Jesus is the Greatest Valentine’s Ever!

February 19, 2018 2 Comments

This Easter season is unique because Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine’s Day and Easter will be on April fool’s day. So here is some food for thought on this. See why Jesus is the God’s greatest valentine to us!

Valentine’s Day/Ash Wednesday

What an excellent way to the beginning of the Lenten season! On Valentine’s Day, we give our loved ones a gift to show our love. Yet, the greatest expression of love is that God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to show us how great His love is for us. Our sins came between us and God. Therefore, Jesus paid the ultimate price in order that we would be reconciled to God. As my sister once said, “God would rather die than live without us.” Can you think of a greater act of love?

April Fool’s Day/Easter

Furthermore, I can’t think of a better day for Easter to fall on. For Jesus fooled the devil into thinking that he had won when Jesus was crucified. Yet again, God pulled the wool over the devil’s eyes on the third day when Jesus rose from the dead. Yes, you can’t keep a good man down. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow.

Easter Triumph

Do you want more food for thought? Then I suggest that you mark your calendar for March 24^th 3 pm or 6 pm and go see The Easter Triumph. This is the 60^th year of this live-action Passion Play. They also have a Facebook page The Easter Triumph Passion Play. I have been blessed to have been a part of this a couple of years ago and I have family members who are actively involved in it this year.

Don’t take my word for it. Go see it for yourself and experience the greatest Valentine ever given! My Redeemer lives!

Seasons of the Church

Excruciating Means Out of the Cross or Crucifixion.

April 13, 2017 10 Comments

Excruciating: What is it Origin?

Have you ever wondered about the word excruciating? Or have you pondered on the suffering that Jesus Christ went through for your sins? Well, I learned about it in regards to the crucifixion of Christ in world history in the 8^th grade. Where we looked at from a medical perspective.

The origin of the word is “Latin excruciātus, past participle of excruciāre to torment, torture, equivalent to ex- ex-¹+ cruciāre to torment, crucify (derivative of crux cross); see -ate [1]. Can you see how it means out of the cross? When you look at the medical aspect of what Jesus went through on the cross, you can understand the word even more.

If you really want to read more about suffering Jesus went through, this check out this link Medical Aspects of the Crucifixion of Christ.

As we are approaching Good Friday, there is a hymn that comes to mind. O Sacred Head Now Wounded brings tears to my eyes when we sing it in church. Though it is 10 verses long, this hymn sings so mournfully of the woe He went through and that He bore my burden to the cross. In verse 8, I sing of how can I thank Him for this dying sorrow and ask Him to make me His forever. “O Lord, let me never, never out live my love for Thee,” is how this verse ends. The final two verses close with seeking Lord Jesus to be near me when I am at death’s door.

Thus, I pray that you will contemplate His true suffering and how He died on the cross for you. As you do, I hope that you will have a new appreciation for the word excruciating.

In Closing

I leave you with Luke 22:44.

⁴⁴And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.[2]

Good Friday Meditation. Pondering the suffering of Jesus.

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[1] excruciate. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 13, 2017 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/excruciate

Seasons of the Church

O Perfect Life Of Love – Jesus Died to Make us Whole

April 10, 2017 2 Comments

O Perfect Life of Love

O perfect life of love!
All, all is finished now;
All that He left His throne above
To do for us below.

No work is left undone
Of all the Father willed;
His toil, His sorrows, one by one,
The Scripture have fulfilled.

No pain that we can share
But He has felt its smart;
All forms of human grief and care
Have pierced that tender heart.

And on His thorn crowned head,
And on His sinless soul,
Our sins in all their guilt were laid,
That He might make us whole.

In perfect love He dies;
For me He dies, for me;
O all atoning Sacrifice,
I cling by faith to Thee.

In every time of need,
Before the judgment throne,
Thy work, O Lamb of God, I’ll plead,
Thy merits, not my own.

Yet work, O Lord, in me,
As Thou for me hast wrought;
And let my love the answer be
To grace Thy love has brought.*

This hymn is most inspiring to me as we enter Holy week. The first four verses speak to what Jesus came to do for us, how he did it, and how it pierced his tender heart. Jesus died to make us whole. In verse 5, I especially like how it becomes personal. Jesus died for me and I cling by faith to Him. When my time here on earth is done and I face the judgement throne, it will be on the merits of Jesus and not my own I plead. The last verse is such a beautiful plea that Jesus would work His love in my heart.

*http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/p/operfect.htm

Meditation for Your Holy Week

Here is a link to hear the hymn sung.

I encourage you to read and meditate on Psalm 22 as you go through Holy week.

Jesus died to make us whole. Meditation for Holy week.

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Seasons of the Church

Lord Jesus, Imprint Your Image on My Heart

March 10, 2017 No Comments

Hymn, ‘On My Heart Imprint Your Image’

This was my hymn for meditating on and my prayer this week. I am so moved by how Jesus answered. But first, let’s look at the scriptures that talk to us about being conformed to His image. God alone has the power to imprint the image of His son on my heart.

First, Romans 8:29, For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. I am not going to discuss predestination here. Thus, the point I want to make is that God’s intent for us is to be conformed to the image of His Son. God will not force Himself upon us because He desires an intimate relationship with each person not a robot like follower. Therefore, we must want to be conformed and seek His will through prayer and obedience. He does truly know what is best for us.

Second is one of my favorites in 2 Peter 1:3-4. It addresses the fact that through God’s divine power we have been granted all things that pertain to life and godliness. Knowledge of Him and His great and precious promises are enough to become partakers of the divine nature. Yet, I so often forget this very fact.

Third set of scriptures are Ephesians 23-24 & 2 Corinthians 3:18. Here I am instructed to be renewed in my mind and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God. This is a matter of turning over my will to His. Jesus is the source of the transformation thus He can and will imprint His image on my heart. He will transform me one step at a time.

So What Does This look Like in Me?

The image of Jesus in me can be seen when I serve others and not of selfish motives. It is when I pray for the driver who is in a hurry and appears to be driving recklessly instead of getting upset. Another example is when you spend several minutes on the phone helping someone get to where you are without grumbling. I feel as if someone stepped in and directed all my comings and goings.

Serving others is amazingly so uplifting. Jesus enables me with a do it without thinking and free flowing spirit. I will find myself in the right frame of mind where I do not let my right hand know what my left hand is doing. Now, I may not always function like this for I am human with a sinful nature and I do get self focused. However, from what I have experienced in the just the past couple of days, I hope to allow Jesus to imprint His image on my heart as much as possible.

Jesus Imprint Your Image on My Heart. This is my prayer.

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The Lyrics are as follows:

On my heart imprint Your image, Blessed Jesus, King of grace.

That life’s riches, cares, and pleasures Never may Your work erase;

Let he clear inscription be; Jesus, crucified for me.

Is my life, my hope’s foundation. And my glory and salvation.

Here is the link to hear the Hymn sung. It is just one verse and sung in melody.

In Conclusion, May Jesus Imprint His Image on Your Heart.

Seasons of the Church

A Sermon in the Form of a Hymn

March 4, 2017 2 Comments

The Sermon, My Song of Love Unknown

While I grew up attending a Baptist church and there are several hymns that I love; yet, what I, particularly, love about a Lutheran hymn is the fact that it is often a sermon put to music.

As I begin to read and meditate on different Lenten hymns during this season. I have come across one of my most favorites, “My Song of Love Unknown.” I, particularly, like this hymn because it sings of so much about Jesus and His suffering. The song is a sung in a melody as opposed to four part harmony. The music is so moving to my heart and soul. It often brings tears to my eyes when we sing it in church.

In the hymn, “My Song of Love Unknown,” there is a sermon and so much more. It sings of why Jesus came, what He did and how He was rejected and crucified. I usually begin to cry in verses 5 and 6. These verses tell of Jesus going to the cross to set even His foes free; He did not have a place to call His own and He died a death that was meant for me. Therefore, I will gladly sing His praise as in verse 7.

They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.

A Sermon in the Form of a Hymn.

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For Your Benefit

I have added 2 links to this beautiful and inspiring hymn. One is a You-tube video and the other is where you can find all the verses to this sweet hymn (see above). This song is a great one to meditate on and help you to focus on what Christ did for you and me. I do hope that you will take the time to listen and meditate on it. I am sure that you will come to love this one as much as I do.

Seasons of the Church

Lent: Give Up or Take Up?

March 2, 2017 6 Comments

For This Season of Lent

I was reading my church newsletter for March and I came upon Pastor Crowe’s article, “What are you doing for Lent?” In which, he discusses whether or not Lutherans give up something for Lent. During this season, other churches may give up things like meat or even chocolate, however, the LCMS position on this is quite different. Pastor Crowe goes on to encourage us to take up something for Lent to help us remember and personalize the great sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us.

This in turn lead me to consider taking up the focus on Lenten hymns during this season. Therefore, it is my aim to focus on one Lenten hymn each week during these 40 days and what better hymn than the one we sang for Ash Wednesday service, titled O Lord, Throughout These Forty Days. The lyrics are as follows:

O Lord, throughout theses forty days

You prayed and kept fast;

Inspire repentance for our sins,

And free form our past.

2. You Strove with Satan, and you won;

Your faithfulness endured:

Lend us Your nerve, Your skill and trust

In God’s eternal Word.

Though parched and hungry, yet You prayed

And fixed Your mind above;

So teach us to deny ourselves,

Since we have known God’s Love.

Be with us through this season, Lord

And all our earthly days,

That when the final Easter dawns,

We join in heaven’s praise.

In conclusion, there is a link to a You tube video of this beautiful hymn. I found it quite appropriate as the season of Lent begins. In it, I see the reason one might give something up in order to deny one’s self. Yet, I still like the idea of taking something up. What will you take up this season?

Lent: Give Up or Take Up? That is the question.

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The Lutheran Perspective

QUESTION: Do Lutherans have to give up something for Lent as some other denominations require?

ANSWER: From the perspective of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, “giving something up for Lent” is entirely a matter of Christian freedom. It would be wrong, from our perspective, for the church to make some sort of “law” requiring its members to “give something up for Lent,” since the Scriptures themselves do not require this.

If, on the other hand, a Christian wants to give something up for Lent as a way of remembering and personalizing the great sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins, then that Christian is certainly free to do so — as long as he or she does not “judge” or “look down on” other Christians who do not choose to do this. (This is taken from the lcms.org web page.)