Christian Reflection and Prayer

“You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live,
and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where
I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must
obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the
LORD your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person
who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.”
— Leviticus 18:3–5

God cautioned the nation of Israel: “You must not do as they
do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as
they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you … You
must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees … for
the person who obeys them will live by them.” God was telling
the Israelites that they were not to follow the crowd. They were
to swim against the stream and go against the flow in order to
obey God. And here’s the punch line: “the person who obeys
them will live by them.”

Our natural instinct is to be afraid of challenging the status quo.
We might be laughed at or in some places even killed for
different beliefs. But God is telling us, if we want to live, we have
to stand up for what is right. God is the source of our protection
and blessings. When we fear only Him, we will live and prosper.
It’s when we stray that we should be truly afraid.

In what areas of your life is God calling you to stand out from the
crowd? Where is it that you need to swim against the stream?
Don’t be afraid to do things differently. Stand up for God and He
will stand for you. Swim upstream; it’s the path that will carry
you to God.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT!! NOT WHAT OTHERS
SAY IS RIGHT BUT WITH GOD'S WILL IN YOUR LIFE.
WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT!)

Read Luke 24:36-49.

TEXT: They shall come and proclaim His righteousness to
a people yet unborn, that He has done it (Psalm 22:31).

When Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His Twelve
and to many other disciples. Luke tells us, "He presented
Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs,
appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the
kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). These apostles boldly shared
the things they had heard and seen, and the church grew
tremendously under the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit.

By the Spirit's inspiration and guidance, the apostles
recorded Jesus' words and deeds in the four Gospels
(Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and in various letters and
writings of the New Testament. Through that word they
continue to speak of all the Lord Jesus accomplished for us.
They wanted to be sure that generations yet to come would
know the truth about Jesus' great mission of salvation.

You and I were among that people yet unborn when these
great events were accomplished for us. Yet God's Word has
come down to us, proclaiming God's righteousness, and
assuring us that our Lord Jesus Christ has done everything
necessary for our salvation. Comforted, strengthened and at
peace with God through this Good News, we cannot help but
go and proclaim God's righteous plan throughout the whole earth.

Unless Jesus comes first, you and I will also lay in the dust of
death one day awaiting the resurrection of the dead won by
Jesus Christ our Lord. May God work in us to go throughout the
world and faithfully share the Gospel. May we do this so that
many generations yet unborn may put their trust in Jesus Christ
and pass on His great salvation until the day the Lord Jesus
returns with all His angels.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, to You belongs all praise and glory. Continue
to bless and guide us Your people, that we may spread Your
story to a people yet unborn. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Scripture:

The Resurrection

28 Early on Sunday morning,[a] as the new day was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the
Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat
on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as
white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw
him, and they fell into a dead faint.
5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he
said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said
would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And
now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from
the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see
him there. Remember what I have told you.”
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very
frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give
the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus
met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his
feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be
afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see
me there.” (Matthew 28:1-10)
 
Reflection:

There are times in our lives when fear grips us and doubt clouds
are minds. We go through seasons where our present
circumstances and situations can make us forget Jesus's
promise to us.
 
In our text, Mary Magdalene and Mary came to the tomb looking
for Jesus body and, seen the empty tomb, they became afraid..
The women did not see the tomb as a fulfillment of Jesus promise
revealed to them.

But Jesus, through his angel, reassured them just as he reassures
us of what he promised-that "just as He said," He has risen. On
this Resurrection Day, Jesus invites us to come and experience
him through His death (v.6) and resurrection without fear (v.10)

Prayer:

Resurrected God, whatever the circumstances, help us to stay
faithful in the truth of your death and resurrection, knowing that
you are always with us  AMEN!

(The Covenant Home Alter, author, Darrick Tam)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that
whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

HE IS RISEN!  HALLELUJAH!