{ Wednesday's Words - Seder }

Seder - 
The Passover Seder /ˈseɪdər/ (Hebrew: סֵדֶר‎ [ˈsedeʁ]
 'order, arrangement'; 
  is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover

Although our family isn't Jewish (we're considered those amongst the Gentiles), we participated in a Seder meal last evening prepared entirely by our precious daughter.  This rates very highly on my list of things that I don't think I'll ever forget, another being the washing of  feet at our first Ladies' Retreat at our church. 

The "blood" over the door post as we entered.....

The children of Israel escaping Egypt.....

Jess' description of what each of the items of food represents.....

 Shalom.....meaning "peace".
This is how we were met at the door by our two littlest grands.

(for the record that's Welch's grape juice in the glass)

An attempt to capture each of us at the end of our meal.....

If y'all ever get a chance to participate in something like this, PLEASE don't hesitate because that's not your "religion".  It gave such an intense meaning to what our precious Jesus did with His disciples before His death on the cruelest of crosses.  I'm in tears as I type this now. 

How....just how.....could He love me that much?

Thank You, thank You, thank You!

Wednesday's Word - Tetelestai.....

This is a re post from April 20, 2010, 
with a few amendments.


Have you ever heard the word "tetelestai"? 

A few years ago, Pappy and I went to a Good Friday service at a local church where 7 different pastors spoke on the last 7 phrases that Jesus spoke from the cross.

My favorite message out of the seven was the one about "it is finished". 

The word "tetelestai" (tuh-tell-is-tie) is actually an accounting term.  When someone would borrow money, and the loan was paid off, the paper work would be stamped with this word, meaning that the debt had been paid in full.

A lot of people want to think that when Jesus spoke the words "it is finished" it meant His life was finished, but that wasn't the meaning behind the statement at all.  He was really saying that the debt that I owed had been paid in full......
that His death had paid the penalty for my sins.....
and yours.

1 Timothy 2:5-6  

 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.  He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

Breathing in Grace,




Just a reminder to check out Holy Week for a day-to-day account of Jesus' final week before His death, burial and RESURRECTION!

Passion Week - Healer

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,
Deb

Passion Week - Humility!!

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing, love so amazing
Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin

Isaiah 53:5

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.

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,
Deb

Passion Week - Heaven!!!

This is one of my favorite songs!!!

Aren't you glad for the promise of spending eternity in HEAVEN?!?
Me, too!!!

(this is currently the first song on my PlayList above!!!)

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb

Passion Week - Holy!!!

 

Each day this week, I've based my post on a word that can be used to describe Passion Week that begins with the letter "H".  

My first one was Hosanna and the second one HOPE.....and today is Holy!!!

For several years, I've done a post each day during Passion/Holy Week that represents what Jesus did each day, leading up to his arrest, mock trial, crucifixion, burial....

....and most importantly....

....His resurrection!!! 

Today, I'm going to share the link to each of these posts that make this week one of the most HOLY in the life of a CHRISTian.....

SONday - Palm Sunday

 Monday - Jesus Clears the Temple

Tuesday - A Fig Tree Dies

Wednesday - Betrayal

Thursday - Maundy Thursday - The Lord's Supper

Friday - Jesus Death on the Cross

I also want to include "The Final Seven".

These are the seven statements that Jesus said while hanging on the cross, bleeding and dying and suffering for my sins....and yours!

My hope is that each of you have a wonderful Easter celebrating

what He did for us!!!

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb

Passion Week - Hosanna!!!

 

 Hosanna is a Hebrew phrase from which the Greek "Hosanna" comes from.

It literally means exactly what Jesus came to do.....

....to help, rescue and save.

 Psalm 118:25

Please, Lord, please save us!!!

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,
Deb

{ Holy Week - Good Friday }

Jesus spent Thursday evening sharing a meal with His closest friends and one of His worst earthly enemies, Judas!  He showed them just how much He loved them by becoming the servant and in all humility He gently, tenderly washed their feet. 
But, in less than 24 hours, things certainly took a "turn for the worse"!!


Matthew 26:30  

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.


On their way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus told those who were the closest to Him that on this very night they would dessert Him. Can you imagine the closeness they must have felt during supper, and then to just forget all about that in such a short amount of time?


 Poor Peter!!!
He was always so bold and sometimes just seemed to say the very first thing that popped into his mind. I think a lot of us can relate to some of Peter's shortcomings!  I know I can.  He insisted that he WOULD NOT deny His Savior. His words were "even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" Peter would have to eat those words in just a few short hours!


Matthew 26:36-46
Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn't keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”


If you had a friend confide in you, and tell you something along the lines of "my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death", would you just totally ignore them?  Would you decide that it was much more important that you get a good night's sleep than pray with, and for, your best friend?
 Well, that's exactly what Jesus' disciples did. 
Three times He asked them to watch and pray, even asking Peter, 
"couldn't you watch with me even one hour?" 
How sad to think that I couldn't spare just one hour for my very best friend!


Matthew 26:47-56
And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor, Judas, had given them a rearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. (this would be Peter!!!) “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” 
(See Isaiah 53:5-7)


All the disciples deserted Him and fled, just like He said they would!
 Jesus was arrested and carried away for a "mock" trial. 
What had He done to even warrant an arrest?
 Aren't we "innocent until proven guilty"? 
That certainly didn't apply to Jesus, did it? 
All He did was tell the truth, even to His accusers.....
and He was accused of blasphemy!


As I've studied these scriptures  leading up to the reason we as Christians celebrate Easter, I've experienced a lot of different emotions, almost as if I were right there walking alongside Jesus as He made His way thru the last week of His days on earth. But, I have to ask myself, what would I have done?
Would I have had the nerve to have admitted:


YES.....I DO KNOW HIM!
HE'S MY BEST FRIEND!
I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO TREAT HIM THAT WAY!
HE'S INNOCENT!


Or, would I have been just like His disciples and ran in the opposite direction hoping that nobody had seen me with Jesus.....
hoping that nobody would accuse me of being one of His followers.
Would I have been like Peter and tried to blend in with the crowd, 
yet staying near enough to try to see what was going on?

  Remember that comment Jesus made to Peter that he would deny knowing Him three times before the rooster crowed the next morning?


Matthew 26:75
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
And he went away, weeping bitterly.


It hurts me so deeply to read the accounts of how Jesus was beaten:


Matthew 26:67-68
Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!
Who hit you that time?”


Matthew 27:26
So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.


Isaiah 52:14
But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.


As this longest night in history wore on, here are the accounts of the events that took place:


Judas Hung Himself - Matthew 27:1-10
Jesus Trial Before Pilate - Matthew 27:11-26
The Soldiers Mock Jesus - Matthew 27:27-31
The Crucifixion - Matthew 27:32-44
The Death of Jesus - Matthew 27:45-56
The Burial of Jesus - Matthew 27:57-61

The Guard at the tomb - Matthew 27:62-66


As Christians, I think it's important for each of us to take the time to go back and re-read the story of the cross.....
of how God loved us so much that He sent His One and Only Son to die for our sins. 
We need to read how He was treated. and realize that He did it for us.....
that He took our place.....
that it was each of us who deserved the treatment that He endured!


I wish for each of you the most blessed Easter you've ever known.....
just because you've come to realize the real reason for this celebration.  
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Easter baskets and coloring Easter eggs and all the fun that we put into Easter for the little ones.

But, please, take the time to steal off by yourself sometime during this Easter season and thank Jesus for what He did for you!


John 3:16  

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.


Breathing in Grace,

Holy Week - Maundy Thursday - The Lord's Supper!

This is a re-post from April 1, 2010

Luke 22:14-20  

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

What if you sat down to supper with your family and friends and you knew it would be the last time you would share a meal with them?  What would you say, especially if they didn't know what was fixing to happen to you...that you were facing death?

Would your advice to your family be simply to "love one another"?

Thursday of Holy Week is also called "Maundy Thursday".

The word "maundy" in Latin means "command".

Jesus' commandment to his disciples, those who were the closest to Him in His earthly journey, was for them to love one another.

To show His love for His disciples, do you remember what He did?

John 13:4-5  

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Several years ago, I helped with an Easter program.

I was in charge of getting people to play certain parts and for what music would be played, and/or sung, during specific times during the play. During this time, I truly felt God lay specific people on my heart to ask to play certain parts.  Some of the "it's not odd, it's God" things that happened were that nobody turned me down when asked....and we had the EXACT number of men we needed.....twelve.....to play the part of Jesus' disciples.

I still have pictures taken during practices of that program and I can still remember the faces of so many of the older men who sat at the table during "The Lord's Supper". After they had partaken of their meal, the one playing the part of Jesus came to the front of the stage and took a towel and knelt down over a basin, and one by one each of these men came by and allowed "Jesus" to wash their feet. I tear up just thinking about that scene. There's something about a reenactment of something to make it stick in our minds and have a truer meaning to us. I will never forget how humbling it was to see the one who was portraying Jesus washing the feet of those disciples. To know....this was the KING of KINGS....and He stooped down in humility to wash the dust from the feet of His friends.

In Jesus' time, sandals were worn, and walking was done on dusty, dirty roads. When you arrived at someone's home, a basin of water and a towel was provided for you to wash the dust from your feet. If there were servants in the home, then it was their responsibility to wash the feet of the guest.

Jesus took upon Himself the role of the servant by washing the feet of His disciples. He had just shared a meal with them....then....to show His love for each of them....took the time to wash the dust from their feet and to dry them off.

Do we...would we...will we...be available when called upon?

Or...do we more often than not...try to find excuses as to why we can't do something for someone else? If we do take the time for someone, do we expect something in return? Do we "brag" about what we do for others? I try to put myself in the place of one of those disciples....probably, Peter, since I seem to be able to relate to so many of Peter's weaknesses....and think about how I would feel if Jesus humbled himself before me....to wash my feet....which seems such a menial chore for someone as great as Jesus!!!

Would I be able to allow Him to do it?

How could I keep from shedding tears of gratitude and thankfulness that this amazing man....God Himself....would care enough for me, of all people, to wash my dirty, nasty feet.

But....Jesus took it an entire step further....He not only took water and washed the dust from dirty feet....

He shed His blood to wash away sins.

How can we explain that?

I know you've heard "how can you take red blood and cover black sins to wash them white as snow"?

I can't fully explain it.

I'm just so glad that I know that I know that I know!!!

Blessings to you!!!

In HIS Most Precious Love...and with mine!!!

Holy Week - Wednesday - Betrayal!!!

This is a re-post from April 8, 2009.


Luke 22:1-6
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Have you ever been betrayed by somebody.....
.....specifically by somebody you thought was your friend?
If you haven't, then consider yourself very blessed....
.....because it hurts!!!
It just seems to cut you to the core when you realize that somebody you confided in chose to betray your confidence, and your trust, and your friendship....for what they considered to be their own gain.  If this happens to you in the workplace...maybe the other person is jealous, for whatever reason...maybe they think that it will help them to get ahead, get a promotion, get a pay increase.


Jesus suffered the ultimate betrayal from a "friend"!!
Judas was one of Jesus' chosen twelve....one of his followers.
He was even in charge of their money:

John 12:6  
Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

John 13:29a  
Since Judas was their treasurer.....


And...according to scripture....he was also a thief.
I don't really know what got into Judas...except Satan!!!
This is my personal opinion....GREED got the best of Judas.
He saw those "dollar signs" before his eyes, and realized this was going to be easy money for him, to turn Jesus over to the authorities.
The odd thing to me is that it was so unnecessary.
Jesus could have been easily found without the help of Judas.
It was just all part of the "big picture"....all part of God's plan!!
Do you realize that this happening to Jesus is just one more thing that He suffered while on earth that makes Him able to relate to us when we go thru something similar????

Here is what I'm trying to say....according to scripture:

Hebrews 4:15-16  
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Praise the Precious, Holy Name of JESUS!!!
He understands my weaknesses because he faced all of the same testings that I do....yet....HE DID NOT SIN!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, JESUS!!!
Thank you for what You did for me....for all of us!!!!

In HIS Most Precious Love...and with mine!!!

Holy Week - Tuesday - A Fig Tree Dies!!!

image credit


Matthew 21:17-22  
Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, 
“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”  
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Jesus had spent the night in Bethany after his very busy Monday....chasing the "thieves" from the temple and healing the sick. He got up the next morning and was hungry, so He decided to have a breakfast of figs.  Now...I don't know about you all...but it wouldn't bother me at all to have a breakfast of "Fig Newtons" and a tall glass of milk .  This wasn't quite the same, though.



When Jesus went to the fig tree to eat from it
(and He already knew it would be barren)
there were no figs on it, only leaves.



Don't you think Jesus was trying to teach His disciples a lesson?



I sometimes wonder if I'm not just like that fig tree....all leaves and no fruit....nothing to really show for being a Christian. I say I'm a Christian, and I "talk the talk"....but shouldn't a Christian bear fruit?  Shouldn't I be witnessing to others, sharing my faith with them, letting them know what Christ has done for me and that He will do the same for them?
Jesus said to the fig tree,
"May you never bear fruit again".
What if He said the same thing to me?
What if I'm not given another chance to be a light for Him?



The disciples couldn't understand how the fig tree had withered and died so fast. Jesus told them that if they just had the faith...and just believed...then, they could do the same things. A lot of people take this scripture literally...that if we pray for something, having the faith that God will answer our prayer, that He is going to grant whatever we pray for, even wealth, fame, possessions!!   A lady told me once that she didn't believe this scripture because she had prayed and asked God for a new car, and she didn't get it!!! I'm not sure if I was able to convince her that this isn't what this scripture is actually saying. Yes, I do believe God will grant our needs....and sometimes our wants....and if our need is a car, then I truly believe that if we ask with faith that God will provide....that He will do what we ask. But, do I think that He's going to send a brand, spanking new, automobile???
I'm not saying that He can't...or that He won't...but, in all likelihood, no.



All God wants of us is our love....and to love us back.
Do you realize that is our "purpose" in life?
It took me many, many years to understand that.
I would hear people talk about their calling, or that they had found their purpose, and they would tell about a ministry they had started, or something they were involved in...and I would wonder in my heart and mind...
"What is my purpose"?
"What am I here for"?



My purpose is to love my precious Savior!!!



In loving God, we are going to want to serve Him...to tell others about Him.
I hope I never get to the place that I no longer want to share with others what He's so graciously, lovingly done for me!!!
If I do, then I hope it's because I've gone to my heavenly home!!!



In HIS Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!

Holy Week - Monday!!!

Is it okay to get angry?
I think it is as long as our anger is for the right reasons....
disrespect for our church...taking the Lord's name in vain...seeing someone mistreated, either physically, or verbally.....knowing that someone is being taken advantage of.  In my opinion, these are some examples of what should make us angry!!!


Jesus' anger was because what was supposed to be a house of worship....a place to honor God....had been turned into a market place....a place to "make money".
It was shown no respect.


I'm taken back to a time when I was very young and was at Christmas play practice. The church had ceiling fans and some of the boys turned the fans on and were throwing hymnals into the fan trying to get them to land on top of the blades, to be slung off into the pews.   I remember thinking how terrible it was that this was being done in church....even at my young age I knew that those boys were not showing the respect that our precious church deserved. 
Isn't this how each of us should feel about our church?
This was how Jesus felt about His Father's house!!!

On this the second day of "Holy Week", Jesus chased the money changers from the temple, overturning the tables they had set up. Then, He took the time to heal those who came to the temple with physical problems.

But....all along....He was being plotted against!!!


Matthew 21:12-16
Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’

In HIS Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!

Holy Week - Palm SONday!!!

In 2009, I did a post each day of Holy Week, the week leading up to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus, our precious Lord and Savior and Redeemer. 

I want to do a re-post of those each day this week. If you want to look ahead, you can click on the page at the top of my site called "Holy Week" and there you'll find each post.

This is the first day of "Holy Week".
That's what I'll be sharing with you each day this week...
what Jesus did each day of the week leading up to his death and resurrection.   I just cannot even begin to imagine what was running thru Jesus' mind because He knew what was fixing to happen to Him.  He knew that this day would come.
He knew that He was born to die....for our sins!!!

Luke 19:29-38 (NLT)
As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’
just say, ‘The Lord needs it." So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?" And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!!!
Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”


So...since this is "Palm Sunday",
I chose the song "Palms of Victory".
This song brings back such sweet memories to me.
I used to sing in the choir....many years ago, when I was young....and this was always one of my favorite songs for us to sing!!!

Hope you enjoy this song as much as I do!!!

(don't forget to turn off my PlayList above before listening)


In HIS Most Precious Love...and with mine!!!

Holy Week

For the last two years, I've shared with y'all the events of what is known as "Holy Week"....the week leading up to the death, burial...and most importantly the RESURRECTION of our precious, Jesus. I want to share it once again this year, but in a bit different format. I'm adding a page at the top of my blog titled,

"Holy Week". 

That way, you can click on it each day to see what major event happened that particular day in the life of Jesus and His disciples. Or...you might want to save this post in your favorites and just click on the link below:

Holy Week

My prayer is that each of you have a week full of blessings leading up to the most important thing in the life of a Christian....the fact that HE LIVES!!!

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!