Stand in the Gap

In the Old Testament, God gives the freed Israelites many directives for living. Many of these laws that seem strange to us were actually instructions for the well-being of the people. The Israelites had been slaves for hundreds of years so it follows that they wouldn’t have a clue how to take care of themselves or set up a proper society.

Some of these laws pertained to the treatment of the poor among them. Throughout the Old Testament God commands His people to be generous, treat the poor with justice and respect, and to give generously not grudgingly. (Deuteronomy 15:10-11 Deuteronomy 15:4) (continue reading…)

Jesus lived a remarkable life. But the Apostle Paul drives home the point that the key to everything in which we hope and believe rests upon Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. (continue reading…)

On February 12, 2010, President Préval of Haiti called his nation to 3 days of fasting and prayer. Over 1 million Haitians attended this epic event. There were 3,000 confirmed conversions and of these, 101 were confirmed to be former voodoo priests.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Loving Hands Ministry Haiti

As many as 500 people may have been killed in attacks on two predominantly Christian villages in Nigeria. A local Christian group said on Sunday the latest violence was an act of jihad.

“Lagos – At least 500 people were killed on Sunday in communal clashes near Nigeria’s central city of Jos, a state governor’s advisor said on Monday, revising a previous toll of around 100 dead.

“We have been able to make 95 arrests but at the same time over 500 people have been killed in this heinous act… by Fulani herdsmen,” Dan Manjang said in a telephone interview. (continue reading…)

Though fully God, Jesus took on the same humanity as you and I in order to offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. (Hebrews 2:17) He felt all the same emotions we do and even was faced with temptation. But on Good Friday, He faced worse suffering and pain than we can imagine. And Jesus knew full well what He was facing. (Mark 14:34 Luke 22:44)

Jesus endured extreme physical torture. He was spit on, whipped, nailed to a cross, lifted up for all to see and then speared. (Isaiah 52:14 Mark 15:17 John 19:1 John 19:18 John 19:34) He endured humiliation and taunting. (Matthew 27:40 John 19:3)

But the worst suffering of all for Jesus must have been spiritual. A man who was without sin, yet on that day bore the weight of the sins of the entire world upon Himself. Separated completely from God the Father as He died a criminal’s death upon that Cross. (2 Corinthians 5:21 1 John 2:2 1 Peter 2:24) It was our sin that caused Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). (continue reading…)

‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Romans 5:8

I love this verse! It assures us that even at our very worst, Christ loves us enough that He took the punishment for us. Salvation is offered to us as a free gift, not because we are deserving, but just because God loves us. (continue reading…)