It's Good Friday

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Today is Good Friday. How can the worst day in human history be described as good? This is the day that Our Lord was crucified. It is the day he hung on the cross for all our sins. It is the day of darkness at noon.

The story of the last days of Jesus' ministry should be familiar to all. Knowing he would be killed, our Lord entered Jerusalem on the back of a colt. He was hailed by the multitudes, who lay their cloaks in his path, who spread palm fronds before him. "Hosanna to the Son of David," they cried. How quickly that would all change.

When Jesus was betrayed by a kiss, . . . more

from Tony Perkins' Washington Update

Website © 2009 Family Research Council

Address: 801 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001Toll-free: 1-800/225-4008

Keep a Fixed Eye Upon a Bleeding Christ

[Sisters, this was so good I had to post it.]

Has Jesus Christ suffered such great and grievous things for you? Oh then, in all your fears, doubts, and conflicts with enemies--within or without--fly to the sufferings ofChrist as your city of refuge!

In every temptation let us look up to a crucified Christ, who is fitted and qualified to support tempted souls. Oh my soul, whenever you are assaulted, let the wounds of Christ be your city of refuge where you may fly and live! Let us learn, in every trouble which presses us--whether it be sin, temptation, or any other evil--to translate it from ourselves to Christ! And all the good in Christ--let us learn to translate it from Christ to ourselves!

Do your sins terrify you? Oh then, look up to a crucified Savior, who bore your sins in His own body on the tree!When sin stares you in the face, oh then turn your face to a dying Jesus, and behold Him . . .

with a spear in His side,

with thorns in His head,

with nails in His feet,

and a pardon in His hands!

Oh, remember that there is nothing in heaven or earth more efficacious to cure the wounds of conscience, than a frequent and serious meditation on the wounds of Christ!

Ah, Christians, under all your temptations, afflictions, fears, doubts, conflicts, and trials--be persuaded to keep a fixed eye upon a crucified Jesus! And remember that all He did--He did for you; and that all He suffered--He suffered for you! This will be a strong cordial to keep you from fainting under all your distresses. Oh, that Christians would labor, under all their soul-troubles, to keep a fixed eye upon a bleeding Christ; for there is nothing which will ease them, quiet them, settle them, and satisfy them, like this!

Many, may I not say most, Christians are more apt to eye their sins, their sorrows, their prayers, their tears, their resolves, their complaints--than they are to eye a suffering Christ. And from hence springs their great woes, wounds, miseries, and dejection of spirit. Oh, that a crucified Christ might be forever in your eye--and always upon your hearts!

Brooks, The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures

The Best Way To Be Holy

"Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning."

Joel 2:12

The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign, and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over your own wickedness. Go to your closet, and fall down before the most high and holy God, and mourn bitterly over . . .

the unholiness of your nature,
the unholiness of your heart,
the unholiness of your affections,
the unholiness of your intentions,
the unholiness of your thoughts,
the unholiness of your words,
the unholiness of your life.

Oh, who can look upon sin . . .
as an offence against a holy God,
as the breach of a holy law,
as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior,
as the grieving and saddening of a holy Sanctifier,

and not mourn over it?

Oh, who can cast a serious eye . . .
upon the heinous nature of sin,
upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
upon the aggravations of sin--

and not have . . .

his heart humbled,

his soul grieved,

his spirit melted,

his mouth full of penitential confessions,

his eyes full of penitential tears, and

his heart full of penitential sorrow?

The Christian mourns that he has sinned against . . .

a God so great,

a God so gracious,

a God so bountiful,

a God so merciful.

Oh, how should a sinner fall a-weeping when he looks upon the greatness of his wickedness, and his lack of holiness! As ever you would be holy, mourn over your own unholiness. Those who weep not for sin here--shall weep out their eyes in hell hereafter! It is better to weep bitterly for your sins on earth, than to weep eternally for your folly in hell.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Matthew 5:4

(Thomas Brooks, The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the Only Way to Happiness, 1662)