The Gospel of Luke 23:53-54 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.” (Luke 23:53-54KJV).

Viewed through the lens of the New Covenant of Grace, these passages reveal the profound prophetic and spiritual significance in our state of being children of God in Christ Jesus. We learn that Joseph of Arimathea was granted permission to take down the Lord’s bare body then wrapped it in linen cloth.

The Lord was stripped of His garments on the cross so that we could be clothed in His righteousness, which the linen used by Joseph represents. When Joseph of Arimathea wraps the Lord’s body in clean linen, it serves as a reassuring picture: the work of justification was complete. Our Lord Jesus took our filthy rags of sin, died under them, and left them behind so that believers could permanently receive the "robe of righteousness."

Our Lord’s sacrifice as ransom payment was final, perfect, and left nothing else to be paid for. The fact that the tomb was entirely brand new, carved on a rock and unpolluted by any previous death or decay signifies a settled and completely clean slate. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not merely patch up old covenant failures. He instituted an entirely New Covenant. His body was laid in a pristine place because His sacrificial work was flawlessly executed.

The Lord’s body being laid at the onset of Sabbath rest, under the Old Covenant of the Law, people had to work tirelessly to be right with God. Here, our Lord Jesus dies right as the Sabbath—the day of rest—begins. This shows that our Lord did all the agonizing "work" of bearing our sins, sicknesses and judgment on the cross so that we could enter a perpetual Sabbath rest. As His body was laid to rest at the start of the Sabbath, believers today no longer have to labor for their salvation, healing, or blessing. Instead, we rest in what He has already done.

The timing of our Lord’s body being laid to rest at the onset of Sabbath, convey the message that we rest in our Lord’s finished work. Now, by faith in Him, we are seated with our Lord, as it is written: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:4-6 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 23:50-52 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.” (Luke 23:50-52 KJV).

These passages introduced Joseph of Arimathea described as a good and just man, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the tribunal that sent our Lord to the cross, but did not consent to their action. There are several lessons we can learn from these verses in context with our Lord’s New Covenant of Grace.

In the Gospel accounts of John 19:38-42, it is noted that Joseph of Arimathea was a "secret disciple" because he feared the religious leaders. In this instance, our Lord’s amazing work of grace at the cross is manifest. When the public disciples fled, it was the secret, fearful disciples (Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus) who suddenly stepped forward with bold faith. Seeing the ultimate demonstration of God's love on the cross transformed Joseph from a man hiding in fear into a man bold enough to look Pontius Pilate in the eye and claim the body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is, therefore, our cue to step forward with faith and boldly enter into the realm of the Lord’s grace. Many today are fearful of stepping out from being held hostage by worldly and religious systems for fear of being treated with contempt, deprived of acceptance into their circles and hedonic pursuits. Scriptures warn about this, as it is written: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 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 23:47-49 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.” (Luke 23:47-49 KJV).

These passages described the confused scene at the crucifixion site in Golgotha, after our Lord commended and gave up His Spirit to the Father. The Roman centurion supervising the Lord’s execution was a tough soldier. Yet, after seeing the darkness over the land, the shaking of the earth, and how our Lord Jesus died with a prayer of forgiveness for His crucifier, he was awed by His innocence and righteousness.

Our Lord Jesus Christ didn't die as a defeated victim. He shouted with a loud voice, and willingly gave up His spirit. This showed the centurion that our Lord was in complete control of His fate.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only truly righteous man to ever live. At the cross, a divine exchange happened. He took our sins, and gave us His righteousness. The centurion’s utterance of our Lord’s righteous aura, reminds us of the very gift that is now given to every believer. And the crowds who had mocked our Lord Jesus Christ during His agonizing journey walked away beating their chests. This was a display of deep sorrow, guilt, and regret.

Let this, therefore, be a warning that the “thief of the past," uses old mistakes and guilt to steal your joy. The crowds felt the heavy weight of their sins because they did not yet understand the Lord’s gospel of grace or His resurrection. You do not need to live in guilt or beat your chest like them. Now, we have the knowledge. Because of the cross, you and I have a clean slate. All our sins—past, present, and future—have been completely washed away by the blood of Christ Jesus. By believing, we don’t walk away in guilt. As believers, we look at the cross in faith and walk with joy and peace in eternity.

Our Lord’s followers and the faithful women stood at a distance, with their eyes fixed on Him. The boundless nature of grace transcends space and time. It covers us no matter how distant, weak, or broken we feel. Even though they were standing far away and felt helpless, the Lord’s sacrifice was already working for them and for us who believe. This reassures you and I as we rest in His grace by faith. This is our powerful reminder that the cross changes everything. We no longer have to live in the fear or guilt of the crowd. Because the righteous Savior died for us, we can now live with the absolute certainty that we are completely loved, totally forgiven, and highly favored by God!

Let us keep these words alive in our hearts, as Scriptures declare: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6 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 23:44-46 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” (Luke 23:44- 46 KJV).

Reflecting on these verses through the lens of grace gives us several prophetic revelations for our spiritual comfort. This highlights specific timings for our clear awareness of our Lord's victorious sacrifice. Jewish time, the sixth hour is 12:00 PM (noon) and the ninth hour is 3:00 PM. This point to the Old Testament law in Exodus 29:38–39. God commanded Israel to offer two lamb sacrifices daily: the morning sacrifice and the evening sacrifice. Our Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross at the third hour (9:00 AM) and breathed His last at the ninth hour (3:00 PM). He perfectly fulfilled both the morning and evening sacrifices as the ultimate Lamb of God. This draws into focus that in the Old Testament, an unclean person remained unclean until evening—meaning they were cleansed the moment the evening sacrifice was made. Because our Lord died at the exact hour of the evening sacrifice, it marks the exact moment that humanity was permanently cleansed by His finished work.

The passages reveal that from noon until 3:00 PM, a supernatural darkness covered the land. This puts us in the know that in these hours our Lord became the focal point of all divine judgment. He absorbed the total liability of human sin, sickness, depression, and the curse of the broken law. When He cried: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34), He was momentarily separated from the Father so that you and I would never have to be separated from God. He took our condemnation so that we could receive His righteousness.

Having cried loud to give up His Spirit, death did not take our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave up His life. He held on to His life-force until every prophecy was fulfilled and every sin was paid for, and only then did He willingly dismiss His spirit. As He declared: "Father, into Your hands...", He showed that the moment of judgment, where He called out to 'My God', was over, and the warm, intimate relationship of Father and Son was perfectly restored for Him—and for us. It is written: “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” (Galatians 3:26 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 23:42-43 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43 KJV).

He knows who our Lord Jesus is! While the Lord Jesus bath in suffering and soaked with His blood, the second thief was the only one who knew His identity and put his faith under the fountain of His blood. This repentant thief brought refreshing to our Lord's heart during the agonizing moments of His crucifixion, amidst the mocking and the rejection. This is a compelling scene reminding us that God delights when we boldly ask of Him by faith. By simply asking to be remembered, this dying thief gave our Lord Jesus the opportunity to do what He loves most: to extend undeserved favor and save him by grace.

This second thief on the cross is the antithesis of legalism and religious box-checking. He had no time to perform religious good deeds, no way to get water-baptized, or no chance to join a "church". His salvation was instantaneous and absolute, based solely on a simple plea of faith to a loving Savior. This is the ultimate display of grace extended to bestow salvation as a gift - received by faith, not earned by human effort nor religious indulgence.

This is affirmed by the exhortation of one who considers himself the worst of all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). It is written Apostle Paul affirms to remind us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 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 23:40-41 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” (Luke 23:40-41 KJV).

These passages highlight the response of the criminal hanging on the other side of the Lord. This powerful exchange between the two criminals on their crosses set the stage to unveil the core message of radical grace, the gift of righteousness, and the matter that truly refreshes the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. The contrasting postures of these two prisoners are very important to note as we reflect on these passages.

The first prisoner reviled the Lord. This other prisoner rebuked him. In this verbal exchange, we see that the level-headed prisoner had absolutely no time to perform religious good works, or get baptized, or make amends for his crimes. But, he admits his own guilt in the presence of the Lord. He frankly recognized the innocence of our Lord Jesus, declaring "we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man has done nothing wrong."

The authenticity of this criminal’s heart refreshes the Lord who in the middle of their exchange of words He absorbed it all. This prisoner’s confession rises above all the mocking of the religious priests, the crowd, the soldiers and the other prisoner on the cross. His confession is a vivid reminder to all who are held captive by religion and the world, that life and death is in the power of the tongue. It is written, Scriptures declare: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:8-9 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 23:39 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (Luke 23:39 KJV).

This verse highlights one of the two criminals crucified next to our Lord Jesus Christ. This criminal representing a hardened heart, mocked the Lord. Even while dying on a cross, he focuses on self-preservation and demands proof of the Lord Jesus' power rather than seek spiritual truth and the Lord’s comforting love. Sadly, this shows how human nature, in numbness of sin, can reject God even in moments of extreme suffering. It shows that even his proximity to our Lord could not lead him to faith. This reminds us that faith is a matter of the heart that seeks God.

This criminal is an example of one who is already so near to the Savior physically, yet so far spiritually. It is a saddest missed opportunity. If only he sought God’s kingdom and the Lord’s message of truth, perhaps he could have taken advantage of this greatest moment set up for him. Instead of parroting the mocking of the crowd and the religious leaders, he could have gone rest in the Lord’s presence, which is the lesson we must all learn from this passage.

Yes, the Lord allowed Himself to be forsaken so you and I are forgiven and saved by grace through His sacrifice. The criminal reviled the Lord Jesus contemptuously saying: “save your-self and “us.” Yet, the irony of truth is, the Lord was in the state of saving him and the world. This man should have kept his mouth shut and listen. Our Lord Jesus reminds, as it is written: “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” (John 12:47 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 23:38 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (Luke 23:38 KJV).

It is not revealed what’s the real motivation of Pontius Pilate being the Roman authority for ordering the inscription placed above our Lord Jesus on the cross, saying "This is the King of the Jews". It could be an act of mockery as this aligns with the insults hurled by the soldiers. But it can also be viewed as a profound, divine orchestration revealing God's grace and His covenant name. Or, it could be Pontius Pilate’s intent to use the sign as a political jab at the Jewish authorities, and a taunting at the religious leaders and Priests.

According to several fellow believers who depend on the Lord’s grace, the first letters in each word of the Hebrew version of the inscription that Pontius Pilate ordered, forms the acronym Y-H-V-H (יהוה)—Yahweh, the sacred, name of God. This was not a coincidence by chance, but a purposed divine design. The Roman soldiers and religious leaders thought they were mocking the Lord Jesus. But, on the other hand, unbeknownst to Pilate, God used his pen to format a supreme declaration: The man dying on that cross is Yahweh Himself, fulfilling the ultimate plan of redemption.

By using the three major languages in that time, effectively proclaimed the Gospel of the Grace of God to the known world, especially to those who were in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration to read it as they pass by the cross. Hebrew being the language of the covenant people and religious Jews; Greek being the language of human philosophy and wisdom; and Latin as the language of human military and political power, the inscription officially announced to the world the identity of our Lord Jesus Christ. All are given the opportunity to believe. Being His beloved, purchased through His sacrifice, as we believe, His identity and righteousness is imputed in us. The Scriptures declare: “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 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 23:36-37 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.” (Luke 23:36-37 KJV).

These passages provide several spiritual lessons for us to reflect on the humiliation and mocking our Lord faced on the cross. The soldiers, alongside the religious rulers, taunted Him to “save your-self”. The profound irony of this mocking is, if our Lord Jesus had saved Himself by opting out of the cross, He could not have saved us and the world at large including those who mocked Him. But, He remained on the cross out of resolute, self-sacrificial love.

He chose to take the full weight of our judgment, curse, derision and punishment upon Himself. If He had proven His kingship by rescuing Himself, humanity would have remained lost and unredeemed. At the cross, our Lord Jesus was the ultimate Servant King. He had the authority and power to command angels to rescue Him, or to step down from the cross to save Himself. But, He stayed to take it all, driven by His overwhelming love.

Our Lord Jesus on the cross, points to the prophetic foreshadow of the Old Testament law of the Hebrew servant (Exodus 21:1-6). Under that law, if a servant’s time of service was up, he was free to leave. But if the servant chose to stay saying, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,” his ear was pierced, and he stayed a servant forever. At the cross, our Lord Jesus chose to be the ultimate Servant King forever. He stayed and let His hands, feet, and heart be pierced because He loved His Father and He loved us - His bride, members of His body.

The sour wine points back to the prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 69:21: "for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink". The Lord drank the "bitter cup" of God's wrath and judgment against sin so that we would only ever have to drink from the "cup of blessing" and the rivers of living water (John 7:37-38). He took the sour, bitter consequences of our failures in His own body.

Because our Lord Jesus refused to save Himself from the soldiers, the religious priests, the political powers and the cross, He completely stripped the devil of his legal right to enforce a death sentence over those who believe. Hence, now as we believe, our Lord Jesus declares: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24 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 23:34-35 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".

When the day of judgement comes, each one will be repaid on the basis of what they have done, as in dependence on His grace and not trying hard to do by work of self-effort (Romans 11:6). 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 reformed his behavior while in prison, nor confessed his sins remorseful to deserve release. He was set free simply because our Lord Jesus took the full impact of condemnation. This mirrors how we that believe receive righteousness and freedom under the New Covenant of grace—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 or sin 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.