March 17 Only Son

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
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There's something about babies. As a child I loved books of animals and their babies. I loved to go to the North Dakota Winter Show and see the new baby pigs, lambs and calves.

Today I wandered to a nearby sheep pen and caught a few really new lambs with thier mothers. Something precious about those new babies. And the momma sheep were so concerned that I not get too close.

It is normal to want to protect your baby... especially if it's the only one you have.

How astounding that God the Father sent His only Son to earth as a sacrifice for our sins. Why? So that WE won't perish, but have eternal life.

His only son.

For me.
For you.

This photograph was taken today near our home. I hope you won't get tired of seeing more of my adorable lamb photos in the days to come!

March 16: Context of Suffering

I Peter 2: 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

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Evaluating Bible verses in their context is an important element in studying God's Word.

This passage in I Peter sounds a lot like Isaiah 53, if you read the verses around it, too. If you read the verses before it in I Peter chapter 2, you find Peter is telling them to follow Christ's example of suffering as a way to live righteously.

Christ died for our sins to give us eternal life. He also died for our sins so we can learn to walk in righteous on a daily basis as a Christian.

This photograph was taken at our local Catholic church.

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March 15 Precious Lamb

I Peter 1: 18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

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Redeemed. Another big word associated with "Salvation," like "Propitiation" which I studied last Sunday.

Here's Webster's Online dictionary.

a: to buy back : repurchase b: to get or win back2: to free from what distresses or harms: as a: to free from captivity by payment of ransom b: to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental c: to release from blame or debt : clear d: to free from the consequences of sin3: to change for the better : reform4: repair, restore5 a: to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby b (1): to remove the obligation of by payment (2): to exchange for something of value c: to make good : fulfill6 a: to atone for : expiate b (1): to offset the bad effect of (2): to make worthwhile : retrieve
synonyms see rescue

OK, so Christ bought me back from the debt I owed to God. What debt? The debt of death for my sin. (Romans 3:23). It seems to work to say that by Jesus' work of Salvation on the cross, I was repurchased, cleared of my blame/debt, reformed, repaired, restored, fulfilled.... rescued!

God didn't do this with something perishable like milk, or even a gold watch or a diamond necklace. But with the perfect sacrifice of precious blood from the Son of God. Wow.

This photograph was taken from the stained glass windows where we attend church.

March 14 Messy stuff

Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
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As a nurse, blood does not make me squeemish. It stains a white uniform unless you treat it before you wash it. It is sticky and unpleasant to handle. And from my days in the Emergency Room, I witnessed if you lose too much of it, there is no more life.

The life is in the blood. The blood symbolizes life. That is an Old Testament concept. The sacrifice of blood for sin symbolizes a life given to make up for breaking the rules.

In Old Testament law, sprinkling blood on various articles in the tabernacle symbolized cleansing it. Forgiveness for an infraction against God's law was done through blood sacrifice.

An old hymn sings, "There is power, power wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb." Another one sings, "What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Blood. It's sticky. It's ugly. In movies, it's graphic. And yet... because of it, we have life.

The life is in the blood. Eternal life.

This is another photo I recently took at our local Catholic church.

March 13 The Fireman

Galatians 1:3c-4 The Lord Jesus Christ, ...gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.

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A Fireman. That's what Jesus is. My hero. The One who rescued me by giving His life to save me.

Why did you think they call it "Salvation"?

Jesus saves.
He saves me from the consequences of my sin.
He saves me from a destructive personal lifestyle.
He saves me from going to hell.

A fireman.

For me.
For you.

This photograph was taken on our recent trip to Paris. It is at the Church Sacre Coeur overlooking the city. Because of crowds for a concert, the firemen were there.

March 12 Pour Jesus

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

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There's a hymn called "Ivory Palaces."

Out of the Ivory palaces

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

I find it hard to visualize the splendor of heaven. Clouds, streets of gold, grand palaces, musical instruments and millions of angels dressed in white splendor... But where did Jesus live in heaven? In a mansion? A castle? A cave of fluffy clouds and light? How did He feel the night He was born into a cold stinky stable?

I think of difficult places where I have lived. I think of times I had culture shock. "Why am I stuck here?" I've asked. Did Jesus feel that way on the cross? He left such splendor, and He was King of kings and Lord of lords. Next thing you know, He's on a cross with people jeering.

Though He was rich, yet for my sake He became poor... so I could have eternal life in that heavenly splendor that He once again calls home.

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Philippians 2: 5-8 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/v/ivorypal.htm

This photo was taken in the center of our town, depicting a broken vessel, one spilled out and one standing up. It makes me think of Christ emptying Himself.

March 11 He's Got You Covered

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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In Him.

Jesus, perfect God and perfect man. He was the Good Shepherd who became the Lamb of God. The perfect sacrifice who took on the sins of the whole world. By dying on the cross He became a sacrificial sin offering for me. For you.

Why the frog under the cake dome?

When I was a missionary in Africa, I taught an Old Testament class. During a section on the tabernacle, I discovered the French word for top of the the Ark of the Covenant was "propitiatoire." It made me think of the English word, "propitiation." I knew since I was a little girl that Christ was sent to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:10 KJV). I knew that was a big word that meant He saved us.

I dug deeper, and found that the root of the word propitiation was basically "covering."

"He who had no sin, became sin for us." He took my sin, applied it to himself, and got on that cross. He became an offering for my sin.

Then He said... "I've got you covered, Diane." I have taken your sin and made it My offering. When you are in Me, I cover you. You become My righteousness."

2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

In Him.

He's got you covered.

This photograph was taken in our backyard this morning with our son's plastic toy frog under my cake dome.