Carmen E. Richards

Today I saw the film: Eat, Pray, Love — and I suppose the intended message was that life is just that simple; We eat, we pray and we love and then we are happy, peaceful, and transformed.

I suppose everyone will have an opinion about the movie, her journey and the writing. So here are my two cents:

To me it was tragic to see people struggling to fill the void in their lives with all the wrong things when Jesus has and is the TRUTH and made it so easy for us to accept Him.

The message of Christ is unconditional love, peace that surpasses understanding, transformation by the renewing of our mind in His word and not by being conformed to the wisdom or thinking of this world.

It was very sad to see people, who were obviously searching, looking in all the wrong places for fulfillment and forgiveness. To see them chanting and worshiping another human was disturbing. The Bible says even angelic beings instruct men to worship God alone. Human beings, apart from God’s wisdom, have the wrong answers to life’s greatest questions and flawed enlightenment, especially when it is sought apart from the Divine Creator. The answers humanity seeks are all found in God’s word–the Holy Bible; and the fill for the emptiness humans feel is found in relationship with the Almighty God – Creator of Heaven and Earth and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus claimed to be God. He did not claim to be a good teacher, or a prophet or Satan’s brother or another Angel. He did not claim to be a mere carpenter’s son. Jesus claimed God Almighty was His Father and said, “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30)  He also said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25) If we are looking for God, we need look no further than Jesus Christ and the revelation of Him in God’s word – the Holy Bible.

Are we looking for enlightenment? Consider these words of Jesus, “I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12:46-47 Read the entire passage verses 44-50).

The apostle John wrote, “This is the message, which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all…if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin…if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:5,7,9)

John 3:16 is probably the best known Bible verse in the world. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

How well do we know John 3:17 – the follow up verse Jesus spoke: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through HIM might be saved.”

It is through HIM (Jesus Christ, the only SON of God—God made flesh so that we could know Him) that humanity is saved; humanity is enlightened, forgiven, loved, and destined for eternity with God.

There are many hurting, sad and lonely people in the world and it seems more and more they are ignoring the obvious truth of God and His loving plan for them. They are embracing man’s wisdom, which is flawed and leads to falsehood; they seek temporal quiet, which is not true peace and experience egocentric quests, which demand self-generated efforts, leading to self-centered conclusions, which do not satisfy the void we feel in our souls.

When someone mentions the art of the film, true it may be colorful and beautiful. When someone mentions the courage of the writer to remove herself from her comfort zone, it may be true she was brave. But, when someone mentions the transformation or truth of the film—you can let them know there was none.

She began her journey as a woman defined by the men in her life and ended that way. She did not find lasting peace, forgiveness or unconditional love, because she did not find Jesus.

The best part of the story happens in Italy when the elderly lady renting her lodgings makes a statement about family being the only thing that lasts in life and when her friends teach her the phrase (excuse the spelling) “dolce far niente” meaning the joy of doing nothing. That was good; that was about as close as she came to understanding the grace of God.

We can have joy in knowing we have done nothing to merit our salvation—we have been adopted, brought into the family of God through Jesus Christ—and this family and the love and acceptance we receive in Him, will last forever.

There was one thing we did do after seeing the movie–we ate Italian! “Fantastico!”

19 August 2010

The blitzkrieg that was unloading the Budget truck landed the contents in the middle of Katie’s living room floor. This was followed by redeployment of various furniture pieces throughout the household until the barracks were in apple-pie order. All that remained was a dinner run to Tacos Tijuana—with a reputation for having the best fajitas in the known world and my favorite, carne asada tacos. Absolutely the best!

After a good nights’ rest, as we shopped for sheets, coffee grinders, mixing bowls, end tables, hangers, curtain rods and groceries, I battled with being part Marine Drill Sergeant and Mommy Knows Best.

The Drill Sergeant barks out orders for the Privates, not allowing them to think for themselves. The Mommy sees the value of letting these young adults make their own choices, offering help without making decisions or taking control. Being the Drill Sergeant is so much easier and faster; yielding a higher, instantaneous productivity rating. However, the Mommy version allows for personal ownership, creativity and character growth. So, most of the time, I reminded myself to be the Mom—supportive, caring, helpful and only giving my opinion when it was asked for—oh and of course, paying the bill.

I don’t pay the bill all the time or I would have a new identity to deal with…

Department of AFDC—Aid for Dependent Children

A Bit of AFDC History: http://www.welfareinfo.org/history/

17 August 2010

“I don’t know why you need to write about your experiences?” he said after I read him yesterday’s post while traversing the California desert.

“At least we have air conditioning in the Budget truck,” I said deflecting the ridiculous comment. “Hey, there goes another one…”

Have you ever had that experience when there’s a car you just purchased or are thinking of purchasing, and all of a sudden, you see that particular car everywhere you go? It’s been happening to me with the Toyota, FJ Cruiser—in case you need any last minute gift ideas for my birthday coming up in November. Anyway, the same happened to me with rental trucks.

I was excited about the Budget truck because I rented it for $300 less than the most common brand, U know which one I mean, and $200 less than another brand D wanted me to try. So, on the 17-hour ride yesterday, and again this morning, as a couple of trucks bearing the big U and publicizing $19.95 a day rentals passed us on the highway, I kicked back in my Budget truck, which has the same size cab, engine, gas mileage and has air-conditioning, and smiled. Let them have their five minutes of glory as they pass me on this road, in the long run, on the one-way pricing rental race, I come up the winner.

Ok, Ok, one minor detail….about the truck.

Yesterday, in the middle of a 70 mph relay from Redding to Williams, CA, we hear this rickety, rackity, clickity, whackity, racket, as if we had just run over some futuristic metal bodied alien. We crane our necks checking mirrors for the culprit; listening to make sure he wasn’t walking the roof or pulling himself along below searching for a way into the cab. I smiled at the trucker of the huge diesel beside me in the right lane, Dewayne waved at the pot smokers, passing a pipe back and forth in the champagne colored, Dodge Neon as we merged right in front of the truck and they passed us on the left going way faster than the speed limit. None of them seemed alarmed so, of course, instead of pulling over to check it—and lose time, we kept going. (I also called CHP—I hoped Erik Estrada would come along and bust their A’s for drugging and driving—I felt kind of bad though, so I prayed for them too) Anyway, while stopped in lovely Williams, CA—NOT—I noticed the front turning lights of the Budget truck were dangling from their socket, hanging on by thin wires. Obviously, the culprit.

Taylor didn’t have air conditioning, but he did have DUCT TAPE. You know the book about 1000 things you can do with duct tape. Well, we just raised that number to 1001—repair rental trucks with plastic parts made in China. I think duct tape should be included in all vehicle rental kits in the 21^st century.

Ok, Ok, one more road story…two more – just happened hot off the asphalt.

Today we are doing the Santa Nella to Temecula run. D has just commented on how miserable it must be to be a truck driver, “brutal and dangerous man.” I look up from my possibly pointless tapping on the keys to acknowledge his comment. Then I get him a cold Diet Pepsi from the cooler and am ready to return to the meaningless endeavor of writing about my experiences when the white, two-payload-diesel, ten feet in front of us on the right, drifts farther right onto the shoulder and then quickly corrects back into the center of the lane.

“What is this truck doing?” I say and continue watching him repeat the exercise a few seconds later.

“I don’t know,” D says, “but, I’m not sticking around long enough to find out.” He presses the Budget for a little more. As we go by, we both see the driver’s head spring back from his chest like an Ichiro bobblehead celebrating a win at Safeco Field.

“Did you see that?” I said.

“Yeah…now who are you gonna call?”

I thought about it for a minute. Would it do any good?

Yesterday, after I called 911 and they transferred me to CA HWY Patrol, in a few minutes, we saw TWO black and whites go by in the NORTHbound lanes. I repeatedly told the operator we were in a Budget Truck southbound and that the driven-by-pot-smokers Neon was in front of us.

“Yes, maam, you’ve told me three times you are in a Budget truck…but what exit are you near?” She was dissing my truck I think.

“I don’t know what exit because there’s no exit near us.” Girl, get off with your bad self—snap, snap, snap. My thumbs hurt from my arthritis whenever I snap. That pretty much took care of the conversation however.

Later, at the hotel, I related the story to Taylor. “Did you see any CA State Patrols pass you back there? (Tayz was behind us after the Shasta Lake dip)

“I only saw one. He had someone pulled over on an exit ramp—I think it was a Dodge Neon.”

Random Dumb and Dumber quote applies: “It’s true what they say, though slow, and dangerous behind the wheel, senior citizens (or CHPs) can still serve a purpose.” Maybe I should have called-in the diesel after all—the driver could have used a few hours in the pokey for taking a serious nap.

16 August 2010

My husband was up at 4:00 a.m. making sandwiches and noise as he filled a beach cooler with ice and drinks. The rest of us followed prepping, just not quite at his pace. He had the rental truck loaded and gassed before I brushed my teeth. All that remained was a rendezvous with K at 6:30 a.m.

“Is it 5:30 yet?” I said.

“Its past time to leave actually,” he said postured like Mr. Clean.

He didn’t understand I built in a 15 minute buffer ensuring we would arrive on time at our destination 45 minutes away. When I snickered and continued wiping kitchen counters he retired to the darkness of the bedroom nursing obvious frustration. I suppose after 29 years of obeying clocks to the minute, any variance was an aberration. I had dishes to finish loading in the dishwasher and counters to wipe. I started the first load of laundry and had the next ready to go. Being a woman, I hate leaving or coming home to a messy house—I don’t think he got that gene—just like I didn’t get the 4:00 in the morning instant rise and shine, robot mechanism.

We arrived on time at the rendezvous; loaded K’s stuff, had a sweet goodbye with Mom and Bro and a tasty treat from Krispie Kreme and then driving. Next chapter….

Driving for a long time….

A swim in the Rogue River in Oregon, a Dip in Shasta Lake and a long haul to Santa Nella in scorching temps with no air conditioning for Taylor’s truck, we arrive in the middle of the Kettlemen Hills desert, the home of Anderson’s Pea Soup, the gateway to the grapevine and just six hours from our destination. After a 20 hour day, you think the man would just sleep in, but no….more to come

Luke 1:1-4

…that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed

In these days, is there anything of which one may be certain?

The stock market is a rollercoaster—summits one day and plummets the next. Oil prices unexpectedly rise, the global economy reacts and investors run for the phones to sell, adding to the panic. Trusted officials lose their good name with one wrong decision, a clean record is halted with one violation, and a winning streak comes to an end with one unanticipated loss. Daily, our security waivers based on things like the declining housing market, so that even the immortal words of Gerald O’Hara to his daughter are diminished—

“Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O’Hara, that Tara; that land doesn’t mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin’ for, worth fightin’ for, worth dyin’ for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.”

Perhaps, Mr. O’Hara was correct, land does last, but its value certainly falters. In our county alone, housing prices dropped 30%, just before we sold our house of course. But, at least we are not in California, where the drop in housing translates into much bigger dollars and harder falls.

Perhaps you might say “We can be certain we are loved.” For some families, individuals and groups this may be true. However, rising domestic violence, people trafficking and violence against children—not to mention increasing tension amongst nations—does not support the global we are loved comment.

Perhaps you might say, “We are certain of science.” With the next gene NDM-1—reported on world news—which transform infectious bugs into super-bugs and for which we have no workable antibiotics; it is safe to say, science is about experiments and not about certainty.

In the founding days of America, Benjamin Franklin said, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

Long before BenjF lived to make his astute observation, the Greek physician, LUKE wrote to Theophillus, “…that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” Those things had to do with the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Luke wrote a detailed and orderly Gospel account for Theophillus to be certain.

Luke was a Greek, he wrote to the Greeks, and was a master of his own language. He was companion to Paul the Apostle. He was a physician, which made him a man studied and skilled in conducting research and documenting details. Luke also wrote prescriptions and recommended cures for what ailed you. In this verse Luke is saying to Theophillus, [which means Lover of God] this is the prescription you need to be certain of what you believe. Luke presents the Lover of God with a detailed history of the life and words of Jesus.

This Gospel is for you—Lover of God—to be encouraged in the certainty of what you have learned and believed. This is especially true and important in these days when nothing else seems sure—except death and taxes.

If you are a Lover of God, or want to become one, read Luke’s Gospel to be encouraged and find certainty in uncertain times.

• Gone with the Wind movie quote: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/movies/gone-with-wind.htm
• To read more about our distressing times—simply Google a topic above, like I did, and find global results—or, just review the sites I picked as stand-outs, and remember to pray for our world.
• http://www.womensenews.org/story/prostitution-and-trafficking/100615/sex-traffic-rises-along-scramble-solutions
• http://www.unicef.ca/portal/SmartDefault.aspx?at=1388 (On this site, note the fourth paragraph for report summary, conclusion and solutions—those “other institutions” referred to as “the strongest protective factors” which include “strong, stable families and schools,” could well include and indicate your local church community and youth group.)
• http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/03/rising_economic_stress_cited_in_domestic_violence_increase/
• http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/08/does-ndm-1-herald-the-end-of-t.html

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:6-7 (NKJ)

Mostly, I began dating my husband because of this verse. There were plenty of Christian guys in my circle of friends who were good looking and kind (Proverbs 19:22). However, my husband, Dewayne stood out as a man of action—especially when I learned he had gone to the mountains to pray about asking me out on a date. Other guys teased and flirted, but this man prayed before even asking me out. It was impressive, and one morning as I prayed for direction, then went to my Bible, as has been my custom for many years, I read Proverbs and this verse spoke directly to my thoughts about whether I should go on an official date with him or not. We had been neighbors and friends for a couple of years, so this development really caught me by surprise. Obviously, I did go out with him, and he pretty much sealed the deal when, on our first official date, he took me to Disneyland.

Whenever, I read Proverbs 20:6-7, I think of my husband with thanksgiving. Over our 32 years of marriage, he has been faithful and truly our children have been blessed by this. In addition, I think of my boys, my girl and others in our lives, which I pray will find and maintain the determination of Daniel and of Job to have lives marked by integrity.

Our former pastor, Jon Courson (www.joncourson.com) is a man of integrity we both love and admire very much. Thomas Nelson Publishers (www.thomasnelson.com) has published Jon Courson’s Application Commentary—Old Testament Volume One and Two, and New Testament. Dewayne and I both highly recommend these books for insightful thoughts on the Bible. Included in Jon’s commentaries are short topical studies on various verses. In the “OT Volume Two” Jon provides a topical study on Proverbs 20:7. I have included the entire text here because INTEGRITY is a topic we deal more and more with in these latter days when temptation leading to all manner of sin is available at our fingertips through the internet and more. I encourage you and hope you will take a few minutes to read it—then share it.

Be encouraged, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might—when INTEGRITY becomes a dominant mark in our character, we will be blessed, we will make a good name for ourselves (Pro 22:1) we will accomplish the things we desire, we will become even more attractive to others, and our children will be blessed as well.

INTEGRITY

(by Jon Courson)

A Topical Study of

Proverbs 20:7

What does “integrity” mean? Webster defines it this way: “An unimpaired condition or soundness, adherence to a code of moral values, and the quality or state of being complete and undivided. See also honesty.” What does integrity mean? Soundness, completeness, honesty.

Why should we as believers, be concerned about walking in integrity? Following are four reasons why integrity is beneficial.

Integrity Benefits Our Families

According to our text, if we want our children to do well in life, we need to be those who walk in integrity. If you want your kids to grow up blessed, prosperous, and happy, you need to walk in integrity, Mom. According to God’s Word, Dad, what you do directly affects your children. Therefore, if you’re lacking integrity, your kids will miss a certain blessing.

Integrity Provides Direction Personally

“I don’t have direction for my life,” we sometimes say. One of the reasons could be a lack of integrity. When you ask the Lord for direction, are you asking with integrity, or are you asking out of curiosity? Sometimes, I catch myself praying out of curiosity—not saying, “Lord, whatever You say, I’ll do,” but rather, “Lord, give me Your opinion on this matter, and I’ll decide whether I’ll follow it or not.”

Approach the Lord with integrity, saying, “Whatever You say, Lord, I’ll do,” and I promise He’ll give counsel and guidance to you. He’ll open and close doors. He’ll bring the counsel of wise brothers and sisters. He’ll open Scripture to you if you seek Him with integrity.

Integrity Protects from Iniquity

Sin stinks. It destroys. It erodes. It ruins life. It robs joy. So how can we be protected from it? One of the ways is through integrity.

Rather than tell Abimelech that Sarah was his wife, Abraham told him she was his sister. But because of Abimelech’s integrity, God kept him from sinning with Sarah (Genesis 20:5-6). Integrity protects us from temptations that bombard us, from the carnal intentions that otherwise would so easily ensnare us.

Integrity Produces Mental Stability

James tells us that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (1:8). That is, if you’re not determined to walk in a certain direction, if you’re not sure where you stand on issues of life, if your standards vary depending on who you’re with or where you’re at, you’ll be like a wave tossed to and fro. Life will be nothing but confusing to you. On the other hand, if you have a solid standard, a sure foundation upon which to build your life, you will have mental stability.

The decision is yours and mine. Are we going to be a people who walk in integrity? God desires it. And we benefit from it.

How do we walk in integrity? Turn to Job 2…

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. Job 2:1-3 (KJV)

Satan came to God and said, “If you let me deal with Job, he’ll curse you. He’ll turn his back on You. Take away his blessings, his riches, his family, and see what happens to his integrity.” As the Lord allowed, Satan had a field day with Job. Yet even when his family was killed, his crops were wiped out, his house burned down, Job never lost his integrity.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. Job 2:4-9

When excruciating pain was added to Job’s loss, his wife said, “Forget your integrity. Curse God and die.” Did he? Turn to Job 27

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. Job 27:2-5

“I don’t care what happens,” Job says. “I will not walk away from integrity. I’m committed to this course. I adhere to these values. I will keep these standards no matter what. My wife can come down on me. My body can fall apart. My possessions and family can be taken from me. But I will not give up my integrity.”

What kind of man would be able to say this? Job 31 gives us insight…

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity. Job 31:1-6

At a certain point in Job’s life, he made a covenant, a promise, a contract, an agreement. He said, “I am making a legal contract in my heart with myself that I will not do certain things no matter what. It’s not open to debate. It’s not a question for consideration. I will not do certain things. Period.”

This is the key, the crux, the dynamic of integrity. When you decide, God will provide. He will meet you in that place of decision and provide the strength to maintain your integrity in that area.

I doubt if any of us has a problem with heroin. Therefore, if someone offered it to you, it wouldn’t be an issue for you. But what about ice cream? I can say I shouldn’t have ice cream. I don’t need it. I admit it’s not good for me. But am I determined not to have it? Did I make a covenant not to have it? No. Therefore, I am lacking integrity—undivided, complete honesty—concerning it.

Ice cream is humorous, but stretching the truth, gossiping, immorality, substance abuse, unethical business practices, cheating on taxes are not. Once, we like Job, decide to walk in integrity, God will meet us there and provide the strength to keep our commitment. He did it for Job. He did it for Abimelech. He’ll do it for you.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament Volume Two: Psalms—Malachi

Copyright © 2006 Jon Courson

Obtain copies of this and other Jon Courson resources at www.joncourson.com

San Diego / 10:30 p.m.

The lights are dim, the night is quiet; an orange glow from the streetlamp shines onto my wall competing with the small blaze from the fireplace. I am alone for the first time in many nights and I embrace the calm, ingesting the silence. The absence of man-made sound, except for the tick tacking of my fingers on this keyboard, momentarily surprises my consciousness. That is as long as it lasts, for a moment and then the air-conditioning unit rumbles on filling the apartment with a loud hum and a cool breeze—rattling the blinds so that I think at first, it is another earthquake. After a minute it clicks off and again there is the absence—when there is no traffic whizzing by and all I hear are the flames moving in the fireplace and my fingers moving on the keys—it is so still the night. How is it we have become so accustomed, so comfortable with noise in our time? One-hundred years ago, people sat around at night listening to the crickets and frogs—there was no rush of air from a tinny motorcycle or roaring sports car. Did Mr. Ford know he would revolutionize not only our mode of transportation, but our hearing as well?

It was another sunny day in San Diego, and I got a lot of things done. What did I do today? That’s the question I hear all the time. When I worked full time, I measured the productivity in meetings, emails, calls, letters and perhaps progress on projects. These days I measure in words, chapters, chores, and pool and sun time. Today was a quiet day where I read scripture, exercised, ate breakfast, wrote a poem, did some chores in and out of the apartment, made lunch for my sister, then brought it to her office and ate with her, went to the bank, then absorbed some sunshine while reading a book on writing. It was a good day.

Today I thought about being thankful to God for everything – every minute of my day so that I could enjoy it and it worked. I enjoyed my day and night because I purposed to be thankful every minute. I’ve never believed this possible before because I’ve never consciously thought about taking every minute to thank God – specifically for that minute – the breathing in and out, the living and doing whatever it is I am doing. Also, for the ones I love. It’s a good exercise; try it and let me know how it goes.

Read my new poem under POETRY - In Admiration of John Keats — sorry about the formatting — I can’t understand why wordpress changes my formatting on the poetry all the time — if you know how to fix let me know.

Proverbs 21:30 “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD”

Do you need guidance, direction, advice, understanding, insight, knowledge, sensible judgment or just a good dose of common sense for decision making?

“There is no wisdom, or understanding or counsel against the LORD”

(Proverbs 21:30 NKJ)

Nothing tops God’s advice found in His divinely inspired word. Read the Bible, Ask God for HIS wisdom; He will give it. James 1:5 / 3:13-18

I like to read at the beach. I took these shots on an early morning in Seabeck, WA–one  of my favorite beaches on earth.

Where do you like to read your Bible?

(Hebrews 7:24-27)

But HE, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

Therefore He is also able to save tot he uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people’s, for this HE did once for all when He offered up Himself.

(Hebrews 9:11-15)

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, santifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

(Hebrews 9:24-28)

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another–

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

(From Carmen)

When I was a young child, I thought Jesus died every year on Good Friday; and that the devil had free reign over earth during this time until Sunday came and Jesus rose from the dead again.

Now, I understand that when He died, He died once for all; and HE LIVES Forever.

Happy Resurrection Day – Jesus Lives–our Savior and High Priest–Him alone we worship and adore!

Happy News…I’m going to be a grandpa!

Katie tells her dad the news!