Posted by Posted in Bible, faith, God, Jesus, the cross

Every Scar A Story

Scars.

Lots of people have them. I have two or three myself.

Scars tell stories and young boys especailly love to tell the stories related to thier scars.

All the accidents, risks and daring episodes that make those scars are great stories.

I have two scars from stichs I got when I was three. My aunt was whizzing us around on a merry-go-round and daring lil’ Priscilla decided to go no hands and I flew off, breaking my arm.

I relish telling the story including all the ice cream, balloons and goodies that came with an emergency room visit.

Oh and the story about how I sang “When I Am Afraid I Will Trust In You” by Steve Green right before my surgery is a good one.

I have another scar on my wrist that I got when a dog scratched me because I wasn’t petting him enough. 🙂

Whether it be a bicycle accident, broken arm, or running into a brick wall every scar has a story, a unique, fun-to-brag-on kind of story.

The greatest scars of all are the ones Jesus has though. Now thats a story.

God (the God who created heaven and earth and everything else..yep that God) sent His only son down to earth because after Adam sinned we all lived in sin and were not worthy of eternal life with Him.

So this son incarnated and became a human, was brougt into the world through a young teen virgin, Mary and grew up as a poor carpenters son.

He then calls petty fishermen to be His disciples teaching them about the kingdom of God and proclaiming Himself as the son of God. He worked miracles and was absolutely perfect!

Well, the Pharisees didn’t like that one bit so they plotted to destroy Him and they finally got their chance after the Passover thanks to Judas Iscariot- one of Jesus’ disciples who betrayed Him.

Jesus was unfairly accused (remember He is perfect), beaten, mocked and scorned. Pontius Pilate was scared of the people even though he thought Jesus was innocent so he delivered him to be crucified.

The Son of God crucified? How could this happen? Well actually, His death was the reason Christ came into the world. He paid the perfect sacrifice so that now we can be called children of God if we trust in His perfect name.

Wow, thats a story. And Jesus got some scars to prove it.

He had scars from the nails pierced in His hands.

He had scars in His side from when the soldiers stabbed Him to make sure He was dead.

Best. Story. Ever. Oh.. and its real.

But it doesn’t end there.

Jesus was placed in a grave and three days later some women came to put incense on his body. Surprise, surprise, he wasn’t there.

Jesus had risen from the dead, defeating death forever.

But not all the disciples believed when Mary Magdalene, the young witness told the story.

Thomas- one of the disciples- didn’t believe it. He said….

” Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

John 20:25b

Then Jesus showed up.

He told Thomas this:

“Put your finger here, and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe.”

John 20:27

Those scars saved the world.

Those scars saved you.

Those scars saved me.

All of a sudden my epic-fly-off-the-merry-go-round scars don’t seem so cool anymore.

“He himself bore our sins on his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 3:24

So next time you start boasting about your scrapes, bumps and scars remember His scars.

Boast in his scars….. because they saved the world.

Thanks be to the scars of Christ,
Priscilla

Posted by Posted in Bible, Bible attributes, Bible characteristics, character, faith, Living for God, the cross, words

Godly Characteristics: Love

What is true love? Lets see what the Bible says…

Love is Necessary

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbol. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-2

We can see here that God thinks that love is better than mighty deeds like speaking in tongues and such. Those small acts of love toward others are more precious than gold. And love is neccessary, if you don’t have it, you are nothing.

Love is Caring

“Love is patient and kind, love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I think Love sounds like a caring friend or family member. Don’t you? Love is… well I will let the next verse explain…

Love is Jesus

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:13

1 Corinthians 13 is a great chapter about love. I used verses from there to show that love is necessary (without it we are nothing) and love is caring (love is patient and kind). But the best way we can look at love is by looking at an example. This example is gory, grisly, and vividly horrid. It is the example of Jesus laying down his life for us on the cross. Jesus offering his life as the perfect sacrifice for me, for you, for everyone. That is love. So when you think of love, think of…Jesus.

Priscilla

Posted by Posted in Bible, holidays, Home, the cross, words

Its That Time Of Year!

“It’s that time of year!” Mom and Dad say when you question the packages on the porch.

“It’s that time of year.” you shrug as you throw your change in the Salvation Army bucket.

“It’s that time of year? Again?” wonder your grandparents as they reflect on all the other memories they have had at ‘that time of years’ past.

“It’s that time of year!” your little brothers and sisters giggle as you string lights all around and cover the Christmas tree with ornaments.

“It’s that time of year.” your parents say as they make lists of people to get gifts for.

“It’s that time of year.” you say as you take just one more helping of sweets.

You know what I am talking about Christmas but what is this time of year? A time of gifts, family, lights and happiness? Or is it something more?

Lots of people say that ‘Christmas isn’t about giving gifts’ Well, yeah actually that is all that Christmas is about. Christmas is about God giving his son to die for our sins and us recieving eternal life through him. That is what Christmas is about. There is a great Christmas talk by Louie Giglio that I am sure you will all enjoy.

Enjoy! and Merry Christmas!

Priscilla

P.S. If you can not open the link for some reason just google ‘The Twelve Words of Christmas Louie Giglio’ and it should come up. The full video is on Vimeo and a couple excerpts are on youtube. Hope you find that helpful!

Posted by Posted in Bible, faith, Home, Living for God, the cross, words

Take Up Thy Cross… and Follow Me

The cross. What does it mean to you? Lets take a look at what the cross is for us today:

The Cross is Hope

The Cross is a symbol of the hope that we have in Jesus. For years the Jews waited and hoped for a Messiah. Jesus was the promise that they had hoped for. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned the only hope we could cling to was that someone would come deliver us from the slavery and bondage of sin. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross he fulfilled that hope and came to deliver us.

The Cross is Redemption

When we see a picture of the cross, we can see it as a picture of redemption. It holds the impossible truth and idea that someone higher than us would come and put down their perfect life for us. Not only did he redeem us, he brought us up with him and gave us the chance to be sons and heirs of him. (Galatians 4:4-7)

The Cross is Love

The Cross is also a symbol of love. Not only did Christ redeem us (see above), but he did it in love. (John 15:13) Why should he die for us? Because he loves us. These lyrics from David Crowder Band’s song “How He Loves” says it all.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all

The Cross is Blood, Sweat and Tears

As Christians we do not just glory in the Cross, we take it up. We walk with it. (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34) We share the glory of it with others by bringing our cross to them. When you take up your cross and follow Jesus you lose your old self too. (“Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34b) Holding a cross is no easy thing as we see in Luke 23:26. When Jesus was being crucified and he was carrying his cross up the hill, Simon of Cyrene was forced to come help him! But as Christ-followers we follow Jesus everywhere, even up on to a cross. Following Christ is not always easy, but it is worth it.

The Cross is Beautiful

To the Romans, a picture of the cross was horrid. It symbolized the most horrific sort of death. They looked at it the way we look at pictures of torture machines, guillotines, gallows, etc. But why do Christians today have pictures of crosses in their houses, bumper stickers of crosses and t-shirts all proudly displaying a cross? Why do we not look at the cross the way we look at other torture machines in history? Because of one man who died on one. Because Jesus, God’s perfect holy son came down from heaven and forever made the cross a picture of hope and beauty.

The Cross Makes us Free

In Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan, Christian, a man fleeing the City of Destruction has a burden on his back. When he reaches the cross the burden (of sin) falls off. He is free of the burden which he has carried on his back for years. (Matthew 11:28) The promise of the cross can free us from all past sin and give us salvation in Christ.

Now how about some lyrics for a good end.. 😉

Hillsong United- Lead Me to the Cross

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption’s hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

[Chorus:]
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

Chris Tomlin- At the Cross

There’s a place where mercy reigns and never dies,
There’s a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.
Where all the love I’ve ever found,
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus:]
At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life.
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus.

There’s a place where sin and shame are powerless.
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.
Where all the love I’ve ever found.
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus]

Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down

O Lord, thank you for sending your son down to die on the lovely, beautiful cross that redeems, gives hope, freedom, blood, sweat and tears. Thank you for the cross!

Priscilla