Friday, March 30, 2018

THE CRISIS BLAME GAME

by Ronda Lane


"Never let a crisis go to waste" is the tactic by globalists who desire to take away more and more freedoms and erode the Constitution in the US. This same evil cabal wants to take down national sovereignty in all nations to wipe out any civilian freedoms remaining. The "never let a crisis go to waste" tactic is actually from the 1971 Saul Alinsky book, "Rules for Radicals" [1]. It's the one and same book in which an epitaph to Lucifer is included under the "Personal Acknowledgments" section, giving honor to Lucifer, who Alinsky notes is "the first radical known to man."
 
Alinsky continues on in his open worship of the devil by stating that Lucifer "did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom." Sickening! Open luciferian worship.
 
This same book was Hillary Clinton's college thesis; so too did Barack Hussein Obama give reverence to Alinsky's book on numerous occasions, as Obama was a "community organizer" in the same radical style as Alinsky before becoming a politician. No matter your political affiliation, you need to be aware of the tactics they use and the plan in store.
 
The book full of luciferian, evil agendas is reluctantly sourced at the bottom of this article [1]. One must know the enemies tactics, and they've made no attempt to hide them. This is a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:12), and they have overtly chosen the side of Lucifer-the losing side.
 
The far left have adopted the globalist vision of culling the masses, bringing populations under control under one global government. One particular political party used to tolerate this far-leftist extremism as a fringe group, yet years back the left claimed not to be involved with the far left. However, the far leftists have taken control of the entire party now-not just here in the US, but in other nations as well.
 
The globalist cabal is well-funded financially. Destruction of all things Christian is their most fervent desire, as to be expected in a spiritual war. They used to pretend to be in favor of free speech for all (including Christians); but, as their numbers have grown, they no longer feel the need to hide their true agenda-squashing both the free speech of Christians as well as eradicating the world of Christians altogether.
 
We all witnessed how quickly the leftist-controlled media hopped on board the "gun control" issue after a school shooting. But when the recent Texas bombings began near Austin, I couldn't imagine how the controlled MSM (MainStream Media) was going to spin this. Since we no longer have a free media, and they no longer devote much (if any) time on actual, factual news unless they can spin it for a specific globalist cause, I was surprised to see them reporting on it. I knew they had to have an angle (otherwise all truth is censored nowadays).
 
So what is the angle? What did the leftist media accomplish? They sure couldn't use it for bomb confiscation, as bombs are already unlawful. They couldn't stage mass protests of easily herded young folks in opposition, as they do any time a gun is used in a crime. So again, what's for them to gain by reporting it?
 
Then the mass bomber was both caught and killed. The nation breathed a collective sigh of relief. Yet again, I couldn't find the angle immediately (and I knew there had to be one). Why would MSM continue to cover this nonstop? After sifting through numerous reports about this event, I finally found the answer in a FOX news article as well as in other articles. There isn't just one agenda they are using this tragedy for, but multiple agendas.
 
Mark Conditt (24-year-old serial bomber) was found by the help of .... (drumroll).... Google! Surveillance cameras and cell phone triangulation also helped. Why is this so important a fact to know about? The authorities used the Google search history of Mr. Conditt to find relevant details of his actions and thoughts prior to, and during, his bomb spree. Well, that sounds handy, doesn't it? Not so fast.
 
In the FOX article [2], we read where a Google representative stated the following: "Google accepts subpoenas for search data and reviews the request to make sure it satisfies legal requirements and Google's policies." Another interesting tidbit of information was supplied by the Google representative (who is unnamed in the article): "Google can also look to narrow the request if it believes it is overly broad."
 
How very interesting... so Google (a non-government and unregulated monopoly) can now deem for themselves if a request is "overly broad" or if they even want to supply the information to law enforcement agencies? And I wonder if they would have supplied such information if the alleged perp was (for instance) an illegal alien? Or a far-leftist radical? One can only guess, but my guess (going by past incidents) is NO; Google wouldn't have supplied the requested information if it didn't align with Google's globalist-cabal agenda.
 
Then there was also the use of cell phone triangulation. (Funny we never hear about these things when it's a known illegal alien committing crimes, isn't it? How coincidental!) With the use of 4G technology they can now track a phone to within 4 to 5 feet of the subject. Imagine how handy this will be for the antichrist global government once the mark of the beast is rolled out fully in the last half of the tribulation, as described in Revelation chapter 13). And this is 4G technology; the globalist cabal wants 5G technology implemented around the globe as soon as possible.
Time doesn't permit going into detail of the evils of 5G. Maybe we will revisit that subject in a later article (God willing and should the Lord tarry).
 
But this wicked agenda to track and control society isn't enough for the globalist cabal. They have a multi-pronged strategy to use this crisis to the full extent of maximum damage they can possibly squeeze out of it. Never let a crisis go to waste... get the maximum damage possible out of it, as does the globalist MSM, using the Alinsky tactics.
 
Who is Mark Conditt, the serial bomber? The Daily Mail (UK) alleges that he was a "homeschooled Christian." The article goes on to bash both Christians and homeschooling as well [3]. But it doesn't stop there... the article claims that Conditt was targeting "people of color" (yet doesn't note that white victims were chosen as well). In this glaring lack of journalism, the Daily Mail claims Conditt "made all the bombs himself." Huh? What a lack of journalistic integrity! Supposedly, now the Daily Mail is their own source for this information? They didn't cite a name from which this allegation sprang forth.
 
No sourcing in faux journalism today is a huge problem because they no longer quote a person by name, but can merely claim something as a fact without showing any evidence. It's possible that Conditt did indeed "make all the bombs himself," but they don't note that as a possibility; instead they erroneously tout it as fact before a full investigation has been completed-shoddy journalism meant to obfuscate, muddy the waters, and never quote actual sources or facts.
 
They also claimed the boy was both Christian and homeschooled, yet they don't source that information either. Apparently faux journalism no longer needs to source information. Apparently, they can claim whatever they want to without any factual evidence to back it up. Back in my day, we had a name for that: "Tabloid trash." You could find this garbage in the supermarkets with cover stories such as "Elvis seen" (years after his death). No sourcing, just opinion erroneously presented as "factual."
 
So we see the multi-pronged strategy on full display. First: to paint both Christians and homeschooled children in a negative light. Second: to cause panic in society, so much so that the civilian population would be willing to give up freedoms and rights for the false hope of "peace and safety."
 
"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (1 Thes. 5:3).
 
Sadly, a large portion of the population still erroneously believes that the mainstream media is an actual journalist venue wherein truth is upheld, standards of journalism are upheld, and 'journalists' are held to these high standards. Sadly, some still truly believe this to be the case. In fact, some elderly folks I know very well are still taken in by MSM, one of which regularly watches PBS News hour and claims they are unbiased!
 
I asked this elderly man if he realized that the 'news' segment begins with the major donors listed... ALL of which are either far-leftist or globalist organizations (The Rockefeller foundation, for example). "Yes," he sheepishly admits; he realizes that. I then ask, "Don't you think it's a good possibility that those large donors' ideology will bleed over into the journalism?" His response: "Maybe so, but I don't see it."
 
And it's sad that many people truly do NOT see it. He (like many in the 80+ age-range generation) remembers when both sides of a story were presented. Now it's a pretense. But sadly, some folks still buy it. It doesn't work that way anymore.
 
For many of us who read often, keep abreast of current events, and understand where the globalist desires are headed (Revelation 13, for example), we can readily see the agenda on just about any 'news' venue today. But sadly, many are still in the dark to these tactics. I've heard the phrase "ignorance is bliss" quoted before. Maybe it's true. Maybe that's the only way some folks can cope with what's going on in these perilous last days-shut their eyes, put their heads in the sand, and hope for the best.
 
Sometimes I wish that I could still be so blind. Why? Because with discernment comes responsibility. Those who readily see the antichrist agenda afoot have a responsibility to warn others of the end goal of today's globalists. Such is the case here, even with this Texas bomber. The agenda is clear... the globalists want to track every man, woman, and child's movement - every thought, every action, location, and deed. They will use "peace and safety" as the reason to do this.
 
But we Bible believers know exactly where this is headed: complete control over masses... control over all peoples of the world under a one-world government. This insidious plan of the devil has been in the making for a long time now.
 
The US was the last beacon of freedom, of Christian rights, of constitutional rights as well. But we see them being chipped away and eroded day by day. In fact, the far-leftist globalists are going full boar into attack mode on every part of the Constitution with which they can use to cull the masses and take complete control over the civilian population. Both the First and Second Amendments are under full attack from the far-left globalists.
 
Years ago we were called "conspiracy theorists" for even bringing up the terms "new world order" or "globalist." Back then they tried to hide the agenda, meet in secret, and hash out their plans and goals under the radar. Today? They no longer even bother to try to hide the agenda. Why? Because the indoctrination of globalism has permeated our public schools and colleges so pervasively that the younger generations are sold out to globalism.
 
Just like Hitler's brown-shirt youth program, many of these young folks blindly follow along.
 
Of course they also want to attack homeschooling, because they want to mandate public school indoctrination for all children. They especially want to paint Christians as the "bad guys." How can some fellow believers not recognize this?
 
This nation is divided, yet some believe we can just unite and right all the wrongs. Appeasing those who hate Christianity never works; it only leads to more loss of rights and freedoms.
 
They claimed they only wanted "tolerance" for the Darwinistic theories presented to school-age children - an "alternative theory" they wanted presented alongside creationism. Now? They've booted out ALL scriptural accounts of biblical creation by God in public schools. The appeasing and tolerance given to the evil ones was not returned. Nor should we have expected it to be. Luciferian radicals have no honor, and they no longer try to hide their wicked agenda at all. They won't tolerate Christians.
 
I'm an old dog, the kind that it's hard to teach new tricks to. I've always wanted to know the "who, what, when, where, and how" in journalism. I've watched the supposed free press deteriorate rapidly over the decades. Many of us were warning loud and often of how when a free press is bought out and controlled by just a handful of people (no matter their political affiliation) it's a bad thing.
 
One can go too far to the right just as one can go too far to the left. There are extremists on both ends.
 
Extremism always leads to loss of freedoms and the desire for more and more control by those who desire complete control over the masses. But what's worse? Those of us who espouse a conservative viewpoint are now labeled as "extremist." They throw us into the bucket with KKK members (when we aren't racists ourselves), and call us "Nazi's" (when the far leftists are using actual Nazi tactics).
 
When young, easily manipulated Antifa members see conservatives, they think they are doing a good thing to beat, spit on, mace, pepper spray, rob, torment, or even kill conservatives. Why? Because they've been indoctrinated into erroneously believing that Christians are "pro-KKK" or "Nazi's."
 
When one tries to have a rational conversation with these misguided folks, they don't want to hear it. They don't want to hear the factual, historic truth of the KKK, how the Democrats actually funded and supported the KKK - how Robert Byrd (the longest "serving" Senator in US history) was both a Democrat and a KKK member in elite standing. They don't want to hear about the "Klan Bake" at the 1924 Democratic National Convention, how they held hands openly with KKK members and marched [4].
 
You can't even discuss with them how Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power by first taking away the guns from citizens, and then massacring millions of Jews, blacks, physically and developmentally handicapped, elderly, gays, and others. They don't want to hear truth. In fact, they no longer can even recognize truth when they hear it (Romans 1:18-32 and 2 Tim. 3:1-5 explain why in detail).
 
When communication has broken down so far that one side refuses to even hear the other side, it's an irreconcilable fault line. A gulf too big to bridge. A sore too putrid to heal. Isaiah 1:4-6 comes to mind.
 
The unsaved world has become so corrupt that they openly rebel against God; they avidly reject Christ with a vehemence and violence so fierce that they seek to destroy believers and obliterate God's word from society altogether. To them we are the 'bad guys;' to them God's word is to be disregarded and squashed, kept from their ears. In this upside-down world of these perilous last days truth is actually offensive to them.
 
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20).
 
Yet we cannot be silenced or bullied into submitting to the antichrist's agenda. As we see this soon- coming global government forming, we must take comfort in knowing the lateness of the hour. God will not be mocked (Gal. 6:7). His wrath is soon coming upon this world in ways that even Hollywood with all its special effects cannot portray.
 
Revelation (chapters 6-18) gives an overview of the tribulation that is soon to come upon this earth. God's wrath will not be withheld forever; in fact, we are given many clues in scripture as to when it will commence.
 
As we see these things converge and coalesce, we need to keep in mind that we grace/church-age believers won't be here for any part of God's wrath on this evil, God-hating and Christ-rejecting world. Jesus has promised to deliver us (church/grace-age believers) from the wrath to come (1 Thes. 1:10, Rom. 5:9, 1 Thes. 5:9). His word even tells us how He will deliver us (1 Cor. 15:49-53, 1 Thes. 4:16-18) - the rapture!
 
I'll be the first to admit that witnessing these events leading up to the tribulation are troublesome to watch. It grieves our hearts, mostly because so many are rejecting salvation. Their only hope is Christ; yet they hate Him, His word, and those who believe on Him. Yet we must continue on giving the gospel to the lost as well as comforting fellow believers with His word and promises to us.
 
Let's not lose sight of how near we are to meeting the Lord. I know it's very easy to get weighed down with the cares of this world. The 'news' today is evil; the agendas are wicked and can be traced down to the wicked one who is itching for his short 3.5-year reign on Earth (the last half of the seven-year tribulation).
 
Yes, we do need to keep abreast of what's going on. Those with discernment need to warn others of what's to come. Whether they hear it or not is on their own heads. We are required to warn nonetheless. Don't get hung up on one person who refuses to hear; move on to the next, and keep going. Even if no one seems to be listening, we know that God's word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Share the gospel until the very last moment!
 
And while we do so, let's keep in mind what promises we soon have in store for us believers:
 
When the rapture occurs we will immediately be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:16-17). Those of us alive in human form at the time will meet those who (in Christ) have passed on before us as ALL of our bodies are immediately transformed.
 
We are told even more about this sudden change and resurrection of the dead in Christ in 1 Cor. 15:49-53. There we see that our vile, corruptible bodies of flesh will be changed into heavenly bodies (v.49)! Our mortal bodies will be exchanged for immortal ones (v.53). Even those bodies of our loved ones who have passed on in Christ prior to us will first be resurrected (v.52 and 1 Thes. 4:14-16).
 
We are told to "comfort one another with these words." Let's continue to do so regularly as we see the day approaching. We have even more comfort regarding glorified bodies:
 
I John 3:2 tells us that we will see Jesus as He is because we will be like Him! It's impossible to fully imagine what that means; yet cling to this truth. Just knowing we will see Jesus is wonderful enough a thought... but to know we will be like Him as well? Even more wonderful. Phil. 3:20-21 tells us that He (Jesus) will change our vile (fleshy corruptible) bodies into bodies fashioned like His own glorified body!
 
As if those things weren't enough comfort, there is more! In Eph. 2:6 we are told we are seated in heavenly places.
 
In 2 Cor. 5:1, we are told of a house "not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
 
In Phil. 3:20-21 we are told our "conversation is in heaven." Our Lord Jesus Christ is taking us there to be with Him! We see this also in 1 Thes.4:17, "so shall we ever be with the Lord."
 
Again we see this in John 14:2-3 where we are told that Jesus is preparing a place for us in His Father's house. The KJV calls this place "mansions." Jesus then said He would receive us unto Himself that "where I am, there ye may be also."
 
This is something the post-trib camp cannot defend. They would claim a yo-yo event at the end of the tribulation where Jesus takes believers up and then brings them right back down for the millennial kingdom. Yet we know that Jesus has promised to take us UP, first to the clouds in the air to transform our bodies, and then to His Father's house in heaven. We know we will be there for at least seven years during which those on Earth will be going through the tribulation.
 
During that time we will also attend the BEMA judgment, the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10, 1 Cor. 3:10-15). This believers-only judgment is not about salvation, as we have already believed on Christ for salvation. We are eternally secure in Christ. This is about rewards and/or loss of rewards for the things we've done for Christ since we were saved, or otherwise worded: after salvation - how we've served Him.
 
If we've shared the gospel with the lost and built on the firm foundation in Christ, we will be rewarded (as though "gold, silver, and precious stones"). If we've done our service for selfish reason, human accolades, or other wrongful intents, those things will be considered "wood, hay, and stubble." The rewards will be far more wonderful than we can imagine (Rom. 8:17-18, 1 Cor. 13:12).
 
Many crowns are promised throughout New Testament scripture. One crown in particular is the "crown of righteousness" which He will give each of us who love His appearing!
 
Right now we are groaning inside. His Spirit groans with our own as we await the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:22-23). We are eagerly awaiting His appearance, and desire to be taken up with Him to receive our glorified, incorruptible bodies like His own. The rewards to come are more wonderful than we can imagine-not even worthy to compare with anything in this life. Let's comfort one another with these things.
 
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).
 
Maranatha!
 

What's So Good About "Good Friday"

- Jack Kinsella -

 
According to Christian tradition, the Friday before Easter is called ''Good Friday'' because it is the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. GOOD Friday?
 
The Crucifixion most probably did not actually take place on a Friday, anyway. The Scriptures make reference only to the 'Sabbath' and there were two Sabbath days during that particular Passover week.
 
But it is on Friday that the world remembers, whether it wants to or not, that a Man was crucified on a hill called Golgotha outside the walls of Jerusalem for the sins of mankind.
 
If the world wants to remember it as a Friday, at least it is taking note of the event. Arguing about whether or not it actually took place on Wednesday or Thursday seems irrelevant to the central point.
 
Particularly in light of the way it remembers that day, as "Good" Friday. But what is so good about it?
 
I can recall as a kid growing up in a Catholic school thinking it more than a little strange that all those nuns said they loved Jesus, but celebrated the day of His execution as a "Good" day.
 
Indeed, as a kid, I thought the designation "Good Friday" was evidence that they really didn't LIKE Him very much, despite their protestations of love. My mother had passed away when I was only ten. I didn't think that the day that she died was a 'good' day for me.
 
There are lots of possible reasons why the day of Jesus' Crucifixion is designated "Good" in English. One is that the word 'good' was derived from the word "God".
 
Our word 'goodbye' came from the phrase "God be with you," so, according to that line of thinking, "Good Friday" would have originated from the phrase "God's Friday."
 
But I think it is less a case of the metamorphosis of language than it is an apt description of the Event that took place on that day just before the Passover two thousand years ago.
 
The execution of Jesus Christ was an event of incredible evil. He was guilty of no infraction, violated no laws, either Mosaic or Roman civil, and His betrayal was orchestrated, the Bible says, by Satan himself.
 
"And after the sop Satan entered into him [Judas]. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly." (John 13:27)
 
But while the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was an act of unspeakable evil, it was a necessary part of God's Plan for the redemption of our sin debt.
 
And the manner in which He accomplished was a demonstration of His Power over good and evil, using pure evil to bring about pure good.
 
"Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1st Corinthians 2:8)
 
But why was Good Friday necessary? We've gone over this before, but not in several years. Good Friday is the perfect day to revisit the topic. Why did Jesus have to die?
 
The Scripture says God's Justice demands a sacrifice, but for most Christians contending with the skeptic, that answer is unsatisfactory.
 
The explanation that only a sinless man was qualified to take on the sins of the world makes sense, but it doesn't answer the nuts-and-bolts question of why He had to die. Not fully.
 
The answer to the nuts-and-bolts legalities is found, not in the New Testament, but rather in the Old.
 
In Genesis Chapter 15, we find Abram questioning God's promise that his seed will be numbered as the stars of heaven and that they would inherit the land to which God had led him.
 
Genesis 15:6 says,
 
"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
 
But Abram wanted a guarantee, nonetheless.
 
"And he [Abram] said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" (15:8)
 
It was then that God proposed a blood covenant after the manner of the Chaldeans.
 
"And he [God] said unto him, [Abram] Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
 
Abram knew what to do next. A Chaldean himself, this was something he was familiar with.
 
"And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not."
 
The blood covenant worked this way. The animals were slaughtered and cut up. The pieces were intermingled and then carefully arranged to form a kind of aisle through which the two parties to the covenant would walk together, hands joined.
 
The principle of a blood covenant, and the symbolism of the rended animal parts was clearly understood to Abram. Whoever broke the covenant would end up like those piles of animals.
 
A blood covenant was, by common custom, a joining of 2 or more persons, families, clans, tribes, or nations, where the participants agree to do or refrain from doing certain acts. More specifically, God had proposed a patriarchal covenant.
 
The patriarchal form of covenant is a self-imposed obligation of a superior party, to the benefit of an inferior party. In this form, the terms the parties use to refer to each other are: father and son.
 
God's proposal included not only Abram, but extended to Abram's seed forever.
 
(Galatians 3:29 makes plain that Christians are also "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.")
 
To summarize, Abram has just prepared a blood covenant between himself and God in which his seed would forever be bound to God as heirs. To be an heir, under the implied terms of the covenant, also required being faithful to the Father. Abram understood those terms and waited for God to appear.
 
Consider the picture. Abram waited, driving away the carrion eaters from his grisly creation, waiting for God Himself to come down, join hands with Abram and together, they would swear a blood oath. God would be the Father of Abram and his descendents, who would then be required behave as sons to keep that covenant.
 
Genesis 15:12 records that, as Abram waited for God, a deep sleep fell upon him. During that deep sleep;
 
"it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:" (Genesis 15:17-18)
 
And there's the key! While the covenant was between Abram and God, by passing through the aisle alone, God signed the contract -- alone -- for both sides, binding Himself to keeping both parts.
 
We know that Abram's seed did NOT remain faithful to the covenant. And violating the blood covenant demanded that somebody had to die. That was what justice required.
 
The Apostle Paul was, before his conversion on the road to Damascus, a Pharisee, or a religous lawyer, one well qualified to explain the law of covenant oaths.
 
As Paul explains,
 
"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7)
 
Further, that,
 
"they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (3:9)
 
And also,
 
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (3:11)
 
Of the covenant that God signed on behalf of Abraham, Paul explains;
 
"Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto." (3:15)
 
The covenant could only be confirmed when the price demanded for its violation was paid in full.
 
When the Law was given to Moses four centuries later, it was assumed by the Jews that to break it was to break the Abrahamic Covenant, for which the penalty was death. Remember, somebody had to die.
 
But since it was God Who signed on behalf of Abraham, Paul pointed out the blood penalty required of the covenant was paid in full on Good Friday.
 
"And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect." (Galatians 3:17)
 
Why did Jesus have to die? Because the covenant demanded satisfactory payment for its violation, and no one who had broken that covenant was qualified to stand in payment except those who signed it. Abram was long dead. And, in any case, it was God Who signed on behalf of Abram (and his seed).
 
It is for that reason that God stepped out of eternity and into space and time in the Person of Jesus Christ. To keep the provisions of the original covenant and be a true Son of Abraham, as it demanded.
 
Once having kept its terms on behalf of sinful humanity, it was incumbent upon Him to make payment, as justice demanded, for its violation by those on whose behalf the covenant was signed.
 
To be torn and rended like the animals that formed the corridor through which God alone passed.
 
To make restitution on behalf of the seed of Abraham. You. Me. And everyone who ever broke its provision of faithfulness. All of us.
 
Jesus made that payment on our behalf. On the Cross, as He gave up the ghost, Jesus cried with a loud voice 'it is finished' (Tetelestai!) meaning, "paid in full."
 
The terms of the violated Covenant were met, its price was paid by its Signer. God's justice was fulfilled. That is why Jesus took on a human form and allowed Himself to be crucified by His own creation. That is the reason the Blood of Christ is so precious. Why nothing less would do.
 
Because justice demanded it. And because justice was satisfied, a lost sinner need only accept the Pardon obtained at the Cross as full payment for his sins to obtain eternal life. Because of Good Friday,
 
"Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord SHALL be saved." (Romans 10:13)
 
Our sin debt was paid in full on Good Friday. The only thing now separating God from man is human pride. Accepting by faith the pardon obtained for us at the Cross is a humbling experience.
 
We've noted in the past that God's way is not our way, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Indeed, God's way is usually the exact opposite of human thinking. Christians obtain victory by surrendering. We obtain eternal life through the Death of Christ, but to achieve eternal life one has to first die.
 
"Good" Friday is the day that commemorates the greatest evil ever perpetrated in the history of mankind. But as it turned out, it was the worst day possible for the forces of evil. It marked the first introduction of pure good to this old world since the Fall of Man.
 
"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes WE are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

Thursday, March 29, 2018

HE CHOSE THE CROSS




Nathele Graham 
 
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? Psalm 22:1.

 King David wrote those words and centuries later our Lord Jesus Christ cried out these very words as He hung on the cross. As we read through the 22nd Psalm it's clear that David wrote these words of prophecy as if he had been transported into the future to stand at the foot of the cross himself. He writes of bones being out of joint and exposed so they are able to be counted, hands and feet being pierced, and casting lots for garments. All this describes Jesus' torture and crucifixion, but His cry to God the Father is heart-wrenching. 

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with aloud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark 15:34. 

Those words break my heart. The anguish in His voice echoes throughout the ages. At that moment in time, God the Father could not look upon God the Son. In all of eternity that had never happened. Jesus was sinless, but God the Father could not look upon Him because He had become sin in our place. 

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. 

Never think that you, by your own merit, are worthy of salvation. What Jesus did on the cross was something only He could do. Fully God and fully man, He took our sin and willingly allowed Himself to be the once for all sacrifice for our redemption. At the moment He cried out those words do you think that Jesus thought He had made a mistake? No. He chose the cross because He loved those people standing there, and He loves you and me.

It's important to study Biblical prophecy. It tells us what will come to pass, but it also confirms that God's word is true because many prophecies have already been fulfilled. Over 300 prophecies foretold of Jesus' first coming, including some extremely graphic ones that described His death. Isaiah chapter 53 contains details of the Messiah that are quite descriptive of Jesus.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3. 

The Messiah was rejected by the Jewish leaders on behalf of the nation as a whole, but some individuals recognized Him. Peter was one who had followed Him for three years but ran and hid in fear when Jesus was arrested and crucified. Many Christians today still try to hide from Him. We accept His sacrifice but then knowingly embrace sin. Then we stop reading His word or fellowshipping with fellow Christians. We reject Him and don't esteem Him or His sacrifice. Shame on us. 

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5. 

Transgressions (pesha' in Hebrew) is rebellion and iniquities ('avon in Hebrew), is perversity and depravity. Even the best of humans will willingly follow the path of sin that leads to destruction. Little white lies are as much sin as the big, ugly ones. Jesus was beaten to a bloody pulp and whipped until His bones were exposed because of our transgressions and iniquities. In spite of knowing what He would face, He still chose the cross and bore our griefs and sorrows.

Once a person realizes the price that Jesus paid on the cross, their desire should be to follow Him closely. Unfortunately, we tend to go our own way. 

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6.

Sheep are followers but they don't always follow the wisest path. That's why they need a shepherd to guide and protect them. Sheep tend to stray into danger, and we are like them. That's why we need Jesus.. 

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." John 10:11. 
We all follow someone or some thing, and Satan wants us to follow him. That's when our path becomes dangerous. When we follow Satan we sin and follow the path that leads to destruction. Every sin that you or I have ever committed, or ever will commit, was laid upon Jesus as He hung on the cross. He took our sins willingly. He cried "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" because of our wrong choice to follow the path of Satan and the world. Why do I continue to sin when I know how much grief I've caused Jesus? I'm so sorry, my Lord. Please forgive me.

Death had been introduced into the world through Adam's sin. That separated humans from God and sin ruled men's hearts. We were under the curse of death because of Adam's choice. God wanted people to understand that sin separates us from Him and showed what sin is through Jewish Law. God's standards are so much higher than ours, but the Law was only the instructor and not the cure. Some sins required capital punishment, but stoning was the method of putting a criminal to death, not crucifixion. Blasphemy (claiming to be God) was one of those capital crimes. 

"And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." Deuteronomy 21:22-23. 

It's odd that we find reference to someone being put to death and hanged on a tree. The Apostle Paul talked about this in his letter to the Galatians. 

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:13-14. 

Jesus became sin for us and His death, burial, and resurrection opened the door for Gentiles, by faith, to also find salvation. Jesus was accursed and hung on the cross and He took the punishment for our sins upon Himself. Christ fulfilled the Law and only through Him can we find redemption. We owe everything to Jesus and when we accept what He did we need to allow changes in our life that moves us from a sin-filled life to one that honors Him.

During His time on earth, Jesus had done many things to upset the Pharisees. He healed people on the Sabbath and gathered food on the Sabbath, but did He claim to be God? Yes, He did. He was God in the flesh, but the religious leaders were blind to the truth. After one heated debate, Jesus said "I and my Father are one." John 10:30. 

That doesn't translate well into English, but the Pharisees understood. "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." John 10:31-33. 

Blasphemy (claiming to be God) was the reason the Pharisees wanted Jesus killed and they were able to convince the Romans to crucify Him. If the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah's death were false, the prophet would have described Jewish stoning and not crucifixion as the way He would be killed. When the Romans occupied Jerusalem, stoning was outlawed and crucifixion was the way a criminal was executed. Jesus was not a criminal, but prophecy is clear that Messiah would not be stoned, He would be crucified. In fact the prophet Zechariah gave prophetic words regarding a still future time when the nation of Israel will understand who Jesus was. 

"And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." Zechariah 12:10. 
One day the nation of Israel will understand that Jesus was Messiah and that He was crucified, not stoned, for their sin and the sin of the entire world.

When the events of the day of crucifixion had come to an end, Jesus gave up His life. Those who had stood at the foot of the cross watched as He suffered and had seen the Roman soldiers cast lots for His robe, they heard Him ask that the Father would forgive those who had abused Him and pounded the nails into His hands and feet, they heard Him promise the criminal next to Him that, because he had recognized who Jesus was, he would be in Paradise that day. Jesus gave the care of His mortal mother Mary to John and at last all was finished and He give up the Ghost. 

"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. 

Those who were gathered around heard His final words and they saw Him die. They had no way of knowing that the victory had been won! Joseph of Arimathaea asked for the body and He was put into the tomb, which was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. What did His mother and friends think? They had hoped that Jesus was the longed for Messiah, but now He was dead. The cross had claimed another life. We can look back and know that their grief would soon turn to joy! The day of First Fruits was coming. Hallelujah, Christ is risen!

When Jesus said "It is finished" He wasn't talking about the limited hopes of a handful of people. Jesus meant that the battle was finished and Satan lost. 

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55. 
He won our fight. He chose the cross and He won! Death is no longer the end of life for anyone who has accepted the shed blood of Jesus as the final sacrifice for sin. Jesus said "It is finished" and He meant it. There is nothing more that needs to be done. Why, then, do we insult Him by adding anything to His victory? Baptism? It's obedience and a way to honor Him, but only His shed blood brings salvation. Looking to Mary for "help" in salvation is blasphemy. There is no other path that leads to salvation, so if you think that you can blaze your own trail to Heaven you're very deceived. Look to Jesus...look to the cross.

The battle is won because Jesus chose the cross.
                                                                                                      
God bless you all,