Holy Week

Holy Saturday…Preparation Day

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“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

It is finished…Jesus, the Messiah, had been crucified and died.  We all know the coming glory of tomorrow…however, when these events were happening, it is hard to comprehend the level of sorrow and sadness that had to exist on the day between His death and resurrection.  Unfortunately, in the world today many of us suffer at a deep level of sorrow because of our sin and evil.  Our saving grace and our truth is we know that from the most devastating tragedy, God will renew and restore us…Resurrection Day is coming.  Trust in the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever.  Amen.

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“Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in the tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.  It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.”

Luke 23:52-54 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

Holy Saturday…Preparation Day

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It is finished…Jesus, the Messiah, had been crucified and died.  We all know the coming glory of tomorrow…however, when these events were happening, it is hard to comprehend the level of sorrow and sadness that had to exist.  Unfortunately, there are people in today’s world who suffer at a deep level of sorrow because of sin and evil.  Our saving grace and our truth is we know that from the most devastating of tragedy, God will renew and restore us and He has shown us an example by what we will celebrate tomorrow.  Trust in the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever.  Amen.

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“Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in the tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.  It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.”

Luke 23:52-54

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

Holy Week

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It is Palm Sunday…the day we celebrate Jesus entering the city…the moments and events of the coming week are in honor of the facts that changed everything in the world thousands of years ago.  It is all very relevant today, and this week in history was not the End…it was the End of the Beginning…think about the events in the life and death of Jesus this week and all that He has done for you.  Amen.

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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“Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what they have done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Revelation 22:12-13

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Easter Sunday…He Is Risen!

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The tomb is empty…He is not there…Jesus Christ has risen…He lives!  Only God can help us in this world.  The Cross and the Resurrection are proof of God’s love and God’s power.  No matter where you are or what you are facing in life turn towards God, invite Jesus into your heart and mind and read the Word of God.  He can overcome anything if we turn to Him and trust Him.  He is risen…thank you God almighty…He Is Risen!

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“He is not here, he has risen!  Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”

Luke 24:6-7

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Good Friday, Reflect…Be Transformed

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There cannot be unexpected and jubilant celebration at the resurrection without the pain and tragedy of the crucifixion.  Life is not always going to be sweet smelling roses and unconstrained happiness.  It is because of our sufferings that we learn and appreciate the good things God has given us.  When I think about the most difficult times of my past I begin to see my focus at those times was all self-centered, I was putting myself at the center of my life and that is not my place.  When I notice the times when I have had real joy, peace and contentment it is when I have surrendered myself to God and His will.  Only God can help us in the terrible times and events that are caused by humans and sin, only He can bring about the love, forgiveness, peace and joy.  God does not make the bad things occur, we do that ourselves but He is always there ready to help us when we turn towards Him and His Son who sacrificed everything to save us.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Romans 12:2

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

The Love Of Christ

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It is so overwhelming to me to think about all that Jesus suffered to save us.  He was different than everybody else and because of that people let fear drive them to the point of His death.  When any of us look at the current circumstances in our lives and we put on the perspective of what Jesus faced on earth, it is clear to me that nothing I face in this life will ever match the love that Jesus Christ has for me…nothing.  There are terrible pains, suffering and events of deep sadness that exist because of darkness and sin.  The love of Christ is more powerful than any of it…not when you are trying to see it without first inviting Jesus into your heart.  Invite Him into your life and read the Word of God and you will see His love every day.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Romans 8:35,37

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Holy Week

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This is the week that we remember the events at the core of our faith.  Jesus Christ doing what He came to earth to do, not for Himself but for us.  He gave Himself as a sacrifice to reconcile us with God.  That’s what we are remembering this week.  He died and He conquered death by rising.  His sacrifice is our salvation, Jesus did what is very hard for me and you, He looked first to interest of others knowing that God the Father would care for Him.  It wasn’t easy and He prayed so hard about being able to do it that He began to sweat blood.  In end He did it…He came, He lived, He died, He was risen and has ascended to the Father…and He will come back again.  He did it all for us because He loves us.  During this week take time to think about Him and how you can honor Him by serving the needs of others you are with each day.  God loves you and may God’s peace be with you.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Trials Of Life

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Everyone has knowledge and experience in trials and pain and suffering.  No matter what type of front they display on a social media feed there is trial and pain in their life too.  The problem with comparing ourselves is that many people are very skilled at hiding their pain, trying to ignore the suffering.  Worse yet is the news media and the sad way they choose to display their view of the world.  There is a phrase I have heard used more when I was younger and not as much now…“you get what you give” or “what you will get out of this is determined by what you put into it”  To me this provides one of the things missing in society today…accountability.  Easy street is not a real place or a way to live.  That doesn’t mean that we never will feel happy or joy but it depends on where you are looking for it, it depends on your perspective.  The one place that helps with every day life and builds a strong foundation to live on is the Cross.  Come to the Cross and live.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

Psalm 139:23

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Palm Sunday

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It is a wonder how quickly circumstances can change.  On this day we remember Jesus and His triumphal entry as He approached the city of Jerusalem.  People were laying down their coats and palm branches as He rode a donkey, they were cheering for Him with hope and joy.  All the while the Pharisees and the chief priests were trying to figure out how to get rid of Him without causing a riot.  As we know the narrative did change and then some of the same people who cheered Him, turned to jeering Him with ‘Crucify Him!’ – Luke 23:20…for me one of the most powerful statements Jesus ever made on earth was one of the last things He said…‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ – Luke 23:34  As we make our way into Holy Week, reflect of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and all He did for you.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.  Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Mark 11:8-9

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 while traveling through Colorado)

The Life of Jesus

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It is Holy Week.  The time of year when we are to reflect on the events towards the end of Jesus life here on earth.  His entire time here was the plan of God the Father, in order to reconcile sinners with God.  His birth, his baptism, his time in the wilderness, his teachings, his miracles, his hard lessons and the events of this week, his death on the cross and his resurrection.

There is no person you will ever meet on earth who loves you as much as Jesus and no person on earth that will do as much for you as Jesus has done.  There is so much anger, violence and hatred among the human race and for some reason people love to display this darkness.  There is also love, joy, peace and contentment if you have taken the time to invite Jesus into your heart and you have followed that up by showing your commitment to Him.  He is available to all of us…he even told us so when he was here and had it written down in the bible.

I pray we all take the time to invite or re-invite Jesus into our hearts this week and be open to God’s plan for our own life.  When you look at Jesus time on earth there was evil, suffering and difficult decisions…there was quiet times in prayer, time to help and serve others and at the end of it all there was eternal joy!

God’s peace be with you…Jesus said:

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.  This is my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

John 15:5-8

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)