*BUT I AM A WORM* In Psalm 22:6, why does Jesus compare himself to a worm? Jesus isn't comparing himself to just any worm, but a very specific worm called the crimson worm. What is so special about the crimson worm. 1. The crimson worm is a red bug that climbs up a tree, 2. permanently attaches itself to the tree, lays its eggs underneath it, and 3. then secretes a red dye that covers all of its young, permanently _coloring them red for the rest of their lives._ And what color does the worm turn after it covers its children? After the third day, the crimson worm turns white, while the young remain red for the rest of their lives. So the young are covered in what the crimson worm sacrificed for them, and the crimson worm is then turned as white as snow. And this crimson color is used in the Middle East for all sorts of dyes. *And did you know that the veil that separated God and man was dyed with the scarlet coloring from this crimson worm?* *And so were many of the priestly garments.* So Jesus compares himself to this very specific crimson worm because we, as his children, are covered in his blood. He was cursed on a tree. Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. Jesus Christ became sin, became a curse for us up on the cross. He died pouring out his life, pouring out his blood, covering his children in his blood, making us as white as snow. One day each of us will have to answer for our sins. *We better be covered in that crimson blood.*

WHO HAVE WE BEEN PRAYING TO ALL THIS WHILE? “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ According to the Bible, - Jesus is our mediator. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ - Jesus is our intercessor. “Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ - Jesus is our advocate. “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ - Jesus is our Lord. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus is the one who stands between us and the Father. NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE DID JESUS TELL HIS DISCIPLES TO PRAY TO HIM! HE ASKED THEM TO PRAY TO THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME! The key scripture was spoken to the disciples before Jesus went away. He tells them that He would be their Mediator when He ascended and would be seated at the right Hand of the Father. Jesus instructed them to ask the Father in His Name. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO PRAY! We can declare our love to Jesus Christ and tell Him how much we appreciate Him and are grateful to Him. However, when it comes to praying and asking, we must ask the Father in Jesus Name. “For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ This was Paul’s resolute decision! He would pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It isn’t important what church we belong to but rather whose family we belong to! The whole family in heaven and earth is named after God the Father. Many people pray to God, but they do not know about praying to the Father. This shows that they don’t really know our Father in heaven. To the world He is God but to us He is our Father. True and complete joy comes from knowing that our Father in Heaven, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, answers our prayers. “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Today, take a resolution to know our Father in Heaven. The more you know Him the more intimate you become to Him. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” ‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬, ‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ As you draw near Him just as you are, he will surely and certainly draw near to you. The Bible says so and it is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! You can believe it. You can trust it. It is flawless.

*Let’s talk about the beating and crucifixion of Jesus* 🩸 I am not concentrating on the soft, beautiful and comfortable version many people imagine. I am going to talk about the real cross. The cross did not start at Calvary. The suffering began long before the nails ever touched our Lord's hands. _When Jesus was handed over to be crucified, the Roman soldiers first scourged Him._ Scourging was not a simple whipping. - The Romans used a weapon called a flagrum or flagellum. - It was a whip with multiple leather strands. - At the end of each strand were pieces of bone, metal, and sharp hooks designed to tear flesh. The purpose was not just punishment. The actual purpose was destruction of the body. 1. The victim was tied to a post, 2. stretched so the back was exposed. 3. Each strike caused the metal and bone to dig into the skin. 4. When the whip was pulled back, it ripped flesh away from the body. Early historians and medical researchers have described in detailed records : *that Roman scourging often exposed muscle tissue and sometimes even bone.* Isaiah prophesied this hundreds of years before it happened. Even before crucifixion was invented. *Isaiah 52:14 says “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being.”* Think about that. The prophet who never saw a cross and the entire process of crucifixion - is saying the Messiah would be beaten so severely that He would hardly look human anymore. *Isaiah 53:5 says “By His stripes we are healed.”* Those “stripes” were not symbolic. They were literal lashes that tore open His body. Medical analysis suggests that after such scourging a person would experience *hypovolemic shock,* which means severe blood loss causing the body to begin shutting down. 1. Blood pressure drops. 2. Organs begin failing. 3. Breathing becomes shallow. *And Jesus had not even been crucified yet.* After the scourging, the soldiers mocked Him. *Psychological torture* *They twisted together a crown of thorns and pressed it into His scalp. The scalp is one of the most vascular areas of the body, meaning it bleeds heavily when punctured.* - Blood would have run down His face. - They struck Him with a staff. - They spat on Him. - They mocked Him as King. *Then they placed the crossbeam on His already torn shoulders and forced Him to carry it through the streets.* Now why does this matter? Because many of us talk about the cross without understanding the price that was paid before the cross. *Jesus did not casually walk to Calvary.* 1. He was crushed, 2. torn, humiliated, and 3. beaten so that the debt of sin could be paid in full. The lashes were not random. They were substitution. They were what we deserved. *The punishment that belonged to us was placed on Him.* - Our rebellion. - Our sin. - Our shame. - Our guilt. The wrath that justice demanded that we should have paid was poured onto the body of Christ. *This is why the gospel is not just a story about love.* - It is a story about sacrifice. - It is a story of atonement. - It is a story about a King who took the beating meant for His people. *When Jesus cried “It is finished,” He was declaring that the payment for sin had been completed.* 1. Not partially. 2. Not temporarily. 3. Completely. *The blood that flowed from those wounds became the price of redemption.* _"1 Peter 2:24 says “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed._ So when we talk about salvation, we cannot treat it casually. - Freedom cost Him His flesh. - Grace cost Him His blood. - Redemption cost Him His life. And the question each one of us must face is this: *If Christ was willing to endure that for our salvation, how can we treat sin like it is small?* 1. The lashes were real. 2. The suffering was real. 3. The blood was real. 4. And the salvation purchased through it is real. When we move to the time period when we remember the death, burial and resurrection never ever forget the price that was paid. *Remember that the cross was real and the sacrifice was real.* *When will our cross, repentance and faith become real?*

WWJD Devotion https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBWz66BlHphnW4zZc2f *THE FATHER WHO RUNS* *But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” [Luke 15:20]* We have read this parable, many times from our childhood till today. Maybe a thousand times from Sunday school days onwards till today. We focus our attention our attention was mostly on the son. His rebellion. His hunger. His return. The father’s running felt so comforting, but have missed a small detail. Recently, I slowed down at that word, "ran". Luke may not have said that the father specifically hoisted his garment,. *The gospel only tells us that he ran.* But when we consider the setting, first-century Jewish culture in the Ancient Near East,we begin to understand what that *"running"* meant. I work in the middle east and being familiar with the robe known as Thawb, Kandura, or Dishdasha, I have understood what sacrifice needs to be undertaken for a person to RUN. Elderly, wealthy landowners did not run in public or even in private. Running required lifting one’s long robes. It exposes their legs, andin their culture, that was considered undignified, even shameful for a man of status. Jesus did not need to explain that to His original hearers. So when He described a father running, He was describing something socially improper. The father did not walk slowly with measured dignity. He did not even wait for the son to arrive and bow. *H-E* *R-A-N* And he ran “while he was still a long way off.” - The father saw him first. - The compassion began even before the apology was finished. - The embrace came even before the son started to speak what he had planned to say to his father. (Luke 15:21–22). It seems to me now that the father was willing to bear public shame in order to reach his son before the village could. Because those time and culture, a rebellious son who had dishonored his family could be publicly shamed or rejected by the community. The father’s running was also protective in addition to being affectionate. - He closed the distance as quickly as he could. - He covered the shame of the son by taking a measure of shame upon himself. - Then he embraced and kissed him. - And he ordered the best robe, a ring, and sandals. This was restoring instead of punishing. 1. The robe covers. The ring restores authority. 2. The sandals distinguish him from hired servants who went barefoot. The son asked to be treated as a servant, a slave, the father restored him as a son. When we read this parable carefully, we can see how this parable quietly prepares us for Christ. The Father in heaven does not remain distant while waiting for sinners slowly make their way back. *He sent His Son.* *And in Christ, we see the Son bearing open shame on a cross (Hebrews 12:2).* Crucifixion then was a public disgrace. It was the highest form of mockery. Our imagination of crucifixion is more influenced by pictures and paintings. But crucifixion was designed to torture and humiliate till death. The person was crucified naked to remove his dignity. The height of the cross was at 8 - 10 feet so the crucified person would see the people looking at him. Rome made the cross a public spectacle- and with the entire process of flogging, humiliation and torture the person was already at the point of death. *Crucifixion terrified people.* And if the father in Luke:15 was willing to look undignified to restore his son, how much more did Christ willingly *endure humiliation to restore us?* - It is about costly compassion. - It is about a Father who moved first. - A Father who absorbed shame. - A Father who restored completely. And perhaps the question for us today is: 1. Do we still think we must walk all the way back on our own before He will come near? 2. Or do we believe that while we are still far off, He sees, and He feels compassion? *We serve a God who did not wait for us become clean before accepting us but rather He accepted us and cleansed us by his blood* WHAT A MIGHT GOD WE SERVE

If Jesus can step down from the glory of heaven and equality with God in order to become a man— then further humble Himself to be a slave who would wash the feet of twelve undeserving sinners— we ought to be willing to suffer any indignity to serve Him. That is true love, and true humility.

Devotional *THE MASTER'S TOUCH* _*Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him and said, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him”*(Mark 1:40–42)._ All throughout the Gospels it is clear that Jesus Christ did not need physical contact in order to heal. In multiple instances Scripture showed that His word alone carried full authority. The same God who spoke the world into existence has authority to speak healing and life. When the centurion asked for help, he did not ask Jesus to come or to touch his servant. He said, “Only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). The centurion knew what authority really meant *The Bible records that the servant was healed at that very moment (Matthew 8:13).* In another account, a royal official begged Jesus to come down before his son died, but Jesus did not go. He said only, *“Go; your son will live,”* and the man later learned that the healing had happened at the exact hour Jesus spoke (John 4:50–53). Luke recorded that Jesus rebuked the fever, and it left Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:39). Mark noted that unclean spirits obeyed Him immediately when He spoke (Mark 1:25–27). In several healing accounts, the Gospels took time to say that *Jesus touched the person.* Mark told us that when a leper came to Him and knelt, saying, “If you will, you can make me clean,” Jesus did not only answer with words. “Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him and said, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him” (Mark 1:40–42). Matthew recorded that when two blind men cried out for mercy, Jesus touched their eyes, and then their sight was restored (Matthew 9:29–30). When Jairus’s daughter had died, Jesus took her by the hand and spoke to her, and she arose (Mark 5:41–42). When children were brought to Him, Mark said that He took them in His arms and laid His hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:16). The Gospel writers had already shown that Jesus could heal from afar and by command alone. Why does Scripture emphasize the word *TOUCH* multiple times? In the world of first-century Judaism, touch carried great necessary weight. Lepers were required to live apart and warn others to keep their distance (Leviticus 13:45–46). Contact with uncleanness renders a person ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 5:3). Barriers were enforced through separation and shame. Against that background, Mark’s record of events became striking. 1. Jesus did not wait for the leper to be cleansed before touching him. 2. The touch came first, and then the leprosy left (Mark 1:41–42). What Scripture quietly shows through repeated detail was the uniqueness of Jesus’ ministry. - He did not only remove sickness. - He crossed into spaces of isolation before removing the cause of isolation. He restored people not only physically, but by reaching out to people whom others had discarded. The touch revealed His willingness to meet people at the point where their shame and exclusion were already felt. Later in the Gospels the *TOUCH* became more severe. Jesus Himself was seized and struck (Matthew 26:67). He suffered outside the city gate (Hebrews 13:12). He became the one treated as unclean. The One who touched the unclean without being defiled would later bear uncleanness in order to cleanse others. Scripture framed it as Jesus choice to be touched, beaten, whipped, wounded and crucified unto death. This is my Jesus, the perfect lamb, who touched the world and allowed sin and shame to *TOUCH* him, so that we could be saved from The *TOUCH* of sin and destruction. THIS is my God and He is willing to reach out and *TOUCH* you & me to heal and cleanse. WHAT 🅰️ MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE.