Month: April 2019

I see people looking excited that a Texas team was in the final four.  They wear jerseys.  They cheer endlessly.  I see Tiger Woods throw his hands in the air over the victory he worked so hard for.   Then I ponder… don’t we have a victory thru Christ, that more than anything, should cause us to throw up hands in praise to him?  Should we not cheer daily of his love and grace he so freely pours out to us?  The Hebrew language uses seven words for worship.  Everyone of them involves celebration for our Lord with shouts…  hands raised and a holy roar.  We certainly should cheer when our team wins.  We certainly shouldn’t hesitate to throw our hands in the air for someones accomplishments. However… more important we should praise with shouts and hands raised for the love of our Savior and his amazing, incredible, grace.

Psalms 67:3

I Love you!

Perry

I keep seeing him carrying the cross!  It brings weeping… It brings deep sadness to my heart as I picture it. Imagine lifting a crosstie on your shoulder.  Imagine  doing that after your back was beaten to the point that muscle, ribs and tendons were exposed. Imagine the burning in your muscles as you were beaten while you endured the weight of that splitter filled, rough carved cross.  Imagine that large piece of wood hitting against the thorns fastened to your head.  Picture unrelenting fatigue from no rest and endless loss of blood.  Now look deep… imagine enduring all of this when you know you did nothing wrong. It’s hard to imagine a love that strong.  

OH HOW HE LOVES US!

I Love You!

Perry

He had seen several crucifixions. He had walked past and witnessed the cruelty of the cross.  He saw how it looked… he had heard the suffering… he observed the agony.

Our Savior knew what was coming.

On this night in 33AD our Jesus felt unrelenting stress. He felt crushing anguish.  As he cried out “daddy” blood poured from his brow. The human side of him wanted his father to take the pain away. The heavenly side of him knew the answer was “no”.   Next time you feel anguish. Next time you feel hurt. Know that God has a reason and a plan. He does for us as he did for his son.    SALVATION. 

Matthew 26: 31-46

I Love You!

Perry

Really?  How can this be?  I knew he was special… I saw him perform so many miracles but to bring himself back to life?  It must be a mistake, it simply can’t be.  Then Thomas saw him.  “See my hands Thomas. Touch the hole in my side.   Believe…Thomas, because I love you”.  I try so hard to imagine what that was like.   To see Jesus again.  To hold his hand.  To place my hand on his side and feel the scar.  To know he did that for me out of a deeper love than my soul can comprehend.  I try so hard to picture that in my mind.  Then he reminds my heart that one day, he will allow me to do what Thomas did… to hold his hand, touch his side, to caress his feet.   All I have to do is believe.  Hallelujah!!!!  

John 20:27

I Love You!

Perry

 He had seen so many crucified but none had been beaten so badly.  Wounds so deep.  Thorns so sharp.  Hatred so intense.  This centurion had hardened his heart because there had been so many.  But this one was different.  This one seemed to endure the pain with a purpose.  Then it happened.  Middle of the day.  Full darkness.  Darkness void of any stars.  Ground shook and someone yelled “the temple curtain has torn”.  Then thru the darkness he heard the scream “ father I give you my spirit”.  He pondered as he stood looking at this man on the cross.  This was not just another crucifixion.  This was no ordinary jewish carpenter.  This jew was talking to God.  This Galilean was talking to his father.  Jesus was talking to God so that we can talk to him too.  WHAT AN AMAZING SAVIOR!!!

Mark 15

I Love You!

Perry

So I’ve spent this week in prayer and concentration on the cross and the mystery that is the life of Jesus.  As I meditate on the six hours… on the moment he committed his life to his father… it causes such a bag of mixed emotion.  At that moment, in that instant, it didn’t matter what your beliefs are.  It didn’t matter where you came from.  It didn’t matter how strong or how weak your faith is.  All that mattered was the pure outpouring of his incredible love.  All that mattered at the foot of his cross was and is the fact that out of deep love he died for you.  That love was and is for everyone.  He deserves our love and complete self in return for those six hours.

I Love You!

Perry