Our Wedding Anniversary Celebration

This weekend, my wife Abby and I celebrate our 56^th wedding anniversary.  We have exchanged our love for each other in words and actions throughout this past week.  But whatever good and lovely that has been a part of our marriage could not have originated in us alone.

When we exchanged our wedding vows in 1969, little did we know two major facts about marriage.  First, we underestimated the vast range of experiences we would encounter.  On the one hand, we’ve enjoyed the mountaintop experiences of enjoying each other’s company in so many blessed occasions.  We were blessed with two children, Bradley and Melinda, and privileged to enjoy their development and accomplishments along with many more blessings that clearly are gifts from the hand of our God.

On the other hand, we have experienced the valleys of trial that have challenged our faith and the stability and integrity of our marriage.  We are two imperfect people who have often forgotten, and still forget, that among faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is love.  Agape love finds its only source in God as demonstrated by His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on a Roman cross in our place.  “Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4: 10).

Through all of our mountaintops of triumph and joy, and our valleys of trial and grief, our cause for celebration of our 56^th anniversary lies in our Heavenly Father, our Redeemer and Sustainer.  And, although we cannot see Him, we have experienced His enabling love extended through the love and support of our family, the fellowship we have experienced within the church, the Body of Christ; and through the many friends we have relied upon over the years. 

As we thank God for our marriage and celebrate your part in our lives, we have been enjoying time to look over photos that remind us of our many blessings over the years.  We wanted to share a few of the pics that represent some of our wedding anniversary highlights.  Thank you for your love and encouragement, and remember, you are a part of our celebration.

15^th  Wedding
Anniversary,  

1984

25^th  Wedding
Anniversary,  

1994

34th Wedding
Anniversary,  

2003 

40th Wedding
Anniversary,  

2009

46^th  Wedding
Anniversary,  

2015

       50^th  Wedding Anniversary,  Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Nat. Parks, 2019

           Celebrating the marriage
           of our grandson Caleb and
           granddaughter by marriage, Soni.

           August, 2019

55th Wedding 

Anniversary,

2024

When Is Your Anniversary:
Thank you for your interest in our story.  If you are married, we invite you to share your anniversary and thoughts regarding your  journey.  We would be just as glad to hear from you who are singles.  Please use the "Comment" link below or write us at silviusj@gmail.com

Related Blog Article:
As we have reflected on the blessings and trials of marriage and life in general, we've been using the metaphor of "the foothold."  It is important that we gain a good foothold in order to secure "firm footing" in our lives.   For more on this subject and its spiritual implications, click HERE.

Denying the Foothold

This month, we marked the 81^st anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944.  On that date during World War II, Allied forces representing the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries launched the greatest naval, air, and land invasion in world history.  By 6:30 am on June 6, the amphibious invasion began.   Over 5,000 ships and landing craft carrying troops and supplies were arriving from England across the channel to France.  Meanwhile, more than 11,000 aircraft provided air cover and support for the invasion.

The strategy, under the direction of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, was to open up a second battle front in northern France by attacking the beaches of Normandy which were controlled by Nazi forces under Adolph Hitler.  Bent on defending his control of the European mainland, Hitler had ordered the construction of the “Atlantic Wall.”  This coastal defense consisted of over 2,400 miles of coastal bunkers, landmines, and obstacles including heavy fortifications on the heights above the Normandy beaches.

The immediate objective of Allied forces on that June morning was to establish a beachhead or foothold from which to accomplish the landing of more troops, vehicles, munitions, and other equipment.  Over 2,000 American lives, representing about half of total Allied casualties, were lost on Utah Beach and Omaha Beach on the first day, and thousands more were wounded or missing.  But, by day’s end over 156,000 Allied troops had survived and secured a foothold on the beaches of Normandy.

D-Day military strategy was not the first in world history to depend upon securing a foothold against enemy forces.  Success in any military effort depends upon gaining control of sufficient ground to establish a staging area for more powerful and sustained frontal attacks on the enemy.  Likewise, on D-Day, success of the defending Nazi forces depended upon denial of the foothold.  Their failed efforts to deny the Allied forces a foothold signaled the beginning of the Allied advance to liberate western Europe and eventually their defeat of Nazi Germany.

Recognizing Our Enemy
Throughout God’s Word, we encounter the words “foothold” and “deny” as metaphors in the teaching of Scripture related to how we can resist and be victorious against the spiritual attacks of Satan.  The first step to be victorious is to recognize our Enemy and not “deny” his existence and schemes.

Six years before D-Day, British Prime Minister Arthur Neville Chamberlain met with Adolph Hitler and signed the Munich Agreement which ceded the German-speaking Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany.  Within the following year, it became evident that Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement that promised “Peace for Our Time” would not stop Hitler’s aggression.  Chamberlain had mistakenly denied Hitler’s evil intent to dominate Europe and eventually the world. 

Chamberlain’s error should teach us that simply denying the existence of something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  Today, many mistakenly deny the existence of God and His objective revelation in the Holy Scriptures.  Having denied God’s existence and His objective truth, the next step is to deny the existence of good and evil.  But if we are honest with ourselves, denial of our own personal tendency toward pride, selfishness, and conflict is really a denial of reality.   This denial is a spiritual consequence of our sinful nature inherited from our father, Adam.  Romans 5: 12 affirms this truth:  Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned —

Jesus’s half-brother, James, recognized that we all have a “sin nature,” and asked probing questions about its consequences in his epistle, in James 4: 1-2:
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?
Is not the source the evil desires that wage war in your members?
You lust and do not have; so you commit murder.
You are envious and cannot obtain; so, you fight and quarrel.

Wars throughout world history and the current wars in various parts of the world, all began within “the evil desires that wage war in [our] members.”  The good news is that when a person yields to the authority of Jesus Christ, he or she is “united with Christ in the likeness of His death” and “raised to new life (‘born again’) in the likeness of His resurrection” (Romans 6: 5).  Born again Christ-followers are “no longer slaves to sin.”  Because we still possess a sin nature, we remain a target of Satan who is our "adversary," "accuser,” and also "opposer" or "obstructor," along with his hellish minions (demons).  But under the “new Master,” Jesus Christ, every born-again Christ-follower is indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit who enables him or her to oppose sin’s reign in their mortal body so that they “need not obey its passions” (Romans 6: 12-14).  In other words, when Christ is our new Master, Satan no longer has free access to our lives.  But, as in any warfare, our victory over sin depends on how well we can recognize the strategy of our enemy and then respond so as to deny the enemy even a foothold.

Strategy of Our Enemy
Psalm 36: 1-4 provides what can become a clear battle plan for recognizing and resisting our spiritual enemy.  First, unlike Neville Chamberlain’s naivety toward scheming Adolph Hitler, we must recognize the deceptive nature of the messaging that bombards our eyes and ears every day.  The messaging from the “world system of thought” will tend to appeal to the evil desires that wage war in [our] members (recall James 4: 1-2 above).

Second, we must resist ungodly messages we see and hear by remembering God’s goodness and love that sent His Son, Jesus, to the Cross to intercede and deliver us from the dominion of sin and Satan.  The Apostle John wrote (1 John 2: 14b-16; emphasis added), I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.  Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

When the Enemy Gains Foothold
What happens when we fail to recognize our Enemy and do not resist his attacks?  When this happens, we allow the Enemy to gain a foothold in our heart and mind. The table below outlines the unfortunate progression of spiritual defeat.  But, in the right column are samples from God’s Word that can be used to counter the Enemy assault:

My study of Psalm 36 has reminded me of my own proneness to “listen to sin” speaking to my heart which is the center of the nature of who I am as a person.  On the one hand, I must not trust my heart; but instead, recognize that “nothing good dwells in me; that is, in my flesh (Romans 7: 19) and that my heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who can really know how bad it is? (Jeremiah 17: 9).

On the other hand, I must remember that “Calvary is always on the way” and has come to my aid (Recall the bugles when the U.S. Cavalry comes to the rescue?)   Titus wrote the following to first century believers, and to us (emphasis added):  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2: 11-14).   

Denying a Foothold
Titus 2: 11-14 is a great passage to memorize.  Note that while God extends His GRACE (“God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense) freely, it is not “cheap!”  Grace came at the great expense of Christ’s leaving Heaven’s glory to die on a Roman cross, bearing our sin, and our pain and sorrow in place of us.  Therefore, Titus 2: 12 reminds us that God’s priceless GRACE not only “brings salvation” but it also “disciplines us to deny ungodliness and worldly passions.”  “Deny” here means to “refuse access” in the same way athletic coaches teach their players how to play defense so as to “deny” their opponent access to the goal line in football or to the rim in basketball.

Spiritually, we must “deny” our enemy access to our minds lest he gain a foothold.  The Apostle Paul cautions us about unrighteous anger and unresolved issues in relationships:   BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4: 26-27).  Paul recognized, and so must we, that our major challenges in life are not primarily the threats from a “physical” enemy.”  He wrote in 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5:
For though we live in the world,
we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension
that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.…  

In Ephesians 6, Paul uses the analogy of a well-equipped soldier armed for battle (Ephesians 6: 10-18).  He explains, as shown in the graphic, how each piece of armor that provides physical protection also has a spiritual significance.  I encourage readers to study this passage, and note specifically how the Word of God is the offensive weapon while the other pieces are defensive and must be put on “while praying at all times” (verse 18).  Christ-follower, wouldn’t you agree from your own experience that “effective, fervent prayer” is your most important spiritual “weapon” both in defense against the enemy, and in achieving victory in your service of our King?

The Power of Prayer
In conclusion, as we remember D-Day and the thousands of Allied troops that stormed the beaches of Normandy 81 years ago this June, we imagine that many of them advanced courageously because they knew they were being held up in prayer by loved ones at home.  Many others carried a military Bible near their hearts as they scaled the cliffs against enemy fire and experienced boldness and yet peace of mind in the midst of conflict.

May we each take to heart the lesson of the prepared soldier and the strategy of denying the Enemy a spiritual foothold in our lives.  We close with a quote from Andrew Murray, the great South African pastor whose writings continue to offer deep spiritual insight.  The quote is from Murray’s book, The Prayer Life:

“When a general chooses the place from which he intends to strike the enemy, he pays most attention to those points which he thinks most important in the fight. Thus, there was on the battlefield of Waterloo a farmhouse which Wellington immediately saw was the key to the situation. He did not spare his troops in his endeavors to hold that point: the victory depended on it.  So, it actually happened.  It is the same in the conflict between the believer and the powers of darkness. The inner chamber is the place where the decisive victory is obtained.”

“When the Church shuts herself up to the power of the inner chamber, and the soldiers of the Lord have received on their knees 'power from on high', then the powers of darkness will be shaken and souls will be delivered.  In the Church, on the mission field, with the minister and his congregation, everything depends on the faithful exercise of the power of prayer.”

Care to Comment:
We hope you have given high priority to gaining and maintaining a foothold on the firm ground of faith, able to withstand our Enemy attacks and the inclinations of our sinful flesh.  Maybe you have a question about something you have read, or about how to surrender your life to Christ.   You may contact us using the “Comment” link below, or use our e-mail address:  silviusj@gmail.com  We would love to hear from you.

Killing Donald Trump

Please Note: 
This blog does not propose a plan. 
It prescribes a way of prevention.

If our title sounds familiar, you may be familiar with Bill O’Rielly’s “killing series:” Killing Lincoln (2011), Killing Kennedy (2012), Killing Reagan (2015), and others.  Each book recounts the events and personalities surrounding the killing of an influential leader.  Killing Reagan is an exception because President Reagan, like Donald Trump, survived an assassination attempt.  Both of these near assassinations have left a mark on our hearts and minds.

Whether you love or hate Donald Trump, he is considered by many to be the most consequential world leader of this century.   Ever since 2015 when he and Malania descended the escalator into the world of politics, the lives of the Trump family have dramatically changed.  Many of their close friends suddenly became their public enemies.  The personal and emotional cost Donald Trump and his family have paid for their decision continues to this day.

Of course, no U.S. president is loved by everyone.  Politics often skews the popularity of a president.  But politics aside, President Trump may top the list of most disrespected and hated among all U.S. presidents.  Herein lies the purpose of this blog.  (See text box on ABOVE.)

We are all familiar with the numerous, decade-long political, legal and personal attacks levied against President Trump.  The most egregious of all the attacks occurred on July 14, 2024 when Mr. Trump was shot in the head during a campaign rally in Butler, PA by a would-be assassin.  The shots fired on that day, awakened many Americans to the serious consequences when a divided nation becomes embroiled around a controversial presidential candidate.

Think No Evil, Commit No Evil?
Politics, personality, and character qualities aside, we believe it is time to take stock of our thoughts, attitudes, and behavior toward Donald Trump as a fellow human being.  The universal moral code, often represented in the Golden Rule, states that we ought to treat others as we wish to be treated.  The Judeo-Christian Scriptures express the universal moral code in the Ten Commandments, the last six of which address our moral and ethical behavior toward others.  Commandment number six (6) states clearly: “You shall not murder.”

Thankfully, most of us can affirm that we are not murderers.  But Jesus Christ the Messiah of God came into the world to bring a higher moral standard.  In his Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus laid out a moral framework for kingdom living, He said,
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
 I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.  - Matthew 5: 17
By “fulfil the law,” Jesus meant that, whereas keeping the Old Testament laws of Moses may alter our outward behavior, He came to bring transformation of our hearts so that His followers are empowered by God’s Spirit to keep the “spirit of the law.”

Jesus illustrated what it means to “fulfil the law” when he said (emphasis added),
You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, “You fool,” shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.  – Matthew 5: 22-23

Scripture: “Evil Thoughts, Evil Actions.”
Jesus’s listeners must have been stunned to hear that their tongues are “murder weapons” by God’s standards.  Jesus affirmed the connection between our thoughts, our words, and our actions on another occasion when He said,
…the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. – Matthew 15: 18-19

Jesus’s teaching on murder is affirmed in the New Testament Epistle of James, His half-brother.  James pictured our outward sins such as murder as having been conceived like a child is conceived within the womb.  He wrote that our evil desires become pregnant and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. – James 1: 15

Suddenly, we realize that unless we have never spoken harshly to another person, we too are murderers.  And we are in need of God’s forgiveness that is possible because “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1: 17).  Jesus came with hard truth but He gave it to us through His extended arms of love.  Christ demonstrated God’s love when He gave His sinless life on the Cross as the sin offering for us who have broken all of the Ten Commandments at one time or another (James 2: 10).  All of this with only one requirement on our part:  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1: 9

Of course, many refuse to confess that they are sinners.  Many even deny the authority of Jesus Christ and the Bible which represents His inspired Word.  Instead, many will say, “Show me the science.”

Science: “Thoughts Produce Physical Changes”
Amazingly, science has been confirming the truth of God’s Word.  Researchers have demonstrated that “how we think” produces “physical effects” on our brain.   If this is true, our thoughts and attitudes, whether positive or negative, will affect the kind of person we are becoming, and, in turn, affect our communication and actions toward others.  These connections explain how it is possible for a perfectly rational and moral person to descend into darkness where evil thoughts eventually lead to evil behavior including murder.   But, biologically speaking, how does this occur?

Dr. Caroline Leaf, a communications neuroscientist, has shown through her research that our thought processes produce “physical effects” on our brain.  Each thought generates an effect upon our genes.  Our genes (DNA code), in turn, initiate protein synthesis.  Dr. Leaf’s book, Switch on Your Brain (Baker Books, 2013), explains how repeated thought patterns in our mind, whether positive or negative, will establish patterns rooted in physical changes in our brain resulting in effects on our biological, emotional, and spiritual health.

Dr. Leaf explains how our repeated thought patterns bring changes in the neurophysiological and cellular landscape within our brain by using the analogy of a growing tree with roots, trunk, and branches:

In the same way that a planted seed forms roots, appears above ground, grows, and changes, so your thoughts grow and change over time.  Once a thought is planted—the conversation you have, what you hear, what you read, and so on—its roots begin to grow.  When “watered” with thinking, it grows into a little thought plant.  If ignored, the thought tree dies.  If, however, it gets lots of thinking energy, it will eventually get bigger and stronger.  Whatever we think about the most will grow.  So, at first it is a little plant, like a nagging worry or something at the back of your mind.  Over time, if it’s watered with thinking, it becomes a “big tree” and can dominate and influence our behavior.   

Dr. Leaf gives us encouraging news.  Because our brains have the capacity to change, a property known as neuroplasticity, we can literally “change our minds.” This is possible “through directed mind management or self-regulation.” (Read more HERE.)   We can’t change what has happened to us, but like “mental landscapers” and “forest managers,” we can consciously choose to have a healthy forest.  We can exercise our will to starve out toxic thought trees that can otherwise grow when we water them by nagging worries or bad habits.  Then, using “self-regulated mind management,” we can “prune and clear out” the resultant dead debris from toxic thought trees before it accumulates and interferes with the growth of healthy trees, or becomes dry and bursts into flames that diminish our mental health.

Admittedly, there is a lot here to unpack.  Our brief summary of Dr. Leaf’s research may give the impression that we can correct our mental health woes in a quick-fix manner.   However, there is much more involved which often necessitates professional counsel and a prescribed plan of action.  To learn more, check out the resource links below.

Dr. Leaf’s podcast series (Click HERE.) Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess (Click HERE.)  Neurocycle self-help app: (Click HERE.)  Two-minute self-assessment (Click HERE.)

“Look, Here Is the Man”
On July 14, 2024, the world witnessed the near assassination of Donald Trump.  To many, it was a stark reminder of how hateful thoughts can produce hateful words and even violent actions.  Meanwhile, President Trump’s critics have continued their verbal attacks.  Occasionally, the hatred is expressed through innuendos that call for violence.  For example, on Thursday, the former director of the FBI posted on social media a not-so-subtle message with beach shells, “8647,” which is being interpreted as “eliminate President Trump.”  

In spite of the strong support from both the Bible and science, even professing Christians show disdain and spout derogatory words about Mr. Trump with apparently little regard for the 6^th Commandment or Jesus’s teaching that murder can be committed in our heart, with our  tongue, or using an electronic device. 

Jesus came into this world teaching that “the first and foremost commandment” is to love God above all else, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22: 37-38).  He showed His obedience to both commandments by perfect obedience to God, His Father in Heaven.  Jesus also spoke and acted in loving ways to everyone:  government officials, common people, Jewish leaders, tax collectors, adulterers, and even to Judas, the man who would betray Him.

In spite of His great love and kindness, long before Jesus was born of Mary, the Prophet Isaiah prophesied how He would be treated throughout His earthly life and eventually during Passion Week:
 

He was despised and forsaken of men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him…
He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.  (Isaiah 53: 3, 5). 

Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, was responsible to decide on the sentence of Jesus Christ based on trumped up accusations--sedition against Rome and blasphemy against God.  The Bible reports that Pilate’s initial verdict was, “I find no fault in this man” (John 19: 4).   Pilate paraded Jesus before the crowd and declared, “Look, Here Is the Man (John 19: 5).”  But when he saw the growing crowd which had been incited to call angrily for the crucifixion of Jesus, Pilate gave in to the riotous pressures of the mob (Matthew 27: 24) and eventually “handed Him over to them to be crucified (John 19: 16).”  Here, we can see how hatred from the heart can incite individuals and even whole crowds to become violent.

No!  We are not comparing Donald Trump to Jesus Christ either in matters of character or in the way in which the two men have been treated by others.  Nor do we wish to condemn anyone who expresses disrespect toward our president as if we are morally superior or have never been disrespectful to others ourselves.  Instead, we are simply reminding ourselves and readers of some basic truths:
1)  God is Donald Trump’s ultimate Judge, not us.
2)  God continually extends grace, goodness, and mercy to us, or we would be consumed.
3)  When God repeatedly commands us, “You shall not…[e.g. murder.]” it is because He loves us and loves everyone created in His image (Genesis 1: 26-28).
4)  God, speaking through Christ within hours of giving His very life for us on a Roman Cross, called us to live and love others according to His example.  He said,
A new command I give you: Love one another.   As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 23: 34-35).”

Time for Confession:  Social Media
Besides being pleasing to God, another benefit of obeying Jesus’s command to love our neighbor is that we have fewer regrets.  For example, I (John) regret some of what I have written in the past in Oikonomia.  Once our words are spoken or written in social media, they are hard or impossible to erase.  On the other hand, I am thankful for some of the dialogs I have had on politics with my friends in which we display a commitment to mutual respect even though we may disagree. 

Although it is not a perfect example, I was blessed to dialog with two friends which became the subject of our November 1, 2024 blog entitled “Election 2024: What Can We Agree On?” This blog grew out of a dialog on Facebook and extended to another dialog in “Comments” at the end of the blog (Click HERE.)

Time for a Heart Exam?
How about you?   Will you join us in submitting to a regular “heart exam.”  We may not all agree with President Trump’s policies or appreciate his personality or communication.  But if we harbor animosity, resentment, or disdain in our hearts (rooted as “toxic trees” in our minds), which boil over in disparaging or hateful communications, we need to be aware that we are breaking the “new command” as stated by Jesus.  We are neither loving others, especially our chief national leader, nor presenting a testimony of Christ’s love for a struggling and lost world to see.

If our description above matches your attitude and actions toward Donald Trump, we respectfully call you to acknowledge that you are a spiritual law breaker and repent of (turn away from) your sin (1 John 1: 5-10).  None of us should assume that we are incapable of the most hideous sin against God or our neighbor.  Then, with repentant heart and a sense of God’s mercy and forgiveness, let us pray for Donald Trump and family.  The Bible urges us to lift up entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings… on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority… (1 Timothy 2: 1-2a).

Related Article:  “No Gun Control Without Self-Control,”  Oikonomia, March 30, 2013  Click HERE.

Welcome to Comment:
If you have a question or wish to express a further insight or opinion, we urge you to use the “Comment” link below to post either anonymously or with your name.  If you would like to communicate privately, just e-mail us at silviusj@gmail.com.

Passion of God…Long Before “Passion Week”

Each year, starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Resurrection Sunday, Christians worldwide observe "Passion Week" in holy remembrance of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This holy week highlights Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and forceful cleansing of the temple which soon led to His betrayal, arrest, illegitimate trials by night, terrible physical and emotional abuse, and eventual crucifixion. 

But the greatest significance of Passion Week is that it highlights Christ's willing journey to the Cross.  As the sinless Lamb of God, Jesus gave up His life to become the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.  But a borrowed tomb could not keep Him!  Jesus's glorious resurrection on Easter morning as Victor over sin and death opened the way to salvation and Eternal Life to all who believe in Him.

Although Passion Week is the culmination of the Lenten and Easter observance each year, we would like to suggest that the "Passion of Christ" began long before "Passion Week." Could it be that the "sufferings of Christ" as an expression of the eternal love of God for His creation began with the first sin in the Garden of Eden?

What follows is a series of daily devotional meditations.  Each one has a specific theme that is supported by Scriptures followed by an invitation to consider how these Scriptures practically apply to our daily living.  We hope each meditation will help users to explore and appreciate both the lovingkindness of God and the infinitely long history of His redemptive passion and plan, a plan which He conceived "before the creation of the world" (Ephesians 1: 4).  [Note:  If you begin with "Day 1" on Palm Sunday, you will finish on Resurrection Sunday (Easter).] 

Day 1: “A Perfect Communion--God and Man”
Scripture: 
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  - Genesis 1:1
God created man in His own image,
in the image of God He created him; male and female...- Gen. 1:27 
And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.  
And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. - Gen. 1:31 
Consider:
The Triune God-- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, existed in a perfect, loving relationship as One God from eternity past. Then, God created the heavens and the Earth and formed the first human being, Adam.  As a living person, Adam was equipped to think, communicate, and act in fellowship with God as a perfect image and reflection of God's Person and character.  From Genesis 3: 8 we learn that Adam and his human companion, Eve, enjoyed perfect fellowship with God, walking with him in the cool of the day, hearing the sound of His voice, and receiving the warmth of His love.
Application:
Can you remember a loving relationship that you hoped would never end? Did God know that His love for Adam and Eve so warmly reciprocated would end with their rejection of Him?  Yes, He did!  But this knowledge did not cause God to love Adam and Eve any less.  Instead, God had already determined that He would redeem Adam's fallen race, including all who will turn to Him by faith. ln fact God chose us in Him [Jesus Christ] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.  In love... Ephesians 1: 4.  He had restoration of humankind and creation in mind long before Adam's tragic fall into sin.
Response:
Imagine the blessing of Adam and Eve as they walked with God in a mutually shared love and joy!  Can you personally relate to the blessing of regular communion with God?  If so, thank Him now for making it possible through Christ  

Day 2: “Perfect Love Relationship--Broken!”
Scripture: 
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves... 
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3: 6-8)
Consider:
Adam and Eve were free to choose either to love God by living lives consistent with their image-bearing, divine nature; or by living in contradiction to a life that would express their love and honor to their Creator.  One day, possibly just before the "cool of the day" when they would often enjoy walking with God, Adam and Eve made the fateful choice to doubt and then reject God's loving provision for them.  The effect of their choice was immediate!  They felt a sense of alienation from God.  Then, guilt and fear led them to hide from God, or so they thought. 
Application:
Like all of their descendants, Adam and Eve were created to be holy images of God as long as they chose to obey Him.  Unfortunately, they yielded to Satan's temptation and allowed the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life [to rule them, a spirit that] is not from the Father but is from the world (1 John 2: 16).  Adam and Eve would never be the same or have the same loving communion with God.  Fortunately, although they had rejected God, He had not rejected them.  His love never fails. 
Response:
Take time to thank God that His love endures, and His mercy never fails.  Song:  "Goodness of God," Bethel Music, Jenn Johnson  Click HERE.

Day 3: “God's Passion and Pursuit Begins”
Scripture: 
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8- 9)
Consider:
Adam and Eve had been accustomed to walking with the LORD in the cool of the day, hearing His voice, and basking in the love, joy, and peace that radiated from Him.  But on one particular day, they yielded to the tempting voice of Satan and ate the fruit from the only tree that God had pronounced "off limits." Suddenly, they were gripped by fear when they heard God's voice and they hid from Him. Tragically, the effects of that first sin upon Adam and Eve have been experienced by their descendants of every generation down to the present day.

Application:
Can you remember the hurt and pain you felt when you lost a cherished relationship? Terrible as such an experience of loss can be, it is impossible for us to fathom the anguish of God when Adam and Eve rejected His love. Their rejection of His command pierced the loving heart of God. But the divine grief over their sin was more than matched by God's passionate and just plan to redeem the fallen couple--and their offspring.  From that moment in the Garden when God asked, "Where are you?", God knew the sin and sorrow His Son would bear on the Cross for you and me. 
Response:
Enter a time of quiet meditation on God's question, "Where are you?" Make it personal; and then respond in prayer as God's Spirit leads you.

Day 4: “The Gravity of Sin Requires Bloodshed”
Scripture:
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked,
and they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings. -Genesis 3: 7
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. - Genesis 3: 21
No man can by any means redeem his brother
   Or give to God a ransom for him—
For the redemption of his soul is costly,
  And he should cease trying forever— - Psalm 49: 7-8
Consider: 
Adam and Eve are the only humans who were able to know God intimately, walk with Him, and intimately know each other without sin and shame.  All of these privileges were diminished with the fall.  Suddenly, "their eyes were opened." Guilt, shame, and fear exposed their nakedness physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  As God's image bearers, all of us as Adam's descendants have inborn sense of justice that calls us to make peace with God.  Adam and Eve chose to hide from God in their sin and shame, and to cover their naked vulnerability by make-shift means.
Application:
How old were you when you first realized the guilt and shame of disobeying your parents or a teacher?  Can you relate to how Adam and Eve must have felt?  Maybe like them, you tried to "fix things" or "cover up." But chances are your sin was discovered, and the wrongness of your actions were made clear through explanation and maybe even punishment.  If you were disciplined, you may also remember the relief of having "paid the price" for your sin.  But who "pays the price" for our sins and our "sin nature" in God's sovereign plan?  Amazingly, God Himself "paid the price!"  In God's mercy, He spared us of what we deserved--eternal death and separation from Him. In God's grace, He gives us what we don't deserve--eternal Life. 
Response:
Have you received His Gift (John 3: 14-21)?   If so, thank God now for the free Gift of faith and salvation through Christ's sacrifice.  How will you confront temptation and the sin that so easily confronts you?  See Hebrews 12: 1-3; 1 John 1: 5-9.  

Day 5: “The Grief of God--And His Mercy”
Scripture: 
The LORD God said to the serpent...I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” - Genesis 3: 14a, 15 
Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s help, I have produced a man!” - Genesis 4: 1 
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  - Genesis 6: 5-6
Consider:
On Day 4, we reflected on how our disobedience as a child brought guilt and shame upon us. But did we ever think how our parents or a teacher might have felt?  Likely, they were disappointed, maybe angry, and likely ready to make you pay the price for your disobedience.  As much as I dreaded the punishment, I eventually realized that my disobedience hurt my parents and teachers.  Their disappointment in me hurt them.  It also hurt them to "apply physical hurt" to me!  Above all, I must realize how much grief God has born since the Garden and all the way to the Cross.

Application:
According to our Scripture for today, when God saw the extent of the wickedness on the Earth, It broke his heart.  What would God do?  The Old Testament understanding was, The soul that sins will die (Ezekiel 18:20).  But, from before the beginning of time, God had another plan.  Beginning with Adam's sin, God would enter in and participate in addressing the penalty for sin. To show the seriousness of our sin, God the Creator of animals chose to commit the first act of killing an animal and shedding its life blood to make skin coverings for Adam and Eve. Then, in Exodus and Leviticus, God outlined a sacrificial system by which sin was atoned through blood sacrifices.  For ...according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9: 22). 
Response:
Praise God for His love that flowed from His grieving heart as mercy and forgiveness, first through the repeated blood sacrifices under His Old Covenant; and then, in the New Covenant, sealed once and for all through the blood of His precious Lamb, Jesus Christ.  See also, Hebrews 10.

Day 6: “God's Passionate Love Doesn't Give Up”
Scripture: 

I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; 

       I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.

       I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’

      To a nation which did not call on My name.

I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,

      Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

      A people who continually provoke Me to My face… - Isaiah 65: 1-2

“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. - Hosea 11: 8
Consider: 
The Old Testament Scriptures are the account of the many ways in which God was seeking to redeem mankind.  Although Adam and Eve had once been God's perfect image bearers, they and their descendants had become fallen images tarnished by sin. Think of it!  But how could an infinite, holy, longsuffering God convey to mankind the greatness of His love and passionate longing for our redemption?  The book of Hosea gives us one of many Old Testament accounts.

Application:
Most of us have or have had the blessing of loving another person very deeply--perhaps your spouse, your parents, or a boy- or girlfriend.  For some of us, a loving relationship came to a screeching halt followed by a time of deep hurt and grief.  The Book of Hosea gives us the account of how God asked Hosea the prophet to marry a woman named Gomer who became immoral (or may already have been immoral) and sold her body as a prostitute.  Hosea obeys, marries, and loves Gomer even though she is unfaithful and leaves him.  God uses this tragic, adulterous marriage and Hosea's loving pursuit of unfaithful Gomer to convey how much He loves us and all of lost, sinful mankind. 
Response:
Meditate on the depth of God's passionate love for you according to the Scriptures above.  How will you respond?

Day 7: “Centuries of Sacrificial Lambs: Then, 'the Lamb'”

Scripture: 
When He approached Jerusalem, He [Jesus] saw the city and wept aloud over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. - Luke 19: 41-42

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. - Jesus Christ (Matthew 23: 37) 
Consider:
God's passionate longing to gather, comfort, and restore fallen mankind was repeatedly expressed through the Old Testament prophets like Hosea.  However, the ultimate expression of God's unfailing, covenant love ("lovingkindness" or "mercy") occurred through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The first "Palm Sunday" began what we now call "Passion Week." God had sovereignly planned from before the beginning of time for Jesus to suffer and die as "the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29). The first Palm Sunday was also the Jewish "lamb selection day" when spotless lambs were selected for sacrifice to achieve atonement for their sins. On that very day, God had ordained that His "Lamb," Jesus Christ, would approach Jerusalem riding humbly on a donkey.  Overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus paused on His mount, wept loudly, and cried out the words recorded by Luke (above).

Application:
We have emphasized the tragic effect of sin --the guilt, shame, and ruination of relationships both with God and our neighbor. We also emphasized how our sin brings grief to God who, after all, is a Person with moral consciousness and emotions.  But, in spite of being grieved and offended by our sin, and instead of conferring the death penalty upon mankind, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human, to take our death penalty.  What a Savior!
Response:
God's Spirit, our Comforter convicts us of sin, and if we humbly repent, He restores us to fellowship with Him under the blood of Christ's righteousness.  Don't hide from the One who awaits your repentant spirit and freely offers reconciliation and sanctification, all because of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God.

Day 8: “Fellowship of His Suffering”
Scripture: 

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. – Romans 8: 22-23.

And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. - Romans 8:17

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. - Colossians 1: 24

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death… - Philippians 3: 10

Consider: The inspired Scriptures above from the Apostle Paul's epistles emphasize three themes that run throughout the Bible: 
1) the "groaning of creation" with its "anxious longing" for freedom from the curse of sin. 
2) God as "Shepherd of Israel" (Psalm 80: 1) seeking to call the wayward sheep back His sheepfold where they can receive His comfort. 
3) God the Holy Spirit teaching, convicting, indwelling, and interceding "with groanings too deep for words..." (Romans 8: 26-27). 
Combining these three themes, we see a groaning creation, God passionately seeking sinners; and God/s Spirit, our Comforter, who comforts us in our groaning, identifying with us who share in "the sufferings of 'Christ" because of our testimony for Him.  Together these themes speak of a God whose passion for a lost world and a lost humanity would spare nothing, not even His only Son, to bring restoration. 

Application:
We close this series with a great question for which we have no satisfying answer. Why would a holy God who, in the words of A. W. Tozer, is "...not simply the best we know infinitely bettered...[but instead, One who] stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable"-- how could such a holy Being, One "who knew no sin," willingly "become sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5: 21)? The only answer is God's "incomprehensible and unattainable" love for His creation and for humanity, His image bearers.
Again, A.W. Tozer:" God is holy and He has made holiness the moral condition necessary to the health of His universe. To preserve His creation God must destroy whatever would destroy it.  Whatever is holy is healthy; evil is a moral sickness that must end ultimately in death." 

God sent His only begotten Son to be "the Lamb" that would take upon Himself all the sin, the "moral sickness" of the world.  Through His death, Christ ended the curse of sin and provided a way to Life Eternal.
Response:  If you began this daily devotional series on Palm Sunday, the first day of "Passion Week," you are now reading this on Easter Sunday. Maybe you will be led of the Spirit to take time to review, and we hope you will be even more in awe of the redemptive plan of God.  All of this provision was made before the foundation of the world, born from the passionate, loving heart of God--long before "Passion Week."  Meditate on the amazing truth that God made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21).