Bound Lamb by Francisco de ZurburanIn my own heart this last week I felt the stirrings of revival. It happened at The Gospel Coalition, a conference co-founded by Tim Keller and D. A. Carson designed to bring intellectual and spiritual integrity to Christian leaders. I want to share, this HOLIEST of weeks, from a special emergency session that deeply stirred me. Then next week, beginning Easter Sunday, I want to share from Tim Keller’s session on The Crossing Over in Exodus. Both, as well as other sessions, were amazing. I believe that if you take the time this Holy Week, and then again, Resurrection Week, that you too may feel the stirrings of revival in your heart.
There were 6,000 people at The Gospel Coalition from every tribe and nation – mostly men, but women as well. I met a pastor from Mexico in the elevator who, in response to my questioning, tearfully said, “The Lord provided for me to be here.” I know his words could have been repeated again and again by thousands.
You can hear many of the talks right now on this website:
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/
I want to begin, this Holy Week, with the session where I sensed revival in my heart, and it is relevant to our quest to overcome idolatry, because of what Jonathan Edwards termed “the expulsive power of a new affection.” In this session, I was reminded again of how holy God is, and how blessed I am to be redeemed. This was a special early morning emergency session scheduled in response to Rob Bell’s new book: Love Wins. You may have heard the stir – Rob Bell, popular young pastor of a Grand Rapids megachurch of 7,000 has embraced universalism. It seems nearly every holy week that Time Magazine or another popular secular magazine, features some kind of blasphemy on the cover. Satan always slithers out of his hole during Holy Week, breathing lies. His lie from the beginning of time is that we should not believe God’s Word, His judgment, His Gospel. That is the basic lie in Rob Bell’s book. (I have liked Rob Bell in the past, even used clips from his well done Nooma series at my conferences – particularly liking the one on grief called Rain. Zondervan published those videos and many other of Rob’s books – but refused to publish Love Wins.) But his departure shows he was never with us.
Honestly, I want to confess that I have struggled with the doctrine of hell, even though I do believe it because I believe Jesus. But there’s a part of me, in thinking of those I love who may not embrace Christ, that has pleaded with God: “But torment forever? O Lord – really? What if that person comes to his senses in hell? Lord, is there really no hope ever for him?”
The special session not only helped me with those questions, but stirred a revival in my heart. It put me in awe again of a holy God, a just God, and yet a merciful God. I wept, as did many, feeling ashamed for questioning God, and my mouth was stopped. Martin Lloyd Jones defines a Christian as one whose mouth is stopped, quoting Job. Remember when Job was questioning God about His justice? When God answered him, Job said, “I put my hand over my mouth.”
You can hear D. A. Carson’s opening remarks to this session in which he explains the two main kinds of universalism and why they are not true if you click here:
Carson makes many strong points, but he closed with the truth that hell is not filled with people wanting to repent, but rather people who still want to be their own gods. (Consider the story Jesus told in Luke 16 of the rich man and Lazarus – though he wants to warn his family, he also is not repenting.)
After Carson spoke, four men, including Keller, responded. Each had so much to offer. I want you to listen, because it is so good, but I will share a few of the points that convicted me.
You may also watch the video here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/preaching_from_the_old_testament
Tim Keller:
There must be a penalty for sin. If you lessen the penalty, you lessen the sin. (How would you feel if someone murdered someone you loved and could be let off by paying $100?) You also lessen what Christ did – He was the lamb of God who sacrificed Himself to pay for our sin.
Keller made some fascinating remarks about C. S. Lewis’ view of hell (he believed in it) and also Bell’s book. He said he felt Bell ridiculed those who had a different view, and that he has learned that it is far better to treat people with respect – to phrase what they believe in the clearest and most honoring way, so that when you dismantle their argument, they know they have been heard. (I have seen Keller do this with the atheists on his video The Reason for God. He treats them with respect, he understands we have honest reasons for doubt, and they listen.)
Stephen Um (Pastor from Korea)
He said that love without justice is something western people embrace. People from his area of the world who have seen atrocities done to those they love, have trouble with a God who is all love and does not punish wickedness. Bell’s treatise is not what makes sense, but what makes sense to western people. Bell’s message subverts the Gospel in which we see both love and justice together.
Um said that universalism not only rejects a holy God, but hurts sinners who need to be justified.
Crawford Loritz
“Let us not a la carte the attributes of God.” He is the one who quoted Martin Lloyd Jones: “At the very heart of human behavior is our desire to be in control of God.” Those in hell still want to be in control.
He urged us to take our questions to the Word of God. Jesus spoke more about hell than did anyone else in Scripture.
BIBLE STUDY FOR HOLY WEEK
1. Is there a way, this Holy Week, that you could set aside some special time to draw near to God? Perhaps you could do it for an hour on Palm Sunday, or fast lunches to find the time during the week, or spend the hours Jesus was on the cross (9 to 3) on Good Friday. Ask God to show you. I urge you to listen to the above, for such a time as this, and to take notes. If you do, I’d love for you to share what you learned and your thoughts about it. Tell us, through the week.
APPLYING THE BLOOD
2. Read Exodus 12:1-13 and find any parallels that you can between:
A. The lamb and Jesus
B. What the Israelites were told to do and what we must do to be delivered from God’s righteous wrath
The Wrath (the Lion) and The Mercy (the Lamb) of God
3. Read Revelation 5:1-14
A. What question does the angel ask in verse 2?
B. Why does John weep in verse 4?
C. What does one of the elders tell John in verse 5?
D. What attributes do you associate with a Lion? How do you see this in the LORD? (God the Father or the Son)
E. When other animal does John see in verse 6?
F. What attributes do you associate with a Lamb? How do you see this in Jesus?
G. If you have not seen my daughter’s video story of the painting of Aslan, click here and give your thoughts:
http://deebrestin.wpengine.com/products/aslan-posters-prints/
H. Why, according to verse 9-10, is Jesus worthy to take the scroll and open its seals?
4. Why is love without truth enablement? Think of your role as a parent, and then of God’s role as a parent.
5. Why is truth without love cruel?
6. Why must the Gospel have both?
7. Meditate on the chiasm of Psalm 85:10 (a chiasm is when you draw a line from a word in the first line to a word that corresponds to a word in the second line, so that the two lines cross) Do it here:
Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Thank God for His truth that leads to righteousness
Thank Him for His mercy that leads to peace
8. Share your favorite song of the cross and tell why. (Be singing it this week!)
9. How did God meet you this Holy Week?
317 comments
Hello Everyone, I just read all of the responses and I thank everyone for their prayers and encouragements. I haven’t heard someone say, “I am praying for you” from women in a long time. I really feel blessed by all. Latley I have been crying over the good and the bad so I have tears of gladness from you all. I have a lot to say about a lot but it’s so much that I know it will come out and I will be able to share. I pray that God will bless each one of you in your daily lives and that wisdom, courage and comfort will be there in all that you will be challenged by. God Bless!
Welcome welcome, Yvonne.
I pray you will find a home here — and thank you for your prayers for us too.
There are good listeners here! 🙂
Welcome~
Yvonne,
I’d like to welcome you here, where I know you will find encouragement and fellowship and, even though we cant meet ‘face to face’, I pray this will be a balm to ease your loneliness!
Yvonne, I can relate to your struggles about not having friendships. I pray you will experience God’s touch more and more. Looking forward to hearing you share.
Brennan Manning, Lion and Lamb, “You will trust God only as much as you love him. And you will love him not because you have studied him; you will love him because you have touched him–in response to his touch ….Only if you love will you make that final leap into darkness.
“Father into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Peace to you,
Ana
That is so true Ana. At times that is an issue for me, trusting God. I read my word and I studied and try to memorize scripture but I know God wants me to trust Him in all things. I think I attempt to stand in faith and just speak the word of God and everything will be fine, but it goes back to having a relationship with Him, not just repeating scripture. But like the song drawing nearer to God, I need to let the word of God live in my heart and allow Him to live through me. I know relationship with Him is more real and valuable than quoting scriptures and even quoting scriptures have its place, too. I know at times I want a quick fix.
Yvonne, yes, great stuff. I agree, quoting scriptures or recalling what God has told us or encouraged us with has its place. Thanks!
Welcome, Yvonne! This blog — and the ladies on it — are terrific!
Ana — if you are still with us, I know you would have some special insights into Passover that we would love!
I found my cross song. I am posting 2 versions because the first one has the words and the 2nd is a beautiful interpretive dance but unfortunately the camera was not still.
http://youtu.be/fy4QPHh7oDk Via Dolorosa
http://youtu.be/Ud9yWGjt5IU
As I was looking at interpretive dance I found some very interesting ones. I think they would be striking if seen live. This one I share because we did the study on Song of Songs. http://youtu.be/PaK-khEzOsQ
Loved the Via Dolorosa — both Sandy singing and the interpretative dance very good
Was impressed with the daring church that did the Song of Songs!
Anne–I’m so glad you posted Via Dolorosa! I have not heard it in a long while–it is so beautiful, so moving, thank you.
Oh, dear Dee. There are some marvelous parallels, deep, rich, awe inspiring. Many have done such a study, but let me share this as my Passover greeting I sent my friends, with some additional comments: From The Message Bible:
Come, See for Yourself
35-36The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”
37-38The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”
They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this happened.
——————————————————
To me, these passages speak of his divine humanity. Yeshua lived and lives, he died, shed the necessary blood for our attonement once for all, for all …. He invites us daily to “Come along and see for [ourselves].” He so respects our individuality, he longs for friendship, for initmate relationship with us, thus his sacrifice and He asks, “What are you after?” as if he didn’t know :).
Yeshua loves to dialogue with us. His divine humanity showing us how real he was, is and ever shall be. I am in love with him and hope to ignite that kind of passion in others. For it is in this passion which includes the bitter herbs of suffering (that which is eaten at the Passover meal as the bitterness endured by the Israelites in Egypt) as we embrace the good as well as the bad with Him, ever present, death is and will be swallowed up and there is life, forevemore. Happy Passover!
Love this from Ana, our Messianic Jewish Sister!
For it is in this passion which includes the bitter herbs of suffering (that which is eaten at the Passover meal as the bitterness endured by the Israelites in Egypt) as we embrace the good as well as the bad with Him, ever present, death is and will be swallowed up and there is life, forevemore.
I really liked what Dee quoted here too from you Ana. Love those insights.
Thanks gals 🙂
I just found this Martin Luther quote on the Cross–thought you all would enjoy it too:
“Let us meditate a moment on the passion of Christ. Some do so falsely in that they merely rail against Judas and the Jews. Some carry crucifixes to protect themselves from water, fire, and sword, and turn the suffering of Christ into an amulet against suffering. Some weep, and that is the end of it. The true contemplation is that in which the heart is crushed and the conscience smitten. You must be overwhelmed by the frightful wrath of God who so hated sin that he spared not his only begotten Son. What can the sinner expect if the beloved Son was so afflicted? It must be an inexpressible and unendurable yearning that causes God’s Son himself so to suffer. Ponder this and you will tremble, and the more you ponder, the deeper you will tremble…But if one does meditate rightly on the suffering of Christ for a day, an hour, or even a quarter of an hour, this we may confidently say is better than a whole year of fasting, days of psalm singing, yes, than even one hundred masses, because this reflection changes the whole man and makes him new, as once he was in baptism. ”
The whole piece is here: http://www.christianity.com/Home/Christian%20Living%20Features/11599368/
Elizabeth, this is so good and helpful to me right now. Thank you for posting it.
Dee–I have 2 questions for you!
1–what is YOUR cross song? Would love to know!
2(less profound but I’ve been curious)–In God of All Comfort you mentioned a Scrabble board in your table? Was it painted or embedded somehow? My husband and I have played Scrabble together over the years since we were 16–and some time about 6 months ago we pulled it back out and it is once again our nightly ritual. When I read him the part about your Scrabble board, he said I had to ask you about that 😉
🙂
I have always loved the simplicity of the children’s song: Oh How He Loves You and Me —
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmtFxnQsl6Q
Our “scrabble table” is actually a cardtable sized felt cloth with the squares embedded that we cover with another cloth. However, my children are preferring the board that moves — Kathy Troccoli gave me a cadillac one of those. Steve had “merciful” scrabble rules such as if you got three of one letter you could throw one back — or if you got all vowels or all consonants you could throw one back — and if you hated the first draw you could start over cause everyone needs a good start. So our high scores are colored a bit by mercy! 🙂 I like it that you like scrabble. Love words, love scrabble.
oh you really made me laugh out loud–I will definitely adapt to the Steve rulebook from now on!
I know (we all) would have loved your Steve too–he sounds like such a gentle but strong, tender warrior.
Jesus has put you on my heart more than usual today to pray for you Dee–I can’t imagine how much you must miss him, always I’m sure, but especially on such a special time as Easter.
Thank you for so graciously sharing your heart with us–that is your gift–to be a renown speaker and author, yet so warm and approachable–your heart is so engaging and inviting. Still I am humbled by and so thankful for your mentoring!
Blessings!
Thank you so much, Elizabeth. Warm words about Steve are a balm to me, for I so want his legacy to live on. Thank you so much. And it is my joy to be with you.
Dee, I agree with Elizabeth in prayer for you this evening. I am so thankful for your friendship. How very dear you are.
I agree too!
Thank you Anne and Joyce!
I love all the songs shared here. They help me so much as I contemplate the cross. Draw Me Nearer came to mind. The only version I could find is updated but still worshipful. http://youtu.be/pA9V1JzM0p0
1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
* Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Thanks, Anne. Love that one!
I hadn’t thought about Rob Bell and universalism for a couple of days (which was just fine with me!). Today, I got an email with a link to https://evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/page.aspx?pid=444&srctid=1&erid=114265 (Scroll down to the section on “holistic ministry”)
I appreciated the speakers/messages Dee posted because they focused on Scripture rather than simply preaching against Rob Bell. Tonight I read a blog by Richard Mouw which he began by indicating that he agrees with Rob Bell. I haven’t carefully read/processed the info at the links from the site I posted here. However, I am thankful that I can be confident in the authority of Scripture, but trust that God alone knows the hearts of those who speak (and mis-speak).
(I think) one of the speakers used the example of being able to identify counterfeits by becoming more familiar with legit money– and both of the speakers focused on the “legit.” I get the impression that some anti-Bell rhetoric may be doing as much harm as Bell is accused of doing. What has been much more powerful for me is “This is what the Bible says… this is what we know about God and his holiness” (in contrast to “this is why Bell is wrong”). Mouw’s article was followed by a whole bunch of comments, some of which shed more heat than light.
I’ll probably read the links from the site above — after Easter. Who Jesus is and what He did for me is my focus now (and thanks for the music helping me focus!)
That’s good Renee.
I liked Keller’s comments that when you disagree with someone you must state his belief in as clear and as positive a way as you can or you are not really listening. On one of his sermons he gave the example of having a disagreement with his wife and if he states what she has said in a belittling way, all is lost — that is hurtful, disrespectful. We hate it when it is done to us. I also have learned a lot by watching Keller on the video The Reason for God where he is with six agnostics in dialogue. He opens each session with “we all have honest doubts and questions that deserve to be heard and understood…” I know when I was younger I could get angry and proud and not do this and did damage which I so regret.
1-As I spoke before I am really struggling with some things. What God has impressed on me to do for however long it is needed is to do what I remember you telling talking about Steve doing, Reading through the Psalms along with the Treasury of David by Spurgeon. I have done this the past two days now and find it so rich. I know this will be a great journey. So that is what I am doing for now daily as I can. I don’t want to rush it.
2-interesting to me it could be a lamb or goat…interesting seeing Ana’s comments above about this. I wonder if it was hard to slaughter what one could have come to consider a pet. Maybe they did not look at animals this way but taking special care of God’s creation always makes me soft toward it.
a-the lamb was like Jesus as the chosen, special, son of God. He did nothing wrong like the lamb and was taken as a sacrifice for sin. Only Jesus sacrifice was once for all. His shed blood is like the blood of lambs that coats the door to protect us from the destroyer…Jesus is the door and by His shed blood we are clean and able to enter into God’s presence purified. A lamb cannot voluntarily lay down its life, Jesus did lay His down as an exchange for ours.
b-“13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.”NLT We are covered by His blood as well and taking it a step further sealed with the Spirit. We Israelites and us would both have to believe and trust in this.
3a-“Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?”
3b-no one was found worthy to open the scroll to read it.
3c-Jesus was worthy to.
3d-Lion is strong, king of the beasts, fierce, yet takes care of its own, can hold its own and protect its own. God is all of these things.
3e-Lamb
3f-gentle, mild mannered (especially compared alongside goats in the petting zoo), does not attack like the lion. There was an amazing documentary once where I saw a lion take a lamb as its own and they would lay down together and live together very interesting. Anyway, we see these traits in Jesus when He had all power to do anything yet He laid down all of that.
3g-LOVE that video, have a copy on my wall.
3h-because He was slaughtered and His blood ransomed people for God.
4-because it doesn’t help the person grow…It doesn’t take the time to teach.
5-because it is harsh and more cutting than growing…it doesn’t take the time to teach either.
6-The gospel must have both because we are to grow more Christlike and the only way it can happen is in truth and love. A security in the love of God to receive the truths of His word. Some harder than others. It helps us see our desperate need and draw close to the One and only who can save. It must be balanced for true growth.
7-great Psalm. Love how it connects that way.
8-Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Really I just love this song but specifically now because I am prone to wander and let my heart become hard but God come for me not to do that. Like the thought of being bound to Him.
9-God is just greatly meeting me. In the Psalms as I start, in this study and all the other places He is taking me in His word. I need to be saturated with it at this time. He is faithful to help me do this. It is a blessing. He is helping me surrender control of things. I am learning to trust more. It is good.
Angela — these are wonderful sharings. I identify with your thoughts about the lamb as a pet! But truly, they are so innocent.
It’s wonderful you are going through the psalms and the Treasury of David. Spurgeon is amazing. He sometimes makes me smile with his superlatives (every psalm is so wonderful, the peak among majestic mountains…) but what comes through is his love for the Word.
oh I just saw this part–so glad you reminded me of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing–I love that one too!
Elizabeth asked my favorite cross song and this morning I thought — how could I have not said And Can It Be! Renee already gave a video with that. I love the wonder in it and that it goes into the resurrection.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray.
Oh!
4. Why is love without truth enablement? Think of your role as a parent, and then of God’s role as a parent.
* Love without truth isn’t love, it is selfish because it is usually wrought out of a fear of rejection. It enables the hearer to keep believing the lies they are believing and these lies will eventually destroy them. It sends the message that the one who loves without truth doesn’t really care.
5. Why is truth without love cruel?
* It is the opposite of ‘love without truth’ and is selfish. It usually shuts down the hearer because it is painful to her, so it only serves to feed the truth teller’s pride and self-righteousness. More than not the truth teller who does so without love is doing it in a spirit of pride which is like sticking a knife in someone’s heart rather than being a balm to someone’s heart.
6. Why must the Gospel have both?
* The Gospel has both. God is holy, He can’t face sin and there has to be a sacrifice for sin or those in sin will face God’s wrath so instead of leaving us here to die under His wrath for eternity, in His great love and mercy toward us HE wrapped himself up in flesh came down to Earth to be the sacrifice He required, to take on our punishment, to take on His wrath and to rise from the dead triumphantly-sin and death destroyed once and for all-and we now can have new life in Him..THIS is love. How could anyone say no, but people do. Scripture says those who say no do remain under His wrath.
Renee, I just watched your link from earlier and the timing is perfect. I am reposting in case anyone missed it. Amazing Love http://youtu.be/Dooif2-yAoI
Also I found a good video for And Can it Be. http://youtu.be/PMCOyY0Rlus
Thanks, Anne. I just watched them both twice — and found another song I hadn’t heard before, My Jesus http://youtu.be/m1rqb1BG4JU
(My son just graduated airforce bootcamp–at the church service we, the troops, and my and many families sang this song, what a thrill, to say the least): I couldn’t find the music, but the lyrics are powerful to me:
“At The Cross”
I know a place a wonderful place
where accused and condemned
find mercy and grace
where the wrongs we have done
and the wrongs done to us
were nailed there with him
there on the cross
At the cross,at the cross
he died for our sin
at the cross,at the cross
he gave us life again
At the cross,at the cross
You died for our sin
At the cross,at the cross
You gave us life again
Stirring lyrics!
Congratulations to your son!
Agreed! Wonderful lyrics. Haven’t heard it before so might try hunting 🙂
Thanks, and thanks on the congrats to my son. I have one Marine-male and now, one Airman :)and they have wives, would appreciate your prayers. They have yet to be deployed. (Renee, there are so many songs with that title, I got tired doing my own “hunting”)
Love,
Ana
wow what a proud mama you must be! That is great. Lifting them all in prayer.
Just a little 🙂 Angela, thank you for your prayers.
Google to the rescue! Thanks for sharing this, Ana.
http://youtu.be/m5rmIckeEgQ
NO WAY!!!! Way to go, Renee!! Thank you!!! 🙂
I put the whole first verse into google 😉 Didn’t expect to find it on YouTube, but thought it might pop up somewhere! There was another one on YouTube, too, with Liturgical dance.
^5 (high five)!
Yvonne, Your post about trusting God really caught my eye because I have had such serious issues with fear and anxiety. Coming into this study it was so bad that it was affecting my health. You are right that very often repeating scripture is not enough. Ana is right that you have to be able to touch Him and see who He really is. Systematic study of the word has been the thing that has done that for me but it did not happen quickly. Bible study can be arduous work, like traveling through mountains, but when you get to a summit it is worth it all. When you get to a summit you see who God really is, His love and His power and that is the rock that you can hold onto. Hope this is helpful. I am so glad you are with us.
I love this Anne: “Bible study can be arduous work, like traveling through mountains, but when you get to a summit it is worth it all. When you get to a summit you see who God really is, His love and His power and that is the rock that you can hold onto.”
So good! I needed that!
Elizabeth,
Ditto..I love what Anne said too. Sometimes she says stuff that is so obviously coming from the Holy Spirit..It stops me in my tracks and I want to cut and paste it. I have before actually. 🙂
I just finished Dee’s book “The God of all Comfort” last night. Wow..I love how honest and real it is all the way through. No matter what struggle we have whether it be death, a challenging marriage, challenging kids, or child’s disability etc.. This book really speaks to all of it.
I love the way Dee refers to Psalm 18 and encourages to cling and hold onto his hand as sometimes he doesn’t pull us out but gives us the opportunity for lament..For dialogue, and an opportunity to grow closer to Him than we ever have been..to forge a deeper walk where we can go into the mystery of Him in the secret places and walk in deeper intimacy..I often wonder if God allowing such pain in life is ‘real love’ and is the rescue God so desires for us. I am not saying he likes it by no means, he grieves with us. He hates to see us in pain but I think He uses it for His glory.
It is profound and unfathomable to think that in the midst of great and deep pain an unspeakable beauty can be forged that couldn’t have been forged without it. I refer back to the ugliness and pain of Jesus’ humiliation, torture and separation from God on the Cross.. It’s hard to grasp, but I know it is true and God doesn’t work the way we do.
ANyway, just my thoughts..THis book made a huge impact in my life.
Thank you, Rebecca!
2. Read Exodus 12:1-13 and find any parallels you can between:
A. The lamb and Jesus
The lamb was to be a male and without blemish; Jesus, the God-man and the One who lived a perfect, sinless life without any stain of sin nor blemish.
John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God
B. What the Israelites were told to do, and what we must do to be delivered from God’s righteous wrath
They were told to kill the lamb and take some of the blood, putting it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of their houses in order that when God went out to strike down all the first-born of the land of Egypt, He would see the blood and pass over their homes.
We must receive Jesus by faith, accepting His death on the Cross as payment for our sins; His blood covers us and blots out our sin so that God’s wrath and judgement over sin passes over us; we are kept safe.
The Wrath (the Lion) and the Mercy (the Lamb) of God
3. Read Revelation 5:1-14
A. What question does the angel ask in verse 2?
“Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”
B. Why does John weep in verse 4?
Because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it.
C. What does one of the elders tell John in verse 5?
“Stop weeping; look, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
D. What attributes do you associate with a lion? How do you see this in the Lord?
A lion is “king of the beasts”, stately, BIG, majestic, powerful, can be frightening, wild.
Jesus is King of kings, both the Father and Son are majestic, omnipotent, “wild” in that we cannot control God nor predict His ways – He doesn’t fit into our box – He is uncontainable.
E. What other animal does John see in verse 6?
He sees a Lamb standing, as if slain.
F. What attributes do you associate with a lamb? How do you see this in Jesus?
A lamb is tender, mild, gentle, vulnerable, dependent on its mother.
Jesus displayed meekness, gentleness, tenderness, submissiveness to His Father, dependence upon His Father.
G. I remember seeing the video of the Aslan painting from an earlier blog posting – it was amazing how God placed the bound lamb into the painting of the lion, Aslan, the display of how God is not safe, but He is good.
H. Why, according to verse 9-10, is Jesus worthy to take the scroll and open its seals?
Because He, with His blood, (being slain) did purchase for God men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Jesus’ sacrifice of His life makes Him alone worthy.
My cross song that I’ve been singing this week is “Jesus Messiah” by Chris Tomlin. I just search for it on youtube and there are a few good versions of it.
Just listened — didn’t know that song — so good!
I wanted to go back to #4 again (I mentioned how this one moved me). Earlier I said I didn’t believe it is even possible to really love without truth. As Dee wrote: The cross at once shows us the truth about our sin — how terrible it is for it caused this agonizing death –It also shows us the love of Christ
This has still been stirring me because I have seen it and lived it. I think it is so easy to believe we ARE loving, to call it love even, but without truth it cannot be. In my life I did this in early years of marriage, covering the pain of my husband’s anger issues, I was afraid to call it what it was, so I continually covered up the evidence, denied it to myself and others, and truly thought I did it because I loved him. I had seen the same model in my mom with hiding my father’s alcoholism–she called it love, she believed it was love, but at the root is fear, self-protection, a distrust that He really will take care of it. And so in a very real way, I saw how this “fake love” without truth, kept my father from getting help–the enablement. It would have done the same with my husband, but thankfully because of my husband’s humility–we did face the truth and though hard for many years, the healing came for him.
Truth sets us free.
Sorry for the tangent ;0 just been on my mind!
Not a tangent in my mind, Elizabeth. As His image bearers, though we are flawed, we must still combine truth and love as He does.
One of the things I have respected about the women on this blog is their ability to hear the truth. It’s hard — no one likes to be challenged — but that is how we grow.
Great points.
I know there are many word-lovers among us, have you all seen the 1828 Webster’s dictionary? I hope to purchase a copy someday (it’s pricey!) but here is a free online version–the definitions are really incredible.
http://www.1828-dictionary.com/d/search/word,meek
thanks for this site
Elizabeth,
Thanks for the site!
I love it because many of the definitions use Scripture–and I have found that helpful especially in teaching the kids (an myself!) It is amazing how different Websters’s can be today from this original!
Will be fun to look up some of words in old hymns, too!
Bookmarked that one. I think I will send it to my son, he is a word lover too. Thanks Elizabeth.
finished the recording. Really appreciated it and what spoke to me most was the end when Crawford said we need to go to the Source, sometimes we listen to too many voices. I needed to hear this about many things. Trying to find answers especially about my daughter is frustrating because there are so many opinions and answers but not all are best or good. I really need to trust what God is speaking to me and my mommy gut He provided as He has entrusted this precious one to me to raise. Only He knows what is best for her not that outside counsel is not needed because it is but I just need to be able to filter it all through the SOURCE. God will show us. This is how I get caught up into the struggle of needing approval. I just want someone to understand and really God is the only one who will and that has to be okay. I must surrender that completely. I am being attacked fiercely in the mind right now. I would appreciate prayer.
Praying for you Angela–for wisdom, and protection over your mind. I know what you mean about the reminder to go to the Source. I will pray for your discernment too in filtering all through Him.
Angela,
Will pray..I can relate..Oh how I can relate to what you are saying about your daughter and yes, you do have to go with your gut ultimately..It looks like you are taking advice and sifting through it wisely. You know what is best and God knows you love your daughter..You wouldn’t make any decision to hurt her and even when or if you make a mistake God’s grace can cover that too.
I too am in the same shoes as far as being attacked right now albeit different circumstances perhaps. Long story, but there is a storm going on right now and my comfort god is dripping with honey, trying to woo me back to him, and I have refused.
Last night I told my husband I feel like crawling in a hole and going back to where I was a few months ago to my false protector just to get some immediate relief..I am free from his control but am being tempted to go back in the midst of this storm, but after reading Dee’s book, God helped me to hear Him whispering, “Do you trust me?” While He hasn’t taken it away He is in the process of breaking me and rescuing me from myself..This has been a great opportunity to cry out to Him and to trust him. ♥
Oh Rebecca, praying for you too friend. Storms are so dark and difficult to see out when in the midst of them. I too relate, though I know all of our situations are so different–my struggles with my daughter come and go like waves of the sea and every time I sense the calm, another one comes crashing!
You are so right though–in the midst, He asks, just as if we were on the boat with He and the disciples and the storm arose…they trembled –and He asks “Do you trust Me?”
Elizabeth, Perfect! Wow, God’s grace abounds, you are another gift of encouragement from Him today!
God also brought me encouragement through my friend Elsa today on the phone. We were just chatting, catching up and sharing today and God used it as a time for us to encourage one another. God also knew we needed to laugh and it ended up that way. God is good! 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth and Rebecca I appreciate it!!
I know we help one another by our prayers.
Sorry Rebecca that you are struggling too. I am right there with you. I have God of all Comfort I need to read it again. I started it but got sidetracked on finishing. Also, I prob need to pick back up a praying life by Paul Miller, he has an autistic daughter and his experiences I think will be helpful in leaning on God. I love great Christian books alongside the Bible. That is a great gift to me.
I just wanted to say to both of you, and others here with children with similar difficulties–I SEE so much True Love in the way you have faced these trials. It is as we said above, love requires truth. My siblings and I have been concerned for over 10 years now for one of my nephews–we have seen clear signs of Autism since day one. A specialist even confirmed this, but unfortunately his mother (another sister of mine) refuses to believe it, and my nephew has suffered SO much, it breaks your heart.
So I see in each of you the willingness to face the hard truth and persevere, motivated by REAL love for your children–and I trust He will bless it!
Rebecca — praying for you. God spoke twice to Steve in his life — once during depression, once during his last illness — both times “Do you trust me?”
Praying for you dear one.
Dee and everyone, Thanks so much for praying! You all are a huge balm to my soul.
I felt your prayers last night, and God is lifting my face from some loved ones around me and turning my face toward Him..That was the answer to your prayers last night. I allow those in my sphere’s emotions to dictate my emotions for the day, and that is a form of idolatry-God showed me that in our ‘relational idolatry’ study a few weeks ago. It is a great tool to use for a red flag..whenever someone’s emotions effect mine for a whole day or two then there is an issue.
Today I am asking Him to help me keep my focus on Him and especially so this Holy weekend. I have been reading at night rather than watching the news. It has so helped. I am done with Dee’s book which was a huge way God spoke to me. Now I am going to the Psalms at night.
Another area of trust is with my singing ministry. I think God may be taking it away or taking me on another path at this season. My desire is really waning to continue on in this format and I haven’t had time to work on music. Also, my voice is getting strained way to fast, way to easily which is a change.
More information for you all to pray about for me. Thanks so much sisters!! Love you all.
I am so comforted to hear that I am not the only one under fierce attack right now. Not that I am glad but you know what I mean. I am really struggling in my mind. Always when I fast this happens only not to this degree. Now I understand that it is my idol being taken away.
Lord I can’t find words to express my gratitude for what You are doing in our lives right now. I admit my heart fears but in my mind I know that You are faithful and You are at work to transform us into the image of Christ. Help us Lord to hold on until that work is perfected in each of us. Come quickly Lord Jesus.
Praying for you too.
I do think the enemy is on the prowl this week more than ever.
Yes I am starting to understand that. Thank you for praying. I also think that what we are doing here is taking back territory that he has owned until now. Just knowing that gives me new determination.
Anne,
Praying for you – you are not alone, either! It does make sense that enemy attacks would be increased at this time.
I, too, have been struggling especially today with my having control over my thought life. The battle does begin in the mind and it can be Satan’s playground.
Glad to know I’m not the only one under attack. I too have been sidetracked this week and the other morning when I wanted to post my computer kept having a spell. The enemy will never stop ‘hunting’ us down but that’s a good sign-we indeed belong to Jesus.
Holy Week Timeline–I thought you all might enjoy this too:
http://bg3-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/holy-week-timeline.png
3.a. “Is there anyone who can open the scroll, who can break its seal?”
b. John wept because there was no one found able to open the scroll and read it.
c. The Elder told John not to weep because “the Lion from the Tribe Judah, the Root of David’s Tree, has conquered. He can open the scroll, can rip through the seven seals.”
d. Everyone has already shared the attributes of a lion that I thought of so I’m going take a different route. When a male lion wants to take over the territory of another male lion, he walks through the territory ‘roaring’ his intentions. When Jesus took on the flesh of man and came to earth, I think, he began ‘roaring’ his intentions the day of his baptism. He began the journey to the cross and when he died, of course satan thought he had retained control over ‘his territory’-death. It was the Lion from the Tribe Judah who went to hell and took the keys of death from the ‘lion who seeks to devour’. What I’m trying to say is Jesus took over Satan’s territory. Jesus tells us in Revelation 1:18: “I am He who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and Death.”
e. John saw a slaughtered Lamb able to still stand.
f. Lambs are gentle and tender. Jesus is gentle, generous in forgiveness, and tender in mercy toward the humble sinner. Lambs stay close to their moms. Jesus always stayed close to his father-through prayer-all the days he was on earth.
g. I have seen the video on the earlier blog and it amazes me that Sally’s eyes were kept from seeing the lamb until the appropriate moment.
h. Jesus was worthy to take the scroll and open its seals because he was slain and his blood paid for men and women to be brought back to God.
4. I’m not a parent but I’m going to try to express my thoughts. When a parent allows a child to make bad choices and experience no consequences for those bad choices, that parent enables (and encourages) the child to continually live a sinful lifestyle.
God my father allows me to make my choices but has never kept me from suffering the consequences of my bad choices. He loves me so much he will allow me to hurt until I can see that I am going in the wrong direction. He wants me to walk the path of wisdom and stay off the path of folly.
5. Truth without love is cruel because it gives no consideration to the ‘stabbing it does to the soul’. The ‘truth without love’ converstions stay with a person for years and years continually inflicting pain unless that person makes the choice to forgive.
Tammy,
wonderful answers you gave, especially to #4 and #5. They were really insightful.
Tonight I went to a Maundy Thursday service that was perfect for where we are right now. I have never heard any of the songs but was amazed how they spoke to me. Here is one of them.
Holy Darkness
Refrain:Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer hidden from our sight.
As we await you, O God of silence, we embrace your holy night.
I have tried you in the fires of affliction; I have taught your soul to grieve.
In the barren soil of your loneliness, there I will plant My seed.
I have taught you the price of compassion; you have stood before the grave.
Though My love can seem like a raging storm, this is the love that saves.
In your deepest hour of darkness I will give you wealth untold.
When the silence stills your spirit, will My riches fill your soul.
I’ve never heard this song. You are right. The words fit. Thanks for sharing.
This song is on YouTube. I don’t know how to post a link there. Maybe one you tech savvy sisters can post it. Thanks.
Wow… Good one & good timing for me
http://youtu.be/k6NWR08ts_w
I awake on this Good Friday to find such encouragement from my sisters. I’d never heard Holy Darkness that Anne posted the lyrics to, but Tammy and Renee have made it happen. What a beautiful contemplative song.
I woke early, wondering what Jesus was doing at 4:30 that Good Friday, thought of Elizabeth’s timeline, and realize He didn’t sleep that night.
I also have sometimes pondered the three days and three nights He said he would be like Jonah and just realized the first night was the holy darkness when He was on the cross.
I’m praying for each of you during this holy time. I do recommend going to the song Anne found and Renee posted for us as a start!
Love to each of you
Dee,
Yes I read the lyrics and listened to the song. How I needed this this morning. I never thought about the Holy darkness..to contemplate on that moment. I think this is where God is leading me today.
I am stubborn these past few days and I pray He will bring me to my knees. Like Susan so often is even when she is treated unkind, instead of closing up and running to her god she responds and repents and runs to Jesus because she has her eyes AND ears wide open..She kind of reminds me of Steve.
Me too, although I woke up late this morning. Can’t wait to listen to the song!
I want to get to question 7 today, but everyone is up and I don’t have an uninterrupted moment.
Good hunting Tammy and Renee. There are more verses!
I am praying for you Rebecca and all of us that we will be to wait in holy silence. I sense that this is my call right now. I am so distractable.
Tammy, when you finish watching a clip on you tube there are a bunch of tabs under it. If you left click your mouse on the share tab a line of symbols will come up highlighted. Move your mouse over it and right click. Then you will get option to copy. If you copy you can then come here, right click and paste. And then you have it.
Thanks for the lesson Anne. I’ll give it a try sometime.
Just finished praying for all of us ladies this morning as we draw closer to Jesus and reflect on His Passion and Death and His upcoming Resurrection. Praying for all of us to be protected from the enemy of our souls.
This morning I was reading about the humility of Christ. I thought this was really good:
The humility of Christ in His suffering humiliation and death
quotes from C.S. Lewis (his book “Miracles”)
“In the Christian story, God…comes down, down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity, down to the very roots and seabed of the humanity which He Himself created. But He goes down to come up again and bring ruined sinners up with Him.
One has the picture of a strong man, stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift. He must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders.
Or one may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death like region of ooze and slime and old decay. And then up again, back to color and light, his lungs almost bursting till suddenly he breaks the surfact again holding in his hand the dripping precious thing that he went down to recover.”
I see the “great and complicated burden, the ruined sinner, the region of ooze and slime and decay” in the fallen world we are in, and in my own fallen heart! It was so evident to me this morning as I got up early to have my time with the LOrd, and my husband heard the garbage truck coming (at an unusually early time) and came downstairs in a rather bad mood and ‘disrupted’ my time – I had to help get the trash out.
My attitude was less than one of humility; I felt irritation, annoyance, not much sympathy for my husband’s bad mood and request of my time and help. Lamenting that now I couldn’t have my time to be “spiritual”. The black ooze and slime of my heart!
My 17 year old son just left to attend a memorial service for a classmate whose mom commited suicide – this great and complicated burden of death, disease, sorrow, grief, that Jesus Christ bent Himself and made Himself nothing in order to get underneath it and redeem it. And who else is capable of doing this?
No one except the Lord Jesus!
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
As I did this chapter in the book The Incomparable Christ and listened to the message by Nancy Leigh Demoss this morning, (I’m behind so The Humility of Christ is what I came to today), I was struck how it was so fitting for Good Friday.
My prayer is that God would extinguish my ugly, ugly, self-exalting pride, as I look at Jesus on the Cross.
Susan, I LOVE your heart..such a godly woman who has her eyes wide open, sees it and then falls on her knees and repents right away..This can only come from God..You are bringing Him glory sister!
Susan, thanks for sharing this. This is where we wait for His rescue, in the cold dark depths. This memorial service is such an opportunity for your son to see the difference between a life of faith and a life without hope. Praying for him this morning. May he see with blinding clarity the life of hope that Susan has in You Lord.
I have been drawn to the song Bless The Broken Road this morning. When I took the dog out He held me still in the cold, damp yard. I thought about my longing and regret over the path not taken so many years ago. It is His, I gave it to Him. I asked what He would do with it. He wants to bless it. I am overcome.
http://youtu.be/YPaU7jJvqRc
Anne, Love this testimony from you this morning: “I have been drawn to the song Bless The Broken Road this morning. When I took the dog out He held me still in the cold, damp yard. I thought about my longing and regret over the path not taken so many years ago. It is His, I gave it to Him. I asked what He would do with it. He wants to bless it. I am overcome.”
Man, God is really using you all to minister to me this morning..
I liked that too. Anne is a poet.
he held me in the cold, damp yard
God saying to her, “Be still…”
God is so good. I am upset with myself for allowing distraction. I am going to work on my questions.
I have huge azaleas in front of my house and they are in full glorious bloom. Joey uploaded some pictures from inside to facebook but they don’t do them justice. The pink just glows off the walls inside. The goldfinches swoop all around the feeder with sqirrels, cardinals and even a woodpecker attending. Then, as if that was not enough a hummingbird paused at my window…
I started the day with a grumpy mood–critical of everything my husband said, correcting every tone he used with the kids…just irritated in my spirit, angry. My husband asked what music to play and I really did not want it–my attitude was that bad, but said instrumental piano, or Fernando Ortega.
He put on Fernando Ortega and “Pass Me Not”, came on. I wish I could find him singing it on youtube, but here are the lyrics…it finally melted me.
I am ashamed that I find such petty things, on this day of all days, to let irritate me…I was frustrated the weather kept us from the plans I had for Good Friday…oh the irony. All He wants is me, with Him, in this moment, in His pain.
My 4 yr old has asked us to read the StoryBook Bible version of the Cross so many times in the last 2 days we both have it memorized…but his little questions stop me-just now he asked his dad “WHY Daddy, WHY were they so mean to Him?…Will WE have to die on a cross? Not ever, Daddy?…Is He crying there Daddy? I see a tear on His face…”
Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.
Refrain
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
Refrain
Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?
My first thought when contemplating my broken road is my sons. They are my first blessing in this road and they need blessing. By that I mean walking in the Way. So who turns up in my living room but my oldest. God is calling him. Would anyone available please pray for him right now?
Praying now!
Lord, I lift up Anne’s oldest son and ask that You would minister to Him on this holy day. Give Anne wisdom and love for him too.
In Jesus Name
Yes Lord, Amen!
Amen
Thank you all so much! Fear operating again. I need to copy and paste my own words to blinders in front of my eyes.
Wow love that song Holy Darkness. Really good. Lifted you all up in prayer as I read through the thread. Very surprised at all the attack and am glad I shared my struggles. I guess it does make sense that the enemy does indeed hate this time of the year. Duh!! Totally slipped my mind. However, no weapon formed against us shall prosper and we are more than overcomers in CHRIST our RISEN KING! HUGS to all!!
Oh and I posted Kirk Franklins song Stomp today on FB. It is great because it makes me think of victory…And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head,and you will strike his heel. ~Genesis 3:15 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AdYnFY_bZ0&feature=share
I guess it may be more of an EASTER song but I love it!! Where Holy Darkness is a today song. 🙂 But we know how it ended a RISEN and ALIVE SAVIOR.
Angela, I am so glad you posted this. Some common ground for Joey and I.
Loved that song Stomp, thanks for posting it. I shared it on FB too!
Shalom,
Ana
http://youtu.be/SW_3kHHvk8M
Anne, thanks for the tip on how to post your favorite song. Hope this works!
Blessings on Good Friday, everyone. I was kinda feeling down also this morning…guess the ememy is working hard this easter week-end.
I’ve been blessed by everyone’s comments tho. I’m praying for everyone. Have a blessed Easter.
Blessings to you too Joyce–I was just wondering how you were and then saw you post. I wonder about Cyndi too, missing her here!
I feel like Eyeore today–can’t seem to shake the gloominess, maybe I’m not supposed to. It’s not like depression I have had before (I can be a pit prone to it), the only way I can describe it is I feel lonely and at the same time I just want to be alone–clear as mud? 😉 I remember when I was a kid I would get this feeling of homesickness, while I was at home…it’s like that now, a longing to be Home.
I was thinking of Cyndi today also. Praying for you Cyndi. Hope you are just busy.
Elizabeth, it is solemn to ponder but not without hope. Maybe that is the difference you feel. Here is one more pondering and then I follow Tracy into the joy. http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/04/living-a-one-piece-life-a-good-friday-reflection-his-mother-before-the-cross/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HolyExperience+%28Holy+Experience%29
Thank you Anne, you are so right! There is hope and hope does not disappoint! I struggle off and on with depression, it hasn’t come in several months, but it’s cloudy today and I’m feeling it some.
Oh wow! Just as I wrote this the UPS man delivered my Easter gift to myself and it is the CD from Ann Voskamp’s blog (the background she plays)–I think God is affirming your nudge for me towards HOPE 😉
🙂
That’s makes me happy, Elizabeth 🙂
Just read this piece and was moved to remember. I had never heard of the jewish mother tradition of giving a seamless robe to son when he leaves home. My mother made my clothes after working in a factory for eight hours and then coming home to prepare the evening meal. So much to consider in this. Thanks for sharing.
I so often feel that way. I want company and then I want them to go home! 🙂
I often think of this quote from Lewis:
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
oh wow that Lewis quote is it! I just read your words and said out loud to myself “I love her!” 😉
You always know just how to encourage–what a gift. thank you.
Joyce, it worked! Thanks. I love this song. Gold and silver blind the eye, temporary riches lie. That is just what we are being delivered from. Check this one too. http://youtu.be/NnwQ51Q3pWc I love it because I think this may be our perspective in heaven. No longer confined to earth.
Anne, thank you, this one has such gorgious scenery in it! What a beautiful song and message behind it.
To all my sisters: Hapy Good Friday!! What a wonderful, astounding, overwhelming thong to ponder, what Christ has done for is! It is amazing to think that over 2,000 yrs ago we were bought & paid for by His precious blood, so long before any of us were born, God knew us & planned salvation for generations to come. Also, how comforting is it to know that He covers every sin, proven by His resurrection from the dead!
Amen — yes yes, Tracy.
4. Why is love without truth enablement? Think of your role as a parent, and then of God’s role as a parent. I agree that without truth, love really is nonexistent. If we really love someone we do not withhold truth from them. I think these are the 2 main purposes of the word God has given to us. He gives us truth and at the same time showcases His love. In our walk through this life He does not withhold the difficulties that will grow us. In the same way, our children will not grow if we always shield them from difficulties. I like what Elizabeth said about hiding sin and not speaking up about it being enablement. There is a book by Francene Rivers called Leota’s Garden that displays what can happen in a family when secrets are kept, even out of love.
5. Why is truth without love cruel? Truth without love makes me think of a sword, it wounds and slays.
6. Why must the Gospel have both? I know that the Word (truth) is likened to a sword and if not for God’s love we would all be slain. Aren’t we all continually cut and healed by the Word? It takes love to heal the wounds. Tammy’s point is well made about how we all carry scars from truth applied without love. I must confess guilt in this area. I am taking a hard look at how I think God has gifted me. I’m not sure of many of the labels and how they look when properly or improperly used. This is what I see in myself. Often I see way more in situations than other people do and I am burdened by the things I see because I don’t know what to do with them. I think this is why I so need the heart of flesh. Without it my gift will never be properly used. It will continue to wound and slay.
Anne, your words above are so deep. Yes, it takes love to heal the wounds, so you definately will not be wounded or slain, because your love run so deep for God. Your such a blessing to us all.
I feel so bad that i did nto tell ya-all that i was going to be in the deep woods with not internet for the week!!! so sweet of you to miss me!! i missed you all and just spent 3 hours reading all of your posts! what an amazing group of woman you are.
We had good friday services at church tonight and they sang “Oh how he loves us”
http://youtu.be/-BetW_6vtNU
the girls were belting it out with such heart that I couldn’t help but cry like a baby. what a joy to watch my little girl sing about how much Jesus loves them! Lily did not even know who Jesus was 7 months ago! this is her first easter!!! that got me thinking….how much Jesus must love to see us enjoying HIS love….
I never really thought about that before. that Jesus LOVES it when we really believe how much he loves us. with our whole heart trust in HIS love…..WOW
love you all!!!
this is VERY hard to watch! i will post another one so you can enjoy the song!!!!!
http://youtu.be/TWgeUrD4MHI
So glad to see you, Cyndi. Thanks for the links — what a great song. And you are right, I opted for the second, though I know it is good for me to think of His suffering.
I can’t watch this, I’m sorry:(((
I like the next one much better also…such a beautiful song:)
7. Meditate on the chiasm of Psalm 85:10 (a chiasm is when you draw a line from a word in the first line to a word that corresponds to a word in the second line, so that the two lines cross) Do it here:
* Dee, I used to love to find the Chiasmus or parallel structures in scripture when I was single in my bible study times and had time. It was challenging but amazed me to learn how they structured their writing back then with parallels, Chiasmus and to see the main points and the themes of the passage God was communicating. I always needed help to put it all together though, but it was so enriching.
* Lord Jesus thank you for your truth that leads to righteousness..Thank you Lord that my righteousness is like filthy rags. There was nothing I could do to obtain your favor, so you did it all for a sinner like me. Because you took on my shame, my wrath, my punishment I am now clothed in your righteousness, and I did nothing to deserve it. Oh Lord thank you that I am no longer condemned in my dirty clothes-in my sin, and Lord I don’t want to forget and take you for granted, but I do and even then you cover that.
Lord your mercy has been poured out on me on the cross and every day as I walk with you..I need your mercy today and Lord I thank you that your mercy leads to peace..A peace that surpasses all understanding.
Lord you have given me mercy each day I wake up breathing..Your mercies are great and overwhelm me..Your mercy showed up on the cross as well and I can no longer be ashamed when I sin..Oh no, I can come straight to you and you won’t reject me and condemn me, or point your finger at me, rather you will be filled with mercy toward me. Yet your mercy even shows up when I am stubborn and don’t repent, and even in your discipline, but Lord you have been so gentle with me even in those times. This is too great for me to understand..I am truly humbled that you could be so gentle with such a stubborn soul as me, but in your great mercy you refine me and give me your peace.
Rebecca — that was good. So glad you tied it to the cross. It really relates to the Rob Bell discussion. We can’t just have mercy — we must have truth too, for God is holy.
8. My favorite song of the cross is, “It is well with my soul”..It has always been and especially so when I learned of the writers story behind it.
Every time I sing it, it lifts up my soul to Him. I hope He wants me to sing it for Him when I see Him face to face..I don’t know if I could. I wonder if I will be without words.
Anyway, here are the lyrics:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
9. How did God meet you this Holy Week?
* Like the song above..He has given me His mercy, OH has he been merciful toward me, and His peace has followed and I can say it is well with my soul during this trial even though it is ongoing and even though He may not take it away. Even though I struggled, even though I was stubborn, I am finally coming around but it is because I am reflecting on the cross, on His mercy, and how His covering for my sin only draws me closer to Him.. It took a few days, but I have repented of my stubborn heart and am trusting Him to work things out in me and in the one who is struggling as well.
Good morning dear friends! I woke to these little birds that have a nest outside my bedroom singing and the sun starting to break through, the dark gloomy weather of yesterday past…and this immediately came to my mind:
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness
I feel the HOPE of tomorrow and can hardly wait…so thankful to know the truth!
And Cyndi–SO happy you are all good–I was a little worried 😉
Joyce, How is Dennis doing? Praying for him today. You also.
Thank you for your prayers. He is taking her home for an afternoon now and then, when he has help from family, but it is getting harder to do that as she is getting stiff all over. He can’t take her to the bathroom anymore, as she can’t walk or help. She use to feed herself,only a couple months ago, now she is on liquids and can’t hold a cup or spoon. Dennis even changes her depends and feeds her spoon by spoon. She is starting to gag when trying to drink from a cup, so it’s all by spoon. Such love he has for her. She never speaks, but her eyes are watching you with a angry look. It is kinda eary…I know it’s the disease. With Pick’s disease, they loose the expressions and speech and memory eventually; then forget how to swallow and breath. She may still remember us, but can’t express herself. Dennis takes the looks personnal and thinks she’s mad at him for taking her back to the home. He said he just can’t deal with her dying at home. He said he would shot himself or burn the log house down, if she died there. Then the next time he will say, it is her house, she should be there, so he is so confused as to what to do. She is getting hospice at the altz. unit in the home and very good care. I just hold her and tell her how much Jesus and we all loves her. I have prayed the Lord would take her home with phenomia so she would not have to suffer throught this. They said sometimes they will get a cold and catch phenomia easily as their resistance is down. I hope that wasn’t wrong to pray that, but I love her so much. I know if it was me, I would not want to live like that and suffer to the end. Mary Kay always called me her sister, even tho we were sister-in-laws for 46 years, she is the sister I never had. Please keep praying, thank you so much.
I will Joyce. I am so sorry.
I will pray too.
oh Joyce, I am so sorry. You are such an example to me. Praying for all of you
Will be praying also.
Praying too, Joyce.
6. I thought of this verse from Romans: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 5:8. I see that the Gospel must have both love and truth because without love how could truth ‘slay the dragon’? Without becoming one of us, Jesus could not have been our High Priest who sympathizes with us. He’s not sitting at the right hand of His Father sickened by our sinful actions. He appreciates his human creatures being authentic and honest when we fall. “Jesus I fell again, help me up please.” I grieve him at times and cause him pain yet he tenderly loves me anyway. He pours his healing balm-his word-into my soul.
9. God met me through the words of John Newton’s song In Evil Long I Took Delight. I came across it on the Gospel Coalition site. Here are the words:
In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear
Til a new object struck my sight;
And stopped my wild career.
I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agony and blood,
Who fixed his languid eyes on me,
As near his cross I stood.
Sure, never to my lastest breath,
Can I forget that look;
It seemed to charge me with his death,
Though not a word he spoke.
My conscience felt and owned the guilt,
And plunged me in despair,
I saw my sins his blood had spilt;
And helped to nail him there.
A second look he gave,
Which said, “I freely all forgive;
This blood is thy ransom paid;
die that thou mayest live.”
Thus, while his death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of the grace,
It seals my pardon too.
With pleasing grief and mournful joy,
My spirit now is filled;
That I should such a life destroy
Yet live by him I killed.
On Good Friday I read the account of the crucifixion in all four gospels. Before doing so I asked Jesus to open my eyes to help me see the words afresh. It is so easy to read the familiar words and miss treasure.
One of the first things I noticed was the position of the Roman soldiers. ‘they sat down.’ A detail of four soldiers were assigned to each cross. It was just another ordinary day of work for them. Yet by the end, the centurion acknowledged Jesus’ deity.
Luke told me of the conversation Jesus had with the lamenting women. Ponder this with me. He is on the final leg of his earthly mission. He has been beaten beyond recognition. YET he hears the cries of these faithful daughters of Jerusalem and turns to tell them not to be concerned with his suffering. ‘Oh my precious girls! What you now consider a curse-childlessness-will be considered a blessing in 70 A.D. when the Roman army destroys Jerusalem. Weep now for yourselves and the next generation.’
After reading all four accounts what had really caught my attention were these words, again from Luke: “And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.” (23:48) I don’t believe I have heard a sermon on this particular verse. The crowd had surely realized an innocent man had been crucified and expressed grief. Just days before they had heralded Jesus as Messiah. That same crowd-encouraged by religious leaders-then called for Jesus’ death on the cross. I wonder if they thought as I do after I sin: ‘OH! GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!!!’
Earlier this afternoon,in anticipation of tomorrow, I read my Lent journal entries. I came across one entry that tells me I have experienced a good deal of healing. “…now my days are no longer spent lamenting. They are full of purpose. I am living the life of service to others. Being your hands-giving comfort to the hurting. You are teaching me forebearance and I need to look at others with compassion and not judgement or condemnation.” Only God could have done this!!
This week has been tough. The enemy struck from every side trying to get me to forget Jesus. Let’s just say I keep getting up when I fall. Thank God I no longer fall as much as I use to! I strive to keep moving forward.
Blessings to you all.
Thanks Dee for helping us see Jesus. I love you sis.
Tammy, that is wonderful progress. It is good that you kept that journal.
Tammy — your contemplations of Jesus are bringing healing to you. I love how you shared this journey with us, and pondered this anew.
Happy Holy Saturday my sisters! I’m excited for tomorrow because Jesus paid it ALL to adopt us into His family! PRAISE Him!
Here are the lyrics to my favorite cross song.
WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great ‘I Am’;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.
I love that too, Tracy.
Kendra and I have gotten to know a couple women pretty well at the nursing home that Mary Kay is in, before they moved her to the alzhemers unit there. So now we have to go visit them also every time we are there visiting Mary Kay. The older lady has fallen for Kendra and Kendra loves her too. Kendra lost my mom 2 yrs. ago and she misses her grandma so much, this is great for her. She runs to them to hug them…it makes their day!
Anyway, this older lady was in the catholic chapel at the easter service they had there at the home and she said her watch stopped at exactly 3:00pm, Good Friday, during the service. She said it gave her chills up her back, because she said Jesus died at 3:00pm. I had never heard that before, has anyone here? (about Jesus dying at 3:00)?
Happy Easter everyone! Praise God, Christ is risen!!! (Thank you all so much for your prayers)
I think she’s right, Joyce – I ‘ve heard that Jesus was on the cross from 9am to 3pm.
What a blessing you and Kendra are to the people in the nursing home! They are often lonely and forgotten. In the midst of this sadness of seeing Mary Kay in there, God has placed people in your path that you can bless, and they will bless you, too.
Yes– 9 to 3. That was also the time the Passover Lambs were sacrificed.
Thank you Susan and Dee…then that really was awesome that her watch stopped right at 3pm. We are going to go visiting there today. Blessed Easter, everyone!
Sending all of you prayers and wishes for a blessed Easter – Resurrection Day!
Tammy, thanks for sharing the John Newton hymn with us, I’d never heard it before. The words are so convicting, yet full of hope.
This was a great week — thanks everyone! A wonderful memorable holy week.
Happy Easter ladies!!! GLORY HALLELUJAH, CHRIST IS RISEN!!
Went to early service, just got back. Here is a song I barely made it through for tears..This is my song this Holy Week. Love this version..Love Keith and Kristan Getty: http://youtu.be/qLy8ksqGf9w
Love to all of you as we rejoice and celebrate together today!! Can’t wait to celebrate with you all when we gather together face to face with Him.
Rebecca you read my mind/heart! My husband and I were just (trying not to complain) saying we wished we had sang In Christ Alone this morning! For some reason the worship team did all new to us songs!
Happy Easter dear friends!I feel the joy overflowing in our hearts today–it is a beautiful sun-filled day here–just basking in His glorious generous GRACE!
Happy Easter everyone!
Yes, Praise God!
Most of you, it seems, have made up your minds on the Bell issue, which has caused me to sit back and just listen, but look at the heart in this message and the creativity used to convey the ressurrection message:
http://www.youtube.com/share_inline?v=wjXYlwvS5LY
Shalom,
Ana
MADE A MISTAKE on URL, PLEASE DELETE ABOVE, THANK YOU.
please consider a different language, but still can you hear the voice of God. We older folk are kinda of stuck on language we learned about God, but consider: from every tongue will confess…. This ressurrection message I can share with my older adult children and youth friends to whom the next generation we live to let them hear God’s heart in a language they might hear, listen, at least:
http://youtu.be/wjXYlwvS5LY
peace to you,
Ana
D.A. Carson states that the genius of the NOOMA films is that they are “gospel free” to a biblically illiterate person. Conversely, a person with Biblical knowledge will fill in gospel truth when they watch the videos In other words these videos teach moralism to an unregenerate person and they illustrate Biblical truth to a biblically literate person.”