Holy Saturday

March 31, 2018

“Could you not keep watch with me for an hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Matthew 21:9-11 (NIV)

I have wondered over the years how they could possibly have gone to sleep when he needed them so badly.  When he was struggling with what he knew he had to face – denunciation by his followers, degradation by the masses, the horror of crucifixion – I ache to think how it must have hurt him to find them sleeping! Only recently have I realized there’s more to these verses than can be seen in a cursory reading.

I just hate to think that he had to face that with no human friends to support him. And I’m pretty sure, as I remember that he was very human, that coming back to where they were and finding them asleep was painful. He had told them over and over that death awaited him in Jerusalem. He had told them in no uncertain terms as they celebrated Passover that the lambs brought into the city were not enough, that he would be their lamb. Lambs died at Passover! Didn’t they hear at all that he was going to die?

Then he went away (as he always did when things were happening) to pray, taking only Peter – who promised never to deny him – and James and John – who were prepared to sit at his right and left hand. He left them and went even further to pray alone. The gospels tell us that he sweated blood! That’s pretty intense! The most important hour of his ministry was coming, and those whom he loved most slept! How sad!

But there is something that we often miss. Yes, he did ask them to pray. But it was not for him! It was for themselves! For themselves! He would face the horror of a mock trial, of scourging, of crucifixion, but he asked them to pray for themselves so that they would not fall into temptation! But they didn’t pray! They slept. And into temptation they fell just a few hours later.

When we realize this, the whole passage seems different, doesn’t it? Yes we are often guilty of not being fervent in prayer when he calls us to some need in the lives of others. Yes, we fall asleep at night before we get to the final “amen.” Yes, we lose our sense of concentration when someone else “leads us in prayer,’ the kind that requires nothing of us but to sit still and listen! But this is different. We fail to pray for ourselves to remain faithful! We fail to ask God to keep us strong in adversity. I fail to realize that unlike Frank Sinatra, I must not decide to “do it my way.” And I – we fail.

Prayer: Father, Father! How foolish we are! How often we overestimate our own abilities to remain faithful! How quickly we condemn those sleepy men in Gethsemane and fail to see how careless we are to pray! Forgive us for trying to get through life on our own resources! Help us to depend more completely on you and your guidance. Amen.  

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Good Friday

March 30, 2018

The next day, John saw Jesus coming and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.”

John 1:27

And Pilate said to them, “Behold the man.”
John 19:5

Two men knew Jesus. Each has a different perception.

John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit from birth (according to the Scripture), saw Jesus coming toward him in a crowd of people and immediately knew – by divine inspiration – that this was the Christ. This was just before Jesus’ baptism, before the beginning of Jesus’ ministry but after John had become famous enough for great crowds to go out to the desert to see him.

“Behold the Lamb,” he said. He certainly was not talking about just any lamb. He knew that the Messiah would come. He knew that lambs were sacrificially used by the Jews, in accordance with God’s command, as atonement from sin. He knew that a sacrificial lamb had been offered in every Hebrew household in Egypt on the night of their deliverance from bondage. He knew that every doorpost and lintel that was covered by the blood of that lamb was protected from the hand of the Angel of Death, that the first-born within that home would not die because of that sacrificial lamb.

When he looked up and saw Jesus coming, he didn’t recognize him as his cousin (Remember Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Elizabeth, John’s mother, were cousins.), but instead he proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb.” Did he know what he was saying?

And then there’s Pilate. He had heard about the miracles of Jesus. He had been fed a lot of lies by those who wanted to get rid of Jesus. He had listened to all the charges against this quiet man who now stood before him and had recognized that the charges were lame, would not stand up in a legitimate court. Pilot’s wife had dreamed about Jesus and warned her husband that there was something unusual about him. Pilate was a little awed and perhaps frightened. But he had no courage, no insight, so all he could say was, “Ecce Home,” “Behold the Man.” The things Pilate had heard about Jesus were indeed extraordinary, but to Pilate, Jesus was just a man.

What about us? What is our perception? As we look at Christ Jesus on this dark, Good Friday of 2008, what do we see? Just a man? Even a man who bore a death too horrible to imagine? Or do we see “The Lamb of God who [has taken] away the sin of the world?” “The Lamb” sacrificed for our own individual sin? Both are true! Behold the 100% man who understood our frailty and need! Behold the Messiah, 100% God, who allowed himself to be The Lamb to our sin! Look closely! Behold the God-Man, our Lamb!

Prayer: Father, it is so difficult for us to comprehend what Jesus did for us on that first Good Friday. Cause us this day to see Jesus in all his complexity! Cause us to know with fresh awareness what our salvation cost. Cause us to fall down in gratitude as we celebrate this most generous of gifts that you have given for our restoration to fellowship with you. Amen

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Maundy Thursday

Thursday, March 29, 2018

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Matthew 26:20-22

This Passover meal that they were eating was, if not the most important ritual in the Jewish year, at least one of the most important! Jesus had given careful instructions to the disciples about where he would have them prepare the meal, and as the words from this Scripture were spoken, all twelve recline around the table.

The scene probably appeared quite normal. They had eaten together for three years, had probably celebrated two other Passovers together and now here they are again. Though nothing appeared unusual, much was going on around that table even before Jesus spoke.

Jesus, being omniscient, knew exactly what was going to happen in the next hours. He knew that the meal they were eating was symbolic of the work he had to do in the next three days. He realized that the lambs bleating outside the windows were to be sacrificed in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, but he was even more aware the He was the real Passover Lamb. The pain must have been building in his heart as he moved closer to the hour of his crucifixion.

Among the twelve, one must have been contemplating what he had already done. Judas must have been trying to interact with the others in a normal manner, while inside he remembered how he felt when the thirty pieces of silver were placed in his hands. He must have wondered if Jesus could read in his face the emotions that he now felt. He must have wondered if he looked guilty.

Then came the shocking words, “One of you will betray me.” A flush must have come to Judas’s face as he realized and then wondered, “He knows! How does he know?!”

The eleven innocent ones question themselves and him. “Is it I?” Tension fills the otherwise quiet room.

We look on this scene with dismay. How could Judas do such a thing? How could he have turned against Jesus? But even as we point a finger at him, we realize that three fingers point back at us. How many times have we sat quietly as someone uses our Lord’s name in vain? How many times has someone told n sacrilegious joke while we lowered our heads and said nothing. How many times have we had a tremendous opportunity to declare our faith but could not bring ourselves to admit that we are Christ followers? How many times has he waked us on a Sunday morning, encouraging us to join him and others in worshiping the Father, but we refuse to go because Sunday is our only day to rest?

We judge Judas harshly. Perhaps instead we should ask, “Lord, is it I?” Am I the one who will betray you?”

Prayer: Father, forgive us for not realizing that we, too, betray Jesus when we do not take our stand, when we do not admit to all that he is our Lord, when we fail to realize and be grateful that he paid a huge price for our reconciliation to you. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Holy Wednesday

March 28, 2018

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
Matthew 23:37

Once Wallace and I bought and restored a 104-year-old house. It had many features that were common to houses in the late 1800s such as a small back porch, which I determined was a perfect place for my potting chest and equipment for gardening. In a great wide section, over the banister and between the posts, I hung a beautiful fern. It liked the place and got bigger and bigger. I often went to the spot, enjoying my fern and preparing plants for the ground in Wallace’s flower beds.

One day as I started out the back door, a little Carolina wren flew from my fern! I carefully looked into it and found a nest with several eggs. Well, that was the end of my using the porch for awhile! I knew that if I disturbed my little guest, she would abandon her task and the chicks would not hatch. I did, however, occasionally pull the curtain back a tiny bit and watch her as she came and went, first from searching for food for herself and finally as she brought food back to her babies.

One day I stood there, wanting to get close but not daring to, and I said softly, “I would never harm you, but you can’t understand me when I tell you that. I wish I could become a wren, and then I could tell you how beautiful you are and how I admire the care you give to your little family.” As I heard myself speak the words to her, I knew something wonderful!

That is exactly what Jesus did when he came to earth. God had tried for centuries to tell of his great love, but we just seemed unable to understand! So Almighty God took the form of a man to tell us he loves us!

When Jesus speaks these words about Jerusalem, he had walked among the people, healed the sick, preached wonderful sermons, eaten in their homes, taught them the Truth. Now the time was getting very close for him to leave, and we see into Jesus’ heart as he looks out over the city of Jerusalem. The despair in Jesus’ voice cannot be missed. “Often . . . I have longed . . . , “ he says. How sad! The God of the universe has walked among men, has shown them carefully that even the least of them – the lame, the blind, the foreigner, the tax collectors, the children, the women – are important to God. He is preparing to die to restore them to fellowship with God, and they have ignored him and his message.

This week, I wonder if Jesus is not saying to us, here in Homosassa in 2008, “Oh, my people! How I have longed for an intimate relationship with you, to hold you close, but you are not willing.”

Prayer: Father, forgive us. You have made all the necessary preparations for us to have wonderful fellowship with you, and we are too busy or too frightened or too self-absorbed. Help us not to be afraid of being held close. Help us to feel comfortable in your arms. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Holy Tuesday

March 27, 2018

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper,

a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,

which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
Matthew 26:6-7

Matthew doesn’t identify this woman. John says it was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Perhaps her identity is not as important as was her generous and unselfish act.  

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were respected in the community, but we have no reason to believe that they were wealthy. In fact, there probably was not a rich person among Jesus’ followers.

Unless we know this, we’ll miss the importance of this moment in the last week of Jesus’ life. It’s easy to miss the point that Mary’s treasure was valuable!

Where did she get it? Was it a gift from a special friend? An expensive gift, given and accepted, becomes special and not used casually. Did she ponder giving up her treasure, wonder how the giver of this gift would feel if she used it in this manner?

Perhaps she had saved and saved to buy the fragrance. If so, it must have been for some extremely important purpose – maybe for her burial or the burial of someone she loved. Bodies were often covered with as many as 100 pounds of ointments for burial. Perhaps Mary was accumulating burial ointments for someone. It would take a long time to replace this.

Whatever the source, the perfume was a treasure. Before she poured it on Jesus, did she contemplate the cost, realize the extravagance of using all her perfume in this one generous gesture. John tells us that the whole room was filled with the fragrance, so everyone knew what she had done as soon as she did it. Would anyone understand her act?

Mary’s act was certainly a sacrificial gesture. The perfume was important to her, but the Lord was more important! I like to think of the care with which she poured it out, and the surprise and pain on her face when he responded that she had prepared his body for burial. Loving him as she did, the perfume must have suddenly gained value. So comforted and encourage, she must have been horrified at the challenge from the disciples (John says that the challenge came from Judas) that the perfume should have been sold to feed the poor. In all the agony of that week, this is one of the few acts that warms our hearts.

I wonder if we have some expensive treasure that we are saving for a special event. Is there something that we value and don’t want to part with? Do we excuse ourselves that we cannot pour expensive ointments on his head and just pass over this scripture with a casual reading? Nice gesture on Mary’s part. Perhaps during this Easter week, we should ask him if there is someone whose life he would have us bless by making some sacrifice for him, by giving up some treasure, not for his burial but in gratitude for his incredible sacrifice for us.

Prayer: Father, We admire – from a distance – Mary’s great love for you. Help us to learn from her and to act lovingly toward those whom you love who have need. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Holy Monday

Monday, March 26, 2018

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

It is dangerous to be too familiar with a Scripture. Familiarity can make us rush right through a passage and not hear the gentle voice of God saying, “Wait a minute. You missed something.” So it is with this passage.

Love the Lord with all your heart. What do we love? I love my freedom, to be able to do as I please, when I please. I love spending time doing the things that I enjoy – reading, writing, visiting and talking with friends. So what if God asks me to interrupt that doing-as-I-please mode? What if he asks me to come and sit quietly with him, reading and studying his word, listening to what he may want to say to me in the Scriptures? What if he wants me to teach a children’s class, or serve on a committee, or go to some distant land to help someone I don’t know? Love the Lord with all your heart? Isn’t that a little close to fanaticism? Does he really mean all?

With all my soul? I’m not even sure exactly what my soul is. That something inside me that has no shape or form, where my will resides, where my moral attitudes lie, that will someday leave my body when I die? So if I love him with my soul, must my will and my morality conform to his will and his guidelines for life and eternity? Is this his plan for me? No small thing he’s asking!

With all my mind? With all my mind that is being guided by my soul that is trying to please him in thought and action? That means no space for being mad at someone, no time for complaining about things I don’t like, no worrying about things that are not for me to decide, studying so that I will know what his will for me is. This first commandment gets harder and harder!

Love your neighbor as yourself. I have a real problem with this. Sometimes I don’t even like myself, much less love myself! Suddenly it seems that God is saying that I must love not only others but me! I’m simply not always easy to love.

Ten Commandments just got reduced to two, and they seem harder to keep than the ten! But they must have been very important. Jesus had very little time left on earth, and he used it to remind disciples about important things! Love God most! Love others. Don’t forget to love yourself. When I look at them carefully, I realize this is a pretty big commandment! A huge commandment!

Prayer: Father, the Pharisees asked Jesus about the greatest commandment and he answered very clearly – love you, others and ourselves. We fail. We have a long way to go in living lives that please you. As we move through this Holy Week, remind us of these important words of our Lord, and help us to live what we have heard you say! Thank you for Jesus who died for our failures and lives to help us not fail again. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

Palm Sunday

Sunday, March 25, 2018

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 

“Hosanna to the Son of David! 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Hosanna in the highest!” 

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, 

“Who is this?” 

The crowds answered, 

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:9-11 (NIV)

When I see the people in this scene, I wonder in which group I would have been comfortable if I had been there – the ones who went ahead, the ones who followed behind, the mildly curious, or the ones who had the answer but missed the point.

Would I have been willing to be at the head of the parade, bravely proclaiming that Jesus was indeed coming in God’s name? For the first two years of Jesus’ ministry, he had been pretty popular, but in the last year, his popularity had waned. He was stirring up the people, and many feared repercussions from Rome if crowds “got out of hand.” Would I have had the courage to openly acknowledge commitment to this one called “the son of David?” Would I have had the courage to call him Lord and shout Hosanna?

Or would I have hung back, following instead of leading? Even from behind, would I have shouted out the news of his coming, or would I have spoken timidly as we neared the city? Would I have played it safe and just walked with the crowd, wanting to be part of the celebration but lacking the courage to be bold?

Or maybe I would have been too busy with my own life to have paid attention to an itinerant preacher. Maybe when he passed by on the road, my curiosity would take me to the door to see the parade, find the source of the shouts, and lamely ask, “Who is that? What’s going on?”

Or perhaps I would have been a party to all the gossip and the guesses about the identity of this one called Jesus. Perhaps I would have settled for the thought that Jesus was just another Jewish prophet. That would have kept me out of the political fray and have required nothing from or of me.

Almost two thousand years later, don’t we still have to ask into which group we fall? Do we boldly proclaim the Lord’s coming on this Palm Sunday, or do we follow meekly behind? Do we with mild curiosity ask what’s going on, or do we answer, with conviction that this one who comes is God in the flesh? And if someone asks us these questions, how will we answer?  

Prayer: Father, help us to proclaim to the world – our world, our friends and neighbors – that this day our Lord triumphantly enters into the lives of all who will receive him. Amen.

Holy Week Devotional
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, March 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

blog.avasflowers.com

3/25/2018 - Weekly Memory Verse

March 25, 2018

Focus this week on 

ASSURANCE

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not faint.   

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:30-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What comfort we find in these words. When life gets tough, we have the LORD to sustain us. He has promised. He will deliver. 

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She’s A Dancer

Saturday, March 24, 2018

by Maggie

March 2013

Our home is so much different now. Oma brought her little woofer with her when she moved in with us. She is a chocolate schnicker schnoz something-or-other. And I think she’s got papers. 

You can definitely tell she’s cultured. Before Oma gives her a little tasty treat, she stands on her hind legs and dances in a circle like a ballerina.    And she will only eat one tiny little bite at a time. If she had pinky fingers, I’m sure they would be pointed upward when she dines. 

I noticed yesterday that she wears a seatbelt in the car. Really? It’s kind of hard to hang your head out the window if you’re strapped in. 

And guess what? She wears a little coat when she goes outside. She’s already got on a coat. Why does she need another one?

To top it all off, if Oma sits down the Ballerina thinks she has to sit in her lap. So up she goes.  We put our noses in Oma’s lap but we aren’t allowed on the furniture. And instead of sleeping in a woofer bed like Buddy and me, she gets to curl up at night with Oma. 

Now here’s another thing that, in my opinion, also comes with having papers. She’s bossy. She thinks she can tell us what to do when we’re coming and going from outside. She just fusses at us like crazy. I seriously just don’t pay any attention to her and shoot past her like she’s not there. Then she comes and joins us like nothing ever happened and we all play together. 

You know, the truth of the matter is that I really like the little Ballerina. She’s awfully cute when she’s asleep. And she’s smart and talented. When everybody leaves us at home alone we get into just enough mischief to not be a real bother. She’s a great snuggler. I think we are going to be fine friends. 

Mocha Muffin, chocolate schnauzer (taken in Greensboro, NC)

The Truth and Life

Friday, March 23, 2018

Yesterday we looked at John 14:6 and saw that Jesus is the way to heaven. Today let’s look at the rest of the verse. 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus is the Truth. This stands to reason since God is perfect and Jesus is part of the Godhead. Jesus not only speaks truth, he is incapable of deviating from it because He IS Truth. Conclusion: We can trust Him completely. 

Jesus is the Life. Because we know that his words are true, we know that it is through Him that we will live eternally with the Father in heaven. Heaven by definition is being in the presence of God. The Holy Spirit (God) lives within us who are believers. Therefore heaven is now. Conclusion:  Eternal life through Jesus is now. 

LORD, thank you for providing us the way, the truth, and the life — Jesus. Thank you that our eternity with you doesn’t have to wait until we die. 

The Way

Thursday, March 22. 2018

In John 14, Jesus talked to His disciples about heaven and about preparing them a place there. They didn’t quite understand it, though, and they responded by saying that they didn’t know the way to get there. This was Jesus’ response:

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus is the way to heaven. He didn’t say I am A way to the Father but THE way. In this crazy world of all-inclusivity and tolerance, many people think that there must be a multitude of ways to get to heaven. But that’s not what the Scripture says. I believe that God is perfect and that the Bible is His true message to us. Therefore it must be perfect as well since it came from Him. Conclusion: Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. 

Does that put any responsibility on those of us who believe this? 

I think it does. If we know people who believe otherwise — and I dare say we probably all do — and if we don’t share the truth with them, then who will? 

LORD, thank you for providing the way to heaven and for telling us so plainly that it is through you. Help us to share this wonderful news with everyone we see. 

The Holy Spirit

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

The past couple of days I’ve written about the Trinity. Today let’s look at the Holy Spirit. 

When we make a profession of faith and invite the Lord to live in our hearts, the Holy Spirit comes into us and makes His home there. He directs our minds and hearts. He teaches us. He empowers us. He comforts us. And His presence seeps out of us in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

By the way, what pronoun do you use when referencing the Holy Spirit? It? He?

I’m not sure if the original words for the Holy Spirit used in the Bible express gender or not. But I know that Jesus was a man and he referred to God as Father. So it only stands to reason that His Spirit is also masculine. So I go with referring to Him as, “He.” In fact, I just can’t bring myself to use such an impersonal word (it) when referencing Him. He has lived in my heart for a half of a century. He is very personal. “It” doesn’t cut it as far as I’m concerned. 

Lord, thank you for your Spirit who makes His home in our hearts. Thank you for His care and concern for us. May we always treat Him with respect

The Trinity

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

The concept of the triune God in Christianity is hard to wrap my mind around. According to Genesis, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were present at the creation. And numerous passages account for the Trinity throughout the Bible. Did you know, though, that the actual term, Trinity, does not appear anywhere in the Old or New Testaments? It didn’t come into the Christian vocabulary until the first few centuries after Christ. 

This is how I understand the Trinity. It is a meager explanation, I’ll admit. But it satisfies my limited mind. 

I’ll use myself as an example for my illustration. 

I am a wife. 

I am a mother. 

I am a pharmacist. 

There is no place where my motherhood, for instance, stops and my role as wife begins. I cannot separate one from the other. I am 100% wife. 100% mother. 100% pharmacist. Yet I am one person. 

Similarly God is 100% Father, 100% Son, and 100% Spirit. Yet He is one God. 

Now I recognize that this is not a very theological explanation. But sometimes there has to be an element of faith involved in Christianity. God says He is the One and only God. He has never done or said anything to me that indicates that He is capable of lying to me. So I believe Him. 

I believe in the Trinity. 

The LORD

Monday, March 19, 2018

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I’ve been thinking about God lately. What do I know about Him? How do I know what I know about Him? 

Well first of all, I know about God through several sources: the Bible, my earthly father, and my own experience with God. 

The Bible states very plainly that God is everlasting. He has no beginning and will have no end. He is the Creator of the universe, making it all out of nothing. He is all-knowlng, all-powerful, and is everywhere at once. And as the children’s song goes, “he’s big enough to rule the universe and small enough to live in my heart.”

My daddy was a wonderful man. He gave his life to Christ as a young father and sought to live his life in a way that would be pleasing to God. He was very good-natured, level-headed, and loved his girls more than anything. God used daddy to show me what He is like: loving, kind, encouraging, benevolent, stern, fun-loving. 

Much of what I know about God I have gleaned on my own through my personal relationship with Him. I gave my life to Christ at the age of 9 and this began my deep connection with Him. My child-like faith was so simple and free from grown-up hangups that we just had a special bond. And still do. 

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God made me, He loves me, and allowed  Jesus to die on the cross to take away my sins. And when I die He will take me to heaven to live with Him forever. 

So what do I know about God? He is my friend. My Rock. My God. And I will be His forever. 

Thank you, Father, for being in my life. For teaching me. For directing me. For protecting me. 

3/18/2018 - Weekly Memory Verse

March 18, 2018

Focus this week on 

ASSURANCE

For we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 NIV

Think about this during the days ahead. 

• Do you love God?

• Are you called according to His purpose? What does that even mean? In my humble opinion, it means that the Holy Spirit tugged at your heart and you responded by committing your life to Him.

If your answer to these is, "yes," then you can bank on something really cool. No matter how twisted life gets, God is going to make something wonderful out of it.

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Simple Doesn't Mean Easy

by Gracie Hager

First Baptist Church, Richmond, KY

I do not understand what I do. 

For what I want to do I do not do, 

but what I hate I do.

Romans 7:15 NIV

SIMPLE=easy to understand, deal with, use
EASY=achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties

SIMPLE ≠ EASY

So many times I think, "It's simple, so why don't I just _____________!?" You can fill-in-the-blank with just about anything:

• Losing weight is simple, just move more and eat less....not so easy!
• Drawing closer to God is simple, just read His Word and Pray....not so easy with all that competes for our attention and affections!
• Saving money is simple, just spend less than you make...not so easy since there's so much we think we want and so many advertisements to tell us what we need!

I could go on, but to what end? 

"Simply" said, sometimes the "easiest" things are the hardest! 

My prayer is this, may we (I) learn to tap more and more into the same power that rose Jesus from the dead. May we (I) discover that just because something's hard does not mean it's impossible.

Dear Lord, I thank You for making that power available to me, may I live like I believe it!

Magnolia Blossoms

This is madness.

Friday, March 16, 2018

by Maggie

This week as my Alpha was working on something in the other room, I found a paper of hers that had a bunch of colleges listed on a fancy grid of some kind. As I examined it I saw that She had chosen one school over another until there was only one left in big red letters. I was intrigued by this selection process and started analyzing it further. 

How did She decide which college would move to the next slot? Was it based on names? Colors? There were some little numbers beside each name but that didn’t seem to matter. There was one college of blue devils that was emphatically marked off of her list. I was stumped. I decided to Google these schools and figure it out on my own. And this is what a found. 

• 8 barkers (bulldogs, retrievers, wolves)
• 5 feathered friends (eagles, jays, and a fictitional thing called a hokie)
• 11 mousers (wildcats, panthers, tigers, and cougars)
• 3 growlers (bears)
• 5 hooved creatures (bulls, steers, buffalo, and horses)
• 7 kind of oddball critters (jackrabbits, wolverines, alligators, boars, sheep, and horned frogs) Tell me. How is a horned frog going to be victorious over an eagle or a tiger?
• 1 thing that I have no idea what it is (Crimson Tide) or why it would look like an elephant. 
• 1 weather pattern (hurricane) which I would frankly rather not think about because of what Katrina did to my former home. 
• 2 fruits (orange, buckeye)
• And 24 smoothskins, some of which seem particularly menacing (pirates, cavaliers, raiders. musketeers, and spartans) while others seem fairly innocuous (farmers, boilermakers, Quakers, and tar heels — whatever that is). There are even some native people groups represented (Aztecs, Gaels, and Seminoles).

So once I figured out which critters and smoothskins were up against each other, I could predict who would win. For instance, the jackrabbits would just eat the buckeyes. And the musketeers have a distinct advantage in their weaponry. 

I admit that I couldn’t let any diablo win — blue or otherwise. And I saw the opportunity for the fruit of the orange tree to get back at the devil on behalf of all the world’s apples. 

Who are my final four?

Some western wildcats, the musketeers, the thundering herd, and some southern tigers. 

In the end I think the musketeers will prevail against the wildcats and the thundering herd will trample the tigers. 

I’ve thought about this final confrontation. Although the musketeers will likely cause some of the thundering herd to falter, I don’t think they will be able to stand up to the strength of a herd of mustangs. 

So there you have it. My prediction to end all this madness. The number thirteen seed out of the east will prevail. 

I wouldn’t place any wagers on it if I were you. 

seccountry.com

Vacation update

Thursday, March 15, 2018

You may be aware that Bill and I had planned to go to Florida this week for spring break. But things just didn’t work out for us to go. So . . .

I have been working all week and Bill has been on vacation. I guess that makes this week a working vacation. All I know is I’m exhausted. 

But just so that you don’t feel too sorry for us, I thought I’d list all the fun things we will have done by the end of Saturday night coming up. 

• 3 UK baseball games
• 4 movies (complete with popcorn)
• 15 high school basketball games
• 40 hours of work 

Or maybe this DOES make you feel sorry for us! 

Bill married the right girl. That’s for sure!

This empty nest thing is working out pretty well. 

angmohdan.com

That’s Impossible

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

We are so advanced technologically these days that nothing seems to be impossible. Our computers are getting smaller and more powerful every day. We are routinely sending people into space. And the skies are no longer the limit with how far we can  explore.  

But one thing IS impossible for those who are in the family of God. Nothing can separate us from His love. Nothing. 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭NIV‬

Remember that when things get tough. Remember that when it feels like the whole world is against you. 

Remember that when you don’t feel very lovable. 

I’ve told my children this for as long as I can remember and I think this Scrioture proves that God says it to us:

“There is nothing you can do to make me not love you.”

Lord, thank you for your unending, unconditional love. And thank you that I can never be cut off from it. 

The Rest of the Story

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Yesterday I wrote about Lizzie being prepared for everything on her spring break trip and what a blessing that was. But just so that this doesn’t get lost on anybody, here’s the rest of the story. 

1. Lizzie pretty much just packed her stuff up and threw it in the car. 

2. Her dad did everything else. 

When it was obvious that they had a problem, Lizzie immediately called her daddy. It was her dad who contacted the people necessary to take care of her and to get her back on the road. 

Do you see the Spiritual connection here?

God, our loving Father, has done everything to prepare us for life. We really can’t take the credit. And when we have a crisis, He is the one we turn to. But best of all, He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves when things go awry — He goes before us to make the crooked places straight. 

God loves us. 

He wants us to be prepared for our travels through life. 

He’s ready when we need help. 

He works out the details for us. 

Thank you, LORD, for being such a good daddy. 

Be Prepared

Monday, March 11, 2018

We sent Lizzie off on Spring Break by herself for the first time this year. Well, she isn’t entirely alone — she is with two other young women from UK. But still — daddy isn’t with her. 

Before she left we had a whole check list of things to do so she would be ready. 

• Change the oil in the car. 
• Rotate the tires. 
• Check tire pressures. 
• Fill up the washer fluid. 
• Remind her about OnStar in case she needs something on the road. 
• Make sure she’s got her AAA card just in case. 
• Fill up the car with fuel. 
• Make sure they get a good night’s sleep prior to leaving. 
• Make sure they have enough money for emergencies. 
• Make sure she has her health insurance card. 
• Make sure the license / registration / proof of insurance are where she can get to them. 
• Plenty of snacks and drinks packed up. 
• Plenty of sunscreen
• Advice like “watch for alligators if you’re near the inland waterways.”

She was ready to go just to get away from all the checklists and scary advice!

Well, the girls made it to their destination but not without picking up a nail in a tire. How does that happen anyway? A nail just happens to be standing straight up on its head and of all the asphalt around, you just happen to run over it — without a bonafide adult around to take charge. What are the odds?

Well, this little girl scout was prepared. First the car sensor alerted her to the tire problem. Then she pulled off the highway at a gas station and spied the little invader. She called AAA. A very nice man from AAA came very quickly and changed the tire. He also gave a recommendation as to where they could get the tire repaired tomorrow. So all’s we’ll that ends well. 

And Bill didn’t hyperventilate or anything. 

So what kind of Spiritual lesson can we learn from this? 

It is important to be prepared:

• for entrance into heaven
• to tell others about the Lord
• to recite Scripture when Satan attacks
• to know Scripture so you can make good moral choices

LORD, help us be more dedicated to learning your word. Prepare us for what lies ahead. Help us to depend on you for guidance and direction. 

gizmoway.com

II Corinthians 5:17 NIV

March 11, 2018

Focus this week on 

SALVATION

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is refreshing and encouraging. For the new believer, he/she can take comfort in knowing that at the moment they commit their lives to Christ they become recreated in His image. I think that’s pretty cool. 

Did you know this Scripture is actually connected to a passage in Isaiah?

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:18-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Claim the Scripture as you memorize it. Make it a part of your week. 

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