Key Verse
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. Galatians 2:20-21 NASB
Key Question
Am I one person or two? Have I one nature or two?
Read MoreWhen I walk through the “gate” of salvation, I am thrilled with the revelation that my sins are forgiven through the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am now reconciled to (at peace with) God my Creator. Not only that, I am His child, born into His family (John 1:12).
But it doesn’t take long before an important question/problem comes up: how do I live the Christian life?
Read MoreChapter 6 One Spirit
Key verse:
But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 ESV
Key Question:
How do we live in union?
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:10 ESV
Key Question:
Who lives the life?
It is truly "holy ground" to reflect on the Cross — what our Lord went through … but more than that, what He accomplished there. Would you meditate along with me ... and revisit Christ's seven sayings from the Cross? [links below]
What a perfect preparation for the joy, freedom, and release of the Resurrection.
Read More…We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.
Read MoreA few years ago, I came across an inspiring cartoon in my "Easter" file (See enlarged image below). I think my husband John, who had been the family reader of the Sunday funnies in years gone by, cut it out and gave it to me back in April 2001. So there in my file, this little treasure has been tucked away for all these years.
For those of you who have been following the Lenten Meditations on a branch in the Vine, this piece serves as a fitting climax during Holy Week.
Read More…We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.
Read MoreA few years ago, I came across an inspiring cartoon in my "Easter" file (See enlarged image below). I think my husband John, who had been the family reader of the Sunday funnies in years gone by, cut it out and gave it to me back in April 2001. So there in my file, this little treasure has been tucked away for all these years.
For those of you who have been following the Lenten Meditations on a branch in the Vine, this piece serves as a fitting climax during Holy Week.
Read MoreI couldn’t resist posting this again. It was Easter 2012 when I first wrote these joy-filled thoughts. My “then 5 y.o. grandson” Evan is now 13 y.o. and might rather play this awesome song on his drums.
But JOY, no matter what!
Read More…We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.
Read MoreEaster isn't Easter unless it's Easter to YOU!
So declared a radio preacher early in Holy Week a few years ago. At first I said, "Yes!" Then I thought about it awhile and said, "Not really! Easter is Easter whether I get it or not."
What is Easter anyway? Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. He had conquered sin and death on the cross and then was raised, so that we could walk in newness of life. (cf. Romans 6:4)
Read More
Thank you, my Lord Jesus Christ, for dying for ME! Thank you for taking my place on that Cross. Thank you for experiencing mysteriously the separation from God that my sin warranted.
"It is Finished!" What glorious words!
Read MoreHow to refocus on Christ and the Cross during these unsettling, fear-filled days of the COVID-19 pandemic? I usually post a review of all of our Lord’s beautiful final words before His death on the Cross during Holy Week.
But I decided this year to share this post at the beginning of each of the remaining weeks of Lent. It will take us back “beneath the Cross” via links to each saying and also via an amazing “cartoon” from days gone by — B.C. (Johnny Hart).
I love this post because it was such a serendipitous delight to find this clipping in my file a few years ago. So I can't help but share it year by year.
Would you meditate along with me ... and revisit Christ's seven sayings for the Cross this week? [See links below] It's truly "holy ground" as we reflect on the Cross, what our Lord went through, but mainly, what He accomplished there. What a perfect preparation for the joy, freedom, and release of the Resurrection.
Read MoreLife, glorious life! How we take life for granted, until...
someone we love dies,
our health or safety is gravely threatened,
we realize our days are waning because of the years...
It is then that we value what we've had all along.
But there's a Life that we never need fear will diminish, be endangered, be lost...
In fact, this Life can grow in our experience even in this time-based, fearful, waning physical life.
What is this Life?
Read MoreA few years ago, I came across an inspiring cartoon in my "Easter" file (See enlarged image below). I think my husband John, who had been the family reader of the Sunday funnies in years gone by, cut it out and gave it to me back in April 2001. So there in my file, this little treasure has been tucked away for all these years.
For those of you who have been following the Lenten Meditations on a branch in the Vine, this piece serves as a fitting climax during Holy Week.
Read MoreLife, glorious life! How we take life for granted, until...
someone we love dies,
our health or safety is gravely threatened,
we realize our days are waning because of the years...
It is then that we value what we've had all along.
But there's a Life that we never need fear will diminish, be endangered, be lost...
In fact, this Life can grow in our experience even in this time-based, fearful, waning physical life.
What is this Life?
Read MoreEvery Easter I think of family and friends who have died in Christ. Somewhere and sometime on their earthly journey they each met the Risen Christ in a unique way...some quite dramatically, some softly and quietly.
During this Easter week, I'd like to tell you about a friend who was arrested by the Risen Christ. She's virtually unknown, except by those whose lives she touched. Her name is Brenda.
Read More
dying to live
I'm dying...little by little...not just physically (aren't we all because we are aging?), but also in many and various ways. Everyday I die in some way, emotionally, volitionally, relationally, physically, occupationally or... My dreams may die. My goals may crash to the ground and take me with them. Right now, I'm going through a bit of that with the death of a vision.
Are you dying too, dear friend?
If you are living on this sin cursed earth, you too are dying every day.
But there's company...and there's hope. Let's talk about it...
We are in good company. The apostle Paul died every day. Listen to his words from Holy Writ:
I die daily...
...always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus...
...we are afflicted in every way,...perplexed,...persecuted,...struck down,...always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus...For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake...So death works in us..." ...that I may know...the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death... (1 Cor 15:14; 2 cor 4:10, 7-11: Phil 3:10 NASB)
And Jesus Himself said,
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone... (John 12:24 NASB)
What is dying? Death means separation. Physical death is separation of the body from the spirit.
But there are other separations, aren't there? In the sense we are talking about, there is separation from our our dreams, our desires, our self-life...our self-will, our self-determination, our self-effort, our self-absorption...You get the idea!
death & resurrection
Our self-determined dreams and visions and projects need to die. And even the God-given ones must be placed on the altar. Why? So that the Living God can resurrect HIS Life from the deadness of our flesh-tainted existence apart from Him!
And that's our hope. And a great hope it is!
Here's the rest of the story:
...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil 3:10-11 NASB)
...always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (2 Cor 4:10 NASB)
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the lifeof Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. (2 Cor 4:7-11 NASB)
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. (John 12:24-25 NASB)
Knowing Christ! Touching HIM! That is Life indeed!
Join me, O dying friend, in this prayer of relinquishment:
Dear Lord, we gladly (though painfully) die, even to our current projects and dreams...that we may know You, Whom to know is life eternal...this day and every day! We freely turn from our self-determination and self-absorption and joyfully give...
Glory to You Steve Green
What do I possess That You did not give to me? What mysteries are clear to me That You did not explain? When did I share truth I had not received from You? What good works have I performed That You did not ordain?
Chorus Any strength I have Any good I do Comes from the life I found in You So in all I am And in all I do I give the glory to You
How do I express My love and may gratitude? For all I am and ever will be All depends on You Where in the world would I be Had You not reached out to me? All the good I have in life Can all be traced to You
(Chorus)
From the strength to obey Your Word when I hear it To reaching out in love It’s all a gift of the Holy Spirit, Coming from above
(Chorus)
I give the glory to You
It was just a week ago that we heard the story of students having been massacred at a university in Kenya. We were stunned but not surprised! Radical Islamic terrorists made their mark again!
But I would venture to guess, few of us have heard the following story of hope and deliverance in the name of Jesus. At least, I hadn't until I received an email from our brother in the Lord, Sammy Maina. Sammy is a pastor of a small congregation in Nairobi. (I posted his personal story of faith last year at Easter time.)
I was overjoyed to learn about the Lord's rescue, all because of the courage of the indwelling Christ in and through one young student. Here is Sammy's account in his own words:
These are the last of the last days and seeing ugly scenes are inevitable as happened when 147 people were killed in a college in my country by terrorists last week. The word of God must be fulfilled.
A man within the group of students attacked told the attackers that he would not denounce Christ just because they held a gun at him. He held his bible in a room that had others in dozens while saying these words. He said if God had seen it fit for him to die by the gun so be it! But he was not ready to denounce that Jesus is his Lord. These words from him made the gunman to shiver and his mind seemed to have been taken away from what he intended to do. He stood for a while just guessing amid the frightened faces of many in that cubicle, save for this bold young man. He asked them all in that cubicle to flee for their lives as fast as they could, not firing a single bullet at them. Thus this group of people that had hidden in that cubicle were all saved because of one man whose mind has been made up fully to live and die for Jesus Christ.
Christ the Messiah of God is the holder of our destiny. He knows our purpose for our living and what mission we must accomplish. If we have full trust in Him, we cannot perish if the reason of our coming is not fully met. We live predestined lives and our part is just to walk the path of that road as a train would move on a railway with its driver, less bothered about its motion for he is more than sure it is on the right track. I hear too that in aeroplanes, pilots would after reaching some heights just relax and take coffee as the plane just moves on its predestined air route. The Lord is faithful!
We all are part of something bigger than ourselves, aren't we?
I can't help but think of what I call my
worldview passage
, Hebrews 11 & 12. There we read of believer after believer who lived by faith. Sometimes good things happened as they walked by faith, but sometimes "bad" things happened as they walked by faith.
But no matter what the outcome, they persevered by faith. I especially love the following passage:
[By faith]
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them.
Hebrews 11:35-38 NIV
That Kenyan student was hoping for a better resurrection as he stood firm in his allegiance to Christ. The world is not worthy of such as him. May we be encouraged to hold on to the reigning King of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter the outcome on this earth...by faith!
Janet Renner Loyd has been a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ most of her life. Her formal education includes a degree in education from the University of Arizona and also a degree in Bible & Theology from Moody Bible Institute. For more than thirty years, she has been involved in teaching and leading women’s Bible studies, retreats, and meetings…most notably Precept upon Precept and various studies that she has personally developed. Professionally, Jan recently retired from teaching language and writing to GED and adult ESOL students.
About her life, Jan says, “The most important thing about me is my relationship with my Father God through my Lord Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful to Him for His love, mercy, and grace to me and my family and friends...and the world.”
Jan has been happily married to John Loyd for more than forty years. They have two adult, married children and five lively young grandsons.
