Black Friday

Well today is black Friday for me for two reasons. The first, and lesser of the two, is that I owe the state some money and it is time to pay up. :) The second is this is the day we remember as the day Jesus went to the cross. The day He died for our sins. For me two emotions fight for 'control' today when I think about Jesus and the cross. The first I think is a natural one. I mourn for His death. I do not want to celebrate, I want to ask the big question - why. And yet I know why, and as I think about the what, and the affect it has had upon me I do so want to rejoice and dance. He has set me free! My sins are forgiven. Not because anything I have done, or even can do, but because He paid that penalty. I am free from guilt and condemnation. And not so that I can keep on sinning, but for when I do sin. Well, this is it for my blog today. I am not even supposed to be logged into a computer today. I have taken a day off form work to go spend in meditation and reflection of my Lord and Savior. May the Holy Spirit be with you all this weekend, and may you all feel His sense of peace and contentment this Easter weekend. your brother in Christ, verse for today: Romans 6:5-11, esv For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. & Romans 8:31-37, esv What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 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. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.