As we remember the crucifixion today, let us also stop and think about just how much suffering He willingly endured for you and me.

John 3:16 is a favorite Bible text which is well known and well quoted:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is a good time to seriously remember how much it actually cost Him to make this sacrifice for the world and to ask yourself “am I living in the benefits of this sacrifice”?

It would have been humanly impossible to have endured as much suffering as He did without having a hope beyond the present moment. And remember, Jesus had laid aside His rights as God and subjected Himself to all of the weakness of being human during His time on this earth. This means that He felt the pain as fully as you and I would if we were faced with this same torture.

The writer of the book of Hebrews (in the New Testament) reveals a great secret and a key to help us understand how Jesus was able make His last trip to Jerusalem without turning aside or even hesitating, even though He knew full well what awaited Him there.

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Jesus did not focus on the suffering and death that He was to endure, but rather He focused on the “joy that was set before Him” which is the joy of the resurrection and the ascension. He was able to look beyond the coming suffering because his focus was on the resurrection that would result.

Here is a great message for you and me on this Good Friday:
Let us never forget that every death experience leads to a resurrection (unless we choose to stay in the death experience because of unbelief).

So next time you find yourself in a place where your world seems to be turning upside down, remember this:

Happy Easter!

Photo credit Richard Vignola

Have you noticed that of all of the topics I have written about since launching this blog at the beginning of February 2010 there is one theme that seems to dominate them all.

(Look at the list of topics here and you will see).

Yes, that dominant topic is “focus”, and no wonder! It is a VERY big key to your success, your well being and in fact to every area of your life.

Tonight I was watching a series of videos from Tony Robbins (which I found on YouTube). What was he talking about? Yes – it was focus.

Tony said: “What you focus on you feel” –

and “where focus goes, energy flows”.

Do you see why your focus is so so important?

You and I can change our feelings by changing our FOCUS.

The dictionary definition of this important word is “the concentration of attention or energy on something”. There is another key word here – concentration.

This very key can make or break your life – you choose.

A Powerful Example:
There is a very clear and powerful example of this key demonstrated in the life of the Teacher of teachers – yes Jesus Christ Himself. It is found in the book of Hebrews (in the New Testament of the Bible) in chapter 12 and verse 2.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How did Jesus endure the cross?

But it was not JUST what was set before Him that gave Him the strength.

If you really look into this verse you can see where his CONCENTRATION was.

He was NOT looking at the cross. His focus was on everything beyond the cross. His eyes were fixed on the joy of the victory of the resurrection and what that triumph would mean to His Father AND to you and me.

What are you focusing on today?
Is that what you REALLY want in your life?

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How many things do you and I miss every day because we do not recognize them? Things like – opportunities – blessings – experiences and even relationships.

There is an interesting verse found in Ephesians 5:14 where Paul exhorted the Ephesian church to Wake up, O sleeper! Arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.

Interesting words indeed! The Greek meaning of the words “wake up” includes waking up from sleep, from death, from sickness AND from obscurity.

If you are sick, your mind is usually more focused on your pain or on getting well than on anything that is going on around you – right? It is certainly understandable that you would be distracted and not fully aware of your surroundings when you don’t feel well.

I made a list today of some things we may miss out on when we are not fully awake (or aware of what is happening around us).

One of the things I wrote down was: Relationships.

• Do you REALLY know who you come in contact with during the day.
• Do you REALLY know who you are working with?
• Do you REALLY even know who you are living with?

Here’s a great example:
There were 12 disciples. They all had the same mentor, they all spent the same time with Jesus, and they all had the same opportunity to know him.

Yet one of these disciples missed the boat completely – yes, he missed it so badly that he betrayed Jesus the Son of God.

Why? He did not RECOGNIZE who He was.

Why not? Judas had his own agenda (money). His mind was focused on this agenda. Consequently he was distracted from his surroundings and so had absolutely no idea Who he was living with during those 3 years.

He had the same opportunity to get to know Jesus as the other disciples had.
But he did not take it. Why not? He did not RECOGNIZE Who he was with. He was distracted with his own selfish goals.

I wonder how different your life would be if you really did recognize who those people in your life REALLY are? Something to think about no?

I am sure that we would appreciate people in our lives a LOT more if we REALLY knew who they were. What do you think?

P.S. Do YOU really know Who Jesus is?
Take a look at the Gospel of John Chap 1:11-12.