Ascend Global

It helps if we just understand that the wilderness was God's idea, that that difficult season was His idea. All major men in the Bible had times or seasons which you would call a wilderness. A wilderness was a very dry place, full of wild animals, it was very difficult. It represented a very difficult season, a difficult time.

Jesus died on the cross for you, not to just forgive you of your sins, but to empower you to be nice to other people. There's a cross that Jesus bore for us, that we could not bear; and at the same time, there's a cross that He called us to bear, because we can. We look at the case for believing in the resurrection, and then look closely at some of the imagery - the Passover Lamb; and the mixture of blood & water that flowed from Him; the Folded Napkin; and the Dirty Roman Sponge. From Eden, a river called Hope flowed through a land called Suffering. Colloidal Gold gives water a red colour, symbolising that hope.

A study of the Beatitudes - Jesus first sermon. A popular new Rabbi, he presents a yoke that is easy, and a burden that is light; He emphases heart attitudes over keeping all the laws. There are a lot of people at the end of the day, who think they're in, but they're actually out. Tzedak (Righteousness) always produces Tzedakah (Generosity, or righteousness-revealed). Jeremiah 22:16 "He took care of the poor and the afflicted, so it is well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me, declares the Lord, your God". The happiest people set their passions on meeting the needs of others.