Sing to God: First Song

Today’s blog post is based on Episode 2 of Season 12 of the Written Spoken Podcast. You can listen to the episode by clicking here or via the link at the end of the blog post.

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First song. The first song recorded in the Bible is found in Exodus 15:1-18 (NKJV). This song will be our focus but, I will note, although it is the first song recorded it is not the first time singing occurs in the Bible. Job 38:7 informs us there was singing at creation. I recommend reading verses 1 to 7 for context.

Moses is identified as the author of the first song recorded in the Bible. The newly liberated children of Israel sang this song after God destroyed all “the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained” (Ex. 14:26-30 NKJV).

Let us read the song together:
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
The Lord is a man of war;
The Lord is His name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them;
They sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
And with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with Your wind,
The sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
You stretched out Your right hand;
The earth swallowed them.
You in Your mercy have led forth
The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength
To Your holy habitation.

“The people will hear and be afraid;
Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed;
The mighty men of Moab,
Trembling will take hold of them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.
Fear and dread will fall on them;
By the greatness of Your arm
They will be as still as a stone,
Till Your people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over
Whom You have purchased.
You will bring them in and plant them
In the mountain of Your inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which You have made
For Your own dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

“The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

Romans 15:4 (AMP) states, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.” What can we learn from the first song recorded in the Bible that can instruct and encourage us and cause us to have hope and overflow with confidence in God’s Promises?

We can learn about who God is, about His character:
Verse 1 – He is LORD (YHWH) and gloriously triumphant. 
Verse 2: He is our strength and song. He is our salvation. He is our God who we praise. He is to be exalted.  
Verse 3: God is a Warrior. He is the God who fights for His people.
Verse 7: God is the God of excellent greatness.
Verse 11: God has no equal among the gods. God is glorious in holiness. God is fearful in praises.
Verse 12: God is merciful.

We can learn about what God did for His people:
Verse 1 & 4 – 10: He completely destroyed the army, including the elite warriors, of those who had enslaved and oppressed His people.
Verse 2: He saved His people.
Verse 13: In His mercy He led forth the people whom He redeemed. He guided them in His strength to His holy habitation.

We can learn about what God will do:
Verse 17: He will keep His promises. Verse 17 speaks with assurance that God would bring His people into the promised land in keeping with the covenant He made to Abraham when Abraham was still childless (Gen. 15:18).
Verse 18: we can learn that God will reign forever.

This first recorded song in the Bible is all about God, His delivering power and His unparalleled might. There is no human or other focus in this first recorded song.  

Moses and the people of Israel sang the first recorded song to God because of what He did for them. If you were to reflect on one of the many, many times you have seen God work on your behalf, what would you say about who God is? About what He has done? About what His action(s) in that situation told you about what He would do in the future? What song would you sing to Him? I encourage you to set aside some time to write and sing your unique song to Him. Remember, it does not matter if you “cannot carry a tune in a bucket.” Sing to God because He deserves praise, and no one can sing your unique song for you. 

Prayer: Lord, help us to sing to You, our God, and keep singing to You, no matter what. In Jesus’ Name. 

If not for the many, then the one

If you could do anything you desire to do,
what would you do for:
the estimated 110 million people forced to flee their communities in search of safety because of conflict, violence, persecution, and instability?
the over a quarter of a billion people facing acute hunger?
those whose loved ones died and whose homes and business were reduced to rubble by the recent tornadoes in the Central and Southern Plains of the USA?
the survivors of rape and sexual assault?
the victims of intimate partner violence?
the children who will go to bed hungry tonight in your county?
the homeless in your city?
the unemployed or underemployed?
the brokenhearted?
those grieving the loss of a dearly beloved family member, friend?
the lonely?

The needs of the world can overwhelm.
Tempting us to turn our eyes away,
shrug our shoulders.
Cry.
Compassion and a sense of helplessness,
a heavy weight in our hearts and minds.

While we wrestle with,
struggle to identify what we can do realistically for the many,
there is always something we can do for the one.
The person in front of us:
Ringing up our groceries.
Taking our method of payment at the gas station,
our articles of clothing at the dry cleaners.
Sitting next to us at the doctor’s office,
in our places of worship,
on the bus or train.
Living across the street.
Sitting across from us at the dinner table.

What can we do?
First and foremost, we can pray.
And recognize consistently His image in them. Imago Dei.
We can be kind,
courteous,
hold the door,
say hello.
Stop scrolling on our devices, ask, “How are you?” and wait for a reply.
Extend grace, conscious of our own need of grace.
Give of our time.
Be present.
Practice being patient.
Forgive.
Ask for forgiveness.
Love wholeheartedly.

The actions suggested above are not an exhaustive list
or an excuse not to seek out opportunities to join with others working to change policy,
to make a difference beyond our immediate circles.
These actions are about redeeming the time we have.
Doing, to paraphrase the words of Theodore Roosevelt,
“What we can, with what we have, where we are.”
These actions are about remembering that we are pilgrims.
Sojourners.
Passing from life to eternity.
It is about recognizing that even when we cannot do great, world changing things,
we can follow Mother Teresa’s admonition and do “Small things with great love,”
remembering what Jesus said in a parable,
“whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40 NIV).

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Thank you for reading this blog post. I want to invite you to be part of a cause that makes a life-changing difference “for the many and the one.” The cause is World Vision’s efforts to address the global water and sanitation crisis that results in the deaths of “more than 800 children under age 5 every day from diarrhea caused by contaminated water, poor sanitation, and unsafe hygiene.”

On May 18, 2024, I will join thousands of others around the world in the World Vision Global 6K to empower children in need with lasting clean water. The wonderful thing about the 6K is that you can participate from anywhere in the world in two ways:
1) Register to walk, jog, or stroller-run on your own, form a team, or join a team. (I know a great team. See below 😊)*. From the location of your choice – your treadmill or favorite trail, your church or your local school track – walk, jog, or stroller-run your way to 6K and make a life-changing difference.
2) If you are not physically able to walk, jog, or run, you can make a donation to this life-giving cause.

*I would love to have you join my team the BCS Clean Water Tribe or make a donation to help me reach my fundraising goal. Please join this life-changing effort in any way possible. Thank you.

Sing to God: Who? Why? What? How? When?

Today’s blog post is based on the first episode of Season 12 of the Written Spoken Podcast. You can listen to the episode by clicking here or via the link at the end of the blog post.

Singing to God. “Who is to sing to God?” “Why sing to God?” “What do we sing to God?” “How do we sing to God?” and “When do we sing to God?” We will use these five questions to reflect on the practice of singing to God.

“Who is to sing to God?”
It seemed necessary to answer this question first to make it clear that the practice of singing to God is for all of us. But what if, as the saying goes, you cannot carry a tune in a bucket? Singing to God is for you. Singing to God has nothing to do with ability. This truth is made clear in many verses of Scripture. Here are four of them (Note that none mentions ability, only words such as all and everything):
Psalm 66:1-4 (TLB): “Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing of his glorious name! Tell the world how wonderful he is. How awe-inspiring are your deeds, O God! How great your power! No wonder your enemies surrender! All the earth shall worship you and sing of your glories.”
Psalm 96:1(NKJV): Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
Psalm 100:1-2 (NKJV): “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”
Psalm 150:6 (NLT): “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Why sing to God?
Several answers to this question are found, not surprisingly, in the Psalms: 
1.  It is good and delightful to do so.
Psalm 92:1 (AMP) states “It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, To sing praises to Your name, O Most High.”
 2. God is great and greatly to be praised.
Psalm 96:1-5 (AMP) instructs:
“O sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvelous works and wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are [worthless, lifeless] idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.”
3. To sing to God is an act of obedience because God commands us to sing to Him.
Here are some examples in Scripture of this command:
Psalm 47:6 (AMP): Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises.” Psalms 100:2 (NKJV): “Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”
Ephesians 5:19 (AMP): “Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;”

One of the oft repeated questions of young children when given an answer is, “But why?” This is a habit that sometimes can exasperate a parent and result in the response, “Because I say so!” In response to the statement that God commands us to sing to Him perhaps your inner child is asking, “But why?” Pastor, songwriter, and author Bob Kauflin has an answer for your inner child. In the resource, “Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?” Kauflin speaks of God’s passion for singing. He notes, “the Bible contains over four hundred references to singing and fifty direct commands to sing.” He proposes two reasons God wants us to sing: (1) God Himself sings (Zep. 3:17).  Kauflin states, “We worship a triune God who sings, and he wants us to be like him.” (2) “Singing can help us remember words.” He points us to Deuteronomy 31 where “God himself used music to help his people remember his words.”  

“What do we sing to God?”
Given that singing can help us to remember words, what we sing is critical. In the resource referenced above, Kauflin notes, “It is the Word of Christ, the Word about Christ, the Word of the gospel — not musical experiences or emotional highs — that are to dwell in us richly as we sing… the greater portion of our lyrical diet should be the objective truths we’re responding to: God’s Word, his character, and his works, especially his work of sending his Son to be our atoning sacrifice.” In another article, “What Should We Sing? How to Identify a Good Worship Song,” Kauflin speaks of our need to evaluate our song diet as a whole. He offers this question to aid us in doing so, “If the only theology we received were contained in the songs we sing, how well would we know God after five years?” 

Let us turn to several of the many passages of Scripture that tell us what to sing to the Lord:
Psalms 59:16 (AMP): “But as for me, I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; Yes, I will sing joyfully of Your lovingkindness in the morning; For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.”
Psalms 89:1 (BSB): “I will sing of the loving devotion of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.”
Psalms 66:1-2 (NKJV): “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious.”
Psalms 101:1 (BSB): “I will sing of Your loving devotion and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”

How do we sing to the Lord?
(1)  From our heart and with all our heart.
Psalm 9:1-2 (AMP) states: I will give thanks and praise the Lord, with all my heart; I will tell aloud all Your wonders and marvelous deeds. I will rejoice and exult in you; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
(2) With our spirit and our mind (or understanding).
In 1 Corinthians 15:14 (AMP), the apostle Paul states, “I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].” Psalm 47:6-7 (NKJV) instructs: “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.” In the resource, “Singing and Making Melody to the Lord,” John Piper (author, founder and teacher of desiringGod.org notes, “the essence of Christian worship is not mere liturgical actions – or any other kind – but an inner, authentic valuing of God in the heart.”  Piper also states that “Singing is to be undergirded by a deep, biblical theology of God’s sovereign goodness.”

Now our final question, “When do we sing to God?”
We sing to God continually. We sing to God at all times. We sing to God in all circumstances. Hebrews 13:15 (NLV) instructs: “Let us give thanks all the time to God through Jesus Christ. Our gift to Him is to give thanks. Our lips should always give thanks to His name.” Psalm 34:1 (NKJV) states: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Paul and Silas demonstrate the truth that it is possible to sing to God continually, at all times, and in all circumstances. This demonstration is documented in Acts 16. Paul and Silas were beaten, thrown into prison, put into the inner prison and their feet fastened into stocks, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16: 22-25).  What enabled them to sing to God under such difficult circumstances and what will enable us to do the same? Hope based on knowledge of God (His character), trust in Him, and assurance of His love.

We must sing to God at all times and even more so in the night seasons. I highly recommend reading the article, “Raise Your Song in the Night,” by Scott Hubbard, Editor of desiringGod.org, which provides powerful reasons to sing in the night seasons. I will share one here: “God uses our midnight songs to keep us till the morning.” He notes, “Often, sung words fit where said words cannot: melodies slip under the doorways of our doubts while said words stand outside knocking. Once sung, the words often stay with us, echoing through the chambers of our minds and hearts, bringing form to our mayhem, beauty to our bleakness, and truth to the logic of our despair.” Hubbard ends his article, with these words of encouragement, “When the time is right, God will answer. And our songs will be one way that he lifts up the valleys, makes low the hills, and prepares the way for joy’s return.”

Prayer: Gracious God, the One who gives us songs at night, You who are worthy to be praised and worshiped at all times, help us to keep singing to You, no matter what. In Jesus’s Name.

Limit

Limits. To be human is to have limits: mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually … in all areas.

There is only one – Elohim. Adonai. El Shaddai. – who is unlimited in power, in knowledge, in His ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine, in mercy, in compassion, in faithfulness, in love… in all that is good and perfect.

But to be human is to have limits. Yes, it is true that we may be capable of more than we believed. That situations, circumstances, trials, trouble, etc. can reveal to us that we are capable of more than we believed.

But to be human is to have limits. And instead of being frustrated by our limitations, when faced with them, may we turn to the One who has no limits. The One who invites us to, “Come boldly to the throne of grace and find grace to help us in our time of need.”* The One who is our risen Lord and Savior and who reigns forever.

This post was written for the Five Minute Friday writing community’s weekly writing adventure. The community is hosted by Kate Motaung. The current writing prompt is “Limit.” Click here to learn about the writing community and to read other posts. *The invitation referenced in the last paragraph is found in Hebrews 4:16. Here is the New King James Version of the verse, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Living Out the Truth of the Rescurrection of Christ Jesus

This blog post is based on Episode 7 of Season 11 of the Written Spoken Podcast. You can listen to the episode here or via the link shared at the end of the blog post. Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture references are from the NKJV.

My sister Constance and I were reflecting recently on our experience of Resurrection Sunday. She made a statement that summed up the experience perfectly for me, “It was a high holy day,” she said. Indeed it was. On the Monday immediately following Resurrection Sunday, however, it seemed that I had stepped down from the mountain top experience of Resurrection Sunday into the mundane of the valley, the lower plains of everyday living. I communicated (probably closer to whined) this perspective to God and was given this truth, “The Resurrection Power of Resurrection Sunday is not only on the mountain top. It goes with me into the ordinariness of my daily life.”  I am grateful for the reminder that the Resurrected One lives in me by His Spirit. But how can I live out the truth of the resurrection of Christ Jesus in my daily life? How can you? Let us consider this question together.

I believe that living out the Resurrection of Christ Jesus in our daily lives, first requires us to have more than a superficial understanding of what Christ Jesus accomplished through His excruciating and brutal death and His glorious Resurrection. 

What did He accomplish? 

I found two articles helpful as I reflected on this question: author Matt Perman’s article, “6 Things Christ Accomplished by His Death” and John Piper’s article, “Six Gifts of the Resurrection.” I appreciate these resources because they are based in Scripture, not personal opinion. 

First, Matt Perman’s article. Perman states that by His death Christ accomplished expiation, propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and defeat of the powers of darkness, and He did all of the above by dying as our substitute. 
1. Expiation
Perman instructs us that “Expiation means the removal of our sin and guilt. Christ’s death removes — expiates — our sin and guilt. The guilt of our sin was taken away from us and placed on Christ, who discharged it by his death.” In describing the act of expiation, Perman references three verses of Scripture that speak to the truth that Christ Jesus’ death removes – expiates – our sin and guilt, John 1:29; Isaiah 53:6; and Hebrews 9:26b.
2. Propitiation
Perman notes that “propitiation refers to the removal of God’s wrath. By dying in our place for our sins, Christ removed the wrath of God that we justly deserved .. and turns it into favor.” Scripture verses he references include Hebrews 2:17 and 1 John 4:10.
3. Reconciliation
Perman states that reconciliation refers to the removal of our alienation from God. He states that we were separated, alienated from God because of our sins. Christ’s death put an end to this alienation and reconciled us to God. (Praise be to His Name!) Romans 5:10-11 powerfully states this truth.
4. Redemption. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to redeem is “to free from captivity by payment of ransom.”  Perman notes that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13-14), redeemed us from the guilt of our sin (Rom. 3:24), and redeemed us from the power of sin (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
5. Defeat of the powers of darkness. Perman notes that through His death and resurrection, “Having disarmed principalities and powers” Christ Jesus, “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15).
6. Finally, Perman states that Christ did all of the above – expiation, propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and defeat of the powers of darkness, by dying as our substitute (and I will add as Romans 4:25 states, “was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God]” (AMP).  Perman states, “The reality of substitution is at the heart of the atonement. Christ accomplished all of the above benefits for us by dying in our place — that is, by dying instead of us. We deserved to die, and he took our sin upon him and paid the penalty himself (Rom. 5:8; Gal. 2:20; Isa. 53:5-6).” 

Now John Piper’s article. In his article, “Six Gifts of the Resurrection” which is based on 1 Corinthians 15:14-20, Piper states that in raising Jesus from the dead, God did the following:
He gave us forgiveness and glorified Jesus as the all-sufficient forgiver;
He gave us a friend to count on and glorified Jesus as utterly reliable;
He gave us guidance and unchanging truth and glorified Jesus as the absolute foundation for truth and righteousness;
He gave us a life that is not pitiable but enviable, a ministry that is not in vain but fruitful, and glorified Jesus as the source and goal of all life and all ministry;
and He gave us everlasting joy that will not be ended by death, and glorified Jesus as the author of life, the victor over death, and the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Having reflected on what Jesus did for us through His death and resurrection we return to the question, “How do I live out the Resurrection of Christ Jesus in my daily life? How do you?”

To live out the resurrection of Christ Jesus, there are truths that each of us must believe and internalize, among them, Galatians 2:20 (AMP): “I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” 

Another truth each of us must believe is that the same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in each of us.  This is important because we need God’s power to live out the resurrection of Christ Jesus. But why would we believe that the same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in each of us? Because Jesus said it would. He told His disciples in John 14:15-18 (AMP), “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.” This promise was made to those who were present with Him physically and all who would become His disciples. That includes you and I. 

One of the clearest instructions of how to live out the resurrection of Christ Jesus is found in Romans 12:1-2. I will share the Message Translation of Romans 12:1-2: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

One of the most powerful examples of someone who placed his “everyday, ordinary life – his sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life- before God as an offering,” was Brother Lawrence, a 17th century lay monk. The book The Practice of the Presence of God is a compilation of Brother Lawrence’s letters and personal writings (titled Maxims) and recorded conversations. You can access a free copy of the book at The Project Gutenberg website.

Often, when we hear of persons like Brother Lawrence or read of individuals in the Bible, we are tempted to see them as extraordinary individuals with an insider’s track to God, when the reality is, each of them had to day by day, moment by moment choose to obey God, choose to trust Him, etc. just as we each must do, if we are to live out the Resurrection of Jesus in our daily lives. Remember the prophet Elijah? James 5:17 (AMP) states, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.”

To live out the resurrection of Christ Jesus in our daily lives, is to, as did Brother Lawrence, “do our common business wholly for the love of Him.” Such a way of life is a life of surrender, a life rooted in the love of God, and a life characterized by trusting Him.

Romans 1:3-4, the PHILLIPS translation states, “The Gospel is centred in God’s Son, a descendant of David by human genealogy and patently marked out as the Son of God by the power of that Spirit of holiness which raised him to life again from the dead.”

Second Corinthians  5:14-15, the  AMP translation instructs us, “For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.”

Let us pray: Father, may the love of Christ control and compel us, so that our lifestyles reflect the fact that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and was raised for our sake. In Jesus name. Amen.

He is Risen Just as He Said

“She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin” (Matt. 1:21 VOICE).

My focus for today’s blog post is the Resurrection of Jesus. Why then did I begin with a verse about His birth? Because it is important that we remember why He came. He came to save us from our sin, but it is His resurrection that gives His birth, its true meaning. As author and podcaster, Lisa Jo Baker, noted years ago, “Christmas makes no sense outside of the context of Easter. Because it was a ransom that was delivered on a dark night, under a stark white star, all those years ago.”

Christ Jesus, the Child who was born and the Son who was given (Isa. 9:6; John 3:16), came to redeem us and our redemption required His brutal death and His glorious Resurrection. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:14-20 (AMP) that, without His Resurrection, our faith is “vain [imaginary, unfounded, devoid of value and benefit—not based on truth]” and “worthless and powerless [mere delusion].” Furthermore, “If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hoped only in this life [and this is all there is], then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death].”

We are told in Hebrews 9:11-12, “But when Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come [that is, true spiritual worship], He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not a part of this [material] creation. He went once for all into the Holy Place [the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God], and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption [that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior]” (AMP).

Romans 1:3-4 (PHILLIPS) tells us, “The Gospel is centered in God’s Son, a descendant of David by human genealogy and patently marked out as the Son of God by the power of that Spirit of holiness which raised him to life again from the dead.”

The Resurrection of Christ Jesus, is a historical fact but what does the Resurrection of Christ Jesus mean for us personally? It is a critical question that each of us must answer for ourselves because what we believe about the Resurrection of Christ Jesus changes everything.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve” (1 Cor. 15, 3-5 AMP; emphasis added).

Second Corinthians 5:14-15 (AMP) states, “For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake” (2 Cor. 5:14-15 AMP).

I pray that the truth of Christ’s Resurrection will permeate our daily living. May we meet every challenge and celebrate every victory with this truth, “But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead …” (1 Cor. 15:20 AMP).  “Christ has in fact been raised from the dead.”  The angel told the women who went to the tomb that first Resurrection Sunday to anoint the body of Jesus, “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said [He would]. Come! See the place where He was lying” (Matt. 28:6 AMP). We can trust the God who keeps His word.

Holy Week: Every Step

This blog post is based on Episode 6 of Season 11 of the Written Spoken Podcast. You can listen to the episode here or via the link shared at the end of the blog post. Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture references are from the NKJV.

Today we turn our attention to Holy Week which this year began on March 24 (Palm Sunday) and ends on March 30 (Holy Saturday). 

We will read an excerpt of the apostle Luke’s account of the events of Palm Sunday, documented in Luke 19:37-42. After this excerpt, I will share a revised version of the blog post, “Every Step” which was originally published on this blog.

Before we begin reading, let us pray. Lord Jesus, this is a familiar passage of Scripture, but we want to afford it the reverence Your word deserves. Help us in this moment to be acutely aware of the truth that You, the Word through whom everything that is was made, became flesh to redeem us. It is in Your name we pray. Amen.

Luke 19:37-42:
“Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:
“‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Celebration and weeping both in the same event. Jesus accepted the praise and adoration, as was His due, riding in on the back of a colt, in fulfillment of the prophecy by Zechariah:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9-10).

Jesus accepted the praise and adoration as was His due, but He also wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-42). The God who is to be worshipped is also the God who weeps. 

“Every Step”
The first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew documents the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, beginning with Abraham, the father of Isaac. Verse 17 states, “Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.” Forty-two generations.

Forty-two generations represent a large number of people, living life in all its dimensions: births, beginnings, endings, losses, victories, sickness, heartbreak, reconciliation, to name a few. And, encompassing all these numerous people and all their living, was the Omnipotent One, existing outside of time, but diligently, patiently, lovingly, meticulously working out in time and through humans, His eternal plan to redeem us, to bring us back to Himself.

Galatians 4:4-5 (AMP) notes, “But when [in God’s plan] the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the [regulations of the] Law, so that He might redeem and liberate those who were under the Law, that we [who believe] might be adopted as sons [as God’s children with all rights as fully grown members of a family].”

In fulfillment of God’s eternal plan of redemption, from the moment of His birth every step Jesus took was in the direction of Golgotha and the Cross, where He would willingly pay the incomprehensible cost to redeem you, me, the world. Every step.

The trip to Jerusalem at age 12, where, after searching for Him for three days, Mary and Joseph “found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions,” astonishing all who heard Him (Luke 2:41-47). Every step.

To the Jordan River to be baptized by John (Matt. 3:13-17). Every step.

Into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan after fasting for 40 days and forty nights, meeting every temptation with “It is written. It is written. It is written” (Matt. 4:1-11). Every step. 

Going from Nazareth to dwell in Capernaum by the sea in fulfillment of what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet (Matt. 4:12-17). Every step.

Walking by the Sea of Galilee on numerous occasions such as when He called the first disciples, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, then two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 4:18-22). Every step.

At the wedding in Cana of Galilee where He, the true Vine, turned water into wine performing His first recorded miracle in response to His mother’s appeal (John 2:1-11). Every step.

Going about “all Gailee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sicknesses and all kings of disease among the people”(Matt. 4:23). Every step.

Up on a mountain where He taught his disciples many things, including what we know as “The Beatitudes” (Matt. 5:1-12), how to pray (Matt. 6:9-13), and the requirement that we must forgive if we want to be forgiven (Matt. 6:14-15). Every step.

In Capernaum, where He spoke the word that healed the centurion’s servant and drove the fever from the body of Peter’s mother-in-law with a touch (Matt. 8:5-15). Every step. 

To the country of the Gergesenes where He set two demon-possessed men free (Matt. 8:28-34). Every step.

To the house of Jairus where He raised Jairus’ twelve-year-old daughter from the dead (Luke 8:41-56). Every step. 

Through Samaria and to the Samaritan woman who came to draw water and met the Messiah, the Living Water (John 4). Every step.

To the tomb of Lazarus where He wept then unquestionably demonstrated that He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:1-44). Every step.

Into the temple where, in righteous anger, He drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves, and He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves ‘” (Matt. 21:12-13). Every step.

To the Upper room where He instituted The Lord’s Supper (Mark 14:22-25), washed His disciples’ feet, including the feet of the one who would deny Him and the other who would betray Him, and instituted a new commandment (John 13:1-35). Every step.

Into the Garden of Gethsemane where He wrestled with the will of the Father, in agony to the point that His sweat became like drops of blood, while His disciples slept instead of praying and keeping watch with Him (Mark 14:32-41; Luke 22:39-46).  Every step.

Also, there in the Garden of Gethsemane, He stepped forward to those who came with Judas, His betrayer, to arrest Him and asked, “Whom are you seeking? Then responding, “I am He,” allowing Himself to be arrested and bound and led away first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest (John 18:1-14). Every step.

Then later to Pilate who would ask Him several questions, declare that he found no fault in Him at all, but still condemn Him to death, have Him scourged, and delivered into the hands of those who would crucify Him (John 18:28-40). Every step.

To a hall called Praetorium where a garrison of soldiers would twist a crown of thorns, put it on His head, strike Him, spit on Him, and mock Him (Mark 15:16-20 NKJV). The prophet Isaiah informs us that “His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14 NKJV). Every step. 

Carrying His own cross until Simeon the Cyrenian was commandeered to help Him (Mark 15:21 NKJV). Every step.

Up Gologota’s Hill to allow His hands and feet to be nailed to a cross, offer salvation to a condemned thief, and cry out in agony, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me,” before commending His spirit to His Father (Matt. 27:46; Luke 23:32-46). Every step.

His body would be removed from the cross and placed in a borrowed tomb (Matt. 27:57-61). We know that is not how His story ended but let us not be in such a hurry to get to Resurrection Sunday that we rob ourselves of the transformation that can come as we take the time this Holy Week to reflect deeply on what God did to redeem us. As we walk through this Holy Week, may we see with fresh eyes, hear with open ears and hearts, and worship. This Holy Week, let us pause, repent, give thanks, worship and position ourselves to truly celebrate Him, the One who loved us enough to make Himself the Offering necessary to redeem us.

Redemption in Twelve Verses

The book of Isaiah is my favorite book in the Old Testament and various sources, for example, the website christianity.com, identify Isaiah as the most quoted prophet in the Bible. Of its 66 chapters, the 53rd chapter is my favorite chapter. Why? I see it as presenting the story of our redemption in 12 verses.

Depending on when you became a Christ follower and/or the denomination you are a member of, it is likely that the first time you heard or read this chapter it was the King James Version. I find that reading familiar passages of Scripture in different translations can help me see the familiar with fresh perspective. In today’s blog post, I will share the VOICE* translation of Isaiah 53 and include the New Testament verses that reference specific verses, from the footnotes of biblegateway.com. Let us read it together.

  ¹Indeed, who would ever believe it?
    Who would possibly accept what we’ve been told?^{[Romans 10:16]}
    Who has witnessed the awesome power and plan of the Eternal in action? ^{[John 12:38 ]
2} Out of emptiness he came, like a tender shoot from rock-hard ground.
He didn’t look like anything or anyone of consequence—
    he had no physical beauty to attract our attention.
³ So he was despised and forsaken by men,
    this man of suffering, grief’s patient friend.
As if he was a person to avoid, we looked the other way;
    he was despised, forsaken, and we took no notice of him.
⁴ Yet it was our suffering he carried,
    our pain^{[Matthew 8:17]} and distress, our sick-to-the-soul-ness.
We just figured that God had rejected him,
    that God was the reason he hurt so badly.
⁵ But he was hurt because of us; he suffered so.
    Our wrongdoing wounded and crushed him.
He endured the breaking that made us whole.
    The injuries he suffered became our healing.
⁶ We all have wandered off, like shepherdless sheep,
    scattered by our aimless striving and endless pursuits;
The Eternal One laid on him, this silent sufferer,
    the sins of us all.

⁷ And in the face of such oppression and suffering—silence.
    Not a word of protest, not a finger raised to stop it.
Like a sheep to a shearing, like a lamb to be slaughtered,
    he went—oh so quietly, oh so willingly.
⁸ Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away.
    From this generation, who was there to complain?
Who was there to cry “Foul”?
    He was, after all, cut off from the land of the living,
Smacked and struck, not on his account,
    because of how my people (my people!)
Disregarded the lines between right and wrong.
    They snuffed out his life.^{[Acts 8:33]
9} And when he was dead, he was buried with the disgraced
    in borrowed space (among the rich),
Even though he did no wrong by word or deed.^{[1 Peter 2:22]}

It is hard to understand why God would crush His innocent Servant. But it is in His suffering for sin that God deals decisively with sin and its harmful effects.

¹⁰ Yet the Eternal One planned to crush him all along,
    to bring him to grief, this innocent servant of God.
When he puts his life in sin’s dark place, in the pit of wrongdoing,
    this servant of God will see his children and have his days prolonged.
For in His servant’s hand, the Eternal’s deepest desire will come to pass and flourish.
¹¹ As a result of the trials and troubles that wrack his soul,
    God’s servant will see light and be content
Because He knows, really understands, what it’s about; as God says,
    “My just servant will justify countless others by taking on their punishment and bearing it away.
¹² Because he exposed his very self—
    laid bare his soul to the vicious grasping of death—
And was counted among the worst, I will count him among the best.
    I will allot this one, My servant, a share in all that is of any value,
Because he took on himself the sin of many
    and acted on behalf of those who broke My law.”

Here is a video of Fernando Ortega’s song, “Smitten, Stricken and Afflicted” that reminds me powerfully of the cost of our redemption.

If you are curious about the VOICE translation, information can be found here.

Gazing at the Lamb of God

This blog post is based on Episode 5 of Season 11 of the Written Spoken Podcast. You can listen to the episode here or via the link shared at the end of the blog post.

We continue our Lenten Journey this week and return to the invitation John the Baptizer issued, in John 1:29, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” As discussed in a recent blog post episode, to “gaze at” is one of the synonyms of “Behold.” The process of gazing at the Lamb of God will be our focus this week. We will reflect on two questions: (1) What does it mean to gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? (2) What will we see when we gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?

Question 1: What does it mean to gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?
The merriam-webster.com dictionary defines gaze, the act of gazing as “to fix the eyes in a steady intent look often with eagerness or studious attention.” Therefore, to gaze at the Lamb of God is not to glance at Him. There is nothing casual or fleeting about this way of looking. To gaze at the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is to fix our eyes on Him “in a steady intent look, often with eagerness or studious attention.”  With all that wars for our attention, to gaze at the Lamb of God, requires intentionality.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (AMP) instructs us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]. Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Question 2: What will we see when we gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?
We will see His divinity as reflected in His title, “The Christ.” We have established that the primary means through which we can behold, or gaze at Jesus is through His written Word. Let us read several of the numerous Biblical passages that speak of His divinity.

John 1:1-4 (NKJV):
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV):
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

Matthew 16:13-18 (NKJV):
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”

What do we see when we gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God? We see His divinity but we also see His sinless humanity.  Let us read several of the many Biblical passages that speak of His sinless humanity.
Hebrews 10:5-7 (NKJV):
“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’” 

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV):
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

John 1:14 (NKJV):
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” 

Hebrews 2:17-18 (AMP):
Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people’s sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind]. Because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted, He is able to help and provide immediate assistance to those who are being tempted and exposed to suffering.

Philippians 2:5-8 (HCSB):
“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.” 

What will we see when we gaze at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? We will see His divinity, His sinless humanity and His Lordship. Here are several of many verses that speak of His Lordship.

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NKJV):
“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” 

Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV):
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is  Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Romans 14:9 (NKJV):
“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Hebrews 1:1-4 (NKJV):
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

How we look at Jesus influences how we see Him and how we see Jesus influences how we see ourselves. How we see Jesus influences how we see and relate to others. How we see Jesus influences how we see challenges and blessings. How we see Jesus influences our daily choices. We need a fresh and deepening revelation of who Jesus is and this revelation comes as we seek Him consistently and wholeheartedly.   

Let us end our time together with a prayer by A. W. Tozer, from the chapter, “The Gaze of the Soul”, in his book, The Pursuit of God: “O Lord, I have heard a good word inviting me to look away to Thee and be satisfied. My heart longs to respond, but sin has clouded my vision till I see Thee but dimly. Be pleased to cleanse me in Thine own precious blood, and make me inwardly pure, so that I may with unveiled eyes gaze upon Thee all the days of my earthly pilgrimage. Then shall I be prepared to behold Thee in full splendor in the day when Thou shalt appear to be glorified in Thy saints and admired in all them that believe. Amen.”

The Only Way: Jesus’ Exclusive Claim

It had been an eventful number of days. Jesus had triumphantly entered Jerusalem fulfilling yet another prophecy (John 12: 12-19; Zech. 9:9). Before that event, six days earlier, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, had poured approximately “a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume” on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair, filling the house with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:1-3 NIV).

Now Jesus was gathered with His disciples for what would be the last meal He would share with them before His trial and crucifixion.  Before they left that place, He would demonstrate servant leadership by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13: 3-16 NIV). He would also predict His betrayal and Peter’s denial (John 13:18-38 NIV). And He would make the following announcement, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come” (John 13:33 NIV). In addition, He would give them a new command, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35 NIV).

Jesus would also make this exclusive claim, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6 AMP).

Jesus commanding us to love others as He loves us is rarely considered offensive. Not so with His exclusive claim of being the only Way to God. This exclusive claim of Jesus has been the source of offense for many. In the article, “Is Jesus the Only Way?” author Paul Rutherford, identifies Jesus’ exclusive claim that He is the only Way to God as “the most offensive aspect of Christianity today.” He shares several objections to Jesus’ exclusive claim. Among them are the views that this claim is intolerant and that absolutes do not exist. Another objection is “the belief that any variety of beliefs and values are all equally true and valid,” a belief knows as pluralism.

But when I reflect on Jesus’ exclusive claim, I believe that to be offended by His exclusive claim is to overlook the amazing and incomprehensible fact that God loves us enough to provide this Way to Him. This Way, which required the Word to become flesh, and subject Himself to the human experience. This Way that required Him to suffer to redeem us. Isaiah, prophesied, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth [to complain or defend Himself]; Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before her shearers, So He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7 AMP). We see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane wrestling with the will of the Father to the point that “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44 NKJV). Praying earnestly, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42 NKJV). If “all roads lead to God”, why would this Way be one of them?

The One who is The Only Way to God, issues several invitations that communicate His love for us. Here are two of them and a promise:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30 AMP).

 “Now on the last and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-3 AMP).

“All that My Father gives Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, never reject anyone who follows Me]” (John 6:3 AMP).

I pray that if you have not accepted His invitations, you will this Lenten season. And if you have, pause repeatedly to give Him thanks.