Scripture:  The Resurrection  (Matthew 28: 1-20


Reflection:

The believer must never lose sight of the significance
of the resurrection...There are 2 questions we should
ask as a result of the resurrection:  Do our lives
demonstrate that we serve a risen Lord and Savior?
and Do we possess the hope, peace, and strength
that the reality and power of His resurrection gives
to the Christian?  I look at my life and I ask these
questions.  You see that is what makes our faith
so unique.  We do not serve a mere prophet, a
teacher, a king who are all dead.  We serve a
risen Savior, a risen prophet, a risen teacher, a
risen king.  We serve the Son of God!  He is not
dead but alive.  Can people look at us and know
we are serving a living, breathing, loving God. Do
we demonstrate our Savior in our lives.  Do we
have the hope, peace, and strength that the very
reality of the Resurrection gives to us as Christians.
Is your life filled with this hope and peace and do
you have the strength to carry on.  You see we
we receive all of this from the fact that our
Savior Jesus Christ died and was resurrected.
In His final time on earth Jesus Christ told us
to go and preach the Gospel to all people.  Does
your life posses the power of the resurrected
Christ to proclaim to all the love and power of
a risen Savior?

Prayer:

Resurrection Prayer

O Risen Lord,
the way, the truth and the life,
make us faithful followers
of the spirit of your resurrection.
Grant that we may be inwardly
renewed; dying to ourselves
in order that you may live in us.
May our lives serve as signs
of the transforming power of your love
Use us as your instruments
for the renewal of society,
bring your life and love to all
and leading them to your Church.
This we ask of you, Lord Jesus,
living and reigning with the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever. Amen
 

Scripture:

Luke 6 41 Why do you see the speck in your
brother's eye, but do not notice the log in your
own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your
brother, "Friend, let me take out the speck
in your eye," when you yourself do not see
the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first
take the log out of your own eye, and then
you will see clearly to take the speck out
of your brother's eye.

Reflection:

Has somebody come along and changed
the rules?  Has the teaching's of Jesus
some how changed?  Aren't we Christians
because we belief in forgiveness?  We are
all aware of the stupid and prejudice statements
of Don Imus, it has some how become a priority
on the news.  Don Imus and his producer said
some terrible things on the airwaves.  I think
everybody agrees.  He has apologized and
asked for forgiveness a number of times.  And
I personally think his requests have been
sincere.  Then where is the forgiveness. I have
never been so embarrassed as to watch some
of my brother minister's, you know the ones' who
have the Rev. in front of their names, get up
in front of the news media and pass judgment.
I guess they forgot about the logs in their own
eyes.  It sure is easy to pass judgment on others
isn't it.  Well I got news for these "brothers", I know
of the logs in my own eyes and I remember the logs
in their eyes.  I'm taking care of the logs in my eye's,
I refuse to pass judgment on their logs, and I hope
we are outraged but forgive Don Imus.  Above
all it's passed time to change our own attitudes.

Prayer:

Let us love one another, and leave the judgment
to you.  THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING GOD!
 

BECAUSE CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Scripture:  The Resurrection   (Matthew 28: 1-20)

Reflection:

When Christ was raised form the dead!

a. It showed us how God demonstrated His acceptance
    of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins! (Ro 8:33-34)
b. It gives us power in our Christian Life.(Ep 1:18-20)
c. It gives us great that we will be resurrected (Ro 8:11-13; Ph 2:
    12-13; 4:13; Ep 3:20; 6:10)
d. It requires complete loyalty. Then our lives and services
    belong to Jesus.  (Ro 14:7-8; 2 Co 5:15)
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED HIS RESURRECTION?


Prayer:

Easter Prayer for Renewal

Lord, send me a surprise.
One that catches me off guard
and makes me wonder.
Like Easter.

Send me a resurrection
when everything looks dead and buried.
Send me light
when the night seems too long.

Send me spring
when the cold and frozen season
seems endless.

Send me an idea
when my mind is empty.
Send me a thing to do
when I am just waiting around.

Send me a new friend
when I am alone.
Send me peace
when I'm afraid.

Send me a future
when it looks hopeless.
Send me Your resurrection
when I die, Jesus.

- Rev. Dr. Herbert Brokering

What if Christ had not been raised from the dead?

Scripture:  The Resurrection   (Matthew 28: 1-20)

Reflections:

What if Christ had not been raised from the dead?
a.  All that is within the Gospels would be empty and
meaningless (1Corinthians 15:14).  All the proclamations
would have been lies, fairytales, myths, stories of fiction.
b.  Our faith would also be empty and meaningless
1Corinthians 15:14).  Our faith would be a lie, a
fairytale, non fiction.
c.  The disciples were liars( 1Corintians 15:15).  Either
they told the truth or they were liar.  They swore He
was alive, they even stated that Christ was with them
for 40 days after His death Acts 10:39-41).
d.  We would still be lost to sin.  There would be no
recovery, no redemption (1Corinthians 15:17). Jesus
Christ would have been a liar and mentally ill to die on
the cross.
c.   Believers would die, there would be no eternal life
1Corinthians 15:18). 
DO YOU BELIEVE?

Prayer:

Resurrection Prayer

O Risen Lord,
the way, the truth and the life,
make us faithful followers
of the spirit of your resurrection.
Grant that we may be inwardly
renewed; dying to ourselves
in order that you may live in us.
May our lives serve as signs
of the transforming power of your love
Use us as your instruments
for the renewal of society,
bring your life and love to all
and leading them to your Church.
This we ask of you, Lord Jesus,
living and reigning with the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever. Amen
 

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! Christ lives once again!

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! Christ lives once again!

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! God’s loudest “Amen!”

We sing “Hallelujah,” we sing “Praise the Lord,”

Who raised up our Jesus and spoke the last word.

After the night comes the morning, and the world
comes alive. There is no more beautiful story in
all of history than the account of the empty tomb.
It is unbelievable but true!

It is a historical fact that Jesus Christ lived on earth
for a given period of time. His ministry and death are
recorded by historians as facts. It is also a historica
l fact that Muhammad was a religious leader whose
followers are Muslims. And if you visit the Topkapi
Palace Museum in Istanbul, there you will see a
carefully displayed tooth of Muhammad. The Muslims
are very proud of that artifact. It is a piece of their
prophet. They have tangible proof that Muhammad
lived and died.

But Christians have no such shrine. Not a tooth,
not a bone, not a single cell of Christ’s body to
display—only the empty tomb. Those who follow
Muhammad know that he is dead. But we who
worship Jesus Christ know that our Lord is alive.

Because of the resurrection there is an open door
to heaven and eternal life with our Lord and Savior,
and because he lives, we who believe shall live
eternally with him.

The four gospels record at least ten appearances
of Jesus Christ in the forty days after his resurrection
Over 500 people saw him. The risen Lord showed
them his pierced hands and feet. They had proof that
Jesus Christ was alive. Then and there was released
the mightiest power in human history, and today,
nearly 2,000 years later, the same power of the risen
Lord is alive around the world in countless numbers
of believers.

Let us who call ourselves Christians—followers of
Jesus Christ—rise up and roll away the stones of
doubt and fear and proclaim that Jesus Christ, our
risen Savior, lives!

Hallelujah!

Reprinted from the Church Herald, March 2002. Copyright
© 2002 by the Church Herald Inc.

 What Has God Done For Us?

Scripture: 

"For God so loved the world he gave His only
begotten Son that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have everlasting life. God
sent not His Son into the world to judge the
world but that the world through Him might be
saved."  (John 3:16,17)

Reflection:

Do we realize what God has done for us?  This
is the question I ask myself during my celebration
of the death and resurrection of my Savior Jesus
Christ.  You know I don't think we do.  We cannot
come anywhere near comprehending the sacrifice
and total love God gave to us when He sent His
Son into this world to live, to die, and to rise from
the grave.  Now get this! He gave us His only Son
so that we shall never die, that's right never die....
eternal life.  How do we get this eternal life?  Can
we buy it? NO, Can we trade for it? NO, Can we work
to attain it? NO.  It's free all we have to do is believe,
that's right... believe.  It's called faith my friends,
accept Jesus Christ into your life, accept Him into
your heart into your very soul. He's there knocking
at the door let Him in.  I know I have and boy has
my life changed.  Suddenly I feel fulfilled, I'm no
longer alone because He is with me. I see the
world differently, I see my friends and neighbors
differently, I see my enemies differently.  My heart
is filled with the peace and love of Jesus Christ. Now
let me stop here for a minute, I'm not trying to put one
over on you, my life is not always rosy.  I have my
problems, loving Christ hasn't changed that. But
now I can deal with my problems, I can even grow
from my problems because...I believe.  You see God
sent His Son into this world not to judge us but to
save us.  To me that is what Resurrection Sunday
(Easter) is all about. It's about newness, its about
changing your life, its about joy, It's about faith, It's
about love.  The final question is this DO YOU BELIEVE?

Prayer:

I would like to share the resurrection prayer with you.

Resurrection Prayer

O Risen Lord,
the way, the truth and the life,
make us faithful followers
of the spirit of your resurrection.
Grant that we may be inwardly
renewed; dying to ourselves
in order that you may live in us.
May our lives serve as signs
of the transforming power of your love
Use us as your instruments
for the renewal of society,
bring your life and love to all
and leading them to your Church.
This we ask of you, Lord Jesus,
living and reigning with the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever. Amen

Perhaps the invisible shield we hang over our
children is made up of the values we instill in
them, our desperate caring, our prayer for their
safety. So we turn to prayer—for our children
and maybe just as much for ourselves. We
join our concern with God’s—the divine parent
who loves them even more than we do.

We do not pray for our children in some wishful
way, superstitiously trying to prevent all harm.
Instead we take an active stance that recognizes
our human limitations at the same time it bows
before God’s power. “I will do everything I can
to keep them safe,” we say. “But I’m imperfect.
I call on you, great God and loving parent, to
protect them when I cannot.”

We ask for an avalanche of blessings, all the
best God has in store for them.

- Kathy Coffey
Christian, appropriate for many faiths
source: “God Knows Parenting Is a Wild Ride”
(Sorin Books), © 2002 Kathy Coffey
 

Scripture:

"Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who
has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people."
(Psalm 100:3)

Reflection:

Living in a nation that is built upon freedom can be difficult at
times.  It is affirmed in the "The Declaration of Independence".
that God has endowed all people with the right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness, mainly because God values each one of
us.  But the framers of the Declaration of Independence new that
freedom did not mean to do anything we please.  You see I believe
that true freedom can never be enjoyed by a people who refuse to
love and fear God.  As the Psalm says, God made us, not we
ourselves,  we are God's people.  Real freedom comes from God.
We are responsible to God, because He has created us in love.
I would like to challenge you to recommit yourself to living as one of
God's people.  That's really the way to enjoy true freedom.

Prayer:

Lord I recognize that every blessing is a gift from you above, but I
cannot know true freedom till I trust in Your Grace and Love.
Blessed is the nation whose god is the Lord.  THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING
GOD!

Quote for the day

Muriel Lester
Social Activist, Gandhian Pacifist
(1883-1968)

"The job of the peacemaker is to stop war, to purify the world, to get it saved
from poverty and riches, to heal the sick, to comfort the sad, to wake up
those who have not yet found God."

Reflection:

I don't know about you but I like to pray often.
Prayer helps me, and lifts me up everyday.  But
one thing I have discovered about my prayer
life and that is I often use the same phrases,
the same words when I praise my Lord. I have
discovered a Psalm that seems to cover so
strongly my feelings of such worship and
praise to my Lord. I would like to share that
Psalm with you.


I will praise you,
my God and King,
and always honor your name.
I will praise you each day
and always honor your name.

You are wonderful, LORD,
and you deserve all praise,
because you are much greater
than anyone can understand.

Each generation will announce
to the next your wonderful
and powerful deeds.
I will keep thinking about
your marvelous glory
and your mighty miracles.

Everyone will talk about
your fearsome deeds,
and I will tell all nations
how great you are.

They will celebrate and sing
about your matchless mercy
and your power to save.

You are merciful, LORD!
You are kind and patient
and always loving.

You are good to everyone
and take care
of all your creation.

All creation will thank you,
and your loyal people
will praise you.
They will tell about
your marvelous kingdom
and your power.

Then everyone will know about
the mighty things you do
and your glorious kingdom.
Your kingdom will never end,
and you will rule forever.

Our LORD, you keep your work
and do everything you say.
When someone stumbles or falls,
you give a helping hand.

Everyone depends on you,
and when the time is right,
you provide them with food.
By your own hand you satisfy
the desires of all who live.

Our LORD, everything you do
is kind and thoughtful,
and you are near to everyone
whose prayers are sincere.
You satisfy the desires
of all your worshipers,
and you come to save them
when they ask for help.

You take care of everyone
who loves you,
but you destroy the wicked.

I will praise you, LORD,
and everyone will respect
your holy name forever.

Psalm 145
 

Scripture:

"They mocked the messengers of God, despised His words &
scoffed at His prophets."  (2 Chronicles 36:16)

Reflection:

People often turn to me, as a minister, for advice.  Sometimes
they want answers to questions that have troubled them for a
long time, or sometime they want advise about matters of heart
or the spirit.  Often times they question something that they
had read in the Holy Scriptures.  What is frustrating to
me is when you give your professional advice, and they don't
follow it or, what's even worse, they don't listen.  This is especially
true when it's advice that is difficult for them to hear.  Imagine
how God feels when we ignore His.  He's the only One with perfect
knowledge of what's good for us, yet we often act as if we know
better.  Guess what we don't!!!!!!  Through God's Grace He teaches
us what is best, but doesn't force us to do it.  God patiently presents
what is right and good and allows us to choose it.  I have a great
idea, "Lets Start Listening Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayer:

Oh Lord Jesus Christ please teach me to listen to You.
Thank you for your Grace and Your patience.  THANK
YOU GOD FOR BEING GOD

Quote of the Day

Baroness Bertha von Suttner
Author, Activist, First Woman Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
(1843-1914)

"The question of whether violence or law shall prevail between states
is the most vital of the problems of our eventful era. Inconceivable
would be the consequence of the threatening world war which many
misguided people are prepared to precipitate."