Christian Reflection and Prayer

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 4:46-54.
(Jesus said) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not
believe" (John 4:48). 

Lenten Devotion- When Jesus' enemies in Jerusalem learned
He was becoming more popular than John the Baptist, He left
and returned to Galilee in the north. Huge crowds gather, but
Jesus knows their faith is shallow and superficial. When an
important official comes to ask the Lord to heal his dying son,
Jesus challenges the entire crowd: "Unless you see signs and
wonders you will not believe."

How deep is your faith? Can you take Him at His word, or do
you insist on more? If you listen closely you almost pick up a
tone of defiance in Jesus' voice ... or is it sorrow? He wants
them to believe, but they must believe on His terms, not theirs.

The official knew only one thing really mattered: his son was
dying and only Jesus could save him. So he begged Jesus to
come down and heal him. But Jesus didn't go. Instead, He
sent the father away with a promise: "Go; your son will live.
" Would you be able to trust Jesus and go?

The official did. He accepted Jesus' words and on the way
home he learned his faith had been well founded: his son was
healed.

We don't need to see miraculous signs to believe in Jesus
as our Savior. God uses old familiar words to give us faith;
He uses water and His Word to wash away our sins, and
He joins His body and blood to simple bread and wine to
forgive us all our sins.

Don't stay on the outside waiting to see some miracle in
your life before you'll follow Jesus. Learn a lesson from the
official above: the stakes are life and death, heaven and hell.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust Your words and promises
through every circumstance in my life. Amen.

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read  John 3:19-21.
TEXT: "This is the judgment: the light has come into
the world, and people loved the darkness rather than
the light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). 

Lenten Devotion- Before Jesus sends Nicodemus on
his way, He leaves him one last warning. "This is the
judgment: the light has come into the world, and
people loved the darkness rather than the light
because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does
wicked things hates the light and does not come to
the light, lest his works should be exposed."

Will Nicodemus admit he is drowning in his sins and
only Jesus can set him free? He came to Jesus at
night under the cover of darkness so no one could see.
Is he willing and ready to step out into the light and
receive the forgiveness Jesus came to bring?

Coming to Christ isn't easy for us either. We want to
impress each other. Why would any of us want to open
up and let our brothers and sisters in faith see the dark
secrets we keep hidden away inside? Like Nicodemus
there is a Pharisee hidden deep inside every one of us
too.

We take pride in going to church regularly, putting our
money in the offering plate and holding offices in our
local congregation. But Christ knows us inside and out.
He knows our pride, our stubbornness and our
judgmental heart. Jesus' call to Nicodemus goes out to
each of us -- no matter who we are. Are you willing to
come to Christ Jesus in His Church? Are you willing to
look to the crucified and risen Savior, to confess your
need and follow Him?

THE PRAYER:

"Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was
shed for me, And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!" Amen.

"Lifted to Save"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer
February 23, 2015


Read John 3:9-18. TEXT:
 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the
Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14).    

Lenten Devotion-  rNicodemus is just not getting it. He's not a
bad guy; why can't he earn his way to heaven? Patiently, Jesus
reminds the teacher of a time when Israel grumbled in the
wilderness and God sent poisonous serpents. After thousands
died, the survivors begged Moses to ask God to remove the
serpents. Surprisingly, God answered No! The serpents would
stay, and they would keep biting people. But Moses was to lift
a bronze serpent on a pole.

Imagine you were bitten. All you had to do was look at the
bronze serpent on the pole, trust God's promise and you would
live. Jesus told Nicodemus, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him may have eternal life."

Just like Nicodemus, you and I are infected with the deadly
poison of the serpent who bit our first parents in the Garden of
Eden. There is no way to save ourselves from our poisonous
sinful nature. So God sent His only-begotten Son to save us.

When Jesus was lifted up on the cross He paid for our sins by
being punished in our place. Only when we look at Jesus and
trust the Father's promise to forgive us for Jesus' sake can we
be saved from the venom of death within us.

Nicodemus had a clear choice! Just like the ancient Israelites
bitten by the serpents and just like you and me today, he
could look to Jesus the Light of the world in faith and live or
walk away into the darkness and die.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, turn my eyes to Your cross, that I may believe
and live. Amen.