Maybe if You Had A Son...

Joseph, a troubled carpenter, has a very sick son, and doesn't know where to turn. God doesn't seem to hear him, or listen if he's even there! He's looking for someone to turn to, someone who can help.
"Maybe if you had a son, you would understand." Joseph prays to God at one point, pleading for his small son's life. What Joseph later found out is that God did have a son, and he did understand.
You see, God sent his only son. His son that he loved. He sent him to die for you. I don't know many Moms that would give up their son-even for you.
Think about the cross. It wasn't easy for Jesus to suffer it. He prayed for God to take this cup from him if there was another way, but there wasn't. Crucifixtion is, I believe to this day, one of the absolute worst ways to die.
The prisoner was first scourged until he was barely alive, and chunks of their body would be torn off when the whip (or whatever you like to call it) wrapped around the body and lashed back. After this, Jesus had a purple robe (a sign of royalty) thrown around him and was spit upon and hit. After a while, they would be stripped of their clothes and be marched of to Golgotha carrying their cross. The cross itself was probably extremely heavy, and these people were barley alive. Then they would be nailed to the cross, and lifted up and set down. Now, they weren't set down gently-they were dropped down, and all they had to support them was the nails in their hands and feet.
Jesus knew he would go through all this-yet he did it anyway. And he did it for you. Even if only would person would have been saved, he still would have done it.
But, Jesus didn't stay dead. You see, he rose again three days later! He conquered death and the grave, there on the cross. He defeated the devil, and defeated death so that we don't have to face it. Everyone will die a natural death, but now Jesus offers you eternal life with him forever. You don't have to die in your sin for all eternity.
Accept Jesus today!
**Contact me if you want details on recieving Christ, or questions.

Amazing Love (why do I deserve it?)

I want you to think about this scene for a few minutes: There is a rugged hill. A group of people standing gawking. A few of them are weeping. You look up, and there are three crosses. Three men are hanging on them, but your attention is drawn to one. He has blood flowing down his body. He has a crown of thorns mashed into his head. He is covered in bruises, dirt and dried blood. With a great effort he speaks! He says, "It is finished." As he drops his head lifelessly a darkness sweeps over you. You hear a murmur in the crowd. A few of the women wailing. The soldiers come up and break the other two men's legs. The die shortly after. But, they come to the central man and pierce his side. Water, then blood flows out. The soldiers nod to the others that he is dead. A man hurrys up to claim the dead body. The women group around it. You wonder why the man had to die.

Well, it sounds dark and depressing. Actually, it is. But, the good news is that this man didn't die in vain. He died for you! Imagine you on your worst day. Then, think he did it for me! I know I don't deserve it. None of us do. But, you ask, "Why? Why did he have to die for me?" Well, he died for you because he loved you. Now, think about this for a minute. Even if you have been in church your whole life (like me!) you won't lose the wonder, the joy, the peace. He loved you. Think about that. He won't ever leave you, he loves you, he died for you! Wow! He did that for me!? I really don't deserve it! But, what can we do to repay him? Well, we can't. Ever. But, we can love him and live for him with everything that we've got. Just think, he died for you! Can you surrender your life to him?

But, the best thing about this story is that Jesus didn't stay dead! No matter how many times I hear it, this story never loses the joy for me. Jesus really did die. And he stayed dead. But, he conquered death and the grave and rose again on the third day! Wow! You know, he did that for you too. Jesus loves you. Never forget that. No matter where you are, or what you are doing never forget that Jesus loves you. He died for you to save you, to rescue you. Can you give him yourself completely? Without holding anything back? He is waiting for you. You might be saved already, but you feel you haven't completely given it all to him. Do that now. Or you might not be saved. If not, do that now. Ask God to forgive you, to save you and to make you his child and give you eternal life. He always will do it if you ask. If you did either of those please tell me! I won't put it on the blog if you don't want me to, but I want to know!