HALLELUJAH!

 On the third day,  Jesus rose from the grave and hallelujah!  He still lives today!  

Hallelujah, praise the Lamb of God!

And all God's people said, "AMEN!"

VICTORY CRY

I find myself remembering off and on during this day what "Good Friday" means to me, my salvation and my life.  The Girl sent me a video today of the song "Watch the Lamb".  She sends it every Easter season.  I hear and watch it every Easter season.  I cry when I watch it every Easter season.   

My heart cringes every time I think of what Jesus went through on the actual "Good Friday".  He was ridiculed, whipped, scorned, denied, and experiences so much physical suffering that I can't imagine.  Surely his mental suffering had to have been terrible, too.  

He was nailed to a cross, hung there as a criminal between two thieves, but never called angels or his Heavenly Father to his rescue.  He could have, you know?  But he didn't.  He was there because of the sins of you and me.  He died so that we could live again if we only believe on Him and the work He did on the cross.  

Thinking of what a victory cry might have been for Him, I think of three words he uttered, "It is finished."

As I attended a funeral today of a dear friend, I found myself considering heaven now.  My parents are there, so many friends are there, sometimes it's scary how many have gone there.  Can you only imagine the joy they have there with this RISEN Jesus?  It's what our faith truly is.

Remember....a lot can happen in three days and Sunday's coming....Praise be to Jesus who died for ME!  Yes, I believe!

Consider.

DISCIPLES

This morning I was thinking of Jesus twelve disciples.  You could call them his "entourage" or his "right-hand men" or simply his friends who were learning about him while following him.  Either way, I considered that I am also a disciple of His in today's world.

I wondered how I would have felt when I watched as Mary anointed his feet and dried them with her hair.

I wondered how I would have felt when he said go get the donkey.  I have need of it.

I wondered how I would have felt when I prepared the upper room.

I wondered how I would have felt as I sat at supper with him, ate bread for his body and drank wine for his blood.

I wondered how I would have felt when he told me I would deny him three times before morning.

As I considered all these thoughts, I realized at some point or another, I do all these things.  Not literally and not all the time.  

I love to anoint him with praise but I don't do it all the time.

I love to follow his instructions but I don't all the time.

I love to prepare my heart for him, but I don't all the time.

I love to eat his goodness, but I don't all the time.

I love to tell others about him and never deny him, but I don't all the time.

In my reading this morning, I was drawn to John, chapter 17.  This is the chapter when the subtitles are "Jesus Prays for Himself", "Jesus Prays for His Disciples", and "Jesus Prays for All Believers".  It's one of my favorite chapters in the Bible because it helps me KNOW that Jesus prayed for ME.  Yep, ME.  I encourage you to take a read of this chapter during this week. It's so good.

Consider....and believe.....

EASTER WEEK

 Well, Friends, it's Easter week!  Yes, my favorite holiday of the year is Easter the day we celebrate that theLord of my life arose from the grave.  And we always call the week before Easter "Easter week".  

In the past I have written daily about this "holiday" and things leading up to it.  I still encourage you to read your Bible as to the events building up to Easter Sunday.  As I have published in the archives every Easter, here is the week's readings in each of the Gospels.  I suggest reading them all.  It was my daddy's favorite holiday tradition.  He knew them practically by heart.  I don't.  :(

Jesus rides into Jerusalem.....Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19

The Last Supper with the twelve....Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13

Sold out....Matt 26: 1-16;  Mark 14:1-2, 10-11:  Luke 22:1-6

In the Garden....Matthew 26:36-56; Mark14: 32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 17, 18:1-11

Guilty?.....Matthew 26:57-75; Mark14:53-72;  Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27

A Dark Day....Matthew 27:1-66; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 23; John 18:28-42

The Tomb....Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20

This year my posts will be different.  I hope to just share simple thoughts from my journey with Jesus.

I accepted Jesus as my Savior at age 9.  You can read that testimony in various posts on this blog.  (Revival, July 12, 2012)  I often remember as an adult hearing Gloria Gaither say, "I chose that day to go with the 'cross' crowd, and every good and beautiful thing that has happened to me since was a direct result of that choice".  Now I agree with her but I will go so far to say that everything that has happened to me since has not been good and beautiful.  There have been the hards, the pains, the griefs and so much more.  But, I will say that going through these "bad" times have been easier as Jesus was along.  I can't imagine life--which is the good, the bad, and the ugly--without HIM.  

All because He came, He lived, He suffered, He died, and He arose!  

Consider.....

THE BLESSING OF "MY PEOPLE"

Yes, it's been a very long time since I shared on this blog.  Too long.  Much has been going on to use up my words elsewhere but today, I had a thought that deserves a share.  And with that said, maybe I can get back on track with my writing.  It would really help me, I think.

It's been a hard few months yet again but those are stories for other posts, not this one except in one respect.  I got an email from a good friend yesterday and it said simply, "Just checking on my people."  Now that would sound like a very close family member or friend but I will tell you that I have only seen this friend once. I've known her for years but we had lunch once.  Our cities are not close in distance.  We have talked on the phone often and formed a beautiful, caring friendship.  She is an agent with the insurance company that our company used for years and we worked together with the commercial insurance needs.  So I've not had any commercial needs in six years now but we remain strong friends.  You see, she prays for me, I pray for her and we keep in touch to check on results of those prayers and to say hello.  So anyways, I got that email and somehow "my people" jumped out at me.

I got to considering "MY people".  Yes, there's my people in my close family, my extended family, my church family, but then there are friends and even long ago reconnected friends that have become MY people.  When I sat down to make a mental list, I realized I am blessed beyond measure by folks I have met along my journey who have developed a friendship and a caring attitude towards me....my insurance agent, my pharmacist, the 2nd grade co-room mom, the high school friend, just to give you an idea.  The list is so long.  I recall the saying "if you want a friend, be one".  I fail often at that and would like to improve.

MY people.  MY PEOPLE.   Think about what that means to you.  Think about how it can change your life.  Think about how YOU can change someone else's life.  

Well that's my thought.  I loved it.  It gave me encouragement, joy, and humbleness when I considered the impact of "MY PEOPLE".  What a blessing!

Consider....