tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532392554950606322024-03-28T02:42:53.449-07:00Nations 4 Jesustaniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.comBlogger1596125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-5902457831847164432024-03-28T02:41:00.000-07:002024-03-28T02:41:53.116-07:00Easter Devotion (Maunday Thursday) - The Cry of His Son<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncjPiE-Nm33kUMjYlHVavFpZr-4OqeVSFYsl0ABgtJNfGFy-u_mmkJ2c18UA0ik7iCH5WWs-NGK8Yj7rl9JTBLH13MQj2F7gXOj86YxAS2rJiK2bwOdhWYG3y2ATAGtMLAVyDsUP87GCH/s1600/Jesus+on+cross2.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncjPiE-Nm33kUMjYlHVavFpZr-4OqeVSFYsl0ABgtJNfGFy-u_mmkJ2c18UA0ik7iCH5WWs-NGK8Yj7rl9JTBLH13MQj2F7gXOj86YxAS2rJiK2bwOdhWYG3y2ATAGtMLAVyDsUP87GCH/s1600/Jesus+on+cross2.jpg" /></a></p><i><span class="text Matt-27-45">From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.</span> <span class="text Matt-27-46" id="en-NIV-24176">About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, <span class="woj">“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”</span> (which means <span class="woj">“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”</span>).</span></i><br /><i>When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”</i><br /><i></i><i><span class="text Matt-27-48" id="en-NIV-24178">Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.</span> <span class="text Matt-27-49" id="en-NIV-24179">The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”</span></i><br /><i></i><i>And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.</i><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180">Matthew 27:45-50 </span><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180"><br /></span><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180">What a horrible cry for the Father to hear from His Son!!! How it must have torn the very heart out of God! Yet during His time on the cross, Jesus was truly God-forsaken. Jesus took on all of humanity's sins and suffered execution at the hands of human beings in order to break the power of evil in the world. Because God is the very antithesis of sin, at that moment, God had to turn from the heartrending cry of His only Son. </span><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180"><br /></span><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180">Yet this cry is also the first line of Psalm 22. Take a moment to read through the psalm. It is an encapsulation of Jesus' execution, resurrection, and salvation of all of humanity (written hundreds of years before these events actually took place). Although God had turned away at the moment of Christ's cry, by calling out the beginning of the psalm, Jesus was letting all who would hear know that He knew the end of the psalm too. God would rescue Him from death itself!!! </span><br /><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180">Through the cross, the world would undergo a radical transformation. Every human being, Jew and Gentile, born and unborn, would recognize the power and the grace of God. Hidden in Jesus' heartbreaking cry from the cross was the hope of all humanity. </span><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180"><br /></span><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, teach me to trust in the Father, even in the depths of despair. Father God, thank you for the incredible love that You have for us that would cause You to be willing to watch Your Son suffer and die for each of us. I praise You, thank You and love You with all my heart! In Your Son's name, Amen. </span><br /><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180"><br /></span><span class="text Matt-27-50" id="en-NIV-24180">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-78440535823121511102024-03-27T03:17:00.000-07:002024-03-27T03:17:06.542-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 36) - Total Forgiveness<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWlOIyX2ksiK-Zygi8uv_ciMauyS_oOqUMmsjtnQ7YsGtw80npmgZ6Rd5yeK_HEknM0vCmxbIpbcFRxpIREnXW5fG0rwvqfaCBVRwEQrKnzaL0ugtI1606Hp9KMKtU4UAH357GNq_-pta/s1600/Jesus+on+cross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWlOIyX2ksiK-Zygi8uv_ciMauyS_oOqUMmsjtnQ7YsGtw80npmgZ6Rd5yeK_HEknM0vCmxbIpbcFRxpIREnXW5fG0rwvqfaCBVRwEQrKnzaL0ugtI1606Hp9KMKtU4UAH357GNq_-pta/s320/Jesus+on+cross.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-23-32" id="en-NIV-25968">Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.</span> <span class="text Luke-23-33" id="en-NIV-25969">When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.</span> <span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">Jesus said, <span class="woj">“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”</span>And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.</span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">Luke 23:32-34</span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">We've all struggled with forgiveness when we've been wronged. We know that God tells us to forgive, and we also know that forgiving others allows us to move forward and heal. But often our forgiveness is simply turning over the matter to God, trusting that God will hold them accountable for their sins. Even if we forgive, we sometimes take comfort believing that those who have hurt us will have to answer to God and be held accountable for what they have done.</span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">But as Jesus hung on the cross in agony, He not only forgave those responsible for His execution, but asked that God forgive them too. His death on the cross was to be an atonement for all people, even those who had placed Him there to die. His forgiveness was not only personal, but cosmic. In the throes of excruciating death, Jesus asked that the biggest affront humanity had ever made to God be forgiven. </span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">This is the only reason we can dare to ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Forgiveness from God is a total cleansing, enabling us to stand as new creations, no longer accountable. Instead, our challenge is to live a new life of righteousness, dedicating ourselves to being true servants of Jesus Christ, the Savior who died for us. </span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, help me forgive others completely, as You have forgiven me. Help me </span><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970"><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">to live a new life of righteousness, dedicating myself to being a true servant of Yours, Lord Jesus. Thank you for being my Savior. In Your Name I pray, </span>Amen.</span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-23-34" id="en-NIV-25970">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-7707527925465592092024-03-26T02:21:00.000-07:002024-03-26T02:21:21.057-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 35) - The Horror of Gethsemane<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhcOJ1ryVl2B8q1vmkJwKlJCC0SAJRVsxWPekNLq4NL21emVnV2Dj9spgteuhXPGaJsKQ9huekw6T9JVyaDCB03LNc1ocoEgjYqglZwXW3-hUxtl93kAkQK392v0bhI9rwD_u6bKg8XgU/s1600/Gethsemane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhcOJ1ryVl2B8q1vmkJwKlJCC0SAJRVsxWPekNLq4NL21emVnV2Dj9spgteuhXPGaJsKQ9huekw6T9JVyaDCB03LNc1ocoEgjYqglZwXW3-hUxtl93kAkQK392v0bhI9rwD_u6bKg8XgU/s320/Gethsemane.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-22-39">Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.</span> <span class="text Luke-22-40" id="en-NIV-25905">On reaching the place, he said to them, <span class="woj">“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”</span></span> <span class="text Luke-22-41" id="en-NIV-25906">He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,</span> <span class="text Luke-22-42" id="en-NIV-25907"><span class="woj">“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”</span></span> <span class="text Luke-22-43" id="en-NIV-25908">An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.</span> <span class="text Luke-22-44" id="en-NIV-25909">And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.</span></i><br /><i><span class="text Luke-22-45" id="en-NIV-25910">When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.</span> <span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><span class="woj">“Why are you sleeping?”</span> he asked them. <span class="woj">“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911">Luke 22:39-46 </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911">Jesus' time in the garden is the most anguished description of prayer in all of Scripture. He was facing humiliation and an agonizing death, but there have been martyrs who have confidently gone to their executions, secure in God's love for them and in their eternity with Him in Heaven. Why then did Jesus suffer so much in Gethsemane? </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911">Jesus asked for "this cup" to be removed. Throughout Scripture, a cup has been the symbol of God's righteous anger against sin and rebellion. Because Jesus was about to take on the sins of all the world, He would feel the full force of God's wrath falling on Him. The one person who was the closest and most attuned to the will of God and who could feel God's wrath the most acutely would face it with more force and power than anyone had experienced or would ever experience it. The pain that Jesus feared was not physical, as horrible as that would be. It was not about what humans could do to Him, but about the intense pain of anger and alienation from the Father. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911">This is the horror of Gethsemane that night. It is what Jesus suffered for you and me. We never will be forsaken by God, no matter what, because Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath for us. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, I cannot even comprehend what You have done for me. Thank You for taking on God's wrath for my salvation. What I could never do, You did because You love me so much. I love you too, with all my heart! In Your Precious Name Lord Jesus, Amen. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-46" id="en-NIV-25911">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-69300644209660424492024-03-25T04:21:00.000-07:002024-03-25T04:21:11.837-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 34) - Why Was Jesus Angry?<p> </p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ynXRxYSQEOkYmAf_jp5qxIPKEVKYCc5G7SIjALLruzeLqQEASZ2jo5ax3GbXV1q5Igvao8NN1wsYlwBo1vwKn0y8HJCaF4_nuBvyaVKcUxy-Cpqtb9voMZEgmEtxFMl0ZNWf-ysbUu3b/s1600/jesus-cleanses-the-temple+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ynXRxYSQEOkYmAf_jp5qxIPKEVKYCc5G7SIjALLruzeLqQEASZ2jo5ax3GbXV1q5Igvao8NN1wsYlwBo1vwKn0y8HJCaF4_nuBvyaVKcUxy-Cpqtb9voMZEgmEtxFMl0ZNWf-ysbUu3b/s320/jesus-cleanses-the-temple+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Soon after Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He is found at the Temple passionately, actively angry. Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46 and John 2:12-17, all record how Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, saw the buying, selling, cheating and utter chaos that was going on, took a whip and drove out all those who were selling. I used to wonder at this. Why did He get so angry at the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals in the Temple? Shouldn’t He be more angry about the injustice to people He saw every day -- slavery, treatment of lepers, shunning of children, disbelief, corruption of the religious leaders? But His righteous anger at the Temple points to a truth that I have only recently discovered.<br /> Jesus did not come to earth primarily for us, as we like to believe and are often taught. Yes, He came to earth to show us God, to teach us how to live and to die for our sins, thus purchasing salvation for all those who would believe. But his primary reason for coming to earth was to bring glory to God. <i>“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.’ And what was the work? ‘I manifested Your name to the men You gave me out of the world” </i>(John 17:4, 6) <br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jesus’ main concern was that His Father in Heaven might be worshipped fully and completely by those He had created. God is the creator of all things. He is so incredibly holy, mighty, just, beautiful...truly beyond words. He made us and sustains us and deserves all our thankfulness, praise, wonder and worship. Jesus recognized that more than any other human being on earth and He was jealous for His Father’s glory and worship.<br /> When He entered the Temple that day, whose actual building was directed by God <i>“to establish His name there for His dwelling”</i> (Deut. 12:2-14), His anger was roused by what He saw. In the Court of the Gentiles, the place set apart for non-Jews to encounter, worship, pray to and find relationship with God, He found noisy, smelly, deceiving distractions to this relationship, prayer and worship. How could people encounter God, pray to and worship Him amidst the buying and selling of animals and the hundreds of pilgrims yelling and arguing with money changers who were doing their best to make a profit and cheat country folks out of their meager earnings?<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The fact that all this money changing and selling of animals was being done in the Court of the Gentiles showed the lack of concern and love that the Jewish leadership had for non-Jews. Time and again Jesus had seen their lack of concern for the Gentiles surrounding them. Like Jonah, they hoarded their “privileged” status as followers of God and were not eager to see Gentiles coming to faith in the one, true God. This, of course, did not reflect the mentality of all Jews but it certainly seemed to be the mentality of the Jewish Temple leadership who would allow such a cacophony of noise and corruption in the very place set aside by God for the prayers and worship of foreigners. This angered Jesus! How dare they prevent people from coming and worshipping the Lord? The Lord deserves all praise and glory and anything that hindered that, and hindered the salvation of Gentiles, needed to be destroyed.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I believe that all those who were there knew, in their hearts, that what was going on in the Court of the Gentiles was wrong, even before Jesus so publicly pointed it out. The reason for my belief...no one challenged what He had done; no one tried to stop Him. He was justified in His anger and His actions and they knew it! God deserved every bit of praise and worship and all people deserved an opportunity to meet Him, fall in love with Him and worship Him.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I wonder what Jesus would do today if He stepped into some of our churches? Would He find congregations totally focused on prayer and the worship of Him; congregations that welcome all who would seek Him, causing no hindrances to the worship of Him? Or, would He find churches eager to show off their wealth, eager to sell the worship goer the latest best-selling Christian novel, eager to entertain the congregation and the visitor rather than challenge them to serve God more whole-heartedly. Would He find red-hot worship of God, people whose primary goal in life is to glorify the Lord and find total satisfaction in Him or would He find luke-warm, self-serving, self-focused weekly gatherings of a bunch of people who call themselves Christians but who are living lives no different from the world around them?taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-84811329997211371492024-03-25T04:10:00.000-07:002024-03-25T04:10:04.815-07:00Prophetic Palm Sunday and Daniel <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKmCYtI8tkGnlPXO0HiDiJQ4P6X7qibpen_V0hj0uIDXEy23TLV3umEKyzdDZ7j7jaAsvTcZjNnqKdaDXqMw1PyJ4I6duoFLdI1CY_8hx3sS7477yKnn27mp5OTgsTn_YdDgeJAv7btMi/s528/Daniel%2527s+Seventy+Weeks+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKmCYtI8tkGnlPXO0HiDiJQ4P6X7qibpen_V0hj0uIDXEy23TLV3umEKyzdDZ7j7jaAsvTcZjNnqKdaDXqMw1PyJ4I6duoFLdI1CY_8hx3sS7477yKnn27mp5OTgsTn_YdDgeJAv7btMi/s320/Daniel%2527s+Seventy+Weeks+.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p> <i style="text-align: center;"></i></p><p><i></i></p><i><br />24 Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.</i><p></p><p><i>25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.</i></p><p><i>26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.</i></p><p><i>27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.</i></p><p>Daniel 9:24-27</p><p>A prophecy which has been partly fulfilled is found in our verses above. It is important to note from verse 24 to whom this prophecy is given. Since the person hearing this is Daniel, we know this prophecy is about Israel – Daniel’s people.</p><p>Verse 25 gives us the starting date for this prophecy to be fulfilled – the date of the order given for Jerusalem to be restored. This was fulfilled, and the date is given, in Nehemiah 2:1-5. The prince named in this verse is Nehemiah who, by the king’s orders, became the governor of Israel and brought the people back to God’s way.</p><p>Verse 26 says after this first period of seven weeks (49 years), when Nehemiah was in charge, will come an additional 62 weeks (434 years). At the close of this time the “Anointed One” would be cut off. Counting, then, the 483 years from the king’s decree for Nehemiah to restore the city of Jerusalem, we come to the year of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem – the event we today call Palm Sunday. That was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey’s colt, offering Himself as the King of the Jews. His offer was refused, and a few days later He was crucified – cut off.</p><p>Verse 27 gives one additional week as the closing of this prophecy – a final seven years which is broken into two parts. This “week” or seven years begins with a covenant between “Daniel’s people” – Israel, and ends with the return of Jesus to earth. In Daniel 12:11, God tells us the exact number of days from the middle event of this seven-year period – the abomination of desolation – until Jesus steps onto the Mount of Olives, and puts an end to the “desolator” (the antichrist).</p><p>Prayer: Father, help us to understand Your faithfulness in completing everything You have prophesied in complete agreement with all You have said. Thank you for warning us ahead of time about things to come. May we keep our eyes always on You Lord Jesus. In Your name we pray, Amen. </p><div><br /></div><div>From Global Media Outreach </div>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-51671912652425650272024-03-25T04:06:00.000-07:002024-03-25T04:06:24.239-07:00Easter Devotion - Happy Palm Sunday!!!<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3wv1IkC-gJKS8OAjJVqeVSdmr6jE2RbKPnIfPRb23ToRIvqOGQUwRZ9_gTW731xq44RlODXutB63OHzamyejVmhRwGaJ5Lk4uAONId_Xs_r2EeleWGtWxU_f6Wyap_Ejh-Z6OifmuUY/s1600/palm_sunday.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3wv1IkC-gJKS8OAjJVqeVSdmr6jE2RbKPnIfPRb23ToRIvqOGQUwRZ9_gTW731xq44RlODXutB63OHzamyejVmhRwGaJ5Lk4uAONId_Xs_r2EeleWGtWxU_f6Wyap_Ejh-Z6OifmuUY/s320/palm_sunday.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.</i><br /><i>They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, </i><br /><i>"Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" </i><br /><i>"Blessed is the King of Israel!"</i><br /><i>Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,</i><br /><i>"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." </i><br /><i>At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. </i> John 12:12-16<br /><br /><i>Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. </i><br />Zechariah 9:9<br /><br /><i>After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. </i><br /><i>They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.</i><br /><i>And they cried out in a loud voice: </i><br /><i>"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."</i><br /><i>All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: </i><br /><i>"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!" </i> Revelation 7:9-12<br /><br />As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, we should not only look back into the past, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem; but we should look forward to a day, in the future, when all those who have believed in Jesus as their Savior, throughout all of history, will stand around His throne and worship Him. But this time, there will be no Gethsemane or trials before Pilate or whippings or a cross waiting for Jesus. Instead, there will be year after year, century after century of enjoying life with our Lord and God. And praise God that there will be people in Heaven from every nation, tribe, language and people! What a joyous day that will be. May it come quickly!<br /><br /><b>Prayer</b>:We love you Jesus. Today, in our hearts, may we lift up palm branches and say to You:<br />"Hosanna!"<br />"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"<br />"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-89639880974229421842024-03-25T03:58:00.000-07:002024-03-25T03:58:00.369-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 33) - The Comfort of Others <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s346eZxpjfcEOI5HDaqfJ_ZaB6hbwL9KF3MbMwP6fL-WfFu7WgzjEkwZN0SRWD94Q67YMcYqyQhk4gRM_HSuBWLqDWDKhET0cy5GhQQCuwFhkQAObpty8bmHkCF0q15Yzgm_KApUpM1H/s1600/comfort.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s346eZxpjfcEOI5HDaqfJ_ZaB6hbwL9KF3MbMwP6fL-WfFu7WgzjEkwZN0SRWD94Q67YMcYqyQhk4gRM_HSuBWLqDWDKhET0cy5GhQQCuwFhkQAObpty8bmHkCF0q15Yzgm_KApUpM1H/s320/comfort.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i>All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.</i><br /><i>When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it.</i><br /><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808">2 Corinthians 1:3-7 </span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808">To fully live as Christ in the world is very often an act of rebellion. The Corinthians, who were religious minorities, felt this keenly and suffered for it, as many Christians living in hostile regions do today. Christians are also not immune from common suffering that is a very real part of everyone's life. However, we serve a God of deliverance. From the Exodus to the Resurrection to Christ's promised return, we are blessed with a God who knows our struggles, feels our pain, and offers comfort when we are distressed. </span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808">How does God comfort us? One way is through the promises of Scripture, which assure us that the Creator of the universe is also our loving Father and Protector. Another way is through prayer. Just opening ourselves to God can be a tremendous source of peace. Paul speaks of yet another way that God sends comfort: through other believers. Paul challenges those who have experienced the comfort of God to then console others. Just as Paul was comforted by Titus when he was distressed (</span><i><span class="text 2Cor-7-5" id="en-NIV-28922">For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.</span> <span class="text 2Cor-7-6" id="en-NIV-28923">But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,</span> <span class="text 2Cor-7-7" id="en-NIV-28924">and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.</span> </i>(<span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808">2 Corinthians 7:5-7) We are challenged to be conduits of the love and comfort of God to those who are in need.</span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808"><u>Prayer</u>: Blessed Father, may I always come to you when I am hurting. Teach me to comfort others as You comfort me. Thank you for the comfort of Your Word, prayer and other believers in my life. In Jesus name, Amen</span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-1-7" id="en-NIV-28808">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-23588531071789833922024-03-22T03:57:00.000-07:002024-03-22T03:57:47.246-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 32) - Unity of the Spirit<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vQGuXwI9Mop2LlJC_L7Z_Pt_UZwxVyxmD-D_H3xbk7RYBYbGoubtPvBhfytx3REwVd1uf4hpH_UVtEDTzJExk8n_aMRNbZl5G6CiHUIgyxla_tUaITxMDAWpz6V2wKx6Snt4L5lJzm25/s1600/romans15_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vQGuXwI9Mop2LlJC_L7Z_Pt_UZwxVyxmD-D_H3xbk7RYBYbGoubtPvBhfytx3REwVd1uf4hpH_UVtEDTzJExk8n_aMRNbZl5G6CiHUIgyxla_tUaITxMDAWpz6V2wKx6Snt4L5lJzm25/s320/romans15_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Rom-15-5" id="en-NIV-28309">May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,</span> <span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310">so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.</span></i><br /><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310">Romans 15:5-6 </span><br /><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310"><br /></span><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310">This passage comes toward the conclusion of the Letter to the Romans. One of Paul's great concerns in this letter was disagreements between the Jews and the Gentiles of the fledgling churches of Rome. This prayer is part of a longer passage appealing for understanding and unity, regardless of backgrounds. </span><br /><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310"><br /></span><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310">Often these verses are read as a call to ecumenicalism, or churches with different backgrounds worshiping together. While Paul would undoubtedly have encouraged this, it is only the surface of what he was requesting in this prayer. He is actually asking that believers learn to think about one another the way that Jesus thinks about them, a way entirely based in love. Every person on earth is loved by Jesus. He came to earth, died, and rose again for each individual person. If we look at everyone we meet as someone whom Jesus felt was worth dying for, then how can we treat them as anything but a brother or sister? Think how Jesus reached out to those on the edge of society, eating and drinking with sinners, healing lepers, and blessing the poor. There is no room for anything but a self-sacrificing, encouraging, and uplifting attitude among anyone claiming to have the thoughts of Jesus. </span><br /><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310"><br /></span><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, may I see others through Your eyes and learn to love them as You do. Help me to remember Your way of love, a way that brought You to the cross for the sins of every human being. Help me to reach out to every brother and sister in Christ, no matter what their background. In Your Name I pray, Amen.</span><br /><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310"><br /></span><span class="text Rom-15-6" id="en-NIV-28310">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-7730773011361291922024-03-21T03:39:00.000-07:002024-03-21T03:39:09.932-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 31) - The Pathway to Eternity <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uzgVHsAEBD0c8n4q0uBaDuytEACwM6kk5-PwIpz-c8oeSrp0T25sIPFQjeJGxbsJpdf8Sb5QP_ml2SWHIQBW-0YJLNvYSYs-jbNsvu5s4Hfk_imfqvhT10LfbhqeFgAv7Hsq93q5EaLX/s1600/pathway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uzgVHsAEBD0c8n4q0uBaDuytEACwM6kk5-PwIpz-c8oeSrp0T25sIPFQjeJGxbsJpdf8Sb5QP_ml2SWHIQBW-0YJLNvYSYs-jbNsvu5s4Hfk_imfqvhT10LfbhqeFgAv7Hsq93q5EaLX/s320/pathway.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Heb-13-20">Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,</span> <span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.</span></i><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">Hebrews 13:20-21 </span><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><br /></span><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">In the first chapter of Genesis, God created the heavens, the earth, the animals, and, finally, human beings. As He rested, He pronounced all that He had made as supremely good. At that moment, before sin had entered the world, humanity made God happy.</span><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><br /></span><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">We all know what happened next. After people learned to disobey God, both God and God's people have struggled to reach the peace and joy of Eden again. This was the reason that Jesus Christ came to earth - to guide humanity back to the joy of a full relationship with God. We're not there yet, but Jesus has shown us the pathway to the lives that we were created to live. </span><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><br /></span><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">What can we do to make God happy? Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith. The faith described in Hebrews is gutsy, demanding mercy, courage, and the risks that come from loving others and truly serving God. This intercessory prayers asks that God would use the power of Jesus Christ to bless the readers with exactly that kind of faith. With that blessing, both God and humanity will come a little closer to entering Eden again. </span><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><br /></span><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, equip me and my fellow believers with a courageous faith so that we may be pleasing to God. Thank you that You are leading me back to the joy of a full relationship with You. Help me Holy Spirit to follow the pathway that has been set out for my life. In Your Name Lord Jesus, Amen.</span><br /><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263"><br /></span><span class="text Heb-13-21" id="en-NIV-30263">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-56356305605210666882024-03-20T03:11:00.000-07:002024-03-20T03:11:31.752-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 30) - Faithful Friends <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35x_YceOZfn1Qk_MaImKZ4jc3_vprrQRao2Z68B3o6PSQ4vqQAVx0pUIhIYDLlYjioJt1G_w2Ay708LFZnmCMc4Ksn9s60hAT3oLfdIPZQYXGuovDi-n25DjHzMUhHEdCpPzZjd7gr7vm/s1600/Christian+friends.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35x_YceOZfn1Qk_MaImKZ4jc3_vprrQRao2Z68B3o6PSQ4vqQAVx0pUIhIYDLlYjioJt1G_w2Ay708LFZnmCMc4Ksn9s60hAT3oLfdIPZQYXGuovDi-n25DjHzMUhHEdCpPzZjd7gr7vm/s320/Christian+friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Phil-1-3">I thank my God every time I remember you.</span> <span class="text Phil-1-4" id="en-NIV-29366">In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy</span> <span class="text Phil-1-5" id="en-NIV-29367">because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,</span> <span class="text Phil-1-6" id="en-NIV-29368"><sup></sup>being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.</span> </i><i><span class="text Phil-1-7" id="en-NIV-29369">It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.</span> <span class="text Phil-1-8" id="en-NIV-29370">God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.</span></i><br /><span class="verse-8">Philippians 1:3-8 </span><br /><span class="verse-8"><br /></span><span class="verse-8">A friend writes "Phil 1:3" on the envelope of every letter she sends me. We have both grown in Christ as a result of our relationship. What a wonderful gift to know that I am being prayed for with thanksgiving! </span><br /><span class="verse-8"><br /></span><span class="verse-8">If Christians are the hands and feet of Christ, then those who help us grow in our faith are ambassadors that Christ Himself has sent to us. Think back to those people who have helped you understand the love and grace of Jesus Christ. How has God changed your life through their Christian actions? Paul's prayer is a reminder to not only thank those who have been significant in our spiritual growth, but to thank God for putting these people in our lives. So often when we pray for others, we petition God to fulfill specific needs for them. Paul's joyful prayer is one of gratitude for the deep blessings of Christian community. </span><br /><span class="verse-8"><br /></span><span class="verse-8">Because Christians are a community of believers, we have the chance to be blessings for others too. If we follow the will of God by encouraging others in faith, we are truly gifts from Jesus Christ to others on their own faith journeys. How wonderful to think that others may thank God for your impact in their lives! </span><br /><span class="verse-8"><br /></span><span class="verse-8"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, thank you for those who have encouraged and strengthened my faith in You, whom I name before You now... In Jesus' name, Amen. </span><br /><span class="verse-8"><br /></span><span class="verse-8">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-54969620042808820362024-03-20T03:01:00.000-07:002024-03-20T03:01:04.518-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 29) - My Heart, Christ's Home<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcgDM2pq4FbvDKrJkVTmw-gYxD_dmniHKTHuXp1FMDeuZLgf-2fz4FKROsVDch8tkGGEYnXRsrSE-42JQ0Ywag8AP_pxeMejJmLQ3SeF3q_dfkkLMaHQskTuGcU_shxMSt_ULJlBfcTYy/s1600/my+heart+Christ%2527s+home.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcgDM2pq4FbvDKrJkVTmw-gYxD_dmniHKTHuXp1FMDeuZLgf-2fz4FKROsVDch8tkGGEYnXRsrSE-42JQ0Ywag8AP_pxeMejJmLQ3SeF3q_dfkkLMaHQskTuGcU_shxMSt_ULJlBfcTYy/s1600/my+heart+Christ%2527s+home.jpg" /></a></p><i><span class="text Eph-3-14">For this reason I kneel before the Father,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-15" id="en-NIV-29267">from whom every family<sup> </sup>in heaven and on earth derives its name.</span> <span class="text Eph-3-16" id="en-NIV-29268">I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-17" id="en-NIV-29269">so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270">may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-19" id="en-NIV-29271">and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.</span></i><br /><i><span class="text Eph-3-20" id="en-NIV-29272">Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.</span></i><br /><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">Ephesians 3:14-21 </span><br /><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><br /></span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">My husband and I recently moved to a new house. We had stayed in it several times before we moved, but it wasn't until we unpacked our belongings and added our personal touches that it became our home. Only then was it a place of comfort, where we truly belonged. In this prayer, Paul prayed that Christ would not just stay in the hearts of His followers, but that Christ would make a home in their hearts. Jesus would, in effect, redecorate their inner being so that it was a place where He would truly belong, built on a foundation of love. When one's heart is grounded in God's love - a love so overwhelming that it is incomprehensible - it is welcoming to Jesus. </span><br /><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><br /></span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">What could be more intimate than Jesus at home in your heart? These verses do not speak of a quick visit by Jesus. Instead, Paul prays for the Ephesians to commit to a deep, ongoing relationship with Christ. It means that they would allow Jesus to be at the very center of their personality, trusting Jesus as He guides them toward perfection. With Christ living in your heart, every day is a step closer to holiness. Every moment brings you closer to a sanctified life in Jesus Christ. </span><br /><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><br /></span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, ground me in Your love and make my heart Your home! </span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">Help me to commit to a deep, ongoing relationship with Christ. May I allow Jesus to be at the very center of my personality, trusting Him as He guides me toward perfection. </span>In His name I pray, Amen. </span><br /><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273"><br /></span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273">* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-12907723795118316272024-03-18T03:59:00.000-07:002024-03-18T03:59:15.272-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 28) - The Glory of God<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdBP7HKJirgBeRh4QLeS0hjnRUkohPG2T5AD1MrUdUvFt4YwisUvxW8-1zIV1QkF9IboYdLAvCzddQfHDtNDVxqqcBS2mr8OObu9I-lb_SLcliywavZ0mYL4vUko_DCEC-vBAu6GtCZWt/s1600/glory.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdBP7HKJirgBeRh4QLeS0hjnRUkohPG2T5AD1MrUdUvFt4YwisUvxW8-1zIV1QkF9IboYdLAvCzddQfHDtNDVxqqcBS2mr8OObu9I-lb_SLcliywavZ0mYL4vUko_DCEC-vBAu6GtCZWt/s320/glory.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i>“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.</i><br /><i><span class="text John-17-25" id="en-NIV-26785"><span class="woj">“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><span class="woj">I have made you<sup> </sup>known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786">John 17:24-26 </span><br /><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786">Jesus' death and resurrection did not end His engagement in the world. The final verse of His prayer says that Jesus' mission to reveal the love of God to humanity stretches forward and backward throughout time. The Word, or Logos, introduced in the first chapter of John, is the ultimate plan of God for the salvation of all people. Jesus, as the incarnation of this salvation plan, has been and will always be engaged with humankind. After His resurrection, His impact will be felt most profoundly through those who love and serve Him in the world. </span><br /><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786">Just as Jesus came to the world to serve God, believers are called to live as Christ in service to the world. This is the nature of the glory that Jesus prays about. God glorified Jesus throughout His life on earth by entrusting Him to make God known. Now this job falls to Jesus' followers. They have the opportunity to experience the same glory that Christ experienced through service to God. Of course, that glory came with a heavy cost. But just as Jesus bore His cross for the sake of salvation, we, as followers of Jesus, are asked to carry our crosses for the sake of the Kingdom too. It is our honor and glory as servants of God. </span><br /><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, help me reflect Your glory in the world today. May I live as Christ in service to the world. Help me to carry my cross for the sake of Your Kingdom, just as Jesus did. In His name I pray, Amen</span><br /><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-26" id="en-NIV-26786">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-78188699233875765072024-03-17T04:52:00.000-07:002024-03-17T04:52:38.523-07:00Who Was St. Patrick?<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://m.blog.hu/ob/objektivmagyarsag/image/st_patrick-banising_snakes-large.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://m.blog.hu/ob/objektivmagyarsag/image/st_patrick-banising_snakes-large.jpeg" width="185" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Today many people will remember St. Patrick. This day is special for me since my great-great-grandmother was from Ireland and my grandma, Esther, went home to be with Jesus on St. Patrick's Day. But it has also become special to me since I have learned the incredible story of St. Patrick! </div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Below is the story of St. Patrick:<br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif, arial, helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><tbody><tr style="font-size: 10pt;"><td bgcolor="#ffefd5" style="font-size: 10pt;" width="1%"><br /></td><td bgcolor="#ffefd5" style="font-size: 10pt;" valign="top" width="65%"><div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?aid=290611&item=119945" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="208" src="https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/3Pics/medievalship.jpg" width="319" /></a></span><span style="color: #006600; font-size: x-small;"><b>St. Patrick: From Slave to Saint</b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>by Grainne Rowland</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><br />"Watch out! Hide! Here come the raiders!" My family's servants were screaming and running for cover. I watched in horror as my father's land and house were overrun. The raiders came with the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages.<br /><br />Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, tied up, and roughly pushed towards a waiting ship. I, Succat, was being taken as a slave!<br /><br />I struggled to get free. I thought of how angry my father would be when he learned that his son had been kidnapped. My father was the most powerful man in that part of Britain. Surely he would rescue me!<br /><br /><a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?aid=290611&item=119942" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="" border="0" height="223" src="https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/3Pics/Niallsship.jpg" width="316" /></a>I was thrown on board the ship with the other captives. The ship quickly sailed away. The raiders began to celebrate their successful attack. I knew then there would be no rescue. I was only sixteen years old.<br /><br />In Ireland, I was sold to Miliucc, a chieftain in Co. Antrim. I was forced to herd pigs in cold and rainy weather. I was hungry, wet, and shivery with cold. Always, I was lonely.<br /><br />I was a slave for six long years. I learned the Irish language and the customs of the Irish people. I also learned to pray.<br /><br />One night in a dream, I heard a voice say, "Behold, your ship is ready." I woke up and knew my chance to escape had arrived! I began my long walk to freedom.<br /><br />After many days, I reached Wexford, 200 miles away. I found a ship nearly ready to sail. But the captain was searching for someone to care for a pack of Irish wolfhounds on the journey. I was just the person! I was on my way home!<br /><br /><a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?aid=290611&item=142492" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="309" src="https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/3Pics/pigs.jpg" width="300" /></a>The ship landed in northern Gaul, where there was only desert. For many days, we wandered in that desert. We found no food. The sailors made fun of my God. They asked why He didn't send us food. So I prayed. To the sailors' surprise, a large herd of pigs came into sight, squealing and grunting. It was enough meat for not only the men, but all the wolfhounds as well!<br /><br />On the day I walked into my home again, my mother and father ran to hug me. They both talked at once and asked question after question, never giving me time to answer. That night, I was the guest at a huge party. I was given many gifts.<br /><br />During the next few years, I studied in several places. I finally became a priest. It was then that I was given the name Patrick.<br /><br />One night, I had another dream. I saw the people of Ireland. They pleaded with me, saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." I knew I must return to Ireland.<br /><br />When I arrived back in Ireland, I first went to Tara, the home of Irish kings. I asked King Leary's permission to preach in the country. He agreed and I began to travel throughout Ireland. I brought many people to the Christian faith.<br /><br />In about the year 441, I spent 40 days alone on a rocky, windy mountain praying for the Irish people. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick, or the Mountain of Patrick.<br /><br /><img align="left" alt="" border="0" height="241" src="https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/3Pics/StPatShamrock.jpg" width="226" />One day, I was telling the people about God. They did not understand. So I picked a shamrock and showed them that there are three leaves but only one plant. Then the people could better understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make only one God. That is why, when you see a picture of me, I am usually holding a shamrock.<br /><br />I trained new Irish priests, and they learned many things. They knew how to copy and beautifully decorate the Bible and other books. They copied everything by hand and made paint from plants and minerals. In later years, the people of Europe forgot about learning. The Irish monks and scholars kept copying books and kept important knowledge alive.<br /><br />Not long before I died, I built a large stone cathedral in the town of Armagh. I also had a school built there. It later became a famous university.<br /><br />I died on March 17, 493, in the town of Saul, in Co. Down. This was the same place I had built my first church.<br /><br />Many towns wanted the honor of giving me a burial place. So my body was put on a wagon drawn by two oxen. The oxen pulled the cart to the town of Downpatrick. There I was buried.<br /><br />My body lies in a cemetery next to the Downpatrick Cathedral. The grave is marked by a large granite stone and the name Patrick.</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />This story was found at the website: <a href="http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html">http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html</a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />After St. Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At a time when there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and when very few people knew how to read so that it was difficult to spread the Gospel, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. This early Celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!</div>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-11335106127308083482024-03-17T04:51:00.000-07:002024-03-17T04:51:07.783-07:00Easter Devotion (Sunday) - Prayer for Us<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF00SrVY3jJvP8TTJILUzMn95N7C8RzuApO8W2fwjAd_t4HSX-oyFDjMg-Q30xZqv0wFDUdGeakF_FklAFzzzuWbyB2Pv-mkoPMpdPpmgqsT9IwO4-R2yiFYoIelYnNPde_ZIgTH_K1j_A/s1600/Church.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF00SrVY3jJvP8TTJILUzMn95N7C8RzuApO8W2fwjAd_t4HSX-oyFDjMg-Q30xZqv0wFDUdGeakF_FklAFzzzuWbyB2Pv-mkoPMpdPpmgqsT9IwO4-R2yiFYoIelYnNPde_ZIgTH_K1j_A/s1600/Church.jpg" /></a></p><i><span class="text John-17-20"><span class="woj">“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,</span></span> <span class="text John-17-21" id="en-NIV-26781"><span class="woj">that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-22" id="en-NIV-26782"><span class="woj">I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—</span></span> <span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><span class="woj">I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." </span></span></i><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">John 17:20-23</span><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">After praying for Himself and His disciples, Jesus expands His prayer to include all people who will come to know God through His story. Thus, we can read these verses as a direct personal intercession from the Son to the Father for you and for me! </span><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">Jesus' deepest request for us is unity. He prays not only for the unity of the Kingdom people of God on earth, but for our unity with Jesus and God the Father. Jesus asks that we stand as a united front against the sin of the world, perfectly in tune with the desires of God, just a Jesus was a perfect reflection of God.</span><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">If we look at the church in the world, it seems that this unity is yet to happen. Christianity is splintered into at least forty major divisions and as many as forty-two thousand denominations. Only when Jesus comes again in glory to claim His kingdom will this prayer of one church be fully answered. But, if we look past denominations and at the heart of the people, the church becomes united every time it stands against evil. Every time Christians come together united in prayer and action for the lost, the orphan, those caught in sex trafficking or the slave trade, those sick and dying or in prison for their faith...then Jesus' prayer is seen in action. </span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">If we strive to be united with Jesus, then each of us will grow in His likeness. Our personal unity with Jesus Christ will expand to our community of believers. While theological divisions may continue to exist, if our hearts are all striving to be like Jesus, we will grow together into a powerful community for God.</span><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><u>Prayer</u>: Jesus, teach us to grow together in faith, with You as our model. Help us to stand with our brothers and sisters in our communities and around the world as we speak up for the defenseless and as we fight tyranny and evil. May we be in You Lord Jesus so that the world may know that You love them. In Your name we pray, Amen. </span><br /><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-23" id="en-NIV-26783">* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-50826337680014552492024-03-17T04:42:00.000-07:002024-03-17T04:42:53.112-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 27) - Prayers for His Friends <p> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-raIJUl6kkws/VuVFSiDA5tI/AAAAAAAABLo/eqUlG9iwByUO7utMBQRAXFMZxF1plHuXQ/s1600/Disciples.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-raIJUl6kkws/VuVFSiDA5tI/AAAAAAAABLo/eqUlG9iwByUO7utMBQRAXFMZxF1plHuXQ/s320/Disciples.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text John-17-6"><span class="woj">“I have revealed you<sup> </sup>to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.</span></span><sup> </sup><span class="text John-17-7" id="en-NIV-26767"><span class="woj">Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-8" id="en-NIV-26768"><span class="woj">For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-9" id="en-NIV-26769"><span class="woj">I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-10" id="en-NIV-26770"><span class="woj">All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-11" id="en-NIV-26771"><span class="woj">I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of<sup> </sup>your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-12" id="en-NIV-26772"><span class="woj">While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by<sup> </sup>that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.</span></span></i><br /><i><span class="text John-17-13" id="en-NIV-26773"><span class="woj">“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-14" id="en-NIV-26774"><span class="woj">I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-15" id="en-NIV-26775"><span class="woj">My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-16" id="en-NIV-26776"><span class="woj">They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-17" id="en-NIV-26777"><span class="woj">Sanctify them by<sup> </sup>the truth; your word is truth.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-18" id="en-NIV-26778"><span class="woj">As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779"><span class="woj">For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.</span></span></i><br /><span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779">John 17: 6-19</span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779">Early in Jesus' ministry, God entrusted twelve disciples to Jesus; and in this passage, Jesus prayed for their spiritual strength and safety and also for the community that they had created together. Jesus taught them about God, and they listened. They learned that Jesus had been sent to them from God. They came to understand God's desire for them in the world and started to adopt a new vision for their lives. They became unique and were about to be deeply challenged by living without Jesus in a world that did not understand them. Just as Jesus was about to suffer as one who challenged a worldly system that was not based on the kingdom of God, He knew that His followers would struggle living as God's people among those who still followed the dictates of human sin. </span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779">Jesus prayed both for their protection and for their sanctification. He was deeply concerned that they remain "set aside" from corrupting influences while still remaining in the world to do God's work. He did not depend on the community that He built but trusted God to guard their future. Still today, the work of Jesus' community on earth depends on God's care, not on what we say or do. We exist today as the church because of the never-ending grace of God. </span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779"><u>Prayer</u>: O Lord, strengthen and uphold Your kingdom people! Help us to adopt Your vision for our lives. Keep us set aside from corrupting influences while we do Your work in this world. We know that our future depends on you Lord God. In the name of Your Son Jesus, Amen</span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-19" id="en-NIV-26779">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink </span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-40475220789974833262024-03-15T03:55:00.000-07:002024-03-15T03:55:32.311-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 26) - The Glory of the Son<p> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-63aKLhfggbY/VuKw8rL9pyI/AAAAAAAABLM/Ro-3EkujFpor9WH9XHti-L2Xa622HgOHg/s1600/Jesus%2Bprayer%2Bfor%2Bglory.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-63aKLhfggbY/VuKw8rL9pyI/AAAAAAAABLM/Ro-3EkujFpor9WH9XHti-L2Xa622HgOHg/s320/Jesus%2Bprayer%2Bfor%2Bglory.jpg" width="221" /></a></p><p><i><span class="text John-17-1">After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:<span class="woj"> “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-2" id="en-NIV-26762"><span class="woj">For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-3" id="en-NIV-26763"><span class="woj">Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-4" id="en-NIV-26764"><span class="woj">I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.</span></span> <span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765"><span class="woj">And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.</span></span></i></p><div class="left-1 child-first-line-1"><div class="top-05"><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765">John 17:1-5 </span></div><div class="top-05"><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765"><br /></span></div><div class="top-05"><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765">This prayer is the theological climax of the Gospel of John. Jesus has said good-bye to His disciples and now turns to God, praying for Himself, His disciples, and the church as He prepares for His death and resurrection. Jesus will experience betrayal, humiliation, scorn, a painful execution, all God's wrath for the sin of the world piled on Him and lastly, rejection by God for a time. Yet in John's Gospel, His prayers are all about glory. In this prayer, Jesus is not focused on His death, but instead, looks to His resurrection as God's victory over sin and death. His resurrection will be glorious because it will prove His place as God's holy Son and will offer eternal life to all who know God through Him. He will return to His Father to live in the glory that He had to abandon by coming to earth. </span><br /><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765"><br /></span><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765">God tasked Jesus with nothing less than showing humanity the purpose of their creation. Jesus was incarnated to turn people's eyes back to God and to teach them how to live within the blessings of their Creator. At the evening of His betrayal, Jesus takes the cup that God had poured for Him - a cup full of bitterness and pain, but even more so, a cup of glory and salvation for the world. </span><br /><br /><span class="text John-17-5" id="en-NIV-26765"><u>Prayer</u> - Lord Jesus, thank You for the work You did on earth to glorify the Father, so that we may all know the one true God. Thank You that You showed us the purpose for our creation and how to live within God's blessings. You are amazing and I am so eager for Your return. I love you Jesus! Come Lord Jesus! In Your name, Amen </span></div></div><br /><br />*Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Minktaniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-49180602288660370712024-03-14T02:49:00.000-07:002024-03-14T02:49:50.402-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 25) - Putting Others First in Prayer<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOblyvgjKSHiufbwX0SUPs0mLcFL_QmNEm-HLbJM0FlAg9EHkpbLh8MP5ew05ZDhme0qyZEqV1rih3Un9z8GERyIJDidIGgDANoyqVvGl4GMw2Y76Df9jKvgtN8MVJMadFSSyeDK1JClT/s1600/praying+man.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOblyvgjKSHiufbwX0SUPs0mLcFL_QmNEm-HLbJM0FlAg9EHkpbLh8MP5ew05ZDhme0qyZEqV1rih3Un9z8GERyIJDidIGgDANoyqVvGl4GMw2Y76Df9jKvgtN8MVJMadFSSyeDK1JClT/s320/praying+man.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text 2Cor-13-5" id="en-NIV-29049">Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?</span> <span class="text 2Cor-13-6" id="en-NIV-29050">And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.</span> <span class="text 2Cor-13-7" id="en-NIV-29051">Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.</span> <span class="text 2Cor-13-8" id="en-NIV-29052">For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.</span> <span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053">We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.</span></i><br /><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053">2 Corinthians 13:5-9 </span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053">What a terrible thing to be proven wrong. When one has made a strong public statement and that statement is refuted, it can weaken one's credibility and can destroy reputations. Yet that is exactly what Paul is praying for in this passage. Paul had chastised the Corinthians for poor behavior, and they accused Paul of not being a true mouthpiece for Jesus Christ. In response, Paul prayed that the Corinthians examine themselves and find the spark of Christ that is within them. If they were to do that, then they would be approved by God, and Paul would have been wrong in threatening to discipline them. Paul is much more concerned with the spiritual health of the fledgling Corinthian church than in saving face. </span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053">Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, but here, Paul tells us how to pray for them. Our concern in praying for others is for their own benefit. Although Paul would look foolish if the Corinthians proved him wrong, that is exactly what he prayed would happen. Everything that he did was to build them up and bring them to faith. It was never for his vindication, glory, or even ease in dealing with them. He would rather be seen as weak and wrong than see those who attacked him, and who he cared about, fall prey to sin. </span><br /><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053"><br /></span><span class="text 2Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-29053"><u>Prayer</u>: O Lord, may my prayers always build others up. Help me to be more concerned for others than myself, entrusting myself to Your care. May I pray for others according to what will benefit them. In Jesus' name, Amen</span><br /><br />* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Minktaniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-28138594995809267572024-03-13T04:47:00.000-07:002024-03-13T04:47:53.035-07:00Where is Jesus in Alzheimers and Dementia?<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0MEVvVn73HUYfUzrBVmgP-kUMP8fLf3wSHr8H5FtXTWsM315GaefMGB_CYOHemzzthETFE_c47rfmDXnpokcjzaqhb6Ko51QRbFycq3JDj8GhqGdQirqTg5hE9PFxsGPRCgCdW8b3zCAsAnuZ6k7e0RgXxhE0yWQnAG0I3p9xNLOyXKr2TFuKkRZ2Yo/s1170/2%20Timothy%201-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1170" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0MEVvVn73HUYfUzrBVmgP-kUMP8fLf3wSHr8H5FtXTWsM315GaefMGB_CYOHemzzthETFE_c47rfmDXnpokcjzaqhb6Ko51QRbFycq3JDj8GhqGdQirqTg5hE9PFxsGPRCgCdW8b3zCAsAnuZ6k7e0RgXxhE0yWQnAG0I3p9xNLOyXKr2TFuKkRZ2Yo/s320/2%20Timothy%201-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p></p><br />Before my mom went to be with Jesus, she suffered from Dementia and Alzheimer’s for a number of years. We watched her slowly lose interest in how she looked, in politics, and playing games with her family… Driving, a clean house. She lost interest and the memory of so many of the things that were important to her throughout her life. <p></p><p>But the one thing she never lost interest in or love for, is the Lord Jesus Christ! Even when her mind couldn’t hold onto other things, Jesus was holding onto her! Her last words before she went to meet him in heaven were the words of the song "Jesus loves me". </p><p>As I thought about this truth, I realize that those last few years were a picture of the assurance that each of us has that it’s not about us holding onto Jesus Christ, but it’s about Him holding onto us. “ For I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him, (my faith in Him), until that day!” 2 Timothy 1:12</p><p>So, where is Jesus in Alzheimers and Dementia? He's right beside your loved one! If they put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, even if they don't remember your name at times, they will not forget Jesus. In fact, these terrible diseases seem to bring a person back to the only thing that truly matters in this world and in the world to come...knowing Jesus. Be encouraged and trust Him for your eternity! </p>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-70072662552348787912024-03-13T04:38:00.000-07:002024-03-13T04:38:02.885-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 24) - Jesus Prays for Us<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWilZIYLagEflukGCKAkwRFr0gUyRnjoHvkmGccCMPUMH_MDMNthyphenhyphenxYoKhAPCm78udmQYw4sQwHc5Dk4OOJLl9JRvvxOCgh7k29zjJCtCLMXjWmRlhogZ0IYdOChqBSL1tfN4BixzoIYQ/s1600/Jesus+praying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWilZIYLagEflukGCKAkwRFr0gUyRnjoHvkmGccCMPUMH_MDMNthyphenhyphenxYoKhAPCm78udmQYw4sQwHc5Dk4OOJLl9JRvvxOCgh7k29zjJCtCLMXjWmRlhogZ0IYdOChqBSL1tfN4BixzoIYQ/s320/Jesus+praying.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-22-31" id="en-NIV-25896"><span class="woj">“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-22-32" id="en-NIV-25897"><span class="woj">But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”</span></span></i><br /><i>But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”</i><br /><i></i><i><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899">Jesus answered, <span class="woj">“I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899">Luke 22:31-34 </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899">There are times our spiritual journeys are on a quick and easy trail. Other times they are rocky and steep. Still other times, our journeys even seem to backtrack. Jesus knew that Peter's journey was about to take a devastating turn. Yet Jesus prayed for Peter and even had a plan waiting for Peter when he would turn back to the right path. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899">Our faith is not dependent on our own strength or character. Even the best of us will make mistakes at times. But Jesus knows our weaknesses. He anticipates our spiritual stumbling. He is always on the path beside us, and urging us on. And even when we fail, He points ahead to how we can be redeemed. Peter's denial was not the end of his faith, but only a temporary lapse. His love and his belief in Christ never died, it was just momentarily overshadowed by fear and grief. The Book of Acts attests to Peter's powerful faith and his crucial role in the early days of the church. With the help of Jesus, Peter's story continued. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899">Our mistakes are never meant to be the end of our stories, either. Every time we stumble, Jesus is holding out His hand to us in grace, with plans for our hope and our future. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-22-34" id="en-NIV-25899"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord Jesus, thank You that You always have a future for me. Help me to see that when I stumble, You are holding out Your hand to me in grace. May I keep my eyes and heart ever focused on You! In Your name, Amen.</span><br /><br /><br />* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Minktaniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-47717568093853677902024-03-12T03:37:00.000-07:002024-03-12T03:37:59.142-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 23) - He Always Hears Our Prayers<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7Np6AyYH6AcvIR9vSHtWq7aVb4Fy5scNp6EGpGrbp0UpFEAnGo0im6cATzIvqRu9uhmSziVG9Tlpt8ywABGizp1Qm_GGeD3l38Mr_PLX6ZTIeO5NblUKHfvQFJ2ws5NspRn7iN7pqa25/s1600/God+hears+our+prayers.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7Np6AyYH6AcvIR9vSHtWq7aVb4Fy5scNp6EGpGrbp0UpFEAnGo0im6cATzIvqRu9uhmSziVG9Tlpt8ywABGizp1Qm_GGeD3l38Mr_PLX6ZTIeO5NblUKHfvQFJ2ws5NspRn7iN7pqa25/s1600/God+hears+our+prayers.jpg" /></a></p><i><span class="text John-11-40" id="en-NIV-26564">Then Jesus said, <span class="woj">“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”</span></span><span class="text John-11-41" id="en-NIV-26565"><sup> </sup>So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, <span class="woj">“Father, I thank you that you have heard me.</span></span> <span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><span class="woj">I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566">John 11:40-42 </span><br /><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><br /></span><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566">What a rare and precious gift when someone truly listens to you! When a person really hears what we are saying, he or she is validating us and demonstrating that our thoughts and opinions are important. That person is telling us that we are worth the time it takes to know us. Pastoral counselor David Augsburger wrote, "Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable." Conversely, when people talk past us or don't really hear our concerns, we feel isolated and diminished. No wonder one of our most common complaints - be it for politicians, bosses or co-workers, friends or family - is that nobody really hears what we are saying. </span><br /><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><br /></span><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566">Yet the Creator and Designer of the universe eagerly waits to hear our innermost thoughts. We can show our true selves to God and not fear rejection. We cannot bore God. God takes an active interest in every thought we direct toward Him. When Jesus prayed in front of Lazarus' tomb, He didn't pray about the amazing miracle that He was about to reveal. Instead, Jesus prayed about an even more amazing miracle - that the Lord of all creation always hears our prayers. We can pray in complete confidence that God always wants to listen to what we have to say. </span><br /><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><br /></span><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><u>Prayer</u>: Dear God, thank you for listening to me! I know that You always hear me. It is amazing that You eagerly wait to hear my innermost thoughts. May I be eager to go to You in prayer many times throughout each day. I love You Jesus! Amen. </span><br /><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566"><br /></span><span class="text John-11-42" id="en-NIV-26566">* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-6773674046537740662024-03-11T05:24:00.000-07:002024-03-11T05:24:14.123-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 22) - Blessed Are the Children <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Hy4Va20TpMMthiAa9mjQXbX_BLzAopQiBShlY-_qf1ygqZsGlXmNoby7BSkVPlYq-BADbCw6xGbSTB-xQMbFQoqvjqM260hDYkpQVpLIlnFz5xTVvUqUYY4b8TC391dP_4wrKKkY09P/s1600/Jesus+with+two+children.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Hy4Va20TpMMthiAa9mjQXbX_BLzAopQiBShlY-_qf1ygqZsGlXmNoby7BSkVPlYq-BADbCw6xGbSTB-xQMbFQoqvjqM260hDYkpQVpLIlnFz5xTVvUqUYY4b8TC391dP_4wrKKkY09P/s320/Jesus+with+two+children.jpg" width="264" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-18-15">People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.</span> <span class="text Luke-18-16" id="en-NIV-25705">But Jesus called the children to him and said, <span class="woj">“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><span class="woj">Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706">Luke 18:15-17 </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706">Child mortality rates in Jesus' time were staggering. Estimates are that 30 percent of children did not survive past infancy and that 60 percent died by the time they were sixteen. Children were generally not recognized as part of the community until puberty, when their survival was reasonably assured. No wonder the disciples felt that Jesus was wasting His time with children. Who could be less important? They had no influence, no merit, and no privilege - not even a reasonable certainty of life itself. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706">Yet Jesus reprimanded those who tried to keep Him from blessing babies. These "least of the least" were of utmost importance to Jesus. He even said that the kingdom of God belonged to people like those children. The children came to Jesus empty-handed and powerless, yet eager for His blessing. The disciples thought them unworthy. But what could we say or do or give to Jesus that could possibly be worth a blessing from the holy Son of God? Anyone who thinks he or she has something of value to give to God in order to buy his or her way into heaven is wrong. The only key to the kingdom of God is God's extravagant grace. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, Jesus, like a child, I have nothing to offer You, except my trust in Your grace. May You bless me and keep me in Your heart. Help me to come to you as a child, empty-handed and powerless but eager for Your blessing. And help me to encourage all the children in my life to know You and love You more! In Your precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen</span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-17" id="en-NIV-25706">* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-8284869288295337972024-03-11T05:09:00.000-07:002024-03-11T05:09:43.075-07:00Easter Devotion (Sunday) - Never Stop Praying <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmV44DrSKm42t5bJiejZP5LcqLZ18qqZ1l-DNAVHD5jGc_3eq2wmJeSzAPRji7MEWxY9lpxjvq7K1Rdv8BsDIuw_5JLE0B3ntmsCqaNGz_bMqdCrhIbHZ5Qc7wrwqgE-U0qdPx1uiNdrol/s1600/persistent+widow.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmV44DrSKm42t5bJiejZP5LcqLZ18qqZ1l-DNAVHD5jGc_3eq2wmJeSzAPRji7MEWxY9lpxjvq7K1Rdv8BsDIuw_5JLE0B3ntmsCqaNGz_bMqdCrhIbHZ5Qc7wrwqgE-U0qdPx1uiNdrol/s320/persistent+widow.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-18-1">Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.</span> <span class="text Luke-18-2" id="en-NIV-25691">He said: <span class="woj">“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-18-3" id="en-NIV-25692"><span class="woj">And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’</span></span></i><br /><i><span class="text Luke-18-4" id="en-NIV-25693"><span class="woj">“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,</span></span> <span class="text Luke-18-5" id="en-NIV-25694"><span class="woj">yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”</span></span></i><br /><i><span class="text Luke-18-6" id="en-NIV-25695">And the Lord said, <span class="woj">“Listen to what the unjust judge says.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-18-7" id="en-NIV-25696"><span class="woj">And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?</span></span> <span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><span class="woj">I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697">Luke 18:1-8 </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697">In Jesus' time, widows were especially vulnerable. Inheritances went to sons, not wives. Often the only person who could assure that a widow was treated fairly was a judge. But in this parable, the city's judge was corrupt and godless. Maybe he was holding out for a bribe, or was making deals with the widow's adversary, but he refused to listen to her. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697">But she did not give up. Her constant requests caused him to finally do what was right. If her persistence caused an unjust man to do good, how much more would our compassionate and loving God respond to the calls of those in need?</span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697">Our Lord is profoundly concerned with mercy and justice. As God's children, we can confidently and persistently pray for people to respond to one another in a Christlike way. But as we pray, should we also guard against our own human behavior? Praying for justice means that we must treat others justly. Pleading with God for mercy means that we must live lives of grace. We may see ourselves as the persistent widow in this parable, but must always guard against being the judge who will not listen to others in need of justice and mercy. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord of mercy and justice, may Your grace rule all the people of the world, starting with me! Thank you for your compassion and love and that You hear my prayers and answer. Help me to respond to others with patience and understanding. In the name of Jesus, Amen. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-18-8" id="en-NIV-25697">*This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-57161489694638726662024-03-11T05:02:00.000-07:002024-03-11T05:02:12.542-07:00Easter Devotion (Day 21) - Thankfulness<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGxlZX8k9zDuJb2FIGyqZZX79MxfLbynr0fN39pNXFwDXKt-QmUuuZqELlx70QXZacmuU8t4rnqxA6QLnuJhNsJpJ_kJ18k7I60qd0GF5LqXhXZ-LKg44NPOD_Dmlz90Uz8JOspIoRoed/s1600/thanks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGxlZX8k9zDuJb2FIGyqZZX79MxfLbynr0fN39pNXFwDXKt-QmUuuZqELlx70QXZacmuU8t4rnqxA6QLnuJhNsJpJ_kJ18k7I60qd0GF5LqXhXZ-LKg44NPOD_Dmlz90Uz8JOspIoRoed/s320/thanks.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Luke-17-11">Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.</span> <span class="text Luke-17-12" id="en-NIV-25664">As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy<sup> </sup>met him. They stood at a distance</span> <span class="text Luke-17-13" id="en-NIV-25665">and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”</span></i><br /><i>When he saw them, he said, <span class="woj">“Go, show yourselves to the priests.”</span> And as they went, they were cleansed.</i><br /><i></i><i><span class="text Luke-17-15" id="en-NIV-25667">One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.</span> <span class="text Luke-17-16" id="en-NIV-25668">He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.</span></i><br /><i></i><i><span class="text Luke-17-17" id="en-NIV-25669">Jesus asked, <span class="woj">“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?</span></span> <span class="text Luke-17-18" id="en-NIV-25670"><span class="woj">Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”</span></span> <span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">Then he said to him, <span class="woj">“Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">Luke 17:11-19</span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">What do you have to be grateful for? So often, we live our lives taking simple but profound blessings for granted. We can become blind to the ordinary miracles in our lives. </span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">Luke 17:15 says that when the leper in this story saw that he had been healed, he returned to Jesus to praise God. There are three important elements to this one verse. First, the leper recognized the miracle of his healing and transformed life. Second, he recognized that this miracle was because of God's undeserved and extravagant grace, and he was grateful. Third, he recognized that God had acted through Jesus and understood Him to be God's ambassador. These realizations were what ultimately saved this man from something much more profound than leprosy. His faith was how Jesus Christ saved him from sin and death. </span><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">Even as we struggle through life, we experience ordinary miracles. In order to live as disciples, we must open our eyes to the ways that God blesses us. Understanding those blessings causes us to be grateful for God's constant grace. When we truly are aware of the ways that we are touched daily by the grace of God, our faith compels us to praise God and thank His Son, Jesus Christ.</span><br /><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">A book that does a wonderful job of showing the importance of thanksgiving in a believers' life is <u>One Thousand Gifts</u> by Ann Voskamp. In it she recommends keeping a thanksgiving journal in which you write down daily at least ten things you are thankful for. You can then use those items to remind you to thank God daily for all He has done and is doing in your life. </span><br /><i>Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. </i><br />1 Thessalonians 5:18<span class="p"><br /></span><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, open my eyes to Your blessings and open my mouth in praise! May I never let a day go by without offering up thanks to You for all You have done for me. I am so undeserving. Thank you Lord for loving me! In Your Son's precious name, Amen</span><br /><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671"><br /></span><span class="text Luke-17-19" id="en-NIV-25671">* This devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span><br />taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-64592874770216172212024-03-08T03:41:00.000-08:002024-03-08T03:41:47.301-08:00Easter Devotion (Day 20) - Jesus, Our Healer<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V3fVy5EYWdneSf7z5ogNivcdeZ_iyaKyJHuGAdt9r8D6c_50m6r-IBb8Fsm41n7SEQSNKRStnOc3y7K1MvR3rC_W_XdugURc2s_YA703jvomCcXXDYvSFraA_Xxl-8flTdj8TbXAobFa/s1600/jesus-the-healer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V3fVy5EYWdneSf7z5ogNivcdeZ_iyaKyJHuGAdt9r8D6c_50m6r-IBb8Fsm41n7SEQSNKRStnOc3y7K1MvR3rC_W_XdugURc2s_YA703jvomCcXXDYvSFraA_Xxl-8flTdj8TbXAobFa/s320/jesus-the-healer.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Jas-5-13">Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.</span> <span class="text Jas-5-14" id="en-NIV-30369"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.</span> <span class="text Jas-5-15" id="en-NIV-30370">And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.</span> <span class="text Jas-5-16" id="en-NIV-30371">Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.</span></i><br /><i><span class="text Jas-5-17" id="en-NIV-30372">Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.</span> <span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.</span></i><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">James 5:13-18</span><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373"><br /></span><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">As I write this, a young woman I know who has been surrounded by love and prayer is near death, a victim of cancer. This passage is particularly difficult in a situation like this, because James says that if you pray with faith, the sick will be restored to health. But everyone eventually dies. How could this verse be true?</span><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373"><br /></span><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">Verse 15 which speaks of the sick person being made well uses the Greek word astheneia, which literally means "without strength." This could be physical, spiritual, or emotional strength. In a society where physical disease was very often seen as punishment for sin, James' call to gather to pray for those who were ill in any sense of the word could be considered radical. It was - and often still is - much easier to leave the sick behind. In today's society, where we usually understand that physical ailments are not related to our characters, we are more supportive. But what about mental illnesses or those who suffer spiritually? Are we eager to keep them within the community of the church?</span><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373"><br /></span><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">The young woman I know has been strengthened and uplifted by the prayers of her faith community. The cancer is killing her body, but it has not destroyed her spirit. She has truly been raised up in prayer and made strong in Christ through the prayers of the righteous. </span><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373"><br /></span><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, may those I name in my heart feel Your healing power. Heal today those who are hurting but physically, spiritually and emotionally, according to Your will. May I be an instrument of that healing. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen</span><br /><br /><span class="text Jas-5-18" id="en-NIV-30373">* Devotion taken from The Sanctuary for Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153239255495060632.post-79581854827339740002024-03-08T02:55:00.000-08:002024-03-08T02:55:52.252-08:00Easter Devotion (Day 19) - Faith in God<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj-zcd46wMinulEycqj6woyDb_4ofIeeK9NdYCPKqaPwvJRDhWlC_G5KQuUuZNxoEjbY3zpEETb_Mt699v4Pv6XXZQUdKAhxCsc3PIJctyZQyKVHRGinAcLj2padl1fxVR8msvUYrZZjN/s1600/faith-in-god.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj-zcd46wMinulEycqj6woyDb_4ofIeeK9NdYCPKqaPwvJRDhWlC_G5KQuUuZNxoEjbY3zpEETb_Mt699v4Pv6XXZQUdKAhxCsc3PIJctyZQyKVHRGinAcLj2padl1fxVR8msvUYrZZjN/s320/faith-in-god.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><i><span class="text Mark-11-20" id="en-NIV-24661"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.</span> <span class="text Mark-11-21" id="en-NIV-24662">Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”</span></i><br /><i><span class="text Mark-11-22" id="en-NIV-24663"><span class="woj">“Have faith in God,”</span> Jesus answered.</span> <span class="text Mark-11-23" id="en-NIV-24664"><span class="woj">“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.</span></span> <span class="text Mark-11-24" id="en-NIV-24665"><span class="woj">Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.</span></span> <span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><span class="woj">And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”</span></span></i><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666">Mark 11:20-25 </span><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><br /></span><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666">Some years ago, I was in a Bible study during a time when one of the members had recently fallen from a roof. He was near death, and based on this verse, the study leader told us if we prayed for his recovery and did not doubt, he would be healed. When he died, it shook the faith of many of the members. </span><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><br /></span><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666">Where was our miracle? We had confused confidence in prayer with believing we had the ability to manipulate God through prayer. Believing that the outcome of prayers is based on the intensity of our faith means that we believe our powers are greater than God's own will. Prayer is not a one-way communication where we make demands of God. Rather, it is when we open ourselves to God's claim on us and we respond obediently to God's guidance. </span><br /><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666">However, the requests in the Lord's Prayer are things we can already claim as our own. These are an intimate relationship with God; membership in God's Kingdom, which has been established by Jesus on earth; the earth's bounty; and forgiveness and deliverance. God has already given us unlimited love, forgiveness and grace, and will empower us to glorify His kingdom. </span><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><br /></span><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><u>Prayer</u>: Lord, bring me into a deeper prayer relationship with You, so that my desires become Your desires. May I never try to manipulate You with my prayers but instead, always trust in Your good judgment and Your perfect plan for my life and this world. I trust You Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen. </span><br /><br /><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666">* Devotion taken from The Sanctuary For Lent 2016 by Sue Mink</span><br /><span class="text Mark-11-25" id="en-NIV-24666"><br /></span>taniad1992http://www.blogger.com/profile/09878145582788717026noreply@blogger.com0