Easter

  Matthew 28:5-7

⁵ But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

 

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

I serve a risen Savior
  He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living,
  Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy;
  I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
  He’s always near. 

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
    He lives within my heart.

May the hope of the risen Christ steady your heart today. May His light guide your steps, His peace fill your home, and His love remind you that new beginnings are always possible. “He is not here; He has risen.” — Luke 24:6

Blessings

 I was so delighted when Tammy gifted me with this beautiful wreath!

She made it with her on little hands! 😃♡

I just love it.

Jesus willingly offered Himself once for all to atone for the sin of the whole world.

Hebrews 7:27

Before the foundation of the world was laid, God, in His divine sovereignty, planned to send His own Son to the cross to be our Savior.

Anne Graham Lotz

The devil claimed a victory that afternoon, but only so Jesus could win victory forever.

Dave Earley

It Is Finished.

At Calvary

The Baptist Hymnal No. 138

1. Years I spent in vanity and pride,

Caring not my Lord was crucified,

Knowing not it was for me He died

On Calvary.

2. By God's Word at last my sin I learned;

Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,

Till my guilty soul imploring turned

To Calvary.

3. Now I've giv'n to Jesus ev'rything,

Now I gladly own Him as my King,

Now my raptured soul can only sing

Of Calvary.

4. Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan!

Oh, the grace that bro't it down to man!

Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span

At Calvary.

Refrain:

Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

Pardon there was multiplied to me;

There my burdened soul found liberty

At Calvary.

Here this beautiful hymn by clicking below.

The Collingsworth Family

Until Next Time

 

Monday Coffee Talk ~ Holy Week

Today's Thought

From: Robert Morris

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He did so with one thought in mind–you. Because of His love for you and His desire that no person be separated from God, whether by sin or by death, He sacrificed Himself on our behalf. 

What an amazing Savior!

Holy Week

Day 1:

Jesus made His triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday

On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins.

Day 2:

On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple

When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts full of corrupt money changers.  He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).

Day 3:

On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives

Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age.

Day 4:

Holy Wednesday

The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover.

 

Day 5:

Passover and Last Supper on Maundy Thursday

Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.   From Bethany, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their ​Maundy Thursday services. Then, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples, saying: "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)

Day 6:

Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial on Good Friday

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.

Day 7:

Saturday in the Tomb

Jesus' body lay in its tomb, where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus:

 

Day 8:

Resurrection Sunday

On Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, we reach the culmination of Holy Week. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event of the Christian faith. The very foundation of all Christian doctrine hinges on the truth of this account.

 

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Today’s Scripture

John 11:25-26

New King James Version

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall 

never die. Do you believe this?”

Yes Lord, I believe.

Amen

It is my prayer that each of us take a special minute everyday to remember and be thankful for all Christ accomplished during this time know as Holy Week.

Until Next Time

Source: Daisybug Facebook Page

Unconscious Mutterings Meme

Playing along with Toni @ Treasures By Toni

1. Argue ~ Heated discussion
2. Surprise! ~ Whoa!
3. Telescope ~Stars
4. Shopping ~ Spree
5. Button ~ Button, who's got the button?
6. Certifiable ~ Signature
7. Blind date ~ No way!
9. Station ~ Bus
10. Appreciation ~ A nice thing to have.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter.  I spent the afternoon on my daughter's porch, swinging, drinking coffee, visiting with my family, watching the little grands hunt Easter eggs and the big grands throwing the football to each other.  The weather was wonderful, they had to call me twice to come in to eat!!  

Part of my view from the swing...the red door will take you into the chicken pen.  Even though you can't see them in the picture, I could see them pecking away, enjoying the nice weather as much as I was.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Amen. 

Until Next Time

Palm Sunday

Pastor Hank (our son-in-love) shared a great message on Palm Sunday. 

"It is important to understand that He (Jesus) didn't simply die; He dismissed His Spirit. His death was deliberate and voluntary. He wasn't a victim; He was a sacrifice."

Why? Because of God's compassion for us, me and you, He sent His only Son to be crucified for our sins. He took our sins upon Himself.

He Is Risen!

Why? Because God has compassion for us, He wants us to know He has overcome death, and we have everlasting life with Him.

We can thank God that He is compassionate towards us. The whole Bible is a book about compassion. From the opening book of Genesis until the final conclusion of Revelation we get to see a God that designed a world just for us only to have us sin against Him. Yet, He doesn’t stop there but rather pursues us and brings all who believe in Jesus in to a right relationship with God through the shed blood of Jesus. That is compassion; when someone who knew no sin, became sin for us and died on a cross so that we could have life eternal with God! Praise God from who all blessings flow.

After service the church served barbeque sandwiches and potato salad.  It was so much fun to share a meal and fellowship with others.

After lunch we all headed outside to watch the children hunt Easter eggs.

Ava and Emma looking through their eggs to see if they won a special prize.

Here I am, looking for Ava and Emma....there were so many children they got lost in the crowd.  Mr D looks like he's scowling, but he just has a sucker in his mouth!

Here we are with the Easter Bunny!!

 I just want to say, in Sunday School the children were taught about the true meaning of Easter.  

It's not about eggs and bunnies, it about what Christ Jesus did for them.

Until Next Time

Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Legend of the Donkey

Legend of the Donkey

Have you heard the legend of the Christian donkeys? This is the story that has been told about the little donkey who was Jesus’ mount on Palm Sunday.

It is said that a donkey carried Mary to Bethlehem and is also referred to as a Nativity Donkey.   The Nubian burro has a cross on its back because it is believed that these donkeys carried Jesus to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

A Donkey is the only animal in the world with a cross on its back, Jesus the Messiah came into Jerusalem on the cross and he also left Jerusalem with a cross. Coincidence ? I don't think so. Thank you Jesus for taking ALL our sins on You!

To ride on a donkey signified coming in peace, this symbolic event served to reinforce what Jesus had told the people of Israel: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.”(Zachariah 9:9 KJV)

Many Christians believe that the donkey had known what Jesus was about to go through with his trial and suffering. They say that seeing the tragic event of Jesus’ crucifixion, the donkey wished he had been able to carry the cross for Jesus, as he was the one who should carry such burdens. The donkey turned his back on the sight but he could not leave Jesus whom he had carried.  He wished to stay until all was over because of his love and loyalty.

In reward for the loyal and humble love of the donkey,  the Lord caused the shadow of the cross to fall across his back and the donkey has carried the cross ever since as a sign that the love of God carries a reward for all to see.

Each Christian Donkey carries a cross on its back that is unlike all the others. There are no two alike, each is defined by the cross they bear on their back. Many of these donkeys are called Jerusalem Donkeys, Christian Donkeys, and Mediterranean Donkeys because in the Middle East these burros are used in every day life such as farming or traveling purposes.

The Cross on their back is how the Christian Donkeys are kept for record in their registration papers. The cross on their backs is in honor Jesus.

Have a very blessed Good Friday.

Joining Deb at Breathing in Grace....

....for Friday Foto Friends!

Until Next Time

Easter SonDay

I serve a risen Savior,

he's in the world today;
I know that he is living

whatever men may say;
I see his hand of mercy;

I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him,

he's always near.

He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask my how I know he lives?
He lives within my heart.

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

The resurrection is an invitation to receive what Christ has prepared for you. His offer of eternal life is a gift that must be received.

What have you done with your invitation?

Until Next Time

Hallelujah!

Christ is Risen!

May the miracle of Easter bring you renewed hope, faith, love and joy.

Interesting Easter Trivia

Did ya know?

 

Easter was named after Eastre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess. The symbols of the goddess were the hare and the egg.

 

Apart from English and German, the name of 'Easter' has been derived from Pesach, the Hebrew name of Passover festival.

 

Right from ancient times, the egg has been regarded as a symbol of rebirth in most of the cultures.

Just like Passover which is dependent on the phases of the moon and has different dates each year, Easter is also a movable feast.

Easter always falls between March 22nd and April 25th.

 

The custom of giving eggs at Easter dates back to the time of the Egyptians, Persians, Gauls, Greeks and Romans.
 

Egyptians were initially the ones who exchanged eggs to symbolize the resurrection of Christ. It was later that the tradition was passed down to early Christians.

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 11:25 
 

 We understand and acknowledge that the Resurrection has placed a glorious crown upon all of Christ’s sufferings! 
A.W. Tozer

Until Next Time

 


 

 

The Napkin

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

 

 

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?   The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

 

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

 

Was that important?

 

Absolutely!

 

Is it really significant?

 

Yes!

 

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.  When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it..  The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

 

Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.  The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

 

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because...........

 

The folded napkin meant,

'I'm coming back!'

 

He is Coming Back

 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

John 20:6-7

 

(Photos taken from the internet.)



Until Next Time

Hallelujah to the Risen Lamb of God

  



Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

 

Low in the grave He lay,

Jesus, my Savior,

Waiting the coming day,

Jesus, my Lord!

 

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever, with His saint to reign
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Click here to listen to this beautiful old hymn.


Until Next Time
Hallelujah, He Arose!

 

Legends of the Dogwood

I have a dear friend that recently went on a day trip to East Texas just to see the Dogwoods in bloom.  She had a wonderful time enjoying these precious flowers.

 

As legend has it, the cross on which Jesus was crucified was made from a dogwood tree. God decreed that the dogwood tree would from that day forth never grow large enough to be used to make a cross. Thus, the dogwood tree is a small, under story tree. The flower of the dogwood has four petals which makes the shape of a cross. The center of the flower resembles the crown of thorns with bright red, clustered fruit in the center representing the blood of Christ. The dogwood blooms in April when Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Christ after the Crucifixion.

 

The Old Legend of the Dogwood
Author Unknown
Two thousand years ago, few trees in the Middle East were not big enough to construct anything. However, one tree was valued above the others for its thick trunk and fine, strong wood. When the Romans came to rule over Jerusalem, their government used this same timber to build the crosses for executing criminals. A group of workers were assigned to gather wood for the crosses. Before long, every Roman official knew the best wood came from these gatherers of execution wood, so those workers became popular.

One day, the wood gatherers received a special request. An officer of the Roman court came and said, "The King of Jews is to be put to death. Deliver an extra-large cross made from your finest wood." So, a fresh tree was cut from the forest of the trees with thick trunks and fine, strong wood. An extra-tall (and extra-heavy) cross was quickly made and delivered.

Three days after the death of Jesus of Nazereth, the chief wood gatherer got alarming news. "All of our finest trees are withering!" the messenger whispered. The wood gatherer hurried to the forest and saw that it was true.

Several years later, the chief wood gatherer heard that, every spring, many people visited the old forest that had once made his job so easy. Despite his advancing years, he set out to discover why. He saw the remains of forest, now like a salty bottoms, with only a few trees still standing tall, baked, lifeless and rotting.

But what was this? As he drew closer, his feeble eyes could make out the people walking among thousands of beautiful, flowering bushes. Seeing one of his own workers there, the old man said, "No one could ever make a cross out of this twisted wood. Our finest tree has gone to the dogs!"

 

He noticed the beautiful white flowers, each blossom looking as if it had been burned from the touch of a miniature cross. So...an old and beautiful legend has it that, at the time of the crucifixion, the dogwood was comparable in size to the oak tree and other monarchs of the forest. Because of its firmness and strength it was selected as the timber for the cross, but to be put to such a cruel use greatly distressed the tree. Sensing this, the crucified Jesus in his gentle pity for the sorrow and suffering of all said to it: "Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings, never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a gibbet.

 

Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross -- two long and two short petals. In the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints -- brown with rust and stained with red -- and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see this will remember.
 

Legend of the Dogwood #2
 Unknown

In Jesus time, the dogwood grew
To a stately size and a lovely hue.

'Twas strong & firm it's branches interwoven
For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress at this use of their wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:

"Never again shall the dogwood grow
Large enough to be used so

Slender & twisted, it shall be
With blossoms like the cross for all to see.

As blood stains the petals marked in brown
The blossom's center wears a thorny crown.

All who see it will remember me
Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree.

Cherished and protected this tree shall be
A reminder to all of my agony."

 

 Today's Inspiration:
My friend Zephra


 

Until Next Time

He is Risen!