Lifted Vision Ministry

-Isaiah 53: 4-5 NIV-
“Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.“

This scripture clearly shows how Jesus was broken not because of any imperfection that was within Him, but because our OUR transgressions. Living in the reality of Christ, means knowing that we are sinners saved by grace- God’s grace alone. We are to be humble and never forget the fact that God alone is the reason that we are alive today. He not only gave us our first life, but our second life, resurrected with Him as well. As we died with Christ, we were also resurrected with Him into the new man and new life!

With any single volition of introspection, we can clearly see our depravity as human beings. When we look at the world itself, we see wars, various crimes and the stricken state of man; it’s so obvious isn’t it?

-Isaiah 53: 6 NIV-
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

The GOOD NEWS of Easter SUNDAY is this: God Bruised His Body So That You Don’t Have to!!!!! Jesus Took ALL the Punishment that We ALL Deserved on the cross; His precious blood that was shed there took away the sins of every single person in the whole world including, every single person to ever be born since that day. Is that not incredible? Is this not the best news in all of history? SO that is why the Bible is still talked about today. That is why we keep telling His story and sharing His legacy over and over and never forget the single, most amazing and yet horrifying event to ever happen in the history of man.  

Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, is not celebrated in Japan. There is no remembrance of all that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. But Christians know this day, and we celebrate and remember Him! We also celebrated it at our church with a special worship of a team from Okinawa, including a detailed sermon educating the Japanese of what Easter is and the immense importance of it! (please see the video below).

I believe Jesus is saying to you today: I’ve already been abused and broke my body, and bled out on the cross so that you don’t have to now. Receive me today and accept the truth of who you were created to be.

Let’s rest in God, His goodness and all that He has done to give us new life!

Be Blessed! All the glory belongs to God alone!