14 Apr 2025
The Redeemer of the children of God is in our midst. What is your expectation? If you lived when He walked on the earth, what would you have expected of Him? Mark 3:7-12.
CRUCIFORMED!
For us to be ‘cruciformed’ means that we offer our hearts to be reshaped to be like Jesus’ heart. It means we offer ourselves to be used by God to bless and serve others. “Do it again, Phil! That is so cool!” my brother, Byron, excitedly yelled. I slapped another sheet of plastic into the frame, then flipped it over the heating element. While the plastic warmed, I put my chosen shape onto the vacuum bed. When the plastic began to sag, I flipped the pliable sheet of plastic on top of the mold, then pumped the vacuum lever like a wild man. The suction drew the soft plastic tightly over the shape on the vacuum bed. I held the plastic in place until it began to cool. I removed the plastic sheet, separated it from the mold, and then trimmed the excess plastic from the newly formed object. I glued this newly formed piece (the top side of a tugboat) to the previously formed piece (the hull). I had made a floating toy boat to get my brother out of my hair. He quickly filled the sink with water and sudsy shampoo to play with his new toy. I then began making some neat stuff for myself! What a blast! Nothing like heat, melting plastic, levers, a vacuum pump, and old caustic plastic cement in the hands of a little boy! Which is probably why I haven’t seen one of those Vac-U-Forms advertised in decades. However, I won’t forget what happens when warmed plastic is pulled over a mold and is sucked tight to it. That plastic is re-formed, or maybe better, transformed into something new. Paul described this process in spiritual terms to the Corinthians. He first spoke of the finished work of a person transformed to be like Jesus: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17). Notice the next phrase Paul wrote, as well: “All this is from God…”! The Corinthians’ transformation was not something that they pulled off for themselves. Only God could do this kind of work. True transformation is something far beyond our human ability to achieve. We can no more “re-form” or transform ourselves into a new creation than the plastic sheet could make itself into a toy. However, we do have a part to play in this process of transformation. Just as the plastic must be heated and give up its shape and become pliable to be re-formed, so must we. We must offer our wills to be re-created by God. Our hearts must be willing to be “de-formed” to be transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). So, what can make our wills pliable? Why would we offer our hearts to be “de-formed” so we could be transformed? Paul suggests it’s the power in Jesus’ self-sacrifice on the cross: God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). While Jesus’ death on the cross may appear to be a ridiculous way to reach the hearts of a lost world, Paul knew the great power of Jesus’ self-giving death on the cross to draw people to him (1 Corinthians 1:20-25; cf. John 12:27-34). Mark broke his gospel story of Jesus into three parts, centering his message on the importance of the cross.[ONE] Today’s message is a glimpse of this story so that we can see our goal that lies at our stories goal. In Mark’s key central section on discipleship, Jesus repeatedly told his closest followers that he would go to Jerusalem, be killed, and then rise from the dead on the third day (Mark 8:31-32; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). They could not grasp what he was saying. In fact, the first time Jesus told them, Peter rebuked the Lord for saying he was going to die in Jerusalem (Mark 8:32). Because Jesus’ disciples could not — or perhaps, WOULD not — understand his going to the cross, they misunderstood what the Lord was calling them to do with their lives. He emphasized their need to follow his example of self-giving love to serve others (Mark 10:45). For them to follow Jesus as their Lord, however, they would have to be “cruciformed”! They must be reshaped by the cross of Christ so that the Holy Spirit could transform them into Jesus’ likeness. They must be “cruciformed”! And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:34-35). For us to be “cruciformed” means that we offer our hearts to be reshaped to be like Jesus’ heart. It means we offer ourselves to be used by God to bless and serve others, not seek special recognition for ourselves. Each of us must die to our selfish will and walk with Jesus in the way of the cross, choosing that God’s will, not our will, be done in our lives. Being conformed to Jesus through the cross is one of the reasons that baptism was more emphasized in the early church than it is in many groups today.[TWO] More than something they did — remember, baptism is a passive verb, an act of grace that someone else does to the believer — baptism was a time when early disciples shared in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection while declaring their faith in him as their Savior (Romans 6:3-14; Colossians 2:11-12; 3:1-4). They offered themselves to be “re-formed” into the likeness of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. They voluntarily gave themselves to God to be “cruciformed” — to be transformed by Christ and to be clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).
Today’s Verse – Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Throughout Scripture, God reminds us that as we trust him and share his blessings with others, he will ensure we have all we need and have even more so that we can help others. Notice what Paul told the Corinthians: Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:10-11). How can we be sure? Look at Jesus — his ministry, his life, and his provision. My Prayer… Dear Father, please forgive me for trying to find my security and hope in things other than you. I know there is no other source of hope, freedom, and security than you. Help me tear down every idol I may have erected that dilutes or distorts my trust in you. Open my heart to recognize places and times where I trust more in my efforts and resources rather than fully trusting in you and your graciousness. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Key Resources for Resurrection Sunday, Holy Week, Commission and Ascension Sundays
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete (1 John 1:1-4). Over the years, many of us have looked for the visual resources to help our brothers and sisters in Christ better visualize the world of Jesus and the way our Savior lived and touched people. Our faith is rooted in the bedrock truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-7). The Renaissance masters who painted Jesus may have created great art, but they did a huge disservice to the historical times and reality of Jesus. Statuary has even gone further in distorting the physical reality of Jesus and his human family. As we approach Resurrection Sunday and journey through Holy Week, many families, teachers, and friends are looking for images to go with the Scriptures they use to share Jesus’ story with their children, families, and loved ones. We wanted to share what we consider three invaluable resources for you to use for graphic images as you tell the story of Jesus. Yes, we know many of you are tuned into The Chosen and grabbing as many of their devotional and Bible study resources as you can. That is a good resource to get a feel for the gritty reality of Jesus and his world. However, the resources we are offering you are easy to share in very personal ways. These are resources you can leave in the hands of those you love to be an ongoing blessing to them. Let’s remember that we pursue Jesus so we can become JESUShaped disciples and share Jesus’ life, teachings, and love with the world (2 Corinthians 3:18). Below, you will find upcoming articles for Holy Week, Ascension, and Pentecost-related topics: Cruciformed! Cruciformed #2: Beyond Our Blurry Vision Cruciformed #3: Listen to Him! Cruciformed #4: Only by Prayer Cruciformed #5: The Power of Small Cruciformed #6: The Gamble Cruciformed #7: He Knew! Resurrection 2.0: The Empty Tomb Cruciformed #8: The Land of In-between Resurrection 2.1: In the Breaking of the Bread Resurrection 2.2: Sometimes I Doubt Resurrection 2.3: Unless…! Resurrection 2.4: We Hear His Voice Resurrection 2.5: Sarcastic Ridicule Resurrection 2.6: The Lord of Fresh Starts ToGather: Thanking God for Our Women of Faith Resurrection 2.7: Let the Clouds Remind You Resurrection 2.8: With Christ The Pentecost Challenge Below, you will find images of Jesus’ journey from the upper room to the resurrection from two online resources: Free Bible Images — We especially love the photos section, but there all sorts of images for Bible stories, both photos and illustrations at FreeBibleImages.org. Video Bible — A friend of VerseoftheDay.com and Heartlight.com works with VideoBible.com has given us a sneak peak of the Passion related images that will be used in their Bible video. The Jesus Film Project offers great word for word Bible text to narrate each of the Gospels while gritty, real-to-life sets and actors present the story of Jesus visually. This is part of the CRU ministry and is a wonderful resource we have used for years based on the Lumo Project. Below are several images that give you a sneak peek of a few of these image resources. Hopefully, they give you ideas of how effective and powerful they can be as well as get you thinking of ways you can use them for the good of the Kingdom. In addition, we hope you will explore what they offer and help them continue their ministries! We pray you are blessed by simply going through these images and Scriptures to help you tell the story of Jesus’ journey through the cross to the resurrection for us! We are blessed to have a resurrected Savior. Let’s close this post on resources by reminding ourselves of the greatest resource for life that has ever been present on our planet! Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9). About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by 500,000 people a day. He works with churches in transition with Interim Ministry Partners and for the past 21+ years, he has been editor and president of HEARTLIGHT Magazine, author of VerseoftheDay.com, God’s Holy Fire (on the Holy Spirit), and aYearwithJesus.com. Phil
Today’s Verse – Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. —Philippians 4:12-13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. So much of what and who we hold dear in this world can be touched by death, disaster, and decay. What do we have that is certain? To whom can we turn for assurance? Where do we find the power to live victoriously in good times and bad? In the LORD who gives us strength! With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do everything and endure everything, with the help of God — Father, Son, and Spirit who give us strength! My Prayer… O LORD God, Father of all creation, we confess that our lives and the circumstances in which we live are beyond our abilities to control. We thank you for being present to comfort, protect, guide, and empower us. Because of your presence and strength in us and with us, we believe we can face each situation with confidence and assurance. Because you are with each of us, O loving Shepherd, we know we will have all we need to live victoriously for you until the glorious day we share with you in your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Sighing for Home
How do we deal with the longing? Oh… water… well… gate… Bethlehem. Now go back and say those five words with deep longing several times. You see, David longed for more than just a sip of water when he used those five words to say: “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” (2 Samuel 23:15). Most of us have been there — emotionally and physically spent. Things aren’t going like we thought they would. Then we hear a sound, pick up an aroma, hear a song, or are reminded of something comforting we have experienced in the past. Suddenly, we can’t get it out of our head. We think about it incessantly. David has gone through a long struggle and tried to handle it honorably. Yet the bottom line remains the same, he is a hunted man and finds himself living in the most rugged places trying to avoid capture and death (2 Samuel 23:13-15). During the obvious struggles that he faces each day just to survive, there are deeper emotional ones. Will he continue to trust that God will keep his promises? Is he ever going to be universally recognized as King? Will he have to hide, living like a wild animal, all the days of his life? Will he ever get to go home again? Can life return to the simple, idyllic, God-worshipping days he once had as a shepherd boy? No wonder he longs for a simpler time when life’s plans were not so murky and God’s presence felt so much closer. So David’s mind drifts back as remembers a place from his earlier years. A well. It’s by the gate. It’s located in the city of Bethlehem, his own place of birth. Ah, and the water… yes the water… it’s so cool and crisp and clean and comforting. If only I could be a boy again and not pursued by crazy King Saul. Oh my, that water was so good and I miss that time of largely untested faith! And possibly even before he realized it, with a sigh he said something like, “O for some water from the well near the gate in the city of Bethlehem.” It wasn’t really a request that someone risk breaking through the Philistine army garrisoned there. He wasn’t really asking one of his mighty men to risk his life to go behind enemy lines to get David a simple drink of water from the old well of his childhood. It was merely a sigh that betrayed a yearning stirring deep inside him for something simple, familiar, refreshing, comforting, and that reminded him of home. David’s mighty men were so dedicated to him that they risked life and limb to get the water for their leader who had such deep yearning for something so simple and yet so lost to him. So David did something that seems, at best strange, and at worst, down right cruel. He poured out the water onto ground saying he was not worthy of the risk and potential sacrifice of troops so important to Israel’s future, only God was worthy of such a sacrifice (2 Samuel 23:16-17). In the old hymn “Home of the Soul,”* there’s a lines that go somewhat like this: Oft in the storm, lonely are we,Sighing for home, longing for Thee, Yes, there is a restlessness in our soul that sighs and yearns for God’s presence to be real and close, and as experienceable as a cup of cool water from the old familiar well of our childhood. Whether you want to call it a “God-shaped hole,” the restless “itch” of addiction, or simply “going home to a place we’ve never been before,” the yearning and sighing ultimately can be comforted only by a recognizable experience of God’s nearness — the holy, tangible, and real presence of the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. So let’s not dumb down our discipleship to a mere need for religious experience: we need Immanuel, God with us. And Scripture promises us that we can experience God and his nearness in a variety of ways. We’ve looked at four different ways Matthew reminds us that are ways God has given us to experience his presence: Through the story of Jesus (Matthew 1:23). Through living as family in accountability, forgiveness, and concern for our lost ones (Matthew 18:20). Through serving the vulnerable around us who are in need (Matthew 25:40). Through living out the Great Commission across the lost world (Matthew 28:18-20). Mark talks about following the powerful Jesus in living a life sacrifice to serve those who are lost (Mark 10:45). Luke would point us to living as Jesus’ disciples, witnesses to the lost world of Jesus’ powerful presence, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:36-47; Acts 4:12). John reminds us of Jesus’ promise to not leave us alone as abandoned orphans, but that he would come to us and show himself to us as the Comforter, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit to live in us and lead us into all truth (John 14:14-31; John 15:26-27; John 16:12-15). So what’s the point? Don’t deny the longing, the sighing, the groaning, and the yearning for more of God’s presence. We were designed and made for a real relationship with the present, experienceable, and real presence of God. So open back up your Bible, spend some time in the four gospels and the book of Acts, and begin to ask God to show the real Jesus, who longs to make God’s presence real to you. Don’t settle for less, because your heart yearns for more! * “Home of the Soul” with the music written by Samuel W. Beazley and the lyrics by James Rowe. For Going Deeper: John Eldredge’s book Beautiful Outlaw:Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus is a great place to start. Hang on, it will blow the religious fog out of your life! Gary Thomas book Sacred Pathways:
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 15:19
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. —1 Corinthians 15:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Wow! What a powerful and sobering thought. Our faith in Jesus’ resurrection and being joined with him forever is so crucial that all else pales in comparison. Our hope in Christ is not just for the here and now but also a hope that transcends life and breaks the shackles of death. If it doesn’t offer us this hope, then there is no hope. We have no good news to share. The world is lost in its morass of selfishness and sin. We are deluded and to be pitied. But then, because of grace, I do believe! I trust that you also believe! And that, dear disciple of Jesus, changes everything! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, we believe your victory over sin and death through Jesus’ resurrection also means our victory over sin, death, and hell! We trust that Jesus will raise us from the dead to share eternal life in your presence. We cannot fully put into our meager human words how much we look forward to being with you face to face, sharing in your glory, and praising your name forever. So, we entrust our hearts’ joyous thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit as your heavenly gift intercedes for us in groans, sighing, and emotions “too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26-27). In Jesus’ name, we praise and thank you for our hope. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
11 Apr 2025
May the Lord help us enjoy the work of our hands and find satisfaction in it and what it brings. May He supply our needs and help us be content with what we have. May our joy and faith in Him not be based on material things. May our relationship with Him flourish on the basis of who He is and who we are in Him. Ecclesiastes 5:8-20.
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. —1 Corinthians 15:3-5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Some truths are “first importance” truths. They are the heart of the matter, foundational, and immutable truths. We don’t have to doubt what those “first importance” things are as Jesus’ disciples. The Gospel of our salvation is built on the testimony of eyewitnesses to the historical events: Jesus died, Jesus was buried, Jesus rose from the grave, and Jesus appeared to his disciples, who were never the same after witnessing their resurrected Savior. Let’s not let anyone distract us from these core truths or crowd out their simplicity with other matters that some falsely claim to be essential. Our salvation is rooted in our faith and our participation in this simple yet powerful Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Romans 6:3-7). My Prayer… Dear God, I confess my faith in your saving work for me accomplished by Jesus. I believe that your Son and my Savior, Immanuel, Jesus of Nazareth, my LORD, was crucified by wicked men just as you had foretold long ago in the Scriptures. I believe Jesus’ dead and lifeless body was placed in a borrowed tomb. I believe you brought him back to life on the third day, just as you promised. I believe that those most destroyed by his death, those who knew him best, saw him alive again. I believe their lives were never the same. I believe, dear Father, that as I have confessed my faith in Jesus and shared with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism, my life is caught up with him in your salvation and victory over sin, death, and hell. I praise you for this grace. I thank you for this assurance. So, dear Father, I look forward to sharing in your glory when he returns for me. Thank you for my salvation. In Jesus’ name I live, rejoice, and wait in hope. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
10 Apr 2025
If God was not merciful, none of us would survive His wrath. He is willing to forgive us and help us over and over again. That’s how much He loves us. May we depend on Him only and believe that His love for us is unwavering. Let us trust Him with our circumstances. Psalm 143:1-12.