Focus Thoughts

📖 Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

The Holy Spirit unites Christians to Christ and therefore to one another.

@LukeCulotta Oooh, that's powerful. 🥊

@focus_thoughts Matthew 8:28-30

Does the devil acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Son of God?

@GatorRob777 Thanks for sharing that, Rob. Cheers. God bless you much.

God may have him blinded like God does to the unregenerate man. satan either is controlled by God controlling his mind so satan does what God desires without satan realizing he's a tool or satan knows God is above him and still does what God says to do. I tend to think it maybe both. satan may indeed know God created him and God is God yet he imagines he has free will like men do and is somehow going to win in the end. He certainly does not do what God says to do because he loves God or is willing subservient to Him I guess no one will know for sure but these are my opinions.

@bitcoinologist That's a great reply with supporting, relevant, biblical evidence. 👍

@focus_thoughts Yes! The demons know and fear Him! Even Legion, sent into the herd of swine. Praise Almighty God! Mark 5:7 (KJV): “And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.”

📖 Gospel of John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

@RachelJorich Perfect. 🎯

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Romans 6:8

@GatorRob777 💡 Excellent, thank you, very interesting. Do you reckon the devil acknowledges Jesus Christ to be the Son of God?

@focus_thoughts Obviously he is subservient to God. We look no further than Job to see this fact

📖 Gospel of Matthew 25:20 “Master, You entrusted to me five talents. Look, I have gained five talents more.”

📖 Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

A Fortnight That Redefined The World 🌍 🌎 🌏 Chapter 2 It is a delight and a pleasure to continue our inspirational journey and our vital exploration, dear friends. I’m glad because Chapter One set the scene and helped to prepare the way for us to smoothly proceed and to hopefully make spiritual progress together. It is good to often reflect on the most amazing and certainly the most momentous fortnight in the history of humanity. Let’s remember, and seek to understand, what extraordinary things happened in and around the ancient city of Jerusalem at the time of the Passover festivities almost two thousand years ago. For the Jewish people there was no festival or celebration quite like Passover. As the month of Nisan began, a strange and wonderful energy would grip the Roman world. From the shipyards of Alexandria, the hills of Asia Minor, and the banks of the Euphrates River, thousands of families turned their faces and their hearts toward one single point on the map: Jerusalem. To every observant Jew, unquestionably the city of Jerusalem was the greatest, holiest, loveliest place on earth, a sacred space, especially blessed by the presence and favour of God, the Maker of Heaven and earth. God chose Mount Zion and Jerusalem to be the place where His name would dwell forever, even there, at the sanctified location of the magnificent Temple, which King Solomon built and prayerfully dedicated to Yahweh, and which the Queen of Sheba visited and marvelled at. The LORD said to Solomon, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before Me. I have hallowed this House, which you have built, to put My name there forever; and My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.” 1 Kings 9:3. There is no place like Jerusalem, no temple like the House of God which Solomon built, no festival like the Passover and no Person like Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Great King, the True Mediator, the Highest Priest, the Son of God. Welcome to, “A Fortnight That Redefined The World,” a new series, an interesting experience. Thanks for your kind words and feedback on Chapter One. May God be merciful to you and forgive you. May God enhance your spiritual life and enrich your days, bless you with peace and watch over you, day and night. Amen. This series of distinct reflections is written in a colloquial, informal, free-flowing style, suitable for Christians and non-Christians too. The various chapters are intended to stimulate your thoughts and to stir your heart, are meant to direct you to the Holy Bible and prompt you to appreciate our Saviour’s love and willing sacrifice. They’ll assist you to comprehend and share the story of the most important fortnight. I’ll invite you then to focus and to give the topic your good attention, dear reader. You should find this series relevant, timely and helpful. We will have an opportunity to reflect and to consider the essential elements of the grand story of the fortnight that made such a difference to the world, that radically altered the way people think and feel and live and die. It’s a good chance to dip into the Scriptures, to look from different angles and viewpoints, and to step back in time and to take a meaningful journey with Jesus of Nazareth and His disciples, through the relative quietness of the village of Bethany, through crowded streets of Jerusalem, and into the main courtyard of the Temple where corrupt moneychangers exchanged coins and Jesus overthrew their tables. Along the way, we’ll take comfort in Jesus’ faithfulness, and find rest in our Saviour’s love, and we will marvel at His knowledge of future events, those things which must surely come to pass. For example, in the following chapters, we’ll come to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prophesied the complete overthrow and the fall of, not only Jerusalem the beloved city, but also the Temple itself, which obviously would mean the end of the entire sacrificial system. Every Israelite, whether they lived in the land or were of those dispersed among the nations, cherished the Temple and financially supported it, its building and maintenance projects and the work of the priests and the manual labourers. Every visitor to Jerusalem and to the Temple, including every proselyte, as well as the apostles themselves, were exceedingly impressed by the architectural splendour of the buildings and their ornamental stones and decorative elements. Lord Jesus, however, was not impressed by the outward appearance and staggered His apostles with a startling and shocking prophecy: “Not one stone will be left standing on top of the other,” indicating comprehensively that the magnificent structure that dominated Jerusalem’s skyline and served as the symbol of God’s presence and Israel’s religious continuity would be completely destroyed and dismantled, reduced to rubble, and also ashes. The place would be besieged by the Roman legions and burned with fire. Obviously, Lord Jesus was telling the truth. He honestly told His disciples exactly what would happen four decades in advance. In the year A.D. 70, calamity struck; Jerusalem fell, it is history, it is fact. Josephus recounts the tragic catastrophe. The event occurred when Vespasian became emperor of Rome. His son, Titus, became emperor, Caesar, after him and was celebrated for his bravery and for his prowess in combat and for his leadership on the battlefield, particularly the conquest and capture of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. during the First Jewish-Roman war. Together, Vespasian and Titus, the father and son, are noted for their decisive actions throughout the prolonged siege of Jerusalem, which marked a critical point in Roman military history. My dear friends, we’re dealing with reality and sometimes with uncomfortable, harsh and even bitter truths. We must, of course, take in all the events leading up to the unjustifiable arrest and unjust trials of innocent Jesus before the corrupted priests, Caiaphas and Annas, before the hotchpotch Sanhedrin, before Herod, the notorious tetrarch, before Pontius Pilate, the fickle governor, and before the hostile mob that stood outdoors on Good Friday morning declaring, “We have no king but Caesar,” and chanting, “Release Barabbas, crucify Jesus!” Barabbas was an infamous criminal, guilty of murder during an insurrection. He was set free. We’ll contemplate the emotive story including the fact that Jesus was made to carry His cross or the cross beam towards Golgotha where He was impaled and died. Jesus was hanging there between two condemned, crucified criminals, one on His left and the other on His right. Jesus was buried in a sepulchre belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. There His body lay, still, wrapped in linen cloth, bloodied, pierced and lifeless. But His story does not end there, as you know. In this explorative series, “A Fortnight That Redefined The World,” we’ll follow the trail and weigh up the biblical evidence of the resurrection until Thomas acknowledges Jesus is indeed alive, risen from death. It was then that Thomas, the doubter, confirmed who Jesus really is, “My Lord and my God;” your Lord and your God as well. Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.” Gospel of John 20:29. This should be an encouraging, worthwhile, faith-building journey. It should be beneficial, a straightforward, accessible, transparent series shaped for a varied social media audience. I hope that you will consider it enjoyable and a good read. The remainder of this chapter is primarily about Jerusalem, about the annual Passover, about Jesus, about the Jewish rulers who opposed Him, and their plot, “Bring Down Jesus.” It’s about the people, the native Jews, the locals and the pilgrims, that travelled to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of which Passover (Pesach) was one, the most significant in the estimation of many Israelites. We learn from the holy scriptures that the Queen of Sheba came from afar, journeying to Jerusalem, bringing Solomon, the king, gifts. She presented him with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in abundance, and precious gemstones. She expressed her admiration of Solomon’s unparalleled wisdom and the prosperity of his kingdom and the grandeur of his palace and the dignity of his chief ministers and attendants, and then the respect given to his servants, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, and the poise of his cupbearers. She looked and marvelled, stating, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.” “However, I believed not the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and wealth exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to pass judgments and to establish justice and righteousness and to reign righteously.” (SEE 1 Kings 10). And when she beheld King Solomon’s splendid ascent by which he went up unto the House of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her; she fainted. Now, good reader, please consider how great Solomon was and how much greater King Jesus is. Also, think, Solomon was wise and dressed in fine, regal robes, yet King Jesus is infinitely wiser and is forever draped in glory. Ponder His ascent to Heaven. And if the earthly city in which Solomon ruled was great, how much greater must the Heavenly City be, where Jesus rules? Then imagine the awesome greatness of the splendour of the Throne on which King Jesus, the Most High, is seated, at the right hand of God. Remember, even the angels of Lord King Jesus, who are all His loyal servants, are themselves great, they shine. Lastly, the New Jerusalem is exceedingly great indeed (SEE Revelation 3:12 & 21:2). But to return. The terrestrial Jerusalem is a city with a long and chequered history, a city of both spirituality and carnality, a city of peace and conflict, of faithfulness to Yahweh and infidelity, idolatry. It’s a city with an interesting past and an equally interesting future. Jerusalem became known as the City of David, a great king, chosen and anointed to reign over the people of God. The city flourished during the reign of David’s son, Solomon, whose mother’s name was Bathsheba. Every year, cheerful pilgrims made their way up towards Jerusalem and towards the Temple of God. But there was one Passover that was remarkably different, a Passover very different from every Passover that came before it or since. It was the last Passover Jesus, the Lamb of God, experienced while on earth. The things which occurred were nothing short of supernatural and miraculous, divine and mysterious. He, Jesus, the Lamb, was slain. Nevertheless, He, Jesus, victoriously rose again and now reigns, unchallenged forever. He has an everlasting Kingdom that can never be destroyed (SEE Daniel 7:13-14 & Revelation 5:6 &12). “O How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:3. This is a story of unimaginable divine love. It grips your mind and stirs your heart and fills you with hope and suffuses you with wonder. This is an almost incredible story of how our Saviour, King, Lord and God came from Heaven to earth, surrendered His life and thus conquered death for us, Jewish people and Gentiles alike. To God be the glory! Great things He hath done! So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life-gate that all may come in. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son; And give Him the glory, great things He hath done! O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood! To every believer the promise of God; The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from King Jesus a pardon receives. Have you received a royal pardon? Say, “Thank you, King Jesus.” His is an incomparable story of epic drama, of power and meekness, of loyalty and betrayal, of divine wisdom and human folly, of despair and renewed hope, of sorrows and irrepressible joy. Focus. We find all of this and more in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the pages of the New Testament. Consider what happened in the week before and in the week after Jesus was crucified. It was the most significant fortnight. Sinful mankind was redeemed and rescued from everlasting destruction by the true Passover Lamb, Jesus. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” His sacrificial death brought you eternal life. His blood has secured the remission of your sins. He is wonderful. He is the Messiah. His glory is eternal; His majesty is divine. He is the Light that overcame the darkness. He is proof that God is love, the evidence that God is holy. My friend, this is a story of everlasting love that triumphs over evil and all obstacles that stand in the way or foes that lurk along the path. So, let’s move forward – with faith and confidence in Jesus. When Jesus walked upon this earth, Passover had become firmly established as one of Judaism’s three major pilgrimage festivals, alongside Shavuot and Sukkot, drawing observant Jews from the Mediterranean world and diverse countries of the Middle East to the Temple in Jerusalem. Passover (Pesach), as you know, celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and marks the beginning of the barley harvest. The three foundational Jewish pilgrimage festivals – Pesach, Shavuot (Pentecost or Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (Tabernacles or Booths) – constituted the spiritual and communal heart of ancient Jewish religious life, with all male worshippers required to appear at the Temple three times annually to participate in the elaborate festal offerings and the celebrations. Passover-Pesach was, and still is, the most significant commemorative holiday, celebrating the very inception of the nation by the miraculous Exodus from Egyptian bondage. It marked their deliverance; it signalled their freedom. The seven-eight-day observance, beginning on the fourteenth of Nisan, honoured God’s deliverance of His people. He rescued the twelve tribes and the offspring of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his older brothers. They are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. An unblemished, year-old lamb was sacrificed and its blood was smeared on the doorposts of Jewish homes, thereby sparing them from God’s final, fatal plague in Egypt, the death of the firstborn, whether human or animal: horse, donkey, oxen, camel, goat, or whatever. The blood of the Paschal lamb was vital. Now, consider the far greater saving power of the blood of Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God. The blood prevails, The blood of the risen Lamb, Power to save, just as in olden days, The blood prevails, No matter what others say, Thank God the blood prevails. The Passover Night commemoration is intrinsically linked to the week of unleavened bread. During that period, obedient Jews eat only bread made without yeast, leaven. They remember their ancestors’ hasty departure from Egypt. The three festivals were times when Jews would travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and celebrate as a united community. Jerusalem was a city built for 100,000 residents, but at Passover, the number of people assembled could multiply to nearly a million. Because the city could not accommodate them all, the surrounding valleys and hills provided natural places for visitors to pitch up tents and makeshift shelters. Many flocked to the east of the city to the Mount of Olives, with its peak, the heights of Scopus. Jesus and His disciples would often resort to the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives situated on the western slope. There, in the Garden, among the olive groves, they would spend their nights. And at the festival time, the valleys of Rephaim to the southwest of the city became a sea of canvas tents. By night, the hillsides and the valleys twinkled with the lanterns and campfires of a myriad pilgrims, appearing like a reflection of the stars above. The spiritual descendants of Abraham are, as God said, innumerable as the stars, as uncountable as grains of sand upon the seashore. The Temple itself, constructed during King Solomon’s reign and completed in 957 B.C., had been rebuilt following the siege and conquest of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. The Second Temple was initially built by the returning Jewish exiles under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest, during the reign of Darius the Great, the Persian king who supported the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. The prophet Haggai played a crucial role in ensuring the completion of God’s House by boldly and sternly addressing the people’s misplaced priorities and calling them back to their divine mission. He exhorted them to focus. His powerful message stirred the hearts of the leaders and people, reminding them of God’s covenant promises and the importance of rebuilding the Temple. The prophet Haggai roused the people and encouraged them to complete the work which had begun but was left unfinished. The outcome was very positive; they started to focus on what really mattered. Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the House; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says the LORD. (SEE Haggai, chapter 1). And by Jesus’ time, the Temple stood as one of the ancient world’s most magnificent architectural achievements, a testimony to God’s faithfulness, a symbol of the LORD’s presence among His people and the spiritual centre of Jewish identity. So, the Temple of Jesus’ day was not the Temple of Solomon but was a massive expansion of the Second Temple, extensively renovated by Herod the Great. Historians like Josephus claimed that from a distance, the Temple looked like a “mountain covered in snow,” for where it wasn’t overlaid with gold, it was made of dazzling white marble. Yet the dazzling, resplendent glory of Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world, has totally eclipsed the glory of that Temple of which Herod the Great boasted. That Temple faded away. That Temple became obsolete once the Lord Jesus Christ, by the miracle of the incarnation, had come into this world to save sinners and to fulfil the Law. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the three apostles, Peter, James and John, were privileged to catch more than a glimpse of Jesus’ glory. They testified that His countenance shone with indescribable, insuperable brightness (SEE Gospel of Mark 9:1-10). On the Holy Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus revealed to them more of who He truly is and showed them more of the fulness of the power of the Kingdom of God. Also, the Apostle John asserts, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Gospel of John 1:14. Jesus is worthy of constant praise and is deserving of our unfluctuating love. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son; And give Him the glory, great things He hath done! Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son: But purer and higher and greater will be Our wonder, our worship, when Jesus we see! Praise the Lord! 🙌 Let the people rejoice! 🎶 Alas, Jesus faced constant opposition and even hatred from the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Scribes and the Herodians. The people, generally, were enthusiastic about Jesus. They believed He was an extraordinary miracle worker, a Prophet and maybe even the long-expected, promised Messiah. They wondered, could He be the mysteriously divine Son of David, their deliverer? The people were excited about Jesus; they rallied to Him. Meanwhile the religious hierarchy and establishment of Jerusalem experienced distinctly different and contrary emotions. The rulers, the influential Pharisees and Sadducees, and the powerful chief priests who wielded decisive religious authority were growing increasingly displeased. They were becoming agitated, irritated and seriously frustrated at the substantial attention Jesus was attracting. They were annoyed because of the widespread public praises He was receiving from the multitudes. The leaders were envious and resentful at Jesus’ increasing popularity. They became filled with anxiety about the political and religious implications of such widespread support for Jesus. His popularity was a big problem for them. They reasoned that the crowd might not only follow Jesus but become fanatical supporters, and large, emotionally charged crowds, as you know, possess considerable potential for revolutionary fervour and violent uprising. The rulers, therefore, decided the Nazarene must be stopped – silenced! So, they moved forward with the plot: “Bring Down Jesus.” They conspired, they collaborated and combined forces. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes and Herodians, for once, were all united. They agreed that Jesus of Nazareth was a major threat to them and to the peace and security of the nation of Israel itself. They said, “It is better for this one man to die than for the whole nation to perish.” At once, they agreed. But they could no longer think clearly or see clearly. They stupidly concluded, “This man could cause an uprising and thus provoke devastating Roman military intervention. There’ll be severe and harsh repercussions.” Hmm. Therefore, the religious hierarchy sought to undermine, discredit and then eliminate Jesus. As far as they were concerned, He threatened the existing order, and they continued actively scheming, regarding how most effectively to remove Him – covertly! They resolved to do it after the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread. “The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to death.” But they said, “Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.” Gospel of Mark 14:1-2. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and Herodians – ordinarily fierce rivals maintaining divergent theological perspectives and conflicting political allegiances – formed an unlikely and unprecedented coalition, united primarily by their common hostility and animosity toward Jesus. They hated Him without a cause. This temporary, fiendish alliance of opposition and hatred demonstrates compellingly the extraordinary and unusual threat that Jesus Christ represented to the existing religious and political order and to the vested interests of the establishment. Look! Enemies will come together and unite in their hatred of Christ, in opposition to Christ and also to Christians. May the Lord have mercy on us and rout His enemies if they will not submit to His undisputed, global authority. The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Psalm 110:1 & Hebrews 1:13. He is King of kings; He is Lord of lords. And He Himself said, “He who hates Me hates My Father also.” Gospel of John 15:23. Let us not be fooled. The rulers’ hatred was inexcusable. The truth is that Jesus’ remarkable ability to draw large crowds threatened their precarious authority and wounded their pride. “But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” Gospel of John 15:25 TO BE CONTINUED… 📖 Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Amen.” Thanks for reading “A Fortnight That Redefined The World,” Chapter Two. As we continue this interesting, important journey together, we will discover who Jesus is and the difference that He makes. We will, by the grace of God, learn together and grow together. We will become stronger and get better together. Look out for Chapter Three, the next reflection. Please be kind enough to tap the like button. Add a feedback comment, a Bible verse that resonates with you or simply type, “Thank You, King Jesus.” May He bless your family and friends. Please repost. Walk by faith – and win. 👑 “Together we’re praying for revival – chasing the delightful dream.” 🙏 Loving you much. 💞 Focus Thoughts. Mark and Esther. 😊 England, London. “Here to be a blessing to someone every day” Wednesday 8th April 2026 Song by: Frances Jane Crosby #JesusChrist #Gospel #Faith #Bible #JesusIsLord #SpiritualGrowth

📖 Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, a pleasing, sweet-smelling aroma.”

A Fortnight That Redefined The World 🌍🌎🌏 Chapter One The story we are considering is most fascinating and heart-moving, the most amazing and unique story that can ever be told. It is an epic story with intriguing twists and turns, a cycle of hope and despair, tragedy and triumph, defeat and victory; at times touching things human and altogether divine, merging things earthly and heavenly, embracing things predictable and utterly unpredictable too. It is a wondrous story compressed into a span of two incredible weeks that challenge you, both your mind and your heart, inviting you to discern between the unbelievable and the believable. What a fortnight! It is world re-defining because for two millennia it has made people radically rethink all things, including themselves, humanity and God, angels and devils, evil and sin, righteousness and justice, mercy and love. Because of Easter Sunday, the week before it and the week after it, people across the world have been moved to fundamentally rethink the nature of Heaven and Hell, life, death and immortality, in a new or different way. I’ll invite you then to focus and to give the topic your good attention, dear reader. Our journey then begins in the land of Israel, the birthplace of famous kings and priests and heroic warriors and prophets. It was the first day of the week we now call Palm Sunday, and the air thrummed with expectation. As Jesus of Nazareth began His final descent into Jerusalem, seated not upon a stallion but upon a young donkey, the springtime sunshine cast long shadows across the Mount of Olives. The Great King was on His way. You could hear the birds singing. The almond trees were beginning to blossom in the Kidron Valley, and the “Great Feast” that the Jewish people had celebrated annually since the days of Moses was calling pilgrims to come from near and far. Passover pilgrims swelled Jerusalem’s population from its usual 50,000 to nearly ten times that number or more. Every house was a hostel, every open rooftop a bedding place, every garden a campsite. Among the locals and the travellers to the city, many had heard of Jesus, the Prophet from Galilee, who spoke with unprecedented authority and performed miracles which not only defied explanation but also could not be numbered nor matched by anyone of the past, of the present or of the future. Jesus was being hailed as the promised Messiah, as the new King of Israel, and the Son of God and even the Saviour of the world (Gospel of John 1:49; 4:29; 4:41-42). Jesus raised a dead man to life by the power of His spoken word alone, by simply calling him to come forth from the tomb in which he had been buried four days earlier. The name of the man was Lazarus. The account is recorded in the Gospel of John, in the eleventh chapter. The event took place very close to the city of Jerusalem. Anyway, on Palm Sunday, Jesus was making His way to Jerusalem, a sacred journey He had made many times. He was heading to the Temple, to His Father’s House. Remember the scripture verse, Luke 2:49. The Holy Temple was special to Jesus. Dear friend, imagine you were a pilgrim, perhaps travelling in the company of Jesus, journeying from Galilee or some other location. You have steadily made your way upwards, making the arduous, winding ascent from Jericho, the air thinning and cooling as you climb higher. Your first place of rest is Bethany; a small but welcoming village perched on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. To Jesus, Bethany was a place of intimacy and familiarity, where Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived. Their home was always open to Him, and for this, He was deeply grateful. They were His friends and it is clear that Jesus loved each of them. Plenty people from the small village of Bethany and several from Jerusalem had witnessed Jesus, the kindhearted Miracle-Worker, raise Lazarus from the dead in nearby Bethany just days before Palm Sunday, a supernatural feat so undeniable that even His opponents acknowledged it. This significant miracle could not be denied. But Jesus’ enemies were so consumed with a mix of rage and envy which made them think and act strangely, insensibly; for they acknowledged the holiness, goodness and mightiness of Jesus while plotting to silence both the Miracle-Worker and to kill Lazarus. They planned to eliminate Jesus and to somehow attempt to conceal the evidence of their crime. They irrationally opposed and grossly underestimated the extent of His formidable power. They did not perceive who Jesus was, the glorious Lord. “This none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:8-9. As we reflect on the happenings of the momentous fortnight, which reshaped the thinking of the people of this world, here, it is necessary to tell this particular part of the story. Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom Jesus raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper and Martha, the sister of Lazarus served, but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Jesus. Then Mary, the other sister of Lazarus, took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the head and feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. She broke open the whole jar and poured out all its substance, every drop, upon Him. And so, the house was filled with the sweet fragrance of the ointment. One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who would betray Master, was displeased and said, “Why was this expensive ointment not sold for three hundred pence, and all the money distributed to the poor? Why was it wasted?” He bitterly complained. Judas said this, not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and held the ministry moneybag, and took out for himself what was put therein. He stole. Nevertheless, he sat there accusing Mary of acting rashly and foolishly while pretending he cared for the poor. He was a crafty hypocrite. But Jesus knew Judas’ heart, his motives and the crookedness of his ways. Jesus said, “Leave her alone; she has kept this ointment for the day of My burial. The poor you will always have with you; but Me you have not always. You can do good to the poor whenever you want.” Jesus, our beloved Saviour, will never forget what Mary did. Nor should we. It is called the Bethany Anointing. And wherever the real Gospel of Jesus Christ is told around the world, what this woman has done will be mentioned as a memorial for her. By this, you may easily discern the true Gospel from the false. The spurious gospels which surfaced in the first centuries of the New Testament Church were easily detected because they omitted this crucial account – The Bethany Anointing. Do you understand? Many people of the Jews knew that Jesus had arrived in Bethany. And they came there not for Jesus’ sake only, but came that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death because by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. The plot was underway and the rulers waited for their opportunity to do away with Jesus. They were waiting for a convenient time. Sly Judas Iscariot approached them. And he asked, “What will you give me? And I will deliver Jesus over to you.” For the sum of thirty silver coins, he agreed to betray Jesus into their hands. Now on the day after the Sabbath when many people were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem and to the Temple, they took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and joyfully cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the Name of the Lord. Blessed is the One who comes, our Lord!” Two disciples of Lord Jesus, having been sent to fetch a certain donkey and its colt, had brought them to Jesus. He sat on the young colt. As it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” The event is described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The disciples of King Jesus Christ did not understand the significance of all these things at the time, which were fulfilment of ancient prophecies. But when Jesus was glorified, having conquered death and defeated the devil, and ascended to Heaven, then the disciples realised that these things were long ago written in the Scriptures about Jesus and the disciples remembered that they had done these things unto Him. Gospel of John 12:1-16. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, your ever-living, all-powerful King has come, meek and riding upon a donkey. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, lift up your voice in praise. Last night I lay a sleeping, There came a dream so fair, I stood in old Jerusalem Beside the Temple there. I heard the children singing, And ever as they sang, Methought the voice of angels From Heaven in answer rang; Methought the voice of angels From Heaven in answer rang: Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your gates and sing, Hosanna in the highest Hosanna to your King! There was great excitement and eager anticipation when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. There was almost a celestial joy at the Temple site. While the Temple felt like a little piece of Heaven on earth, the Roman occupation was a cold reminder of the reality of the true situation. The nation had been conquered. Rome ruled over them, they were not free. From the Antonia Fortress, built directly into the northwest corner of the Temple Mount, Roman soldiers watched the courtyards below. They were ready to suppress any uprisings. Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, doubtless travelled up from Caesarea with extra legions to keep the peace. A Roman legion typically consisted of about 5,500 men although the number could vary. Each legion was a well-organised mobile military unit, crucial to the Roman army’s effectiveness. Pilate knew, as everybody knew, about the historic Exodus event. It was an indisputable fact, recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, documented in the sacred writings of Moses and the prophets. Pilate knew that Passover, the festival celebrating the Jewish liberation from the ancient Egyptian empire, was the most likely time for a revolt against the current Roman empire. Insurrection, riots or skirmishes could break out suddenly. Patriotic and nationalistic feelings were unusually high, at fever pitch. Zealots were active. He intended to make sure everything went smoothly and peacefully. Pilate would, however, soon find himself caught up in the middle of a religious and political storm. Pilate was about to come face to face with Jesus, as would Herod the tetrarch of Galilee. They were both about to become instrumental characters in the greatest story ever told or heard, the story of the fortnight that redefined the world. We’ll look at the roles they played in a future chapter, on another occasion. But on a personal and practical note, dear friend, what should our feelings, thoughts and responses be? The events that occurred in Jerusalem and in Bethany and at Golgotha and on the road to Emmaus and the events elsewhere, have changed the world. The events from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday and the Sunday thereafter, when Thomas saw Jesus and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God” are the greatest and most momentous things ever to happen in this created world or under the sun. Indeed, these things concerning Jesus of Nazareth are the greatest things ever to have happened in the universe. This Jesus is the most misunderstood Person that ever walked on God’s green earth. He is loved by those who know Him but feared and shunned by those who don’t. He is a holy anomaly, a divine and human phenomenon. On the one hand, He unites people; on the other hand, He divides people. As Jesus Himself said, “I came not to bring peace, but a sword.” Poignant words. Obviously, this does not mean that Jesus ever resorted to or promoted violence. No. It means that His claims demand a response and thus He separates people. He will not be ignored; He cannot be forgotten. We cannot be neutral about Jesus. Charles S. Lewis famously argued that Jesus’ claims about Himself leave us only three options: either He was a liar, or a lunatic, or Lord. If Jesus claimed to come from Heaven but didn’t, then He was a liar or at best a lunatic. If Jesus claimed to be God but wasn't, He was either deceiving people (a liar) or was Himself deceived or deluded (a lunatic). But if His claims were true, He came from Heaven and He is Lord, and we must respond accordingly, appropriately. Just before Jesus raised Lazarus to life and loosed the power of death that was over him, Jesus spoke tenderly to Martha, the bereaved sister of Lazarus. Lord Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection, and the Life; he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Martha said to Him, “Yea, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” And when she had said this, she went her way, and called Mary her grieving sister secretly, saying, “The Master has come, and calls for you.” Gospel of John 11:25-28. So, when the two sisters were at the sepulchre and weeping, Jesus said unto Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Then, as Jesus had commanded, the men moved away the large stone from the place where the dead body was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes towards Heaven, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me.” Gospel of John 11:40-41. And, dear friend, you know what happened immediately afterwards when Jesus called out loudly, “Lazarus, come forth!” Yes, miracle of miracles; yes, wonder of wonders; Lazarus who was dead, came forth. He was alive, he was alive. Glory to Jesus, the life-giver. Glory to Jesus, Lord and God. TO BE CONTINUED… Thanks for reading “A Fortnight That Redefined The World,” Chapter One. As we continue this interesting, important journey together, we will discover who Jesus is and the difference that He makes. We will, by the grace of God, learn together and grow together. We will become stronger and get better together. Look out for Chapter Two, the next reflection. Tap the like button, repost if you like and add a feedback comment or a Bible verse that resonates with you. 💡Bless your family and friends. Walk by faith – and win. 👑“Together we’re praying for revival – chasing the delightful dream.” 🙏 Loving you much. 💞 Focus Thoughts, Mark & Esther, England, London “Here to be a blessing to someone every day” Thursday 2ndApril 2026 Song by: Frederick Edward Weatherly #JesusChrist #Gospel #Faith #Bible #JesusIsLord #SpiritualGrowth #NASA

Do you still trust God?

📖 2 Corinthians 4:18 “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

@LeeLeeBug1212 Perfect. 🎯

Proverbs 21 30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

📖 Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for us, as it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”