JUST FOR US...THINK ABOUT IT!

With Easter just past hearing the story of Jesus suffering told by my bishop, I got to thinking about the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for us so I did some more reading and researching, check this out. The Scourging…Jesus endured a torture that beyond excruciating before He ever got to the cross. Scourging was not normally used as execution, but it was brutal enough to be fatal. Its purpose was not only to cause great pain, but to humiliate as well. To scourge a man was to beat him worse than one would beat a stupid animal. The Stripes...The instrument used to deliver this form of punishment was called the flagrum or cat o’ nine tails. This was a whip with several thongs or strands, each as much as three feet long, and the strands were weighted with lead balls or pieces of bone. This instrument was designed to lacerate. The weighed thongs struck the skin so violently that it broke open. Before a scourging the victim is stripped naked of any clothing. The maximum amount of stripes one could receive was…you guessed it, 39. The Crown…As Jesus was bent over with a lacerated bleeding body they hailed him “King of the Jews,” and the soldiers put together a garland of bushes filled with long sharp thorns, and they created a crown of thorns and placed it upon His already bruised head. (Note: they probably didn’t take the time to measure His head for size) The Journey…There have been several theories over the years as to how far Jesus walked with the cross. The main consensus is that He walked an estimated half of a mile with the cross. (NOTE: From the scourging to the journey to Golgotha, was at least two full hours of suffering. Mark 15:25 says, “Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.”) The Cross... There are no exact figures on the weight of the cross that Jesus carried. It is estimated to be over 300 pounds. It was made of solid wood. Imagine how heavy the wood had to be, in order to be able to support the weight of a full grown man. The Nails…Jesus' nails would have been made of heavy, probably square, iron material, 7-9 inches long. The Crucifixion…This was among the most painful and excruciating form of punishment leading to death ever contrived by man. Imagine hanging naked, bleeding and aching before a crowd, nailed by your hands and feet trying to support your weight on a cross. The Humiliation…Soldiers took His garments and divided into four pieces then drew lots to see who would be the new owner of His tunic. The Wine…While on the cross in the blistering sun Jesus thirsted and the soldiers mocked him offering him only sour wine to drink. After tasting the sour wine, knowing everything prophesied had been fulfilled Jesus uttered three words, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and died. The Piercing… As if everything done weren’t enough instead of breaking his legs as was tradition one of the soldiers took a spear and pierced Jesus in the side releasing water and his last few drops of blood. (Note: From the nails to the wine, it was at least a full six more hours of agonizing pain. Mark 15:33 says, “at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice…”) Isaiah 53:4-6 Read it and think about it!

PROVE IT!

Love is an action word! You can tell someone “I love you,” a million times but if you never show it, only a fool would believe your words. A Christian group called King & Country have a song called “The Proof of your love,” here are some of the opening lyrics. “If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breathe with every song… I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise.” “If I speak with a silver tongue, convince a crowd but don't have love, I leave a bitter taste with every word I say...” “So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love, let my love look like You, and what You're made of. How you lived, how You died, love is sacrifice, so let my life be the proof…the proof of Your love.” Everyday millions declare they “love the Lord!” Well I challenge you, if you say you love the Lord, then PROVE IT! How do you do that? Simple, do what God did for you, and like the words of the song, prove your love with your life. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I John 3:16 says, “By this we know love because He laid down his life for us…” God loved us so much that He didn’t just say it; He stepped down off His throne of grace, wrapped Himself in flesh, came to Earth and gave up His life on our behalf. As if that were not enough He ventured into the depths of the Earth and conquered death, finally He rose again with all power in His hands. Our God didn’t have a problem nor did He hesitate to prove His love. That being said, if we love Him in return, let’s cut out loving Him in “lip service” only. John 14:15 says, “If you love me; keep my commandments.” IT’s time to stop saying “I’m a Christian, I’m a believer,” “I love and trust God,” in one breath and then cursing people out, speaking and doing evil in the next. IT’s past time to prove our love for God with our lives. By living TOTALLY as He commanded, without picking and choices what commands we’ll follow from one day to the next. When God gave of Himself for us He gave all! So if you love HIM, PROVE IT! Think about it! What do you “think about it?” I’d love to hear your feedback on the articles Email me: genamaewrites@gmail.com