The Cross --------|-

Hello there!  Happy Easter week!  I love this week especially because of the true story behind it and how it means the world to me!  It's the most amazing love story of all time!!!!

My sin and the sin of every person demanded a sacrifice.  Unrighteousness requires justice from the Righteous One - Judge of all - God.  The penalty being death.  Eternal death was required because earthly death wasn't enough.  That's how serious sin is.  This means that eternal death was required of all mankind, no exception, because not one of us is born without sin.  The story doesn't end there though, that's only the beginning.  That's only the part where of the realization of our great need of a Savior - a Hero above all Heroes!

The Holy One, the Righteous Judge sat on His throne as 3 in 1 -God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  These three communed with each other and the plight of mankind's eternal destruction weighed heavy on them. Their love was sooooo great, so divine that they wanted none to perish, yet the righteous wrath of an Almighty God still needed to be executed.  And so it was that out of this super-natural love, the Son was sent into the world.  He knew no sin.  He was perfect and Holy and yet He was born as one of us to become the sacrifice of our sins.  He who knew no sin chose to become sin for us.  On Him was laid ALL the sin of EVERY single one of us of all time in that crucial moment on the cross.  He took our punishment.  In EXTREME excruciating pain of body and spirit- He bore the wrath of the Almighty for me and you.  His death on the cross created the gift of life to all who simply believe on Him.  That gift, His life, bridged a gap of sin separation from God!  Jesus' righteous blood was shed in the greatest sacrificial act of love to create a way for every single person to be able live eternally free from sin.  And God's love was so strong that Jesus could not be kept in the grave - He arose a victor and a Life Giver!  My heart will forever be grateful and I owe Him my all for His gift of salvation!!! :)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” - John 3:16-17

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  - Romans 10:9

I love these lyrics of truth from the song "In Christ Alone". :)

"In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand."

"In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Blessings to you this Easter!!! If you know Christ as your personal Savior - praise Him with all your heart!  And if you don't know Him - today is a good day to believe and know true life! :)

~Praying for you!~

-Bri