Jesus loved you to death…

Jesus loved you to death…
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Jesus loved you to death…
And He rose from the dead
to love you forever!

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:32, Romans 8:35, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39 NKJV).

#Easter #ResurrectionSunday #resurrection #HeLives #devotion #EasterDevotion #Romans #RoyLessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Who Sent Jesus to the Cross?

Who Sent Jesus to the Cross?
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Who sent Jesus to the cross? Was it the Jewish leaders? Was it a mob? Was it the Roman government? None of these were powerful enough, influential enough, or persuasive enough to be able to do it. When Jesus spoke to Pilate, Jesus reminded him that he had no power to crucify Him even though Pilate thought he did as the Roman ruler. When the disciples tried to keep Jesus from being arrested, he reminded them that if He wanted to escape the cross He could call a multitude of angels to come and rescue Him. The One who sent Jesus to the cross was God the Father. This was the reason why God sent His Son into the world. It was the will of Jesus to embrace the Father’s will. Jesus said that it was for this reason that He came. It pleased the Father to bruise Him, and it brought joy to the Son to please the Father. 
 
When Jesus died upon the cross He didn’t die as a martyr, He died as a sacrifice for sin. He didn’t die for His sins, for He was without sin—He died to make atonement for us. He died so that each person who turns from his or her sin, and believes in Him, could be forgiven. He gave His life freely, and lovingly. God sent His Son because He loves you. Jesus shed His blood because He loves you. Jesus didn’t die just for the world—He died for you. Do you know how much you are loved? You are loved with all the love that God could give.
 
Jesus took the judgement for our sin upon Himself so that we wouldn’t have to be judged. He tasted death so that we wouldn’t know the sting of death. He descended into hell so that we would never need to know its awful grip upon our lives. And after three days He rose from the grave so that we could know resurrection life. His resurrection is our victory song, our shout of joy, our daily praise, and our eternal hope. Because He lives we shall also live. He has promised it, He has guaranteed it. He has secured it. Jesus is our life and heaven is our home. He is the perfect gift that we can know and enjoy forever.
 
 
“Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12:27)
 
“Therefore doth My Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” (John 10:17-18)
 
Then saith Pilate unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee?"
Jesus answered, "Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above….” (John 19:10-11)
 
Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)
 
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)
 
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
 
“I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen.” (Revelation 1:18)

#easter #whosentjesustothecross #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin #easterdevotion

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Loved to Death

Loved to Death
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
I’ve been reading about Jesus’ time before the high priest and others, including the false witnesses, after He was arrested. He said nothing to defend Himself against the lies, but when asked if He was “the Messiah, the Son of God,” He spoke the truth and said “yes”. That “yes” sent Him to the cross. 
 
I’ve been thinking…if I was in that situation I would have done the opposite. I would have defended myself against the false witnesses and remained silent about revealing my true identity, knowing it would mean my death. I would have done everything I could do to save myself…
 
Thank You, God, that Your Son wasn’t like me! He loved me too much to seek a way of escape and leave me to perish! Jesus loved me to death!
 
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:32, Romans 8:35, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39 NKJV)

#easter #jesus #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

God’s Heart Touching Ours

God’s Heart Touching Ours

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 
Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life so that we could be loosed from the power of sin and delivered from the power of Satan. He came because He loved us, and He knew how much we needed Him. He came to make the heart of His Father glad, and to bring His joy into our lives. He came to the lowly place so that He could lift us to the highest place. He became poor in earthly things so that He could make us rich in heavenly things. He laid aside His glory and took up our humanity…He laid aside the praises of the heavenly host and made Himself of no reputation…He laid aside His heavenly home and dined in the home of sinners…He laid down His rights as God and took up a towel and a basin…He laid aside the splendor of His throne and endured the shame of the cross.

 
Imagine a large room filled with people. Each person in the room has great needs, and each person is looking to the other people in the room to help fill those needs. Each person that entered that room was inwardly saying as he or she arrived “Here I am. I have arrived. I have many needs. I am expecting each of you to do your very best to make me happy, and if you want me to love you and help you to meet your needs, then you must give me a reason to love you.” That is how all of us live our lives. We are self-centered. We have not come into the world to serve, but to be served. When Jesus came to us, He was like a man who entered that room full of needy people and said something completely different in His heart. Jesus said, “There you are. How may I serve you? I am here to meet your needs. How may I help you? You do not have to give me a reason to love you. I love you unconditionally, without reservation. I hold nothing back from you. I give you my all, willingly, happily, freely. Even if you choose to be my enemy, I will lay down my life for you.” There is only one place love like that can be found, and that is in the heart of God.
 
The greatest change that takes place within us is when God’s heart touches our hearts and we become extensions and expressions of His love to others. When the servant heart of Jesus is within us we will stoop in humility to serve others, instead of rising up in pride with the demand to be waited upon by others. It is only from the heart of Jesus that we are able to esteem others better than ourselves, love others as ourselves, and honor others instead of ourselves. Today, it is Jesus’ desire to put a towel over your arm, place a basin in your hands, put His love within your heart, and cause you to ascend the heights by having you serve.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:1-11 NLT).

#easter #godsheart #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Extraordinary

Extraordinary

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
The Old and New Testaments are not ordinary books—they are extraordinary. They are not natural works—they are supernatural. Together, these two testaments complete the Word of God. They do not contain Truth, they are Truth, and everything spoken in them perfectly reveals what God wants us to know about Himself and His purpose for our lives. 
 

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are not just words written on paper, they are love words spoken from the heart of God, and they are living words breathed by the Spirit of God. The Scriptures can bring hope, produce faith, and change lives. They are bread that nourishes the hungry, a map that guides the seeker, a rock that establishes the believer, and a light that illumines the path for those who walk in God’s ways.
 
It has been said that the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, and that in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed. In the Old we see the beginning of all things, in the New we see the end of all things. In the Old we see types and shadows, in the New we see substance and fulfillment. In the Old we see Mt. Sinai, in the New we see Mt. Calvary. In the Old we see the letter, in the New we see the Spirit. In the Old we hear the voice of the prophets, in the New we hear the voice of The Son. 
 
Together, the books tell one story. It is His story. It is the story of redemption revealed in time and space, through real people and actual events. It is the story of The Redeemer and the redeemed.
 
Jesus is the establisher of the law and the fulfiller of the Law, He is the message of prophecy and the fulfillment of prophecy, He is the promised sin bearer and the One who gave His life for our sins.
 
In Jesus Christ the Old and New Testaments are like two musical movements that come together to make one glorious symphony…they are like the two lenses on a pair of binoculars that bring God’s image close and into focus…they are like the flame of two burning candles that come together to make one glorious light.
 
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Psalm 85:10).

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16).

#extraordinary #easter #jesus #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Looking Back

Looking Back
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

When we look back and wonder how we ever made it this far,
we realize it is not because we have been clever, but because God has been wise…
not because we have been strong, but because God has been mighty…
not because we have been deserving, but because God has been merciful…
not because we have been consistent, but because God has been faithful.
 
 
I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NIV).

#devotion #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin #reflectionsfromtheheartofgod 

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Morning Prayer: All He Is, He Is for You

My Morning Prayer: All He Is, He Is for You

-Roy Lessin and Marina Bromley

All He Is, He Is for You
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden (Colossians 2:3 AMP).
 
Provider: You are satisfied.
Teacher: You are instructed.
Shelter: You are covered.
Rock: You are secure.
Victor: You are triumphant.
Shepherd: You are cared for.
Captain: You are protected.
Encourager: You are built up.
Salvation: You are delivered.
Healer: You are whole.
Rest: You are comforted.
Guide: You are directed.
Confidence: You are assured.
Father: You are accepted.
Deliverer: You are free.

My Morning Prayer
-Marina Bromley

Lord, You have been so faithful to be each of these for me. Let me not forget Your goodness and the many ways You have provided for me. I have not been, and will never be, alone. Let me feel Your presence in my life, as You work in me, through me, and around me. Let me meditate on Your Word, Your promises, and Your places in my life. Let me know You intimately as You fulfill each of these places in my life. In Jesus' name, amen.

#mymorningprayer #allheis #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow #aplaceathistable

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Prayer and photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Timely Tidbits of Truth 9, The Lord Reigns

Timely Tidbits of Truth 9, The Lord Reigns
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
No question can stump Him
No mind can out-think Him
No challenge can intimidate Him
No plot can overthrow Him
No power can dethrone Him
No scheme can fool Him
No enemy can defeat Him
No problem can perplex Him
No request can deplete Him
 
Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all (1 Chronicles 29:12 NKJV).

#timelytidbitsoftruth #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow #devotions

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

The Lord Reigns!

The Lord Reigns!
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
God reigns. Jesus Reigns. The Holy Spirit reigns.
 
No one reigns like the Lord reigns! Angels don’t. Kings of the earth don’t. Principalities don’t and rulers of darkness don’t, they are all under the Lord’s feet. Every human authority on earth is short term. The new one who steps in to rule will soon be stepping out. The Lord’s reign is forever. No one voted Him in and no one can vote Him out. The Lord reigns!

 
He is in charge. Completely in charge! The Lord’s reign is an almighty reign. The Lord is omnipotent. There is no power greater than the Lord’s power. No weapon will ever be formed that can defeat Him, remove Him, overrule Him, or eliminate Him. The Lord rules and overrules, absolutely. He holds sway in every way. He’s never slow and never late in performing His will. The Lord reigns!

 

In His hand is a scepter of righteousness. There is no corruption in His actions, no deceit in His words, no error in His judgements, no confusion in His thinking, no unfairness in His ways. The Lord reigns!
 
His goodness reigns. His truth reigns. His holiness reigns. His perfection reigns. His love reigns. The Lord reigns!
 
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Revelation 19:6 NKJV).

#thelordreigns #devotion #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin 

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Morning Prayer: God Is…All You Need

My Morning Prayer: God Is…All You Need
-Roy Lessin and Marina Bromley

God Is...All You Need
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need (Acts 17:25 NLT).
 
You can’t save yourself, God is your Savior. (Luke 1:47)
You can’t justify yourself, God is your Justifier. (Romans 3:24)
You can’t redeem yourself, God is your Redeemer. (Psalm 78:35)
You can’t cleanse yourself, God is your Cleanser. (Psalm 51:2)
You can’t purify yourself, God is your Purifier. (Psalm 51:7)
You can’t deliver yourself, God is your Deliverer. (Psalm 70:5)
You can’t restore yourself, God is your Restorer. (Joel 2:25)
You can’t perfect yourself, God is your Perfecter. (Psalm 138:8)
You can’t keep yourself, God is your Keeper. (Psalm 121:5)
You can’t comfort yourself, God is your Comforter. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

My Morning Prayer
-Marina Bromley

Father, as I come to You this morning, help me to lay down my expectations at the cross. You alone are my Savior, Justifier, Redeemer. You are my Cleanser and Purifier. Only You can deliver, restore, perfect and keep me. You are my great Comforter. Allow me to rest in You, trusting You to change my hearts' desire to align with Your will for my life. I need You Lord, and MORE of You. Increase my faith in every trial and trouble, trusting that You will work it to Your glory. And when I see a blessing may praises rise on my lips to bring You glory! All for You and Your kingdom, God. In Jesus' name...amen.

#morningprayer #prayer #devotions #devotional #godisallyouneed #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow 

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Prayer and photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Timely Tidbits of Truth 8

Timely Tidbits of Truth 8
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Write your plans, appointments, and schedules in pencil, then place the eraser in God’s hand!
 
A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9 NKJV).

#timelytidbitsoftruth #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Trust Him—

Trust Him—
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Trust Him—
He has been in every moment of your past.
He was there when you were conceived.
His hand formed you when you were in your mother’s womb.
He is with you now. He will be with you in the future.
All your tomorrows are in His hands.
 
Trust Him daily.
Trust Him moment by moment.
He is your life and your portion.
Trust Him for everything and in everything.
He will never fail you or let you down.
Trust Him.
 
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:3-5 NKJV).
 
But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may declare all Your works (Psalm 73:28 NKJV).

#trusthim #devotional #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

My Morning Prayer: It Is Well with Your Soul

My Morning Prayer
-Roy Lessin and Marina Bromley

It Is Well with Your Soul, Reflections From the Heart of God
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Psalm 98:1 NKJV
 
It is delightful to come before the Lord in quietness, in adoration, and in prayer. As you kneel at His feet and gaze upon His face, renewal gently comes. In your weariness you will be refreshed, in your weakness your strength will be renewed, in your heaviness your heart will sing a new song. His wings will be your covering, His faithfulness will be your shield, His lovingkindness will be your sweet reward. Beautiful are His ways with you.

My Morning Prayer
-Marina Bromley

Lord, as we come to you in the midst of conflict, strife, great need...help us to remember that Your will is to cover us, protect us, renew us, refresh us. May it be so, today. In Jesus' Name...amen.

#mymorningprayer #meetinginthemeadow #devotional #roylessin #prayer 

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Prayer and photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Timely Tidbits of Truth 7

Timely Tidbits of Truth 7
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Jesus is-
The morning light,
The night light,
And the highlight of each new day!
 
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

#timelytidbitsoftruth #devotional #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.