Christian Reflection and Prayer

A reminder to all those who identify themselves as
Christians, especially those candidates who are
running for President of the United States.

 

Dear Donald Trump and other Presidential
Candidates. The following is the Biblical
description of "what it means to be a Christian",
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE!!!!!!

 

Philippians 2:1-11 (NLT)
Have the Attitude of Christ
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any
comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me
truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other,
loving one another, and working together with one mind and
purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be
humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t
look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in
others, too.  5 You must have the same attitude that Christ
Jesus had.  6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality
with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his
divine privileges;  he took the humble position of a slave and
was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human
form,8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a
criminal’s death on a cross.  9 Therefore, God elevated him
to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above
all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
 glory of God the Father.

 

(Please remember these eleven verses when you mix hate,
violence, and racism with belief in Christ!)

 

(The Holy Bible)

"A Plea for Forgiveness"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

 

Lenten Devotion

 

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do." ... (Luke 23:34a).

 

Holy Monday

 

Read Luke 23:32-34.

 

In a procession with two condemned criminals, Jesus is led
to the place of execution. The locals know it as "The Skull"
(see Luke 23:33)-possibly because of its shape, possibly
because it is the grisly place of execution and death.

 

And right away Jesus utters His first words from the cross,
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Of
all the people who should be pleading for forgiveness-Judas,
the high priest, Pontius Pilate, his soldiers-the one who asks
on their behalf is Jesus, the sinless Son of God.

 

How amazing that even in this hour where His agony reaches
its climax Jesus doesn't turn inside Himself. He could pray
for justice-for vindication-for punishment on those who have
done this to Him. Instead, He pleads with His Father to forgive
them.

 

Jesus' prayer is not restricted to Pontius Pilate and the Roman
soldiers who abused and nailed Him to the cross, nor to the
Jewish high priest and high court, or even to Judas, Peter and
the other disciples, who abandoned Him. He prays for you and
me, for all people of all time whose sins He has carried to this
dismal place.

 

But forgiveness isn't easy, or cheap. God the Father can't set
aside His holiness and justice-not when humans are doing this
to His pure and innocent Son. For the Father to be able to forgive
us, Jesus must step into our place and bear the divine punishment
we all deserve. That makes this one of the most incredible
prayers ever uttered in human history. "Father, forgive them"-by
punishing Me instead.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, break through our ignorance and give us knowledge
of our sin. That we may repent of that sin and receive full and free
forgiveness for Your sake. Amen.

 

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"Comforting His Mourners"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

 

Lenten Devotion 2016

 

And there followed Him a great multitude of the people and of
women who were mourning and lamenting for Him (Luke 23:27).

 

Palm Sunday

 

Read Luke 23:26-31.

 

Today is Palm Sunday. We remember the great crowds of
Jewish pilgrims who filled the streets of Jerusalem and cheered
Jesus as their victorious King. Now, barely five days later, they
line the streets to jeer and heckle Him on His way to execution.

 

Jesus is too weak and weary to carry the crossbeam to the place
of execution. He tries with all His might, but keeps falling beneath
it. The flogging and the beatings have taken their toll. Finally, the
Roman soldiers enlist a man named Simon to carry it for Him.
But not everyone in the crowd taunts Jesus. Many still believe in
Him, and are greatly perplexed and grief-stricken to see Him going
to His death. In shock and horror they mourn and lament for Him.

 

Jesus could have joined them in self-pity, but instead He turns
aside their weeping and lamenting. He warns of the future when
they and their children will suffer at the hands of the Romans
because the Jewish leaders will not humble themselves, confess
their sins, and believe He is their Savior.

 

As we enter this Holy Week and remember Jesus' sufferings and
passion, He doesn't want us weeping for Him. He wants us to weep
for ourselves-for our sins-just as Peter did when the rooster crowed,
and he saw Jesus' face. We are to weep for our sins that deserve
God's judgment; then look in faith to Jesus' cross where that payment
was made in full. There we see God's mercy and forgiveness.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, You carried my sins to that place of execution, a load I
could never carry. At the foot of Your cross help me see my sin rightly,
 and turn from it in bitter tears, that I may find in You full forgiveness
and peace. Amen.

 

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)