The Seven Last Words of Christ From The Cross

The First Word:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
–Luke 23:34

It makes sense that the first word of Jesus from the cross is a word of forgiveness. That’s the point of the cross. after all. Jesus is dying so that we might be forgiven for our sins.

 

The Second Word:
“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
–Luke 23:43

We are welcome there not because God is merciful and we have put our trust in Jesus.

 

The Third Word:
“Dear woman, here is your son.”
–John 19:26

We are reminded that Jesus was a real human being, a man who had once been a boy who had once been carried in the womb of his mother. Even as he was dying on the cross as the Savior of the world, Jesus was also a son, a role he didn’t neglect in his last moments.

 

The Fourth Word:
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
–Mark 15:34

Jesus entered into the Hell of separation from God. The Father abandoned him because Jesus took upon himself the penalty for our sins. In that excruciating moment, he experienced something far more horrible than physical pain. The beloved Son of God knew what it was like to be rejected by the Father.

 

The Fifth Word:
“I am thirsty.”
–John 19:28

John notes that Jesus said “I am thirsty,” not only as a statement of physical reality, but also in order to fulfill the Scripture. Though there is no specific reference in the text of the Gospel, it’s likely that John was thinking of Psalm 69, which includes this passage: “if only one would turn and comfort me. But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.”

 

The Sixth Word:
“It is finished!”
–John 19:30

Jesus had accomplished his mission. He had announced and inaugurated the kingdom of God. He had revealed the love and grace of God. And he had embodied that love and grace by dying for the sin of the world, thus opening up the way for all to live under the reign of God. We know that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

 

The Seventh Word:
“Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”
–Luke 23:46

“I entrust my spirit into your hands” points back to the familiar suffering of David in Psalm 31, and forward to the resurrection.

Have you accepted God’s salvation through Christ?

That’s My King

The Bible says
He’s the King of the Jews
He’s the King of Israel
He’s the King of Righteousness
He’s the King of the Ages
He’s the King of Heaven
He’s the King of Glory
He’s the King of Kings
and He is the Lord of Lords

Now that’s my King!
David says
The Heavens declare the glory of God
And the firmament showeth His handiwork
No means of measure can define His limitless love
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing

He’s enduringly strong
He’s entirely sincere
He’s eternally steadfast
He’s immortally graceful
He’s imperially powerful
He’s impartially merciful

That’s my King!
He’s God’s Son
He’s the sinners’ Saviour
He’s the centrepiece of civilisation
He stands alone in Himself
He’s august
He’s unique
He’s unparalleled
He’s unprecedented
He’s supreme
He’s pre-eminent
He’s the loftiest idea in literature
He’s the highest personality in philosophy
He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism
He’s the fundamental doctrine in true theology
He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion

That’s my King!
He’s the miracle of the age
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him
He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously
He supplies strength for the weak
He’s available for the tempted and the tried
He sympathises and He saves
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He cleansed the lepers
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He delivers the captives
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
And He beautifies the meek

Do you know Him?
My King is the key of knowledge
He’s the wellspring of wisdom
He’s the doorway of deliverance
He’s the pathway of peace
He’s the roadway of righteousness
He’s the highway of holiness
He’s the gateway of glory
He’s the master of the mighty
He’s the captain of the conquerors
He’s the head of the heroes
He’s the leader of the legislators
He’s the overseer of the overcomers
He’s the governor of governors
He’s the prince of princes
He’s the King of Kings
And He’s the Lord of Lords

That’s my King
That’s my King!
My King
His office is manifold
His promise is sure
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His reign is righteous
His yoke is easy
and His burden is light
I wish I could describe Him to you
He’s indescribable
He’s indescribable
He’s incomprehensible
He’s invincible
He’s irresistible
I’m trying to tell you
The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him
Let alone a man explain Him
You can’t get Him out of your mind
You can’t get Him off of your hands
You can’t outlive Him
And you can’t live without Him
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him
but they found out they couldn’t stop Him
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree
And Herod couldn’t kill Him
Death couldn’t handle Him
And the grave couldn’t hold Him

That’s my King!
He always has been
And He always will be
I’m talking about
He had no predecessor
and He’ll have no successor
There was nobody before Him
and there’ll be nobody after Him
You can’t impeach Him
and He’s not going to resign

That’s my King!
Praise the Lord
That’s my King
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
The glory is all His
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
For ever
And ever
And ever
And when you get through with all of the forevers
Then
Amen

–Dr. S.M. Lockridge

Amazing Love

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
–1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
–1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
–Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
–Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
–Romans 10:9 (NIV)

It Is Finished

 

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
— John 19:17-30 (NIV)

 

Independence Day

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

— Psalm 33:12 NIV

 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

— Isaiah 42:1-4

 In his [Jesus] name the nations will put their hope.

— Matthew 12:21

I am sure that you have heard so much about the separation of church and state that you have actually started to believe it.

In case you don’t know, that phrase never appears in the Constitution. However it is found in Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto.

It was coined in the U.S. from a letter the principle framer of the Constitution and Third President Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association assuring them that he would keep the Government out of the Church, not the Church out of the Government. He was saying, never again will there be a government sponsored church like you had back in England, where everyone is forced to attend and support.

Check it out for yourself, the first amendment actually says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…

If there IS such a thing as separation of church and state, it is intended as a one-way street. Some say, no, they wanted to keep both separate. Well, let’s think about that.

• Our first president, George Washington, took the oath of office and put his hand on what? (the Bible)
• What was his first official act as President? (kissed the Bible, then held a 2 hr. praise/worship session in Congress)
• How did they determine to open sessions of Congress? (prayer)
• Who would lead in those prayers? (chaplains)
• How would they be paid? (tax dollars)

Does all of that sound like they wanted to keep God out of government?

Who decided to put “In God We Trust” on our coins? It was adopted by Congress in 1956.

• In 1776, 11 of the 13 colonies required that one had to be a Christian to be eligible to run for political office.
• In 1777, the Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase Bibles for distribution in the nation.
• The GETTYSBURG ADDRESS states “…this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom…”
• 94% OF THE WRITINGS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE U.S. CONTAINED QUOTATIONS FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
• THE STATE CONSTITUTIONS OF ALL 50 STATES MENTION GOD.
• On that First “Thanksgiving”, who do you think the people were giving thanks to? To God.
• The famous “Liberty Bell” has part of Leviticus 25:10 inscribed on it: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
• Part of the Scripture Proverbs 14:34 is inscribed above the L.A. city hall door: “RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTETH A NATION: BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE.”
• An image of Moses carrying the tablets of God’s Law faces the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• The entering President takes his courtroom OATH OF OFFICE with his right hand on the Holy Bible, and concludes his vow “So help me God.”
• The Supreme Court itself begins each of its sessions with the phrase ‘God save the United States and this honorable court,’
• First Vice President and Second President, John Adams wrote in 1798:
• “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
• President Thomas Jefferson:
• “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” – 1781
• Our sixth President, John Quincy Adams said:
• “No book in the world deserves to be so unceasingly studied, and so profoundly meditated upon as the Bible.” –
• At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin said,
• “God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”

The Christian writings and pronouncements of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln would fill an entire book. He said this when he assumed leadership over a nation on the brink of civil war:

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven… But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” – 1863

• Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th President, wrote: “In this actual world, a churchless community, a community where men have abandoned and scoffed at, or ignored their religious needs, is a community on the rapid down-grade.” – 1917
• Woodrow Wilson, our 28th President and Governor of New Jersey, said this: “America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of the Holy Scripture.” – 1911
• Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President, said this about our founding fathers: “They were intent upon establishing a Christian commonwealth in accordance with the principle of self- government. They were an inspired body of men. It has been said that God sifted the nations that He might send choice grain into the wilderness… Who can fail to see it in the hand of destiny? Who can doubt that it has been guided by a Divine Providence.” – 1923
• Franklin Roosevelt prayed this prayer on a national radio hookup on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as our troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France: “Almighty God… with Thy blessing we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogance. Lead us to the saving of our country. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.”
• Harry Truman, our 33rd President, not known to be a committed believer, understood the spiritual heritage of this nation: “If men and nations would but live by the precepts of the ancient prophets and the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, problems which now seem so difficult would soon disappear”
• Gerald Ford, our 38th President, quoted a 1955 speech by Dwight D. Eisenhower on December 5, 1974: “Without God there could be no American form of government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first – the most basic – expression of Americanism. Thus the founding fathers of America saw it, and thus with God’s help, it will continue to be.”
• President Ronald Reagan: “If we ever forget that we are ‘One nation, under God’, then we will be one nation gone under.”

GOD bless America!

Happy Independence Day!

Lehigh Valley in fear as Confederates closed in on Gettysburg – mcall.com

The Battle of Gettysburg rattled nerves in the Lehigh Valley, not only because many Union soldiers were from the region, but because the people here wondered how far the Confederate Army might go.

If the Confederates managed to take Gettysburg in mid-1863, the question was, how soon might they push another 100 miles northeast?

Continue reading at:

Lehigh Valley in fear as Confederates closed in on Gettysburg – mcall.com.