Archives for April 2017

Your Purpose?

April 22, 2017 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given April 12, 2017

Who were you created to be? What were you created to do? How does God see you? You may see yourself one way and others might have a view of you based on your actions and words. But how does God see you?

Picture this: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are standing there in the hallway of the maternity ward of the hospital as the nurse brings you out and places you in the crib in front of the window for viewing. God says, “Yep, I see great things for this child.” Jesus and the Holy Spirit nod their head in agreement saying, “That’s right, we’ve been aware of this one for awhile now.” “Such potential.” “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” (Ephesians 1:4, NLT) You were that baby.

God created you for a purpose and put within you the talents, skills and desires to fulfill that purpose. Are you aware of your purpose? “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) Each person has a job to do within the Body of Christ. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5) Are you doing your part in the Body? Do you know what your part is? You probably have an idea of what you are good at and what you like to do which is based on your giftings.

Here are two websites that offer an assessment you can take to determine you Spiritual gifts: https://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm , https://gifts.churchgrowth.org. God sees you as the person He created so, be true to the view He has of you.

The Tomb

April 15, 2017 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given April 10, 2017

Today, (April 16, 2017), we celebrate Easter. For many people, Easter is a springtime, bunny rabbit, egg hunt holiday but to Christians, it is much more. Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and the tomb. He went through so much on Friday with the trials, humiliation, beatings, abandonment, pain, suffering and finally, death. He was placed in the tomb. We can imagine that it was dark, cold, and final. Imagine that you can hear the victory celebration in Hell because Jesus was dead. He was in the tomb. The tomb is a dark, scary place and it signifies the end. Jesus was there of His own choice….but He didn’t stay there. God had a plan. Jesus was to arise from death and walk out of the tomb never to return. He did this to give us the option of life.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). We were all in our own tombs of spiritual death. But because of what Jesus sacrificed and accomplished, we can, and many have, respond to the command of Jesus just as Lazarus did, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43). Lazarus came out of his tomb. And, many who were dead on the day Jesus arose, “..came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” (Matthew 27:53)

Some of you may be in your tomb of sin and death today. Because Jesus came out of His tomb, you can come out of yours. Hear Jesus calling to you, “Come out!” Can you imagine someone saying, “No, I like it in here with these demons. I think I’ll stay.” And then, there are also those today who have come out of their tomb at some point but have chosen to go back inside! They hear the call of the demons and respond to them by reentering their tomb! Jesus is calling.

Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from His tomb. Make it the day you can celebrate His tomb exit AND yours too. Thank you Jesus for what you did for me!

Holy Week

April 8, 2017 by Bill Leave a Comment

Written April 8, 2017

As we look forward to Easter next week and what it means for Christians, perhaps many of us are not aware of the happenings in the week before Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday – Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey and was greeted by crowds of people who laid palm branches in His path and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9). Jesus returned to Bethany that evening and perhaps stayed with Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.

Monday – Jesus returned to Jerusalem and found buying and selling going on in the Temple. He drove the sellers out, overturned their tables and cleansed the Temple. (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19)

Tuesday – Jesus was confronted by the Temple leadership about what He’d done the day before. He also taught the people with parables about a vineyard, (Mt. 21:33-46) a wedding, (Mt. 22:1) and paying taxes, (Mt. 22:15). He also prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem and not one stone being left on another, (Mt. 24).

Wednesday – This is the day Judas made his deal with the Jewish leaders, (Mark 14:10-21). Jesus stayed in Bethany this day and was anointed by Mary with costly perfume.

Thursday – The disciples made preparations for the Last Supper and participated with Jesus that evening, (Mt. 26:17-30). After having the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples made the short trip to the Garden of Gethsemane where He asked them to pray and He experiences his agony. It was near midnight when Judas betrayed Jesus and He was arrested. (Mt. 26:36-46)

Good Friday – Jesus was locked up then, early this morning, was brought before a series of officials ending with Pilate sentencing him to death by crucifixion. In the late morning, Jesus was taken through the city and up the hill of Golgotha. By noon, Jesus was nailed to the cross and hung there in agony for about three hours, dying about three that afternoon. He was taken down and hastily placed in a tomb before sundown. (Mark 15)

Saturday – Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. The disciples were heartbroken, frightened and confused as they observed the Jewish Sabbath in sorrow.. They had forgotten the promise of Jesus that He would raise from death. All seemed lost…but Sunday is coming!

Excerpted from: http://www.blog.adw.org

Archives for April 2017

Your Purpose?

The Tomb

Holy Week

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Archives for April 2017

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