Tag: Easter

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10th Floor View

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As we come to the close of our time here in Orlando, we have so many precious new memories, not only with our kids who live here, but with each other and with dear friends who we had almost lost contact with in preceding years.

This morning when I was looking down to the view below and commenting to Randy that I will greatly miss waking up and looking down on the lake which is on one side of the condo, but also the Orlando skyline which is on the other side. When standing outside this morning looking across at the different scenarios of the peaceful feel that you get looking at the lake, as opposed to the feel that comes from watching cars race by headed to work or activities, this thought came into my mind…..”is this all I want?”

This question was posed to us last Sunday in church where we attended several times with our kids while in Orlando. I hadn’t thought much about that question until this morning. As the preacher was talking to us on Sunday and told us to turn to someone and ask them, “is this all you want?”, he went on to talk to us about the Christian life. Is just coming to church on Sunday, sitting in the pews and singing some songs, listening to a message all the Christian life we desire. Or do we want more? Do we want to live the abundant life that Christ has promised us? Do we want to live to glorify Him? Do we want to love Him more than anything we know or have. What is our reason for wanting to be a Christian?
We read Luke 7:43-50 where Jesus is giving us the story of the women who washed Jesus feet with her tears and hair. She didn’t worry about what others thought of her. She surrendered herself and her heart to Him in a way that none of the religious men in the room had done. Probably at the time when she was on the floor, bowing before Jesus, where her tears fell upon Jesus feet did she even realize that she was indeed washing the feet of God.
The service last Sunday was ended with listening to “My Alabaster Box” and as we heard the words of the song, it convicted my heart of the question that was ask of us at the beginning of the service. “is this all I want?” Do I want more of Jesus?
This morning as I stood out on the balcony looking below at the different views, that questioned lingered. Yes, it is easy to stand 10 floors above and look down upon the quiet, peaceful lake across the street and think, “wow, what a great life it would be to have everyday tranquil, peaceful with no ripples to my day.”
Then walking around the corner looking below at the cars rushing to wherever they are going, I start to think about the people in those cars. Do they ever think about God? Do they ever ponder what their lives are about? Do they question why life is what it is? Is there a purpose to my life?”
As I stood there this morning, thinking about this, it dawned on me that yes, I do want more. I want to be used by God to tell others the Good News. I want to fall in love with Jesus more every day and fulfill the purpose of why He allows me to wake up each morning. I want to live each day desiring to be His Heart, HIs Hands and live in such a way that others see “Christ in me.”

As the days grow closer to Easter this year, we will be in Florence, Italy having the blessing of attending Easter services there. Lord, help me to have greater desires to be used by You and that others will see Your reflection when they look at me.

Alabaster Box (Written by Janice Sjostran)

I can’t forget the way life used to be
I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound
And I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I thought I found
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul with the wonder of His Touch

So now I’m giving back to Him
All the praise He’s worthy of
I’ve been forgiven and that’s why
I love Him so much

And I’ve come to pour
My praise on Him like oil
From Mary’s Alabaster box
Don’t be angry if I wash His feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren’t there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His loving arms around me
And you don’t know the cost
Of the oil in my Alabaster box

Lord, please help me not to be satisfied with just sitting in a pew on Sunday mornings, but to be out there, living for You and being surrendered, that You will use me to share Your love and Good News with whoever You bring into my life.” Help me to get off the balcony of life and onto the streets.

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The Empty Cup

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This week is going by so quickly. Tomorrow I leave to go to NY to watch our grandson and his jazz group perform at Carnegie Hall. What a memory this will be. Our daughter and I will have the blessing of going to watch and listen to this amazing talented group of young people perform from a stage which few get to be. So I don’t have to tell you how excited we are to go. Sunday we will still be in NY and will be sitting in Brooklyn Tabernacle worshiping and praising our Risen Savior with complete strangers, but bonded together by His Spirit. What a wonderful weekend this will be.
Last Sunday our pastor preached on Eph 2:1-3, which is a part of scripture that reminds us of our sinful hearts. No matter how good we think we are, there is “no one good besides God” and we need to feel the conviction that leads us to repentance and humble ourselves before God asking Him to forgive us.
Each week our services end with Communion. Each week as we bow our heads in remembrance of what Jesus did in taking our place on the cross for our sins, we are not only reminded of His sacrifice, but the love that He has for us. We end our time breaking bread and drinking from the cup which signifies Jesus Blood that was shed for each and every one of us. We give thanks and praise Him for His love and grace to us.
This past Sunday was probably one of the most meaningful Communions I have ever experienced. Our pastor announced that we would have the plates passed around as normal, but this time, there would be no “bread” or juice in the cups. The cups were empty. We were instructed to take one of the empty cups and hold it as we “lamented” our sins, realizing what it would be like if there was never anything in the cup. As we were led in prayer, he reminded us what it would be like if we indeed had no hope. What if there had not been a crucifixion? What if Jesus had not died for our sins or been raised to life, which gives us our hope and our salvation? As we sat there in the quiet of the morning reading scripture describing us as a people who needs God’s forgiveness and a people who truly needs to “lament” of our sins, we left with a new awareness of what Easter really means.
Easter, a time of renewal! Easter….a time of reflection! Easter….a time to worship the one who came to give us life and give us life abundantly. Because He did die and rose again, we do have hope, we do have life eternal and we do have a Savior who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

Glory to God in the Highest! Hosanna (God Save Us) Hosanna in the Highest! To God Be the Glory, Great things He hath done, for you and for me!
May we never forget His sacrifice and love. Worship together with your family this Easter. May we bring our humble hears before Him in Worship and Gratitude!

What occupies our minds the most is what we worship. Where does your hope lie?

Matthew 28: 1-7
Early on Sunday morning as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face shone like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him and they fell into a deep faint.
Then the angle spoke to the women, “Don’t be afraid!, he said, I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples he has ben raised from the dead and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. you will see him there, Remember, I have told you.”

Psalm 95
Come, let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms of praise.
For the Lord is a great God, the great King above all gods. He owns the depths of the earth and even the mightiest mountains are his…
Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep of His pasture.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.”

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Wilted Hearts

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Last evening when I walked into the den, I looked over to see a cast iron plant with leaves that were drooped over the flower pot. I took the plant into the kitchen and ran the hose over the leaves being sure the dirt was soaked before returning it to the den. This morning, walking into the den, I glanced over and saw that the water had indeed restored the plant and the leaves were now beautifully standing tall and soaking in the sun. As I walked over to my chair, it dawned on me that just like this plant, sometimes I feel wilted and need refreshment. It was at this moment I began to think about writing about the similarities of wilted hearts and wilted plants, when Randy walks in and says, “isn’t it amazing how just watering a plant can transform it?” Now normally you wouldn’t think anything about that, but just the fact that Randy had noticed the difference and then commented on it was, well, to say the least, odd. He just doesn’t comment about things like that. In fact, I never knew he even noticed when a plant needed water or attention of any kind.  Immediately, I couldn’t wait to sit down and write about the refreshment of our souls.

Isn’t it wonderful that when our lives feel wilted, as they do from time to time, from circumstances, or trials which have begun to take their toll on us, we can go to the source from which all our hope, our strength and our refreshment is given….Jesus Christ. His Word tells us that, “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,they can walk and not grow weary, we shall run and not faint,  they shall mount up wings as eagles!”

Isa 40:31

 

That is His promise to us. He meets us at our points of need. His love is truly a “fountain of living water” that nourishes our lives, allowing us to walk through our trials; that the brokenness which we might be feeling, can be transformed into knowing  that there is someone who is capable of giving us a life of spiritual abundance.  We can live with a joy knowing that God loves us and cares for us so much that He gave us His Son to pay for our sin. He took our place on Calvary so that we do not have to live a life of defeat. That is what we will be celebrating April 16th. A risen Savior who gave His life for us. Who loves us unconditionally. All He ask is that we give Him our love and admit that each of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

As we celebrate Easter in 12 days, may we recognize the need to love the Lord for who He is and not just for what He can do for us. My prayer is going to be that I may decrease that He may increase. That just like the plant which was wilted and needed water, I pray that I will recognize my need of the Lord to refresh my spirit, not looking to the world or others to give me what I need. May my eyes and my heart become so focused on the Lord that my life will point others to Him, by my love and actions to those who I come in contact.

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

 

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Easter…He Is Risen

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Christians all over the world celebrate our Lord and Savior’s victory over death each year at Easter. Along with the thankfulness to God for giving the world His Son to die for our sins, rising again to win victory over death, and ensuring us we have Eternal Life, if only we believe in Him; that is certainly cause for us to pause and reflect not only what Christ did for us, but what we are doing for Him. Spring is the season of new beginnings and growth. May we search our hearts to see if we are growing spiritually. Are we realizing that with new beginnings come renewal and refreshing. This weekend, let’s take a few minutes to search our hearts to see if we are growing and renewing our relationship wit God. What better time than now to give Him thanks for all He is doing in our lives. To recognize Him for who he is. Are we worshiping the creation or the Creator? Are we giving thanks to the source of all blessings? If not, let’s renew our commitment to God and begin a new season of thankfulness and worship the “only wise One, worthy of our praise.” God the Father.

Happy Easter!   Truly…He is Risen