Today is Good Friday. It was anything but “good” on that day that they took Jesus after having persecuted Him all through the night awakening the High Priest, calling a mock trial that had so many flaws an unlearned citizen could see them. And then taking Him to Pilate who was too chicken hearted to make a decision according to his own instincts saying, “I find no fault in this man” then handing Him to the crazed crowd of people to be beaten and crucified. It was a horrible night.
Yet, everything went according to God’s plan. Hundreds of years earlier prophets had spoken to prepare the people for what would come. The Psalmist wrote words eerily similar to Jesus words and what happened on the “Good” Friday that Jesus was crucified. Psalms 22:1; 12-18 (NIV) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.”
Then Isaiah spoke. Isaiah 53:3-12 (NIV) “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
So clear are both of these prophetic words spoken, inspired by the Holy Spirit, hundreds of years before Jesus actually suffered and died for us. So detailed are the descriptions from physical details of Jesus’ experience to how and where He was buried to the fact that He bore the sins of others and interceded for sinners. Yet, what is Good Friday to us was to the disciples and other followers of Jesus the Friday they lost everything they’d hoped for. They thought He would deliver them from the oppression of the day that they lived under. They thoughts He would be their King that would rule then and there. That would have been only for a few decades of their lives. What they couldn’t see was that they were right... He came to deliver and rule but not for a few decades... He came for eternity! It was a black Friday for them but Sunday did come! Sunday when He came out of the tomb!
For you today it may look like that black Friday did to the disciples, but remember Sunday’s Coming! Pat Barnes tells the following story in the March 1995 issue of Guidepost magazine.
It was a beautiful spring day, and a sense of peace stayed with me as I left the cathedral on Easter Monday morning. I paused for a moment on top of the steps leading to the avenue, now crowded with people rushing to their jobs. Sitting in her usual place inside a small archway was the old flower lady. At her feet corsages and boutonnieres were parading on top of a spread-open newspaper. The flower lady was smiling, her wrinkled old face alive with some inner joy. I started down the stairs——then, on an impulse, turned and picked out a flower.
As I put it in my lapel, I said, “You look happy this morning.”
“Why not? Everything is good.”
She was dressed so shabbily and seemed so very old that her reply startled me. “You’ve been sitting here for many years now, haven’t you? And always smiling. You wear your troubles well.”
“You can’t reach my age and not have troubles,” she replied. “Only it’s like Jesus and Good Friday . . . ” She paused for a moment.
“Yes?” I prompted.
“Well, when Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, that was the worst day for the whole world. And when I get troubles I remember that, and then I think of what happened only three days later——Easter and our Lord arising. So when I get troubles, I’ve learned to wait three days . . . somehow everything gets all right again.”
And she smiled good-bye. Her words still follow me whenever I think I have troubles. Give God a chance to help . . . wait three days. — SOURCE: By Patt Barnes, March 1995 issue of Guideposts.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, if I said to You every day of my life, a thousand times everyday of my life that I have left to live, “Thank You for suffering for me, thank You for taking my sins to that cross, thank You for taking my sickness and disease in Your body, thank You for carrying my grief and sorrow, thank You for forgiving me on that day”, it would never be enough. I am grateful. Please forgive me in the rush of life for not saying often enough, “Thank You!” Thank You for the future I have because of Your selfless gift. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Friday, April 6, 2007
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
As we move through “Holy Week” we remember today that Jesus met with his disciples to observe the Passover meal. In doing so He started another practice that we call an ordinance at LIFEchurch. It is one of two ordinances that we observe, The Lord’s Supper and water baptism. Jesus was preparing them for what was coming although I am not so sure they really got it that night. It was probably after it was over that all these things began to take on meaning for them. He shared with them the bread and the cup.
Then Jesus went with them to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. It was there that He prayed the familiar prayer, “Father, let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless not my will, but your will be done.” What a difficult time it must have been. Luke describes it for us. “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:39-44 (NIV)
Luke is the only writer that mentions this phenomenon of “sweat like drops of blood.” That is interesting since he (Luke) was the doctor among them. There is a medical term for this condition. When the body is under great stress oneof two things happens. The stress is evident in the fact that God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus. Luke said He was in “anguish.” This was a moment when emotionally and physically He totally exhausted Himself. Under this kind of stress a man will either just faint, pass out or the capillaries of the blood vessels (many of them just under skin) will burst throughout the body causing blood to leak through the pores of the skin where sweat would normally come. This is what happened to Jesus on that night. This was not just a metaphor that Luke was using to describe the pressure of the moment. As a doctor he saw and understood what was happening. Jesus bodied became covered in blood as He prayed.
John describes the moment the soldiers arrived in the garden on that Thursday evening to arrest Jesus. He says that when Jesus identified Himself “they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:6) I believe there was a practical reason that happened. When Jesus stepped into the muted light of their torches what they saw was a man covered in blood already. They were shocked at His appearance. Just as His clothes would have been absorbing sweat normally, in this case they absorbed blood. His faced was covered in blood as that is the place with more of the capillaries near the surface than any where else on the body.
The blood shed of Jesus sacrifice did not wait for the beating or being nailed to cross. It began in the agony of surrender on His face before His father crying out for strength and mercy.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am so humbled by Your incredible love and commitment to me. As I review all this coming to Easter, my heart is broken that I have failed so many times in so many ways, but at the same time my hear swells with indescribable hope that because You love me that much there is nothing in life that I cannot face, no trial that I cannot overcome, no sin that I cannot rise above, no failure so great that it places me outside Your reach of love and forgiveness. Thank You, Jesus. I love You, Jesus. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Then Jesus went with them to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. It was there that He prayed the familiar prayer, “Father, let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless not my will, but your will be done.” What a difficult time it must have been. Luke describes it for us. “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:39-44 (NIV)
Luke is the only writer that mentions this phenomenon of “sweat like drops of blood.” That is interesting since he (Luke) was the doctor among them. There is a medical term for this condition. When the body is under great stress oneof two things happens. The stress is evident in the fact that God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus. Luke said He was in “anguish.” This was a moment when emotionally and physically He totally exhausted Himself. Under this kind of stress a man will either just faint, pass out or the capillaries of the blood vessels (many of them just under skin) will burst throughout the body causing blood to leak through the pores of the skin where sweat would normally come. This is what happened to Jesus on that night. This was not just a metaphor that Luke was using to describe the pressure of the moment. As a doctor he saw and understood what was happening. Jesus bodied became covered in blood as He prayed.
John describes the moment the soldiers arrived in the garden on that Thursday evening to arrest Jesus. He says that when Jesus identified Himself “they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:6) I believe there was a practical reason that happened. When Jesus stepped into the muted light of their torches what they saw was a man covered in blood already. They were shocked at His appearance. Just as His clothes would have been absorbing sweat normally, in this case they absorbed blood. His faced was covered in blood as that is the place with more of the capillaries near the surface than any where else on the body.
The blood shed of Jesus sacrifice did not wait for the beating or being nailed to cross. It began in the agony of surrender on His face before His father crying out for strength and mercy.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am so humbled by Your incredible love and commitment to me. As I review all this coming to Easter, my heart is broken that I have failed so many times in so many ways, but at the same time my hear swells with indescribable hope that because You love me that much there is nothing in life that I cannot face, no trial that I cannot overcome, no sin that I cannot rise above, no failure so great that it places me outside Your reach of love and forgiveness. Thank You, Jesus. I love You, Jesus. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
How Many Easters Do You Need?
One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum.
"Dear Sirs,
Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Bewildered.
Dear Bewildered,
“Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear thru his side...put him in an airless tomb for three days and see what happens."
There is the if/then relationship in life. Colombus said, “If the world is round then I can reach the West by sailing East. Enrico Fermi said, “If I can split the atom then it going to produce a whole lot of energy.” Bill Gates said, “If I copied the Apple-Macintosh desktop, then people would like Microsoft Windows more.” A student says, “If I go to medical school then I can be a doctor.” There is an if/then relationship that changed the world and certainly changes the life of believers.
Paul had his list of if/then... 1 Corinthians 15:12-23 “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” NIV
Several years ago I traveled to the former Soviet Union to teach in a Bible School and attend their annual graduation. While there I was privileged to preach in one of the evangelical churches. It happens that there Christians celebrate the orthodox Easter along with the Russian Orthodox church, and the Sunday I was there was Easter Sunday. We entered the service and many times during the course of the morning the pastor leading would say with great conviction and elation, “Christ is Risen!” Then the congregation would respond with just as much conviction and elation, “He is risen indeed!” What a great experience that was to preach the Easter message to these friends who had for many years lived in the darkness of a Godless society and now knew the resurrected Lord.
Then it dawned on me that I was going to have two Easters this year. The one there in Moscow and Easter a couple of weeks later in Austin, Texas. After that epiphany I had another and realized that nobody needs two Easters. It only took one to do what Jesus did for us. One death and one resurrection changed everything.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the truth of the resurrection that gives us hope in all our lives. If You are in control (and I know you are) then I have nothing to worry about. You can handle it... life and everything in it. I trust You, Lord even though there are moments my thoughts and even my actions relapse into old patterns. In those moments bring me back to the truth and the power of the resurrection that changes everything. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
"Dear Sirs,
Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Bewildered.
Dear Bewildered,
“Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear thru his side...put him in an airless tomb for three days and see what happens."
There is the if/then relationship in life. Colombus said, “If the world is round then I can reach the West by sailing East. Enrico Fermi said, “If I can split the atom then it going to produce a whole lot of energy.” Bill Gates said, “If I copied the Apple-Macintosh desktop, then people would like Microsoft Windows more.” A student says, “If I go to medical school then I can be a doctor.” There is an if/then relationship that changed the world and certainly changes the life of believers.
Paul had his list of if/then... 1 Corinthians 15:12-23 “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” NIV
Several years ago I traveled to the former Soviet Union to teach in a Bible School and attend their annual graduation. While there I was privileged to preach in one of the evangelical churches. It happens that there Christians celebrate the orthodox Easter along with the Russian Orthodox church, and the Sunday I was there was Easter Sunday. We entered the service and many times during the course of the morning the pastor leading would say with great conviction and elation, “Christ is Risen!” Then the congregation would respond with just as much conviction and elation, “He is risen indeed!” What a great experience that was to preach the Easter message to these friends who had for many years lived in the darkness of a Godless society and now knew the resurrected Lord.
Then it dawned on me that I was going to have two Easters this year. The one there in Moscow and Easter a couple of weeks later in Austin, Texas. After that epiphany I had another and realized that nobody needs two Easters. It only took one to do what Jesus did for us. One death and one resurrection changed everything.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the truth of the resurrection that gives us hope in all our lives. If You are in control (and I know you are) then I have nothing to worry about. You can handle it... life and everything in it. I trust You, Lord even though there are moments my thoughts and even my actions relapse into old patterns. In those moments bring me back to the truth and the power of the resurrection that changes everything. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Lessons in the Last Week
This is Holy Week, the last week that Jesus walked upon this earth in the flesh of a human being. Yesterday churches around the world remembered Him riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey colt, using the coats of those in the crowd as a saddle, hearing the cries of Hosanna! Hosanna! meaning Save! Save! The people were oppressed and lost needing a Savior. They thought the savior they needed was a king to overthrow the oppressive government they lived in. But that is not what Jesus came to do.
The next morning He and His disciple are coming again into the city and the gospel writer, Mark, says that He is hungry (11:12). He sees a fig tree in the distance and goes to it to find fruit and eat to quiet His hunger. But when He arrives at the tree it is barren, no fruit. Mark indicates it was not even the season for figs yet. The next thing that happens is interesting. Jesus says, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” Now this could have been some of Jesus’ “humanness” coming out in frustration that He was hungry and needed something to eat. It was almost as if there were a moment of anger. He went from there (11:15-19) to the temple and began turning over tables and chairs, saying
“You have made my Father’s House a den of thieves instead of the house of prayer it was meant to be,” and He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. What’s up with Jesus? Does He have an anger management problem?
No, but His spirit, His emotions were no doubt raw and irritable because He knew what was ahead of Him. And even the Son of God had to cringe at the thought of the pain yet to be experienced. But there were lessons to be learned to. A little while later they were passing by that same fig tree and Peter remembered and said, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” (11:20) Peter used the word cursed, but I didn’t see where Jesus used any inappropriate language. We think of cursing as using “bad words,” but they understood cursing as using words that spoke in anger or in a negative way. Jesus did not refute his words by saying that He did not curse. What we can learn is that our words are a blessing or a curse. What you have heard me quote so often from Proverbs is that we have the power of life and death in our tongue, our words. Use them carefully. When you call other people names, when you speak in a discouraging, demeaning way to others you impact their lives in ways you cannot imagine. Be careful with your words. On the other hand Jesus said we can speak to mountains and move them. Be powerful with your words!
And the Temple outburst, what was that about? There are those that use this as an excuse to not talk about money or giving or any such topic in the church. That’s not what Jesus was angry about. He was angry at the profiteering of the leaders of the temple. They were not interested in the people as they should have been, but rather used the people and their need to get gain for themselves. Of course, it takes money to run a ministry, a church. I do have strong feelings about churches being “in business.” We must run with the integrity expected of successful businesses, but we also must never lose the ministry focus of serving others. That is why we exist. I do have a problem with the mentality of churches today that the senior pastor is the CEO. I am a pastor, a shepherd. While it is required of a pastor in this day to know something of business practices, I am first a spiritual leader not a business leader. The church must be focused on people and serving the people, not serving ourselves. It is easy for us to be about buildings and corporate structure, but we must fight to keep it a house of prayer and ministry for the Lord.
There are other lessons in this last week of Jesus on this earth. Stay tuned.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being willing to pay the ultimate price for my salvation. Thank You for not backing down during this last week, but setting Your heart on the goal, on the cross for me and for the world. I love You and have no words adequate to say what I feel. I am sure glad You can know my heart. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
The next morning He and His disciple are coming again into the city and the gospel writer, Mark, says that He is hungry (11:12). He sees a fig tree in the distance and goes to it to find fruit and eat to quiet His hunger. But when He arrives at the tree it is barren, no fruit. Mark indicates it was not even the season for figs yet. The next thing that happens is interesting. Jesus says, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” Now this could have been some of Jesus’ “humanness” coming out in frustration that He was hungry and needed something to eat. It was almost as if there were a moment of anger. He went from there (11:15-19) to the temple and began turning over tables and chairs, saying
“You have made my Father’s House a den of thieves instead of the house of prayer it was meant to be,” and He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. What’s up with Jesus? Does He have an anger management problem?
No, but His spirit, His emotions were no doubt raw and irritable because He knew what was ahead of Him. And even the Son of God had to cringe at the thought of the pain yet to be experienced. But there were lessons to be learned to. A little while later they were passing by that same fig tree and Peter remembered and said, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” (11:20) Peter used the word cursed, but I didn’t see where Jesus used any inappropriate language. We think of cursing as using “bad words,” but they understood cursing as using words that spoke in anger or in a negative way. Jesus did not refute his words by saying that He did not curse. What we can learn is that our words are a blessing or a curse. What you have heard me quote so often from Proverbs is that we have the power of life and death in our tongue, our words. Use them carefully. When you call other people names, when you speak in a discouraging, demeaning way to others you impact their lives in ways you cannot imagine. Be careful with your words. On the other hand Jesus said we can speak to mountains and move them. Be powerful with your words!
And the Temple outburst, what was that about? There are those that use this as an excuse to not talk about money or giving or any such topic in the church. That’s not what Jesus was angry about. He was angry at the profiteering of the leaders of the temple. They were not interested in the people as they should have been, but rather used the people and their need to get gain for themselves. Of course, it takes money to run a ministry, a church. I do have strong feelings about churches being “in business.” We must run with the integrity expected of successful businesses, but we also must never lose the ministry focus of serving others. That is why we exist. I do have a problem with the mentality of churches today that the senior pastor is the CEO. I am a pastor, a shepherd. While it is required of a pastor in this day to know something of business practices, I am first a spiritual leader not a business leader. The church must be focused on people and serving the people, not serving ourselves. It is easy for us to be about buildings and corporate structure, but we must fight to keep it a house of prayer and ministry for the Lord.
There are other lessons in this last week of Jesus on this earth. Stay tuned.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being willing to pay the ultimate price for my salvation. Thank You for not backing down during this last week, but setting Your heart on the goal, on the cross for me and for the world. I love You and have no words adequate to say what I feel. I am sure glad You can know my heart. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
What Love!
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. — Max Lucado
Someone said, “At the old rugged cross” we see man at his worst and God at His best.”
The story is told about Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had capturing a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “What will you give me if I release you?”
“Half of my wealth,” was his reply.
“And if I release your children?”
“Everything I possess.”
“And if I release your wife?”
““Your Majesty, I will give myself.”
Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!”
With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you--the one who was willing to give himself for me.”
May we be so mesmerized by the One who gave His life for us all. I am so glad the Scripture says, “For God so loved the world He gave His only Son.” If you are part of “the world” you are included in His love.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we move through this holy week approaching the day we, as a church, celebrate your resurrection from the dead help me to remember how loved I am, how cherished I am by You. I don’t want to be swelled by sinful pride, but rather by a grateful heart. I may be undeserving, but I am not unloved. “Thank you” seems so small. I am glad You know my heart and the value of those two words spoken from my heart. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Someone said, “At the old rugged cross” we see man at his worst and God at His best.”
The story is told about Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had capturing a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “What will you give me if I release you?”
“Half of my wealth,” was his reply.
“And if I release your children?”
“Everything I possess.”
“And if I release your wife?”
““Your Majesty, I will give myself.”
Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!”
With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you--the one who was willing to give himself for me.”
May we be so mesmerized by the One who gave His life for us all. I am so glad the Scripture says, “For God so loved the world He gave His only Son.” If you are part of “the world” you are included in His love.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we move through this holy week approaching the day we, as a church, celebrate your resurrection from the dead help me to remember how loved I am, how cherished I am by You. I don’t want to be swelled by sinful pride, but rather by a grateful heart. I may be undeserving, but I am not unloved. “Thank you” seems so small. I am glad You know my heart and the value of those two words spoken from my heart. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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