Resurrection Day .." and he (John) saw and Believed"... John 20:8b

 

.." he saw and believed".. . An empty tomb with empty grave clothes showing an exited, raised body transformed John from a mourning disciple into a believer. 

This post is written after hearing the message by John Lennox, "The case for the Resurrection." See here.

And this quote from Norman Anderson,  The Case for the Resurrection - (link here) comes in at around 16 mins..

"  Easter is not primarily a comfort, but a challenge. 

 

Its message is either the supreme fact in history or else a gigantic hoax. This seems to have been realized in the days of the early Church. On the one side there was a little company of men and women who turned the world upside down by their passionate proclamation of that miracle which had transformed their lives: on the other, those who vehemently denounced the whole story as arrant blasphemy. 

 

We ourselves find it hard to see the issue so clear-cut, for ours is a tolerant age and one suspicious of all fanaticism. Most people have not the slightest desire to attack the Easter message; and yet they only half believe it. To them it is a beautiful story, full of spiritual meaning: why worry, then, whether it is literal fact?

But we miss the point. 

Either it is infinitely more than a beautiful story, or else it is infinitely less. If it is true, then it is the supreme fact of history; and to fail to adjust one's life to its implications means irreparable loss. But if it is not true, if Christ be not risen, then the whole of Christianity is a fraud, foisted on the world by a company of consummate liars, or, at best, deluded simpletons. 

 

St. Paul himself realized this when he wrote in:

1 Corinthians 15:14-16

 14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
 

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

 

Yet God is true, His Word is true and to be trusted. Praise God, Jesus is indeed risen as He said.

Praying much that all everywhere would see the truth of this, seek Jesus and His gift of salvation and a heavenly home.

For there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.

Hell is the punishment for our sin's curse. I am forever grateful I saw this at 12 years old, and trusted in Jesus as my Saviour from sin! 

How blessed am?! and how I rejoiced with great joy on that day I was saved. 

 

Closing with a hymn I love - "Because  He lives I can face tomorrow" or link here

(Lyrics to hymn)

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither

 
Praying earnestly - may the real reason of Easter shine brightly in your heart and home. 

Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often - but at Easter there's 2 posts in 3 days! 😂 truly a joy to have such good news to share. If you'd like to read a different Resurrection post, as well as craft and Australian Nature, I'd really appreciate it if you would to pop over to my craft blog too HERE!.

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.

Prayer hugs, 🙏🤗
Shaz in Oz.x 
 
If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 
 
 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
If you'd like to receive these posts in email to email link option on the sidebar there is a follow it box. 
If there is no sidebar then scroll down to the bottom of page and select "View Web Version".
This will bring up sidebar and Follow by Email link. Thank you. 😃

Good Friday 2026 - Our Life is but a Sacrifice given unto You, LORD!

 I’ve no idea why or how things happen in the sad world in which we live, but I tie the heart sacrifice with cords to the altar of the Most High God. 

I was given this verse by dear Bro Mac, a prayer saint from 1990’s. It’s meaning as I understand is that God wants us to bind our life as a sacrifice to the altar just as they bound the sacrifice in Old Testament times, and as Jesus bound His life as a sacrifice to the cross. 

He was Almighty God, He could have come down from that cross at any time, but He chose to die for our sins upon the cruel tree. He then indeed did show us the Light of the World. 

“God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: 

bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” 

Ps 118:27

The one thing that really strikes me in reading through the gospels is that the life of Christ was given to much prayer. Note the last prayer scene before the cross in the garden of Gethsemane where we see our LORD Jesus wrestling in prayer, where He sweated as it were great drops of blood, praying to His Father.  

Matt 26:39 …" He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: 

nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." 

“if it be possible”, of course it was possible because with God ALL THINGS are possible. However Jesus wanted above all else to do the will of His Father, that ought to be our most earnest desire…to do the will of our Heavenly Father. And that’s why Jesus was given to MUCH prayer. He knew it was the only way He could fully obey His Heavenly Father. This following quote is most apt.  

George Mueller. "No-one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labours in Word and Doctrine if he is not much given to prayer and meditation." 

And so on this Good Friday 2026, it's good to remind ourselves of some things. Primarily the importance of prayer and to see in the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross when He gave up His life for us. The last two sayings are, "It is finished. " "and He gave up the ghost". None took His life, He gave it willingly for you or me. Yesterday, Thurs afternoon,   I gave a tract on the real meaning of  Easter to a lady who was a believer but she believed also she needed to keep the law, the Sabbath etc. When I asked her Jesus surely cried, "it is finished" , because He had finished Salvation's work, she had no answer. She appeared to trust in Jesus for salvation + works. Satan is ever a deceiver. 

Praise God, Jesus is coming AGAIN! ... and coming soon and they can be deluded in bondage no longer.  Our Saviour gave His life freely for us, and that's what we delight in remembering on Good Friday. 

Link also here 

He suffered so that we might live, and walk in the light as He is in the light, and faithful and true to Him. 

Also if you've time please visit my craft blog, it presents a Joni perspective on this day (here). 

 Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often these days, health is the main reason, also these posts take a long time to write. I started this one ages ago. 

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.🙏🤗
Shaz in Oz.x 
 
If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 
 
 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
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This will bring up sidebar and Follow by Email link. Thank you. 😃

The Happiest Day of My Life.

 Sixty years ago today was the happiest of my life. Last Sat 27th I happened to go for a walk, down to the creek where I often go. As I looked across to the park around the creek, I saw a big familiar marquee. I knew immediately it was the annual beach mission set up for anther 10 days.

So of course I went across to see if anyone was there. I do this each year, find someone over there to see if I could encourage them with the story of the happiest day of my life. I did find a lad called Matthew from Sydney. "I'll be praying for your ministry," I said, "and its because of this ministry I know Jesus, it will be 60 years ago on January 4th! God has kept me true to Him."

I didn't tell Matthew the full story of how I encouraged my sister to learn the memory passage in January 1966 at the beach mission (an interdenominational group mainly from Sydney) so as we would earn the book prize. In those days books were valuable. On collecting the book prizes my sister's teacher asked where my sister was, "Back at the tent", I replied. As we walked up from the park to the tent Miss Gummerson began to ask me if I knew what the verses I learned meant. As a child I hadn't thought much about those beautiful words. 

"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

1 John 1: 7-9 

This Illuminated text I did years ago of my salvation verses, and it hangs in our loungeroom, testimony of God's saving work.

l learnt these verses simply to win a book prize, but I gained oh, so much more. Until this day in 1966 I'd never realised it was my sin that put Jesus on the cross, as He took my punishment. So under those trees I prayed for for forgiveness from sin, accepting Jesus as my Saviour. I passed from death to life, instead of eternal condemnation I now had eternal life, covered by the blood of Jesus. That dear teacher told me the verse that the angels are rejoicing in heaven..

 Luke 15:10
"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." This filled my heart with wondrous joy! When we went back to our tent and I told my mother I'd just asked Jesus to be my Saviour. She burst into tears, something she rarely did. A long time later when I asked her why, her reply surprised me, "Because you looked so happy". And I was, I had a home in heaven, I'd made the angels rejoice, and I went down to the beach and sang with all my heart the beach mission songs I love even today.

Things that are eternal, like what I gained that day,  eternal life with our Saviour - they make life worth living. 

 To close I'd like to share this short video by Joni Eareckson Tada, or link here. 

 

The verse which Joni refers to is: 

1 Cor 2:2
For I determined (or resolved) not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. This is best daily resolution for 2026!

 

Thank you for popping over and thanks too if you are able to comment.

Prayer hugs in Him, 🙏🤗
Shaz in Oz.x 

 If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here 
- Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar 😊 thank you!

(Please if you've time to pop over my other blog sharing photo of today's beach mission and other details of this story link here).   

Vine chapter - the Importance of Abiding

(In part from Our Daily Bread)

 Fruit of Vine - John chapter 15

Jesus’ words in John 15:5, “Without Me, ye can do nothing,” are similar to Paul’s statements in Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being,” and Col. 1:17, “by Him all things consist.” 

 

All of these verses emphasise the necessity that Christ is to our very existence.
This is the key. As John 14:5 says 
" Without Me ye can do NOTHING.".
In John 15, Jesus is speaking specifically to His followers. He’s talking about the fruit that comes from the branch connected to the vine.

When Jesus says that without Him we can do nothing, He means that without the source of life—the vine—the branch can’t even produce a leaf or a flower, let alone the fruit that brings God honour.

"I am the vine, 

ye are the branches: 

He that abideth in me, 

and I in him, 

the same bringeth forth much fruit: 

for without me ye can do nothing." 

John 15:5 

The key word is abiding, abiding in our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Abiding is only accomplished as we commune with our beautiful Saviour in prayer... in a busy world full of Satan's distractions its difficult to abide, rest peacefully in those everlasting arms of our Jesus.
Yes, Christ is necessary to our very existence.
This is the key, abide, rest, trust then it will be accomplished in Him. 

For as John 14:5 concludes 
"Without Me ye can do NOTHING."

John, the beloved apostle, knew what it was to abide in Jesus. On the isle of Patmos John was truly abiding, see Revelation 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John was truly abiding, with minimal distractions in the Isle of Patmos. I've read Revelation innumerable times as each time I finish the bible I read it 3 to 5 times. On the first or second time I'm slowly regrasping the flow of the book. BUT one thing is clear in that book, John is truly abiding in the Spirit in an amazing way (an excellent message specifically on Revelation is here). One day we will more fully grasp it, but with our limited finite minds we can't really understand what mighty servants have experienced.

Daniel was a mighty man of prayer, he knew deep communion and abiding in the Spirit. In Daniel 9:3 his prayer begins, then in v.23 it's interrupted by  Gabriel:

 Daniel 9:23 - "At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved:..."

Another servant in deep communion, abiding in the Spirit is the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor 12:4. 

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 

We could go all over the bible and see examples of faithfulness in prayer, abiding, truly resting in Jesus, those before were looking to Jesus' as the coming Messiah, we are now looking back, to the cross and Christ's Resurrection. 

We are so VERY blessed to have the indwelling Spirit to guide us, interceding for us, and we know the teachings of the Spirit through the WORD of God, teaching of the risen LORD Jesus! 

Let us remember that our prayers are in the eternal, they never die but are lifted continually as incense to heaven. We see them mentioned 3 times in tribulation - these are the references:

Revelation 5:8, 8:3, 8:4.

 Revelation 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, 

which came with the prayers

of the saints, 

ascended up before God 

out of the angel's hand.

 Isn't that wonderful?? our prayers, our urgent, fervent prayers are lifted continually in heaven. 

I often think of saints like Bro Mac who've gone before, he prayed for 8 hrs a day, he prayed for souls over maps of China, God is still hearing those prayers of that faithful saint, though he went to heaven long ago. 

BE ENCOURAGED! 

Prayer is the most important thing we can do, we are saved by it, yes - we and others are saved and kept by faithful prayers! how precious!

So let us walk in the Light

 as He is in the Light.

And continue keeping on.  

Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often these days, health is the main reason, also these posts take a long time to write, and much prayer for wisdom.

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x 

 

If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 

 

 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like to receive these posts in email to email link option on the sidebar there is a follow it box. 

If there is no sidebar then scroll down to the bottom of page and select "View Web Version".

This will bring up sidebar and Follow by Email link. Thank you.😄

Resurrection Day - .."He is risen as He said."

 Well, today is the most important day on the Christian calendar when we remember and celebrate the day our Saviour the LORD Jesus Christ defeated Satan and death by His resurrection from dead. We worship a living Saviour, no other religion worships a living God.

How do we know Jesus was truly raised from the dead, seeing as we aren't from 1st Century history? It's verified not simply by the bible, but by historical research from that era like Josephus a Jewish historian, etc. Jesus had forecast both His death and His resurrection prior to the event, as Luke reminds us.. 

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
⁵ And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
⁶ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
⁷ Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
⁸ And they remembered his words," Luke 24:1-8 (emphases mine)

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16

 The disciples, or apostles, themselves were eyewitnesses to this event and Jesus after His resurrection appeared to over 500 people at once.

As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas (Peter), then of the twelve:

After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time."
1 Corinthians 15:3-8  

Closing with a hymn I love - "Because  He lives I can face tomorrow" or link here

(Lyrics to hymn)

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither

 
Praying earnestly - may the real reason of Easter shine brightly in your heart and home.

May God richly bless your day wherever you maybe,

Shaz in Oz.x

 

 If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here 

- Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you! 

Good Friday - He .."must suffer many things and be rejected"...

As we look to another Good Friday I have in March read through the four gospels colour coding a new bible (a present for someone, it's such a blessing). It struck me as I read the gospels how many times the LORD Jesus prophesied or taught his disciples that His death and suffering was coming and would be a fulfilment of God's words. Here are two of them. The disciples were clearly forewarned, yet it went over their heads, as it does with us so often.

Mark 8:31

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Luke 9:22
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 

If Jesus had not died there'd be no salvation bought for us, as sinner's needing a Saviour. How empty and meaningless our life would be!  a living death.

*Seven sayings of Jesus on the cross appear in the four gospels but no book has them all.

They show His compassion, His humanity and His suffering. 

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Luke 23:34
"Then said Jesus, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.."

"I thirst". John 19:28

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."

"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me". 

Matthew 27:46
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

"Into Thy hands, I commit my Spirit." 

Luke 23:46
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

"It is finished."

Salvation's price was paid in the full.

John 19:30
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

So today is Good Friday, and it's called GOOD Friday because Salvation's price was paid in full on that day. May we remember, and be grateful and look to the happy end to this salvation story. Satan was defeated on this day, although he thought he had won in killing the LORD Jesus. Yet in reality Christ gave up His own life, for it said clearly .."He gave up the ghost." Satan was never in control it was all in the pattern God had planned.

Praying God's blessing on your and yours, may many seek the LORD while He maybe found.

Prayer hugs, 🙏🏻🤗

Shaz in Oz.x

Published early due to visitors 😀

* the other two sayings were His care for His mother who He entrusted to the care of the apostle John. John 19:27

“In the Fullness of Time", He came - & is Coming Again!

 Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth, yet He is often banished these days, out of hearts, homes, stores and public locations… some even substitute X for Christmas calling it Xmas. 

X is an unknown quantity but Jesus is never that. 

For He is our LORD, our Saviour and coming King.

There were many prophetic passages promising Jesus would come, starting with Genesis 3:15 - man sinned so our Loving God promised a Saviour.

Another promise oft forgotten is the promise given by the angels when Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection  … .

“… HE SHALL COME AGAIN, IN LIKE MANNER AS YE SEE HIM GO into heaven”

 Acts 1:11

As in the fullness of time, ie God’s time Jesus came the first time, He was born, died and rose again - Paul says here: 

.. but when the fulness of the time was come, 

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

to redeem (save, buy back) them that were under the law...” Gal 4:4

As with Christ’s coming there were a few faithful ones in total expectation of the promised Messiah.

They were not surprised in unbelief that He should come as a babe, not conquering King to rescue them from the Romans. Here’s a list of five but I’m sure there are more:

Elizabeth - the mother of John the Baptist was believing (though Zacharias, his father was struck temporarily dumb for his unbelief) Luke 1: 5-26, 40-45

Mary - Luke 1: 26-80

Joseph - Matthew 1:15-25, 2:13-23

Simeon - Luke 2:25-35 faithful prophecies were made by Simeon, to Mary.

Anna - Luke 2:36, 38, at 84 years, she’d long awaited in expection. 

This is my favourite Carol, so much good doctrine in Wesley’s hymn on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", video link here, as well as below. If you want more in background on this is truly beautiful hymn - see here.

Two Gospels only tell of Jesus’ birth.

Matthew gives it from Joseph’s perspective and dealing in angel appearances and Magi coming; Luke is from Mary’s perspective, each also share their respective genealogies.

Are we likewise expectant that our beautiful LORD Jesus Christ will come again?

 "THEREFORE BE YE ALSO READY for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”  Matt24:24

Will Christ find us ready longing for His coming as these faithful ones were at Christs first Advent, for its promised to be at any day unexpectedly?

Will I be ready, I pray so with all my heart.

At Christmas time, may Christ not be left out - but may we ALL remember the most important gift is not UNDER THE TREE,

BUT WAS PLACED UPON THE TREE TO DIE for our sin and salvation.

Praying earnestly - may the real reason of Christmas shine brightly in your home and heart.

may God richly bless your day wherever you maybe,

Shaz in Oz.x

 

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you! 

"It IS Finished!" Finished work - once, and for all!

 It's Easter time, and really it's not about the bunny, but THE Lamb ..

The Lamb of God... as John the Baptist said of Jesus:

 "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world". 

Two verses (along with others but two main ones) repeat in my mind at Easter time.
The first verse is John 19:30
 

Jesus said, “It is finished.” 

With that, He bowed his head and gave up His spirit. 

Read this Scripture in John 19 so many times – the last words Jesus spoke on the day He was crucified. There’s such gravity in that moment. Imagining the Son of God, our Savior, with His battered and broken body nailed to a cross, stirs up a sense of both sadness and shame. 

Sorrow because it is MY SIN that He bore on the cross of shame.

 Shattered in body and Spirit by the greatest grief of all time, as His Father could not look on our sin, and turned His back on our perfect Sin-Bearer, the LORD Jesus Christ.

 Often the focus is on what happened, the events themselves, and less so on those three simple words He spoke at the end: 

“It is finished.”

Let us to really consider those words. 

Christ was not simply stating the obvious - that His earthly life was over. 

He was declaring that our sins were forgiven once and for all, their price paid by His sacrifice."

"It is finished" last of Jesus' seven sayings on the cross. ... 

It meant that salvation was bought! 

It is paid for in full!

Wherefore, 

as by ONE man sin entered into the world, 

and death by sin; 

and so death passed upon all men, 

for that all have sinned:

For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, 

so by the obedience of ONE (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.

Romans 5:12, 19

 The battle against sin's punishment was won, once for all.

By one man's sin (Adam) sin entered the world,

 by one Man's Death (the LORD Jesus) sins power was defeated!

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin". I John 1:7b 
His blood bought our salvation.. 

We can never ever earn it ourselves.
... being a member of a church, a religion
or any other thing we do, it all is as nothing - it will not buy your salvation. 
Only one way through the perfect Son of God.

(This is a very early text done in 1992, executed in water colours, ink and 23 carat Gold leaf. 
I chose this verse because it was the verse that lead to my salvation (see here) .. and it is pivotal in my heart.
I now have another layout hanging on our loungeroom wall.)

The second verse that rings in my heart at Easter time - after Jesus cry of 
"It is finished!"

 is the angel's saying at the empty tomb:

"He is not here, for He is risen as he said."

What a joy it is to serve a Risen Saviour! Our God is not dead ... He lives ..
And how do I know He lives? ... as the hymn says "He lives within my heart!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF6aBDS3drA 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post. I pray it blesses you – for how richly I am blessed as a result of this gift of salvation at a young age.

I did not know until someone had told me, someone had asked me.
So this is why I share it with you today. 

Praying for you.
Shaz in Oz.x

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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