KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:25 KJV “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.”

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, women played a very special role. These women were great partners to the Lord’s ministry, as they gave off their substance. Luke 8:3 KJV “And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. “These were very faithful women. They kept their faithfulness even at a time when the whole community called for His crucifixion.

This act of faithfulness on the part of these women was against a big show of rejection by almost all of Jesus’ disciples except John who the bible said, stood with the Lord’s mother, Mary, at the time Jesus was hanged on the cross. What was the secret of such faithfulness? Luke 7:47 may give us a clue. Luk 7:47 KJV” Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”  The Lord described Mary Magdalene as being forgiven many sins and so she loved much. It is also a deep appreciation, of what Christ has done, that raises one’s sense of value for what Christ did for us. This influences our love for the Lord.

Gratitude always produces faithfulness. Women are more relational and attach their emotions to whatever they do. Men are more analytical and less emotional. Strong emotions mean strong attachments. Men’s analysis of issues if properly done brings one to an unchanging resolution. This is what also makes men stay faithful. Dear child of God, it is your greatest responsibility to remain faithful. In the light of all these, the Spirit of God in us is full of faithfulness. That makes us faithful by nature. Gal 5:22,23. Decide to keep faithful to the end.

THOUGHT: STAY FAITHFUL, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR CROWN.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rev. 2:11 KJV He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 3:5 KJV He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:24 KJV “They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture, they did cast lots. These things, therefore, the soldiers did.”

Jesus’ passion and crucifixion were a stream of fulfilled prophecies. Jesus was not an ordinary man and every aspect of His life must come with divine significance. Events from His birth throughout His life were spoken of by the prophets of old. Just consider this: Mic 5:2 KJV But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Jesus’ birth occurred exactly in Bethlehem as the prophet said.

The prophecy about in our key scripture is from Ps 22:18. KJV “They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.” His garment was indeed parted and the overcoat was not divided, yet they cast lots for it. All these events were playing out perfectly as has been said many years before He was born. Now what matters to you concerning His death is anything that directly talks about you.

The following scripture says our sins were laid on Him. Isaiah 53:6 KJV” All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus was wounded because of our transgression and iniquity so that you and I would be free from every power of sin. Are you free from sin? According to the prophet Isaiah again He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases so that no sickness should have power over your body, if you would believe the gospel. Rom 1:16 KJV “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Dear one, if you would believe this good news about your health, your sins, and all the blessings of Jesus’ death, it would become your experience today.

THOUGHT: BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND EXPERIENCE ITS POWER

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 1:16 KJV “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

1Co 1:18 KJV “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:21 KJV “Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.”

These Jewish religious leaders insisted Jesus had to be handed over to be crucified. Pilate did that but wrote a title on His cross that read, JESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWS. These people would also not accept that. They asked Pilate to change that and write’ He said He is the King of the Jews. What was happening to these people? Their ego was just at its peak. Pride makes men act petty and unreasonable. What did that title have to do with their main pursuit, which was to get Jesus crucified, which had been given to them?

Pride has often driven men into lots of foolish acts. Many married couples are not enjoying each other because they are just not satisfied with each other. Lots of hurt and unforgiveness which have ruined marriages proceed from pride. Pride is a tool of Satan and places a man in Satan’s palms.

Dear child of God salvation means freedom from the senses.  Salvation means a man is translated from the flesh into the Spirit. The Bible says he has escaped by flight from the corruption of the flesh or lust to be partakers of the divine nature.2 Peter 1:4.

The Christian should never be dominated by pride. The Christian is a supernatural being who is one with the Spirit of Jesus 1 Corinth 6:17. Pride is focusing on yourself, but now your focus is on magnifying the nature and image of Christ. This is the reason the scripture says sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law, or you do not live by the ability of the flesh, but under grace, that is you are living by a higher ability or power. Now it is the spirit that rules you. You have no bitterness in the Spirit, no unforgiveness in the Spirit, and no offense is too huge to be forgiven. Say these things to yourself always. Say I have escaped the dominance of the flesh, and I am in the Spirit and so I have no pride in me. It can’t just function in me. I am full of meekness.

THOUGHT: NO CHILD OF GOD SHOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WALK IN HUMILITY BECAUSE THAT IS WHO YOU ARE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 8:9 KJV” But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition 2 Peter 1:4 “By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:19 KJV “And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Governor Pilate had the rare opportunity to meet with the king of Kings and Lord of Lords. He heard from the lips of the Lord that His kingdom is not of this world and that He had angels who could fight for Him. He also told Pilate that he had no power to condemn Him, If His Father who is in heaven did not give him that right or authority. These statements reveal clearly that Jesus is the Son of God, and secondly, He is a king. Pilate deduced a truth out of all these, yet He did not acknowledge him as His Lord That would have given him grounds to be saved. He failed to acknowledge that and rather wrote Jesus’ king of the Jews.

Dear one, do not miss the opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. He says harden, not your heart if you hear His word today. Jesus imparts His life to you. You become His representative in this life.1Jn 4:17 KJV” Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”  Do not miss this amazing appeal to welcome Him into your life.

The Lord told Peter and the other fishermen who had no special education, that they should follow Him, and He would make them fishers of men. After a period of living with the master, they became the leaders of their society. He made them fishers or leaders of other men. He says follow me. You do not need any special qualities. All you need is to follow Him. Today do not let this opportunity slip by. Make that decision to follow Him.

Evangelist Akwasi Amoako, of blessed memory, would be described as a social misfit before he found Jesus. He was a swindler, pickpocket, a brawler, and a threat to other members of the community. He heard God’s word and after some moments of struggling with the word, he yielded to the call. He decided to ardently follow Jesus. God used him so powerfully in Ghana and outside Ghana as well. He became so influential that, he challenged certain anti-Christian policies of the government.  No matter your current state, all that the Lord requires from you is to decide to follow Him. If you want a higher power and influence in your life, then decide to follow Him.

THOUGHT: FOLLOW JESUS, AND MEN WILL FOLLOW YOU.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matt 4:19 KJV “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

2Corinth 6:2 KJV” (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:18 ISV” There they crucified him, along with two others, one on each side of him with Jesus in the middle.”

Our Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross. This is a very important event that leads to the redemption of mankind. Without His crucifixion, He would not have resurrected to seal our redemption. The crucifixion of our Lord Jesus is a vital part of the good news.  By dying on the cross he became the lamb of God, who took away our sins. John the Baptist made the following remarks about Him when the Lord got to the river Jordan, where he baptised the people. John 1:29 ISV” The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” For one to be saved, you have to believe Jesus died for your sins.

It is written in another religious book (the Quran: Surah 157) that It was a conjecture. The advanced learners’ dictionary defines a conjecture as a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing, usually with little hard evidence. Please note that John, the recorder of these things says,  he was a witness to these things. John 19:26 KJV” When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!” John is the very one who wrote these things. When the Lord was resurrected from the dead, Thomas who was not present at Jesus’ first appearance said, He would not believe Jesus is resurrected until he sees the nail print in his hands and his side that was pierced. The following ensued when Jesus appeared the next time to His disciples. John 20:27 KJV “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”

The crucifixion of Jesus is so significant because, in God’s set principle to save men, there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood, Heb 9:22. This is the reason we must pray for the salvation of all those who do not believe Jesus died on the cross. According to the bible, such people are lost in their sins. Dear one, do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Do you also believe he was resurrected from the dead? If you do, then confess Him today as the Lord of your life. If you did so , then you are saved according to Rom 10:9, 10.

THOUGHT: JESUS’ DEATH IS A FACT OF HISTORY AND A VITAL TRUTH FOR THE SALVATION OF MEN.

FURTHER STUDIES

1Corinth 15:3,4 KJV For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Rom 10:9 KJV “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. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:17 ISV” Carrying the cross all by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.”

The Lord said to His disciples during His days of ministry that, if anyone would come after Him, or if anyway would be His disciple, and does not first take up His cross and follow Him, He is not His disciple. This is the very first condition that guarantees one following Him. The Lord demonstrated this very instruction by carrying His cross to be crucified. The idea of one carrying His cross is to accept that you do not live for yourself any longer. It also means you are dead to yourself and that it is the will of God that matters to you. ‘Carrying the cross suggests condemned to death.

No one can effectively serve God until he is dead to himself. God cannot also use a man who is alive to himself. The Lord only works with sacrificed vessels. The Lord said in Luke 9:62 KJV that….” No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God”. Serving or following Jesus for that matter must be done under His terms. Dear brother, if you have not renewed your thinking to align with this approach, then you are still far from knowing Him or being His disciple in the first place.

Christianity is a supernatural life. It is God acting through a man. Apostle Paul declared “I am crucified with Jesus, although I live, yet not I. The life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me “Gal 2:20. Our call to take up the cross is simply to let the Spirit of Christ take charge and live through us. Weakness in the church of God is when the flesh takes charge. Dear one, you cannot reign in this life, when your natural senses are your master. The senses are servants of the devil if they lead. Keep the senses dead and let the spirit lead. Gal 5:16 KJV “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

I have heard in recent times a call for men to marry more than one, as they argue about the needs of their flesh. Any child of God who submits to this view is allowing his flesh to take charge of him and will be defeated in the life of the Spirit. Jesus said, if you look lustfully at a woman, you have committed adultery with her in your heart. Matt 5:28. The Lord was teaching about maintaining your holiness by keeping to your wife, so you would maintain the one flesh, through that union.

THOUGHT: KEEP THE FLESH DEAD, SO GOD CAN BE STRONG IN YOU, TO REVEAL HIS GLORY IN YOU.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 8:13 ISV” For if you live according to human nature, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you continuously put to death the activities of the body, you will live”.

Gal 5:19-21 ISV” Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. “

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:16 KJV” Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away.”

After Pilate had strived with the people to set Jesus free. Pilate finally submitted to the pressure of the people, and so He gave Jesus up to the scribes and Pharisees to do with Him. Pilate submitted to their cries for Jesus’s crucifixion. Many people are under invisible pressure to be pleased. Moses, that great servant of God, filled with amazing signs and wonders, could not get to the promised land because of the pressure of the people. Numbers 12:3 said the following about Moses:(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth). He is said to be the meekest of all men, yet the actions, complaints, and murmurings of the people got so much on him that he could not control his temper. He said to them at that moment God instructed him to speak to the rock to give out water. He said, must I fetch water from the rock, then out of anger, he hit the rock. God said because of this act, he would not set foot on the promised land.

Many women without children are suffering and sorrow because of the pressure of the society. They would have lived normally if it had not been the pressure of the people. Some single ladies are pestered by the people about when they would be getting married. Dear one, men can be unusually burdensome. Most people would not mind their own business.

A young husband died of hypertension caused by an extremely nagging wife. This wife complains about almost everything and also keeps herself from the man in bed. This kind of treatment kept him stressed up most of the time. He had to confide in a few friends about the treatment the wife gave him. Some husbands are also extremely demanding and aggressive as well. They are very jealous and would easily beat up the wife at the least provocation. Some easily lose their temper and shout at their wives as if they were their children. These are all pressures that people place on others.

Does any of these pictures look like you? You are killing your neighbour silently. Repent and stop it.

THOUGHT: BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT OF YOUR ACTIONS ON THE EMOTIONS OF THE OTHER PARTY.

FURTHER STUDIES

James 1:19,20 KJV” Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

1Co 13:4 ISV” Love is always patient;   love is always kind;   love is never envious or arrogant with pride.   Nor is she conceited,”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:14 KJV” And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”

The Passover was a feast instituted by God for the Jews to remember the great deliverance from the bondage of 430 years in Egypt. The day of preparation was for them to provide all the necessary food items for that special sabbath day since no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Although the Jews were preparing for that day, God was also preparing His Son to be the eternal Passover sacrifice for all mankind. To recap the event of the first Passover, God through Moses asked the Israelites to kill an unblemished sheep, whose blood was to be smeared on the side post and lentil of every Jewish home. The angel of death was to pass through the land that night, and every house that had no blood had their first son dying, irrespective of the fact he was a Jew or not. Ex 12:22-24.

In the same way, our Lord Jesus was offered as the preparatory sacrifice of God for all mankind. Any man, who would accept the death of Jesus as God’s token for the pardon and forgiveness of that person becomes a child of God. Such a one is exempted from spiritual death and all its related consequences, which include living in sin, sicknesses, demonic dominance, and an ultimate destination in hell. This is how the bible shows the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus to save mankind. Heb 9:12 KJV “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” 

Dear one, the blood on each door, irrespective of the fact that He was a Jew or an Egyptian, the blood symbolised the death of the firstborn. Where there was no blood then the angel of death which was passing through the land went for the firstborn and slew him. Today, you can have your Passover lamb speaking for you against every wicked power that seeks the destruction of men. When a man turns his life to Jesus, he receives the same effect of the Passover blood as it happened, during the days of the Jews in Egypt.

THOUGHT: RECEIVE GOD’S PASSOVER SACRIFICE TO ESCAPE FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 2:9 KJV But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

John 3:16 KJV” 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.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:12 KJV “And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.”

In our key scripture, Pilate had wanted to release Jesus, yet the Jews cried at him that if he did that then he is not a friend of Caesar. He chose the latter.

Many men sadly forsake God to choose human association instead. Apostle Paul says, Gal 1:16 KJV “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” Paul did not allow any human association to becloud the calling of God upon his life. Many men of God failed in their ministries because they never understood that, the call of God is primarily unto Himself. It is a call to know Him, and also what He wants you to do for Him. Even, whatever we do for the people is done under His instruction and in His honour. God is the reason for our existence, and our lives are only meaningful if it is focused on pleasing Him.

These Pharisees said to Pilate that if he freed Jesus, then he was not a friend of Caesar. Pilate was taken aback because of this. He loved his human association with Caesar more than he being truthful to God. He finally gave in and handed Jesus over to them to go and crucify Him. Pilate missed a great opportunity to know the Son of God and the giver of life. He also missed that rare opportunity to encounter supernatural power that makes a man rule over wicked demonic powers.

Dear one, never choose human relationships over relating to our Lord Jesus. Some people know they are in sinful relationships, yet they are not ready to break that association. What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, only to lose his soul in hell? Dear one, it is time to break up every ungodly relationship to choose Jesus. He is consistently knocking on the door of your heart waiting for your permission to welcome Him in. Rev 3:20. Today is that moment. Choose Him right now.

THOUGHT: NO HUMAN BEING SHOULD COME IN BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.

FURTHER STUDIES

Gal 1:10 KJV” For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Rev 3:20 KJV” Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 19:12 KJV And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.”

After Jesus said to Pilate, you can’t have power over me unless it is given to you from above, He was expressing His faith in God. This word from the lips of Jesus, made Pilate give a great respect unto the master. He wanted to release Him. The Lord’s statement was an expression of His faith in the Father. Faith in God always dominates over various circumstances. The Bible says faith stops every onslaught of the enemy against us. Your faith brings you into the same realm as God. It says all things are possible to him that believes.

Our faith is fundamentally expressed through the words we say. Rom 10:10 KJV” For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” This scripture is the main principle that our faith is expressed and it also works. The heart believes God and the mouth forcefully says it. This is God’s prescribed way to change supposedly impossible situations in our lives. What on earth would have made Governor Pilate have such high regard for Jesus, to the point of seeking His release, even after he had given him over to be scourged, ready to be crucified?

A lady was diagnosed with hepatitis B at a rather advanced stage. Her legs had started swelling, her stomach was enlarging, and her appetite for food was gone. I taught her to believe the word of healing according to 1 Peter 2:24. I told her to keep declaring to her body that every virus in her system was dead. She religiously observed that. After a time, every symptom was reversed and she was made free from that ravaging infirmity. Your faith would surely put you over. Say with me today, I believe that by the stripes of Jesus, I was healed of every infirmity, and I declare that my body is free of every infirmity, weakness, or deformity. In Jesus’ mighty name, no disease inhabits my body right now. I am free. Keep declaring this over your body, if there is any condition contrary to your normal health. Be bold with it and that condition would leave you.

THOUGHT: FAITH IN YOUR HEART AND A CORRESPONDING CONFESSION OF YOUR LIPS WOULD PUT YOU OVER.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mark 11:23 KJV “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

2Co 4:13 KJV “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”