He is risen.
He is risen indeed.
4.12.2009
4.10.2009
Good Friday Hope
On Sunday, April 5th, I participated in a prayer & praise service at my church. Our normal Sunday evening, laid back, casual service was filled with prayer, singing, sharing and community. It was an amazing evening of glorifying God for all He has done and all He will do.
We prayed through the crucifiction and resurrection of Christ. I prayed through Mark 16:1-8. I've included the prayer I prayed, mostly just so I always know where it is. Please keep in mind this isn't word for word. You know how you can plan something out, work it all out in your head and then God takes you down another path... Well... a change or two here and there but it was enough. Nothing dramatic, you'll still get the point but, well, God changed a few words.
On this Good Friday - I only ask that you ask questions, look deep, listen closely (with your heart more than your head) and believe. Believe.
Here is the prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Your willingness to hear us today, Oh Lord. We thank You for being willing to listen to our hearts and we pray, Lord that even as we leave here tonight, our hearts and minds are open to listening to You.
Hope, Oh Lord, is often something so many of us see as being in things of this world. Hope gets placed in our jobs, our children, our spouses – even “chance” or “luck.”
Mark 16 verses 1-8 reads:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Lord Jesus, that resurrection Sunday so long ago… As those women approached Your tomb, bringing what was needed to honor You in death, their minds swirling with all they thought they had lost that horrible Friday. Were they thinking of the hope they had placed in You and thought they had lost? Were they then brought up short by the greatest, the only true hope:
He has risen. He is not here.
We hear those words, Oh Lord and our hearts leap in our chests; we can’t contain our joy: He has risen.
Our Hope did not remain in that tomb. That Scripture tells us: He is not here. See the place where they laid Him?
Our Hope asks us to speak of Him: Your Word states: But go, tell of Him to His disciples and Peter.
Our Hope goes before us: The Bible says: He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him…
Our Hope keeps His promises: The man in the white robe reminds us: just as He told you.
As the women left the tomb, trembling and bewildered, were they thinking and feeling some of the same things we think and feel as we live our lives, the power of the enemy around us, seeing the havoc sin has wreaked on this earth? Did their thoughts lead them back to You, to realizing what You had done? Did they begin to feel Your hope again, Lord as they had just seen it in that empty tomb?
We praise You, Father God, that You are our Hope. We lift our hands in praise to you, Father God. We lift our voices in worship to you, Lord Jesus.
Our Hope is found in You and You alone. That first Sunday, despite bewilderment and trembling, Your Word tells us to ask: O Death where is your victory? O Death where is your sting?
As the saints pray in Revelation, Oh Lord, we praise You and You alone.
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. 4Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
In the power and the most precious name of Jesus Christ I pray,
Amen.
We prayed through the crucifiction and resurrection of Christ. I prayed through Mark 16:1-8. I've included the prayer I prayed, mostly just so I always know where it is. Please keep in mind this isn't word for word. You know how you can plan something out, work it all out in your head and then God takes you down another path... Well... a change or two here and there but it was enough. Nothing dramatic, you'll still get the point but, well, God changed a few words.
On this Good Friday - I only ask that you ask questions, look deep, listen closely (with your heart more than your head) and believe. Believe.
Here is the prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Your willingness to hear us today, Oh Lord. We thank You for being willing to listen to our hearts and we pray, Lord that even as we leave here tonight, our hearts and minds are open to listening to You.
Hope, Oh Lord, is often something so many of us see as being in things of this world. Hope gets placed in our jobs, our children, our spouses – even “chance” or “luck.”
Mark 16 verses 1-8 reads:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Lord Jesus, that resurrection Sunday so long ago… As those women approached Your tomb, bringing what was needed to honor You in death, their minds swirling with all they thought they had lost that horrible Friday. Were they thinking of the hope they had placed in You and thought they had lost? Were they then brought up short by the greatest, the only true hope:
He has risen. He is not here.
We hear those words, Oh Lord and our hearts leap in our chests; we can’t contain our joy: He has risen.
Our Hope did not remain in that tomb. That Scripture tells us: He is not here. See the place where they laid Him?
Our Hope asks us to speak of Him: Your Word states: But go, tell of Him to His disciples and Peter.
Our Hope goes before us: The Bible says: He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him…
Our Hope keeps His promises: The man in the white robe reminds us: just as He told you.
As the women left the tomb, trembling and bewildered, were they thinking and feeling some of the same things we think and feel as we live our lives, the power of the enemy around us, seeing the havoc sin has wreaked on this earth? Did their thoughts lead them back to You, to realizing what You had done? Did they begin to feel Your hope again, Lord as they had just seen it in that empty tomb?
We praise You, Father God, that You are our Hope. We lift our hands in praise to you, Father God. We lift our voices in worship to you, Lord Jesus.
Our Hope is found in You and You alone. That first Sunday, despite bewilderment and trembling, Your Word tells us to ask: O Death where is your victory? O Death where is your sting?
As the saints pray in Revelation, Oh Lord, we praise You and You alone.
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. 4Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
In the power and the most precious name of Jesus Christ I pray,
Amen.
4.09.2009
Thankful Thursday - Sacrifice
As we head toward celebrating Easter Sunday, 2009, the subject today for Thankful Thursday hosted by Laurie at Women Taking a Stand is sacrifice.
My words would pale in comparison so I will, instead, share lyrics of one of my most favorite hymns. Written by Charles Wesley in 1739, it so eloquently speaks to the sacrifice for which I am so incredibly thankful. What else in life brings such awe, such humbled sorrow and such amazing joy?
My words would pale in comparison so I will, instead, share lyrics of one of my most favorite hymns. Written by Charles Wesley in 1739, it so eloquently speaks to the sacrifice for which I am so incredibly thankful. What else in life brings such awe, such humbled sorrow and such amazing joy?
Be blessed. Have an amazing, miracle, love and joy filled Easter.
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!
King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
4.08.2009
What Does Easter Mean To Me?
Angela at Becoming Me is hosting an Easter "carnival" of sorts. She's asked us to write a post (or posts) about Easter between April 5th and 12th (see the button on my sidebar). This is my very humble contribution.
Please forgive me if this doesn't make as much sense as I think it does. My sinuses are in an uproar. Again... Feels like "always." My whine is over - now to my post:
My absolute favorite day of the year is Easter. Easter is a bit commercialized - you'll see more bunnies and eggs than you will crosses usually but what Easter stands for goes beyond anything you can buy in a store. It goes beyond anything you can imagine. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His triumph over death and evil and that one incident is the solid rock on which Christianity stands.
As the apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 1:17-19: "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'"
In order for man to become right with God, a sacrifice unlike any other sacrifice had to be made. A sacrifice of perfection - no bull, goat, lamb, pigeon or dove would do. Perfection could only be found in the Son of God. So the Son of God willingly gave up His position in heaven - that royal position, at the right hand of God - to come to earth in human form. A baby nonetheless - the weakest, most defenseless human form. He came to die and He did it willingly (John 10:17-18).
Hebrews 4 reminds us: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Not only did He come to Earth to die but He came, grew and lived so He could understand what we go through. We can never say we have a distant, unfeeling, uncaring and unknowing God.
Hebrews 4 reminds us: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Not only did He come to Earth to die but He came, grew and lived so He could understand what we go through. We can never say we have a distant, unfeeling, uncaring and unknowing God.
As those truths reverberate in my head, as I think on them, dwell on them, I am again brought to my knees in absolute awe at just what Christ did all those many years ago. My words are inadequate and I can't possibly explain to you all that it means. It pulls on emotions so deep in my soul, they have not voice and I can't write them out here, using mere words.
We were created to glorify God. That is the purpose of man. That first Sunday morning a couple of thousand years ago gave us back the ability to do that. It brought back right all that had gone wrong in the Garden of Eden a few thousand years before the cross.
To me, Easter is a glorious awakening. Everything is new again because of Easter. Christ is victorious and we should glorify Him, celebrate Him, with every fiber of our being. Celebrate everything about Him, all He did and will do and all of Who He Is.
What is Easter to you?
4.07.2009
Great Blog - Great Giveaway
You know me - I love finding a fun new blog and I love blog giveaways. They are just so much fun and you get to "meet" the most amazing people.
Today I stumbled across Sue over at Life at Home and at first it was all about the giveaway. I'm sorry - my humanness falls out whenever cute stuff is being given away...
Then, I started roaming around... Oh my golly does this lady set up some beautiful decor!!! I am in absolute awe at the talent out there in decorating and keeping house and am always amazed when I find someone new because they are all so ingenious in their imagination. It is downright incredible. Not a single duplicate anywhere. Ever!!!
For me, I'm just happy to have a few pretties sitting around and that the living gets dusted. This woman and others like her have made their home pieces of art! It is absolutely amazing and I love that they're willing to give us peeks into their homes and share with us.
However...in the interest of actually getting this post done today, the only other thing I'm going to tell you is Sue is also hosting a giveaway. Click. Click... CLICK, I tell you. Enter. The dishes are OH so cute!!!!! If you'd rather not enter, just pray I win because I would absolutely LOVE to add these dishes to my collection. And then invite you to dessert!
I'll even bake my cherry cheesecake.
4.02.2009
Thankful Thursdays - Hope
It never ceases to amaze me how the TT subjects almost always tie in to something directly happening in my life. Laurie at Women Taking A Stand is hosting Thankful Thursdays in the month of April and named "hope" as this week's subject. This upcoming Sunday we are having a prayer and praise service for our Sunday evening service and I'm part of the "prayer" portion of the evening. I will be praying for 4-5 minutes on hope.
Hope... a subject so near and dear to my heart because it has caused such an ache knowing that my son and his friends don't seem to have much. I know it's not true with all young people (I read a great story yesterday that reminded me of that) but there are just SO many today being swept up into the darkness. Drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, pornography, gangs... The list is so long and feels like a 1,000 lb. weight on your shoulders. How oh how oh how do we speak hope into these lives when so many of their young friends are dying for the most ridiculous reasons? When lives seem to revolve around darkness and so few find their way out? That's what they see, that has become the "norm" for them. "What's the big deal, Mom?" When I know it's eating him alive...
It breaks a mother's heart.
Even with all of that on my mind, I am thankful this week for hope. Even hope you can't seem to see or find.
I am thankful above all for The Hope. Jesus Christ. My prayer is scales would fall from eyes, He would be seen by so many floundering in the darkness and not just seen - accepted, trusted and loved. He IS the way, the
I am thankful for The Light of Jesus Christ and how just a little bit of it can break through so much darkness.
I am thankful for The Love of Jesus Christ - sharing it with just one person, in one small way (sometimes a smile and acknowledging another's existence is all that's needed) can help start a change to a person's path.
This week I have had the opportunity to speak to my son again, just a bit, about that Hope. He gets angry sometimes when God comes up (Made me laugh time before this last one - he got mad at me and he's the one who brought up God. :) ) but not as much as he used to and I just keep praying for a miracle. I know God can change his heart and that's the miracle I pray for constantly and for that I am thankful, too:
God hears my prayers. God cares about my prayers. God loves when I talk with Him.
How can I not be thankful?
Hope you join us today at Laurie's. Have a blessed week!
Hope... a subject so near and dear to my heart because it has caused such an ache knowing that my son and his friends don't seem to have much. I know it's not true with all young people (I read a great story yesterday that reminded me of that) but there are just SO many today being swept up into the darkness. Drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, pornography, gangs... The list is so long and feels like a 1,000 lb. weight on your shoulders. How oh how oh how do we speak hope into these lives when so many of their young friends are dying for the most ridiculous reasons? When lives seem to revolve around darkness and so few find their way out? That's what they see, that has become the "norm" for them. "What's the big deal, Mom?" When I know it's eating him alive...
It breaks a mother's heart.
Even with all of that on my mind, I am thankful this week for hope. Even hope you can't seem to see or find.
I am thankful above all for The Hope. Jesus Christ. My prayer is scales would fall from eyes, He would be seen by so many floundering in the darkness and not just seen - accepted, trusted and loved. He IS the way, the
I am thankful for The Light of Jesus Christ and how just a little bit of it can break through so much darkness.
I am thankful for The Love of Jesus Christ - sharing it with just one person, in one small way (sometimes a smile and acknowledging another's existence is all that's needed) can help start a change to a person's path.
This week I have had the opportunity to speak to my son again, just a bit, about that Hope. He gets angry sometimes when God comes up (Made me laugh time before this last one - he got mad at me and he's the one who brought up God. :) ) but not as much as he used to and I just keep praying for a miracle. I know God can change his heart and that's the miracle I pray for constantly and for that I am thankful, too:
God hears my prayers. God cares about my prayers. God loves when I talk with Him.
How can I not be thankful?
Hope you join us today at Laurie's. Have a blessed week!
4.01.2009
Fun April Days
I was clicking through the Hallmark website the other day and came across a printable 2009 Hoops & Yoyo calendar. I don't know if you know who Hoops & Yoyo are but I love 'em. Goofy, silly, usually make little-to-no sense characters but adorable nonetheless.
For fun, I started downloading their calendars. Here are the fun days in April:
April 2 - National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day
April 14 - National Pecan Day
April 17 - National Cheese Ball Day
April 19 - Garlic Day
April 22 - National Jelly Bean Day
April 24 - National Pig-in-a-Blanket Day
April 26 - National Pretzel Day
April 29 - National Shrimp Scampi Day
I wonder - are there cards you give on these National days? Gifts? I would hope to be prepared...
Oh... and before I forget... April is National Soy Foods Month. The whole month. Not just a day.
Gotta love April. I wonder what May will bring. Might have to check back next month (unless Hallmark tells me I can't list their National Days).
No - this isn't an April Fool's Day prank, either.
Enjoy.
For fun, I started downloading their calendars. Here are the fun days in April:
April 2 - National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day
April 14 - National Pecan Day
April 17 - National Cheese Ball Day
April 19 - Garlic Day
April 22 - National Jelly Bean Day
April 24 - National Pig-in-a-Blanket Day
April 26 - National Pretzel Day
April 29 - National Shrimp Scampi Day
I wonder - are there cards you give on these National days? Gifts? I would hope to be prepared...
Oh... and before I forget... April is National Soy Foods Month. The whole month. Not just a day.
Gotta love April. I wonder what May will bring. Might have to check back next month (unless Hallmark tells me I can't list their National Days).
No - this isn't an April Fool's Day prank, either.
Enjoy.
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