Last night was our first night studying John Piper’s 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die and it is quite an indepth study, indeed. Why did Jesus come to this earth only to die? It is difficult to summarize here, but Ninja Man and I agree that reason #1 is that Jesus had to come to atone us from past, present and future sin.
In the introduction, Piper talked of the WWII concentration camps and a young man who experienced the Nazi practice of extinguishing the lives of the weakest prisoners. “He didn’t listen to what we told him,” Elie Wiesel wrote. “He could only repeat that all was over for him, that he could no longer keep up the struggle, that he had no strength left, nor faith.” This message of Wiesel who, at the age of 19, along with his father was a prisoner of the same camp of a man who became so hopeless that he was eventually chosen and sent to his death. This young man and his father knew the truth about Christ and salvation, and at that young age, he found strength in his faith in Jesus Christ. “…If he could have gone on believing in God, if he could have seen a proof of God in this Calvary, he would not have been taken by the selection.”
How strong is our faith? How weak are we? If we were in the camps, would we be Wiesel or the weak man?
When Christ was crucified, thus began the New Covenant. No more sacrifices of animals, the Ultimate sacrifice had been given to us. Who can deny the sacrifice and Jesus’ ascent into heaven, especially when reading Acts 1:9?
49 to go.
Meanwhile, the countdown to my 50th birthday was heralded early this morning. I decided waiting for Ninja Man to get off work is far too tedious when delving into the art of gift receiving, but he happens to be off work today anyway, so he was here to share in my excitement!
I was very curious about this package. It was soft, like maybe a scarf or linen napkin, or… oh, the thrill of it… perhaps a FAT QUARTER?
It is not just a fat quarter, it is BEAUTIFUL!! I love the colors, and I am absolutely amazed that my friend Angela is SO in tune with me on so many things! I would have chosen this one, no doubt! I’m already thinking what a darling wallet this will make! Watch for future posts on that!
49 to go.
And though I don’t really plan to blog my struggle with weight loss, I must share that I am learning to embrace the Fruits of the Spirit in my everyday life, and while focusing on Joy and Self-Control, I am joyful in the Word and Holy Spirit AND I lost 1.5 pounds.
49 to go.
Please keep me in your prayers and you’re in mine!
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