While the gospel ought to always be at the forefront of our minds, I do not deny there being something special about this time of year. The Passion Week presents us with the opportunity to look closely at the cross of Christ and to share salvation’s good news with loved ones. Hearing about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is brand new for many people. But, how does the person who’s been a Christian for years or decades keep the gospel fresh? This is one of my challenges as a Christian. So, what do I do? I look outside the gospel narratives and look at the rest of Scripture. Letting Timothy and Paul lead us to the cross Since all the Bible is about Jesus, we should see things that either point forward (Old Testament) or back (Acts and beyond) to the work of Christ. Today I’d like to walk you through a quick time of study I had this morning reading a seemingly random Bible passage and how that pointed me back to the cross and helped me meditate on Christ this Passion Week. My morning started with a reading in the first couple of chapters in 1 Timothy. As I read, one verse stood out more than others: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15) Yes, Jesus came to save sinners, and Paul assures us that this statement is trustworthy and worthy of acceptance. Like Paul, I can identify with these words and I lean on the truthfulness of why Christ came. After meditating on that verse and its surrounding context, the ESV cross references pointed me to Romans 4:25, which is where my study became fun. “But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:23-25) In this context Paul is talking about Abraham and how he was justified through faith. Paul makes it clear that Abraham was declared righteous before his circumcision or any other act he performed, such as obeying the call to sacrifice Isaac. Paul then brings this forward and applies it to Christians and our justification. He shows how justification is applied through our faith in Jesus’ atoning work. The cross is now clearly in view and how it benefits my life. Some support with study Bibles At this point, a few Study Bibles provide further edification as they elaborate on the Romans passage. 4:25: Both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are necessary for forgiveness of sins and justification. Raised for our justification. When God the Father raised Christ from the dead, it was a demonstration that he accepted Christ’s suffering and death as full payment for sin, and that the Father’s favor, no longer his wrath against sin, was directed toward Christ, and through Christ toward those who believe. Since Paul sees Christians as united with Christ in his death and resurrection (6:6, 8–11; Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12; 3:1), God’s approval of Christ at the resurrection results in God’s approval also of all who are united to Christ, and in this way results in their “justification.” (ESV Study Bible) 4:25 The proof of justification by faith alone in Abraham’s case leads Paul back to the foundation of justification in the work of Christ (3:24-26). Christ’s death and resurrection are two indivisible but distinguishable aspects of His one saving work. In His death, Christ bore the legal penalty for our guilt. In raising Jesus from the dead, the Father vindicated Jesus, nullifying the sentence of death, and declaring Him to be righteous. This vindication grounds our justification through our union with Christ. (Reformation Study Bible ESV or NKJV) Both of these notes drive home great points concerning the correlation between Jesus’ work on the cross and our justification. Without his death our sins are not forgiven; and, without his resurrection there is no proof that God accepted his sacrifice. Like Abraham, we only receive this through faith. In response to reading these notes all I could think was, “Ah, thank you Lord for the cross! Without your death and resurrection I am hopeless!” One last thought… But, there was one more note in the HCSB Study Bible that cross referenced one last passage in Acts, which led me to a moment of true thankfulness and hope. 4:25: Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses as promised in Is 52:13–53:12. Who delivered up Jesus? Was it Judas? Pilate? The Jewish Sanhedrin? Satan? Certainly all these were causal agents in the crucifixion of Christ, but ultimately it was the sovereign God who brought it to pass in order to fulfill His plan of redemption (Ac 4:27- 28). The Father delivered Jesus up for our trespasses, and raised Him so that His righteous Servant would justify many people (Is 53:11). (HCSB Study Bible) Jesus’ death on the cross was not an accident. God planned it long ago and had a hand in all of it. After being released from prison, Peter and John prayed to God and recognized that he was at work the entire time, even working through wicked men. Personally, realizing the bigger picture of the Passion Week is a huge comfort to me. Yes, wicked men sentenced Jesus to death, but it was all part of God’s plan. Jesus died for our sins. He rose again, showing God’s acceptance of his sacrifice. We are justified because of our faith in the work of the cross. But, God had his plan in place before Adam even sinned. What an awesome God we serve! It all points to the cross I love how God can work and point us to the gospel as we read his Word. It may be Passion Week, but that’s not where I’m reading; yet, God still points me to his Son’s work on the cross and my soul is lifted because of it!

The day after Jesus’ crucifixion (the Saturday before Easter) is one of those interesting, yet unrecorded days in biblical history. If you look at the Gospels, they each give about one verse to what was going on in the world of the Jews: they were “resting.” Whether it was due to traditional obligation or genuine obedience, the majority of people took this day off because of the Sabbath law. SCRIPTURE “Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed His last. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split…Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for Him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.” (Matthew 27:50-51;55-56, NIV) “Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the Sabbath, especially because that Sabbath was a day of great solemnity…After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed His body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19:31; 38-42, NRSV) “On the Sabbath, they all rested according to the commandment. But on the first day of the week at early dawn, [the women] came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.” (Luke 23:56-24:1, NRSV) Saturday was one of complete silence There seems to be no movement; no advancement; no hope. But what screams out for our full attention are the teachable truths found in the moments before the Sabbath began. You see, Good Friday – though being the day of Jesus’ death – is also known in Jewish tradition as the “Day of Preparation.” This was important because it was the last day for the Jews to collect their needed supplies before taking the next day off. Think of the day before a big ice/snow storm. Everyone is running around town, stocking up their pantries, and buying what needs to be bought. Rightly so, people are focused on only one thing: prepping for the next day. The world keeps moving So even though Jesus just died, the Jewish tradition demanded for the world to keep moving. This is why the Jews wanted to rush the removal of Jesus’ body. They had things to do and people to see. And they definitely did not want His body on display during the Lord’s Day. But all while everyone – even the Lord’s disciples – carried on with their “needed” prep, two very unexpected people were boldly making other preparations. “Unexpected” in that they were once closet believers. Yet in all four of the gospels (which is a huge deal), the authors make sure to give credit to Joseph and Nicodemus for their care of Jesus’ body. We know Nicodemus from his secret (and interesting) conversation with Jesus in John 3. But all that we know about Joseph is that he was a timid and fearful follower of Jesus who cared more about remaining safe from the Jew‘s disapproval than being a bold disciple. But here, both their silence and their fear seem to vanish. We see Joseph approaching Pilate to boldly ask for Jesus’ body. Being a man of stature and influence, he was able to quickly receive this request. But think about this: If it wasn’t for Joseph, the Lord’s body would have been treated like that of a murderer – just thrown into a pile of corpses. But instead, Joseph is seen delicately removing Jesus from His cross, cleaning off His bloody body, prepping it for burial, and carrying Him to a nearby tomb – a tomb that Matthew states is Joseph’s own property. He takes his day of preparation and boldly focuses it on his Lord. But he is not alone. Nicodemus also decides to make his adoration for Jesus known by bringing expensive spices to aide in the burial process. And together, they wrap the body in linen clothes, according to Jewish tradition. This is such a beautiful – yet messy – picture. Here are two random men, doing the difficult work that would normally take many skilled hands. But no one else was present to help. Yet it was because of their preparations – and bold obedience – that the Lord’s body was also ready for the day of rest. The silence of Saturday – though seemingly despairing – was given a ray of hope because of the complete change in heart that these men expressed. So then, what was it that changed in the lives of these two? What brought them into such boldness? What enabled them to overcome their fears? Their doubts? Their selfish concerns? Honestly, I think that it is found in what Matthew records: “Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom…” (27:50-51). At the exact moment of His death – at the assumed “triumph” of evil – something severe happens: the veil in the temple was torn. For years, the old covenant reigned In this system, a priest would go beyond the veil to make the sacrifice in the presence of the Lord (the ark of the covenant). Before Christ’s death, no one but a priest could do this job. The separation of God and man was visibly seen when looking at the veil: man as fallen and God as perfect. But in an instance, Christ – being the ultimate priest and sacrifice – died, and the dividing wall was torn. This means that before Jesus’ resurrection ever took place, there were already hints of His victory. His sacrifice took the separating and isolating power of sin and destroyed it. Where sin intimidates mankind, shames them in isolation, and binds them with fear, Jesus’ work on the cross began an ultimate reversal. And we see this new freedom already at work in two men who were once known by their fear and isolation. Jesus’ death gave them courage and boldness – not of themselves – but because sin (and sin’s effects) were torn. Before glory was ever vividly displayed in the resurrection, Jesus was already working gloriously in the unseen. Peace at work The Saturday before Easter teaches us that peace was already at work even though “victory” was not yet fully expressed. It reminds us that even in the silence, God is powerfully at work. And it calls us to live with this same level of boldness and obedience despite our inability to see what victory will soon come. We all find ourselves in days like Saturday. Where life seems mundane and Jesus seems far. Where failure feels defining and hope appears obsolete. It is in these moments that we must realize that the separating power of sin has been demolished; that Jesus has already given us hints of what will soon become reality. He has already given us a foretaste of glory. Sunday will come; victory will soon be experienced. PRAYER Lord, thank you for Saturday. Thank you for the reminder that regardless of what I feel and what the world around me expresses – You are here. Thank you for already being at work; for giving me glimpses of Your glory. I pray that I can live with boldness today. Give me eyes to see what preparation You are calling me to make. And with courage, I step forward. Amen. This post, capturing the importance of the Saturday before Easter, was written by the team at DeclareGlory.com.

Fully God and fully man. For over 30 years Jesus lived as a man. Yet, in the few years leading up to his death on a cross, it became clear that he was no ordinary man. What man could do these type of things? End a storm with his words Multiply food Heal those who couldn’t walk, see, or talk Walk on water Raise the dead His miracles were always clues that this Jesus was more than a man. Sinless Another astonishing clue to his divinity was that he was sinless. Tempted? Yes. But he had never given into that temptation. Sinless?! That fact alone seems to be impossible when we consider the world around us. From the beginning of time, until that moment on the cross, no one successfully lived a sinless life. And like some sort of science fiction movie, when Jesus breathed his last breath as man, something unseen shattered. The power of the unseen was so great that the physical world manifested it by sudden darkness and trembling. At that moment, the sacrifice made by a sinless man would forever change destiny. The proof of this change? Our celebration says it all. Jesus followers initially had no idea what we know and celebrate today. Jesus had actually won! Three days later they would find this out when the man they thought dead would appear. And, in so doing, he confirmed that he was no ordinary man. He is God who came near (Immanuel) to change the course of history. And it’s His Story that we celebrate today. So when we say “He is Risen” it’s not just a statement of a past event. It is a declaration of a current reality. “He is Risen” Means: We are forgiven Belonging to Jesus we are not bound by sin Our today is part of our eternity with the creator God Our identity is secure as his sons and daughters Then, after the cross and resurrection, Jesus says to his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”—Matthew 19-20 He is Risen!

Listening to myself, I think I did an awesome job. It is not easy recording episodes when you are recording by yourself, because there’s no one to see in front of you. When recording alone, we have to keep ourselves motivated while we are speaking even though our voice may crack because of a dry throat. I never think about having something to drink while I am recording because I feel like I may have to stop and go to the restroom, because when I am talking, I have to finish whatever it is I am talking about so I will not lose my train of thought. My message brought tears to my eyes; I was not expecting for that to happen. All I can say is WOW! The Spirit was really moving, and God was working and speaking through me. My spirit is very high right now. Three times I thought I was going to hit the floor because it is so powerful. I think I am going to rest for a while, I have been writing all day long, except when I stopped to record. I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to be able to do what I do to win souls for the kingdom of God. Everything came out just the way I wanted it to, and I am so glad it did. i cannot take the credit for it though, because if it were not for God, it would have not turned out right with the sound quality. So, with that being said, I am going to rest until I feel like writing again. It has been a privilege to share this with you all. As always, thank you all for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul. God bless.

Today I recorded my message on healing, and it should be posted to Spotify as soon as it is reviewed because it contains music. If you would like to go there and listen to it, it is a link on the original post at the top to click on that will take you straight to it. I am just waiting on the conformation from them to let me know it has been posted. It could take a while because there are so many others. I know I have not posted lately and it is due to the very bad storm we had a few days ago that knocked out all of the electricity, and the WIFI signals in the area where I live. Today everything was restored back to normal. We are alright though, thank God for that because it was terrible. Well, I just checked my messages, and it has not been posted as of yet, but I know it will probably be posted before today comes to an end. It has been a while since I have recorded something for the show on that platform under that email address, so I believe it is going to be a while before I see something and receive a message from them, but they always let me know when my recordings have been posted.

Things have changed though since I recorded through my computer, this is the first time I have recorded anything on this computer in a long while. I don’t normally do it because it makes me sound like I am far away when I record, but this time I hope it recorded the way I wanted it to. I am not going to publish this as of yet, because I want to let you all know when it is posted so I can add it here when it is all said and done. I hope you all have had a great week. It is cloudy here though, but I hope it is just rain and not a storm. I did not enjoy not being able to write and publish my work, but for some odd reason or another, I could write, but I could not publish and save my work as a draft, so I just had to leave my screen on so it would not delete. I guess I ab kind of longwinded at this point, it is because I have a lot to say that I have not been able to say. My son told me what a wonderful mother I have been to them all of their life. That made me feel good. I can truly say that I am loved by my children. Believe me, life has not been easy, and it never is, but with the help of God all things are possible. I just do not know what I would do if He were not in my life to help me through the tough times, and even now. I could not ask for a better Father.

My recording on Healing has just been posted to Spotify. You are more than welcome to go and listen to it, and share it if you like with your friends. Now I am going to listen to it for the first time, there may be an oversight on the years when I spoke about COVID-19. I was just so excited to be able to finally get it recorded and approved. I hope you enjoy it. As always, thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul. God bless.

I want to share this information with you all who love the LORD, and His people who are going through hard times, who really need our help. America has so much, and they have so little, barely making it from one day to the next. We are to help God’s children. I am going to leave this information at the end of this post, and if you feel like you want to help, call the number, or visit the website I will also leave to visit.

ISAIAH 58:10-and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. (NIV)

International Fellowship of Christians and Jews: 1(800)538-4477

Crisis Ukraine

Website: ForgottenJews.org

$25.00 Provides 1 survival food box

$50.00 Provides 3 hot meals a month plus the food box.

We are all God’s children no matter who we are. He created all of us. I thought I would share this information because the LORD laid it on my heart to share. They desperately need our help. May God bless us all. In Jesus name Amen.

Well, I was looking through all of my comments from the past, and I came across some that I did not know were there, so I tried to reply to them all. I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to visit my blog site to leave comments, and your views. I try very hard to write content that is inspirational and uplifting. I know that what I write may be straight forward and hard to take in, but it all comes from my heart and a place of love. I appreciate all of you who have been with me since the beginning, and those of you who have joined me over the years, and even now. I want you all to know that you all are very talented writers, and I enjoy reading your posts as well. It is not easy to always come up with topics to write about and share. It takes time and energy, and a lot of brainstorming just to write the perfect message to share. I know that everyone works very hard to share and write content, but there’s times when I have writers block and I cannot write anything for a long time. But I just wanted to thank everyone and tell you all how much I appreciate you visiting my site. There are so many blog sites out there to choose from, and I am thankful that you all choose to visit here at Food for the Soul. I never want to forget where I came from, and how hard it was when I first started and had no visitors at all, or followers. It is a blessing that God has blessed me the way that He has since I have been writing. I had no idea that I would still be writing, because I did not know how it was going to turn out. I just started writing about what I knew about, and that is the Word of God. I really had to have faith through it all, because at one time I became discouraged. My daughter told me that I was doing a good job and that she was proud of me, and that I was going to be successful, and that God was proud of me, and that He had me. This is why I always try to encourage everyone when I leave comments. Writing is not easy, it is very time consuming, and you have to think as you are writing to keep the flow, well I do anyways. Well, you all have a wonderful day. Stay safe, and God bless. Thank you all for joining me on my journey with food for the Soul.

May the Lord, bless you, keep you, and give you peace, in Jesus’ name Amen. Stay safe.

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For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8-6

HEBREWS 1:3-Who being the brightness of His Glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

ROMANS 5:10-For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

GALATIANS 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

JOHN 15: 13- Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

PSALM 23:1-The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

JOHN 17:23- I in them, and thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, AS THOU HAST LOVED ME.

ROMANS 8:1- There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1 PETER 2:24- Who his own self bares our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 JOHN 3:16- Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay own our lives for the brethren.

PSALM 100:1- Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Today I just felt like sharing some Scripture verses with everyone. I thought I would do something different. I hope you enjoy reading them.

PRAYER:

Father, My heart strings sings to You this day. You are my creator. You gave me life and You gave me purpose. As the earth shouts joyful praise unto You, so do I. You are worthy of all my praise and I will shout Your name for all to hear. Thank You for who You are. In Jesus name, Amen.

APPRECIATING LIFE by Shaunelius L. Sterns

When we are born, we do not know that we are even in the world. We are created brand new. We are to depend upon our parents to take care of us because we cannot take care of ourselves. We can do nothing because we know nothing. As we grow from month to month, and year to year, we start to realize we are in the world. As we grow, we learn different things about life after we are at that age and old enough to know what’s going on around us. After our education years, we start to live our lives and explore the world around us. After that is all said and done, we settle down somewhere in a place we want to live for the rest of our life.

During all of that time, do we learn to appreciate the life that we have? Do we think about what we should have done, and should not have done? Do we look back over our life and have regrets? Do we thank God for every day given to us? Do we appreciate Him for the things He does for us? We only get one life, so we must appreciate our life that we have. We must cherish every moment we have every day. Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. Life is a gift just as the breath that we breathe, and when it is gone, it is gone, and we are no more.

Jesus came that we may have life, and life more abundantly. In order to have an abundant life, we must do the things we know we should do according to the Word of God, because had He not sent His Son, Jesus into this world, we would not have life at all. We would not be able to have that abundant life in Jesus Christ. The abundant life is not about having riches here on earth, but it is about having an eternal life in heaven with Jesus for all eternity. Riches fade away, just as material things, nothing lasts forever except your soul. It is alright to have material things, but we should not let material things have us. Where our treasure is, there will our heart be also, and our treasure is in heaven with Jesus Christ, so that is where our heart should be. We should be thinking about heavenly things, and not worrying about earthly things. It is not about us and what we want, it is about Jesus and the kingdom of God and winning souls for God so they will not have to perish in the end.

If you have not talked to Jesus today, or if you have never talked to Him, He is there waiting for you to come to Him so He can change your life for the better. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, it will be the best decision you will ever make in your life for your eternal life. God bless you, stay safe, and thank you for following me on my journey with Food for the Soul.

Today we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Depending on your tradition, it is usually called Palm or Passion Sunday. All four gospels record this significant and prophetic event, and I highly recommend you read them for yourself. You can find them in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19. As I reread each account myself here are four things that stick out about this historic event that we still commemorate today. Jesus Fulfilled Prophecy Not only was Jesus the long awaited King, which the Jews had been longing for, but his very entry into Jerusalem was just how it had been prophesied over 500 years earlier. Zechariah 9:9 says: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” What’s With the Palms? The imagery of palms was a part of the Jewish culture and often reflected honor and nobility. 1 Kings 6 and 7 record how Solomon had them as part of the sacred carvings of the temple. In Mark’s account of Jesus entry, people are spreading palm branches out on the ground along with their cloaks. To me, it sounds like a sort of ancient red carpet that probably helped keep the dust down. The significance of this honor paid to Jesus also foreshadows what is to come. In Revelation 7:9 there’s an incredible description of worship that – you guessed it – includes palm branches. So we see that Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah and also pointing forward to an even greater scene of worship that is to come. Hosanna The chances are pretty good that at some point you’ve sung a song at church with the word “Hosanna” in it. As Jesus made his entry there was definitely worship going on but what does Hosanna actually mean? Hosanna was a desperate cry from an oppressed people living under Roman rule that means “Oh save” or “Save us now”. Jesus would certainly save them but not quite how they imagined. Where’s the Victory? The Jews had been waiting and their King was finally here! Sure he was riding on a baby donkey and didn’t have a sword, armor, or an army but he was there nonetheless. As the shouts of Hosanna went out, everyone anticipated what this long awaited Kings next move would be. How would he save them? Would he be like David and his mighty men? Would he be like Solomon with wisdom and riches? “Save us now,” they cried! One week later, many of these same people who had shouted “Hosanna” would be shouting “Barabbas.” They would trade their long awaited King for a thief and a murderer. He hadn’t fulfilled their image of a King or brought about their idea of salvation and so they turned on him. But God, in his sovereign grace, had a plan that included a vastly different idea of what salvation was to look like. This is what we will be celebrating. I’ll leave you with these words from Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” That’s my King!

www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20324

bible.com/bible/1/mrk.6.3.KJV

bible.com/bible/1/luk.2.15-20.KJV

www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20324

bible.com/bible/1/gen.1.1.KJV

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

bible.com/bible/1/gen.1.1.KJV

The Creator of the universe.