cleanse from corruption; to purify from sin; to make holy by detaching the affections from the world and its defilements, and exalting them to a supreme love to God.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.

John 17:17. Ephesians 5:26 . . .

7. To make free from guilt . . .

8. To secure from violation . . .

To sanctify God, to praise and celebrate him as a holy being; to acknowledge and honor his holy majesty, and to reverence his character and laws. Isaiah 8:13.

God sanctifies himself or his name, by vindicating his honor from the reproaches of the wicked, and manifesting his glory. Ezekiel 36:23.

Is this not safety? In a day where so much expense and time is being spent on safety are we safely set apart to God, the keeper of our souls?

Am I a lost soul? or am I sanctified to the Lord, the One who is able to save us to the uttermost:

Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them Hebrews 7:25.

“Give me revelation,” we pray in this dark day. We need to know truth. Let’s read aloud the Amplified version of His grace upon grace for those who choose Him today:

Grace [be granted] to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being], from Him Who is [existing forever]

and Who was [continually existing in the past]

and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits that are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.

To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)— 

and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

 Behold, He is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see Him,

even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. 

So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1: 4-7.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”Revelation 1:8.

Separated to God? Yes!

Let’s proclaim together: “I will be careful and safe, making the most out of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Today, we ask to be cleansed and emptied of ourselves and filled with the Spirit of God, that we might have lives that bear much fruit. That God’s love and joy and peace would permeate from our lives because we choose to be separate to Him.

That we might have patience in all things. That we might have the fullness of self-control and gentleness.

We ask for a filling of His Spirit over and again. That we would be faithful to read and hear the revelation of Jesus Christ through the entirety of His Word.

He has given us a new song. Today we will choose to make music in our heart to the Lord.

Let’s continually give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of His love, He has made glad, me, you, and those we are around!

PS: If you’ve never asked the Lord Jesus in your life, . . . do it now.

Simply bow your head and talk to Him. Ask forgiveness for your stubbornness and hardness of heart. Ask Him to wash, cleanse, and purify.

He will. He will sanctify you.

Ask the Lord to fill You with His Spirit and understanding in His Word, in the revelation of Jesus.

He will. He looses the stronghold of every chain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And tell someone that you have opened your heart to Love.

Am I His Child? Can I know?

Promise of rest.

Promise of peace.

If we have no strength to hold on to anything. God promises to hold His children through the storm.

Who is a child of the Lord? Are all people born?

The Bible instructs us to hear. His Word says, to those who believe in His name He gives rights.

He gives the right to become His child: Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—John 1:12.

What name? Who? What’s going on in our spirit? Does it fight and war against God, or is it broken and ready to hear it?

The name?

Jesus.

Who is He? Spend time walking with Him in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

In today’s world we can listen audibly to the Word of God. Instead of popular music, the choice can be made to hear the music of God’s love.

Ask Him to help you understand. Pray to God. Ask Him to show you Himself in His Word.

Do you think God will answer a prayer like that? Ask, seek, knock. He instructs open, willing hearts:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened, Matthew 7:7,8.

What’s the Father in heaven like?

The Bible tells us all:

 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  Matthew 7:10,11. 

Ask God. Seek His face.

“What’s the importance of the Bible?” Let God help you know:

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name, John 20:31.

The Lord Himself will reveal His truth. Ask His Spirit to help you understand. He will show you the Way.

When we believe in Jesus, He comes in and heals, forgives, and lifts our guilt by the power of His blood. The atoning sacrifice Jesus gave on the cross, sets us free from our past and great losses.

The promises of God are our gain. We believe Jesus. We become His child.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life1 John 5:13.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him 1 John 5:13-15.1

 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.  We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. 1 John 5: 19,20.

And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

We can know that we are children of God.

God, our Father in heaven, knows that we are healthy and blessed when we walk according to His ways and rest:

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 1 John 2:3.

  But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did, 1 John 2:5,6.

So, as a child of God, we must seek to know Him greatly that we might live our lives for Him completely.

Taking time to think on the day Jesus died for me.

The soldiers led Jesus into the hall, the Praetorium by name.

And they called together a band—of mockers and scorners of ridicule and hate.

It’s as if it were staged. The one’s who chose not to believe, shouted with rage.

Oh, that those who believe on His name, would have double the passion to sing aloud their praise.

They clothed him with purple and laid a crown of thorns on His head. The one who it was said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sins, He sits alone. Misunderstood. With a bleeding head.

He was saluted, “Hail King of the Jews,” as they mocked him on their knees. He was hit, and spat at and whipped with a reed.

Is this what we think of when we read, “Remember Me.”

They took off the purple and put on the plain, then led him out to be crucified. They compelled a foreigner to carry the cross through.

On that note, believer, think it not strange when passing through this foreign land, that we be compelled, to carry a cross too.

But, oh, we do. Oh, yes, we do.

The one’s who chose not to believe, laughed and scorned Him, and brought  horror and shame. Shall we take a minute as we take our next breath, to adore Him and thank Him for enduring such pain.

Jesus was brought to the place, Golgotha. The Place of the Skull was and is it’s reputation. They offered him “wine mingled with mhyrr” but he refused—He endured to the utmost, the crucifixion.

He was numbered with the transgressors. He was crucified with two thieves. His guiltless name was written with a list of men with wrong-doings.

Yes, this was prophesied hundreds of years before, that this would be.
He bore ridicule from passers-by. He bore mocking from Religious heads.

He bore the shouts, “Save, yourself. Come down from the cross.”

What is meekness? What is patience? Let Jesus be our teacher when we find ourselves at a loss!

And “when the sixth hour had come there was darkness over the land.”

Noon until three, darkness surrounded. Does God have wisdom and power above what we do and don’t understand?

What were the hearts of men doing then? Some had fear, others—faith. For those who choose faith, let’s bow our heads together, taking time to thank Him for His loving grace.

There’s more to His Story. This is from Mark 15. On the ninth hour, 3:00 in the afternoon, Jesus shouted, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani.”
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

And He shouted, and we learn from another Gospel the words, “It is finished.” Jesus died on that tree.

“And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Impossible with man, but with God—this testimony is true.

A witness, the centurian standing in front of Him during the passion, watched Him as He breathed His last breath, and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 
What is our comment? We best consider our reaction.

It might not seem to matter much to us today. But we best take time. To consider. Where. We plan to spend our eter-ni-ty . . .

Taken from Mark 15:16-32 and Isaiah 53

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