"Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."
Ephesians 4:15–16
"We each have an important work to do in Christ's church. Do you know what your gifts are, what part you play? If not, pray about it. God's people, the church—which is the body of Christ—need you and your gifts. The more you speak the truth in love, the more likely you are to find ways to use your gifts. Focus on truth and love, and God will fit you with others so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."
—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions
Growing up, there were times that I felt that I didn't fit in. I felt like an outsider - like a square peg being forced into a round hole. At the root of this feeling was the fact that my family moved around every 3 to 4 years for the first 14 years of my life. I'd make friends and start to settle in and then we'd move. I was a painfully shy child, (believe it or not), and so it'd take me a while before I would venture out of my shell to make friends. When I did make friends it would only be with a few choice people. I wasn't very confident in myself or my social skills so I'd only befriend people after I learned to trust them.
Though I outgrew much of this shyness by the time I entered high school, nonetheless, this shy little girl pops up every now and then. She appeared once again in college and through my early adulthood. I shied away from external friendships at times. When I did venture out of my shell, it was usually with those I worked closely with or with those in my church 'family.' Sadly, at some points in my life, I had more close friendships at work than in my church. In some of the churches we attended early on in our marriage, my offers of friendship were sometimes ignored - or met with disinterest. I wrote about my experience at one church in particular in a previous blog. I just didn't fit into that church because I wasn't what they deemed godly women to be like - I read other versions of the Bible than just the King James and I was a career woman who worked outside the home. This time in my life was the loneliest time I've ever experienced.
However, I was to blame as well. I know understand that instead of focusing on what was missing in my life - friendships and relationships with my church family - I should have focused on Truth and Love! When we focus on TRUTH no matter the circumstances, then we will KNOW the WILL of our Heavenly Father! When we focus on loving others DESPITE whether they return that love, we are doing the WILL of our Heavenly Father! If I had shifted my focus from how my church family weren't meeting my spiritual needs of love and fellowship and instead focused on HIM, I would've have been more fit for His service much sooner in my life! If I had yielded to seeking HIS KINGDOM first and not been sidetracked by the hurt and the loneliness at that time in my life, He would have placed THIS square PEG in the SQUARE hole! I had it totally backwards!
It took years for me to learn this valuable yet very simple lesson. But when I finally learned this, God was able to use me far more in His Kingdom work than I could every had imagined!
Focus on His Truth and His Love today. Allow HIM to penetrate your life to the very core of your being. Make HIM the priority - seeking the Kingdom of God first - so that all these things shall be added unto You!
Be the bigger man or woman - love the unlovable, seek Truth. Focus on God and others - and God will find the perfect fit for your unique talents and gifts in the BODY of CHRIST! You are not an outsider but a much loved and important member of His Body. After all, He created you for His great Purpose - He knows the hole that He created you to perfectly fit in!
In His Love, Cathy
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Compassion of Christ
"As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
"Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them.
But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," they said, "We want to see!" Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes.
Instantly, they could see! Then they followed him. Matthew 20:29-34
The crowd was large. They seemed to follow His every move. No doubt, it was standing room only. Those in the crowd jockeyed for postion - constantly pressing, pulling, and elbowing their way in closer and closer to this man called Jesus. Many in the crowd wanted to see for themselves this renowned prophet. Others were seeking to be cured of some ailment. Others were simply curious, wanting to see the side-show, this magician they'd heard about. But did the crowd really know who they had come to see? Did they truly get it? Despite their blindness, there were two who knew Who was walking among them. Yet these two were not a part of the crowd. They were ignored. They were blind. They were poor. They'd been pushed away.
"Son of David!" They shouted. "Have mercy on us!" They knew Who He was. They knew only He could heal them. But the crowd tried to shut them up. "Quiet! Know your place, you have no right to speak!" But the more the crowd tried to silence them, he louder the blind men became. There was an urgency to these blind beggars' request. They knew more than anyone the gravity of the situation. They realized this was the opportunity of a lifetime...no an opportunity for eternity! So they shouted even louder than before, "Son of David!" They pleaded. "Have mercy on us!" They only had this one chance and they weren't going to give up.
Suddenly, Jesus stopped. He heard them. Turning to them he asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" Out of the whole crowd that surrounded Jesus, He had heard THEM! Giving them His full attention, He waited for their response.
Their hearts were pounding with anticipation. Their request was simple, "Lord, we want to see!" It was their plea. Jesus felt sorry for them. He reached out His hand, touching their eyes. Jesus' hands, yes, the very hands that were days later nailed to the cross, gently touched these men. Instantly, both men were able to see! Jesus paused, in the midst of the crowd, in the deluge of demands and requests, and responded to two blind beggars. Surely there were those of earthly importance who were far more deserving of such attention. Yet it was these two paupers who captured the attention and the heart of Christ. And as a result, out of the enormous crowd surrounding Jesus, it was these two blind men who ended up following Him as a result.
Two lives were changed forever that day.
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He stopped to heal these two men. Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him, yet He paused to demonstrate love and compassion for two people who were considered 'the least of these.' Though blind, these two beggars saw Truth where others of importance were spiritually blind. Their response to the compassion and love shown them was to follow Christ.
Jesus' compassion is evidenced time and again in the New Testament. Christ's compassion and love for us was perfectly displayed upon the cross - He gave His very life to pay the price for our sins so that we who are in Christ would be saved from eternal damnation. That's how much love and compassion He has for us.
What do you want Christ to do for you? Have you cried out to Him with your request in full faith and confidence in Him as the "Son of David?" Do you know Him as Lord and Savior? If so, are you living out what you say you believe?
Open your eyes and your heart.
See Him for Who He really is - the LIVING Son of God, our Lord and Savior.
Respond to Him in your life.
Follow Him!
In His Love, Cathy
"Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them.
But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," they said, "We want to see!" Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes.
Instantly, they could see! Then they followed him. Matthew 20:29-34
The crowd was large. They seemed to follow His every move. No doubt, it was standing room only. Those in the crowd jockeyed for postion - constantly pressing, pulling, and elbowing their way in closer and closer to this man called Jesus. Many in the crowd wanted to see for themselves this renowned prophet. Others were seeking to be cured of some ailment. Others were simply curious, wanting to see the side-show, this magician they'd heard about. But did the crowd really know who they had come to see? Did they truly get it? Despite their blindness, there were two who knew Who was walking among them. Yet these two were not a part of the crowd. They were ignored. They were blind. They were poor. They'd been pushed away.
"Son of David!" They shouted. "Have mercy on us!" They knew Who He was. They knew only He could heal them. But the crowd tried to shut them up. "Quiet! Know your place, you have no right to speak!" But the more the crowd tried to silence them, he louder the blind men became. There was an urgency to these blind beggars' request. They knew more than anyone the gravity of the situation. They realized this was the opportunity of a lifetime...no an opportunity for eternity! So they shouted even louder than before, "Son of David!" They pleaded. "Have mercy on us!" They only had this one chance and they weren't going to give up.
Suddenly, Jesus stopped. He heard them. Turning to them he asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" Out of the whole crowd that surrounded Jesus, He had heard THEM! Giving them His full attention, He waited for their response.
Their hearts were pounding with anticipation. Their request was simple, "Lord, we want to see!" It was their plea. Jesus felt sorry for them. He reached out His hand, touching their eyes. Jesus' hands, yes, the very hands that were days later nailed to the cross, gently touched these men. Instantly, both men were able to see! Jesus paused, in the midst of the crowd, in the deluge of demands and requests, and responded to two blind beggars. Surely there were those of earthly importance who were far more deserving of such attention. Yet it was these two paupers who captured the attention and the heart of Christ. And as a result, out of the enormous crowd surrounding Jesus, it was these two blind men who ended up following Him as a result.
Two lives were changed forever that day.
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He stopped to heal these two men. Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him, yet He paused to demonstrate love and compassion for two people who were considered 'the least of these.' Though blind, these two beggars saw Truth where others of importance were spiritually blind. Their response to the compassion and love shown them was to follow Christ.
Jesus' compassion is evidenced time and again in the New Testament. Christ's compassion and love for us was perfectly displayed upon the cross - He gave His very life to pay the price for our sins so that we who are in Christ would be saved from eternal damnation. That's how much love and compassion He has for us.
What do you want Christ to do for you? Have you cried out to Him with your request in full faith and confidence in Him as the "Son of David?" Do you know Him as Lord and Savior? If so, are you living out what you say you believe?
Open your eyes and your heart.
See Him for Who He really is - the LIVING Son of God, our Lord and Savior.
Respond to Him in your life.
Follow Him!
In His Love, Cathy
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Catching Up
Okay, so I haven't been able to blog this week. It's simply been a very full week - stay tuned. I plan on catching up this weekend. Maybe even today after I have a cup of coffee (or two)!
FYI...
FYI...
- Brittany ran for Student Government and won her campaign for Junior Class Treasurer - Praise The Lord! She submitted herself to God's will for the outcome and was so thankful for the results. Thank you to all of her friends who helped her make posters, campaign, and support her. Thanks to everyone who supplied her a recommendation so that she could run:-)
- Taken on teaching a Homebound student this week through the end of school. Therefore, my schedule will be a little bit tight twice a week. But that's okay, I really enjoyed the first week. I'm teaching him several different subjects, not just math. I'm enjoying this different change of pace from what I usually teach. I didn't think I would enjoy this type of thing but I do like helping students. I was surprised at how enjoyable our first day was.
Friday, April 9, 2010
A World in Chaos
from the New Living Translation
"For the LORD is God,
and he created the heavens and earth
and put everything in place.
He made the world to be lived in,
not to be a place of empty chaos.
'I am the LORD,' he says,
'and there is no other.'"
Isaiah 45:18
"When God made this world, he intended it to be lived in, enjoyed. He is not a God of chaos, either on a macro or micro scale. Our lives are meant to be lived fully; he does not want emptiness or chaos in our lives any more than he wants it in the world he created. Let him fill any emptiness in your life. Let him order the chaos. He wants to!"
—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions
Though our world may be in chaos, we who are in Christ enjoy the confidence of serving a God of peace. He created the universe, the world, and all that is in it. I 'think' He can handle the chaos in our lives. Don't let empty chaos run your life, trust in God to put everything in it's place. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and let the peace of God rule in your life today!
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
In His Love, Cathy
"For the LORD is God,
and he created the heavens and earth
and put everything in place.
He made the world to be lived in,
not to be a place of empty chaos.
'I am the LORD,' he says,
'and there is no other.'"
Isaiah 45:18
"When God made this world, he intended it to be lived in, enjoyed. He is not a God of chaos, either on a macro or micro scale. Our lives are meant to be lived fully; he does not want emptiness or chaos in our lives any more than he wants it in the world he created. Let him fill any emptiness in your life. Let him order the chaos. He wants to!"
—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions
Though our world may be in chaos, we who are in Christ enjoy the confidence of serving a God of peace. He created the universe, the world, and all that is in it. I 'think' He can handle the chaos in our lives. Don't let empty chaos run your life, trust in God to put everything in it's place. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and let the peace of God rule in your life today!
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
In His Love, Cathy
Thursday, April 8, 2010
A Few Thoughts for Today
It's been a tough and hectic week. So this morning 's devotions and daily Bible reading came together so perfectly. I love it how God intertwines Scripture, revealing some new insight that brings us into fuller understanding!
From my daily Bible reading, this passage leaped off of the page for me:
"Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5 (HCSB)
This whole school year has been a mixed bag - challenging, rewarding, trying, and full of problems. At times, my Spirit has been negatively affected by the trials and problems. This passage is a reminder that the antidote to inner struggles is placing our hope in HIM! Our worshipping and praising Him when we are filled with turmoil or depressing thoughts does two things. First, by chosing to praise God when we are struggling with inner turmoil places our focus where it rightly belongs - on God! Chosing to praise God shifts our focus from 'me to He'! Second, chosing to praise God in times of inner turmoil gives us a spiritual attitude adjustment! Whenever we are faced with troubles that leave us feeling depressed or cause us to struggle internally, we can remind ourselves of the HOPE we have in GOD by CHOOSING to praise Him ANYWAY!
But wait, there's more! In my morning e-couragement from Christianity Today, I received this passage:
"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms." Psalm 68:19
What a beautiful follow up to Psalm 42:5! As I woke up this morning with another migraine, not knowing if I could make it to school or not, struggling with inner turmoil over these depressing health issues, God reminded me that I was trying to do to much under my own strength. Here, He gently reminds me that it is HE who CARRIES me in HIS nail scarred ARMS! When I was a little girl, whenever I became too tired to walk under my own strength, I would ask my Daddy to carry me. All I had to say was, "Daddy, carry me!" He'd scoop me up in his strong arms. I felt so safe and secure in his arms. This passage reminded me that my Heavenly Daddy carries me ALL DAY LONG each and EVERY DAY ... no matter what I feel like inside or out, whether I ask Him to or not. He carries me whether I'm struggling with inner turmoil, depression, health issues OR NOT! I am safe and secure in His strong arms. There is no need for me to struggle. I now realize that my tiredness isn't from carrying myself under my own strength - my tiredness is caused by my struggling against the ARMS of my FATHER who is carrying me!
So, today, I'm going to allow my Heavenly Daddy to carry me! I am giving up my struggle to break free of His strong and capable arms. So, in the words of one tired little girl, "Daddy, carry me!"
Allow Him to carry you each and every day! Grace and peace!
In His Love, Cathy
From my daily Bible reading, this passage leaped off of the page for me:
"Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5 (HCSB)
This whole school year has been a mixed bag - challenging, rewarding, trying, and full of problems. At times, my Spirit has been negatively affected by the trials and problems. This passage is a reminder that the antidote to inner struggles is placing our hope in HIM! Our worshipping and praising Him when we are filled with turmoil or depressing thoughts does two things. First, by chosing to praise God when we are struggling with inner turmoil places our focus where it rightly belongs - on God! Chosing to praise God shifts our focus from 'me to He'! Second, chosing to praise God in times of inner turmoil gives us a spiritual attitude adjustment! Whenever we are faced with troubles that leave us feeling depressed or cause us to struggle internally, we can remind ourselves of the HOPE we have in GOD by CHOOSING to praise Him ANYWAY!
But wait, there's more! In my morning e-couragement from Christianity Today, I received this passage:
"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms." Psalm 68:19
What a beautiful follow up to Psalm 42:5! As I woke up this morning with another migraine, not knowing if I could make it to school or not, struggling with inner turmoil over these depressing health issues, God reminded me that I was trying to do to much under my own strength. Here, He gently reminds me that it is HE who CARRIES me in HIS nail scarred ARMS! When I was a little girl, whenever I became too tired to walk under my own strength, I would ask my Daddy to carry me. All I had to say was, "Daddy, carry me!" He'd scoop me up in his strong arms. I felt so safe and secure in his arms. This passage reminded me that my Heavenly Daddy carries me ALL DAY LONG each and EVERY DAY ... no matter what I feel like inside or out, whether I ask Him to or not. He carries me whether I'm struggling with inner turmoil, depression, health issues OR NOT! I am safe and secure in His strong arms. There is no need for me to struggle. I now realize that my tiredness isn't from carrying myself under my own strength - my tiredness is caused by my struggling against the ARMS of my FATHER who is carrying me!
So, today, I'm going to allow my Heavenly Daddy to carry me! I am giving up my struggle to break free of His strong and capable arms. So, in the words of one tired little girl, "Daddy, carry me!"
Allow Him to carry you each and every day! Grace and peace!
In His Love, Cathy
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Filthy Rags
"At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”" Matthew 27:45-54
Can you see Him hanging on that cross, nails driven into his hands and feet? Yet He was affixed to the cross not by the physical but the spiritual - by His own volution, by HIS own will! He could have come down from that cross at any point. He had full command of the legions of angels - standing ready, waiting for Him to merely utter the words. Yet though they were at His beckon, He was not in need of their help, He was fully God - with all the power of the Almighty at His command. He was the WORD by which the world was created. He was the Word by which life was formed, "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought new light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:1-5
Yet there He hung, choosing to see His mission through. Though He was fully God, He was also human. He felt every stripe of the whip when He was beaten. He felt the pain of the crown of thorns as it was forcefully placed on His head. He felt the full weight of that cross as He drug it through the streets until his weakened condition required help. He felt each and every hammer swing as the nails were driven into his hands and feet. He suffered the mocking and cruel laughter from the crowd as He was dying. Some people try to rationalize away the pain and agony Christ suffered, explaining that because He was God, His supernatural powers minimized the pain He experienced. Make no mistake, He suffered greatly on our behalf. He chose to. Why? Because He was paying the FULL PRICE for the sins of the WORLD!!! The FULL WEIGHT of SIN was UPON HIM. He had to die. It was the only way that we could ever have a chance to be reconciled with God. It was the only way we could be cleansed for our sins and receive forgiveness. Only through Him could we find mercy and grace! HE was our ONLY HOPE!
Though in agony and pain, Christ remained obedient to God the Father even unto death...perfectly fulfilling His mission on earth, His blood a ransom for our sins, making us white as snow. The prophet Zechariah says this about Christ, "Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, "take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." Then I said, "They should also place a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by...Listen to me, O Jesuah the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave in inscription on it, say sthe Lord of Heaven's Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day." Zechariah 3:3-5, 8-9
Zechariah wrote this prophecy around 520 B.C. - many hundreds of years before Jesus Christ walked the earth! Jeshua was Israel's high priest during the return of the Israelites to Jerusalem after being exiled from the land. The Greek name for Jeshua is Jesus, which means, "The Lord Saves." This passage had a double meaning. Jeshua represents the Israelites. His filthy clothes represents the sins of the Israelites, the reason they were overcome by their enemies and exiled from their homeland. The clean clothes represents God's forgiveness of their sins, their restoration and redemption.
However, this passage also states that Jeshua is a symbol of things to come...of the coming Messiah who completely change the way God deals with peoples' sin. Jesus Christ, the Branch, is the ONLY ONE who satisfied not only all of Zechariah's prophecies of the Messiah, but ALL of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. And in fulfilling prophecy, Christ removed the sins of the 'land' in a single day, offering Himself as sacrifice for sin so that everyone who repents and believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Now, my question to you is this: what are you wearing? Filthy rags of sin, or new clothes of righteousness? Christ suffered greatly and died to pay the price of your sins - so why are you still wearing filthy rags? God's forgiveness and mercy is so very big and wide - He chooses to save us in spite of our sin. Ask God to remove your sinful rags and clothe you in His righteousness and goodness. Simply turn away from sin, ask His forgiveness, and ask Christ to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. HE was BEATEN for YOU! He BLED for YOU! HE DIED for YOU! You can not save yourself, only He can. So what will it be? Filthy rags or new clothes?
In His Love, Cathy
47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”" Matthew 27:45-54
Can you see Him hanging on that cross, nails driven into his hands and feet? Yet He was affixed to the cross not by the physical but the spiritual - by His own volution, by HIS own will! He could have come down from that cross at any point. He had full command of the legions of angels - standing ready, waiting for Him to merely utter the words. Yet though they were at His beckon, He was not in need of their help, He was fully God - with all the power of the Almighty at His command. He was the WORD by which the world was created. He was the Word by which life was formed, "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought new light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:1-5
Yet there He hung, choosing to see His mission through. Though He was fully God, He was also human. He felt every stripe of the whip when He was beaten. He felt the pain of the crown of thorns as it was forcefully placed on His head. He felt the full weight of that cross as He drug it through the streets until his weakened condition required help. He felt each and every hammer swing as the nails were driven into his hands and feet. He suffered the mocking and cruel laughter from the crowd as He was dying. Some people try to rationalize away the pain and agony Christ suffered, explaining that because He was God, His supernatural powers minimized the pain He experienced. Make no mistake, He suffered greatly on our behalf. He chose to. Why? Because He was paying the FULL PRICE for the sins of the WORLD!!! The FULL WEIGHT of SIN was UPON HIM. He had to die. It was the only way that we could ever have a chance to be reconciled with God. It was the only way we could be cleansed for our sins and receive forgiveness. Only through Him could we find mercy and grace! HE was our ONLY HOPE!
Though in agony and pain, Christ remained obedient to God the Father even unto death...perfectly fulfilling His mission on earth, His blood a ransom for our sins, making us white as snow. The prophet Zechariah says this about Christ, "Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, "take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." Then I said, "They should also place a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by...Listen to me, O Jesuah the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave in inscription on it, say sthe Lord of Heaven's Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day." Zechariah 3:3-5, 8-9
Zechariah wrote this prophecy around 520 B.C. - many hundreds of years before Jesus Christ walked the earth! Jeshua was Israel's high priest during the return of the Israelites to Jerusalem after being exiled from the land. The Greek name for Jeshua is Jesus, which means, "The Lord Saves." This passage had a double meaning. Jeshua represents the Israelites. His filthy clothes represents the sins of the Israelites, the reason they were overcome by their enemies and exiled from their homeland. The clean clothes represents God's forgiveness of their sins, their restoration and redemption.
However, this passage also states that Jeshua is a symbol of things to come...of the coming Messiah who completely change the way God deals with peoples' sin. Jesus Christ, the Branch, is the ONLY ONE who satisfied not only all of Zechariah's prophecies of the Messiah, but ALL of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. And in fulfilling prophecy, Christ removed the sins of the 'land' in a single day, offering Himself as sacrifice for sin so that everyone who repents and believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Now, my question to you is this: what are you wearing? Filthy rags of sin, or new clothes of righteousness? Christ suffered greatly and died to pay the price of your sins - so why are you still wearing filthy rags? God's forgiveness and mercy is so very big and wide - He chooses to save us in spite of our sin. Ask God to remove your sinful rags and clothe you in His righteousness and goodness. Simply turn away from sin, ask His forgiveness, and ask Christ to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. HE was BEATEN for YOU! He BLED for YOU! HE DIED for YOU! You can not save yourself, only He can. So what will it be? Filthy rags or new clothes?
In His Love, Cathy
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