Is anyone else having a challenge of doing things scriptural, verses what the secular world says. As in scripture says to put others before me whereas the secular world says put me first. I know what is right, just wondering if others may struggle with this. And how do we mourn the loss of ourselves without sinking into depression? How do we have joy in the midst of our trials and tribulations? It seems that as time passes my patience doesn't hurt as much, (must be experience), but still everyday I start wearing down where my patience begins to hurt a little and I am struggling not to let it be seen. I spend a lot of time in prayer and in the word, that is the only way I have the strength to do this, putting myself aside. But as a faulty human being, I am still in a struggle and seek like minded individuals who understand. May God bless all those who are loving their loved ones to the best of their ability.
The gates and doors were barred and all the windows fastened down,
I spent the night in sleeplessness and rose at every sound,
Half in hopeless sorrow half in fear the day,
Would find the soldiers crashing through to drag us all away.
Then just before the sunrise I heard something at the wall,
The gate began to rattle and a voice began to call,
I hurried to the window and looked down to the street,
Expecting swords and torches and the sound of soldiers feet,
There was no one there but Mary so I went down to let her in,
John stood there beside me as she told us were she'd been,
She said they moved him in the night and none of us knows where,
The stones been rolled away and now his body isn't there.
We both ran toward the garden then John ran on ahead,
We found the stone and the empty tomb just the way that Mary said,
But the winding sheet they wrapped him in was just an empty shell,
And how or where they'd taken him was more than I could tell.
Something strange had happened there but what I did not know,
John believed a miracle but I just turned to go,
Circumstance and speculation couldn't lift me very high,
Cause I'd seen them crucify him and then I'd watched him die,
Back inside the house again all the guilt and anguish came,
Everything I'd promised him just added to my shame,
But at last it came to choices I denied I knew his name,
Even If he was alive it wouldn't be the same.
But suddenly the air was filled with a strange and sweet perfume,
Light that came from everywhere drove shadows from the room,
Jesus stood before me with his arms held open wide,
And I fell down on my knees and clung to him and cried,
He raised me to my feet and as I looked into his eyes,
Love was shining out from him like sunlight from the sky,
Guilt and my confusion disappeared in sweet release,
And every fear I'd ever had just melted into peace.
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive and I'm forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive and I'm forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive and I'm forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.
He's alive!
The disciples were afraid Sunday night after hearing about the empty tomb that morning from the women Luke 24:1-12 and Peter's experience of the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus Luke 13-35..
And while they hid behind locked doors, the risen Jesus came into the room and relieved their fears John 19-20 and Luke 24:36-49.
In a sense, we are locked in our homes in fear of the virus and what impact this will have on our lives and our society.
Yet, our risen Lord and Savior comes to us to relieve our fears.
Fear not for the Lord is risen and because he lives all fears can be gone! May the peace and joy of Easter by the Holy Spirit be with us all!
Too Small A Price
Don Francisco
I awoke to hear the jailer turn the key and push the door
'Get out here!' he shouted, but I stayed there on the floor
Frozen in the terror that rose and filled my brain
I knew what they intended; I could not face the pain
Then soldiers came into the cell and dragged me to the yard
They threw me down before a cross and brought the whip down hard
'Carry it!' they shouted, as I struggled to my feet
I put my shoulder under it; dragged it to the street
I stumbled through a wall of screams as they drove me through the gate
It seemed that thousands lined the streets, their voices filled with hate
Like a wolf pack in the night that moves in for the kill
They closed the gap and followed us as we started up the hill
And it seemed I'd barely reached the top when they grabbed me from behind
They threw the cross down under me and tied the ropes that bind
The arms close to the beams as they nailed the feet and hands
And they raised the cross up in the air and dropped it in it's stand
Through a blur of pain I saw the cross there next to mine
There were people all around it so I looked to read the sign
It was nailed there up above His head so the world could see the news
That the man who seemed so helpless there was the King of all the Jews
The crowd that stood around His cross made jokes about His name
They shouted, laughed and spat on Him so I joined in the game
I said, 'Hey! If you're the King why don't you get us down from here?
The taunt just sounded hollow and it echoed in my ears
'Cause He looked at me with eyes that seemed to reach into my heart
They shone a light on all my lies and tore my life apart
There was more that lay behind His gaze than simply blood and clay
But knowing was too much for me; I had to look away
Then I chanced another look at Him as He was looking down
Where the soldiers who'd just crucified us drank there on the ground
And although He spoke them quietly, somehow His words came through
He said 'Father, please forgive them; they don't know what they do'
Then as if they'd heard Him speak, the crowd began to roar
Whipped to frenzy by the priests who urged them on to more
But the worse the accusations, now, the plainer I could see
The guilt of the accusers - not the One there next to me
Then the man upon the other cross began to curse and swear
But his voice was filled with venom as he hurled it through the air
When all the horror that was in him and had laid his life to waste
Came out in every syllable he flung in Jesus' face
And Jesus only looked at him, but something rose inside of me
And in spite of all that watched us there, it couldn't be denied
Because His righteousness and innocence were shining bright and strong
I just couldn't keep my silence and that cursing still went on
I cried out, 'Don't you fear the wrath of God even at the end?
You'll curse us both into the pit - is that what you intend?
We're only getting what we're due - we've sinned our whole lives long
But don't you talk to Him that way - He's done nothing wrong!'
Then with all my courage, in a voice not quite my own
I asked Him 'Lord, remember me when you sit upon Your throne'
He answered me and, even then, His love was undisguised
He said 'Before the sun has set today, you'll be with Me in Paradise'
Well the shouts and curses did not stop even when the sunlight ceased
But somehow in the midst of it, my soul had been released
And though the agony continued, it was still too small a price
To be allowed to hear those words, and to die beside the Christ!
Source: Musixmatch
May we all have a Happy Easter and a new beginning in the name of Jesus. Amen🙏
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to his name!
He lives, my Jesus still the same.
O, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
We may have lots of heartbreaking situations but we have many miracles too. On this Easter Sunday I am choosing to focus on the miracles in our lives and the miracles that are in our future.
What miracles are you most grateful for?
Husband and children. As long as I have those that I love then I have everything. Even if we are physically separated because of this Covid, in our hearts we are together.
We can’t celebrate Easter together this year but we can all still watch the service on television and read the scriptures together, even if we are physically separated from our daughters.
I will be celebrating Easter with my husband. Like everyone else, our church is not worshiping together as a community, we are adhering to the ‘stay at home’ regulations.
So, our archbishop will be saying Mass from St. Louis Cathedral to be televised and streamed online. We will watch it on tv.
Happy Easter, everyone! Alleluia!
Happy Passover to our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Blessings to all. 💗
Resurrection Sunday!
This Easter is different from so many others.
For those staying at home, it could be a time of reflection.
But God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
His love is consistent and strong, and wants for none to perish.
This could be a real come to Jesus moment for so many!
Happy Easter
Happy Passover
Thanks, hubs has been home since March 15th. But we are okay. We stopped going out to pickup food (they put it in our trunk), and now have everything delivered. Saving on gas pays the tip for delivery. It is a good thing to be staying home, especially these two weeks.
Happy Easter to those believers who celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!
And Happy Passover for those celebrating the exodus of God's people from captivity in Egypt.
My hubs is able to be home from work, and has decided to cooperate with the stay at home orders since his church went online Sundays. It is strange to me that others are sad and missing church staying home; but I was blessed to be able to watch his church service alongside of him from home. Together. It has been a long time.
God is good, all the time!
I have just been really tired trying to balance my days. I just don't want to come here and be a downer. I miss you all and I will be here more this weekend, as I have a 3 day weekend, Thank the Lord. I am just not able to stay up as late as i use to, due to my schedule change.
How are you and Dh?
How is everyone?
"I Will Not Fear"
The Lord is on my side,
I will not fear;
Above the surging tide,
His voice I hear;
He shelters me from every foe,
He guards my steps where'er I go,
And so I trust Him, for I know--
That He is near.
His arm of love enfolds me
When I call;
In kindness He upholds me,
Lest I fall.
His mercy shines upon my way,
His grace renews my strength each day,
And so my heart shall ever say:
"He is my all."
~By Albert Simpson Reitz
“...If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:31
Where are you? Are you well? Did you stay home from work yet?
12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
Believers, Have a blessed and peaceful Palm Sunday!
He came in peace, riding on a donkey's colt.
God is love
God is peace
Was the traveller/injured man a Samaritan, or Jewish?
Yep, weird stuff does happen. Crazy.
She’s one of these kids that stresses out about her grades. I think she would have too much anxiety if she waited until the last minute so she feels better taking her exams at an off time. She isn’t done. She has three more exams to take.
It’s kind of funny that the students crashed the system with everyone waiting until the last minute and crashing the system. Must be a pain for the professors teaching this way too. They don’t have any other choice. They’ll adapt.
I am glad that she bought her new phone and Mac because kids really need to have functional technology today. My kid is awful with phones.
I don’t know what she does but she has gone through so many phones! My phones last a long time. I have the Otter case on mine, not some ‘cutesy’ case.
So I told her that if she needed anymore new phones she had to buy it herself with the money from her job. How does she keep breaking her phone?
Think again about the parable of the Good Samaritan. The two Jewish people who walked past the injured man did not practice that Jewish principle that I mentioned and you went into more detail about. That cultural context makes the story even more powerful!
She told me that she was glad that she took it at an off time. Later on, so many students were doing exams online that the system crashed! They couldn’t finish their tests.
All of those students had to schedule their exams over again, being their 3rd attempt at taking their exam!
They had already been postponed once, from ordinary tests in the classroom to online studies, now systems crashing and rescheduling again! Geeeez!
Since she took her exam at an off hour the system wasn’t overloaded and she was able to finish it. She got an A!
In spite of all this mayhem, my daughter is focusing on finishing up her last semester of school in order to graduate!
Please pray for all the students at my daughter’s school, LSU and all other schools. Thank you 💗.
We need to work together. It’s so important to work together rather than fight with each other. Makes me sad.
He is fighting with the governor and our police department. The police have a tough enough job right now. They don’t need his foolishness to contend with, nor does our governor.
This pastor is stubborn. I think he would be like this no matter what faith he was. Other Pentecostal churches are listening to the stay at home orders.
He sees it as he is defending his right to gather and pray. Fine, in ordinary times. These are not ordinary times. Things are nowhere near normal at this time.