Hope & Faith

Grace, Grafting, and Gifts

Get your Soul Purchased today @ SoulPurchased.MyShopify.com 1. Proof of the Bodily Resurrection After rising from the dead, Jesus did not appear as a spirit or vision. He appeared in a real, glorified physical body, still bearing the marks of His crucifixion. Key passage: John 20:27 – Jesus says to Thomas: “Put your finger here; see my hands…” This shows: The resurrection was physical, not symbolic. The Jesus who died is the same person who rose again. Christianity is grounded in a real historical event, not myth. ⭐ 2. Permanent Testimony of His Sacrifice Jesus' wounds remain even in His glorified state. This means His sacrifice is not erased or forgotten in eternity. The nail marks: Identify Him forever as the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5:6). Show that redemption came at a cost. Demonstrate that His love is eternally visible and tangible. The wounds are not signs of defeat—they are badges of victory. ⭐ 3. Assurance of Peace, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation When Jesus showed His hands to the disciples, Scripture says He also declared “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19–20) His wounds are: Proof that the penalty for sin has been paid. The foundation of the peace He gives to His followers. Evidence that reconciliation with God has been accomplished through suffering love. ⭐ 4. Evidence of Jesus’ Identity as the Messiah According to prophecy, the Messiah would be pierced (cf. Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:16). By showing His hands, Jesus fulfilled prophecy and confirmed His identity. His wounds act as: Messianic credentials Proof that He is the promised Savior A sign that God’s plan has been fully executed and revealed ⭐ 5. A Call to Faith Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw the nail marks. Jesus allowed it, but He then gave a teaching for all future believers: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Thus the nail-pierced hands: Brought Thomas from doubt to belief Serve as a catalyst for faith for all generations Show that Jesus meets people in their honest doubts and leads them to truth ⭐ 6. The Wounds Reveal God’s Heart In Christian spirituality, the wounds of Christ are not only about redemption—they are windows into God’s love. They demonstrate that: God suffers with humanity God’s power is revealed through sacrificial love Salvation is rooted in compassion, not coercion The risen Christ with wounds shows that love is stronger than death. ⭐ 7. Ongoing Intercession Some theologians explain that Christ’s wounds remain as a perpetual reminder in heaven of His atoning work. They symbolize that: Jesus is the eternal High Priest His sacrifice speaks on behalf of believers (Hebrews 7:25) His intercession is grounded in real, completed suffering 🌟 Summary The nail-pierced hands of Jesus after His resurrection represent: Proof of a physical resurrection An eternal reminder of His sacrificial love A fulfillment of prophecy A foundation for peace and forgiveness A call to deeper faith A revelation of God’s heart A symbol of Christ’s ongoing intercession In Scripture, the risen Jesus doesn’t hide His wounds—He presents them. They are at the center of Christian hope: The Lamb who was slain now lives forever.

Get Your Soul Purchased Today @ SoulPurchased.MyShopify.com 1. Proof of His Bodily Resurrection After rising from the dead, Jesus kept the marks of the crucifixion. When He appeared to the disciples, He showed His hands as evidence that the same Jesus who was crucified was now alive. John 20:20 – “He showed them his hands and his side.” John 20:27 – Thomas is invited to touch the nail marks. Meaning: The resurrection was physical, not merely spiritual. Jesus is not a different or ghostly being; He is the same crucified Lord risen in glory. 2. Eternal Testimony of His Sacrifice The wounds are the everlasting signs of redemption. Even in His glorified state, Jesus chooses to retain them. This fulfills the prophecy: Isaiah 49:16 – “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Meaning: The scars are an eternal reminder that our salvation was purchased at a cost. Jesus bears the marks of His love forever. 3. Symbol of the New Covenant In Scripture, covenants were often sealed with blood. Jesus’ pierced hands are the seal of the New Covenant, symbolizing forgiveness through His sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12 – “He entered once for all… by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Meaning: The wounds demonstrate that salvation is complete. The New Covenant is anchored in the crucifixion. 4. Assurance of Christ’s Compassion and Identification with Humanity Jesus’ wounds reveal that God understands human suffering. Hebrews 4:15 – “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.” Meaning: The pierced hands show that Christ identifies with our pain. They show that God’s glory includes scars—He redeems suffering rather than erasing its memory. 5. A Witness in Final Judgment Revelation portrays Jesus as the Lamb “standing as though slain.” Even in glory, His wounds testify to His authority to judge. John 5:22 – “The Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” Meaning: The marks of the cross demonstrate the justice and mercy of the Judge. Humanity will stand before the One who died for them. 6. Symbol of Victory Over Death and Evil The same wounds inflicted in cruelty have become symbols of victory. Colossians 2:15 – Christ “disarmed the powers and authorities… triumphing over them by the cross.” Meaning: What the enemy meant for destruction became the instrument of salvation. The nail-pierced hands are now the hands that hold “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). 7. Personal Invitation to Faith The interaction with Thomas teaches that the wounds are an invitation to trust. Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw the marks. Jesus responded graciously: John 20:27 – “Do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Meaning: The wounds invite doubters to come close. They serve as the basis for personal faith.

Faith in Frustration

Faith in Frustration

From Slavery to Freedom in Christ - A devotional based on Romans 4-7.

Devotional based on Romans 1-3 particularly verse 1:24 when God turns us over to our depravity.

Shipwrecks and Stillness: Trusting God in the Storm A devotional based on Acts 27-28 about surviving the storm.

Justice Delayed, Grace Delivered - a devotional based on Acts 24-26, teaching that God is always in control, even when He seems silent.

A powerful Christmas ad reminds us that those in need are all around. You likely find yourself wiping away tears from your eyes after seeing this advertisement. Watch this short yet moving clip, which is sure to tug at your heartstrings and prompt you to reconsider some things.

Christmas truly is a wonderful time of year – filled with family, friends and delicious, mouth-watering dishes and sweet treats. It’s also the time when people often go way overboard with loud, flashy and expensive gifts, rushing out to buy this or that for someone on their list. The truth is, most of us are incredibly blessed and have very little need for anything. The things we receive at Christmastime are usually just icing on the cake, and nothing we actually need.

However, every Christmas season, we are still inundated with ads trying to convince us that we must have this product or this item. If we only had this thing, then our Christmas would be complete, seems to be the message that most of those ads are pushing. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

But there are people all around us who are hurting and in need, and who those people are may surprise you. A powerful clip posted on YouTube makes this point clear, and as the ad mentions, those in need are much closer than you might have initially thought.

The clip begins with a teacher asking her students about the true spirit and meaning of Christmas. The students momentarily break off into small groups to discuss this and eventually come back as a whole to give their teacher their answers. Some of the answers provided are way off the mark, while others are much closer.

Later in the clip, the students are reminded about bringing in items to help those in need. The students are then seen wrapping the items donated, which are then loaded into the back of a vehicle.

However, before the clip ends, viewers get to see the donated items being handed out to those in need, which includes one of the little girls from the classroom.

What a powerful ad that reminds us that need is literally all around us. Even people we know may be struggling and hurting.

Proverbs 19:17 “He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.”

What Is Faith Worth? Devotional based on Acts 17-19.

How to Handle Faith Under Fire - Devotional based on Acts 14-16. Dealing with Tension, Transformation and Testimony.

Decay, Division, and Divine Mercy Short devotional based on Acts 11-13

A devotional based on Saul's experience on the road to Damascus.

Short devotional about Acts 7-8

Matthew McConaughey revealed the powerful childhood lessons that shaped him. The popular Hollywood actor shared three of the most important things his parents taught him as a child. Watch the short but insightful clip to hear what Matthew learned as a youngster that has had a profound impact on his life.

Life isn't always easy or even a pleasant experience. Many times, as you probably already know, life will knock you down, and it will hurt. No one enjoys going through those situations; pain and failure aren't any fun. However, oftentimes, if we're willing to stop, look at the situation and think about how we arrived at this point, some valuable lessons can be learned in those circumstances.

Failure isn't really failure if we learn something from it and apply those hard-won lessons to the future. Not everything we learn in life will come easily, as all children know. A parent's firm and immediate punishment and correction are rarely, if ever, an enjoyable experience.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Matthew mentioned that growing up, there were three things his parents would not tolerate. He was not allowed to say, "I can't," "I hate" and lying was strictly forbidden. He provided specific examples of how his mother and father reacted when he broke those rules and failed to live up to their standards, and how these reactions have shaped his life ever since.

"If I said, 'I can't,' my dad's teeth would just start to go, 'Excuse me? You sure you're not just having trouble?'" he recalled his father saying to him.

Later in the clip, he shares a time when he told a sibling that he hated them.

"I said, 'I hate you' to my brother 'cause I heard the word at school, and I thought it could make me feel like I was older," Matthew added. "So, I threw it out there one day – at my own birthday party! My own birthday party, I said to him, 'I hate you!' And my mom, whooped, stopped the entire party. Forty kids my age in the backyard. Stopped it - my birthday. Stopped it. Pulled me around the side of the house, and says, 'What did you say? You don't ever use that word, especially to someone in your family.' "

He added that he got "licks" with a belt, and then she told him to "dry his tears," resumed the birthday party, adding again that he was never to say that word.

"Well, what I was learning is the antonyms to those words," he said. "Because saying, 'I can't,' lying and saying, 'I hate you' were bringing me pain. So, the opposite must bring pleasure, right? Tell the truth, love and believe that you can. Those were the values, how I remember them getting instilled in me and to this day, I still have them."

Proverbs 22:6 "If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old, he will not be turned away from it."

Devotional about Acts 4-6

Psalm 113:3