The entire scenario of Christ’s crucifixion  was  extremely graphic, extremely violent and savage. Yet it is the single greatest event to have ever taken place for mankind. Our Lord was beaten beyond recognition and the blood loss was truly significant, according to anyone’s account. But as we all know, Jesus was NEVER found guilty of any crime, whether that be with the Israeli or Roman courts. Still, HE was violently beaten and then crucified!

Thankfully, we know the exact truth, because of the Bible.

According to most people now days, the Roman Soldiers and many, many others of that time were extremely violent and savage, but, were they worse than people today? I truly believe in  my heart that the people of today are far worse. People today are far more “clinical” in terms of executions; yet death is what they seek in others that oppose their views. In other words, we are no better than they were back then, simply more surgical.

All we have to do is know, that the media would whitewash everything and it would never be reported to anyone, by anyone. They would simply screen the entire thing and call Jesus Christ a “dissident” or a “terrorist.”

My effort here is about Jesus Christ on the Cross, carrying our sins and then covering those sins with HIS precious blood, and this is for every single Individual ever born on Earth. It is most difficult to understand or even contemplate in my mind, the weight of all that sin. What is worse, when the Lord our Father could not look upon HIS Son because of those sins. Jesus Cried out:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Those single few moments, must have been excruciatingly horrible for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To have gone through all of eternity…before those moments…in such a close relationship with the Father and then suddenly be left so alone. God the Father literally had turned HIS face from the event, taking place on earth with HIS Only Son…because of the sins of every person to have ever been born.

We each had a hand in the murder of Jesus Christ, on a cruel Roman cross. He was naked, mocked, spit upon, beaten almost senseless, to the point of disfigurement and then crucified, to carry our sin to the point that God the Father turned HIS face from HIS only Son…as Jesus bled and died!

Is any of this making any sense to you? God Almighty…LOVED…you and me so much, HE bore that pain, suffering and death….for you and me. The Creator of everything, doing such a thing like that, just to save HIS creation! THAT is a LOVE which I am not able to comprehend.

My friends, as we celebrate this Easter, we need to read this event all over again and again and try and understand this level of love. Personally speaking here, I am mortified of my own life and sins. We should be in sackcloth and ashes burying our faces in the dirt constantly, simply because of our own hand in causing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be so horribly beaten and killed.

I feel so much more than just ashamed, I KNOW that I deserve eternal death. My statement of “Thank you so very, very, much for loving me this much my Lord,” is NOT enough…and yet…for Jesus Christ it is.

I have read and thought about this so many times and still it shocks me every time. I hope and pray that it shocks you as well. The Apostles in Matthew and Luke have such a great accounting of this and I hope you will go there and read it, as many times as it takes.

I am so humbled, so profoundly thankful, for the LOVE of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. HE is indeed OUR GOD. HE is indeed the only way to heaven and our Father God Almighty.

I was sitting at my computer today and a thought entered my head about the human propensity of blaming others, and this could be about anything. I do not know of anyone who wants to be seen as a failure, to make mistakes and blunders.

So then, when asked about our part in that failure or mistake, what is the usual answer?

That’s right! It would appear it is easier to blame a failure of conversation with someone as a misunderstanding of some sort—a failure to ask someone who knows better. Therefore, the fault is with someone else and not with ourselves. (And then to think and know everyone wants to be seen as an individual of integrity and absolute honesty!)

What is even worse, a failed blunder gets around work someone is fired and has lost face with his/her co-workers and possibly blackballed for eternity (so to speak). This is really bad on many levels but the worst is when people believe they are not worthy of anything at all. You know, lost self-esteem?

So then, if we go back and review the situation from its origin to the present we see a great fall indeed, and possibly more of a fall than an individual truly deserves. Therefore the question could be this: Is it truly the individual at fault or is that individual just a scapegoat.

Somewhere along the way, it would appear that someone must pay for the mistake, to take the ultimate fall. I often wonder, how many CEO’s (or the like) would be able to say publicly at that, he or she is to blame. In that same outlook, how about the politicians of today?

I had to wonder, how many people have been the scapegoat for the crooks…

Psalm 139:1-4 “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.”

Isaiah 37:28-29 “But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.”

Revelation 2:19-23 “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

As you can see from the Scripture above, the Lord God Almighty knows everything about everyone, to the point that NO ONE is able to escape. HE knows every thought, every consideration of the intent of the heart.

What if the scapegoat lost his or her mind or committed suicide because of a suspected failure? Have you ever wondered who is now responsible for that, whose hands have blood on them then? By now, I believe you are able to see how complicated the issue has become; there will not be just one set of hands with blood on them, but multiple hands. We have seen this before in history.

Has it ever occurred to anyone that each one of us is responsible for every single action of our lives?

2 Corinthians 5:10-11 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

Oops…Don’t ya just hate it when the Bible proves each of us wrong?

Our propensity is to do one thing, so we don’t look bad to others, Yet we should be more concerned with how the Lord God Almighty views us. How much more important is it that the Lord God is able to find each of us, no matter where we try and hide? Our every action, thought and deed are recorded at all times. That being the case, to whom do you want to look good to…God…or mankind?

1 Kings 9:3-5 “And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.”

Wow…to walk in your integrity! My friends…THAT is the high calling of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If nothing else happens in your life (short of salvation); to walk with integrity would be a lot—more than you think—that’s for sure. People judge each other on all kinds of things and yet it’s all for nothing. The real judgment of each person, will be according to Lord God Almighty! Keep this next verse in mind;

Proverbs 29:23-26 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.”

Again…I am going to say, belonging to the Lord and doing all things in HIS name, is far better than listening to your own thoughts and ideas! My friends, we are the fallen species here, WE are the ones that make all the mistakes and failures. The Lord God Almighty is strong enough to change all of that and make you and me better for HIM.

We have a plethora of self-help, prosperity books and such. The question to ask is this one: If this life we live here on earth is so short and the end of it is so final…what is there in this life to want more than Jesus Christ? If wealth is so important, then why isn’t life here longer? What does prosperity have to do with eternal salvation? Or have we forgotten the following verse?

Matthew 16:24-27 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

We can pick and choose many things in this life, but there is only ONE GOD and HIS name is Jesus Christ! Howard Hughes has a magnificent grave. He was very, very, wealthy, yet he is still dead and in the ground. So how is this working for him? Was he saved to Jesus Christ? No! His grave will never change, nor will his wealth. How is his eternity today? As in right now? Where is he in eternity?

Did he not have the exact same opportunity to accept the gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ? I do not know whether Howard Hughes was saved to Jesus Christ or not and it is not for me to know this, it is between Howard and Jesus Christ. The real question is…Am I saved to Jesus Christ and heaven…or not…and this is the same question for you to answer as well.

It is one way or the other…there is NO in between, NO standing on the fence…YOU must make that choice for yourself.

After salvation, there is only one question left to ask…When is your last day on earth? You didn’t choose your time of birth, You will not be able to choose your time to die; the only things is…will you be with Jesus Christ in heaven or with Satan and his ilk in hell? Again…it is your choice!