Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.
Proverbs 28:9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayers and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and prayerful.
James 1:5 – 7 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should expect to receive anything from the Lord.
James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.
Do you journal? I would love to, and yet as often as I have started, I write for 2, maybe three days, then it will lapse for a couple weeks. I don’t understand why I don’t seem able to continue them.
I had read, heard, or somehow learned to really hand my concerns over to God, and it helped your brain realize yiu did not have the issue anymore for you to actively do away if you did something visual. I started writing out thoughts, prayers, wishes on a slip of paper then sliding it into this bag on the back of my closet door. But dropping the prayer, concern, dream into the bag, meant it was not yours to deal with–and you had to trust Him with it. Once the thought came into your head to worry and fret and “fix” it, you needed to mentally hand it back. He was taking care of it–so no touching! That was difficult for me to do since I tended to believe I was supposed to fix all. But over time it go easier for me to return the issue over, and when it popped into my mind–send Satan scampering away, and tell God I had handed it over, and was sorry for getting impatient–AGAIN.
The problem was that I did not use a notebook or record so when the answer came, I could page back and write His response. His answers/solutions to my prayers. I can recount many—yet how squishy have our, at least my, memory has become. I don’t remember the exact time or path. I don’t know if I recognized that it had been answered until hindsight kicked in. If I journaled routinely, my praise is recorded and I can easily go back and check the length of time, how frustrated, perhaps anxious I was during that time, but with the God bag, I never recorded the answers and resolutions. So although I love the visual of dropping my issues in His lap–I have no record of His direction, answers, or anything. Just a faulty memory
Certainly, it was a way to remind me of prayers answered when I would dump them out and re-read them. There was no way to track MY growth with God. Truly most it accomplished was the visual of putting my prayers and concerns in His Hands through the action of dropping it in a bag—then reminding myself that God had it whenever I thought I should snatch it back and handle it myself.
It would be better to have kept a journal I wrote in regularly; and when prayers were answered could immediately return to that page and write out the answer, praise, and thanks. To have a record which my family could read upon my death and realize the number of times my prayers centered around them and God’s will for them, and how He dealt with whatever concern I had for them or other issues, at any given time. But I don’t have that. I had a gift bag full of handwritten prayers; but nothing about the when and how the answers had come. That is a regret.
I also had a bible I’d had for 7-8 years which contained thoughts, prayers and praises for the past several years. However, I had adopted a lovely dog who was as sweet as she could be—but in her anxiety, and need to entertain herself, soothed herself with shaking my bible and devotionals into confetti. That first day, coming home and finding those bible shreds, my heart broke a bit. There was not enough left of my bible to put any of the pages together, and certainly there was no way my bible would ever be my Book again. All my thoughts, prayers, answered prayers– gone into confetti.
She did this several times over the many months until finally my behavior about putting them out of reach became consistent. She eventually had me trained to put my devotionals and new bible materials out of her reach. I am sure Amazon thought I had a Christian bookstore started since I had to replace them at least eight times over the months.
But how much has my memory failed? How often have some prayers been answered and I don’t even remember? I am thankful for so much, but how often have I missed thanking Him for something specific I asked for but had forgotten? How disappointing that by using my ‘God bag’ I had missed recording some praises. My destroyed bible had many prayers and praises, but still not like those who keep journals throughout most of their lives.
I am going to continue asking God to help me write in the journal. I no longer use the God bag, as I keep a note in my bible or on my computer. But the journal is better; so my prayer is that I will start to be consistent in recording thoughts, prayers and praises. But they will be accessible for me and my family to see growth, answers, and thankfulness.
Thank You for helping me to grow and better understand You and my life with You. You are so gracious and reassuring in my life and in ‘mybellaviews.’
Matthew 28:1-10 Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples; ;He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Mark 16:9-18 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those what had seen him after he had risen.
Luke 24:1-12 The women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the other of James, and the others with them, went to the apostles and told them. . . (summarized)
Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. . .Cleopas answered when they were asked about Jesus. . .(19) “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer theses things and then enter his glory?” (After Jesus explained to them, and began to share a meal with them, he broke bread, and they then recognized Him, and He disappeared. They immediately rose and rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples they had see Him. paraphrased from verse 27-35)
Luke 24:36-46 While they were still talking about his, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” . . (44) He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,”
John 20:14-17 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means ‘Teacher.’
John 20:19,20, 26 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. . . . A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
Acts 1:3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke of the kingdom of God.
Acts 9:3-6 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting,” He replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Acts 22:6-16 Paul telling of his trip into Damascus and his encounter with Jesus.
Acts 26:12-23 Paul again telling his testimony of encountering and seeing Jesus.
1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the results of my work in the Lord?
1 Corinthians 15:5-8 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, thought some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Jesus rose in the tomb, removed the linens He had been wrapped within, and exited where the stone had been pushed away. Two angels had been sent by His Father to move the heavy stone away. Did He speak to them? I think He would have thanked them–and they immediately bend forward to honor Him and glorify Him. But He still had a couple things to accomplish. He stepped out of the tomb area, although not written, I think He spent a few moments in the Garden and appreciated it, the Creation, and thanked His Father that His work was almost finished. As He was in the Garden, Mary and the women came into the tomb carrying the spices, full of grief, remorse, fear, and my guess with some anger. The driving emotions would be the grief, remorse and fear. ‘What was going to happen now? How would any of them go on? Would they all be sought by the Romans, or the Pharisees?’
But these women loved Him; and women are the ones who step forward for most of caregiving, so these women, as soon as the Passover ended, arose early on Sunday morning–Passover ending the night before at sunset, and now they needed to go and dress Him, give Him the final care for a proper burial. We don’t know what happened to the women who came with her–they all saw the angels, heard them say “He is not here. He’s alive.” But Mary Magdalene had apparently stepped out–anxious, fearful, grief-stricken searching for her Savior and she sees a man she believes is the gardener and perhaps he knows where the body has been taken. The “gardener” then speaks her name, and then she recognizes Him and falls at His feet–in disbelief, grief, then relief and thankfulness and joy. She has not fully put it together–somehow His broken body which was taken from the cross on Friday late afternoon, now was fully alive and seemed well. Such relief! But He spoke and told her she had to let Him go as He still had to ascend to His Father. I imagine her relief was so great, what He said did not fully make sense to her. Following His command, she ran to the disciples and told them what had happened.
Two of those disciples fled to the tomb, but they did not get the opportunity to see Him then. What happened then? Did the two men shuffle back to where they had been locked behind doors for the past couple of days? Did they keep reviewing different things He had taught them over time? Were they still confused that He had died, He was gone? How did they feel knowing Judas had killed himself, that he had betrayed the Savior? How did they not see Judas was a man of deception? How could he have turned over the Savior, the Messiah to these vicious, brutal Romans. Shouldn’t they have seen something amiss with him, maybe they could have protected Jesus?
They were fearful. Would the Romans now be hunting them? And what about the Pharisees? It was the religious leaders who had hated and hunted Him and been responsible for His murder. Those religious leaders who were supposed to teach the Jewish people about God, about His rules and commands, about loving your neighbors; yet, the Pharisees and other religious leaders had chased Him down and insisted through mob stirring and churning to demanded from Pilate to kill Jesus and release a murderer, rioter.
Jesus was going to Emmaus and joined two men who were chatting and worrying the fact that Jesus was murdered, crucified on a cross. They were full of questions, grief, loss, and confusion. They had all thought things were going to change with this man; they believed He was going to save them. Most felt He would overcome the Romans defeat them from their oppression. But He overcame through love, miracles, showing, teaching, serving, healing, and freeing people from demons.
As they walked, this unknown man taught and explained the Scriptures, and the two men opened their hearts, learning more about the Scriptures in a different way than they had understood since Torah classes. When they sat down to eat dinner, they asked the educated man to join them, which he did. Then He prayed and blessed the bread, broke it and served them–and their eyes were opened. They suddenly realized He was Jesus. As soon as they realized who had spent time teaching and walking with them, He disappeared. The two men decided to hurry back to Jerusalem and share this with the other disciples.
As they were hurrying back over the seven miles, Jesus had appeared to the ten disciples, all that were left except Thomas. He came through locked doors and wished them peace. Can you imagine their shock?! What? How could this be? Mary said she saw Him, but how? Is He truly alive? He had suffered such brutality. They all saw Him die on the cross, brutalized beyond recognition. Disbelief, grief to joy, fear–after all the Pharisees were NOT loving religious leaders, would this mean they would be instigating the Romans to come and arrest and terrorize their group?
A week later, Thomas was with the other ten and together they were grieving, sharing, and talking about their time with the Messiah. And then He stood among the again. He again wished them peace, and this time approached Thomas and challenged him to touch His wounds, to prove to him He was truly alive. Yes, the Savior was risen and He was Alive!
He stayed close to the apostles for 40 days. teaching them, encouraging them, explaining much of what their futures would be, and that He was sending them a big Helper, the Holy Spirit. There were over 500 followers who saw Him during the 40 days He remained. His disciples watched Him rise to heaven in a cloud, certainly with more assurance of eternal life now after spending time with Him and believing He had defeated death. Were they filled with grief again? Perhaps, but now there was hope.
Jesus later appeared to Paul, long after witnesses had seen Him ascend to heaven. Paul became one of the Lord’s most eloquent spokesman–from being a man who terrorized Jesus followers, who agreed with the Followers being killed for their beliefs–and then had his own transition, becoming one of the strongest leaders for Jesus that the Bible records.
God, I thank You for the fact You defeated death, You hold the keys to Hell and will someday return and bind Satan into the stench of death forever. Thank You for appearing to men and women who proudly claimed about Your teaching, leading, healing, and miracles. Thank You for all You have blessed me with; and for always giving to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
the Apostles and then many seeing Him
Seeing Him rise in a cloud after 30? 40? days
I hope you all try to listen to the song ‘He’s Alive’ written by Don Francisco. My favorite version was sung by Dolly Parton, next favorite is by the writer himself.
Matthew 26:31-35 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you, ” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Mark 14: 24-31 “This My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” He said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today — yes, tonight — before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times. But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
Luke 22:31-34 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
His Death: His final Undeserved Torture
Matthew 27:45-54 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, tema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ . . . (Some waited anxiously, hopefully to see Elijah come, but he did not) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. . . . When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:3-10 When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, “I have sinned, ” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” . . . So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury since it is blood money. So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. that is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (9) then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Acts 1:16-18 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field: there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.
This week, was the beginning of Passover, the week long Feast of Unleavened Bread. The apostles and His followers were excited to share the Passover meal with Him. The 14th day of the first month, Nisan, was occurring the day before the Preparation Day and the Sabbath would begin at sunset the evening of the Preparation Day. But events did not happen as they expected. Jesus said someone at the table had betrayed Him, and then He indicated to John who it was, handing Judas a piece of bread He had dipped into the sauce. Before he had washed the feet of the disciples, Judas had left the group, never to experience that last act of service and servitude. snuck away to finish the betrayal of his rabbi, his teacher, a Man full of love and kindness.
After the meal, several of the men and Jesus went to His favorite garden. He asked the men to stay awake and be watchful while He went and prayed, pleading for the next several hours of His suffering and death not happen IF there was any other way. This time, God’s answer was “no.” The disciples had already started slipping away, too tired to stay and wait and pray with Him, they dozed. Even after He awoke them and asked for them to pray again, they slept. They already were not staying with Him. He was alone–and suffering.
Judas led the Roman soldiers to Him, and Judas tried to betray Him with a kiss. he was snatched–without any fighting or resistance from Him. He willfully went to the Pharisees and high priest, Caiaphas. From there He was led to Pilate after being beaten and ridiculed. Pilate could find no fault with the Man, and tried to have Him excused from the death penalty which the mob which had been excited and churned by the priests who then had them claiming to kill the Man they had been honoring and revering only five days earlier when He rode a donkey colt into town. These people did not yet recognize the significance of Jesus’s death starting on the night of the Passover, continuing to the Preparation Day when at noon He was nailed and hung on a cross. He was the Lamb of God, he was sacrificed for our sins and the sins of the world as they believed in Him and repented of His sins.
On Friday, Preparation Day, they should be preparing for the Sabbath meal. It was the most important day of the week. This was supposed to be a joyous family meal; a time of rest starting at sunset and lasting until sunset on Saturday. No work was to be done. They were to think of the blessings God had given them, the wonder of God, the Creator of all.
Peter had outright denied knowing Him. After using his boisterous personality do firmly deny ever leaving Him, he had denied even knowing Him, let alone following Him. He probably felt he was standing near, protecting His Messiah–until he heard the rooster crowing. Suddenly, his deception, his denial was sharply shown to him, reminding him of his terrible denial of the Man he loved and followed. Just as Jesus had told him–and he had refused to accept. In anguish he turned and hiding, he wept.
Did the others also feel they had let Him down, denied Him when they ran and now are helpless to change the outcome of the results of His “trial?” Were they next? Would the Romans be coming to round them up next? He was the Messiah was He not? Wasn’t He going to overcome the Romans? Wasn’t He going to free them from this oppression?
Did they slink nearby to watch the proceedings, or did they remain hidden behind locked doors? Did they see the procession proceed up to Golgotha? Did they see the cross being carried by Simon the Cyrene, with Jesus stumbling and trailing weakly behind? Did the crowd call out and jeer? Or were they fairly somber now, the reality of what was going to happen to the Man who had healed, fed thousands, showed love to all really going to be crucified?
Were they close enough to hear the shouts of “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”? Did they tremble? Did any want to edge closer to determine if there was anything they could do? But for sure they were ashamed they ran from the Romans and the grabbing of the Man they had followed and believed in. And yet, now they huddled in fear and shame. He alone stood facing the Pharisees and priests as they said their condemnation and sent Him forward to the Roman law. Now they know tension, fear, helplessness, anger, and shame and grief.
What do you think His followers were doing? Peter, John, James, the women? I cannot imagine that helpless, frustrating feeling knowing there was NOTHING they could do to stop this, to save their friend. Many of the men ran away–confusion and fear made them flee and hide. I imagine they were behind a locked door, trembling and wondering ‘what if…’ This was the Messiah. Wasn’t He? They saw Him do miracles; He healed the ill, the lepers, the crippled, the blind and the deaf. They thought He was going to set them free from Rome…and now He was being tried and charged by the Pharisees and the chief priests. He was being punished, and they remained away.
Peter was shaken and ashamed, filled with guilt and horror at the weakness he had shown after all his talking and bragging–and believing at THAT moment–that he would not run from the trouble that was coming. He would stay with the Lord, the rabbi he had lived and shared and learned from over the past couple of years, so sure of himself, his belief, and his desire to follow the Lord. When his Lord told him he would deny him three times before dawn (when the rooster crowed) he was sure that would NOT be him. He would stay strong. He was hothead, stubborn Peter.
We only know, of His apostles who stayed and watched the crucifixion, were John, Mary Magdalene, and His mother, Mary. There were several other women who had served with His group, but we know less about them than many others. But we are not told of any of the other apostles looking on, lending their support, love, and heartache. Were they watching from afar? Were they hiding in shame? Were they all nauseous as they watched from a distance as He, not even looking as a human being any longer from the beatings, scourging and tortures He had endured, only watch where His tomb was, then go to their homes? There would be no celebration on that Sabbath
Jesus died after suffering beatings throughout the previous night and early morning, hung on the cross about noon, and about 3 pm, He breathed His last. The curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was split in two, the darkness had clung to the area for several hours, now a fierce earthquake shook the land. The Messiah had died. He was not visited by Elijah and taken down from the cross, there was no miracle of saving Him from death. The confusion and fear, shame and guilt was rampant. The aching and pain in the heart was terrible. It hurt to take a breath, it was hard to do anything–their minds were muddled, there was no energy to do anything. It was the Preparation Day and the Sabbath was starting at sunset. All they had hoped for, and worked for and learned was what? For naught? It meant nothing? Was this the end?
They all thought they had been chosen by this Man for a purpose. Hadn’t He said they had work ahead of them, they had to gather and sow, they had to tell others about Him, about love, kindness, and forgiveness. He had shown them how to cast demons away, had shown them to believe in miracles and to expect to accomplish miracles — to heal and to show others the Way, the Truth. He had fed them the Truth and shown them how they were to live their lives. And yet now Judas had betrayed Him, was dead, and he had killed himself. Their group was splintering, all hurting and unsure. Tonight was the Sabbath. Could any eat? Was their grief so deep they could not even pray the Sabbath prayers? Grief slows your actions, makes you somewhat clumsy, you do some things by rote, but your mind is not on the actual task. Would the women have put food out and yet no one could touch any of it?
At some point, Judas had tried to return the money he had been given to betray the Savior, his friend. Then word quickly spread that Judas was dead. What? How? He deserves to die for betraying the Messiah. But each felt sick, a little sicker than they had been feeling. What was happening? When did his suicide occur? Was there only anger from the other apostles and the women? Now they knew who had betrayed their Friend, their Messiah; did the men—Peter, and the Sons of Thunder want to beat him until he was dead? Did any grieve him? They had considered him a friend for a time also. Was there a myriad of emotions—shock, anger, horror, denial? How could he do this? Why would he do this?
He’s ALIVE!
Psalm 22:29-31 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him–and those who cannot keep themselves alive. No posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim His righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!
Hosea 6:2,3 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
Matthew 28:5-7 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples; ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.”
Mark 16:6-7 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said, “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples, and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.”
Luke 24:5-7 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'”
Acts 3:15 You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Romans 10:9 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.
1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Early on Sunday morning, the women went to prepare Him for the ritual of burial. He was gone. The huge stone rolled away, the entrance open, but His body was gone. Where? Why? How? Who could have taken Him? Why would anyone take Him? More horror added to their grief and agony, and now more anger as their Lord, Friend, Messiah was tortured and killed—and now removed. The indignity He could not even have a proper burial.
Yet Mary Magdalene was gifted with a brief conversation, was reassured He had still to rise and would see them again in Galilee. He was ascending to His crown in heaven — mission fully accomplished.
And His followers, the apostles and women were frightened. What next? Gathered together behind locked doors, Jesus suddenly appeared. What else could happen this weekend? He stood before them. The doors were locked, yet Mary had seen Him and He told her He had yet to ascend to heaven and to not hold onto Him. Now He appears in their locked room, a solid form, reassuring and asking for food. Dead, yet He stood before them alive.
Relief, fear, disbelief, astonishment, unable to take a breath…. He had defeated death. They still could not understand. Too many dreadful things had happened in a very short amount of time. They had to be physically and mentally, emotionally exhausted. What could happen next? They were privileged to have lived with Him for much of the three years of His ministry. But you know they had questions.
This Man, fully God and fully Man, had come to earth to save all those who choose to believe He is the Son of God, that He chose to die and take on the punishment for our sins although He is/was without sin, and to die a horrific death—for me, for us.
Each Easter, I feel grief as to the horrors and tortures done to Him. But that is overridden by the fact He chose to suffer this for MY sins, and for the sins of everyone who repents of their sins and chooses to follow Him as their Lord and Savior.
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your death on a cursed tree to be the curse and atonement for my sins. Thank You is not enough. I need to follow closely on the path You designed for me. Thank You for all You have done for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey
Matthew 27:62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, (I puzzled over with these verses. It finally dawned on me they had “worked” on the Sabbath to ensure no one could say Jesus rose, ensuring the tomb would be guarded and sealed. Okay for them to run out and beg to have guards stationed and body not stolen, but not okay for a cripple to be healed on a Sabbath, and carry his mat home.)
Mark 11:15-18 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.’” And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.
Mark 15:42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
Luke 23:54 That day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew near
John 2: 14-16 In the temple courts He found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So He made a whip out of cords, and drove them all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves He said, “Get these out of here ! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
John 11:47-53 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
John 12:12-15 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
John 12:17-19 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
John 19:14,31.42 Now, it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”. . . therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a “high day”), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. . . . So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
On the Sunday before His death, many gathered and cried out, “Hallelujah! Our King is coming. Yay! He will beat back the Romans and help us get back to a sense of freedom, no more oppression and being unable to walk about our city freely. Probably He will reduce our taxes and continue to heal and feed us! Look! Here He comes surrounded by His friends and many others. A cause to rejoice!” This happy crowd who seemingly adored Jesus was cheering and so happy to witness Him coming into Jerusalem. He had healed many, ousted demons residing within some, had even raised back to life the only son of a widow, and a twelve-year-old girl, and finally, His friend, Lazarus, who had been dead for four days.
Their desire is clear. They want a King who can master death; death by heavy taxes, unable to afford bills and pay taxes so they are jailed, death from being oppressed by the Romans. However, it is their understanding that is still lacking. They do not realize Jesus must die before he can defeat death. They somehow thought this soft spoken, mild mannered Man would fight, develop an army and defeat the oppressors.
The next day was Monday, and on this day, Jesus bearing a whip and anger entered the temple courtyard, yelling for them all to leave the area, furious that the temple, His Father’s house was being used as a cheap marketplace to expand the pockets of the religious leaders—both Pharisees and Sadducees. (John 2:14-16). People were selling birds, some lambs, oxen, exchanging money and making the temple seem more like a marketplace for livestock animals for sacrifice and a gambling hall. The religious leaders were willing to sacrifice the sanctity of the temple to line their pockets with more money.
Did these people not know the first three commandments to love God, to not blaspheme Him in any manner, and to honor the Holy Day? Anger, dismay and the knowledge that He had only hours before He would be brutalized and killed had Jesus showing His fury at the disrespect to His Father; to the trinity, of which He was an equal member. Had His life all been for naught?
But His anger and temper display encouraged the religious leaders to grab and kill Him sooner than later. His shouting and demanding respect for His Father’s house was causing some to question perhaps He was right, and thus maybe the religious leaders were taking advantage of them. Afterall the temple was supposed to be for all people to experience God’s presence and forgiveness. And they had heard Him call the temple His house. They already recognized He had awesome powers—healing the sick, curing the lame, the blind, the deaf, the lepers, freeing people from demons, and raising some from the dead.
And Jesus announces He is restoring the temple to its original purpose—a place of worship, a place of sacrifice, and thankfulness for the awesome works of God for the past several centuries. He wants them to realize He will be the final sacrifice, and the old covenant is broken. He is the new covenant; if one will heartily repent and follow Him, they will have eternal life.
Now, Judas planned to turn Jesus over to the religious elite. He is given a miserly pittance for the life of another, promises to arrange a time to meet and deliver the Messiah.
While Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus is pouring fragrant spikenard on his feet and drying them with her hair, Judas slips out and arranges to betray His teacher, the Man he has chosen to follow for the past several months, for 30 pieces of silver.
On Thursday, Jesus and His disciples have their last meal together. I found some speculation that this may have been like a graduation celebration before Jesus met His death; and His apostles would then be alone, but with their knowledge. After His death, the coming of the Holy Spirit would come to them, and they would now be the ones to spread the Word, to show the Way.
I don’t agree with that supposition. The first Passover after fleeing Egypt, was originally directed by God to Moses to be on the 14th day of Nisan, the first month. I believe that Thursday evening was the 14th of Nisan, therefore, was truly Passover. The next day would have been the Preparation Day for the Sabbath meal which would begin at sundown on that Friday.
Passover was the first day of the weeklong celebration of Unleavened Bread. Thus, the Passover began on Thursday, 14 Nisan, and Jesus was tortured Thursday night through early Friday morning, then scourged, tormented and humiliated, then told to haul a heavy cross on His beaten back, shoulders, and body, and minutes later, nailed Him to that wooden cross. Being so badly beaten, He hadn’t the strength to carry out the Romans orders, and Simon of Cyrene was taken from the crowd and he lugged it instead.
Reaching the top of the hill, He was strapped down, pierced with huge spikes into both wrists and both ankles, the cross and body lifted, and there He hung. He was separated from His Father, and was suspended into a darkness and place of putridness while He defeated Satan and ended the time of believing that that sacrificial lambs, oxen, goats and so forth would be able to forgive their sins.
Jesus was going to be the blood sacrifice for all. There was going to be a new covenant — that if one believed Him to be the Son of God, and the Sacrificial and Final Lamb, He was the last Atonement for ALL sins—mine, yours, and for all. One only needs to be sincere, repentant and walk to follow Him, then gains forgiveness and is washed and will have eternal life. Physical death will come, but to live with God’s glory around you for all eternity, within the love of God, the Father, His Son, my Savior, Jesus, and the Hoy Spirit, that is a resounding win to me.
Father, I praise You and thank You that long before I was a thought, You arranged for the salvation of people so they would not forever be separated from You. Thank You for all the blessings You have given and blessings bestowed to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.
Exodus 12:46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. (First Passover just before the Israelites fled Egypt)
Psalm 22:14-18 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet–I can count all my bones–they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Isaiah 53:1-12 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? . . . .(12) Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Amos 8:9 “And on that day,” declares the LORD God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
Matthew 20:18-19 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
Mark 15:40-42 Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger, and Joseph, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come u with him to Jerusalem were also there. It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath).
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”–
Hebrews 9:11-28 Best for each of us to read and study this.*****
1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed
Isn’t it amazing and refreshing to watch people once the warmer weather makes an appearance? The steps are jauntier, the smiles more frequent, and the stores start carrying the pretty pastels of Easter, spring, and pots of tulips, narcissus, hyacinths, and more. It seems as though all the colors are brighter. There is a lift to spirits tired of winter and gray days, and the realization of rebirthing and renewing process has begun. It’s refreshing!
Easter is just a short few days away as I write this, but I’m still pleased and grateful for the meaning of the season. It’s so humbling for me to realize Jesus chose to go to the cross for US, for ME. Wow!
We know the purposes of Christ descending from heaven was to physically touch, teach, demonstrate, show how to love all others, and give His life for us. He spent His ministry showing others how to care for those suffering, touching the untouchables, those scorned and shunned, He showed love, kindness, understanding and gentleness while talking to those others who felt superior to many for whatever reason–illness, dirty, or the possibility that the other’s “affliction–bad luck, scarring, genetic deformity, blindness, or deafness might somehow also touch them. That is a way we can become blind and hardened to the needs of others. Jesus did not walk away, turn away, but went forward to touch in concern, kindness and love, forgiving sins and healing the person’s need.
His most important reason was to conquer Satan, hold the keys to Hell, and to redeem all those who believe Him as the Son of God and sincerely repent of their sins. He came to save us from the death we deserve because of our sinful, willful, arrogant natures. We sin and try to justify it, we compare one sin to another, we try to explain our heart’s reason to excuse the sin. But we are the sheep. We are not God. God commanded the early Israelites to take an animal’s life, spill blood for their sins. The ONLY way all OUR sins could be justified and propitiation made, was to have a member of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, come to earth as full man and full God, to accept ALL sin of ALL mankind from eternity until the end, and to spill His blood, die, and THEN in TRIUMPH rise from death to resume His seat beside His Father.
While He walked and taught, He touched the bodies of damaged, dirty, and scorned people, people others feared and widely avoided. Jesus touched not just the bodies, but the hearts, bringing healing, love, and forgiveness to them. People were truly healed, not just physically, but within their hearts, and minds, and were given, light, hope, wanting to keep this effervescent, joyful feeling of being touched by the Son of God. This was so different for them all to be touched by this man who saw deeper and loved them to forgiveness. And they felt it; they knew they had received a miracle healing–of illness, and of heart, and of forgiveness. Remember when you were first saved?
And for us Christians, it is a time of reflection and marvel that the son of God walked this earth, endured those trials, temptations, scorn, rejection and His steps did not falter. He stayed the course, knowing all the while he would suffer abysmal torture and then hang from a cross as one of the worst offenders of that time, all while He was innocent. But He chose to do this, His Father’s will, for us….for me. I can’t fathom how I was worth it. But very fortunate for me, I do not have to understand how He could do this, only be extremely and eternally grateful that He did. And I try to be the best I can be to others, to share the lightness of knowing Him, and try to become more loving and giving and kind to all He places in my path each day.
We as Christians have so much to be thankful for with His teaching, coming to earth and showing others how to live in love, faith, light and truth and teaching them to pass that on, to tell others their testimonies, the truth they lived and shared with Him. We get to believe and know Him from the stories we are told. Then we get to have a relationship with Him; not just read stories. Jesus lived for about 33 years, He touched persons in His life–siblings, earthly parents, friends, and then He started His ministry.
There was no fancy temple built for Him–the Creation of the World which He, His Father, and the Holy Spirit agreed together to form and create; that was His kingdom. Since He was not apparently as appealing as King David–no earthly, handsome descriptions are found for the Son of God–but He drew people to Him. He gathered over a fairly short period of time, the twelve men He had chosen to be His closest, to teach, guide, lead, show, love, and shepherd so they could go out to pass the message on. Jesus showed them all the true way to live and follow the Ten Commandments.
For us though, we have the entire book: “In the Beginning….throughout the OT and into the NT learning the lifetime of Jesus and certainly His ministry as an adult. We learn how He was so unjustly accused of things deserving of death–blasphemy, loving persons on a Sabbath so an affliction may be cured, interrupting the money changers and the monies that also crept into the Pharisees pockets, and correcting others to look at their HEARTS and not their idea of the law, and disobedience; so He was killed.
And yet that was God’s plan all along. The only way to bring us back close to Him, was to have a blood sacrifice which would be offered to take our sins, and if we believed He was who He said He was, and we followed in the loving path He wanted us to walk, repented of our sins each time we sinned, we could be accepted and live life eternally with Him. Because we love Him and what He did for us when we are totally unworthy, He urges us to follow Him. give up our “cross” and become more like Him–loving others, showing kindness, as we learn and grow in His light and truth.
Easter comes in the Spring season. Our minds are excited to be done with the drab of gray, cold, and we are ready to be in a garden–or if not actually gardening, you can enjoy the different plants and colors our God has created for us. He warms the soil and raises the perennials, bringing light and happiness, and uplifting of our thoughts and hearts. For Christians, we are reminded of our Lord’s death and His resurrection–our forever Light, Truth and Way., and He sacrificed His sin-free life for our corrupt self and arrogant lives. The winter pall is fading, and the spring days are here. So, with the new colors of flowers, longer days, and the Easter season, I am humbled by what Jesus did for ME, for ME. And for all who choose to believe.
Lord, Jesus, I thank You for Your wonderful sacrifice to save me. You have brought light, truth and the way to offer everlasting life to those who believe in You, have repented of sins, and seek to be more like You. Your death defeated Satan and freed me from my darkness and sin. Thank You for all You have done, Your blessings, and all You continue to do for me and ‘mybellaviews.
So, no wonder there is brightness. The Son is shining! He is my most favorite and wonderful blessing. The best of “mybellaviews!”
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!