Good Friday

by George | Apr 2, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter

Good Friday

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:5‬ ‭

Justin Holcomb, in an article called “What’s So Good About Good Friday?” says:

“… why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated. Some believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.”

Though we don’t know for sure where the term “Good Friday” came from, one thing is for sure, if not for Jesus taking our place on the cross, we would be hopelessly lost in sin. 

Paul said:

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:13-14‬ ‭

This was a fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy:

“Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:4-8‬ ‭

So let’s raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for the Savior who redeemed us by His blood!

“Man of sorrows, what a name

For the Son of God who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim

Hallelujah! What Savior

Stand unclean, no one else could

In my place condemned He stood

Now his nearness is my good

Hallelujah! What a Savior

Hallelujah, praise to the one

Whose blood has pardoned me

Oh what a Savior, Redeemer and King

Your love has rescued me.”

 (“Hallelujah What a Savior” by Austin Stone Worship)

A Cure For Distraction

by George | Mar 22, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter

A Cure For Distraction

“Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:25‬ ‭

When my kids were young,   they liked to play video games on the TV in the living room. Things are not always quiet in the living room, especially with 4 kids and a dog. 

When the one playing the game got to a crucial moment, invariably someone would say something or make a noise. “Uhhhh! You made me lose!” They had become… distracted.

God had given instructions to the children of Israel as they were going into the promised land.

“It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6:5‬ ‭

They were also commanded to not to take the”accursed things.”

“And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6:18‬ ‭

The children of Israel did well going into Jericho. They obeyed. God gave them the victory.

Then came Ai. Small city. 

Piece of cake, right?

Nope. They were defeated. Why? A Man named Achan got distracted. Lots were cast and they figured out it was him. He confessed:

“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭

Instead of looking straight ahead, keeping his eyes on the goal, he looked down, or to the side, and saw “a beautiful Babylonian garment.” It may have been shinier and nicer than anything he had. Then he saw gold!

The wheels were turning in his mind. “No one will ever know!” So, he takes the items and hides them.

I won’t go into details here, but it doesn’t end well for him.

So, how do we keep from getting distracted? Solomon gives advice:

“Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:25‬ 

Also, Jesus showed us how to keep focused and not be distracted.

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭

Let’s try to be like Jesus!

Stay focused on the goal!