The sacrifice

“No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.”John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Jesu passed men dying on crosses as He went into Jerusalem. He saw the brutality of the Roman crucifixion and knew what was before Him. The horror of it caused Him to pray, not once, but three times, “Father if it is possible let this cup pass from Me!” Yet in humble obedience He endured the cross knowing that it is why He had come, so that we could be made free and reunited to the Father.

Isaiah wrote, ‘It please God to crush Him severely, yet when you make Him a restitution offering He will see His seed…Is 53:10). I was discussing this verse with my Nepali flatmates last night and Martha gave me a short video clip to watch. I will share it. It helped me see that it was not actual pleasure as we know pleasure, it was a necessary sacrifice.

The Jewish Bible writes it this way:

“yet it pleased Adonai to crush him with illness, to see if he would present himself as a guilt offering. If he does, he will see his offspring; and he will prolong his days; and at his hand Adonai’s desire will be accomplished.”

‭‭Yesha 'yahu (Isa)‬ ‭53‬:‭10‬ ‭CJB‬‬

Jesus thank you that you sacrificed yourself for us. I am so grateful! Without that sacrifice I would be in a bad place. You gave me new life. You redeemed my life from the pit. Thank You!

https://youtu.be/iJOeiT1IkhY?si=XfYNHAEJBTD5-Ts2

Living bread

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭51‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This verse encapsulates what and who Jesus was. He was God, He came down from heaven to live among men for 33 years. 30 of those years were in obscurity to men. Three of those years turned the religious world upside down.

Jesus calls Himself living bread. Just as we eat food everyday, He invites us to eat of Him, all that He represented. He then tells us, “whoever eats of this bread will live forever”. Then He explains that ‘this’ bread is His flesh, which He would give ‘for the life of the world’. Jesus was about to be crucified for all mankind for all eternity. He was the perfect sacrifice, pure and undefined. His sacrifice freed us from the power and defilement of sin.

Today, if we turn to Him and lay down our pride, ask for forgiveness and invite Him in, He sets us free from all darkness and gives us joy unimaginable.

You cannot save yourself, that is why Jesus came. Your own goodness is not enough. Paul the apostles says it like this:’none is good, no not one’.Romans 3:10

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is only one way, and that way is Jesus! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=l3-XroRBMrE&si=r5lk_5M0egyIMHSU

Fruit than remains

“I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus had another tangle with the chief priests and elders in the temple. They had demanded to know ‘by  what authority are you doing these things?’ Jesus responded, as He often did with a few parables. He then went on to tell them the above verse. Now, of course, the leaders thought Jesus was the problem and they the righteous ones.

Today, many in mainline churches are falling away with false doctrine. They have muddied the waters of the pure and true gospel with uncleanness. They are not bearing the fruit that Jesus is looking for. He is removing their lamp, so to speak. As we read the first few chapters in the book of  Revelation we see Jesus addressing the churches in Asia and the common warning was ‘walk the right way or I will remove your lamp!’

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day really thought they were on the right path and they were full of self-righteousness. Let this be a warning to us! Self-righteousness is as ‘filthy rags’ (menstrual rags). Our righteousness must only come from Jesus and our faith in Him to make us righteous. Nothing we do or say can make us pure and right, only He is good! Amen!

His House

“He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!””Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said these words to the money changers and sellers of animals, spices etc in the Temple court. A place that should have been quiet was a busy bazar.

I was reminded of this back in 1990’s. My husband and I were pastoring a new church in a place called Wyong NSW. We had purchased a building and converted it into a church. In my desire to have the people read I had taken books on consignment and set them up in the left front corner of the sanctuary in the building, in sight from the congregation. I knew my eyes were constantly drawn to the books instead of listening and partaking in the service and was convicted that what I had done was wrong. 

Many churches today have coffee shops at some section of the church building. Here they sell food and drink. I am not saying they are wrong, I think the position of the books in my case was wrong.

I am mindful that I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. This makes me accountable to the things I transact there. Do I try to make a business of something God wants as a ministry? Am I completely honest in all my financial dealings? 

As I think about the ancient temple in Jerusalem: the Holy of Holies; the Holy Place and the vestibule. Does my temple respect the holiness of God’s house? Or is it invaded by things it should never be invaded by? Is holiness important to me? Do my eyes and ears only hear that which is pure and clean or is it party to uncleaness? Are my financial dealing pure? Do I respect God as the owner of all I have?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=l3-XroRBMrE&si=lYefkpFrsg8_J0t2

Time to ponder

Why Do We Turn Away From God’s Mercy?

As Jesus gazed over Jerusalem, His heart broke. He longed to gather its people like a mother hen gathers her chicks—fragile, helpless, and in desperate need of care. But they didn’t want His care.

It's tragic: the ones who most need mercy reject it. Throughout history, God had sent prophets to guide his people, and they killed them. By the end of Holy Week, they would kill Jesus too—the ultimate prophet and the source of their salvation.

Why do we turn away from God’s mercy? Often, it’s because we struggle to believe it’s for us. In our world, mercy feels foreign—too good to be true. But Jesus doesn’t operate like the world.

In this verse, we see that offering mercy is His deepest longing. The cross reveals just how far He’s willing to go to ensure we get what we don’t deserve—His love, grace, and forgiveness—and don’t get what we do deserve—death.

Jesus is aching to gather us into His care. His mercy is marked and matchless. He isn’t hesitant or reluctant; He’s longing to embrace us.

Let’s believe this mercy is real. Let’s receive it with grateful hearts and give thanks to the One who is quite literally dying to extend it to us.

Taken from the Bible App.

The crowd

““Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ””Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday that begins Holy Week, when we remember all that unfolded that fateful week in Jesus’ life.

The verse above is first spoken in Zechariah. Israe at the time he wrote it was beaten down and needing deliverance. The king they hoped for was not what they received. Jesus came humbly riding on a donkey. He was not going to liberate Israel from the Romans, but rather from their sins.

Today, many would like a genie in a bottle rather than a saviour who tells them, “take up your cross and follow me!” We want our problems solved, riches, ease and comfort. However, Jesus said, “if you do not take up your cross and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple!” Christianity is not ease, but rather that of a relationship with Him, allowing Him to be Lord and laying down our own rights to rule.

Just as Jesus submitted to death on a cross for us, we may need to submit to death of earthly expectations. Our cross may be caring for a disabled child for all his life, it may be isolation from family who hate Christianity, it may mean being betrayed and handed over to those who hate us.

Are you ready?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=l3-XroRBMrE&si=8ceCHyLDqYPMgG3f

Content

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I can agree with Paul here. I have learned to rough it as the Aussies would say. However, living in a tent or. Car would challenge me. My son is involved in outreach to these people in Brisbane, Australia. I also don’t think I’d like to use a rock as a pillow as Jacob had done. That would be a tad uncomfortable.

Paul was the maker of tents and so I imagine he spent some time in these. I like tents when camping but as I age they are becoming uncomfortable. Yet, Paul was in chains in prison when he wrote this letter to the Phillipians. The discomfort he would have experienced would have been extreme.I understand that with Christ all things are possible. Jesus is the ingredient in contentment. 

In July/Auguelst my friend Chelle and I will go to Mangri to do research and serve the Lord. Whilst in Mangri we will have beds, not as comfortable as mine here in Kathmandu but clean. We aim to travel to another place called Talcha which is not clean nor is it comfortable. Chelle does not want me to go there as she has had a dream in which I landed on my head. When I think of that place I see intense darkness. We will see what the Lord wants.

Serving the Lord and responding to His heart is paramount. He provides strength for all that comes our way. Amen!