Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

15"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed
is he who stays awake and keeps his
clothes with him, so that he may not go
naked and be shamefully exposed."
Revelation 16:15 (New International Version)

Reflection:

If you throw a frog in a pan of hot water
and it will quickly leap to safety. The
danger is quit obvious. But place the same
frog in a pan of cold water, and slowly raise
the temperature. The frog will not realize
the danger until he is on the verge of being
boiled alive.
It is the same way with the devil.
Christians easily recognize Satan's frontal
assaults, those are not hard to see. But
the devil doesn't usually use frontal assaults.
Satan has very subtle ways of attacking from
the blind side.
C.S. Lewis once said, "The safest road to hell
is the gradual one- gentle slope, without
sudden turnings, without milestones without
signposts."
The best way for Christians to safeguard
against evil is to abide in our Savior Jesus
Christ and remain alert! Please don't let
yourself be deceived, evil is there often
quietly working. The fire is hot and many are
in danger! Remember there is a reward
awaiting those who are alert. WAKE UP
BE ON GUARD!!!!!

Prayer:

Oh Father, when the works of the
devil surround me please make me aware.
Deepen my understanding of the victory
You won on the Cross. Help me to
experience the Cross so that I can face
evil and partake in Your victory. Give me
strength and confidence in You so that
I will overcome evil in my life. In Jesus
Name AMEN!

God was not created for man to enjoy,
but man was created for God to enjoy,
Man is God's richest treasure and must
be restored to Him-not for the sake of
the treasure, but for the sake of the
Owner.
We preach, not because me want God,
but because God wants men. We go
forth with the Gospel not because men
are godless, but because God is manless.
Salvation has not been provided simply that
man might rejoice in heaven, but that
heaven might rejoice in man.
Though the arms of the cross reach
around the world as an expression
of man's opportunity for deliverance from
sin, yet we do not fully understand
Calvary until we have seen it from above.
From that perspective we begin to
realize that missions is not a
response to man's desire for God, but
to God's desire for man.
The "Great Commission" was His
thought, not ours. It grew out of God's
desire to enjoy eternal fellowship with
mankind.
For His sake, let's get on with the job.

Don W. Hillis

Scripture:

If you need wisdom . . . ask him,
and he will gladly tell you. James 1:5

Seek his will in all you do, and he will
direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6

Reflection:

Do you ever find yourself in the position
when you just don't know what to do?
I mean you have tried everything, but nothing
seems to work out. I would like to make a
suggestion, instead of wasting all this time
of trial and error, first seek God's guidance.
If you do this He promises to grant you
wisdom. Just ask Solomon, he did, and
boy was he granted wisdom.

Prayer:

Oh Lord I do not seek treasure for
myself, please, just grant wisdom.
To the only wise God, in Jesus Name
AMEN!

Scripture:

"And she shall bring forth a Son,
and you will call His name Jesus:
For He shall save His people from
their sins. (Matthew 1:21) KJV

Reflection:

It happened right from the very
beginning, right from the announcement
to Mary of Jesus' birth. "for He shall save
His people from their sins". That is just
what we celebrated through Christ's death
and resurrection. That is what it's all
about, you and I and are saved from our
sins. You know what that means? We
are not bound by our sins, or mistakes,
even our lives. If you and I truly believe,
we are set free from our sins, our mistakes,
from all we did not accomplish in our lives.
Our reward for our deep seated faith, is
that we are set free forever for all eternity.
I believe and I'm free. ARE YOU?

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank You for Your Son
Jesus Christ who has set me free for
all eternity. Thank You that I am no longer
bound by mistakes, but am free to learn
from those mistakes and sin no morel

Scripture:

Listen, my child, to what your
father teaches you. Don't neglect
your mother's teaching. What
you learn from them will crown
you with grace and clothe you
with honor. Proverbs 1:8-9 NLT

Sensible children bring joy to
their father; foolish children
despise their mother.
Proverbs 15:20 NLT

(Note= This is really something
to think and pray about!)

Honor your parents

Once upon a time, there was
a young family — a father, mother,
and their young son. Living
with them was the father's dad.
Grandpa was old and shaky and
very feeble. He dripped everything,
especially when he ate. He
slobbered everything and made
a terrible mess. It was embarrassing
to the family, especially when
company came over. So put the
old man off to one side, away from
the table. They gave him an earthen
bowl to eat out of. But he broke that.
In fact, he continued to slobber and
make a mess. Finally, his
daughter-in-law spoke out harshly
to him and moved him to a far corner
of the room, far from the dinner table.
He was given a wooden trough to eat
out of. At mealtime he would look
wistfully at the family, wishing that
he could eat with them. But that was
not to be.

One day the daughter-in-law found
her son fiddling with some pieces of
wood as he tried to put them together.
She asked him what he was doing.
His answer: "I'm making a trough for
you and Daddy that I can give you when
I grow up." With these words, judgment
was brought to the daughter-in-law, and
she shared it with her husband. They
brought their dad back to the table. He
didn't stop slobbering or shaking, but it
didn't matter anymore. They were finally
honoring their father.
adapted from 1001 Great Stories and
Quotes by R. Kent Hughes, Tyndale
House Publishers (1998), p 160

Reflections:

The chances are that you'll never be
elected President of the country, write
the great American novel, make a million
dollars, stop pollution and racial conflict,
or save the world. However valid it may
be to work at any of these goals, there
is another one of higher priority — to be
an effective parent. LANDRUM R. BOLLING
AMEN AMEN!

Scripture:

17And a voice from heaven said,
"This is my Son, whom I love;
with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:17 (New International Version)

Reflection:

Jesus is God's beloved Son. With
Whom He (God) is well pleased.
You know He is well pleased with
everyone who is in Christ, all those
who are united to Him by faith.
It seems to me that we should
be responding by saying, He is our
beloved Savior of Whom we are
well pleased.
Are you pleased with God or are
you pissed off at Him?. So many
people seem to be mad at God.
They want to blame God for their
circumstances. In other words
they are not tied into (united) to
God by faith. Because if they were
united to God by faith, they would use
the strength that is given to them,
through their faith, to change their
circumstances. As I have stated
before God promises to give us the
courage to face our problems with
his strength. Use the strength that
God gives you to over come the over
riding problems that surrounds you.
I don't know about you but I AM WELL
PLEASED WITH MY BELOVED
SAVIOR! HOW ABOUT YOU?

Prayer:

Lord I was once an orphan blown
along deserted streets. But thank
You Jesus You took me in and
adopted me as Your own child.
How I praise You for the security
and acceptance that I have found
in Your presence! I praise You
Lord, In Your Name AMEN!

Jesus is my hope and trust

Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
For sin is the sting that results
in death, and the law gives sin
its power. How we thank God,
who gives us victory over sin
and death through Jesus Christ
our Lord!
1 Corinthians 15:55-56 NLT

Jesus lives, and so shall I:
Death, thy sting is gone forever!
He for me hath deigned to die,
lives the bands of death to sever.
He shall raise me from the dust:
Jesus is my hope and trust.

Jesus Lives, and So Shall I
Christian Furchtegott Gellert (1715-1769)

Just a happy ending?

What difference does Christ's
resurrection make? Is it just a
happy ending to an otherwise
tragic tale? No, of course not.
Jesus had to rise, as Peter
eloquently stated at Pentecost.
It was impossible for death to
defeat the Lord of life. The
Resurrection proves that Jesus
was the Son of God. Our faith
is built on this solid foundation.
As Paul wrote, "If Christ has not
been raised, your faith is futile;
you are still in your sins.…If
only for this life we have hope
in Christ, we are to be pitied
more than all men" (1 Corinthians
15:17, 19). But He has risen! And
as Jesus promised His disciples,
"Because I live, you also will live"
(John 14:19).

Without Christ, human life is merely
prolonged death. Everything is
decaying. But Jesus gives us eternal
life, which radically changes our life
on earth. Not only do we have eternity
to look forward to, but we have the
power to live in right relationship with
God and others right now in our daily
lives. Jesus is our hope for the future
and our trust for each day. Praise Him!

Our "Resurrection Week" readings are
adapted from The One Year® Book of
Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown,
Tyndale House Publishers (1995).
Today's is taken from the entry for April 2.

Scripture:

But the fact is that Christ has been
raised from the dead. He has become
the first of a great harvest of those who
will be raised to life again.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT

Hymn:

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth
reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led,
Alleluia! Following our exalted Head,
Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise,
Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the
skies, Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Charles Wesley (1707-1788) and others

Reflection:

Christ has won the final victory

The grave has been "boasting" of its
power since Eden. But now it has
finally met its match. It wraps Jesus
up at the Cross and "forbids him to
rise," but our Champion, Jesus Christ,
fought and won. Where is your sting
now, O Death? Christ has won the
final victory.

We know that whatever boasting we
do is not in ourselves, but in the power
of Christ. He has won the victory, and
now we're just soaring where Christ has
led. We bask in the benefits of the Cross,
and we look past the grave to our heavenly
reunion with Him. Alleluia!

Our Easter Week readings are adapted from
The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House
Publishers (1995). Today's is taken from
the entry for April 3.

Digging Deeper/Telling Others: For more on
the meaning of Easter, read Why the
Resurrection by Greg Laurie (Tyndale, 2005),

I Know My Redeemer Lives

Scripture:

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer
lives, and that he will stand upon the earth
at last. And after my body has decayed,
yet in my body I will see God. I will see
him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my
own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!
Job 19:25-27 NLT

Hymn:

I know that my Redeemer lives; what joy
the blest assurance gives! He lives, He lives,
who once was dead; He lives, my everlasting
Head!

He lives, all glory to His name; He lives, my
Savior, still the same; what joy the blest
assurance gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Samuel Medley (1738-1799)

Reflection:

One of those verses

Every once in a while, a verse jumps out of the
Old Testament and takes on a new meaning.
Job lost his fortune, family, and much of his
health. In a stunning display of faith, he expresses
his only remaining hope: "I know that my Redeemer
lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the
earth" (Job 19:25). The words find an uncanny
fulfillment in Jesus.

Jesus gave His life to redeem us, to buy us
back from our slavery to sin. His death was the
price of our freedom. But that's not the bottom
line, thank God. As the sun rises on Easter
morning, we can say with Job, "I know that
my Redeemer lives." He lives! Death could not
hold Him. He lives, to finish salvation's work in me.

Hymn writer Samuel Medley often repeated words
and phrases in his songs. Here, what's repeated is
the most important concept: "He lives…He lives…
He lives."

("Resurrection Week" readings are adapted
from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House
Publishers (1995). Today's is taken from the
entry for April 2.)

According to the New Testament, Jesus was
arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the
Temple Guards through the guidance of his
disciple, Judas Iscariot. Judas received money
for betraying Jesus and told the guards that
whomever he kisses is the one they are to
arrest. Jesus is brought to the house of Annas,
who is the father-in-law of the current high priest,

Conflicting testimony against Jesus is brought
forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus answers
nothing. Finally the high priest adjures Jesus to
respond under solemn oath, saying "I adjure you,
by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed
One, the Son of God?" Jesus testifies in the affirmative,
"You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of
Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming
on the clouds of Heaven." The high priest condemns
Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus
concurs with a sentence of death (Matthew 26:57-66).
Peter also denies Jesus three times during the interrogations.
Jesus already knew that Peter would deny him three times.
See the article Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus regarding the two
trials, one at night, the other in the morning and how
their timing may affect the day of Good Friday.
A Good Friday procession in Bombay by Indian
Roman Catholics, depicting the Way of the Cross

In the morning, the whole assembly brings Jesus
to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, under charges
of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar,
and making himself a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate
authorizes the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus
according to their own Law and execute sentencing,
however the Jewish leaders reply that they are not
allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence
of death (John 18:31).

Pilate questions Jesus, and tells the assembly
that there is no basis for sentencing. Upon
learning that Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate refers
the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who
was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod
questions Jesus but receives no answer; Herod
sends Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate tells the
assembly that neither he nor Herod have found
guilt in Jesus; Pilate resolves to have Jesus
whipped and released (Luke 23:3-16).

It was a custom during the feast of Passover
for the Romans to release one prisoner as
requested by the Jews. Pilate asks the crowd
who they would like to be released. Under the
guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asks for
Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for
committing murder during an insurrection.
Pilate asks what they would have him do with
Jesus, and they demand, "Crucify him" (Mark 15:6-14).
Pilate's wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day;
she forewarns Pilate to "have nothing to do with this
righteous man" (Matthew 27:19).

Pilate has Jesus flogged, then brings him out to the
crowd to release him. The chief priests inform Pilate
of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to
death "because he claimed to be God's son." This
possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus
back inside the palace and demanded to know from
where he came (John 19:1-9).
Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Ecce Homo with Jesus
and Pontius Pilate, 19th century.

Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declares
Jesus innocent, washing his own hands in water to show
he has no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate
hands Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot (
Matthew 27:24-26). The sentence written is
"Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus carries
his cross to the site of execution (assisted by Simon of Cyrene),
called the place of the Skull, or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and
in Latin "Calvary". There he is crucified along with two
criminals (John 19:17-22).

Jesus agonizes on the cross for six hours. During his
last 3 hours on the cross,from noon to 3pm, there is
darkness over the whole land.[7] With a loud cry, Jesus
gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break
open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to
bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion
declares, "Truly this was God's Son!" (Matthew 27:45-54)

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and
secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his
condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of
Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Pilate asks confirmation from
the centurion whether Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44).
A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance
causing blood and water to flow out (John 19:34),
and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:45).

Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus, wraps
it in a clean linen shroud, and places it in his own new
tomb that had been carved in the rock (Matthew 27:59-60)
in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Another secret
follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named
Nicodemus (John 3:1) also came bringing 75 pounds
of myrrh and aloes, and places them in the linen with
the body of Jesus, according to Jewish burial customs
(John 19:39-40). They rolled a large rock over the entrance
of the tomb (Matthew 27:60). Then they returned home
and rested, because at sunset began Shabbat (Luke 23:54-56).
On the third day, Sunday, which is now known as
Easter Sunday (or Pascha), Jesus rose from the dead.