"I Will Bear Your Dark Side" study guide

2

“I Will Bear Your Dark Side”

Nailing It Down

A. “Ever since the curse, we’ve been different. Beastly. Ugly. Defiant. Angry. We do things we know we shouldn’t do and wonder why we did them.”

1. To what event does Max refer when he refers to “the curse”? How did this event change everything?

2. In what kinds of situations is your own “fallen nature” most likely to surface?

3. If you feel comfortable doing so, describe the last time you did something you knew you shouldn’t do, only to wonder later why you did it.

B. “The soldiers felt big by making Christ look small. Ever done that? Maybe you’ve never spit on anyone, but have you gossiped? Slandered? Have you ever raised your hand in anger or rolled your eyes in arrogance?”

1. Describe a time when you saw someone trying to feel big by making someone else look small.

2. Answer Max’s questions. Why did you act in this way? What happened when you did so?

3. How did those experiences help you grow and change?

C. “It is not that we can’t do good. We do. It’s just that we can’t keep from doing bad. In theological terms, we are ‘totally depraved'. Though made in God’s image, we have fallen. We’re corrupt at the core. The very center of our being is selfish and perverse.

1. In your own terms, how would you define “total depravity”?

2. Do you believe it’s impossible for us to keep from doing bad? Explain.

3. Describe the first time you saw in yourself that “the very center of our being is selfish and perverse.”

D. “A pig might look at his trough partners and announce, ‘I’m just as clean as everyone else.’ Compared to humans, however, that pig needs help. Compared to God, we humans need the same. The standard for sinlessness isn’t found at the pig troughs of earth but at the throne of heaven. God, himself, is the standard.”

1. Why do we tend to compare ourselves with others around us? What’s wrong with this comparison?

2. In what way is God the standard for our behavior?

3. What kind of help for our propensity to sin can we expect to receive from the “throne of heaven”? Explain.

E. “In the Bible, the Beauty . . . becomes the beast so the beast can become the beauty. Jesus changes places with us.”

1. Who is “the Beauty”? Who is “the beast”?

2. What does Max mean by “Jesus changes places with us”?

3. What is “the beast” in you? (What beastly traits must God forgive in you?)

Glimpsing God’s Heart

A. Read Psalms 36:1; 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10, 23; Ephesians 2:3.

1. What claim do all these verses make about us?

2. How does this affect our relationship with God? With each other?

3. In what way do these verses paint us as “beastly”?

B. Read Jeremiah 13:23 and Romans 8:7.

1. What hope for change do any of us have by relying on our own resources? Explain.

2. What does it mean to have a mind “controlled by the sinful self”? What results from this condition?

C. Read Romans 6:23; Hebrews 12:14; Proverbs 10:16.

1. What are “the wages of sin” (NIV)?

2. What is promised to those who do not have a holy life?

3. With what does God pay “evil people”?

D. Read Galatians 3:13–14.

1. What did Jesus do for us?

2. Why did he do this?

3. What did he accomplish by doing this?

Making a Choice

A. Some people think that the label “totally depraved” sounds too harsh. To these folks, Max issues the following challenge: “For the next twenty-four hours lead a sinless life.” Do an experiment. One day this week take up Max’s challenge (and take along a notebook to record what happens).

B. Get by yourself in a quiet part of your house, sit down, close your eyes, and try to put yourself in Jesus’ place during the awful moments when the soldiers abused him. Imagine the hard slaps across your mouth, the cruel mocking and jeering, the spittle dripping down your cheeks. What do you feel? What are you thinking? Remember: Jesus did all this not only for the soldiers who beat him, but for you. Be sure to give him thanks for choosing to suffer such dreadful abuse for you.

Excerpt From: Lucado, Max. “He Chose the Nails.” Thomas Nelson, 2011-10-12. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/he-chose-the-nails/id607382479?mt=11

NOTE FROM THE BLOGGER: Hey y'all! Feel free to copy this study guide and take notes as you read. I will posting mine on here closer to the end of the week. Now... Like I said this is a judge free blog and I will be sharing my personal thoughts, and if anything said against me or any other who comments on here... I will take harsh measures... A warning will be given... I'm not that mean.

He chose the nails Chapter 2 "I will bear your dark side"

2

I WILL BEAR 

YOUR DARK SIDE

GOD’S PROMISE IN THE SOLDIERS’ SPIT”

“Sin lurks deep in the hearts of the wicked, forever urging them on to evil deeds.

Psalm 36:1 TLB

Vanity is so anchored in the heart of man that . . . those who write against it want to have the glory of having written well; and those who read it desire the glory of having read it.

Blaise Pascal

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.

Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:9 NIV

Sin, understood in the Christian sense, is the rent which cuts through the whole of existence.

Emil Brunner

Oh this propensity to evil, how did you creep in to cover the earth with treachery?

Ecclesiasticus 37:3 APOC”

What would have happened to the Beast if the Beauty hadn’t appeared?

You know the story. There was a time when his face was handsome and his palace pleasant. But that was before the curse, before the shadows fell on the castle of the prince, before the shadows fell on the heart of the prince. And when the darkness fell, he hid. Secluded in his castle, he was left with glistening snout and curly tusks and a bad mood.

But all that changed when the girl came. I wonder, what would have happened to the Beast if the Beauty hadn’t appeared?

Better yet, what would have happened if she hadn’t cared? Who would have blamed her if she hadn’t? He was such a . . . well, such a beast. Hairy. Drooling. Roaring. Defying. And she was such a beauty. Stunningly gorgeous. Contagiously kind. If ever two people lived up to their names, didn’t the Beauty and the Beast? Who would have blamed her if she hadn’t cared? But she did care.

And because the Beauty loved the Beast, the Beast became more beautiful himself.

The story’s familiar, not just because it’s a fairy tale. It’s familiar because it reminds us of ourselves. There is a beast within each of us.

It wasn’t always so. There was a time when humanity’s face was beautiful and the palace pleasant. But that was before the curse, before the shadow fell across the garden of Adam, before the shadow fell across the heart of Adam. And ever since the curse, we’ve been different. Beastly. Ugly. Defiant. Angry. We do things we know we shouldn’t do and wonder why we did them.

The ugly part of me sure showed his beastly face the other night. I was driving on a two-lane road that was about to become a single lane. A woman in a car beside me was in the lane that continued. I was in the one that stopped. I needed to be ahead of her. My schedule was, no doubt, more important than hers. After all, am I not a man of the cloth? Am I not a courier of compassion? An ambassador of peace?

So I floored it.

Guess what? She did too. When my lane ended, she was a fender ahead of me. I growled and slowed and let her go ahead. Over her shoulder she gave me a sweet little bye-bye wave. Grrrr.

I started to dim my headlights. Then I paused. The sinister part of me said, “Wait a minute.” Am I not called to shed light on dark places? Illuminate the shadows?

So I put a little high beam in her rearview mirror.

She retaliated by slowing down. To a crawl. This woman was mean. She couldn’t have cared less if the whole city of San Antonio was late; she wasn’t going to go beyond fifteen miles per hour. And I wasn’t going to take my lights out of her rearview mirror. Like two stubborn donkeys, she kept it slow and I kept it bright. After more unkind thoughts than I dare confess, the road widened, and I started to pass. Wouldn’t you know it? A red light left the two of us side by side at an intersection. What happened next contains both good news and bad. The good news is, she waved at me. The bad news is, her wave was not one you’d want to imitate.

Moments later, conviction surfaced. “Why did I do that?” I’m typically a calm guy, but for fifteen minutes I was a beast! Only two facts comforted me: one, I don’t have a fish symbol on my car, and two, the apostle Paul had similar struggles. “I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate” (Rom. 7:15). Ever felt like saying those words?

If so, you’re in good company. Paul isn’t the only person in the Bible who wrestled the beast within. Hard to find a page in Scripture where the animal doesn’t bare his teeth. King Saul chasing young David with a spear. Shechem raping Dinah. Dinah’s brothers (the sons of Jacob) murdering Shechem and his friends. Lot selling out to Sodom and then getting out of Sodom. Herod murdering Bethlehem toddlers. Another Herod murdering Jesus’ cousin. If the Bible is called the Good Book, it’s not because its people are. Blood runs as freely through the stories as the ink through the quills that penned them. But the evil of the beast was never so raw as on the day Christ died.

The disciples were first fast asleep, then fast afoot.

Herod wanted a show.

Pilate wanted out.

And the soldiers? They wanted blood.

So they scourged Jesus. The legionnaire’s whip consisted of leather straps with lead balls on each end. His goal was singular: beat the accused within an inch of his death and then stop. Thirty-nine lashes were allowed but seldom needed. A centurion monitored the prisoner’s status. No doubt Jesus was near death when his hands were untied and he slumped to the ground.

The whipping was the first deed of the soldiers.

The crucifixion was the third. (No, I didn’t skip the second.

We’ll get to that in a moment.) Though his back was ribboned with wounds, the soldiers loaded the crossbeam on Jesus’ shoulders and marched him to the Place of a Skull and executed him.

We don’t fault the soldiers for these two actions. After all, they were just following orders. But what’s hard to understand is what they did in between. Here is Matthew’s description:

Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and they all gathered around him. They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matt. 27:26–31)

The soldiers’ assignment was simple: take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they had another idea. They wanted to have some fun first. Strong, rested, armed soldiers encircled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The scourging was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But who would draw pleasure out of spitting on a half-dead man?

Spitting isn’t intended to hurt the body—it can’t. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. What were the soldiers doing? Were they not elevating themselves at the expense of another? They felt big by making Christ look small.

Ever done that? Maybe you’ve never spit on anyone, but have you gossiped? Slandered? Have you ever raised your hand in anger or rolled your eyes in arrogance? Have you ever blasted your high beams in someone’s rearview mirror? Ever made someone feel bad so you would feel good?

That’s what the soldiers did to Jesus. When you and I do the same, we do it to Jesus too. “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matt. 25:40 NLT). How we treat others is how we treat Jesus.

“Oh, Max, I don’t like to hear that,” you protest. Believe me, I don’t like to say it. But we must face the fact that there is something beastly within each and every one of us. Something beastly that makes us do things that surprise even us. Haven’t you surprised yourself? Haven’t you reflected on an act and wondered, “What got into me?”

The Bible has a three-letter answer for that question: S-I-N. There is something bad—beastly—within each of us. We are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3 NASB). It is not that we can’t do good. We do. It’s just that we can’t keep from doing bad. In theological terms, we are “totally depraved.(morally corrupt)” Though made in God’s image, we have fallen. We’re corrupt at the core. The very center of our being is selfish and perverse. David said, “I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5 NLT). Could any of us say any less? Each one of us was born with a tendency to sin. Depravity is a universal condition. Scripture says it plainly:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way. (Isa. 53:6 NKJV) 

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jer. 17:9 NIV) 

There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:10, 23 NKJV)

Some would disagree with such strong words. They look around and say, “Compared to everyone else, I’m a decent person.” You know, a pig might say something similar. He might look at his trough partners and announce, “I’m just as clean as everyone else.” Compared to humans, however, that pig needs help. Compared to God, we humans need the same. The standard for sinlessness isn’t found at the pig troughs of earth but at the throne of heaven. God, himself, is the standard.

We are beasts. As French essayist Michel de Montaigne said, “There is no man so good, who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the laws, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.”1 Our deeds are ugly. Our actions are harsh. We don’t do what we want to do, we don’t like what we do, and what’s worse—yes, there is something worse—we can’t change.

We try, oh, how we try. But “Can a leopard change his spots? In the same way, Jerusalem, you cannot change and do good, because you are accustomed to doing evil” (Jer. 13:23). The apostle agreed with the prophet: “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot” (Rom. 8:7 NRSV, italics mine).

Still disagree? Still think the assessment is too harsh? If so, accept this challenge. For the next twenty-four hours lead a sinless life. I’m not asking for a perfect decade or year or even a perfect month. Just one perfect day. Can you do it? Can you live without sin for one day?

No? How about one hour? Could you promise that for the next sixty minutes you will have only pure thoughts and actions?

Still hesitant? Then how about the next five minutes? Five minutes of worry-free, anger-free, unselfish living—can you do it?

No? Nor can I.

Then we have a problem: we are sinners, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23 NIV).

We have a problem: we are not holy, and “anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

We have a problem: we are evil, and “evil people are paid with punishment” (Prov. 10:16).

What can we do?

Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross.

Through the prophet he said, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (Isa. 50:6 NIV). Mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin.

God could have deemed otherwise. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered wine for his throat, so why not a towel for his face? Simon carried the cross of Jesus, but he didn’t mop the cheek of Jesus. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken away the spittle?

They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. For some reason, the One who chose the nails also chose the saliva. Along with the spear and the sponge of man, he bore the spit of man. Why? Could it be that he sees the beauty within the beast?

But here the correlation with Beauty and the Beast ends. In the fable, the beauty kisses the beast. In the Bible, the Beauty does much more. He becomes the beast so the beast can become the beauty. Jesus changes places with us. We, like Adam, were under a curse, but Jesus “changed places with us and put himself under that curse” (Gal. 3:13).

What if the Beauty had not come? What if the Beauty had not cared? Then we would have remained a beast. But the Beauty did come, and the Beauty did care.

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

Excerpt From: Lucado, Max. “He Chose the Nails.” Thomas Nelson, 2011-10-12. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/he-chose-the-nails/id607382479? mt=11

NOTE TO READERS FROM THE BLOGGER: Everything that is underlined are things that I had highlighted in the book... Also, I will be posting the study guide in a little bit in another post. Thank you guys for reading!! 

Chapter 1- study guide

1

YOU DID THIS FOR ME?

Nailing It Down

A. “Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love.”

1. Describe some of the memorable gifts you have received from a loved one.

2. Describe a specially chosen gift for someone you love. What made it unique?

3. Why do we go to such great lengths to delight those we love?

B. “We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving.”

1. What do you think Max means by this statement?

2. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

3. How can you be like God in your giving this week?

C. “Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t.”

1. Why do you think God gives so much?

2. What aspects of God’s creation most delight your heart?

3. Why is salvation the most amazing gift?

D. “Every gift reveals God’s love . . . but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross.”

1. What gifts have you received from God? What do they mean to you?

2. List several “gifts of the cross” and explain how each reveals God’s love.

3. What gift of the cross speaks most profoundly to your heart? Why?

Glimpsing God’s Heart

A. Read Romans 6:23.

1. What gift from God is mentioned here?

2. How does one receive this gift?

3. What is Jesus’ connection to this gift?

B. Read 2 Corinthians 9:15.

1. What gift from God is mentioned here?

2. Why is this gift called “indescribable” (NIV)?

3. How are we to respond to this gift? Why?

C. Read 1 Peter 1:3–5.

1. What gift from God is described here?

2. Where is this gift kept? Why is it kept there?

3. When will we receive this gift? How can we be sure of this?

D. Read James 1:17–18.

1. Where do all good gifts come from?

2. What did God choose to do for us? How did he accomplish this?

3. Why did God choose to do this? What did he want to accomplish?

E. Read Matthew 7:9–11.

1. What point does this passage make?

2. What promise is made here? How is that promise meant to sustain us?

Making a Choice

A. If we are “most like God when we are giving,” how can you “be like God” this week? Whom can you bless with an unexpected gift? What kind of gift should this be? When can you give it? How can you present it to make the moment extra special? Plan the details of your gift giving, and then carry it out before the end of this week.

B. Set aside at least fifteen minutes to thank God for all of his gifts to you. Before you begin, make a list of the gifts for which you are especially grateful. Conclude your prayer time with a special focus on God’s gift of salvation. Try hard not to bring up any requests during this holy time, but instead pour out your heart in thanksgiving to God for all his rich gifts to you.

Excerpt From: Lucado, Max. “He Chose the Nails.” Thomas Nelson, 2011-10-12. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/he-chose-the-nails/id607382479?mt=11

NOTE FROM THE BLOGGER: Hey y'all! Feel free to copy this study guide and take notes as you read. I will posting mine on here closer to the end of the week. Now... Like I said this is a judge free blog and I will be sharing my personal thoughts, and if anything said against me or any other who comments on here... I will take harsh measures... A warning will be given... I'm not that mean.

He Chose The Nails By: Max Lucado CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1:

 YOU DID THIS FOR ME?

“The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NIV

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it, because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see.

1 Peter 1:4 –5 TLB

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:17–18 NIV”

He deserves our compassion. When you see him, do not laugh. Do not mock. Do not turn away or shake your head. Just gently lead him to the nearest bench and help him sit down.

Have pity on the man. He is so fearful, so wide-eyed. He’s a deer on the streets of Manhattan. Tarzan walking through the urban jungle. He’s a beached whale, wondering how he got here and how he’ll get out.

Who is this forlorn creature? This ashen-faced orphan? He is—please remove your hats out of respect—he is the man in the women’s department. Looking for a gift.

The season may be Christmas. The occasion may be her birthday or their anniversary. Whatever the motive, he has come out of hiding. Leaving behind his familiar habitat of sporting goods stores, food courts, and the big-screen television in the appliance department, he ventures into the unknown world of women’s wear. You’ll spot him easily. He’s the motionless one in the aisle. Were it not for the sweat rings under his arms, you’d think he was a mannequin.

But he isn’t. He is a man in a woman’s world, and he’s never seen so much underwear. At the Wal-Mart where he buys his, it’s all wrapped up and fits on one shelf. But here he is in a forest of lace. His father warned him about places like this. Though the sign above says “linger-ie,” he knows he shouldn’t.

So he moves on, but he doesn’t know where to go. You see, not every man has been prepared for this moment as I was. My father saw the challenge of shopping for women as a rite of passage, right in there with birds and bees and tying neckties. He taught my brother and me how to survive when we shopped. I can remember the day he sat us down and taught us two words. To get around in a foreign country, you need to know the language, and my father taught us the language of the ladies’ department.

“There will come a time,” he said solemnly, “when a salesperson will offer to help you. At that moment take a deep breath and say this phrase, ‘Es-tée Lau-der.’” On every gift-giving occasion for years after, my mom received three gifts from the three men in her life: “Estée Lauder, Estée Lauder, and Estée Lauder.”

My fear of the women’s department was gone. But then I met Denalyn. Denalyn doesn’t like Estée Lauder. Though I told her it made her smell motherly, she didn’t change her mind. I’ve been in a bind ever since.

This year for her birthday I opted to buy her a dress. When the salesperson asked me Denalyn’s size, I said I didn’t know. I honestly don’t. I know I can wrap my arm around her and that her hand fits nicely in mine. But her dress size? I never inquired. There are certain questions a man doesn’t ask.

The woman tried to be helpful. “How does she compare to me?” Now, I was taught to be polite to women, but I couldn’t be polite and answer that question. There was only one answer, “She is thinner.”

I stared at my feet, looking for a reply. After all, I write books. Surely I could think of the right words.

I considered being direct: “She is less of you.”

Or complimentary: “You are more of a woman than she is.”

Perhaps a hint would suffice? “I hear the store is downsizing.”

Finally I swallowed and said the only thing I knew to say, “Estée Lauder?”

She pointed me in the direction of the perfume department, but I knew better than to enter. I would try the purses. Thought it would be easy. What could be complicated about selecting a tool for holding cards and money? I’ve used the same money clip for eight years. What would be difficult about buying a purse?

Oh, naive soul that I am. Tell an attendant in the men’s department that you want a wallet, and you’re taken to a small counter next to the cash register. Your only decision is black or brown. Tell an attendant in the ladies’ department that you want a purse, and you are escorted to a room. A room of shelves. Shelves with purses. Purses with price tags. Small but potent price tags . . . prices so potent they should remove the need for a purse, right?

I was pondering this thought when the salesperson asked me some questions. Questions for which I had no answer. “What kind of purse would your wife like?” My blank look told her I was clueless, so she began listing the options: “Handbag? Shoulder bag? Glove bag? Backpack? Shoulder pack? Change purse?”

Dizzied by the options, I had to sit down and put my head between my knees lest I faint. Didn’t stop her. Leaning over me, she continued, “Moneybag? Tote bag? Pocketbook? Satchel?”

“Satchel?” I perked up at the sound of a familiar word. Satchel Paige pitched in the major leagues. This must be the answer. I straightened my shoulders and said proudly, “Satchel.”

Apparently she didn’t like my answer. She began to curse at me in a foreign language. Forgive me for relating her vulgarity, but she was very crude. I didn’t understand all she said, but I do know she called me a “Dooney Bird” and threatened to “brighten” me with a spade that belonged to someone named Kate. When she laid claim to “our mawny,” I put my hand over the wallet in my hip pocket and defied, “No, it’s my money.” That was enough. I got out of there as fast as I could. But as I left the room, I gave her a bit of her own medicine. “Estée Lauder!” I shouted and ran as fast as I could.

Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love.

But we don’t mind, do we? We would do it all again. Fact is, we do it all again. Every Christmas, every birthday, every so often we find ourselves in foreign territory. Grownups are in toy stores. Dads are in teen stores. Wives are in the hunting department, and husbands are in the purse department.

Not only do we enter unusual places, we do unusual things. We assemble bicycles at midnight. We hide the new tires with mag wheels under the stairs. One fellow I heard about rented a movie theater so he and his wife could see their wedding pictures on their anniversary.

And we’d do it all again. Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life’s sweetest wine—the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving.

Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t. 

He splashed orange in the sunrise and cast the sky in blue.

And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are you’ll see that too. 

Did he have to make the squirrel’s tail furry?

Was he obliged to make the birds sing?

And the funny way that chickens scurry or the majesty of thunder when it rings”

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste?

Could it be he loves to see that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would he? If we—speckled with foibles and greed—love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? Jesus asked, “If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?” (Matt. 7:11 TLB).

God’s gifts shed light on God’s heart, God’s good and generous heart. Jesus’ brother James tells us: “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light” (James 1:17 MSG) Every gift reveals God’s love . . . but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross. And not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.

The gifts of the cross.”

Much has been said about the gift of the cross itself, but what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? The garments given for the burial? Have you taken time to open these gifts?

He didn’t have to give them, you know. The only act, the only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet he did much more. So much more. Search the scene of the cross, and what do you find?

A wine-soaked sponge.

A sign.

Two crosses beside Christ.

Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, “You did this for me?”

The diadem of pain

which sliced your gentle face,

three spikes piercing flesh and wood

to hold you in your place. 

The need for blood I understand.

Your sacrifice I embrace.

But the bitter sponge, the cutting spear,

the spit upon your face? 

Did it have to be a cross?

Did not a kinder death exist

than six hours hanging between life and death,

all spurred by a betrayer’s kiss? 

“Oh, Father,” you pose,

heart-stilled at what could be,

“I’m sorry to ask, but I long to know,

did you do this for me?”

Dare we pray such a prayer? Dare we think such thoughts? Could it be that the hill of the cross is rich with God’s gifts? Let’s examine them, shall we? Let’s unwrap these gifts of grace as if—or perhaps, indeed—for the first time. And as you touch them—as you feel the timber of the cross and trace the braid of the crown and finger the point of the spike—pause and listen. Perchance you will hear him whisper: 

“I did it just for you.”

Excerpt From: Lucado, Max. “He Chose the Nails.” Thomas Nelson, 2011-10-12. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=607382479

NOTE TO READERS FROM THE BLOGGER: Everything that is underlined are things that I had highlighted in the book... Also, I will be posting the study guide in a little bit in another post. Thank you guys for reading!! 

New Series

Hey all! I'm really thinking about starting up a new series for a few weeks... to be honest with the selling of our house, I've misplaced the other book... but the book I've been reading is an AMAZING book by Max Lucado. It's title is He Chose the Nails. It's honestly my favorite book and I've just realized there is a study guide in the back. If you all would like.. I can pose the chapter of the book the 1st of the week along with the study guide.. and you can read the chapter and follow the study guide... At the end of the week I will post up my study guide for you guys to read.. I am certain that there will be parts of the chapters that hit very personally..  I promise you all anything thing that is shared with me will be judgment free and I will discuss and pray with/for you all to the best of my ability.. God used this book to completely change my life... and I can't keep it to myself!

I love you all and pray for y'all everyday!!

“I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU”

“My Treasured Princess

You are so precious to Me, My Princess. There are not enough grains of sand on the earth to express how often I think of you. Day and night I am thinking of you. You are always on My mind. You are hidden in My heart and forever a part of Me. I care about every detail of your life, and I am never too busy to focus on you. So, wherever you are in this big world, take comfort in knowing that My thoughts are with you, My beautiful Bride, and so is My heart.

Love,

Your Prince who loves thinking of you

HOW PRECIOUS ARE YOUR THOUGHTS

ABOUT ME, O GOD. THEY CANNOT BE

NUMBERED! I CAN’T EVEN COUNT THEM;

THEY OUTNUMBER THE GRAINS OF SAND! AND

WHEN I WAKE UP, YOU ARE STILL WITH ME!

PSALM 139:17–18

My Beloved Prince

I am falling for You more and more every day, my Prince, my Husband. Eternity seems so far away sometimes, yet I know in my heart at any moment I could see You face to face. How I long to feel You close to me. But until that glorious day comes, I must say how wonderful it is to walk through this life knowing the Savior of the world is thinking of me. May I never stop looking for You as You continue to reveal Your love to me each new day.

Love,

Your Bride who loves knowing I am on Your mind

YOU SAW ME BEFORE I WAS BORN.

EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE

WAS RECORDED IN YOUR BOOK.

EVERY MOMENT WAS LAID OUT

BEFORE A SINGLE DAY HAD PASSED.

PSALM 139:16”

“I ALWAYS KEEP MY PROMISES

My Cherished Bride

I will never break a promise to you, My Bride. I will always do for you exactly as it is written in My Word. Please don’t let those who have disappointed you make you insecure about who I am. Remember, My beloved, I am not man; I am your eternal Husband and your Lord. I am Truth. You never need to worry about whether or not I will come through for you. Every vow I have made to you will prove to be true in My perfect time. Every word I speak is divine truth. I will never disappoint you if you will learn to wait on My perfect time.
Love,
Your Prince whom you can trust”

“For your kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.
The LORD always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.
PSALM 145”

“My Prince
I want to trust You, my Lord, but sometimes I feel like I can’t count on anyone to keep his or her word. So please forgive me for doubting You. Help me to remember that You are not like those who have broken their promises to me. You are the one who is faithful and true. Renew my faith from this day forward, and may I never forget all You have already done to prove Your promises are true.
Love,
Your Princess who is learning to trust”

“God’s way is perfect.
All the LORD’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look
to him for protection.
PSALM 18:30”

I Will Be Your Rock

My Beloved Bride

The time is now to believe My promises and trust Me to shelter you from the storms that will come in this life. I am truly the knight in shining armor that your heart longs for. I am the one who has already given His life for you. I know your hidden fears, but you must learn to look to Me, My beloved Bride, when life hits hard. I am the rock on which you can stand when all around you seems to be sinking sand. Stand on My Word and hide it in your heart, and you will never sink in hopelessness again!
Love,
Your Prince and Rock

THE LORD IS MY ROCK, MY
FORTRESS, AND MY SAVIOR;
MY GOD IS MY ROCK, IN WHOM
I FIND PROTECTION.
HE IS MY SHIELD, THE POWER THAT SAVES ME,
AND MY PLACE OF SAFETY.
PSALM 18:2

My Rescuer
Yes, I need to be saved by You. Please rescue me, my Lord. I need You to be my rock and my strong Prince. I don’t want to stand alone anymore. I invite You now to become the strength of my life. Grab hold of my fearful heart and place my feet securely on the rock of Your Word. May I never move from this rock again!
Love,
Your Princess who is ready to stand

HEAR MY CRY, O GOD;
LISTEN TO MY PRAYER.
FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH I CALL TO YOU,
I CALL AS MY HEART GROWS FAINT;
LEAD ME TO THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I.
PSALM 61:1–2 NIV

I Will Meet Your Needs

My Precious Princess,
As My Bride, you can ask Me for anything you need, and I will provide it for you in unexpected ways. I am the one who can meet you in the deepest part of your soul. I am the one who gives you the desires of your heart. I know sometimes you are afraid to believe that I am truly there, but I am. No matter what your life looks like right now, I am working all things together for your good. It is My pleasure to take care of you, so rest in Me, My beloved.
Love,
Your Princess and Provider
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, So that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
John 14:13-14 NIV

My Prince,
Please forgive me for all the days I took Your place in my life by trying to meet my own needs. Right now, I place my future in Your loving hands. I am ready to come before Your throne and trust You, no matter what. Today I trade all my fears for a renewed faith in You. Today I know in my heart that You will provide even more than I ask for... May I never doubt You again!
Love,
Your Princess
Who believes in You
"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Sing To Me

My Princess Bride,
Your life in Me is a symphony. At this moment, you are a song ready to be written by Me, your composer. Youre praise is music to My heart, My Bride. I love when you sing to Me, My beloved. If you will let Me, I will put a song in your soul that will be a sweet melody for you to enjoy all the days of your life. Your praise is a blessing to your Prince, and I will bless you for your sacrifice of praise. So open your precious lips, My love, and let Me hear you sing so all heaven can hear you rejoice.
Love,
Your Prince
who hears from heaven
"I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God  to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleaseing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord." Psalm 104:33-34

My Prince,
My heart soars when I enter into praise for You, although somehow, a song of praise seems so simple compared to all You have done for me. But I long to express my deep love to You, my Lord. So if it is my praise that pleases You, I will open my lips and sing my heart out for an audience of one... You! And my my life become what my lips cannot say in a song of adoration.
Love,
Your Princess
who praises You
"I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most Hight." Psalm 9:1-2

I Will Come To Your Rescue

My Precious Bride,
I am your hero. I have already died saving your life. I am here to rescue you from drowning in a sea of hopelessness and carry you to shore when you're too weary to swim. I will revive your soul and set your feet back on the solid ground. I will not let anything or anyone keep Me from coming to you when you call. I love to save you from harm, My love, so next time you need to be saved from trouble, call to Me, your Prince, and I will come.
Love,
Your Savior and Rescuer
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 42:2NIV

My Prince Jesus,
I am amazed! I have a real hero who saves me! How did I get so blessed that the Savior of the world has become my Prince? How amazing is it to know that You reach down from heaven and save me from drowning in a sea of hopelessness. I really do need You to be my life preserver, Lord. There will never be words to express how much I truly love You.
Love,
Your Princess
Who loves to be rescued
"He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters." Psalm 18:16

Cry On My Shoulder

My Beautiful Bride,
You are never alone, My beloved. When you hurt, I hurt, and it breaks My heat to watch you cry without Me. I am here with you, desiring to be the shoulder your tears fall in. I too walked the world broken, My love. We will work through any and all things together, My bride. I can and will heal your broken heart. Call out My name, Jesus, in your dark hours, and I will hold you. Will you give Me a chance to love you back to life again? I promise that you will see the light if a new day and joy will come again.
Love,
Your Prince
Who will wipe away your tears
"He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:21

My Prince of Peace,
You truly are the love of my life, and Your Bride is crying out to You know. Yes, come hold me while I cry. How it comforts my soul to have access to You anytime. I love knowing I am not alone in the dark. Thank you, my Prince, my Lord, for reaching down from heaven with Your loving hand and wiping away my tears. Hold me until all is well with my soul again. Remind me when I hurt that You are just a prayer away.
Love,
Your Bride
Who longs to be in Your arms always
"But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears."
Psalm 18:6