"Duly Noted"

 "And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe." (John 19:35 KJV)

  "And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly - not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don't lord over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor." (1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT)

 Just in case you might have messed the memo, these seven verses are all about, "Care of the Body of Jesus," which is the same thing as the Body of Christ! Just as you and I, this body that Jesus was born in, way back in the Town of Bethlehem, was just a tent, a tabernacle, a shell that needed to be cared for, as we care for these tents that we dwell in, too. The only difference, is that His tent, was the first to be glorified! 

 That said, you might have noticed that most of the topics I am sharing on, are topics that deal with how we treat each other, individually, as well as corporately, within the church. We are the body of Christ, and just like this tent we dwell in needs attention, so too, the body of Christ, which is the church, needs to be cared for, and watched over.

 Yesterday I shared something from Hosea, which might not have appeared to make the connection with the verse of the day. Well, believe it or not, God's promises and the way He fulfills promises, sometimes are, shall we say, obscure and damaging, to say the least. In this instance, we, the body of Christ, care for one another; but the Father also will assist and make alterations, as they are needed. 

 Without making morbid examples of what I am talking about, let's just say that these tents we currently dwell within, they really aren't all that important! I mean, we should honor them, because God has made them, 'for we are fearfully and wonderfully made,' but just like everything else we have, or own, we do not take them with us when we go! 

 Therefore, when God might use one of us, say, to get the attention of others, this body is the least thing that He is concerned about. I know that might not sound all that loving, but God's biggest concern is about eternal souls, those, matter most! We sometimes get so distracted by the suffering of others, by disease or death, we forget about the big picture, and the loss of one, or some, is sometimes meant for the salvation of another, or many others!   

 Now, about this other verse, from Peter; this is not Peter asking for elders to conform to a certain standard, which he is making as a suggestion; but is more like a warning about how that they should watch over the flock. I know that many of you might not think of it as such, but the hint is in the final statement about when the Great Shepherd appears; anytime that there are rewards, there will also be consequences for those who don't do what they should. 

 That might sound harsh, but when your life is to be governed by love, the consequences of not loving don't really need to be discussed or spelled out, they just happen... 

""Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you don't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.' "But the master replied, 'You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn't plant and gathered crops I didn't cultivate, why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.' "Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"" (Matthew 25:24-30 NLT)

"The Broken Heart"

 "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." (John 19:34 KJV)

  ""Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us, now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."" (Hosea 6:1-3 NLT)

 Once upon a time, it might have been okay to mind our own business, hold our heads up, and act as if none of this craziness has anything to do with us; but these times that we are living in, are not like those times! Peter puts it like this: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

 We are not in this on our own, no matter what you might think, your spiritual battle is not just your own! When we fool around with sin, it affects those around us, like ripples on the water when you through in a giant stone! You might not think what you do hurts anyone else, but we are all one body; you tear off a finger, the pain will spread to other parts of your body, too!

 Here, we see something that many have shared about, the ruptured heart of Jesus! Yes, it is true, His heart was ruptured, and it might have been caused by the force of His ribs when He relaxed His body. Oddly enough, there is something about that, relaxed body thing, that might show us some reason we must not feel as though we have no more fight within us. Call it what you will, but if we don't stand for what we believe, we will find ourselves doubting what we believe is true! 

 Paul mentions this in Galatians 5:1, saying, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." (NLT) Whenever we see this word, 'so,' it is there because it sums up a previous thought, such as our freedom that we have in Christ, which is based upon trusting God. 

 How bad do you want to love God? How hard do you want to love your brothers and sisters? Does it break your heart when you neglect love, letting yourself relax and not put forth the effort? We no longer are under the law of Moses! But we are under the law of the cross, which is all about love...

"Dear brothers and sisters, if any believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." (Galatians 6:1-5 NLT) 

"Yielded"

 "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:" (John 19:33 KJV)

  ""For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will take you back. In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:7-8 NLT)

 Now, about that baptism thing: If there is a way, I believe that we should all get baptized, as Jesus has told us to do. Although it does not save us, it does provide us with an opportunity to show our commitment to follow the Lord, as we demonstrate the work completed in our salvation: our born-again experience! 

 Other than that, if you accept Christ with your dying last breath, you will be saved! I really don't care what anyone might say against that statement, because the Bible is absolutely clear about that: "If you confess with your mouth, and believe in your heart, you will be saved!" Plain and simple! 

 As stated before, Jesus yielded up His spirit, which He had the power to do, because He had finished that which the Father asked Him to do! The curse had been broken, the veil was torn in two, and the separation between God and man had been bridged! Satan had his head stepped upon, and he has lost his bite! 

 By the way, though the devil has been defeated, we do not have the right to challenge him and try to take him on, as some think that is easy pickings. We are to resist the devil, standing firm in the faith, and ask the Lord to put him in his place. After all, he might be on a leash, but he still has a bite; so, if you see a Pitbull chained to a tree, you don't walk up and kick it, do you? 

 I will rebuke him, when I see that he has entered into my space; but I do so, in the name of Jesus! Not sure that makes perfect sense to anyone, but there is only so much that we have any control over; we should focus first on the Holy Spirit, making our lives a living sacrifice! 

 That, my friend is what we call being yielded! If you want to know what baptism represents, it is that we have died to ourselves, and have been risen up with Christ: we know longer live, but Christ Jesus lives in us...

"Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." (Romans 6:1-4 NLT) 

"Same Misery"

 "Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him." (John 19:32 KJV)

  ""You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike."" (Matthew 5:43-45 NLT)

 Last night I finished watching a movie called, "Greater", which was based upon the life and death of a young football player who was killed in an auto accident just as he had turned Pro. I thought at first it was just about his life; but realized after, it was about his brother, as he was a Christian, but waivered in trusting in the Lord. 

 During the later portion of the movie, as they were having the memorial at the Collage stadium, his bother couldn't bear to enter into the gymnasium where the service was taking place. He went out onto the track where he meets a strange character; a character that seems to know him very well, but also tries to make him feel mad at God for taking his brother's life. I believe this character was the devil, who was there to make him. once and for all, turn against God. 

 There two thieves that were hanging alongside Jesus, both had to suffer the same exact painful experience, having their legs broken! One was a man that mocked Jesus, the other was a man that asked Jesus to allow him into His kingdom. Both suffered and died the same excruciating death.  

 If I had to make a bet on the person most likely to have the most welcome them in Heaven, I would probably place my money on the "Thief on the cross". A man who meets Jesus but had hardly any time to be able to share Jesus with anyone else. You could almost say that his salvation was meaningless, as it only benefited him; but you would be wrong, 100% wrong! 

 I told this story before, so I won't waste time with details. My wife and I had a lunch engagement, where we were sitting across from an older couple. I happened to be wearing a shirt that said, "Calvary Chapel," and the man was staring at my shirt, as if he was disgusted by it. So, I asked him if there was something wrong?  He barked back at me, "Why do we need that?" 

 "Excuse me?" I said, "Why do we need Calvary Chapel?" He proudly produced to me that his church believed that you must be baptized in order to be saved; at which, I said, "Well, maybe that is why we need a Calvary Chapel!" The man became very upset, and things got a little bit testy. 

 After he calmed down, and I was able to speak sensibly to him, I said: "So, if you had someone you loved and cared for that was on their deathbed in the hospital, and went in to meet with them, and they had not been saved; are you saying that it would be useless to ask them to receive Jesus, because it wouldn't count unless they were baptized?" 

 Both him and his wife had lost the color in their faces, and looked as if they were ashamed. I figured that the things I said had struck a chord, and hoped it wasn't because what I said had actually happened in their lives; but I could only think that it did. The thief on the cross had no chance to physically share his testimony; the baptism thing is a whole different story...

"NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING. Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save you. And even those who advocate circumcision don't keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples. As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me is also dead. It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is weather we have been transformed into a new creation. May God's peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. From now on, don't let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus." (Galatians 6:11-17 NLT)   

"Superstition"

 "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." (John 19:31 KJV)

  "I said, "Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones. Yes, you eat my people's flesh, strip off their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot. Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to answer? After all the evil you have done, he won't even look at you!"" (Micah 3:1-4 NLT) 

 There are a few things here that have a special character behind them, without naming any names, let's just say that there was a plot to try and stop a certain prophecy from happening, the one that said that none of His bones would be broke! Without getting too carried away, my first thought about this, is that Jesus knew in advance that this plot was going to happen; therefore, He hastened His own death when He bowed His head and surrendered His Spirit. 

 The other thing that is taking place, is that of superstition, something else that unnamed character loves to put in the air, making unsuspecting minds think in half-belief; which is a practice for which there appears to be no rational substance. Much like a curse, as if there would be such a thing as that, if these bodies were to hang there during the Sabbath. 

 Do you think there might have been a curse? I have to admit, I really kind of wondered about the brazen serpent that God told Moses to make and lift up on that pole; how it was that the thing that had bitten the children of Israel, would be the thing to represent the healing! 

 First things first, the devil is not a serpent, just as much as he is not a roaring lion! The serpent was the result of revolting against God! The children of Israel revolted against God, and it was God that sent those serpents in to make them realize what they had done. If anything, the serpents represented death, which is the result of sin! 

 From which, that death is the result of sin, is not a superstition, it is real and substantially true! The penalty for sin is death, no if ands or buts; the whole reason Jesus was hanging on that cross was to be put to death for our sins! And guess who was behind having Him nailed to the cross! Talk about not paying attention to train coming down the tracks! 

  There was a very real curse that had just been broken! If you think that you can somehow overrule God, you really aren't that smart after all...

"So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessings Abraham received because of his faith. But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law." So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, "It is through obeying the law that a person has life." But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung upon the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believer might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:9-14 NLT) 

"Care of the Body of Jesus"

 "It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken," and "They will look on the one they pierced."" (John 19:31-37 NLT)

  "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah 42:6-7 KJV)

 Hopefully everyone is doing well, because I believe that we might be in for another dark cloud covering over the nations. Regardless of what is put forth or portrayed, there is a spiritual battle that is going on, as the time is drawing near, the closer we get, the harder it will be to pay close attention. 

 Forget about the things that you see and focus upon the Lord! I let my guard down, due to illness, when I should have been paying attention the what the Lord told me to do, not the way that I might have been feeling! Don't let anything stop you from standing your ground! 

 By the way, please remember to read your Bible out loud to yourself; slowly and accurate to your family; and by all means, read with authority... 

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV) 

"Paid In Full!"

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

  "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26 NLT)

 In a nutshell, this bowing of the head, was an Amen! While others would lift their heads up, gasping for one more breath, with no such luck, they would die and then heads would drop. Jesus, have completed what He came to do, bowed His head, as if the curtain was closing, and gave up His life. 

 We know from the other Gospel's that there were several things that took place right after Jesus died; some of which have been researched as fact, as recorded in history records. The body of Christ was now just an empty vessel; Jesus was paying a visit to all those waiting in Paradise; some of them, with their cards maxed out, waiting for the chance to get their debts paid off! 

 There are various ways I have heard this story go, but the best way I see it happening, was Jesus teaching and showing them all the lines between those dots. For three days, Jesus hung out with all of those Old Testament Saints; telling them about heaven and all of the houses waiting for them there, when He enters His glory. 

 Yes, it might seem hard to believe, but it isn't hard to receive! That says, When you believe it, and receive it as the truth, then you really believe it, because you know it is the truth, and it makes you a new person! If there is anything that makes you fall away, it was most likely there all along, and you never really truly believed you received new life. 

 I know that I will get some kicks for that, some people feel differently, but I am just being truthful. We only really hold onto the sins we like; but sooner or later we must make ourselves believe: It is the righteousness of Christ Jesus that has given me new life, not anything to do with my righteousness! 

 I have determined that I will probably sin, up to that time when I bow my head and die; but in the meantime, I will do my very best to endure; for whatever that's worth...

"We do this be keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:2-4 NLT)  

"Hodgepodge"

 "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth." (John 19:29 KJV)

  "For I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:5-7 NLT)

 Just for the record, these last few days have been brutal, as I have been sick, caring for a sick wife, and trying the best I can to stay in bed. As I laid in bed yesterday, I was thinking about this verse, the vinegar, the sponge, and the hyssop; actually, the hyssop keep going in and out of almost every aspect of my thinking, I couldn't keep track of all the uses it kept showing me. Think of it as a coarse paint brush, with a two-foot handle. 

 Thinking back, much of what I believed before my salvation, was pretty much a mix-batch of so many different things I had picked up over the years that I held onto; some of which, were immediately taken away at the moment Jesus came into my life. I say this because the Old Testament Saints were also such; they had little bits and pieces, with some understanding, but giant holes they sometimes filled with whatever seemed to fit, as long as it made them see God better. 

 Regarding the hyssop, it was used to brush the blood on the doorframes, the night of the First Passover. After the Temple was constructed, it was used for ritual sprinklings. As to the sour wine, Jesus refused it before, and He didn't drink when it touched His lips; the main reason He said what He said, was because it had to be said! 

 Don't you think that is interesting? God says that this or that will happen, and just in the right moment, He makes things happen, in just the right time. John has quite a few of these instances where he points out the prophecy, and then shows how in happens, just as it said it would happen. 

 By the way, I heard something said during the Thanksgiving gathering, which I guess is something that they currently teach in college. The main just of the matter was that little children have to be shown how to lie, because they start out thinking that their parents know everything, so they start off telling the truth, because they have no other option. 

 Well, truth be told, as a new believer I had to train myself to sin again; it really wasn't hard, but it was not something that I could not think about. Sooner or later, we will be faced with the question, it is best that we are truthful and don't try to lie; because unlike our earthly parents, our Heavenly Father knows not only what we do, but what we think! 

 Something else that caught my attention, in all of that garbled stuff going through my mind; the reason for the sacrifices were not really for taking away sins, but that those who sacrifice would acknowledge they sinned, and needed to be cleansed. God wants honesty, more than sacrifice... 

"You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (Psalm 51:16-17 NLT)

 

("I Thirst") - Too

 "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." (John 19:28 KJV)

  "When he finished his boasting, he threw away the jawbone; and the place was named Jawbone Hill. Samson was now very thirsty, and he cried out to the LORD, "You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagans?" So God caused water to gush out of the hollow in the at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named that place "The Spring of the One Who Cried Out," and it is still in Lehi to this day." (Judges 15:17-19 NLT)

 Well, I feel a little better; at least I can sit up and see what it is that I am doing. It is my wife that needs to be cared for; something that I feel I am best at, regardless of what those who think they know what to do, I know that God's will is mightier that man's wisdom and efforts. 

 On the point about the Old Testament Saints; they had seen fulfilled prophecy for thousands of years, many of which were fulfilled in the years of the one given the prophecy. Oddly enough, they had faith that was stronger than us, the ones who are looking back at the cross. What were they looking at? Prophecy! That which was to come, based upon God's promises that it would all happen, just as He promised. 

 Here is the connection for the 'card' illustration. Those who have their sins placed upon what is to come, have cumulated debt; their sins are gathered up for that day when Jesus Christ will pay them all off. Just that alone makes their faith stronger, and gives them something to long for, believing it will happen, just as God promised.

 We that have been alive after the cross, our sins our forgiven, the righteousness we now enjoy is already given, stored up and given to us by God's grace. There is something about being given something that you do not deserve, you tend to feel intitled, as if you can do anything you want. But we are living by a totally different standard: the faith that we have is challenged by that which we do or don't do; the faith of those of old, was completely dependent upon God.

 Have you ever shared Jesus with someone, and felt as though you had the Spirit of God flowing out of you; only to walk away feeling drained, and thirsty? That is really not uncommon, so don't allow it to challenge your faith, just get back up and do it again...      

"He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those that fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:10-12 NLT)   

"I Thirst"

 "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." (John 19:28 KJV)

  "When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins." (Isaiah 53:11 NLT)

 When we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are given a new life, all things have become new; our life is now looking forward to the day we will be with our Savior in heaven. Prior to Jesus being crucified, all of those that looked for this Salvation, even though it had not happened yet, they believed that it would, and they too looked forward to being with the Lord in heaven. 

 The big difference is that they were looking forward to His coming salvation; while we look back upon what He has done. What a huge difference between the two; one is rather thirsty, longing for that which is to come; the other has living water running through them, because the task is already done. 

 Forgive me for ending this so shortly, Marianne has been sick all night, and I hardly feel much better...

"O God, you are my God, I will earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water." (PSALM 63:1 NLT)

"The Death of Jesus"

  "Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty," A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." (John 19:28-30 NLT)

  ""Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."" (ISAIAH 55:6-7 KJV)

 A few days after I got saved, I felt the need to make a Crossword puzzle about Jesus. It had the questions for across words referencing the New Testament Scriptures, and the questions for the down words about Old Testament Scriptures. In the middle of the whole page, were empty boxes in the shape of a cross, and I believe I might have had 'JESUS' spelled out in those empty boxes as well. 

 It was mostly for me, as it was a project I felt would be good for me to fortify the Good News that I had received, concerning Jesus Christ, who He was, and why it was so important that we understood what a powerful sacrifice God made! If memory serves, it took me at least two weeks to finish the project, but I didn't stop there, because for the rest of my time being locked up, I shared everything I could, with anyone that would listen. 

 For this portion of Scripture, I think we will take a closer look at the death of Jesus, from the 'credit card' point of view. If you don't understand what that means, it is based upon those believers who died prior to the death of Jesus, the Old Testament Saints. These were those that looked forward to salvation, which is like placing their faith in Jesus, who was to come. 

 We who have been born after the death of Jesus, we have a 'debit card' kind of salvation, where the card is stored up with a gracious amount of forgiveness; while the 'credit card' is where forgiveness is spent, for the delt to be paid off in the future.  

 Anywho, either one will do, because Jesus paid for it all...

""Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!"" (ISAIAH 55:1 BSB) 

"The Son to a Brother!"

"Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." (John 19:27 KJV)

  "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters," (Romans 8:28-29 NLT)

 Here is the thing, regardless of the mess, circumstance, or impossible odds, God has the ability to make all things wonderful and complete! Even if we don't think it will work out, when it looks like it will never get fixed, and you feel like you're at the end of your rope, God can do abundantly more than you could have ever imagined! 

 There are so many different ways to see this, most of which require a heart that has surrendered, saying, 'I tried to do it my way, but my way doesn't work; please take control of my life!' Hopefully you see the point, as simple as it might sound, we continually fight to hold onto the things we love, hoping God will bend a little. 

 Unfortunately! He can down to our level once and for all! Now, we must go to His level, because He has made the way for us to do it! 'Thank you, Jesus! You have not only given me new life, but you have made me a child of God! I have a multitude of brothers and sisters, too many to count; what glory awaits me, because I belong to the Family of God!'

 Nothing about this life here on earth can change that! We must believe and take hold of that, no matter what! You might say, 'But I really screwed up my life, there is no way God will forgive me!' You have no idea what you are trying to say; because He took everything under submission on that cross; there is nothing you can do, that He did not give His life for; absolutely nothing! 

 When He judges this world, those that have accepted His free offer of forgiveness, will not be listed among those who have sinned, no matter what that sin was, it has been removed, and you will have been made, as white as snow! If you do not receive His free offer to be forgiven, there will be no excuse, because there is no reason! 

 About this disciple, we should all be in agreement that the disciple is John; so, we can also understand the friendship that was between Jesus and him. I am pretty sure that Jesus loved His mother, very much; even though He might have said some things to make her common, there was still a bond that could not have been broken. 

 Though she had other sons, and daughters, I believe that Jesus knew John would care for her the most, as well as the longest. There is really nothing that God overlooks, everything is a concern for God when it comes to our needs; our wants, that is an entirely different subject...

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NLT) 

"A Son to a Mother"

 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother and disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26 KJV)

  "I lift me eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking up is the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant." (PSALM 123 NLT)

 Not quite sure about that word, 'Amazed,' because it bothered me most of the day how it was that I was able to place that word into that situation. I guess it could have been the sight I imagined; how Mary felt as she stood there, her soul being pierced, her heart broken, and her mind overwhelmed by the image she saw of her son, the Son of the Living God! 

 There was only one way for her to be able to hold her composure, to be able to stand there, upright, without throwing herself upon the ground; and that way was simple, but extremely complex. With all that she knew, with her faith fixed upon the Eternal Living God, she gave it all to God! That is all she could do, what she had to do; this was no longer her child, but the Son of the God! 

 When you look at it from that point of view, you see something that is extremely amazing and hard to comprehend; you see that God's love knows no bounds! That was His one and only Son, that was hanging upon that cross; beaten and nailed to those beams, an offering for the sins of the world, to save everyone from their sins. What was a mother to do? 

 As you know, Jesus knows our thoughts; He knew the thoughts Mary was thinking, that her heart was breaking! What's a son to do? Comfort her...

"Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:4-8 NLT)

"A Pierced Soul"

 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25 KJV)

  "Simon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"" (Luke 2:28-32 NLT)

 There are some things we go through in this life that leave a scar, a very vivid image, that will never really go away, no matter how hard we try, it stays as clear as the day we first looked at it. I recall the moment I was with my son, as he laid there in that hospital bed, already dead, but still hooked up to the monitor that was on the wall. When the monitor started acting up, I asked the nurse, "What's up with that thing?" He just unplugged it, and said, "Don't worry about that, it doesn't matter!" 

 At that exact moment, I had been hanging onto my son, as was his grandmother, and it became clear to me that he had already passed! For twenty minutes we had been standing around him, holding on to his hands, telling him we loved him, and hoping for some sort of sign; while he laid there, an empty vessel! As I realized what was happening, I asked the nurse, "Is he dead?" He replied, "Most likely," as if it was absolutely a normal situation.  

 That was some weird experience, to say the least; but it convinced me how much I will never trust any hospitals again, ever! Worse than that, a nurse who worked there and was a J.W., who's house I had inspected several weeks before, came up to me as we were leaving, and said, "Welcome to my house!" And then she walked off with a grin on her face. 

 I felt rather angry, but I gave everything to the Lord and worked on getting funeral arrangements, almost immediately. I had been planning on getting some plots for Marianne and myself, when suddenly my son needed one first. It was well with my soul! As much as I felt hurt, my pain was not unbearable or making me upset or angry; just the opposite, it motivated me to get things done! 

 And then, after having a very wonderful funeral service, we all headed out to the Cemetary to have a small graveside service. I was driving the Motorhome, as I had my wife and her nurse inside; it was going to be a very long day, so she was going to need to be changed and out of her chair for a while. Eight hours in the chair is not very good for her, so, from the grave site to the place where we were having the celebration of life, she was able to stretch out and rest.  

 When I pulled into the cemetery, Tim, the grounds keeper was standing by the gravesite with his hands on his hips. I thought maybe we were late, but we really weren't. Then the hurst made its way out to the site, and the funeral director got out, greeted Tim, and then joined him; both of them looking at me, with their hands on their hips.  

 I unloaded Marianne and made my way out to them, curious about what might be going on. As soon as I arrived, they pulled me to the side and I was informed that they could not get the permit, because they still did not have a death certificate. So, I told them we would have the graveside service as planned; and after all the guests had headed out to where we were going next, they could just put him back in the hurst and take him back to the funeral parlor.   

 As it was, the death certificate had not been issued because of the determined time of death was in dispute; not by me, but between the physicians and the nurses. When I saw the actual death certificate, the time of death was determined to be: "Noon". Wow, really! Very suspicious, to say the least. But it is what it is, because he really isn't dead, he is with the Lord! 

This might be a little off the radar, but you need to know, Mary was hurting for her son! This is hard to grasp, to see the child that she raised, there in a very battered state, hanging upon that cross! It wasn't like she didn't expect it to happen, because she was well aware of what He had been saying, and how He would be killed. But she also knew who He was, and what He came for, and believed in what He said! 

 All these things were tucked inside of her heart, as she gazed up at Him, she was amazed! As Matthew Henry puts it: "We know not what we can bear till we are tried, and then we who has said, My grace is sufficient for thee." We endure, because He endured that cross...

"Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."" (Luke 2:33-35 NLT)

"Crapshoot"

 "They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did." (John 19:24 KJV)

  ""Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah. Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the LORD and call on the God of Israel. You don't keep your promises, even though you call yourself the holy city and talk about depending upon the God of Israel, whose name is the LORD of Heaven's Armies. Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true. For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, 'My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!' You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled, but you refuse to admit it. Now I will tell you new things, secrets you have not yet heard. They are brand new, not things from the past. So you cannot say, 'We knew that all the time!'"" (Isaiah 48:1-7 NLT) 

 Have you ever wondered why these soldiers were parting His clothes and casting dice for His robe? As it is, they had most likely heard about all of the things Jesus had done, healing the blind, the lame, and the lepers, casting out demons, and raising the dead. They might have even heard about how a woman was healed, by simply touching His garment. 

 If you really want to understand what was happening, you must put yourself in that place, and imagine if it had been you; what would you have done, and why. What would cause someone to think that they could obtain something special, having just taken part in nailing the Man to a cross, and then all four of you lifted Him up, and secured His cross into the ground! Do you deserve any favors? 

 Sometimes we just don't think things through! Is there really any difference between what these soldiers did, and what we might do, as we call out to God for help, but at the same time, think He doesn't care when we sin against Him? Oh, He knows! He sees everything and we are only fooling ourselves when we think, 'If I don't bother Him now, He won't pay any attention.' 

 That said, we must make every effort to be holy as that is our reasonable service! However, if we are honest, walking in the Spirit, has its ups and downs. Sometimes we are on the right road, and then we veer off, taking a little path of our own; having no clue what we are doing, until we finally realize, 'This thing that I am doing is wrong!' 

 When we have that happen, it is then that we must repent! There is a reason we realize it is wrong, because the Spirit within us says so, so we need to listen and change our direction, ASAP! Not doing so, make us like these soldiers! Having the knowledge of what God can do, but not understanding what He is able to do, to you! 

 Then again, He is deeply in love with us, so whatever it might be, it will be for our own good, we just might not like it! Again, look at Samson, he is a pretty good example...

 "This is what the LORD says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore - too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name."" (Isaiah 48:17-19 NLT) 

"Part and Parcel"

 "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout." (John 19:23 KJV)

  "My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing." (Psalm 22:16-18 NLT)

 Before I get started on this, there is something else that I need to add, which involves Samson, who is listed in The Hall of Faith. Not that it matters, but I actually believe it does, but Samson believed in and trusted God, yet he lived as if he did not follow God's instructions. Not that it means anything, but it is just one more example of believing God's love is real, has more value to it, than we might think. 

 Now, an article of clothing is mentioned here, which did not have seams, meaning that it was woven from the top to the bottom. In other words, it was some sort of a vestment, such as worn by priests, or a judge, which is worn over the outer clothing, and slips over the head, and drapes down past the knees. Oddly enough, the high priest was told to wear this sort of garment, as to protect his private areas from being seen, as he went up the stairs to offer a sacrifice. 

 Not sure how that coincides with what is happening here, as Jesus is exposed upon the cross, but I can only assume that there is some sort of connection. There is this thing that people refer to a shame! It is like being exposed when you are doing something naughty or found dressing in something that you shouldn't be wearing; or found running around naked in the woods, which is really quiet embarrassing, to say the least. 

 For the record! Jesus covers all your sins, even those that were done in secret! I have always imagined God looking down on me, saying, "What are you doing Richard?" As if He doesn't know, but He does know; He is just trying to get me to realize how foolish I am being, making me feel ashamed and feel bad for what I am doing. 

 I think we can all assume that boredom leads to more than we might have expected to do or discover; it is best to stay busy and remember that God is always watching you! That much you can count on...

"How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because you gave him victory. For you have given him his heart's desire; you have withheld nothing he requested. [Interlude] You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the LORD. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling." (Psalm 21:1-7 NLT)  

"For The Record"

 "Pilate answered, What I have written I have written." (John 19:22 KJV)

  "Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon." (Psalm 76:10 NLT)

 If there is one thing I have learned to understand, over these last four decades of walking with the Lord, it is to not forget to ask God to forgive me; no matter how often I might stumble or fall, He will never cast me out or abandon me! This is something I have had to accept as His promise, not mine; when I make a promise, it is at best, a maybe; but when God makes a promise, it is Yes and Amen! 

 I hope you can see the point that I am making, because He chose you, knowing full well what you are and how many times you would mess up; nothing we do will surprise Him! But He surprises us, over and over, dusting us off, and sending us out again; giving us another chance, yet already knowing we will do something wrong again. 

 His love is not determined by the things we do, but by the ways we count on Him to get us through; trusting in Him, believing in His promises, and living out this life, knowing that we will end up in His presence! That is what Faith means, it is based upon Him and His promises towards us, not that we have anything to give Him, accept to just believe that He loves us, more than anything we know, He loves us! 

 If I seem to be optimistic, it is only because I believe in what the Bible says, and that none of us are worthy on our own! Everyone needs to be washed by the blood of Jesus, Everyone! Romans 3:23 -24 says: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." 

 There is something else I feel needs to be examined, hopefully I will not mess it up! If you look at the verse from Psalm 76, it shows us something that I believe must be understood, without trying to boast or think about getting away with something. The weapons used by God are for His glory; all things work towards His plans and purposes. 

 There is this thing called evil, which is not of God, but is no doubt present and will eventually be put under control. It was said by Jesus, in Matthew 25:41, that hell was created for the devil his angels; so, it is likely to understand, that anyone who might be cast into hell, is because they have aliened themself with the devil, rejecting God's free gift of salvation. 

 Therefore, we who are alive, as long as we have breath, we will most likely defy God in one way or another; whether it is by doing something we shouldn't do or not doing what we should do. But as long as we have breath in our lungs, we have hope! This hope is not based upon that which we do or do not do, but is based upon what Christ has done for us: and that, my friend, is a Mighty Weapon...

 ""O LORD of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you - a dynasty of kings! For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"" (2 Samuel 7:27-29 NLT)   

"Divine Insurrection"

 "Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews." (John 19:21 KJV) 

  "For the LORD declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain." The king proclaims the LORD'S decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'"" (Psalm 2:6-9 NLT)

 For the record, Jesus, Himself never did say that He was, 'King of the Jews,' but He did say He was a King! THE KING OF HEAVEN! Just imagine for a moment what we are talking about, because there are so many that put Jesus in a class, just slightly above a prophet or a teacher, as if what He did by dying on the cross was slightly better than the offering of a lamb or bull; that God still requires more, because His death did not eliminate our sins, but only covered them! 

 I really don't want to get into that right now; but it will be the topic for another day, no pun intended! But, I will say one thing: On judgment day, there will be books that are opened, which show the sins of all people, both those done out in open, and those that are done in secret. However! There we be another book that will be opened, The Lamb's Book of Life; anyone written in that Book, is not included in those other books; whether they are skimmed over or just not listed, that doesn't matter! Because whatever it might say, has been put upon Christ Jesus, and has been taken off of us!  

 Besides, Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:7, "So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." If you think about what that implies, I have a feeling that it means, 'The misfit toys are no longer misfits, but are Saints!' 

 I went to catch the movie, "Journey to Bethlehem", yesterday; what a wonderful movie to experience! I have read some reviews, and it appears that some people are not that impressed with the movie, and think they took too much liberty in some of the characters attitudes and personalities. Let's get real! People were the same back then as they are now, they only lacked social media, electricity, and cars! 

 By the way, I had another talk with a friend of mine about my heart's passion to tell godly men how to love their wives, and what they can expect from doing so. My friend reminded me again, as always, "Women can sin too!" And then he continued to prove that statement by showing me how Bathsheba put herself out there for David. 

 Fair point; but! David tried to get Uriah to go sleep with his wife several times; and he refused to do so, because it wasn't fair to his fellow soldiers out on the battlefield. What does that say about the love relationship between Uriah and Bathsheba? Do you think maybe she was feeling a little bit unloved? 

 I am just saying, and I will say it again: If your wife loved and adored you when you married her, and now she loves you less; it is your fault! If you don't think it is true, you don't know your wife's desire to be cared for, is stronger than your desire to care for her...

"And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means to submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."" (Ephesians 5:21-31 NLT) 

"For All to See!"

"This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin." (John 19:20 KJV) 

""Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed."" (Revelation 16:15 NLT)

  If you thought yesterday was a little off, you are not alone! There are so many things that connect to what was being said, my mind was swirling with things to talk about; as it was, it really was about the easy way people will be drawn to worship idols, even if the idol that they worship might be an image or statue of Jesus; that too would be an idol! 

 It was strange the news declared that a statue of Mary wept, and her eyes turned red; at least that's what I heard was declared, but there were not videos or pictures presented to verify that it had happened. When I was in that jail facility, I would also attend the Catholic services, once or twice, on Saturday's. But, it didn't take too many visits to understand that most of the men worshiped Mary above Jesus, as they called her, the mother of God. That just didn't sit right with me, so I quit going to the Catholic services. 

 Believe it or not, but we must be cautious to the things we worship, because it is really easy to be taken in by something, making whatever, just about anything, be more important than God! First and foremost, Christ Jesus must be first in our lives, above your spouse, your children, your job, even, dare I say, your church! 

 If you belong to a church that wants to erect a statue of something, placed in the sanctuary, and it is worshipped; run! Get out of their and find a place where the only thing presented and lifted up is the Bible being taught as the Word of God. And even then, we still do not worship a Bible! Yes, it is the written word of God, but we still don't worship a book, we worship the Author! 

 Anywho! Whatever that might count towards, we must be ready! Ready means that you have clothing that dresses you in righteousness when He comes! Where do you get those clothes? By being washed in the blood of Christ! You stay ready by being washed and clothed in His righteousness! Which then leads me to one of the things we get tripped up on, especially when we serve the Lord: Works! 

 Yes! Works too are made into idols; more than that, we find them hard to walk away from, especially when it comes to commitment and sacrifice. Take this blog, for example: it could be an idol, if it is something that I look towards for purification or cleansing; or even if it is something that I feel draws me closer to God. 

 Jesus must be First! No matter what we are involved in, ministry or not, Jesus is the Foundation on which everything must be built; and that Foundation must remain the Firm Foundation, that never changes! I hope that makes some sort of sense, because I seriously think we are getting close...

 "We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:19-21 NLT) 

 

"The Announcement"

 "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:19 KJV) 

  "The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations." (Psalm 22:27-28 NLT)

 There is something important about the sign that Pilate placed upon the cross: It was intended for the whole world to read and understand what it said! We cannot imagine the power that was on display, that one Man should die for the sins of the whole entire world! That should tell you something: He was note just a Man, He was God! 

 We have had this discussion before, because the whole reason that God, and He alone, was the perfect sacrifice, is because only God is perfect and without any sin! No blemish, no imperfections, nothing to cause Him not to be the perfect sacrifice, to completely satisfy the removal of sin, from the entire world! 

 How amazing is that? We look at the world and wonder, why there is still evil, sinfulness, and wars? But in this current world, not everyone has or will accept God's free offer of salvation. Although the sins of the entire world were paid for, the entire world has not asked for forgiveness! 

 You can see this proven by the two thieves that were crucified along with Jesus; one refused to ask for forgiveness, the other refused to not ask for forgiveness! Big difference! With one, there is the heart of stone, which in spite of certain death, there is no thought or concern to be made right with God, as that would be against their nature. I know it sounds stupid, but stupid people do stupid things! 

 On the other hand, the one that sees a great need to be forgiven, will not ignore that invitation; it will be as important as the air they breathe, even if the ability to breathe doesn't come easy, with their dying breath they will cry out, "Save me, LORD!" Remember that, because it will count...

 "This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven's Armies: "I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses - is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock - not one!"" (Isaiah 44:6-8 NLT)