Thanks so much friends!
P.S. I know i should have already posted about Bahamas, and the post is coming. I promise, so keep an eye out for it!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Quick Prayer Please!
Please say a quick prayer for me as you read this as I will be talking in front of my church tomorrow about the well. I'm a little nervous, so please pray that God will calm my nerves and I will say what the people need to hear.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Quick Update: Bahamas
Hey dear friends! I hope you are all doing well!
You remember how I told you guys a while ago that I may be going to the Bahamas on a mission trip? And that we probably wouldn't be able to go because our passports hadn't arrived?
God is great.
Want to hear another reason why?
My family and I are leaving Sunday for the Bahamas.
You read right. SUNDAY. As in, May 6. That's in 3 days.
And I am soooooo stinkin excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my first out-of-country mission trip! I think God is going to show me so many things on this trip, and I cannot wait for him to show them to me. We will rebuild a widow's home and help a church and visit a DHR home/orphanage-like place. We will be in Nassau doing all of this.
So, please be praying for the following things:
You remember how I told you guys a while ago that I may be going to the Bahamas on a mission trip? And that we probably wouldn't be able to go because our passports hadn't arrived?
God is great.
Want to hear another reason why?
My family and I are leaving Sunday for the Bahamas.
You read right. SUNDAY. As in, May 6. That's in 3 days.
And I am soooooo stinkin excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my first out-of-country mission trip! I think God is going to show me so many things on this trip, and I cannot wait for him to show them to me. We will rebuild a widow's home and help a church and visit a DHR home/orphanage-like place. We will be in Nassau doing all of this.
So, please be praying for the following things:
- Pray that we can get everything packed and remember everything essential.
- That we have safe flights.
- That the people of Nassau will be ready to accept the message that God gives us.
- We will all be kept safe.
- We will glorify God's name and strengthen and widen his kingdom.
- That we will be able to complete the house we are trying to build.
- That God will be with us and guiding our every move and that we learn from him.
Please pray for us in all these things. Thank you!
And thank you to God, who is giving us the opportunity to go there. Thank you, Jesus.
I will write to you guys as soon as I get back if not before :) Love you all!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
His Children...
Hey friends! Yes, I probably should be doing geometry right now, but this is so much more important.
My dear friend, Hannah, has opened up a giveaway on her blog!!! She has agreed to give away two pairs of awesome earrings to people who agree to post on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc. pictures and about these precious children below, their name will be entered in the contest! Please look at the pictures of these wonderful children below and read more about them here.
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***UPDATE: Although the contest is over, Brenam was sponsored! Yayyyyyy!!
My dear friend, Hannah, has opened up a giveaway on her blog!!! She has agreed to give away two pairs of awesome earrings to people who agree to post on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc. pictures and about these precious children below, their name will be entered in the contest! Please look at the pictures of these wonderful children below and read more about them here.
Sweet Enoa....
......Adorable Daliver......
and precious Brenam.
Please repost these sweet children and/or sponsor them! The goal is to get them sponsored by May 2. If you do repost, please comment below and let me know!
What do you say?? I'm in!
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***UPDATE: Although the contest is over, Brenam was sponsored! Yayyyyyy!!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Willy Wonka!!!
Hello there! I know, its been a while, but i'm back!
This past week/weekend was very crazy, as it was "Willy Wonka" play weekend. The show was great and i really have enjoyed it!! It is a sad thing when its over, though, and most of the time you go into, what I like to call "Theater withdrawals". It sounds silly, but after spending two months and a solid packed week and 1 day together, you are like family! You are constantly singing songs and falling asleep backstage and laughing and eating together. Luckily, I have not hit the "withdrawals" this time, probably because I got to spend a wonderful afternoon with my theater friends and not just watch them leave and not see them for several more months :) Of course, I have pictures to share with all of you!
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| Our wonderful Willy Wonka, aka Matthew |
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| THe oompa-loompas and Wonka after Golden age of Chocolate |
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| My brother (Chandler) in the red cap and our friend, Madi Brooke Harvey |
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| Moving the Wonka-vator :) |
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| Me and my sweet friends: [left to right] (Cindy, Ginny, my brothers, Chasity, Me, Amanda) |
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| Me n Jenna :) |
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| Oompa-loompas |
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| This picture is PRICELESS (ha!) Think positive, Charlie and Mr. Bucket (aka Brody and Preston :) |
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| Our big cast: a grand total of 104! |
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| Me, Kari, and Hannah |
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| This little boy was our biggest fan! |
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| Moving the Wonka-vator |
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| Think positive! |
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| Charlie finding the golden ticket..... |
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| Me as the "Luminous Lollies" door in Willy Wonka's factory |
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| Sweet Selah :) |
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| My friends and I (Caroline, Sumlin, Daven, Me, and Tindol) |
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| Our high-school musical jump on the marquis! |
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| Our sweet friend, Khristian, as she was leaving from her last TCT show :' ( |
We throughly enjoyed ourselves, but it is now time to get back to life: catch up on sleep, get back on school and chores, and get ready for formal :D:D:D.
Before I go, let me give you and update on the mission trip thing:
We still have not received our passports, so that puts us behind on things like getting plane tickets. Since we have not gotten tickets, the plane for the trip is full. So if we are to go that week, we must leave two days later, as that is when the next plane flies out. I believe my parents are considering going in July for the other trip, but I have not heard.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Pray that our passports come back soon, and that God may give us peace about the trip in whole.
- That the My family and I have a good rest of the school year and finish our work and for us to cooperate :)
- For my friend, Abigail, as she raises the last bit of funds for her trip to Africa.
- For the well, that I may not be discouraged in doing it and that it may come to be not in my own time, but in his.
I'll write soon, but probably not too soon :)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Resurrection Sunday: Easter!
Happy Easter to all!! I hope you have had a wonderful day of beautiful church services, family time, Easter lunches, egg hunting, and easter bunny visits. But yes, its not about the bunny. I traveled back from my Grandmother's and am now nestled at home and hoping tomorrow won't be Monday. But I'm pretty sure that just because it's Easter, God didn't change the order of the days of the week. And just to let you all know, my sister Caroline said to tell you all hi! :)
For the final end (beginning) of our story of Passion week......
On this day 2000 years ago.......
I told you it had a happy ending :)
So Mary and Mary Magdalene were walking probably sadly in the ever-looming silence of his death as they go to put spices on the body of Jesus, when they walk up to the tomb and the stone bigger than they were is rolled away from the tomb. This stone was not easy to get out either: it was practically in a skinny rectangular hole with stairs leading down on either sides to the actual tomb at the bottom.
And that is the end of our Passion Week stories. But as I have said, it is truly only the beginning. Thank you for reading this week and keeping up! I may not be able to post for a while as these upcoming weeks look really busy, so I will try to post but we'll see how that goes......
For the final end (beginning) of our story of Passion week......
On this day 2000 years ago.......
Mark 16
The Resurrection
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “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. 7 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.’”
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9–20.]
9 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. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
14 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 who had seen him after he had risen.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.I told you it had a happy ending :)
So Mary and Mary Magdalene were walking probably sadly in the ever-looming silence of his death as they go to put spices on the body of Jesus, when they walk up to the tomb and the stone bigger than they were is rolled away from the tomb. This stone was not easy to get out either: it was practically in a skinny rectangular hole with stairs leading down on either sides to the actual tomb at the bottom.
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| Layout of Jesus' tomb (the squarish thing is the stone) |
The rock was basically immovable once in unless you had some really strong ropes and a crane. This is probably why they were wondering how the stone would be moved. Then they arrive to find that not only is the stone already moved, there is an angel (or a young boy in a white robe) standing there and telling them, "Don't be scared, You're looking for Jesus who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him? Go tell Peter and the disciples!" First of all, how did he know who they were looking for, and everything that had happened to him? And what does he mean by he is risen? And how could that small boy move such a big stone? They were obviously frightened and confused, but when they see the tomb, it all makes sense! They were still scared, but why? Because the people were against Jesus (they had killed him, right?) and would not be very happy to know he had risen from the dead! They were probably so shocked and relieved and excited and happy and scared, they couldn't speak anyways. Then when Mary Magdalene sees him, (he had by the way driven not 1, not 2, but 7 demons out of her) she is so happy but no one believes her. They are probably all still stuck in the silence of his death as they were crying at the time and believe she's teasing them or delirious or something. Then he turns up and talks to the others in a different form. Just walking and talking about Jesus when in reality, he's standing right there with them! But yet no one believes them either. When he appears to the disciples, he rebukes them for not believing he was alive. They had not only not believed Mary and Mary magdalene, but had stubbornly refused to believe it. When it says eleven disciples though, Judas had killed himself in regret of what he had done.
But then Jesus doesn't go on telling about how he had gotten back or any of the crazy details of the past couple of days, but teaches them one final time with wise words. He was then taken up into heaven, like Elijah, and sat at the right hand side of God. Wait a second.... he didn't go up in the Roman's faces and show he was alive and well? He didn't walk past all the people who spit on him without making them realize he was alive? What's up with this guy?!?!?! I believe he left that job to the disciples, but to do it in a loving manner. We must also keep in mind that it was illegal to follow Christ at that point in time, so it would've also made them want to kill him again in a different way, I suppose. And that is the end of our Passion Week stories. But as I have said, it is truly only the beginning. Thank you for reading this week and keeping up! I may not be able to post for a while as these upcoming weeks look really busy, so I will try to post but we'll see how that goes......
Saturday, April 7, 2012
The Silence of Saturday
So, today is Saturday. Silent Saturday, I suppose. Why silent? The silence of his death.
On this day 2000 years ago.....
Jesus let out his last breath, and it instantly was quiet. Maybe not quiet as in the noise, but a spiritual deadness kind-of quiet. The one they thought had come to save them- to rescue them from Rome, the one they had worshipped and followed, the one they ended up abusing- he was gone. Dead, just like that. And now, there was quiet. The rebellion that may have started seemed to be over, the fight was lost and Rome was still in control. Were they just plain stupid to follow one born in a manger? A king was never born in a manger and hung on a cross. What about the disciples? What are they thinking? The same thing? Or did this silence fulfill his truths and just leave them to ponder them all? How is the temple torn down and rebuilt?
Just the silence of questions.
~~~
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.
~~~
Joseph was a follower of Christ, and, as described in the scriptures, waiting on the Kingdom of God. He boldly goes up to Pilate and asks for Jesus' body. He boldly goes up to Pilate and asks for Jesus' body. Pilate is the governor-like person, and he goes up, not just goes up, but boldly goes up and asks for Jesus' body. Pilate is surprised that Jesus is already dead. I am actually kinda glad that Jesus is already dead and not still in that horrible torture, especially since I know the end of the story :)
The heart breaking part of this story is that Joseph, a follower of Christ, had to take down the body of his savior. He had the hard job of taking the precious, wounded, misfigured body of Christ down from the cross. He had to draw out the giant nails, take the body down carefully from the cross, clean it, and wrap it in white linen cloth. This was not only a grueling task, but a task that put forth so much effort of emotions and strength and love for his savior. I can only say a few words to him: Wow and Thank you. This is what a true follower of Christ looks like by doing those things that need to be done even though it may hurt you or others, and even after all those Jesus haters were after Jesus, now they may be after him. Joseph is a true follower of Christ.
Tomorrow seems to end our story.
But it really begins it.
On this day 2000 years ago.....
Jesus let out his last breath, and it instantly was quiet. Maybe not quiet as in the noise, but a spiritual deadness kind-of quiet. The one they thought had come to save them- to rescue them from Rome, the one they had worshipped and followed, the one they ended up abusing- he was gone. Dead, just like that. And now, there was quiet. The rebellion that may have started seemed to be over, the fight was lost and Rome was still in control. Were they just plain stupid to follow one born in a manger? A king was never born in a manger and hung on a cross. What about the disciples? What are they thinking? The same thing? Or did this silence fulfill his truths and just leave them to ponder them all? How is the temple torn down and rebuilt?
Just the silence of questions.
~~~
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.
~~~
Joseph was a follower of Christ, and, as described in the scriptures, waiting on the Kingdom of God. He boldly goes up to Pilate and asks for Jesus' body. He boldly goes up to Pilate and asks for Jesus' body. Pilate is the governor-like person, and he goes up, not just goes up, but boldly goes up and asks for Jesus' body. Pilate is surprised that Jesus is already dead. I am actually kinda glad that Jesus is already dead and not still in that horrible torture, especially since I know the end of the story :)
The heart breaking part of this story is that Joseph, a follower of Christ, had to take down the body of his savior. He had the hard job of taking the precious, wounded, misfigured body of Christ down from the cross. He had to draw out the giant nails, take the body down carefully from the cross, clean it, and wrap it in white linen cloth. This was not only a grueling task, but a task that put forth so much effort of emotions and strength and love for his savior. I can only say a few words to him: Wow and Thank you. This is what a true follower of Christ looks like by doing those things that need to be done even though it may hurt you or others, and even after all those Jesus haters were after Jesus, now they may be after him. Joseph is a true follower of Christ.
Tomorrow seems to end our story.
But it really begins it.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Friday: It is Finished
Happy Good Friday!
***Before I say anything, Satan really does not want this message up because he has deleted it 2 times already, so...... HAHA to Satan!***
I hope you all have had a wonderful day!! Mine has been full of laundry and packing to leave as we have just completed our trip to my Grandmother's house for Easter. Fun, fun!!
Sooooooo.........................
On this Friday 2000 years ago...
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44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[d] and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
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Okay, so it's a good bit of reading there BUT it's totally worth it :)
The first thing I notice is that Judas is with a bunch of people who are armed with clubs and spears. I am guessing that they thought Jesus was a rebellion leader, but Jesus clearly asks "Am I leading a rebellion?". The leaders were probably pretty taken aback. "Aren't you?" they're thinking. Jesus was seen as a rebellion leader, the one who was to fight back the Romans and save the Jews from oppression by the Romans. Everyone thought Jesus was to be that way. But that is not what kind of rebellion Jesus was leading. He was a rebellion leader: a spiritual rebellion leader. Another thing is that I noticed is that the priests never touched him in the temple because it was the temple. If they touched him in there, it would ruin their whole reputation. "But the scriptures must be fulfilled.". Then when Jesus was before the Sanhedrin, the priests couldn't even testify against him! They couldn't find anything against him, even with the testimonies that were false! Now what do they do with him? They try to trick him with this question: Are you the messiah? He has no choice but to tell the truth. Then they blindfolded him and beat him, spit on him, and called him names.
Then they take him to Pilate. Pilate cannot get anything out of him but "I am king of the Jews.". So when the time comes to release choose a prisoner, the people who praised him on Sunday chose to crucify him on Friday. They chose to crucify him over a very sinful murderer, and Pilate himself wondered why. Jesus hadn't done anything wrong, right? The people just wanted him dead, and Pilate didn't want to take the blame. But he sent Jesus off to be flogged and crucified anyways, just to satisfy the people. Then the soldiers take him and spit on him and make fun of him. I honestly want to cry reading this all: They beat my older brother, spit on him, called him horrendous names, and all for me. If only they knew the truth.
Then comes the seemingly simple sentence: They crucified him. They whipped and beat him mercilessly, and forced him to carry a cross a long way. And the cross wasn't hollow, short wood. It was heavy wood, that burned and cut relentlessly into his back. They then nailed the precious hands and feet of my king to these pieces of wood we now look up to. They hoisted him up into the sky, and forced him to hang there. They cast lots for the clothes, and put a mocking sign above him: KING OF THE JEWS. But he is king of the Jews and of so much more: the King of the whole entire world. And the temple rebuilding: it was happening then. At that very moment, it was being torn down and built again. He was saving others, including them. He even asked God to forgive them! The people being crucified with him were making fun of Him. Then darkness comes over the whole land, and Jesus shouts: My God , My God, why have you forsaken me?? He breathed his last with a loud cry. And then, something extraordinary happens: the temple curtain, which separates God and man was ripped. And not just a little, but from top to bottom. God was now with man! And the centurion says "Surely this man was a son of God!". He realized too late.
Because now, it was finished.
Yet, it wasn't.
Tomorrow's story will have to tell.....
***Before I say anything, Satan really does not want this message up because he has deleted it 2 times already, so...... HAHA to Satan!***
I hope you all have had a wonderful day!! Mine has been full of laundry and packing to leave as we have just completed our trip to my Grandmother's house for Easter. Fun, fun!!
Sooooooo.........................
On this Friday 2000 years ago...
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Jesus Arrested
43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Jesus Before Pilate
1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.The Crucifixion of Jesus
21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b]35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[d] and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
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Okay, so it's a good bit of reading there BUT it's totally worth it :)
The first thing I notice is that Judas is with a bunch of people who are armed with clubs and spears. I am guessing that they thought Jesus was a rebellion leader, but Jesus clearly asks "Am I leading a rebellion?". The leaders were probably pretty taken aback. "Aren't you?" they're thinking. Jesus was seen as a rebellion leader, the one who was to fight back the Romans and save the Jews from oppression by the Romans. Everyone thought Jesus was to be that way. But that is not what kind of rebellion Jesus was leading. He was a rebellion leader: a spiritual rebellion leader. Another thing is that I noticed is that the priests never touched him in the temple because it was the temple. If they touched him in there, it would ruin their whole reputation. "But the scriptures must be fulfilled.". Then when Jesus was before the Sanhedrin, the priests couldn't even testify against him! They couldn't find anything against him, even with the testimonies that were false! Now what do they do with him? They try to trick him with this question: Are you the messiah? He has no choice but to tell the truth. Then they blindfolded him and beat him, spit on him, and called him names.
Then they take him to Pilate. Pilate cannot get anything out of him but "I am king of the Jews.". So when the time comes to release choose a prisoner, the people who praised him on Sunday chose to crucify him on Friday. They chose to crucify him over a very sinful murderer, and Pilate himself wondered why. Jesus hadn't done anything wrong, right? The people just wanted him dead, and Pilate didn't want to take the blame. But he sent Jesus off to be flogged and crucified anyways, just to satisfy the people. Then the soldiers take him and spit on him and make fun of him. I honestly want to cry reading this all: They beat my older brother, spit on him, called him horrendous names, and all for me. If only they knew the truth.
Then comes the seemingly simple sentence: They crucified him. They whipped and beat him mercilessly, and forced him to carry a cross a long way. And the cross wasn't hollow, short wood. It was heavy wood, that burned and cut relentlessly into his back. They then nailed the precious hands and feet of my king to these pieces of wood we now look up to. They hoisted him up into the sky, and forced him to hang there. They cast lots for the clothes, and put a mocking sign above him: KING OF THE JEWS. But he is king of the Jews and of so much more: the King of the whole entire world. And the temple rebuilding: it was happening then. At that very moment, it was being torn down and built again. He was saving others, including them. He even asked God to forgive them! The people being crucified with him were making fun of Him. Then darkness comes over the whole land, and Jesus shouts: My God , My God, why have you forsaken me?? He breathed his last with a loud cry. And then, something extraordinary happens: the temple curtain, which separates God and man was ripped. And not just a little, but from top to bottom. God was now with man! And the centurion says "Surely this man was a son of God!". He realized too late.
Because now, it was finished.
Yet, it wasn't.
Tomorrow's story will have to tell.....
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