Why Jesus Came To Die

Here are a few excerpts from a book by John Piper called -
FIFTY REASONS WHY JESUS CAME TO DIE (click on title)

Plus Scripture from the Holy Word of God!!

Soak it in and meditate on His Great Grace and Love for us!!

Remembering that Holy Week is the most amazing wonderful week ever...and it always ends with a Resurrection!!


WHY JESUS CAME TO DIE

1. To Take Away Our Condemnation

The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this;
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

To be "in Christ" means to be in relationship to him by faith. Faith in Christ unites us to Christ so that his death becomes our death and his perfection becomes our perfection.

Who is to condemn?
Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:34

The death of Christ secures our freedom from condemnation.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

2. To Give Eternal Life To All Who Believe On Him

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36

Heaven is real...and so is hell!!

3. To Give Marriage It's Deepest Meaning

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Ephesians 5:25

God's design for marriage in the Bible pictures the husband loving his wife the way Christ loves his people, and the wife responding to her husband the way Christ's people should respond to Him.

4. To Unleash The Power of God In The Gospel

The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

May we embrace the Gospel of Christ and walk in it's power!

5. For The Forgiveness Of Our Sins

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.
Ephesians 1:7

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:28


For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21


Have you received the Fathers love for you?
We all have sinned and all need a Savior...I pray you know Him this way?

The Bible says in Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and you believe in your heart that God was raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Here is a simple prayer to pray to accept the Lord into your life.

Lord Jesus,

I acknowledge that you are the Son of God.
I confess to you that I am a sinner. Please forgive me and give me strength to overcome.
I receive your amazing your love for me through the demonstration of your suffering, death and resurrection. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins!
Thank you for the gift of eternal life that I now have in you!

Amen!

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation ( born again). Old things have passed away and all things are made brand new!
2 Corinthians 5:21


I rejoice in knowing that the Lord saves and transforms lives...He has rescued me and continues to guide me along the journey.

If you surrendered to him today...I am here for you and would love to pray for you as you begin this new beginning!

Holy Week

This week always transports me back to my childhood and the memory of a cross that was assembled out of palm leaves and posted above of the door at the entry of our home.

Back then I did not understand or appreciate all the sacred meanings of that week. But now I can look back and see the significance and power of all it's detail.

This week on my blog I want to dig into the word and capture the moments and steps that led Christ closer to his crucifixion.

You will discover that the Lord finds this week so important that he designs all 4 Gospels to include the details of this victorious week! Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all tell of the Christ's Last Supper, Crucifixion and his Ressurection. I find that very interesting!

The journey begins with Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) as Christ enter's into Jerusalem, where a segment of the roads were covered with cloaks and palm branches for him.


They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

"Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the King of Israel!"
John 12:13


Palm branches have been used by nations as an emblem of joy and victory over the enemy.

May this week remind us to hold onto what we know to be true and the victory we have through the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Praise and Honor to Him!!

"Choose a suitable time for reflection and frequently consider the loving-kindness of God."
Thomas `a Kempis


Be Inspired,

Vern

Not my will...

What began years ago as a a nudge that I tried to ignore and push away...has turned into an ache and a burden that I have begun to organize my life around!!

For over 16 years I fought God on the calling to go into ministry. Pitiful I know.

I tried to communicate back to Him that He had the wrong person.
I reminded Him of all my wrong choices...where I had been and what I had done and thought...I explained to Him that I had nothing to offer! I gave Him a list of allllll my inadequacies...my weaknesses and so much more!

He responded by taking me on a journey.

After each excuse I gave Him, He took me through a season that taught me so much about His character. My understanding of His love & kindness has expanded to a capacity that makes me weak in my knees!

I am not saying it was an easy thing to discover that this calling is not about me but I am grateful for His patience with me...sometimes I am a little slow!

He continued by teaching me so much through His word.

Mark 8:34
If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself and...cleave steadfastly to Me.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith not by sight.

Psalm 119:105
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.

I came to the point that I did not just hear and learn the following things, but I began to acknowledge and truly make application to live it out.

I had to stop believing the lies that played in my head.
Forget my past
Ignore the reminders of guilt.
Forgive many.
Love and pray for all...even those that are difficult and cause you undeserved pain.
I had to lose sight of my wordly interests and instead invest in things of eternal value.
Live a life of thanks and praise.

As I began to grow in the knowledge of the Word of God, I noticed the burden in my heart led me to change.

My appetite changed.
My lifestyle changed.
My interests changed.
My will changed.
My discipline changed.


The next thing that occurred was my burden turned into a vision...a strong knowing came over me that I could no longer ignore it!!

In the past my ignorance had kept me wandering and wondering.
It kept me distracted with busyness and delayed with fear and hesitation.

Not anymore!!

Philippians 3:13
...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of for me.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind me and straining toward what is ahead.

In 2006 the Lord provided in miraculous ways the opportunity to attend the Proverbs 31 Ministries, She Speaks Conference. It was there that I began a relationship with an amazing ministry and an amazing group of women who are the real deal. Through my experiences with them I have caught and been taught invaluable knowledge in moving forward with this passion that has begun to expand my heart and vision.

Recently, I invited my friend, Lysa Terkeurst, of Proverbs 31, to be my special guest for a special evening of ministry and kingdom purpose.

This evening was the result of an amazing journey with the Lord and a life that has truly begun to say "YES" to the Lord and His Will.

JANUARY 23, 2009

A Night of Inspired Hope!

Lysa Terkeurst ~ Vern ~ Holly Good

"YES" GIRLS!



My wonderful Husband praying over the team before the event begins.




Lysa praying and commissioning me into ministry...gulp!
There was an amazing presence in the room...I cried like a baby!!




Those in attendance joined with me in prayer for the women of the San Antonio area.
This is one of my passions...reaching the women of our area.


Stephen and Sarah...Worship Warriors!
To have great friends join efforts with me in ministry was the BEST!



New Friend ~ Chuck...He was awesome!



My dear friend Mark...being Mark...he be jammin for Jesus!

Preparing for this event was one of the greatest and most challenging times of my life.
It was evident that this experience was bigger than me and what I could do in my own ability.
Obviously God was at work and it was through His great power and provision that I experienced victory over personalities and road blocks that came across my pathway.

I dedicate this blog post to all those that somewhere along the way joined me on this journey.

To my family...Thank you for your reflection of His love and grace in the midst of it all! You inspire me! Rick...I will never forget the day you spoke prophetically to me that "It was time to get out of the incubator!"
Dear friends...near & far and new & old...Thank you for taking risks! Thank you for your spiritual muscles! And especially for sharing your abilities unselfishly!
Your wisdom, prayers and dedication to the things of the Lord have had a huge affect on my life!!

Thank you all for your testimonies, your witness and love!

The Lord has a vision and plan for us all.
I hope that you are confidently walking in obedience with His plan right now in your life. Do not let anything stand in the way of the dream and vision he birthed in you!

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him - but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:9 -10

Believe and Be Inspired By Him!!

Vern