Day 20- Fighting For Me

Well day 20 and it's Easter Eve and I love the thought that Jesus was in Hell at this moment fighting for me. I mean He took my place down there and was my sacrifice once and for all. I will tell people that Jesus will not forgive you today for your sins and He won't forgive you tomorrow either. The reason He won't forgive you is because He already has forgiven you. The deed is done and accomplished. I heard a preacher say once that Christianity isn't a religion of doing, it's a religion of DONE. We don't have to wonder about the blessings that Christ is going to give us, He already has given them to us but we just have to be willing to receive them. It tells us that Jesus went down and preached to lost souls within the three days He was down there. Can you imagine that sermon? I would definitely like a copy of that, I would pay good money for something like that. It is thought to be the souls that went to Hell in between the 400 years that God was silent or the time from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Could you imagine what Jesus said to them "I'm your only and absolutely last chance!" I don't know if that is it exactly but I would assume it went something like that. It must have been quite a sight to behold. I know though that He was down there and I would imagine fighting the damned. What a battle that must have been, I mean I would imagine Satan's army of darkness was ready to receive Him down there and was probably throwing everything they had at Him. However we know that He came forth triumphant! He overcame Hell's best in only 3 days! Wow what a Jesus! I mean everything that the devil had he threw it at Jesus and it might have made it difficult on Jesus it was not enough to keep Him down there forever or even more than 3 days. I am so thankful that He was fighting for me, and that I do not have to endure that fight or go through that pain. That I have a savior who fought for me! Thank you Jesus for taking upon those wounds, not only physical but spiritual, for me. Me who is a sinner that is only saved by your grace and have you living inside of me sourcing and controlling. Take that fighting passion you had and source that through me in every area of my life and let me be the passion people need in an impassioned world!

Day 19- Messenger

I am studying the book of Mark and I'm studying what it means to be a messenger of God. How will people know that I'm a messenger? What traits will I carry, how will I act and what will be my thought patterns? As I began to think on this the word Shalach means an extension of, like a branch. So immediately I began to think of John 15 The Vine and the Branches parable. It tells us that if we don't bear fruit IN HIM that we will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Ok so what are His fruits. So I went to Galatians 5 and found the fruits of the SPIRIT. Ok here we go, others will know that I'm his messenger if I am living in His presence and producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness goodness, gentleness, and self control. But if I don't have these things it tells me in verse 19 that I will have the fruits of the sinful nature and that it will be OBVIOUS that I have those. I began to think on something we could look at a person and it would be obvious that they had made a choice to do something. So I thought of working out. It's obvious when somebody is working out and when they are not. We can see it in their attitude, energy level, body definition, range of movement, and endurance. So if I have the fruits of the Spirit it will be as obvious as whether or not I work out. How simple it is but such a powerful truth that really hit home. (not only on the fruits, but also the working out).

Day 18- Witness

I'm studying in the book of Mark and finding that in the beginning of the book that Mark tells us that there were three witnesses of the Servant's Identity (Jesus). Mark 1:1-11
The first one is himself, that he witnessed the events that he's writing about. He was there when Jesus was doing the miracles and preaching.
The Second is the prophets. In verse 2 and verse 3 he quotes Old Testament, specifically Malachai 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. He is giving the validity of what he is saying by quoting Isaiah, it was considered to be a source that was respected. If somebody quoted Isaiah then they obviously knew what they were talking about back then.
Third was John the Baptist. He was the one who actually baptized Jesus. He was an extension of God because he was sent by God himself so the authority he had came from the Father. He was also the forerunner of Christ, going before and preparing those who came to him for Jesus and when His ministry would begin. He also called them to repentance, to give up their former thought and embrace a second thought.
I am so thankful that I too am a witness to the Servant's Identity, and that He went before and was a servant, and is a servant by letting me serve Him. I am so thankful that He not only told us how to live, but showed us as well.