Jesus, The Passover Lamb

Jesus, the Passover Lamb
-Roy Lessin

 

…Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.

1 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)

 

Passover begins this Saturday at sunset. There are many elements within the Passover feast that point us to Jesus’ glorious work of redemption. The instructions that God gave to Israel on the night He redeemed them from the bondage of Egypt, had a far greater meaning in His eternal plan. This eternal plan included the death of His own Son, whose blood would be shed upon the cross to redeem us from our sins.

The redemptive work of Jesus is portrayed in the lamb of Passover. The requirements for the offering of the lamb are recorded in the twelfth chapter of Exodus. 

 

The Passover could not have taken place for the Jewish people in Egypt without the taking of a lamb from the flock to be sacrificed. 

Jesus was the Lamb of God, sacrificed for us. 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29 (NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb that was chosen had to be without blemish. 

Jesus was without the blemish of sin.

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb was identified as the lamb of redemption. 

Jesus is our redeemer.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 (NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb was to be slain. 

Jesus was slain upon the cross.

 …"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

To receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
Revelation 5:12 (NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb’s blood had to be shed and applied to the door posts and lintel of each home to be saved from the judgment of death.

Jesus’ shed blood provides salvation when applied (appropriated) by faith to our hearts.

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb was to be brought into the home, prepared, and partaken of by each family member. 

Jesus must be received into the heart (partaken of) through faith by all who desire to become God’s children.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
John 1:12 (NKJV)
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©2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: All in All

Jesus: All in All
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Christ is all, and in all. -Colossians 3:11

In baseball, if one team scores all the runs, the other team is shut out. If one candidate receives all the votes in an election, the other candidate loses by a landslide. If a doctor tells you to take all of your medicine, he wants nothing left over. The word all is another way God affirms to us who Jesus, His Son, truly is. If Jesus is the all of God, it means that God has eliminated every other option.

Although it has only three letters, the word all has huge implications. All means total, complete, or whole. Jesus Christ is God's All in All.

All things are reconciled by Jesus—"By Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20 NKJV). And all promises are fulfilled in Jesus—"For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!' And through Christ, our 'Amen' (which means 'Yes) ascends to God for his glory" (2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT). 

All God's fullness, all God's treasures of wisdom and knowledge, all God's authority, all God's power, all God's blessings, all God's promises are yours today if you are in Christ. God has no other plan, no other purpose, no other provision,  and no other person for you other than Jesus Christ.
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©2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. All rights Reserved.

Jesus: Physician

Jesus: Physician
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

When the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." -Matthew 9:11-12 NKJV

Jesus is like no other physician you will ever visit. As your Great Physician, Jesus examines you and then prescribes Himself as the way to get well. He is the best thing that could ever happen to your body, your soul, your mind, and your emotions. He can bring healing to every area of your life that needs to be made whole.

As your Physician, Jesus has faced every form of heartache and human emotion. He was a man who was despised and knows how to heal the pain of disesteem. He was rejected and knows how to comfort those who have been ignored. He was a man of sorrows and knows how to lift your heavy burden.

Jesus experienced utter pain and knows how to touch every hurt within your heart. He was acquainted with grief and knows how to calm the storm of anxiety and calamity. He bore your sicknesses, distresses, and weaknesses, and knows how to turn your ashes into beauty and your mourning into joy.

As you come to Jesus, your Great Physician, bring Him the burdens you carry, the pain you feel, or the hurts that have wounded you. Allow His healing balm to pour over you—to soothe, to calm, and to comfort. Receive from Him the tender ministry of His restoring hands.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Heather Lee. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Rabbi

Jesus: Rabbi
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" -John 1:49 NKJV

Not only is Jesus the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, the Master of all masters—He is the Rabbi of all rabbis, the Teacher of all teachers. We find His teaching to be very different than that of most teachers we have known. Jesus does not teach us so we can get a good education, get good grades, establish a career path, or get a good paying job. He teaches us so our lives will be changed and will honor His Father.

Jesus' teaching points us to the facts and even more so to the teacher Himself. His teaching brings change to the heart not just knowledge to the mind. Our Rabbi does not want us to simply gain more knowledge, He wants us to know more about who He is so that we can be transformed into His image. As your Rabbi, Jesus is saying, "Know My words and learn of Me; learn of Me and you will become as I am."

The next time you study the Bible, hear a sermon, or attend a Bible class, keep this prayer on your lips: "Rabbi, Jesus, move what I hear from my mind to my heart, to my understanding, and to the way I live my life."
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: King of Glory

Jesus: King of Glory
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. -Psalm 24:7-8 NKJV

Think of your life as a city that is surrounded by gates. The gates represent entryways into your heart, mind, emotions, thoughts, will, attitudes, motives, and spirit. Now think of Jesus as a conquering King who wants to enter the city of your life. He doesn't enter to occupy one or two areas of your life, but He comes to conquer the entire city—every low place, every high place, every secret place, every guarded place, and every busy place.

As the King of Glory, Jesus is strong and mighty in battle. However, His entry into your life is not a forced entry. He enters your gates as you throw open the doors. He manifests His strength and might not by knocking your gates down buy by conquering every enemy that has laid siege to your life. 

As your King of Glory, He comes to you with the brilliance of conquering love. He comes to free you from every battle the Enemy has waged against you, every lie that seeks to defeat and destroy you, every bondage that has robbed you of your joys, every sin that has darkened your soul, every stubbornness that has blinded your way, every stronghold that has oppressed your mind, every heaviness that has been a weight upon your heart. Lift high your gates, and let the King of Glory come in!

#namesofjesus #jesusnameaboveallnames #meetinginthemeadow #kingofglory
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley, used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Tabernacle

Jesus: Tabernacle
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. -John 1:14 AMP

The word tabernacle brings to us one of the clearest revelations of the love and care of God for His people. It says to use that God has chosen to come to us in our need, to draw close in intimacy and compassion, and to cover us with His presence.

When God's people go through great hardships and heartaches we often wonder what can be said that will bring true comfort and hope. One thing we can say with strong affirmation is that God is there, in the midst of it all. This is at the heart of Jesus, our Tabernacle. Jesus didn't stay away from us, hiding from our sorrows in heaven. He came to us and tabernacled among us. In the midst of our deepest sorrows, tears, and struggles, God spreads the tent of His presence over us!

How close is God to us when we face our greatest trials and difficulties? The Bible tells us that God collects our tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8) and that one day He will wipe away all the tears from our eyes (Revelation 7:17). How close is God to you? No one can collect someone's tears from their eyes while standing at a distance. To be a collector of tears means that God is not even an eyelash away.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow, all rights reserved. Photo by Tommi Webb, used with permission.

Jesus: Dwelling Place

Jesus: Dwelling Place
Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

LORD, YOU have been our dwelling place and our refuge in all generations. Psalm 90:1 AMP

One of the saddest stories in life is the plight of the homeless who live on city streets and parks throughout the country. These are people with a thousand different stories to tell but who all have one thing in common: the absence of a place they can call home.

Even more sad is the story of someone who is spiritually homeless. There is no greater emptiness, loneliness, or isolation than this. Jesus Christ came to make His home within our hearts. His presence makes it possibly for every one of us to find our true and eternal home with Him.

The home that Jesus wants to establish within us is a home of splendor, beauty, and tenderness that will always make us feel welcome. A home of love where His arms are extended to help, support, encourage, and embrace. A home of acceptance where we are valued and celebrated; where He is genuinely happy to be in our company. A shelter, a refuge from life's storms. A place of fellowship where our hearts can open up in sweet communion with Him. 

"In God the blessed man finds the love that welcomes. There is the sunny place. There care is loosed and toil forgotten. There is the joyous freedom, the happy calm, the rest, the renewing of our strength—at home with God." -Mark Guy Pearse

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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Christi Slaton. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: The Image of God

Jesus: The Image of God
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

God...has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. -Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJV

Years ago there was a movie titled The Invisible Man. The main character lived and moved about like everyone else, but no one could see him. Even though this man had thoughts, feelings, desires, and a will, no image appeared in the mirror when he stood before it.

The Bible tells us that God is also a spirit and that no one has ever seen Him. Still, He is a person who thinks and feels. He has a personality, a nature, and a character. He is love, He is holy He is good, He is faithful, and He is true. One of the many differences between God and the invisible man is that when God looks in the mirror, and image of His likeness does appear. It is Jesus Christ, and exact representation of who God is in His nature, His character, and His person.

We do not need a physical image of Jesus to know what God looks like. The Image of God is Jesus Christ, seen through the words He spoke, the works He performed, the attitudes He expressed, the mercy He extended, the love He demonstrated, the sacrifice He made, and the gifts He has given.

Because Jesus Christ is the express image of God's person we can gaze upon Him with the eyes of our faith; we can walk with Him in daily obedience, and we can talk with Him in constant communion.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Unsearchable Riches

Jesus: Unsearchable Riches
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. -Ephesians 3:8 NKJV

Do you know who you really are in Jesus Christ? Have you discovered your true identity, and are you living in the reality of it today? You are the Lord's person and possession. He made you and He owns you. He has ownership of you through creation and redemption. Isn't it good to know that you are doubly His? You are no small thing to Him and your life is no small matter in His loving hands.

You are His, wholly and completely. There are no doubts in His mind or in heaven's records. The Devil has no lien against your life. Because of the purchase price that Jesus paid upon the cross, Satan has no rightful claim upon you. You are now God's child. You have been adopted into God's family. He is your Father and you are a joint-heir with Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ, there are no ties to your past to pull you back, no fears to hold you back, no chains to keep you back. The Son has set you free—you are a new creation, the old has passed away and the new has come.

Don't ever say, "Poor me." Instead say, "Rich me!" You have been lavished with riches—riches of grace, riches of mercy, riches of kindness, riches of faith, riches of love, riches of salvation, riches of glory, now and forever.
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©2011, 2021, Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Heather Lee. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Good Shepherd

Jesus: Good Shepherd
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me. -John 10:14 AMP

Few names have been more endearing to the hearts of God's people than the name Shepherd. It is the name that invokes thoughts of comfort, tenderness, care, watchfulness, protection, provision, guidance, safety, shelter, and security. The name also creates strong emotion within us because at its root it means "to keep company with, as a friend."

To shepherd is never part-time work. The Good Shepherd will never take His eye off you or leave you unattended. You are personally His and He is personally yours. He dries your tears and expels your fears; He cares for you more than anyone else and loves you more than anyone ever could. The Lord is the shepherd of your soul, the keeper of your life, and the guardian of your way.

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23 NLT).

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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Sanctification

Jesus: Sanctification
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. -1 Corinthians 1:30 NKJV

God is the one who sanctifies His people through His Son, Jesus Christ. Sanctification is not found in a set of rules but in a person. Our sanctification is found in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you were planning an elegant dinner, you would not only take out the fine china that had been set aside for such an occasion, but you would make sure it was clean before putting it in use. In the same way, sanctification has two main applications to our lives. One is that God sets us aside for His special use and purpose. The second is that God also cleanses those whom He sets aside. He wants your heart to be unmixed in its motives and pure in its devotion. The beautiful thing about sanctification is that you become conformed to the image of the One you serve.

As God's sanctified child, you have been set apart for something special in God's plan, not something ordinary in man's plan. God never wants you to think of yourself as insignificant or your purpose as being meaningless. He is your Sanctification, and you have been separated from the common crowd to be one of His holy people.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Holy One

Jesus: Holy One
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. -Psalm 16:10 NKJV

During a cleaning project in our kitchen, I decided the cabinets needed a fresh coat of paint. All of our kitchen cabinets were painted white, so I decided to check one of our closets to see if we had any white paint in storage. I found a can of white paint that had plenty left to do the job. 

As I started the project, I soon discovered that the white paint I was applying was not matching the shade of white on our cabinets. I decided to go to the paint store to see if I could get a closer match to the white we had in the kitchen. When I got to the store I was surprised to discover how many different shades of white were available. Tints within the paint created a color range from off-white to snow-white and everything in between.

When the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Holy One, it means that He is "true whiteness" with all the tints (impurities) taken out. Every thing that we try to match up with the life, the character, and the nature of Jesus Christ turns out looking soiled and dirty by comparison. The way to be holy is not by trying to be better or live a cleaner, whiter life, but by letting the Holy One live His life in us.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Heir of All Things

Jesus: Heir of All Things
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

In the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. -Hebrews 1:2 AMP

When my dad was alive, for many years he would often start a letter to me with the following greeting: "To Roy, heir of the Lessin millions." It always made me smile when I read it, not because I would be rich one day, but because I knew my dad didn't have any money. It is one thing to be called an heir; it is quite another thing to actually be the heir of something of great value.

God the Father has declared His Son to be the appointed heir, and that is no small thing. The inheritance is so great that instead of listing it item by item, the Bible simply sums it up by calling Jesus "The Heir of All Things."

It is even more amazing to realize that you, as God's child, are a joint-heir with Christ. That means that you share directly in the inheritance that is His. If God were to write you a personal letter today, it wouldn't surprise me if it began by saying, "To_______________, joint-heir of My Son's millions."
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Head of the Church

Jesus: Head of the Church
-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body. -Ephesians 5:23 AMP

We were made not for a life of independent living but to be under the loving leadership of the One who made us. Isaiah reminds us that we have all gone astray and that each one of us has turned to his own way. Our own way always takes us in the wrong direction. We are sheep in need of a shepherd, we are ships in need of a captain, we are pilgrims in need of a guide. We cannot make it on our own. The good news is, God never intended us to. 

When the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Head of the Church, it means that He is the head over a body of believers, not a church building. We are "living stones" that He fits together for His purposes. Individually and collectively, it is good for us to know Jesus is in charge—He has the right plan and is making the calls. He is taking the responsibility, for He is the most qualified. He makes the rules, and He has the power to carry things out.

Jesus, the Head of the Church, is the one who is in complete charge. We can be totally dependent upon Him.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Priest

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. -Hebrews 7:17 NIV

Jesus' priesthood was of a different order and brought about different results than the priesthood of Aaron. The Levitical priests died and needed to be replaced; Jesus, our Priest, lives forever. The Levitical priests offered the blood of animals as an atonement for sin over and over again; Jesus, our Priest, offered His own blood as an atonement for our sin once and for all. The Levitical priests had to make an offering for their own sins; Jesus, our Priest, was without sin. The Levitical priests offered blood upon an earthly altar; Jesus, our Priest, offered His blood upon a heavenly altar. The Levitical priesthood was identified with the old covenant; Jesus, our Priest, is identified with the new covenant. The Levitical priesthood was imperfect; Jesus' priesthood was perfect.

You can be absolutely assured today that because Jesus is your Priest, He is able to save you. And He is, at this very moment, praying for you. 

"Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to interceded with God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven" (Hebrews 7:25-26 NLT).
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Our Rest

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

But the Levitical priests...shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causes (them to) sweat. -Ezekiel 44:15-18 AMP

In the Bible, a single word can be like a powerful spotlight that reveals to our spiritual eyes a truth of gigantic proportions. The word sweat in this passage is one of those words.

Sweat represents the work, the labor, and the natural efforts of our flesh. It was not the manner in which the priests of the Lord were to minister to Him in the inner court. The inner court was the place of God's presence, where the glory of the Lord rested upon the mercy seat. 

Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the way into the presence of the Lord has now been opened to us. The work of redemption is Jesus' work alone. Our own efforts (sweat) can add nothing to His finished work. What is true of our redemption is also true of our ministry. Both begin at a place of rest.

The apostle Paul tells us, "I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV). Spiritual rest does not mean spiritual passivity. It is rest in action and not rest from action. God does not want us to serve Him out of the efforts of our flesh but in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.

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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley, used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Our Hope

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope. -1 Timothy 1:1 KJV

The Bible tells us plainly that the world is going in the wrong directions and moving there at a rapid pace. Today's political leaders make big promises but can only offer people a false hope. 

God wants us to keep our hope in Him and not in this world's political system. Jesus has kept us in the world, but we are not of the world. He has us here for an eternal purpose—to be a light of hope that needs to be seen; to be a voice of truth that needs to be heard; to be a demonstration of love that needs to be lived. 

Today we have a future hope. Our hope is not based on anything man can do or say, but is based on Jesus Christ—what He has said, what He has done, what He has yet to do. Our future is bright because His hope shines in our hearts. This hope is not fixed upon where the world is going but upon when Jesus is coming.

To keep our eyes on Jesus is to keep our eyes on hope. Hope is not wishful thinking but expectation of the promises He has given us and all the provisions He has made for us. Jesus will reign in righteousness, and there will be a new heaven and earth that is flooded by His glorious light. This is our true hope.
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©2011, 2021 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Forerunner

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek. -Hebrews 6:20 AMP

When wagon trains crossed the country heading into the unknown territory of the American West, they hired scouts (forerunners) to go before the travelers to find out what was ahead and report back their findings. Pioneers needed to know where the trail would take them, if there were dangers ahead that they needed to prepare for, if there was fresh water nearby, and if there was a good place where they could make camp for the night. Most important of all, the job of the scout was to make sure the travelers took the best path possible, the path that would bring them safely to their final destination.

As Forerunner, Jesus is the one who has gone before us and blazed the trail to the Father's house. He has entered the sanctuary of heaven, into the very presence of God, and has reported back to us with all the information we need to arrive safely at our final destination. Jesus, our heavenly scout with perfect knowledge of what is ahead, gives us the basis to press on in our journey of faith with everlasting hope in our hearts.

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©2011, 2020 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley, used with permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: Firstborn from the Dead

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. -Revelation 1:5 NKJV

When something is offered that you greatly desire, you want to be the first in line to get it. Recently, and electronic company came out with a new game system. When the time of its public release was announced, people stood in line for hours in order to be one of the first ones to own the system.

However, if there is something you are fearful about attempting, you are not as anxious to be the first one to do it. Two men were hiking to the mountains when the trail they were on led to the edge of a high cliff. In front of them stood a rickety, old wooden bridge suspended across a raging river hundreds of feet below. Without crossing the bridge, the two men could not continue their journey. They both agreed to continue, but neither wanted to test the bridge's safety by crossing first.

A group of Christians may all talk about the wonders of heaven, but most likely no one wants to go first. Jesus knows the fears that each of us has about death. As the Firstborn from the Dead, Jesus assures us that He not only tasted death for each of us, but He is also the first to rise from the dead, never to die again. Through our death, we will simply follow Him into our resurrection, never to die again. Jesus has gone first, and He is telling us that everything will be okay. 
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©2011. 2020 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. All rights reserved.

Jesus: I Am

-Roy Lessin, Jesus Name Above All Names

Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM. -John 8:58 AMP

Jesus, the eternal I Am, is the I Am of everything you need, of all you desire, and of all you long to be. He is your wisdom, your authority, and your confidence; He is your purpose, your hope, and your future; He is your mission, your motivation, and your message. When Jesus says, "I Am" he is saying that He is all-in-all. He is your provider and your provision, whatever your need may be.

In trouble, He is your peace. In lack, He is your sufficiency. In changing circumstances, He is your contentment. In sorrow, He is your comfort. In hardships, He is your hope. In difficulty, He is your joy. In weakness, He is your strength. In battle, He is your victory. In impossibilities, He is your miracle worker. 

He is your I Am when things are smooth and when things are rough, when there is sunshine and when there is rain. He is your I Am first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day, in the evening shadows, and when you go to bed at night. He is the I Am of every moment, of every ministry, of every appointment, and of every circumstance.
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©2011, 2020 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission. All rights reserved.