THE GREAT KNOW-IT-ALL

We are pretty excited! Two of my daughters and my daughter-in-law are
all pregnant with my grandbabies. This week, my youngest daughter, Julie
and her husband Garrett, along with my wife Jan, were able to see the
baby growing inside of Julie’s womb. We have a little girl — Emma
Grace. Right now she weighs around 1.5 lbs — but the picture shows a
developing baby be formed! It is very, very exciting.

As I looked at the pictures from the scan, I couldn’t help remember the
words that David penned in Psalm 139 from THE MESSAGE:

“God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book
to you; even from a distance, YOU KNOW what I’m thinking.
YOU KNOW when I leave and get back; I’m never out of your sight.
YOU KNOW EVERYTHING I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.
I look behind and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too —
your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too
wonderful — I can’t take it all in!

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your
sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me
in a minute — you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, ‘Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I am
immersed in the light!’
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and
light, they’re all the same to you.

Oh yes, YOU shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my
mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God — you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am
marvelously made!
I worship in adoration! What a creation!
YOU KNOW ME INSIDE AND OUT! YOU KNOW EVERY BONE IN MY BODY.
YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW I WAS MADE — BIT BY BIT, how I was sculpted from
nothing into SOMETHING!
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the
stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day!

Your thought — how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend
them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them — any more than I could count the
sand of the sea.”

Lord, thank You that you are the ALL-KNOWING God! Thank You that you are
shaping and forming my three grandbabies! Thank You, that You are also
conforming and transforming the hearts of my Freedom Fighter brothers
and sisters! What an awesome God!

Colony Grads: Visit the alumni “WALL OF FAME” Many new pictures have
been posted. http://www.americaskeswick.org/addiction/alumni.shtml

STAND FIRM PART #3

There are so many more lessons to learn from this passage that we have
camped out on the past several days, but here are several more thoughts.
Remember what the Israelites are facing. They have just been set free to
leave Egypt — 3 million of them! Pharaoh changes his mind and sends his
army after them — several thousand men with 600 chariots. As the
children of Israel turn back to look, they see this huge army advancing
in on them. Ahead of them is the Red Sea — bottom line — they were up
against an impossible wall — there was only one way out — to cross the
Red Sea!

Put yourself in THEIR place — if they did nothing — they were doomed.
If they moved forward — well what idiot is going to attempt to walk
across a sea that was fairly deep. Is Moses crazy? I missed giving you
the little phrase that came before our verse, “Stand firm and see the
salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today!” — It is
the phrase “DO NOT FEAR!”

Charles Swindoll writes profoundly about this event in his new
devotional, GREAT DAYS WITH THE GREAT LIVES — Daily Insight from Great
Lives of the Bible (published by Word): “Humanly speaking, predicaments
are terrible experiences. If you stay in one long enough, you will begin
to question the very roots of your faith. By and by you’ll begin to look
for someone to blame; usually it’ll be somebody in leadership. That’s
why I am so impressed with Moses’ response. He didn’t say, as most are
prone to say, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ People think that
familiar saying comes from the Bible. It doesn’t. It comes from the pit.
No, God helps the HELPLESS.

Note Moses’ more biblical response: ‘Do not fear!’ What strange counsel.
Can’t you hear his fellow Israelites? ‘Hey, Moses, the Egyptians are
around the corner. They’ve got chariots and bows and arrows and pointy
spears. And you’re saying, ‘Don’t fear?’ What’s the matter with you,
man? Do you need a change in your eyeglass prescription? Can’t you see
they are coming? Moses replied: ‘But I am still saying to you, ‘Don’t
fear!’

But Moses isn’t done. After telling them not to be afraid, he has a
second piece of counsel for his followers: ‘Stand still.’ And a third:
‘Watch.’ And a fourth: ‘The LORD will fight for you while you keep
silent.’

Now there’s a prescription for people in an inescapable predicament!
Don’t be afraid, stand still, watch God come through, quit talking! The
hardest for us if the fourth, because we just HAVE to complain or tell
somebody what a predicament we’re in. But God doesn’t need to be
informed. He KNOWS the predicament. He is simply waiting for us to calm
down and keep silent.

When you are in a cul-de-sac, led by God to that tight place, it is
there you will discover some phenomenal surprises designed JUST FOR YOU.
That’s why Moses said, ‘Look, let’s stand still! There’s a great
blessing here for us that we’ll miss if we turn tail and run!’

You know the common response to panic? First, we become afraid. Second,
we run! Third, we fight! Fourth, we tell everybody.

God’s counsel is just the opposite. Don’t be afraid. Stand still. Watch
him work. Keep quiet. It’s then that He does His best work on our
behalf. HE takes over! He then handles our predicament opposite the way
we’d do it. The Lord is tapping His foot, waiting for us to wait.”

I don’t know about you — but the Lord has certainly been teaching me
this powerful truth this week. God bless you.

GOD’S AMAZING PROMISES

Yesterday we experienced one of those “God Sightings” — It was one of those moments where I had to simply stand there and say, “WOW.” I write Freedom Fighters each day out from my daily journey with the Lord. I tried doing them ahead of time, but for me, it didn’t work.

Diane Hunt, our Director of Women’s Ministries and Family Counseling does a Monday – Friday email for women — Victory Call — and does hers in advance (she’s more organized than me!). So here VC for yesterday was written way before mine . . . Here is what she had written for yesterday’s email:

“Exodus 14:13-14, “And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Lynne’s devotional yesterday on Jehovah Nissi -the Lord of our battles reminded me of this verse in Exodus. Can you just imagine the scene? Moses leading a mass of people who, in great fear, realize they are trapped between the Red sea and their approaching enemy. “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.” Exodus 14:10

The Israelites had limited options. There is no way they could defeat the Egyptians in their own strength. Their only hope was if Someone came to their rescue. That someone was their God. “So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” Exodus 14:30-31

Do you have a battle that you simply cannot fight, let alone win? Cry out to Jehovah Nissi and “Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.”

Sound familiar? If you didn’t read your Freedom Fighter for yesterday, this was the exact same text that I used in my email. Maybe it won’t do for you what it did for me, but it was as if God was saying, “How many two-by-fours do I need to use to get your attention?”

Over the years we have faced financial struggles at America’s KESWICK. And we have an amazing record of God’s faithfulness. Right now we have one of those crisis times where we are waiting on God for HIS amazing supply and provision. This past weekend we were closed and that means we have a loss of revenue of about $28,000. This is a payroll week so we are a bit tight on our finances.

The good news is that these are the times when we have no place to turn but to God — that He shows up and says “Watch what I can do! All you need to do is trust and obey!” This morning as I was reading the Word through the ONE YEAR BIBLE, the passage was from Joshua 21. Joshua is assigning the land to the tribes and after his task is complete we read this commentary:

“So the Lord gave Israel all the land which HE had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the Lord gave them REST on EVERY SIDE, according to ALL that He had sworn to their fathers, and NO ONE of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. NOT ONE OF THE GOOD PROMISES WHICH THE LORD HAD MADE TO HOUSE OF ISRAEL FAILED; ALL CAME TO PASS.” (Joshua 21:43-45)

Are you facing a Red Sea experience? STAND FIRM! CLAIM THE PROMISES OF GOD! HE WILL NOT FAIL! Trust Him today and obey. “STAND STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, which HE will accomplish for you TODAY!” I look forward to sharing with you how God WILL provide for our need. A number of you wrote to me to how God is working in your lives. Your notes are a great encouragement to me and the staff.

God bless you.

STAND FIRM

I absolutely love the way that God speaks to my heart in my quiet time
with Him. He knows EXACTLY what I need . . . I trust that this
devotional from STREAMS IN THE DESERT will encourage you today.

“Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you
today.” (Exodus 14:13)

“This verse contains God’s command to me as a believer for those times
when I am confronted with dire circumstances and extraordinary
difficulties. What am I to do when I cannot retreat or go forward and my
way is blocked to the right and to the left?

The Master’s word to me is, ‘Stand firm.’ And the best thing I can do at
these times is to listen only to my Master’s word, for others will come
to me with their suggestions and evil advice.

DESPAIR will come, whispering, ‘Give up — lie down and die.’ But even
in the worst of times, God would have me be cheerful and courageous,
rejoicing in His love and faithfulness.

COWARDICE will come and say, ‘You must retreat to the world’s way of
acting. It is too difficult to continue living the part of a Christian.
Abandon your principles.’ Yet not matter how much Satan may pressure me
to follow his course, I cannot, for I am a child of God. The Lord’s
divine decree has commanded me to go from ‘strength to strength’ (Psalm
84:7). Therefore I will, and neither death nor hell can turn me from my
course. And if for a season He call me to ‘stand firm,’ I will
acknowledge it as a time to renew my strength for greater strides in the
future.

IMPATIENCE will come, crying, ‘Get up and do something! To ‘stand firm’
and wait is sheer idleness.’ Why is it I think I MUST be doing something
right now instead of looking to the Lord? He will not only do SOMETHING
— He will do EVERYTHING!

ARROGANCE will come, boasting, ‘If the sea is blocking your way, march
right into it and expect a miracle.’ Yet true faith never listens to
arrogance, impatience, cowardice, or despair but only hears God saying,
‘Stand firm!’ And then it stands as immovable as a rock.

STAND FIRM. I must maintain the posture of one who stands ready for
action, expecting further orders, and cheerfully and patiently awaiting
the Director’s voice. It will not be long until God will say to me, as
distinctly as He told Moses to tell the children of Israel, ‘MOVE ON!’

In times of uncertainty — WAIT! If you have ANY doubt — WAIT, never
forcing yourself into action. If you sense ANY restraint in your spirit,
do not go against it — WAIT until the way is clear.”

Powerful! I needed that word this morning. Maybe you did too. If so, I’d
love to hear from you. Have a great day.

The mind is a powerful tool. Several weeks ago we had a weekend retreat
and one of our friends suggested on Friday evening that we go out on
Saturday night to Friendly’s to get banana splits. Having been on a
“diet” for the past several years, banana splits were not a part of the
program. But guess what — for the next 24 hours all I thought about was
getting a big delicious banana split with all the toppings.

For years advertisers have used subliminal advertising especially at the
movie theaters. Did you ever notice how they will flash ads about the
popcorn and soda throughout the commercials. Before you know it, people
begin to go back to the concession stand.

When I worked at Sandy Cove, the vending machine area was close to the
Front Desk. One of our maintenance guys loved to put a bag of microwave
popcorn on just as the guests were checking in. You’ve got it. You can’t
escape the smell of hot popcorn. People started thinking about it and
would head to the vending area.

The writer of Proverbs says: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he .
. .” (Proverbs 23:7) It has been proven over and over that you and I
become what we think. The bottom line is that we become what we think.
What our mind dwells on often becomes reality.

Have you ever had a toothache? The more you think about it, the worse
the pain gets. When I go to the doctor and get a prescription, Jan
always grabs the bag so that I don’t get to read the side-effects. If I
think about those side effects . . . well, I would get every one of
them.

When my Mom was diagnosed with a reoccurrence of cancer, her doctor told
her to go home and get her house in order as she only had six months to
live. She went to Cancer Treatment Center of America for a second
opinion and asked the doctor how much time she had. His immediate
response was this: “How the heck do I know . . . there is only One
person who knows that — God!” He went on to explain to her that
research has proven that when a person is told a time frame when they
are sick, the mind is so powerful that they believe that it is true and
the body is affected, and almost always, the person dies within the time
frame that they have been given. My mother died 5 months and 28 days
later.

The Apostle Paul reminded the church at Philippi that they needed to
guard their thinking. Instead of being anxious about everything, he
encouraged them “through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to
make their requests known to God” which would result them experiencing
God’s peace that would guard both their hearts and minds. (Philippians
4:7).

He gave them specific direction to guide their thinking: “Finally,
brethren, whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONORABLE, whatever is PURE,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of GOOD REPUTE, if there is anything
worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on THESE things.” (Philippians
4:8)

Someone has said if you THINK you are a failure — you will be a
failure. If you THINK you are junk — that is what you will become.
Think about the that area of your life where you struggle with sin, and
before you know it, you are ensnared again. Sin begins in our minds!

Today you need to check out what you are thinking — maybe today is a
good day for you to memorize Philippians 4:8 and reprogram you mind to
think God’s way. Some of us need to start “taking our thoughts captive
to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5b).

So . . . what are you thinking about today? What is occupying your mind?

There is still time for you to take advantage of our special FREEDOM
FIGHTER special for this weekend. Come and enjoy the beauty of God’s
creation at America’s KESWICK. Call today for information and rates.
Don’t wait — call today — 800-453-7942.

NO ONE CAN PREVENT YOU . . .

The Christian life is an exciting journey. Yes, there are mountaintops
and then their are valleys. I’ve told you before that I think there are
basically two kinds of people — some of us see the glass HALF FULL
while others see the glass HALF EMPTY.

I also believe that God loves to WOW His kids with HIS GLORY and POWER
and things that are only explainable by Him.

Several years ago while cutting grass, the Lord had my undivided
attention and began to place a burden on my heart to move forward with a
residential program for women, similar to what we have been doing with
the Colony of Mercy for over 108 years.

The steps leading up to our Board making a decision to move forward were
downright exciting, and God has confirmed our steps in amazing ways. I
have been journaling the story along the way and now have a new chapter
of adventures to write about.

Up until this point we have hit no major obstacles. However, we just hit
our first potential roadblock. We have a 12.5 acre parcel that is
perfect for what we want to do, however, our Keswick properties sit in a
strategic place in terms of the environment. Because we are located in a
biosphere, we are “blessed” with a number of species of snakes, bugs,
flora and grasses that are federally protected. Quite frankly, our
environmentalist friends are more concerned about the endangered blades
of curly grass and pine snakes than they are about the thousands of men
and women whose lives are endangered by addiction.

We received a preliminary report that states that most likely we will
only be able to use 4 acres of the 12.5 and to dispute the report will
cost $60k. I confess to you that my first response was one of
disappointment. But during the past several days as I have dug deeper
into the Word and spent time alone with the Lord, He has reminded me
that HE is in charge of all of this . . .

This morning in my quiet time, the Lord spoke to my heart from Henry
Blackaby’s devotional book, EXPERIENCING GOD DAY BY DAY (Broadman
Holman). Here is today’s reading . . .

“But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained
alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.” Numbers 14:38

Blackaby writes: “The decisions and disobedience of others will not
cancel God’s will for you. Other people’s actions will affect you, but
no one can prevent what God wants to do in and through you. Joshua and
Caleb trusted God and yet were forced to wander in a wilderness for
forty years because of fear and disbelief of others.

Have you ever felt that someone was thwarting God’s will for you?
Perhaps someone kept you from getting a job or earning a promotion.
Perhaps the government would approve your application (I can’t tell you
how this made me chuckle!) or a committee disagreed with your
recommendations. Do you believe that mere man can stop God from
accomplishing HIS purposes in your life?

God did everything He intended to do in the lives of Joshua and Caleb.
His primary assignment for them had not been to enter the Promised Land
but rather to serve as godly leaders for their people. Joshua and Caleb
could not lead the people if they were in the Promised Land by
themselves while the people were still wandering in the wilderness. God
kept these leaders in a position where they could exert a godly
influence upon their nation, and, as a result, they became models of
spiritual leadership for generations to come.

Even so, GOD ultimately brought Caleb and Joshua into the Promised Land
just as He said. They had been delayed, but not thwarted. Be assured of
this: NO ONE CAN HINDER GOD FROM CARRYING OUT HIS PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE.
ONCE GOD SETS SOMETHING IN MOTION, NO ONE CAN STOP IT (Isaiah 46:11).”

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me this morning that YOU are in charge.
Thank You, for speaking to MY heart. I trust that God’s encouragement
for me this morning will encourage you with whatever you are facing in
your life today. I look forward to sharing with you in the future how
God unfolds his plan for our residential women’s ministry.

We still have some rooms available this weekend. Come with your family
and enjoy a time of refreshing fellowship at America’s KESWICK. Call
today and tell our reservationists that you are a FREEDOM FIGHTER —
800-453-7942.

I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES . . .

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter
day on the earth.” (Job 19:25)

“Job’s life was filled with uncertainty and confusion. Although he did
not understand what God was doing, suddenly his declaration of truth
came like a light in the dark tunnel of his life. “I KNOW that my
Redeemer lives.”

Many things happened that he couldn’t understand. Doubts filled his
mind. Heartbreaking calamaties robbed him of his peace and joy. Yet his
solid confidence in God carried him through the turbulence of his life.
His assurance was a present reality. ‘I KNOW that my Redeemer lives!’ It
gave him hope for the future. ‘He shall stand at the latter day on the
earth … In my flesh I WILL see God.’ (25-26)

We can have this same confidence today. Jesus said, ‘Because I live, you
will live also.’ (John 14:19) His crucifixion and burial left His
disciples seemingly without hope. But He came forth a LIVING Savior —
victor over death and the grave.

The angel said to the women who came to the tomb, ‘Fear not; for I know
you seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as
He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay’ (Matthew 28:5-6). The
resurrection message dispels fear. It brings hope. He IS risen! He IS
alive!

Victory, joy, peace, and praise characterize our Christian faith because
Jesus came forth triumphant over death: ‘I am Him that lives, and was
dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore’ (Revelation 1:18).

At a rehearsal of Handel’s oratorio, MESSIAH, the soprano soloist began
to sing the aria, “I Know that My Redeemer Liveth.’ Her technique was
perfect, but something was lacking. The conductor asked, ‘DO YOU REALLY
BELIEVE THAT YOUR REDEEMER LIVES?’

She looked surprised. ‘Of course I believe it.’ “Then sing as if you
believe it,’ said the conductor. Again she sang of the resurrected
Redeemer, this time from her innermost being. All who listened were
moved to tears. When she finished, the auditorium was quiet. Finally the
conductor said, ‘Yes, you do believe it.’

Jesus Christ is alive! Are you singing today from the depth of your
innermost being, ‘I know that MY Redeemer lives?’ Do people know you
believe it?” from HE IS REAL — 365 Daily Devotions by Millie Stamm
(Zondervan).

Have a blessed Easter.

IT IS FINISHED

One of the the truly amazing last words from the cross is this word that
is packed with meaning and a message that should send your heart
soaring. “Tetelestia” — It is finished!!! Holy God was satisfied with
the payment for sin! The blood of His Son paid the debt completely —
not partially for our debt — completely — once and for all.

Our son Josh was conceived after I had started a new job and our health
insurance had a 3 month waiting period. Our health insurance said that
they would only pay for the doctors portion of the birth so we would be
responsible for the total hospital bill. Back then, the cost was nothing
like it is today, but the bill still hung over us like a weight. We
didn’t have a clue how that debt would be covered. All we could do was
commit to making monthly installments to pay off the debt. Most likely
this would take years to pay off the complete debt.

I will never forget this as long as I live — the day the bill arrived
in the mail our hearts sunk as we saw in writing the enormity of the
debt. A hour later there was a knock at the door and it was the Pastor
of our church. He came in and said, “My understanding is that Josh’s
hospital bill arrived today. May I please see the bill.” He looked at
the bill, pulled out his pen, and wrote these words across the page —
PAID IN FULL. We don’t know who did this — but the COMPLETE bill was
satisfied by someone who had paid not part of the bill, but the entire
bill. The hospital was completely satisfied.

The “IT” which was nailed to the cross is YOUR SIN AND MINE — past,
present and future. It was a ONCE AND FOR ALL payment. The Father was
COMPLETELY satisfied. Dr. Erwin Lutzer says in his book CRIES FROM THE
CROSS: “Put your sin the ledger and write “Paid in full” next to it.

* An abortion: Paid in full!
* Fornication: Paid in full!
* Cheating: Paid in full!
* Greed: Paid in full!
*Abandoning responsibility: Paid in
full!
* Criminal behavior: Paid in full!
* Selfishness: Paid in full!
* Lying: Paid in full!

Horatio Spafford penned the words to one of the classic hymns of the
Christian faith, “It Is Well With My Soul.” One of my favorite verses of
that hymn in verse 3: “MY sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought! MY
SIN not in PART but the WHOLE — is nailed to the Cross and I bear it NO
MORE — Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!”

My friend, YOUR SIN DEBT WAS PAID FOR BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST —
ONCE AND FOR ALL! May this truth fill your heart to overflowing as you
prepare for Resurrection Sunday!

COLONY GRADS: We are looking for pictures for our COLONY GRAD HALL OF
FAME which is now on our website. You can send your pictures to me at:
bwelte@americaskeswick.org.

HALLELUJAH! What a Savior!

This morning I share with you from Isaiah 53 from THE MESSAGE
(NavPress). As you reflect and meditate today on what HE did for YOU on
the Cross — He paid a debt that He didn’t owe because we had a debt we
couldn’t pay — He did this all for you and me!!!

1 Who believes what we’ve heard and seen? Who would have thought
God’s saving power would look like this? 2 The servant grew up before
God – a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was
nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.
3 He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew
pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down
on him, thought he was scum.

4 But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our
disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it
on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. 5 But it
was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him
– our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his
bruises we get healed. 6 We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and
gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has
piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him. 7 He
was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word. Like a lamb taken
to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in
silence. 8 Justice miscarried, and he was led off – and did anyone
really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own
welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. 9 They buried him with
the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he’d never
hurt a soul or said one word that wasn’t true.

10 Still, it’s what God had in mind all along, to crush him with
pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that
he’d see life come from it – life, life, and more life. And God’s plan
will deeply prosper through him. 11 Out of that terrible travail of
soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it. Through what
he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many “righteous
ones,” as he himself carries the burden of their sins. 12 Therefore I’ll
reward him extravagantly – the best of everything, the highest honors –
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch, because he
embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin
of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

Take some time today to get alone with the Lord and tell Him how
much you love Him. Thank Him for dying for You! Hallelujah! what a
Savior.

MY SAVIOR’S LOVE . . . Please don’t skip over this because it appears
to be JUST a hymn quoted . . .

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love ME,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

How marvelous! how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! how wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me!

For ME it was in he garden
He prayed, “Not My will, but Thine”;
He had no tears for His OWN griefs,
But sweat-drops of blood for mine.

In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for MY soul that night.

He took MY sins and my sorrows,
He made them HIS very own;
He bore the burden to Calvr’y
And suffered and died ALONE . . .

Alone! Alone! Hanging on the cross, listening to the cries and jeers
from the crowd. And yet he cries, “Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do.” And then the darkness comes. Horrible darkness. C. J.
Mahaney writes “an atmospheric confirmation of the judgment of God . . .
It’s a darkness you can feel. Even the sky reflects what is happening to
the Son of God. Jesus is being made to drink from the cup which He had
asked to be removed. He’s being made to experience the full fury of the
wrath of God — the intense, righteous hatred of God for sin, a wrath
that has been stored up beginning with Adam’s sin and extending to all
of your sin and mine, and to all the sin to the end of world history.

The sinless One — innocent and holy Himself — is made the object of
that vast and vile immensity of sin. This is His severe test, His
cruelest and most demanding ordeal, a torment far beyond the pain of His
physical suffering . . .”

And He cries from the Cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
“He who for all eternity has never been alone is now wholly abandoned.
Such utter desolation has never existed before in all eternity, because
infinite love and fellowship of the Trinity, which can never be broken.
But now the incarnate Son, must be forsaken by the Father . . . because
the Father is holy, and there in the Father’s sight is ‘the most
grotesque display of ugliness imaginable.’ It’s the monstrous sight of
the unbounded totality of human sin resting upon the Son of Man.

Therefore that Man must be utterly removed from the presence of the holy
God, utterly separated, as far as the east is from the west. Jesus
doesn’t FEEL forsaken; He IS forsaken. In an unfathomable mystery, at
that moment, as God’s wrath is poured upon Him as the substitute for our
sin, Jesus is rejected by God, His Father turns away from Him. It isn’t
a deceptive feeling — it’s reality . . .

Why alone? He’s alone so that we might never be alone. He cries out to
God so that you and I will NEVER have to make a similar cry. He was cut
off from His Father so that we can boldly say, “Nothing shall separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.’ He’s forsaken so that we might
be forgiven . . .

God, in abandoning His Son, is treating Jesus as a sinner so that He can
treat you and me — who ARE sinners — as if we were righteous — all
because of JESUS!”

from LIVING THE CROSS-CENTERED LIFE by C. J. Mahaney (Multnomah
Publishers)

Powerful words for you to reflect on as many reflect of the hours before
Good Friday.