The Gospel of Luke 23:34-35 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.” (Luke 23:34-35 KJV).

These passages offer several powerful unique perspectives. When the religious leaders and priests plotted and crucified the Lord, having planned it for sometime, in the view of the world a capital crime of premeditated murder has been committed. However, when the Lord Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” He released them from punishment. By uttering these exact words, our Lord Jesus legally classified the sin of killing the Son of God as unintentional manslaughter rather than premeditated murder. Because He uttered "they know not what they do," He legally qualified the sinful world to run to Him as their ultimate City of Refuge (found in Numbers 35 & Joshua 20). His prayer opened the door for God’s grace to protect us from judgment, making salvation legally accessible to anyone who seeks shelter in Christ Jesus by faith in Him. He said: "..Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..."(John 11:25-26).

The Lord's Prayer of forgiveness of those who cast lots over His clothes, who mocked and crucified Him, was instantly answered. God's forgiveness was not just letting it slip by. God's forgiveness is based on the unshakeable foundation of legal justice—because our sins have been paid in full at the cross by Christ Jesus our Lord.

These passages, therefore, show that our Lord Jesus was not a helpless victim on the cross. Even in His moments of most intense physical agony, He was actively acting as our High Priest—legally securing our eternal forgiveness and positioning Himself as our eternal protector. It is written, the Scriptures affirm: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:32-33 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” (Luke 23:32-33 KJV).

These passages, looked through the lens of the Gospel of the Grace of God, illustrate the profound truth that our Lord Jesus Christ took the place of sinners, dying crucified on Calvary, also called Golgotha - meaning place of the skull. He was placed in the middle between two criminals, one on His right and the other on His left. He hung in humiliation on the center cross, physically positioned as a transgressor to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, bearing the sins of humanity. The revelation of God's grace emphasize that our Lord Jesus did not just die for us, but as our substitute taking our place at the cross of execution. That's the reality - God's judgment fell on Him so that believers can receive unearned, unconditional favor.

The scene reveals the message of grace—that anyone, regardless of how "far gone" their past is, and how deep their sins are, can turn to our Lord Jesus Christ and be immediately embraced by His mercy. Salvation is shown not as something earned by works or indulgence through religious rituals, but as a free gift received by simply looking to the Savior on the cross and to receive His Lordship by faith. Scriptures remind: “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” (Romans 11:6 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:29-31 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:29-31 KJV).

In these verses, our Lord continues to chastise the weeping women on the streets of Jerusalem. He warns them of woeful days coming as a result of their and their religious leaders' rejection of Him. These words of chastisement spoken by our Lord Jesus on the road to His crucifixion carry a profound historical and prophetic revelation. The Lord redirects them to weep for themselves and their children. He is warning of a time with such intense suffering and famine during an impending siege of their city. In those times mothers would consider those without children fortunate because they would not have to watch their little ones starve to death or perish.

The imagery of hiding on a mountain borrows from prophetic Old Testament words (such as mentioned in Hosea 10:8) describing utter terror, desperation, and judgment where people seek caves and rocks to hide from approaching destruction.

The Green Tree analogy represents our Lord Jesus—alive, innocent, full of spiritual life, and bearing heavenly fruit. If the Roman authorities and rebellious religious leaders could inflict such horrific suffering, injustice, and capital punishment on an entirely innocent, righteous "green tree", imagine what would happen when judgment fall on the nation of Israel or unrepentant humanity, who are likened to "dry wood".

Scriptures warn, as it is written: “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”” (Romans 2:5-6 NIV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:26-28 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” (Luke 23:26-28 KJV).

Simon of Cyrene, forced to carry the cross, is not about human effort of suffering to earn salvation. Instead, the picture of Simon walking behind our Lord reminds that our Lord Jesus is taking the heaviest burden. Simon is merely carrying a lumber. In grace, when we "hear" the gospel, and suffer with trials, we are simply walking in the shadow of the victory our Lord Jesus already won.

Our Lord, in chastising the crowd of women "Do not weep for me", strongly emphasizes that He was in complete control of His destiny. Even He is being beaten, bloody, and walking to His execution, He did not look for pity or crowd sympathy. He did not need to be felt sorry for. He tells them not to weep for Him because He knew exactly why He was going to the cross—He was intentionally stepping into theirs and our place. He was acting as our City of Refuge (Joshua 20:1-3), absorbing the legal death sentence and the wrath of God under the law, so that we would never have to face it as we enter His grace by faith.

As He directed them to "weep for yourselves and for your children," He was looking ahead to the literal, imminent destruction of the City of Jerusalem (which occurred in 70 AD). This is a pop up alert that no tears of remorse can wash away sins. Our Lord redirects their focus from emotional sadness to their actual spiritual need. They and the religious world are to realize that without accepting His finished work, humanity remains under the burden of the curse of Adam’s sin.

Hence, we all must realize that the cross is the wellspring of grace and unconditional love. Our Lord Jesus Christ rejected the tears of the crowd because He wanted them to see His sacrifice not as a tragedy, but as a triumphant, predestined rescue mission to purchase our eternal righteousness, healing, freedom and salvation. By the Lord's obedience, we are justified. “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:24-25 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.” (Luke 23:24-25 KJV).

The mob, led by the chief priests and religious leaders kept at their shouting charade demanding that the Lord be crucified. And with all the pressure, they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man in prison for rebellion and murder, and gave them our Lord Jesus to do whatever they wanted. The Divine Exchange of the New Covenant of grace is displayed. A guilty sinner is fully set free because an innocent Savior took his place.

Barabbas represents you, me and every single believer. Like you and me who yield our life to the Lord Jesus by faith, he did nothing to earn his freedom. He neither reform his behavior while in prison to deserve release. He was set free simply because our Lord Jesus took condemnation. This mirrors how we that believe receive righteousness and freedom under the New Covenant—purely as unearned, unmerited favor of grace.

The divine exchange is highlighted. The guilty Barabbas, who was justly convicted, walks away alive and free. Our innocent Lord is to be condemned to die. He, who is repeatedly declared having committed no crime, takes the punishment.

Barabbas, who represents us, in Hebrew and Aramaic, means “son of the father.” Hence, when our Lord stood in place of the ‘son of the father, He was standing in our place. The true Son of the Father became the ultimate substitute so that we—the fallen sons of the father—could be redeemed and renewed to be righteous children of God.

This Apostle John affirms in the epistle, as it is written: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:23 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.” (Luke 23:23 KJV).

Pontius Pilate declared three times that he neither found guilt, nor grounds for criminal punishment in our Lord Jesus Christ. He therefore proposed to punish and whip Him, then set Him free. His declarations are drowned by the mob’s and the religious leaders’ instant loud verdict that He be crucified. Pilate’s resolve is shaken. The crowd and the chief priests shout insistently for Pontius Pilate to crucify our Lord Jesus rather than release Him. This highlights the pressure of the mob and the political weakness of Pilate. He caves in to human demands rather than upholding justice for the innocent Lord Jesus Christ.

This shows how public opinion can drive the mind and judgement of those who are people pleasers. It forces an unjust outcome over reason and justice. This mob mentality of the religious leaders and the crowd, shape Pilate’s judgement for his desire to please people rather than true justice. Those religious and worldly based thinking can corrupt every facets of a person’s being. As in regard with Pilate, we are put in the know that he renege to the religious leaders’ and the mob’s demands. They prevailed over Pilate.

This, therefore, is our pop up alert to remain in our Lord’s shield of grace lest we fall. Like Pilate and everybody in the world that opt for a life apart from being in our Lord Jesus by faith resting in His grace, will certainly succumb to the warp ways of the fallen world. But, in Christ Jesus our Lord, we overcome: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!


Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:22 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.” (Luke 23:22 KJV).

By this passage, we are made aware that Pontius Pilate declares in three separate times our Lord Jesus is completely innocent of any capital crime. This emphasizes that He had no sin of His own in the view of the world. Pilate in his authority as an earthly judge formally pronounce Him guiltless, as he kept asking the Lord’s religious accusers: “Why, what evil has he done?”. It establishes legally and spiritually that our Lord Jesus is being condemned entirely as an innocent substitute for humanity, not for any crime of His own.

The repeated examinations by Pilate fulfill the Old Testament Levitical requirement where sacrificial lambs had to be carefully inspected and found "without blemish" (Exodus 12:5) before being offered. Because the judge of the world declared Him innocent, our Lord’s sacrificial offering meets the required ransom demand for the sins of humanity. Hence, now by faith in our lord Jesus Christ, God our Father can legally declare us - all believers, righteous and "not guilty" through His grace.

In the Epistle of Paul, scriptures declare:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:20-21 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, crucify him, crucify him.” (Luke 23:20-21 KJV).

These passages reveal the Roman governor Pontius Pilate’s effort trying to push his proposition to set free an innocent man - Christ Jesus our Lord. But a hostile crowd of religious and political mix demands our Lord’s crucifixion instead. This puts Pilate in a dilemma wanting to release our Lord Jesus because he knows He is innocent. But, the crowd is gaining pressure on him to choose political appeasement and self-preservation over true justice.

The angry crowd screams, "Crucify him, crucify him!" While the religious leaders, with their intense hatred against our Lord, are stirring up the emotion of the mob to pressure Pilate into executing our Lord Jesus Christ. The irony is, these same people cheered for our Lord Jesus Christ days earlier as He entered Jerusalem, crying: ‘…. Hosanna in the highest of heaven’ (Matthew 21:8-9), now demand for His death. That’s how fickle humanity is. This highlights the tragic contrast between a spotless Christ Jesus our Lord and a sinful mob. The scene shows how the corrupt religious leaders use peer pressure and crowd control to force Pilate to execute unjust judgement.

Sadly, that’s how dangerous is religion in corrupting vulnerable people that are lost. And these corrupt religions are perpetuated by workers of deception in these present days. This is the very reason our Lord Jesus Christ, came down into our corrupted world to establish a “paradigm shift”. He came to lift us all off from the religious and worldly systems of self-effort and restore all that believe in Him by grace. Scriptures declare: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:18-19 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)” (Luke 23:18-19 KJV).

In response to Pilate's declaration of innocence and proposal to set our Lord Jesus Christ free, the crowd shouts in unison: “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”. Now, this man Barabbas had been thrown into prison for starting a rebellious riot in the city, and for murder. This scene gives us the ultimate visual and historic demonstration of the Gospel of Grace and the law of substitution.

These verses highlight several spiritual significance of the shouting exchange between Pilate and the throng of political and religious crowd.

* Barabbas represents every single one of us in our worldly state. He was legally guilty of rebellion and murder, deserving execution under the law. While our Lord Jesus Christ was perfectly innocent, with Pilate declaring multiple times that He found no fault in Him.

* We should note that the crowd choosing Barabbas over our Lord was not an accident. It's a physical manifestation of the "Divine Exchange." Our Lord Jesus took the place of the guilty criminal, so that the guilty criminal can walk out completely free, unpunished, and legally acquitted.

* It is amazing to reflect on the Hebrew origins of biblical names to unveil the hidden message of grace. The name "Barabbas" literally translates to: "Bar" meaning Son, and "Abba" meaning Father. This puts us in the know that Barabbas means "Son of the Father."

Hence, the profound beauty and irony in this exchange is that our Lord Jesus—the true, sinless Son of the Heavenly Father—stepped into the condemnation of Barabbas, the sinful son of the father, so that we could be redeemed. The Father treated our Lord Jesus like Barabbas on the cross so that He could treat us like our Lord Jesus Christ today by our faith in Him.

As Barabbas was, we are now alive and free in Christ Jesus our Lord. These, Apostle Peter sums up in his epistle exhortation. It is written: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (1 Peter 3:18 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:16-17 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)” (Luke 23:16-17 KJV).

Pontius Pilate, as Roman governor, records his resolve and proposal to punish our Lord Jesus Christ 'lightly' and release Him to satisfy the religious leaders and the crowd demanding the Lord's execution during the Passover feast. That's his thought, granting this day runs the usual event of religious Passover feast's customary pardon of a prisoner. But, this case is unusual, with the presence of the person of Grace who is our Lord Jesus Christ. To the religious leaders and the crowd, the verdict of innocence that both he and Herod Antipas arrived at has no bearing. They met it with deaf ears. Yet, the two rival powers examined our Lord Jesus and found no capital crime or fault in Him, at all.

Pilate's political compromise saying - "I will therefore chastise him, and release him.", fails to pick up steam. "Chastise" is their term for severe beating or scourging. He hoped that punishing an innocent man brutally would appease the hostile religious leaders and crowd enough to let him free the Lord safely. For out of necessity, he must release one unto them at the feast." This refers to the traditional Passover amnesty where the Roman governor sets free one prisoner chosen by the public.

Pilate's failed political maneuver to set an innocent man free ultimately serves the larger divine plan of redemption, where our Lord Jesus Christ suffers the ultimate punishment so humanity can experience true spiritual freedom. Pilate has no power to thwart what is set for our Lord to serve, and pay the ransom for our freedom. This, the Lord declares: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Mark 10:45 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:

F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:13-15 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.” (Luke 23:13-15 KJV).

Pilate, having received back the Lord Jesus from Herod, gathers the religious leaders and the people to declare that both he and King Herod found Him completely innocent of the charges they accuse Him with. The complete pronouncement of innocence of our Lord in these verses is a profound picture of the substitutionary atonement He is about to fulfill. The faultless, unblemished Savior stands in place of the guilty. Pilate states explicitly, the Double Declaration of Innocence by saying: "I have found no fault in this Man" (v. 14) and add that Herod didn't either, with emphasis saying - "no, neither did Herod".

Though our Lord Jesus committed “nothing deserving of death” (v. 15), He would soon will be handed over to be crucified, as a picture of grace. Yet, Pilate declares: “lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.” Hence, it foreshadows the great exchange for all humanity. In grace, our Lord Jesus whose absolute faultlessness in front of earthly rulers, took the place of Barabbas - a convicted criminal. Our Lord takes His place to underscore the core message of the Gospel: the innocent takes the place of the guilty so believers can walk away free. This, our Lord Jesus Christ declares: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 KJV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:11-12 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.” (Luke 23:11-12 KJV).

These passages show where hostile rulers Herod and Pontius Pilate became friends over their shared contempt in our Lord’s redemptive mission. This shows how earthly forces unite against our Lord Jesus Christ, which foreshadows the believer's ultimate victory. Herod and Pilate were long-standing political enemies. It is amazing how swiftly in this day they found common ground for unity through their rejection and mockery of our Lord Jesus Christ, which on the part of Pilate was displayed in his not so serious search for justice.

To humanity’s worldly view, the partnership of political and religious authorities ganging up against our Lord Jesus Christ looked like a win for the enemy. Herod, with his soldiers, dressed the Lord in elaborate kingly attire send Him back to Pilate with jeering and taunting. But, we should note though, that just as our Lord Jesus Christ triumphed past their humiliating plot through the cross by His resurrection, He will scatter our invisible enemies and turn any opposition against us into absolute victory by grace through faith in Him. Scriptures assure us, as it is written: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:9-10 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.” (Luke 23:9-10 KJV).

Our Lord Jesus Christ stays completely silent and refuses to defend His self while Herod peppered Him with questions, even the chief priests and scribes stand by, shrilling with their fierce accusations. This moment is an ultimate display of our Lord’s humility, grace, and inner dignity. Rather than reacting in anger, lashing out at the corrupt ruler who murdered His cousin John the Baptist, or trying to win over His critics, our Lord maintains His profound silence in absolute calm and peace.

Our Lord’s gospel of Grace uses this example to show believers that they do not need to fight back or panic when facing false accusations. Instead, they can rest in God as their defender, trusting His quiet strength rather than human arguments. In our reflections of Luke 12:11, our Lord Jesus gave the same manner of instruction to the apostles, and to us who believe in Him, how to react when brought accused before the courts of judges and rulers.

When facing all kinds of challenges and the same confrontations, let us therefore be reminded of these words and keep it alive in our hearts and mind. It is written: “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:17-20 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:8 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.” (Luke 23:8 KJV).

This passage highlights the excitement of King Herod to see our Lord Jesus Christ, revealing that he’d been hoping for this for some time. He wanted to watch the Lord performs miracles simply out of curiosity. This moment of encounter for hope of shallow entertainment-seeking curiosity, contrasts with the intent to see the Lord truly by faith. This should remind us that our Lord Jesus Christ grants us daily miracles of grace rather than performance for amusement. In Christ Jesus our Lord, our daily life in grace is filled with moment to moment of miracles.

Herod wanted a spectacle. He viewed our Lord Jesus through the lens of material world wanting to be amused or impressed rather than seek the truth to be saved. His heart was set on self-gratification and fleeting joy rather than repentance for eternal bliss of salvation. He is like those many held captive by religion, mesmerized by their leaders and charismatic figures. They flock to watch their so-called “healing crusades” or other rituals for indulgence. They use the Lord’s name in vain to perform “healing” for stage show of deception and other ulterior motives.

The miracles from heaven are not for show. Signs and wonders are for our strength, to reveal God’s glory, affirm His power, display His compassion, and confirm His message. Miracles are for drawing those who are lost, so they believe and that by believing all may have life in Christ Jesus’ Name. It is written: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life” (John 20:30-31 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:6-7 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.” (Luke 23:6-7 KJV).

These passages give a surprising twist to show that Pilate really has no interest in local religious conflict which he sensed by the way these religious fanatics are presenting their accusations. Their attempt of trying to lure Pilate, by presenting this case as a threat to Roman rule, did not work. Pontius Pilate learns from the Lord’s accusers that He is from Galilee, where He started His teaching. So, he sends the Lord to Herod Antipas, who is also at Jerusalem for the Passover.

Pilate passes the buck realizing the Lord falls under Herod’s legal authority. He sends the Lord to Herod to avoid handling what he suspects a hard case to deal with. It is worth noting that Pilate’s role as Roman governor or prefect for Judea, is to maintain public order—especially during crowded festivals like the Passover which is being celebrated in this moment. He is normally stationed in Caesarea, but moves to Jerusalem with extra troops during major Jewish holidays to suppress potential riots or political uprisings.

Unbeknownst to Pilate, he has no way out of this case. He is set to be involved being the supreme judicial authority in the region. Only he holds the “jus gladii” (the right of the sword), meaning he alone has the power to pronounce and execute a death sentence, most especially crucifixion. And the Lord Jesus is prophesied to be executed on the cross which only Pilate can proclaim. This must come to pass for our redemption.

Pilate can’t sulk. He, only, can send a person to death with pierced hands and feet on the cross. Scriptures prophesied, as it is written: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—” (Psalm 22:14-16 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:5 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.”(Luke 23:5 KJV).

This passage reveal that the religious leaders, along with the throng of Jews led by the High Priest, push back against Pontius Pilate and double down on their accusations. They insist that our Lord Jesus Christ stirs up the whole Jewish people through His teaching, starting from Galilee all the way to Judea. The religious crowd and elders claim that our Lord is causing riots and subverting the nation with His message. They emphasize His geographic reach to convince Pilate that He is a widespread political threat to the Roman rule.

All those accusations are far from the reality and truth. Viewing through the lens of God’s Grace, these are false political charges against a Savior whose kingdom is not of this world. This brings into surface the hidden danger of religion, which sadly continues to proliferate to this day. It warps and confuses people’s view of truth. It puts people on the saddle of deception that leads away from God into condemnation.

Those religious zealots that rejected the Son of God - our Lord Jesus Christ who came driven by love to save the world (them included), lost their opportunity as they allow religion to blind their spiritual sight. We shouldn’t follow them. Rather, we follow the apostles who believed. Let’s reflect on their confession of faith which Apostle Peter profoundly said, as it is written: “So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”” (John 6:67-69 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:3-4 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.” (Luke 23:3-4 KJV).

Now, standing before Pilate, our Lord Jesus affirms His identity as King with a quiet "You say it," in response to Pilate’s question: “Are you the king of the Jews? This prompts Pilate to declare, "I find no fault in this man." In the context of our Lord’s New Covenant of Grace, this moment highlights our Lord Jesus Christ as the unblemished, faultless substitute whose pure righteousness is credited to those who believe. Pilate’s verdict represents secular or human judgment, and he publicly announces our Lord’s total innocence.

By grace, this affirms that just as Pilate found no fault on our Saviour, God sees us that believe as completely faultless through Him. The great exchange is executed as our Lord Jesus takes the guilty verdict so that those who trust Him receive an official, unalterable declaration of righteousness.

Because our Lord Jesus goes through the tribunal faultless and willingly accepts judgment, believers, as you and I, who totally depend on His grace, now can walk under a permanent "not guilty" verdict from heaven. We are called to recognize the truth that victory over sin comes from realizing we are already made righteous as a gift from God, rather than trying to earn God’s approval through works. As it is written, Scriptures affirm: “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:9-10ESV).

And I Say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 23:1-2 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.” (Luke 23:1-2 KJV).

The religious assembly leads our Lord Jesus Christ to Pilate and accused Him of misleading the nation, challenging taxes, and claiming to be a King. The parade starts at the religious high priest’s house with our Lord Jesus treated as convicted criminal by their sham trial. They’re heading towards Pilate’s palace, the Roman governor of Judea. They come to have Pilate order our Lord’s crucifixion, him being the only authority to order such punishment. Hence, another trial is set with Pilate presiding to determine the veracity of the crime charged if worthy of execution by nailing to a cross.

Here, we can note that the religious priests are presenting a different trump up charges for their case before the governor. They accuse the Lord of trumped up charges subverting the authority of Rome. These are purely religious concoction. Yes, our Lord is guilty of sins He didn’t commit. He absorb the sins of all humanity that collectively share guilt for leading the sinless Savior to the cross. The cross ultimately manifests our radical forgiveness and complete freedom from self-condemnation by our Lord’s sacrificial absorption all of our sins - past, present and future.

Humanity’s sins paved the way to Calvary, making them the "guilty party" that handed the sinless Man - Christ Jesus our Lord, over to a painful and shameful death. The accusations and actions of the sinful religious men (as all sinned - Romans 3:23) paradoxically drove our Lord Jesus to His ultimate destiny of securing redemption for all. This redemption each and every person can possess by grace through faith on Him who paid it by dying on the cross.

The sins our Lord Jesus carried to the cross were fully forgiven and forgotten; He does not hold past mistakes or ongoing shortcomings against us that believes and totally rest in His grace. Our sins were cast into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). We can now rest with new identity in grace, free from condemnation, recognizing that the complete price has been paid and God is at peace with us. Scriptures assure us: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 22:71 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.” (Luke 22:71 KJV).

In this passage, we see the religious council who are witch-hunting for reasons to justify their plot to eliminate our Lord Jesus Christ declaring they need no further evidence against Him because they heard His identity claim straight from His own mouth. This emphasizes that as He is being cast out by religious leaders for condemnation our Lord Jesus calmly accepted this rejection and death sentence, choosing truth over self-protection. He could have easily called heavenly support before this corrupt and hostile tribunal. He has available twelve legions of angels by His call (Matthew 26:43).

The “high” council of religious Jews ask Him if He is the Son of God. Our Lord Jesus responds with absolute truth and certainty, "You say that I am," confirming His divine identity. The religious leaders use this honest confession as grounds to condemn Him by their religious brand of “blasphemy”. This would have been the right instance for them to see the truth if only they sought for it. But, they were so clouded by their religious doctrine and love of affluence and fame. They couldn’t let go. They handed the Lord for execution out of envy (Matthew 27:18).

For the now, this is our cue. We must, therefore, continue to seek for truth by partaking in God’s holy and written words guided and taught by the Holy Spirit, rather than ride on the subtlety of religion, lest we be blinded and fall as well, like the religious people that nailed our Lord Jesus Christ to the cross. Sadly, for them, the Scriptures reveal that - “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 22:69-70 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.” (Luke 22:69-70 KJV).

While our Lord Jesus Christ stands before the religious council, He continues to declare that after this sham process, the Son of Man will sit at the right hand of God's power, affirming He is the Son of God. This bold declaration points to our Lord’s finished redemptive work, showing that He willingly faces the cross to secure our eternal righteousness and position in the Lord’s unmerited favor.

Our Lord Jesus looked past the mock trial and humiliation toward His triumphant position seated at the right hand of God, signifying that the work of our salvation and forgiveness would be fully accomplished. Resting in His presence by grace through faith in Him, we are secure. This emphasizes that because our Lord Jesus Christ spoke the truth of His identity and went to the cross, believers are now permanently settled in His imputed righteousness without human effort or religious works.

With absolute and firm resolve, our Lord Jesus Christ’s unshakeable reply: "You say that I am” demonstrates His absolute authority and unwavering love to redeem us and bring us safely into God's family. He is bringing us not by the process of religious system that hung Him to the cross which unfortunately the same system of religions perpetuated to this day deceiving many in the world. Rather, He brings us to be in Him and the Father by grace through the finished work on the cross that makes us worthy. By our faith in Him, He imputes on us His righteousness, as it is written: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.