But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5.
The blood of Christ is the eternal antidote for sin.
Christ’s death on the cross was one of willing obedience, else in it there would have been no merit; for justice would not punish in the place of the sinner an innocent being who was unwilling to bear the penalty.
Jesus … became a “Man of sorrows,” that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy. God permitted His beloved Son, full of grace and truth, to come from a world of indescribable glory, to a world marred and blighted with sin, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse. He permitted Him to leave the bosom of His Love, the adoration of the angels, to suffer shame … and death.
Behold the cross, and the Victim uplifted upon it…. Christ bore our sins in His own body. That suffering, that agony, is the price of your redemption.
The bitter cup was apportioned to us to drink. Our sins mingled it. But our dear Saviour took the cup from our lips and drank it Himself, and in its stead He presents to us a cup of … salvation.
We cannot measure how much deeper our afflictions would have been, how much greater our woes, had not Jesus encircled us with His human arm of sympathy and love, and lifted us up.
We may rejoice in hope…. Through His [our Advocate’s] merits we have pardon and peace. He died that He might wash away our sins, clothe us with His righteousness, and fit us for the society of heaven, where we may dwell in light forever.
The Faith I Live By p. 97
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Prayer Requests
—-Pray for God to guide my children. Buck
—-I had a mammogram done on Monday. They just called and need me to come in for additional testing on my right breast, they want to check a spot they saw on it. I have an appointment today. Keep me in your prayers, please. J
—-Please pray for me, in the midst of an anxiety attack. Nichole
—-The BBC reports that Rwanda SDA Church struck by lightening 16 dead 140 more hospitalized. Please pray for Rwanda. Not sure if this church is one that did not have building regulated lightening rod! Glenda
—-Need prayer for a friend of mine son. His name is Kevin. He broke his spine shoulder blade pelvic bone puncture one of his kidneys from a fall at his work. Joan
—-Please pray for my safety and for my cats. The neighbor right now wants to come over and harm me and my cats. Ann
—-Please help me pray for a family member that had one of her leg amputated about 2 weeks ago and just this week another one had her left leg amputated also. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Sixto
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Dear Friends,
When we lived in Washington state, Ron became interested in astronomy. One day, he called the astronomy club there, and they invited us to come visit one of their “star parties.” A few evenings later, we drove out to Star Butte and when we got to the top, there were about forty people who were also looking at the club members’ telescopes. The one we were most interested in was a large telescope, 18 inches in diameter. It was built by a young man named Kevin. Oh, what beauties we could see through it! As we took our turn climbing up on the stepladder that he had there, we got to see nebulae and galaxies that without the aide of that telescope, only looked like pinpoints of light. As we looked at all the wonders of God’s creation, our hearts were drawn to the Great Creator.
This was also David’s experience. He sang, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Psalm 8
This old earth also has beauties and wonders that point to a loving Creator, Who upholds “all things by the word of his power.” Heb 1:3 Even after 6000 years of sin, the beauty and glory of His creation is overwhelming. Even the human body is so intricate that it never could have happened by chance. Man studies every aspect of creation and yet cannot explain it. Many devise fanciful theories that try to explain the origin and continuance of all things, in order to shut God out of their lives and out of the lives of others. Paul prophesied of these very ones when he said, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Rom 1:20-22
Yet, despite their unbelief, they still receive from our Great Creator their very lives, the food they eat, the air they breathe, even the beating of their heart. He it is Who provides the spark of life that we all receive. They may not realize that truth, but it is true nonetheless. Jesus tells us that God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt 5:45
Our Great Redeemer gives us the freedom of choice. He does not want the worship of “robots.” He wants us to love Him, not because we have to, but because we want to. He provides every evidence of His existence and of His constant care. He provided the greatest gift of all in giving His Only-begotten Son to die for us, that we might live eternally with Him. What a loving Creator! How good and kind He is! “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isa 55:6-13
Let us worship our Loving Creator with our whole heart. Let us follow Him throughout our lives, praising Him for His wonderful creation and care. Let our sweetest thoughts, our richest praise be of Him Who loves us so.
Rose

The Saviour of Men