8.16 The Cross is a place of tears. We feel forsaken at times. It's Friday, but Sunday is coming.

-

 

8.16

The Cross is a place of tears.  We feel forsaken at times. It's Friday, but Sunday is coming.

Larry, “You are 74 years old. What do you think about the recent tragedy in Afghanistan?”
“I’m praying for all involved. But, I remember this from my understanding of history.
About 30 AD.
You are the salt of the world and the light of the world.
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
About 33 AD.
During the trial of Jesus, He said that His Father in heaven was in charge, not the local king. The fact according to Jesus is that God our Father in heaven is sovereign over all.
As Jesus was being arrested, I suspect this kind of conversation might have happened knowing the nature of us as humans following Jesus.
Peter, “I have a sword and I can take off the guy trying to kill you Jesus. Watch this.”
The man ducked.
He cut off his ear.
Jesus said, “Put up your sword. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”
Then Jesus picked up his ear out of the dirt and reattached and healed it.
Then Jesus died on the cross at the hands of the violent mob according to the foreordained plan of God.
He said these significant things on the cross.
“Father, why have you forsaken me.”
“Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”
To a criminal, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
“It is finished.”
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
Three days later He was resurrected and showed Himself to many including the person who swung the sword which cut off the man’s ear.
He gave them a new mission. Go into all the world and teach the good news.
#1 Love God 100%.
#2 Love your neighbor as yourself.
Everything hangs on these two principles. All nations. All times.
Love wins.
This morning our national “news” says bad things are happening here on earth. Bad news.
I know the good news today.
This morning Jesus through His written and living word is saying. “Go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus. I will go with you.”
“Lift up the cross of Jesus and all men will be drawn to Him.”
“Finish your work.”
About 53 years ago I decided to follow Jesus.
The events of 2021 have not changed my mind and my decision.
I’m praying for all involved.
Larry Wishard
8.16.21

Mark 15.

33 When the [s]sixth hour came, darkness [t]fell over the whole land until the [u]ninth hour. 34 At the [v]ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabaktanei?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 And when some of the bystanders heard Him, they began saying, “Look! He is calling for Elijah!” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “[w]Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry, and [x]died. 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who was standing [y]right in front of Him, saw that He [z]died in this way, he said, “Truly this man was [aa]the Son of God!”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

6.10- The Power of Keeping a Confidence

-
 6.10- The Power of Keeping a Confidence I have a close friend who started listening to my confidential words 46 years ago. He guards his lips and preserves secrets and deep friendship. He does not speak rashly. He doesn't add shame to the bad things l have experienced. He reduces my burdens by his grace. He has good judgement regarding when to speak and when to remain silent. This gives him good long term friends and deep joy. Proverbs 13 3  A wise son  accepts his  father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2  From the fruit of a person’s mouth he  [ a ] enjoys good, But the  [ b ] desire of the treacherous is violence. 3  One who guards his mouth protects his life; One who opens wide his lips  [ c ] comes to ruin. 4  The soul of the  [ d ] lazy one craves and  gets  nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made  [ e ] prosperous. 5  A righteous person hates a f...
Read more

9.7- The long prayers about not electing anyone who doesn't support babies in the womb

-
 9.7- The long prayers about not electing anyone who doesn't support babies in the womb but unwilling to support and educate them for the next 18 years. Save your political action prayers for the meeting with your win/lose political party, whether you are democrat, republican or independependent as far as I'm concerned. Preach and sing the gospel but leave moral slobbery for some group that doesn't abuse children and cover it up and practices racism as a normal thing. The teacher said don't strain out gnats and swallow camels. Stop bad religion please. Matthew 25 31  “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.   32  And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;   33  and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34  “Then the King...
Read more

8.16- Confidence is a good thing. A well trained Olympic athlete is very confident.

-
Image
 8.16- Confidence is a good thing. A well trained Olympic athlete is very confident. They train four years or longer for this moment on beam and fall down the beam or fall of the beam. They fly off and miss the uneven bars. Knowing they cannot win a medal. They have messed up and gone off the horse. What do they do? They get back on the horse. They finish their routine with a confident smile. They do not let that failure define them. Our life is not marked by a failure unless we allow it to be. The choice is ours. Bad day at work yesterday. Make today that much better. 2 Corinthians 4 7  But we have this treasure in  [ e ] earthen containers, so that the extraordinary  greatness  of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;   8  we are  afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;   9  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed;   10  always carryi...
Read more