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They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. Matthew 27:28-29

Jesus called Himself The Son of God. This declaration by someone other than The One True God is considered blasphemy, a crime punishable by death. Fair enough, but there was plenty of evidence to the Truth. However, justice and facts weren’t the issue, the extreme evil in the heart of man was. Jews, Herod and his soldiers, Pilate and his soldiers, priests, elders and scribes, took part in the sport of humiliation. They stripped Him naked, and tortured Him. Thorns were crammed into his scalp and face. They thought they were bringing Jesus down from His high horse………He was patiently waiting for love to have its final word.

I’ve always wondered if those people went home that night proud of themselves. Did they feel all big inside, being part of a riot that ended in someone’s death? How did their children, sitting across the room, look at them? Did they fear the adults so free and loose with their fists and spit, or did they hail them as heroes? Did any of them want to rewind time and have a do over of that day? Was there any life changing regret? Thoughts on these answers matter to us today because they define character and the motivation of our own actions toward one another. It’s easy to pick out the wrong doers at the crucifixion, but if we withhold love’s chance and opportunity, we stand in the shadow of the cross, not the Light!

For these vicious hate filled men, and women, Grace was never out of reach until their final breath was drawn. In fact, when Jesus drew His final breath a soldier that had played a part in the day’s events came to believe. RIGHT THERE IN LIVING COLOR, AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS a murderer was humbled, confessed and found eternal life.

I am so relieved that God is Good, He is Love. We must cautiously, with determination, guard our hearts against all things but love and goodness.

A lot is happening behind that stone!

Gretchen

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. John 12:12

Jesus and His disciples had come to Bethany, the home of Lazarus and his two sisters. It was Pentecost, Jesus’ last, the beginning of passion. Because Lazarus had been resurrected by Jesus, they had both achieved what we would call ‘Rock Star’ status.  Everyone knew of them, especially Jesus. They wanted to meet Him and desired to connect with Him somehow.  He was an everyday man that left things better than He found them. Word traveled and crowds gathered.

Among the general population, Jesus and His disciples were adored. The multitudes looked to them as a great hope and future for themselves and their nation.  The religious leaders couldn’t stand it! Their self centered instinct to preserve their power turned to deep fury. The hatred they harbored and fed became all consuming. With every ounce of energy and influence they had, they spewed fear and perverted half truths, completely changing the direction of public opinion. In the end, Jesus was crucified by an angry mob that had hailed Him just a few days prior.

Yes, prophecy was fulfilled and Jesus became the Christ, the Lamb of God, just as He was meant to do, but that doesn’t justify man’s behavior.  Hatred is deadly and there is no excuse for it.  Love cannot be nullified. Love when the crowd loves, hate when they hate? NO! Choose love, only…..always!

Friday’s here, but Sunday’s comin’,

Gretchen

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  Luke 24:45

Anything to do with God’s plan involves Grace and Mercy and it is Amazing!  AND! The perfect timing in the lives of people is evidence of great love from a very personal and intimate Savior.

Jesus spent His final days on earth drawing His friends close and explaining what was to come. He had to tell them, but they didn’t have any reference for understanding, except the same prophecies rejected or misinterpreted by the Jewish authority.  Faith was all they had, and that was enough.

Some things you just can’t understand until experience opens your heart and mind.  Jesus didn’t say, “Well dah!” He reacted in love and brought those with faith into understanding so they too could love and celebrate as Jesus does.

Have a great Thursday,

Gretchen

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

The Roman church began at Pentecost when gentiles witnessed the miracle of the Gospel spoken in everyone’s language. For the purpose of preventing a polluting of the Gospel and maintaining the purity of salvation through Christ alone, Paul wrote this letter we know as the Book of Romans.

Condemnation is a very ugly word.  It means you have been accused, found guilty and now the worst possible consequences will become your fate. This is the reality of Jesus’ death by crucifixion. Except, He was not guilty, we are. The mistake wasn’t wasted, it was quite intentional. Jesus served our time in the grave winning victory over death. His innocence is yours, and if you will trust Him with your heart, eternal life is yours as well.

Love,

Gretchen

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. I Peter 1:23

Peter, a fisherman, an apostle, a preacher, a missionary, a martyr, but first and foremost, a sinner saved by grace, writes this letter to encourage his fellow believers facing savage persecution.

As one of Jesus’ closest confidants Peter was witness to His greatest miracles. He walked on water with Jesus’ holding his hand. He felt Jesus’ poignant forgiveness after denying Him on the night of His trial. He was the first of the disciples to see the empty tomb. Peter shared air with Jesus. He speaks with great authority of what he knows.

Someday the earth will pass away, it will perish, but God is the God of infinity, eternity, a time that will never end and as His children we share in this inheritance. We will never end either. It’s called eternal life and it is a free gift.

Love to each of you,

Gretchen

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians chapter 2 is a beautiful passage of who we are through God’s creation, Jesus’ restoration and man’s reconciliation with one another.

We are woven together by the handiwork of God, however, it is easy to overlook the wonder of our mind and soul. They are as incredible as our heart that beats with no effort of its own. It is not just our physical bodies that are made in the image of God and marred by sin with the fall of Adam, but our mental and emotional being as well. This is the most beautiful, intimate part of each of us and can be restored to perfection with the cleansing of Jesus’ blood.

As the perfect reflection of God, we love what God loves and love as God loves. Love one another.

Have a great Weekend!

Gretchen

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep.” Ezekiel 36:37

With the surrender of Jerusalem to the Babylonian army, Judah was wiped off the face of the earth and there was a Jewish nation no longer. Ezekiel, a young man training for the priesthood, was taken into exile far away from his homeland.

Ezekiel expected to grow old following in the footsteps of his father, living comfortably and successfully. At the time he should have been starting his career, it all ended. Then God called Ezekiel to be a prophet. He saw God in His glorious majesty, all-seeing and all-knowing. In comparison, he saw the people’s sin in all its darkness, worshiping false gods, relying on earthly power for sustenance and protection rather than keeping themselves Holy and set apart.

God’s covenant with Abraham was the birth of the Jewish nation. Ezekiel spoke this promise once again. God would reestablish His covenant and His people would survive and prosper. The people have a responsibility to live Holy and Righteous lives. Disobedience and idolatry begets judgement and punishment, but God forgives and restores.

There is absolutely nothing God cannot, will not forgive. He is NOT a giving up God! He can be your sole protector and sustainer. He hasn’t changed and man hasn’t either. We still need God and God alone.

Love,

Gretchen

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 life. I John 5:13

Faith is what brings us into a relationship of salvation. Faith is also what ‘overcomes the world.’ John is writing to believers so that they may know for certain that eternal life is theirs. Temptations, false teachings, conflicting theologies, personal insecurities, all these things enter into our daily thought processes and can hinder our faith.

Because John knew the high priest, he was able to be present at the trial and crucifixion of Jesus where he accepted responsibility for Mary, Jesus’ mother. He was also one of the first to see the empty tomb, experience the risen Christ, first in a locked room and later by the sea of Galilee. John saw with his eyes, heard with his ears and felt with his hands the risen Savior. Now the early church was 50-60 years old and John was quite possibly the last surviving apostle. He is writing these closing statements to assure Christians that it is not through intellectual achievement or any other means that you are saved. It is solely through faith that leads to repentance and holy living because grace and mercy are free gifts.

As John saw the lives of the Apostles coming to an end he wrote these words to give assurance to those that would never physically walk and talk with Jesus. His letter was relevant then and relevant today! Those that believe in the Son of God have eternal life.

Have a great Thursday,

Gretchen

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

The Gentiles of Rome Paul is writing to had no concept of Christianity. They did not grow up hearing the stories of Abraham and Moses and their heritage was not rich with things that cultivated faith in The One True God. These people worshiped many gods and they needed Sunday School 101. So, we have this epistle, Romans, a call to salvation and instructions for successful Christian living.

Adam was created perfectly in God’s image. Sin marred that image and death came to mankind because of one man’s sin. Every man has a carnal instinct to selfishness, which is sin, but through the blood of Jesus the perfect image of God can be restored in each of us.

Have a great Wednesday!

Gretchen

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

The Word…..the breath of God that brought all things into being at the beginning of time.

This Word became human, the person of Jesus Christ. He was born to die and when that death occurred Satan lost all power to defeat man.

God is infinite, but for a brief thirty-three years His Son, His Word, walked among us. He shared our joys and sorrows. He died forsaken and alone, but that horrible death ended the battle with sin and through His resurrection we all have the hope of everlasting life, uninterrupted.

God’s Word brings life.

Love,

Gretchen