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When I Look at the Cross, by Brad Nickel
When I look at the Cross I have to fight to hold back the tears. I see the horror, the brutality,
the mockery, the excruciating pain, the blood, the suffering, the hands and feet, the nails, the power,
the obedience to His Father, the glory, the innocence, the eyes, the love of God, and forgiveness.
If Jesus had been a mere mortal like you and I, would He truly have done what He did? I know I probably
would not have if I had been seen as the chosen one or called by God to do this, even as God would be with me
through it all giving me the strength and courage. That alone just tells me Jesus was undoubtedly
the Son of God, of Man. And what about Simon, could you have picked up Jesus’ cross as he did?
Would you be able to carry it to Jesus’ death? Though I was not alive in Jesus’ time,
He still died for me and all mankind of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And I know that if I were
the only one He had to bear the burden of being the ultimate and last sacrifice for, He still would
have followed through in obedience to His Father, and for me. That ultimate burden has saved many,
that ultimate burden was carrying the Cross to Golgotha, our Calvary, and dying a horrible death upon it.
Not because He wanted too, but because God sent His only Son, Jesus, to be our Lord and Savoir, and He was obedient.
Glory be to God our Father!!! Precious Jesus, precious Jesus. He saved me. Now it's time to pick up our cross,
it's my time to be obedient to God. That's what I see, when I look at the Cross.
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As the Deer Panteth, by Brad Nickel
John 19:28-29 The Death of Jesus
28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled,
Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it,
put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.
We have all experienced thirst. While working or playing hard, by God's design, we perspire, and your body tells you it needs water,
you thirst. Undoubtedly Jesus was thirsty. After His conviction by the people and of Pilate, His nutrition and thirst more than likely
were not a priority of the guards. He suffered great blood loss after the scourging, packed his own cross in an extremely weakened state,
and had held his own weight on the cross until he finally was thirsty. Up until now I have been talking about physical thirst, but I want
you to hear and realize what the scripture says {Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled,
Jesus said, "I am thirsty."} He did not thirst until after "knowing that all was now completed". Jesus didn't express thirst until it became
a Scriptural (Psalm 22:15, 69:21) and Spiritual fulfillment. Jesus did not need to physically re-hydrate; He was thirsty to fulfill the Word
and His Father's will. How often do we thirst - for the Spirit and to do the will of God?
I really like the way this hymn tells us how to quench our thirst.
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship thee
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