ubmitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her Ephesians 5: 20-25, NKJV. Blessed LORD, as we come into Your holy presence we ask for wisdom to understand the things...

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of God. As God has said:  "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 2 Corinthians 6: 14-16, NIV.    Gracious God, we know that You are no respecter of persons,...

"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she...

Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly, this was a righteous Man!" Luke 23: 44-47, NKJV.  Merciful God, we are grateful to You, that when we commit our lives into Your keeping,...

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19: 30, NIV. Gracious God, here we are again, longing to hear from You! Our souls desire to hear Your voice, as we sit in submission at Your feet. Please speak to us in the study of Your Word, for Christ's sake. Amen. Throughout Jesus' sojourn upon the earth, He never lost sight of His mission. The key to success, in maintaining  His focus, was His intimate relationship to the Father; the many hours He spent in prayer to...

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness all over the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Matthew 27: 45, 46, NKJV.  Holy God, Your mercies endure forever! Today we sit at Your feet, and humbly wait until You speak the word of peace to our hearts, that You will never leave us nor forsake us. In the blessed name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen. We have come to the "Fifth Word."...

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. John 19: 28, 29, NIV. Heavenly Father, we are humbled by the sacrifice made by heaven in order to save our souls. We pray that as we study Your Word today, we will thirst for "living waters." In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Lest we forget, that what He...

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. John 19: 25-27, NKJV. Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your love, Your kindness, and Your thoughtfulness. As we study Your Word, please teach us how we can become more like You. In the...

Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23: 42, 43, NKJV. Holy God, what a privilege is ours to call You our Parent. In no other, could we find the love and acceptance that we have found in You. As we study Your Word today, may we hear anew, the promise that we will spend eternity with You. In the name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen. Keep in mind that these "words" are not necessarily...

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23: 34, NIV. Dear God, it is with joy that we approach the Throne of Grace, to give You thanks for Your unconditional love. We ask that Your mercy will flow over us in torrents; and may we experience Your forgiveness, like never before. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I am not sure of the chronological order of Jesus' "seven last words," as they are referred to in some Christian communities. During this week, we are going to look at these statements and try to...