Good Friday Holy Week 5

Jesus said "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Dear Father in Heaven, forgive me of my sins, for I am a sinner, one of those who You died for. Thank You for saving my very, very unworthy soul, Help me to repent and come even nearer to You... In Jesus' name, Amen.

Brothers and sisters, we call it good Friday, but on this day our Lord Jesus died. We call it Good Friday for on this day God gave us the best gift we will ever have a chance to receive, He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). We call it Good Friday for on this day Jesus suffered and died for us (Luke 22:47 through Luke 23:49). We call it Good Friday, HOWEVER, it is only good for us if we accept the love of Jesus (John 14:6). While I could sit and type all of this from the Bible, I will ask you to just open your Bible and read it... AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BIBLE, please let me know and Carry The Light Ministries will have one in the mail for you right away.

However, I do want to go over a few scriptures and ask you to pray for all pastors this weekend, and pray that they do not miss the chance to get a good salvation message to the ones coming to their assigned churches. Yes, we get to see people in church that might not have been there since Christmas. I call them our C and E people. Hey, I was one of them a long time ago.

Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (NIV)

I picked this scripture to bring out that while Jesus was at His lowest point, when He was being put on the cross, His love was on others, HIS LOVE WAS ON US, for these words said back when Jesus was on the cross, hold good today and He wants to forgive us. I ask you to pray today for a lady, whose name I do not know, who last night as I was leaving our church service told me she does not believe in God. You see, these words, "forgive them for they do know know what they are doing," ring loud for me this morning, for I am thinking, this lady does not know what she is doing. While we who are saved now know what we are doing, we were all at one time lost, all of us, not a one who has walked this earth with the exception of Jesus walked without sin. We need to repent, and today is a great day to do just that... get on your knees and ask to be forgiven.

Luke 23:43 - Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (NIV)

Years and years ago I was told by a pastor that he did not believe in what we Christians call a bedside conversion, or someone who is about to die being led to confess their sins and be forgiven by Jesus. He told me it was not in the Bible. While I wish everyone would come to Jesus now and not wait til the last minute, for you might not get that last minute chance and also because it is so much better living for Jesus then the way one lives without Him... Anyway I was told that I could not back up what I was saying by using scripture... And while there is no scripture that says, if you are laying in bed dying, Jesus will still save you, you can find the same thing with Luke 23:43 for indeed one of those criminals on the cross beside Jesus spoke out for Jesus and was saved.

Please take time to read your Bible and the scriptures above and I will be back on Easter Morning, early, very early...

Now while I part today saying these things, share your blessings and I love ya... I also want to leave you with these words, the words of Jesus on the cross, the very last words...

Luke 23:46 - Jesus called with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When He had said this, HE BREATHED HIS LAST...

I love You, Jesus... and I love all of you... Pastor Dan.