Devot. The Old Rugged Cross

Dear Friends,

I pray that you had a very blessed Resurrection Sunday a few weeks ago, just as my family and I did.  Every Resurrection Sunday holds special meaning to us because of focusing on what Jesus did for us and getting to share that as a family.  It (He!) makes all the difference in the world and you perspective of the day.   After all, it is ALL about HIM!

I have some really good Resurrection Sunday devots. that I want to use, so we are going to continue on this theme for a few weeks.  After all, Resurrection Sunday was early this year:)  The next few will each focus on a verse of the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross. 

 

Last week's focused on verse 2, I think, this one focuses on the chorus.  Pray it is a blessing to your weekend!  Lord bless, keep safe you and yours this coming weekend and also use you to be a reflection of Him to someone who needs Jesus in their life.   

 

Also  I am including a link petitioning again for the release of Pastor Saeed and other Americans who are imprisoned in Iran.  There is a article about the talks w/ Iran and how it affects Pastor Saeed, a letter from his wife and the petition is on the right side of the screen if you scroll down a bit.  He is a brother in Christ, so please stand with him,  sign and pass along!     Petition:   http://aclj.org/

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/old-rugged-cross    (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.icr.org/)

Devot. Dark Calvary

Dear Friends,

I pray you had a blessed week and are healthy!  I also hope you had as special and blessed Resurrection Sunday as me and my family did.   It has a special meaning for 2 reasons:  1.  Because of Jesus rising again we have the hope of heaven through faith in Him!  2.  Anytime I get to spend with my family is special:)

This devot. focuses on the 2nd verse of The Old Rugged Cross.   Pray it is a blessing and inspiration.

I also have 2 prayer requests for believers overseas.  1.  My Sunday School teacher shared at our church's Bible study last night that Iranian Christians are planning to celebrate Resurrection this coming Sunday (not sure why they postponed it last week).

The Iranian government has said that if believers celebrate this Sunday, they (the government) will be mopping up the streets w/ their blood.

PLEASE PRAY for the protection of these dear folks this weekend.  Ask the Lord to send angels to protect them (Psalm 34:7 talks about angels encamping around those who fear God) and for their courage at this time.  They truly show the rest of the Christian world what it means to be a Christian and to stand for Christ.   We are called to pray and stand by those who are persecuted and in prison in Heb. 13:3 so please remember them. 

 

 2.  The UN has had to stop sending much needed food and supplies to Syrian refugees due to a lack of funds.  Christian agencies are stepping up to help.  Please pray for the Lord to supply the desperate need in this area (Phil. 4:19).   May the Lord bless and provide for you all this week!  Devot. below.

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/dark-calvary  (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.icr.org/#)

Devot. On a Hill Far Away

Dear Friends, 

 I hope you had a blessed week!

I  was thinking earlier this week of how several godly preachers in my life have said that "The resurrection is the 'hinge point' of Christianity."
It is the foundation upon which our faith in Jesus rests.  Scripture says that without Christ's resurrection our faith would be 'in vain', without hope, and we would have no hope of our sins being forgiven, our sin debt being paid (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 19).  But because we serve a risen, alive Saviour, '"I (we) can face tomorrow"." 

 

Christ's death paid our sin debt, our ticket to Heaven in full, and His resurrection proved that He was God and that what He did on the cross, paid our sin debt IN FULL (It is finished"- John 14:30).  

 Unlike some religions that sadly have a dead leader or 'saviour' who never died for them, we have a LIVING SAVIOUR who sacrificially showed His love for us by His death and resurrection.

 

If you have a chance to go to a 'passion play' (dramatization of Christ's death/resurrection), go go and take all the kids and grandkids.  This is a great way to instill the true meaning of Easter in their young lives early.   From my childhood years to my late teens years we always found a passion play to go to.  It helped all of us to have the  reality check of the True Meaning of this week and be even more thankful for what our Saviour did for us.   What Jesus did for you will become even clearer when you see the crucifixion for yourself. 

 

I will include a link for a live streamed passion play called The Living Cross.  It started this past Sunday.  Folks from all over, even other states, have been to it.  I can tell you from experience that it is good musically, and production wise: http://new.livestream.com/opendoorchurchlive/services  (scroll down just a bit and you will see the last two presentations-3/29, 3/31).

 

Lastly, I will include a song link that ties into the devot.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF6aBDS3drA Lord bless you and your families in a special way this Resurrection Sunday!  He Lives! Devot below

 

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/hill-far-away (Used by permission. Taken from http://www.icr.org/#)

Devot. The Scarlet Hope

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a peaceful week!  This week where I live it is up in the 50's and it is feeling like spring!

The devot. for today is a carry over of our topic of us being washed "white a snow" in light of our sins being

like "scarlet."

I've included as excerpt from last Friday devotional explaining what is meant by this statement.  Hope its helps to

clarify and shed spiritual light!

 

"How can blood make anything white?  Usually it stains and can't come out. Yes, in the human sense this is true. 

But we are talking about in the spiritual sense. So how can blood make us white?  Because it is Christ's blood and His blood

has a spiritual cleaning power!  Think of a spiritual Oxyclean!  It works 'deep down,' (deep into our heart, spirit, lives), gets 'the toughest stains'

(the worst kinds of sin imaginable), and leaves us clean and white ('and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin' " (1 John 1:7).

 

This is a powerful Biblical truth, folks and is what Easter all really all about.  Christ's suffering and the blood He shed was God's means and plan

of paying for the sins of mankind.   His resurrection proved He was God and demonstrated that what He did paid for the sins of mankind in full, there was nothing

we had to do ourselves to get to Heaven because He already paid our ticket to get there through His blood and it also showed we could have the hope of Have through

trusting HIs finished work on the cross.  This is something to reflect on and I pray you will do so this weekend.

 

Lord bless and keep safe and healthy you and your loved ones this weekend! Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/20597  (Used by Permission. Taken from http://www.icr.org)

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Devot. Grace From Beginning to End

Dear Friends,

I hope you have had a good week!

 

The devot. for today shows us that God's grace has been shown to mankind from the beginning to the end of the Bible-start to finish.

 

"Grace" is God giving us what we don't deserve.   As sinners in the eyes of a Holy God we DON'T deserve a chance to get to Heaven by faith in Jesus Christ.

What we as sinners DO deserve is to pay for our own sis by physical/spiritual death and separation  from Him in hell for all eternity. We may try our best to be good, but our goodness is as filthy rags in God's eyes (Isa. 64:6) and can  NEVER measure up to His perfectness (Heb. 4:15).

 

God showed His grace to us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ- God Himself-, to pay our sin debt for us by a horrendous death and wonderful resurrection. This is the 'scarlet thread' (you will see this wording at the end of the devot.) that you see through the history of mankind to this very day and in each of our lives.

 

I pray the devot. is an eye opener and a blessing.  I have also included a music link w/ a twist on a familiar hymn.   Lord bless and keep healthy and safe you and yours this weekend!

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/grace-from-beginning-end  (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.icr.org/)  Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I

 

Devot. Treasures of the Snow

Dear Friends,

I hope you have had a safe week.  Were I live it is beginning to feel like spring!

We have another 'snow' devot. :)  Someone mentioned to me in the last devot.

that the concept of Chirst's blood making us 'white as snow' was interesting and it is!

My Sunday School Class had this same questions/striking thought come up about a month ago.

 

How can blood make anything white?  Usually it stains and can't come out.

Yes, in the human sense this is true.  But we are talking about in the spiritual sense.

How can blood make us white?  Because it is Christ's blood and His blood has a spiritual

cleaning power!  Think of a spiritual Oxyclean!  It works 'deep down,' (deep into our heart,

spirit, lives), gets 'the toughest stains' (the worst kinds of sin imaginable), and leaves us clean and white ("and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin"  1 John 1:7).

 I pray that the devot. below is a blessing and gives added insight into this important and very true Bible truth.

I have added under the devot. a reminder of the free Easter booklet as well.  If not for you, then maybe you know of someone you could bless this with.  But I can say personally I have always learned and been blessed by IN Touch's magazines.

Lord bless and keep safe you and yours this week!

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/20090  (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.icr.org/)

Free Booklet:  https://store.intouch.org/p-5591-journey-to-easter-devotional.aspx 

Devot. White as Snow

Dear Friends,

I pray you and your families have had a safe, healthy week.

I had been having a really hard time deciding on a devot. for today.

I hope to start a series leading us up to and preparing us for Easter but I need to take the time to find devots. on this topic.

So the devot. for today is about snow:)  I figured that with all the midwest has been getting,

there must be a way to give it a spiritual application!  :)

I pray it is a blessing and teaches you something very important from Scripture concerning how the Lord views our sin in light of what He did for us on the cross.    

Speaking of Easter, I have included a link for a book you can get regarding preparing your heart for this holy season and it is for FREE! No joke.  All you have to do is just order it via the internet.  There are no catches at all.

The ministry offering it (from whom I have sent devots. out from) is just wanting to be a blessing to folks and help them grow spiritually.

  I pray you will take the time to order it as it will give jump start our Easter devots.

Lord bless, keep safe, and protect you and your loved ones this weekend!

Devot.  http://www.icr.org/article/21203  (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.icr.org/)

Free book: https://store.intouch.org/p-5591-journey-to-easter-devotional.aspx (Used by permission. Taken from http://www.intouch.org/)