Ok so I love love love OrangeLeaf frozen yogurt! It is my new favorite place to go for a sweet treat! They have 24 different flavors and tons of different toppings! My favorite flavors to get are pomegranate and white chocolate! MMM it is soo yummy...and a little healthier than regular ice cream!!!!!!!!
Isaiah 53:5 – But he was pierced for our transgressions
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. – Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
What happens when the judge is also the father of the accused? That was the “dilemma” God had when Adam rebelled against God. God loves his children, but they have sinned against His nature and the punishment for that is death. So He determined to take the punishment of man’s rebellion Himself. Jesus Christ came as a man and took the judgment due to us so that we could experience the favor due to Him. Because of Jesus, we have an open door to the Creator, and that door brings us into peace, healing and restoration. God’s justice and love meet in Jesus Christ.
Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.
Mark 15:37-39 – Surely this man was the Son of God!
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” – Mark 15:37-39 (NIV)
How could an act of weakness, such as a man dying on a cross, cause this kind of response in an elite Roman soldier? In the Jewish temple there was a place called the Holy of holies. A heavy curtain covered the entrance; separated unholy man from a holy God. When that curtain was ripped in two the separation between God and man was gone. Suddenly the centurion saw what he couldn’t see before: Jesus was not an ordinary man, but God’s very act of reconciliation. Can you see that? Or do you still see just a man on a cross?
Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org
This song has been on my heart as we approach this Easter holiday. What a very powerful song by one of my favorite Christian bands, Casting Crowns. Jesus paid it all for us on the cross and because of His suffering we have been redeemed! Hope you all enjoy!
This is just a commentary from lead singer of Casting Crowns, Mark giving a little insight on the inspiration to the song
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Judges 6:11-12 – When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” – Judges 6:11-12 (NIV)
The Mideanites were stealing all of the Israelite’s food, so Gideon was hiding in a winepress in order to keep his wheat. Yet when the angel of the Lord appears, Gideon is hailed as a mighty warrior! Even if we feel that we are hiding, the Lord sees much more. God has a vision for our lives that is much greater than what we have the courage to believe about ourselves. So how do we know what God thinks of us? God has given us His word as a way to expose our hearts and lift us to Him. Approach the Scripture today and let God pull you out of the winepresses of hiding and into your destiny.
Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org
I wanted to share this with you, after my husband, Chad had a pretty crappy night, he wrote me this poem! I love this man so much and would go to the ends of the earth for him!!!
Through every light my eyes let pass, I see your face, your smile, your laugh! Your perfect form God blessed you with, he gave me you, my love, my gift. So now I'm endebted for the love I have, and I will always thank the Lord for everything, good or bad! For you are my rock, my shelter, my soul, joined together through the sanctity of whole! Everything is perfect when your near! I cherish each moment, each smile, each tear!
I went to the doctor today for my annual exam, I started going to a new Doctor, so it was my first time to see him and I was kinda nervous going in but it turned out to be a really good appointment and I really like my doctor and his bed side manner. Pregnancy came up and we talked about me wanting to get pregnant, so we decided to start out just tracking everything and see what nature does and if anything happens. We will go on from there and see what happens. This was some what of a relief to me, because of always having irregular periods I wasn't sure how the whole trying to get pregnant thing would go, but I am going to give everything to God and put it in His hands and I know then that everything will work out according to God's will for my life. My doctor suggested I start taking a pre-natal vitamin so guess what I did after I got done there, went and bought pre-natal vitamins! So we begin this road of trying to get pregnant, though it might not be easy or nice we are willing to do whatever we are able to start a family! Let me leave with this bible verse- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. – Exodus 20:17
The word covet does not come up in everyday language much. But it certainly is a part of everyday life! The definition for coveting is: to desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others. Behind this is a heart of ingratitude, selfishness and a belief that God has somehow withheld something from us. “I sure wish I had one of those… or, “why isn’t my spouse more like them…or, “why do I have to stay in this job…?”
Wanting what we don’t have displays that we are not satisfied with God’s provision in our life. “I deserve better than this!” And, “I know what I need better than God does.” When we believe that God is infinitely good, and we remember that he alone is sovereign, we can set all coveting aside. Another way of translating this command would be, “Be satisfied with what your generous God has given you!”
Today’s Commentary by:
Caesar Kalinowski, Pastor, Soma Communities
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. – Exodus 20:16
Lying distorts reality. We give a false testimony, or tell a lie about something, to change someone’s perception. It may be a person’s opinion of us, our abilities or strength. It may be to change their perception of another person. Either way, we are trying to be “God” in the situation. We are actually taking control over another person’s mind and emotions when we tell lies. Lying is an offense to God because he has commanded that we have no other gods before him-including us! If we believe and trust God to love and care for us in all things, we never have to lie to try and manipulate the circumstances. We only lie because we do not believe God is big enough to handle a given situation, so we take control of people and things with our words. We act like we are God in the situation. Trust that God is ‘large and in charge’ of everything in your life. Allow him to be your defender and you will no longer need to lie.
Today’s Commentary by:
Caesar Kalinowski, Pastor, Soma Communities
