Category: Crucifixion

Message From The Man Who Wrote About Immanuel-God With Us

~ jesusluvsall ~ 7 Comments

Greetings!!! My name is Isaiah. Yes, as in Isaiah the prophet from the Old Testament. It might seem odd to hear from a man who lived over 700 years before Jesus was born into his earthly life, but I wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

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While in the midst of sharing revelation from God about the judgement he was about to bring upon Israel, he led me to also share about the future hope for Israel. He led me to share a word that had never been used before-Immanuel. That wonderful word Immanuel means God with us. God with us in close personal relationship. It still amazes me that that wonderful word is only used a few times in my writing and one time in Matthew as it is revealed that Jesus is Immanuel.

When the Spirit led me to write about a virgin being with child, I wondered at that. But then I remembered miracle births such as Abraham’s wife Sarah having a baby when she was well past childbearing age. As the angel Gabriel said, “nothing is impossible for God.”

So there he was, Jesus born as a human baby in such humble circumstances laying in a manger surrounded by not only Joseph and Mary but also animals. Immanuel-God with us- entered this life in the most humble of settings. Truly it shows that God’s ways are not our ways.

As you celebrate what you call Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, don’t forget why Immanuel-Jesus- came. In chapter 51 of the book God led me to write, Isaiah, you can read about the suffering servant. Jesus came to suffer and die for all of our sins and thus become the Savior of the world for those who believe in him.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

The First Christmas from an Elderly Man’s Perspective

~ jesusluvsall ~ 23 Comments

My name is Simeon just one of the many minor characters in the bible that are easily overlooked. However, I was there during the first Christmas week not at his birth, but a few days later when Jesus was brought to the Temple to be presented to God.

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God had promised me that I would not see death before the promised Messiah would come. One day I felt the Spirit prompt me to go to the Temple where I encountered Jesus in the arms of Mary while Joseph watchfully looked on. God blessed me with being able to hold Jesus in my arms when Jesus was only days old in his earthly life. Imagine that, me an elderly man holding the creator of the universe in my arms. It still boggles my mind to think about it.

When I held Jesus in my arms, I felt led by the Spirit to proclaim:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
    which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

Awesome promises from God about the salvation Jesus would bring for all people, and yet, there was also a difficult message to share with the mother of a newborn baby. God prompted me to tell her:

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

As you know, Mary’s own soul was pierced years later as she watched Jesus be crucified and die an excruciating death so we could be forgiven by God.

The question is whether people will receive Jesus as their Savior just as I received him.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Why Jesus Allowed Himself to Be Crucified

~ jesusluvsall ~ 10 Comments

Hebrews 12:2- fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

I have often thought about the joy set before Jesus that motivated him to endure the shame and pain of the cross. In the immediate context of the verse we see sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Being seated again in all of his glory in heaven would definitely be a joyful reunion in heaven.

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Is that all? Could there be more to the joy set before Jesus?

Jesus had emptied himself of his glory and left his throne in heaven to become a human baby for the purpose of growing to be a man to die for our sins on the cross. He returned to his rightful glorious place when he ascended after his resurrection. But there is one aspect to be included.

In John 17:24 Jesus was praying:

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

The aspect included in the joy set before Jesus was knowing his most beloved part of his creation, us human beings, would be able to be restored into relationship with God, forgiven, and in heaven with Jesus where Jesus can share his glorious presence with us for all of eternity.

We are the why for the cross of Jesus. Out of his great love for us, he allowed himself to be arrested, put on trial, tortured and crucified. He endured all of that because he wanted human beings to be reconciled to God. For Jesus looking into the future and realizing millions of people being with him in heaven was a joyful realization.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

The Last Supper-Jesus Sharing Time with His Followers

~ jesusluvsall ~ 8 Comments

A few years ago, a friend from church was in hospice care in the last few weeks of her earthly life. She was terminal with cancer. One afternoon I visited and brought grape juice and a little gluten free bread to share communion with her and those who were with her. She could barely swallow the juice, but it made for a very poignant moment as we reflected on the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross.

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During that visit, the thought struck me of how Jesus must have felt sharing what we call The Last Supper with his disciples. Jesus knew he was going to be arrested, put on a farce of a trial, tortured and crucified. He knew the plan for him to become our Savior. The disciples even though Jesus shared with them many times about his impending suffering, did not comprehend it. Nevertheless, Jesus shared The Last Supper with them.

Jesus knew that Peter would deny him and yet Jesus shared The Last Supper with Peter. Jesus knew Judas would betray him and yet Jesus shared it with him. Jesus knew the disciples would go into hiding and not understand until after Jesus’s resurrection and yet Jesus shared it with them.

Jesus knew his death and resurrection would be the pivot points for his beloved creation-US. He knew that he was instituting a new and better covenant. He knew he was about to suffer and he wanted to share a moment with his friends beforehand even though they did not understand.

Because of what Jesus did for us, my friend passed from this life into eternity with Jesus. Because of what Jesus did, we can all enter heaven if we place our faith in Jesus. Because of what Jesus did, my life transformed.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Music Mondays- How Can It Be by Lauren Daigle

~ jesusluvsall ~ 14 Comments

This week we remember Jesus’s love for us when he allowed himself to be crucified on the cross because of his great love for us. He took our guilt and sin on himself and paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Death being not just physical but also separation from God. Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf opens the way for us to be forgiven and enter into relationship with God and receive eternal life.

It is awe inspiring when I ponder it. Jesus who knew no sin, committed no sin, took my sins, our sins, on himself because he loves us. It causes me to be in awe and wonder filled with gratitude.

I love Laruen Daigle’s song How Can It Be because it expresses those sentiments so well. May this Holy Week be a blessed time for you as we remember Jesus’s love and sacrifice for us.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Palms Sunday- What I Will Focus On

~ jesusluvsall ~ 15 Comments

Today in churches children will enter worship services carrying palm leaves whether real or made of paper and shouting out Hosanna. It makes for a cute endearing moment as parents and grandparents watch. Today is Palms Sunday the Sunday we commemorate Jesus entering Jerusalem and people throwing palm leaves on the road shouting Hosanna.

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The people were looking to Jesus to be the Messiah who would drive the Romans out and restore Israel. They were looking to Jesus to become King of Israel. They wanted Jesus to save them from the Roman occupation and tyranny. But Jesus knew before going into Jerusalem what was going to happen. He knew the crowd that would shout Hosanna while he entered would turn around and shout Give Us Barabbas five days later.

He told his disciples what was going to happen in Matthew 20:17-18:

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Jesus knew he would be tortured and crucified. He knew the suffering he would endure to become our Savior. He knew it all and he chose to enter Jerusalem anyway.

That is what I will remember during worship service at my church this morning. My focus will be on Jesus knowing all that was about to happen and choosing to enter, choosing to save us from sin and eternal separation from God.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Jesus Wants to Free Us from Shame

~ jesusluvsall ~ 8 Comments

When Jesus died on cross, he died for our sins so we could be forgiven 100%. That alone is the best news.. There is more that perhaps we do not talk about enough. When Jesus died on the cross, he made the way for us to have a relationship with God. We can be reconciled with God 100%.

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But what about the effects of sins committed against us? What about the shame we might carry in our spirits because of past abuse, neglect, assault etc? Survivors of sins committed against us tend to live with shame.

Isaiah 53:4 says:


Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

Any suffering we have endured, Jesus took upon himself on the cross.

Isaiah 53:5 says:

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

Jesus died for our sins and more than that so we can be made whole.

I love the principle behind Zephaniah 3:19:

At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.

While that is a direct reference to Israel being brought back from exile, there is a principle to embrace. God will deal with those who have harmed us and will bring us to a place of honor.

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It is not easy to do and therapy and pastoral counseling can help. Releasing someone who has harmed us to God’s hands is a freeing experience for us. God does not want us living with shame because of what others have done to us. He wants to make us whole in him. He wants to give us a new identity as a daughter or son of God.

God wants us to step out of the shadows of shame in live in the light of his love.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Remembering Jesus’s Death on the Cross

~ jesusluvsall ~ 4 Comments

Today we remember Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf. He died to take on our penalty for sin. He did so out of his great love for us. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s forgiveness. We can only trust in what Jesus has done for us and believe in him.

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Becoming a Christian means to humble ourselves before God at the cross of Jesus. It does not matter what our station in life is. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, successful or unsuccessful, there is only one way to receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life. That is to humbly come to God realizing we needed Jesus to die for us. The cross of Jesus is truly the most equalizing place. No one is rich, poor, educated, uneducated. successful, or unsuccessful at the foot of the cross of Jesus.

Likewise we cannot earn God’s love. God loves us because he is God. He wants relationship with us. His love is a free gift for any who will receive Jesus. But it came at a great cost, Jesus dying on the cross for us.

Jesus loves us so much, so deeply, it is amazing to ponder.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.