They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; (Mark 15:17 NAS)

It was the year 1782 in the waning days of the American Revolution. The Continental Congress had forbidden the granting of commissions and promotions in rank to recognize merit, but General George Washington, the command-in-chief of the Continental Army at that time, desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, and to foster and encourage military merit, ordered the establishment of the Badge of Military Merit. In his order of August 7, Washington wrote, “Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen.”

In 1921, after 150 years of disuse, the Badge of Military Merit was revived by General John J. Pershing with an inspiration for a new decoration for ‘lesser’ acts. In 1932, General Douglas MacArthur, who was then the Army Chief of Staff, finalized the renewal of the nation's oldest military decoration and renamed it to the Purple Heart.

After undergoing many changes in the criteria for the award, the Purple Heart is regulated in 1995 to be “awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917 has been wounded, killed, or died after being wounded.” In May 2002, a resolution was announced to support efforts to create a National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. Its mission is to collect and preserve the stories of Purple Heart recipients from all branches of service and across generations to ensure that all recipients are represented.

The color, purple, is often associated with royalty or nobility. When a Purple Heart is awarded to a soldier, therefore, it signifies the ascription of honor and nobility to the one deserving merit for defending the country. In certain cultures, purple robes were worn by members of the royal family or people of authority. Jesus, before His death on the cross, was clothed by the soldiers in purple with a crown of thorns to mock and hail Him as King of the Jews (Mark 15:17-18; John 19:2-3). Although Jesus is of true royalty and the world was made through Him, the soldiers, the Jews and the world however did not recognize Him or receive Him (John 1:10-11).

Let us therefore make it known to the world that Jesus is the One Who had given of His blood in the defense of the world, wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5), killed and died on the cross for our sins to save us all from eternal death (John 3:16-17). He is the One deserving of all reverence and praise by His creation forever. Jesus, Who although existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself to take the form of a bond servant, made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7), and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).

For this reason, God highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11), that as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12). As believers and followers of the Lord empowered by His Holy Spirit to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8), let us therefore resolute to preserve the stories written in the Word of God and the records in history of the sacrifices made by believers (Deuteronomy 6:6-12). Let us share these stories across generations so as to ensure the good news of the kingdom is preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations (Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8).

Thank You dear Lord for loving us so much that You died on the cross for our sins. You O Lord deserve all the glory and reverence forever. Empower us Lord by Your Spirit to be courageous in reaching the world for You as we preserve the knowledge of Your Word and the testimonies of Your servants in history, that our young may know Your lovingkindness from generations to generations.

Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain-- The LORD who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. (Zechariah 10:1 NAS)

Spring is a very active period for plants because it is the season for them to arise from their winter nap to begin a new stage of growth or to start a new life. Spring is like a time of fresh beginnings and rebirth to the gardeners, an ideal season for plant nurturing and fertilization to yield the best results. According to Susan Foster, a house plant advisor and writer for the Beautiful Home and Garden blog at blogspot.com, a beneficial rule of thumb when fertilizing plants is that less really is more when it comes to new nursery plants and fresh soil of re-potted plants because fertilizer nutrients are already in them. Fertilizing should therefore not be done for a plant that has just been re-potted a few months ago or for a new plant that has just been brought home from the nursery.

Much like the ways plants are taken care of, the Bible also teaches a similar lesson concerning planting vegetation in the fields. If a plantation hopes to yield good crops during harvest time, two seasons of rain is crucial. The former is autumn rain before or around seed time (Hosea 6:3), and the latter is spring rain just before harvest (Zechariah 10:1). Little or no rain usually falls during summer in the holy land, therefore spring rains at the right time on the fields after autumn rains are reckoned as crops secure for harvest in summer. If spring rains fail to fall after autumn rains, the soil of the ground will become hardened and will not be easy to plough. The grain will eventually wither away.

Planting seeds of faith to bring pre-believers to the Lord is very similar to house gardening and vegetation planting. When a seed is laid on fertile soil and planted in the heart, a fresh beginning or the rebirth of a faith left dormant in winter of cold and dark will start to germinate. Nurturing and fertilization will therefore be the next necessary step to help the germinating faith grow. Our part is therefore to spend time with the pre-believers to ‘fertilize’ them in increasing their faith and trust. We should however not overload them with too much spiritual talk, because when it comes to building faith, less really is more. A good rule of thumb when 'fertilizing' pre-believers is to let the Holy Spirit do His work in those who are first timers hearing the gospel or who have just been awaken from their 'winter nap' to return to the Lord and enter into a more active stage. The reason for this is obvious. The seed which has been laid in the hearts of the pre-believers is already at work by the Holy Spirit, and it is not dependent on us who plant or water, but on God Who sends the rain and causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

When preparing for a harvest, therefore, we must remember to pray and ask of the Lord for the ‘spring rain’ of the Holy Spirit to speak to the hearts of the pre-believers. Prayer is crucial and timing is important. Unless we do our part and let the Holy Spirit do His according to the perfect timing of the Lord, a germinating faith can become a diminishing faith leading to harden hearts that will be difficult to penetrate, and may eventually lead to lost souls.

Dear Lord, forgive us for being insensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit at times and to the people whom we hope to bring to You. Help us dear Lord to know when we should speak, when we should nurture and when we should stay clear and let You do Your work. Remind us Lord that our role is just to plant, water and nurture germinating faith, and it is You Who cause growth and supply the rain. Holy Spirit, be with us as we share the gospel to the unsaved. Reach their hearts that they may at the right time receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. (Ruth 1:20b-21a NAS)

When the Lehman Brothers, one of oldest names on Wall Street, filed for bankruptcy protection on September 15, 2008, the entire financial industry was gripped with fear as to what might happen next, reported The New York Times. Within the same week, Merrill Lynch, under mounting pressure to avert deepening financial crisis, had reached a deal to sell itself to Bank of America for about $50 billion. While Lehman and Merrill were still hanging in the balance, insurance giant American International Group, staggered by losses stemming from the credit crisis, sought a $40 billion lifeline from the Federal Reserve. All these series of events culminated led to a worldwide economic crisis, and many institutions, corporations and individuals till this day are still struggling to contain its rippling effects.

As consumers, workers, entrepreneurs or investors, we are in one way or another affected by this financial crisis. With prices of consumer goods continuing to rise, businesses and corporations changing hands or closing down, individuals losing jobs or business opportunities, and bad debts on the increase resulting from investment losses or delay in financial repayments for mortgages, loans and credit lines, few today can remain nonchalant to what is happening in the financial world.

Like Job in the Old Testament, some of us may have once been rich or blessed with sufficient money to live comfortable lives. The financial crisis or some other events, however, may have left us with little to live on. Unlike Job who was able to bless God even in such situations (Job 1:21), we may have reacted like Naomi to say the Almighty has dealt with us very bitterly, for we were full when we went out, but the LORD has brought us back empty (Ruth 1:20b-21a).

Some years ago, I was faced with a similar situation that almost left me in poverty. I was out of a job, and it took me five years before I found another. During those years of waiting and looking for alternative work, I took on various freelance assignments. These occasional assignments however were unable to provide sufficiently for my small family, so I had to dig into my savings. Throughout the five years, I sought the Lord for sustenance, and He had never failed to provide for me and my family. Whenever there was a necessity requiring payment, the Lord would grant me a job assignment which would provide sufficiently for that time of need. Nearing the end of my savings, I was granted a full time job by the Lord to work in a multinational computer corporation as a technical writer, fulfilling my desire to write, yet without sacrificing my past experience as a technical support engineer in the information technology industry. Today, although I can no longer afford to spend on personal or family indulgence like before because of the shortfall in monetary returns, my family and I are living each day happily and sufficiently by the grace of God.

As believers, we should never live our lives as if there is no hope for tomorrow even when faced with surmounting crises in our lives. We should not be worried about our future as to what we shall eat or what we shall wear, for our heavenly Father knows our needs (Matthew 6:25-34). We should instead learn to recognize the many blessings God has already given us. Just as Naomi was blessed with the restoration of life and sustenance at old age through the birth of a grandchild and redeemer following the line of King David (Ruth 4:14-16), we can trust God to take care of our sustenance in times of need and be assured in our hearts He will surely provide for us and our families.

Forgive us Lord for feeling bitter over our loss of riches and for failing to completely trust in You in times of need. Help us Lord not to be overwhelmed by the crises we face in this world, but instead open our eyes Lord to see and recognize Your sovereignty in all situations. Move our hearts Lord that we may not be found ungrateful and lacking in thankfulness for the blessings You have given us. Lead us O Lord every step of our ways as we live each day with complete trust in You.

They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NAS)

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there ... If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. (Psalm 139:7-10 NAS)

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NAS)

"Tis the season to be jolly," so says the Christmas song, Deck the Halls. But what is in this season for us to be jolly? Is it the receiving of gifts, the festivities of Santa Claus coming to town, or is it the gathering of a mass of people together to celebrate the birth of Christ? Here's taking a look at the origins of Santa Claus to understand the reason for this Christmas season.

Santa Claus is known by many names, including Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or just ‘Santa'. He is the figure in most of Western cultures described as the one bringing gifts on the eve of Christmas Day. Saint Nicholas is believed to be the youngest bishop in the history of the church who was well known for his benevolence in the 4th century as the one who cared for needy children and poor maidens. He was persecuted and imprisoned with many other Christians during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian and was released and honored when Constantine the Great established the Christian Church as the official religion.

Two hundred years after his death, Saint Nicholas became a great figure in Christian Legend, and Justinian, the last Roman emperor in the East, built a church in honor of Nicholas in Constantinople. A day was set aside to celebrate the feast of Nicholas in honor of his benevolence on December 6, naming it as Saint Nicholas Day. In certain countries, this festival has been assimilated to Christmas, partly because Saint Nicholas Day is very near to Christmas and partly because of some Protestant hostility toward the worship of the saints in some parts of the world. After the feast of Saint Nicholas had been moved forward and identified with Christmas, some of these countries felt the real patron of the day and Giver of gifts should be Christ Himself, hence the birth of Kris Kringle in popular German, meaning Christ Child. Among some of the German people in America, however, the legend of Santa Claus continue to survive, and Kris Kringle evolved into a combination of Santa Claus and the Christ Child.

In the 19th century, political cartoonist Thomas Nast of the United States popularized Santa Claus as the fat jolly man in red coat and trousers with white cuffs and collar, and a black leather belt with boots. This portrayal of Santa was reinforced through song, radio, television, and films. In the American version, Santa was said to be living in the far north or the North Pole. In the United Kingdom of Europe, however, Father Christmas was said to live in Lapland. Blending local folklore from Nordic countries, Saint Nicholas was also said to be bringing gifts with the Yule Goat, which gradually became the elves, the ones said to be responsible for making the toys of Santa.

This combination provides a summarized idea of how Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus from the earliest times, and the birth of the elves. The mystification of Santa flying through the sky with reindeers on a sleigh is therefore a concept not of Christian origins, but of stories belonging to countless fairy tales about elves, gnomes, spirits, and hobgoblins.

In understanding Christmas, therefore, we must return to the origins of Christmas celebration. The Bible states it clearly, that the reason for this season of Christmas is the birth of God the Word, Who became flesh to dwelt among us, the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Christmas is therefore about Christ-mass, the gathering of a mass of people to celebrate Christ's birth.

Teach us therefore O Lord not to celebrate Christmas as just a season to be jolly. Help us Lord to put our perspectives right in understanding the origins of Santa Claus and the true reason for the Christmas season. Stir our hearts Lord to be forever grateful to You for coming down to earth as a child to be born of a woman to save us all from sin and death, and to grow up as a Man that we may understand You better, to draw near to God our Creator in acknowledging You as our Lord and Savior. Thank You Lord for Christmas!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NAS)

Every year, about a month before Christmas, many active Christians around the world will begin to prepare for the season of joy and celebration of the Lord's birth. This nearly month long preparation for Christmas is called the Advent, and often includes church activities, choir rehearsals, prayer meetings, carols practices, and more. Advent, according to SwissWorld.org, "is the period beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve, historically seen as the preparation of the arrival of Christ. During the 19th century in particular, this waiting period before Christmas was viewed as a way of teaching children patience before a reward - hence the development of the Advent Calendar, a calendar with 24 little flaps opening onto windows with images within a Christmas scene." Each day, a date in the calendar will be opened to count the remainder days before Christmas, and this is often done with joy and excitement, looking forward with anticipation, yet patiently waiting for the day to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

Much like the way the Advent calendar works, all of us as Christians should also live our lives with joy and excitement, looking forward with anticipation, yet patiently waiting for the day of our Lord's return.

Traditionally, some families countdown the 24 days of Advent by marking each day with a new candle or hanging a little religious picture on the wall each day. In this modern age, however, Advent calendars are available digitally on the Internet, and all we need to do is simply search for Advent calendars to find a site that provides a 24 day calendar with the dates covered that can be opened by the visitor progressively day by day to countdown to Christmas Day.

Long before this tradition, however, many Jews were already counting down to the day our Lord was to be born. Isaiah and many other prophets in the Old Testament foretold of the Lord's coming long before He was born on earth, that of a son who was to be given to us, and whose name is the Mighty God and Eternal Father (Isaiah 9:6). Many had waited for His arrival, yet when He finally arrived and came to His own, His own failed to recognize Him for who He was, and did not received Him, the Promised One of God (John 1:11).

This season, therefore, as we busy ourselves in preparing for Christmas, let us ask ourselves, are we too busy counting down to the day we will celebrate the Lord's birth that we fail to receive Him when He visited us (John 1:11)? Are we like Martha who was too busy with her preparation to recognize what was truly important (Luke 10:38-42)? If we fail to recognize the Lord while busying ourselves with the preparation, then we are not much different from the non-believers, for even they who do not know the real reason for the celebration, busy themselves to prepare for Christmas each year with the buying of gifts, decorating of homes, offices, shopping malls and Christmas trees, cooking and baking special delicacies for grand feasts to welcome the winter festivities.

Teach us, therefore, O Lord, to stay focus on You when preparing for this joyous occasion to celebrate Your birth on earth. Help us Lord go through the Advent with understanding of the true purpose and meaning of this season. Do not let us, O Lord, be caught up with the activities and festivities to fail to recognize what is truly important. Still our hearts Lord to be patient as we look forward in anticipation for Your return and bless us O Lord in all we do for this season.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." (Genesis 3:8-10)

Ever since the fall of man, many have sought to hide from God rather than to seek Him. The first 'game' of hide and seek began when Adam chose to listen to a lie and disobey God. Instead of going before God to seek His forgiveness, however, Adam hid from Him. Although Adam claimed it was because he was afraid, due to his nakedness, it was in reality, the fear resulting from guilt and the shame of disobedience that created the barrier between man and God. Since then, a close relationship between God and man was no longer possible, not until Jesus, the second Adam, at Calvary restored us to God through the breaking of the veil between God and man to all who would believe in Him.

For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)

but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:16)

Today, many of us still hide from God. We hide from Him the things we should not do, and we hide from Him the things we should do but did not do. We hide because we are ashamed and have fallen short of the glory of God. We do things that displease Him, and we do things that are unclean, against the holiness of God.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (Romans 7:15-19)

What then shall we do? We shall seek God and not hide from Him. We shall draw near to God, be ready to conquer self, and fight against sin.

For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (Romans 6:19b)

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Romans 13:12b-14)

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Let us all, therefore, draw near to God and forsake the 'game' of hide and seek. Seek God earnestly and do not hide from Him anymore.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS." - Jesus (Matthew 11:28-29)

NOTE: All scriptural references in this article are based on the New American Standard Bible

Not everything in life can wait, and sometimes we grow impatient when we have tasks outstanding nearing deadlines. We get frustrated when we fail to meet our targets, and we take short cuts to make ends meet, which often fall short of required expectation. This behavior is not something new. It has happened before, a long time ago, in the history of Israel.

Now he [Saul] waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; (1 Samuel 13:8-10a NAS)

Saul, in his impatience, disobeyed God and took upon himself the task of offering sacrifices to God without Samuel, which cost him his position as king of Israel (1 Samuel 13:13-14a). Although it was disobedience that cost Saul his kingdom, it was impatience that caused Saul to disobey.

Impatience is expensive and the consequence may be more than we can imagine. Impatience frequently forces us to do things before considering the consequences and as a result fails to fulfill the intended purpose.

The Bible mentioned another man, who unlike Saul, waited patiently for the Lord.

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, (Luke 2:25-30 NAS)

Although the Bible does not record how long Simeon waited before he saw the consolation of Israel which was the birth of Christ, we can safely assume it must have been for a period of time. This account of Simeon is a good example of what it means to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God's purpose in our lives. It does not mean, however, that we are to simply wait without doing anything. Rather, it means we should prepare and pave the way towards fulfilling the purpose of God patiently, just as the disciples waited to be "clothed with power from on high" before Pentecost (Luke 24:49 NAS).

Patience and impatience are all about setting our priorities right. Too often, we live our lives in constant rush because we are too conscious of lost time. We live our lives in frustration when things do not get done on time or when someone or something delays our time. Every minute counts in our lives, but what matters most is really what counts in our lives. Paul understands this point when he said:

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 5:7-8 NAS)

Impatience has always been a snare to human lives, and sometimes, even faithful servants of God fall prey. In the real world, impatience does nothing to help get things done, but does a lot in causing harm. We must therefore learn to take account of time in meeting our targets and deadlines, to set our priorities right, and not grow impatient, which can harm our lives.

Keep us calm O Lord
And still our hearts to know
Your presence here with us
Wherever we may go

Help us be patient Lord
Help us keep our cool
Help us in everything
Remember to honor You

Lead us Lord in all we do
Help us completely put our trust in You
For You alone are righteous and faithful
Abounding in lovingkindness unchanging and true

"It's not the result that is important. It's the process you go through, the things you learn along the way that makes you the person you are."

If you have not heard someone telling you this before, hear it from me - it is true!

Over the past few years, God has been teaching and molding me to understand what it means to do my best, and let Him do the rest. Whether as an employee or in my freelance business capacity, I have experienced many occasions of incomplete projects fulfillment and business deals falling through. What I have learnt through the process of it all, however, in itself deserves small celebration, because I have built new relationships and gained new contacts. I have also learnt not to expect everyone to meet my timeline, even when it means losing a business as a result.

Things take time, and even if delays lead to a sense of unfulfillment or the loss of monetary returns, it is worth it simply to understand not everyone works the way we do and not everyone has the same priorities. Our lives are in the Potter's hands, and it is not up to us to understand why many things in our lives do not turn out the way we want them to be. We may have gone through long processes to work towards a goal to achieve something, but sometimes at the end of it all, that something may turn out to be impractical, inapplicable, or not according to its intended purpose, or working the way you hope it to.

Take for example a book you are writing which you hope to make known to the world, but somewhere along the way, something happened that requires you to abandon your writing permanently. How would you feel? What if, as an employee, you have worked extremely hard for a project, and just when you are ready to launch the end product, you are told by your boss that the project has been abandoned? How will you react? Do you blame God for not letting you achieve what you have set out to accomplish, or do you see God's way of molding you through the whole process, so that you are ready whenever called for to do the task for someone else, or for the purpose of God?

Many of us live our lives believing 'what we do is what we get', but in God's equation, what we do may not necessary be what we will receive at times. Although, there is much truth about reaping what you sow, and being rewarded when you do good, or be punished when you do evil (2 Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:8), it is ultimately up to God to decide what is best for you and I. Moses' life is a good example of what this means. He has to go through the wilderness as a shepherd before he is ready to do the task of God, even though long before that he feels ready to do the task as a prince.

What we need to do therefore is to realize our place on earth. Our task is to do our part in the process, to learn what we need to learn as we are molded in the Potter's hands, leaving God to decide on the result.

I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7 NAS)

In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Matthew 27:44 NIV)

Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Mark 15:32b NIV)

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (Luke 23:40-42 NIV)

As I ponder over the verses above, I often wonder how the criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus dramatically change from being cynical to a convert. What did Jesus do at the cross that change the criminal so amazingly within that short span of time?

I believe it is this:

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

The repented criminal must have observed Jesus long enough to realize He is no ordinary Man. No one on earth who is about to die, will ever ask God to forgive the very people who want Him dead, unless He is more than a man – the Son of God.

The Bible says:

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— (Romans 5:12 NIV)

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19 NIV)

So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21 NIV)

The sole purpose of Jesus’ death on the cross is to save mankind, and to free them from sin and slavery, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

If you have yet to receive Jesus as your Lord, invite Him now by prayer to come into your life, and He will give you eternal life.