tHIS wEEK:
Tues 10am Zoom Huddle
Wed 10-12 Bread Ministry
Wed 6-7:30 Dinner Huddle and continuation of the Beginning of the End messages with the last supper remembrance and recounting the last hours before the end of Jesus' life on that cruel cross.
Sat 10-1 Clothing Closet and 10 AM property clean up, planting and mulch party 10AM
Sun: Festive Resurrection Sunday Worship 10 am with communion and Children's Church
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Good Morning Filled, Gifted, Empowered, Sent, Servants of the Lord! Amen!
Yesterday we discussed the Beginning of the End and how clueless most were that this Triumphal Entry was the beginning of Jesus' life and would lead to the ushering in of a whole new covenant and way for believers. Jesus had resolutely "set His jaw' on Jerusalem and the cross. His time had come. But His followers were clueless. We began looking at Luke's recounting of the activities of the week and will continue that Wed at dinner huddle as we remember Jesus, the last supper and those last hours before that cruel cross. Next Sunday we will discuss the end of the new beginning. I encourage you this week to spend some time with open Bibles and fresh minds to seek, listen with fresh ears and talk to God about what this week means for you. Jesus was thinking of you and took your sins to that cross! PTL! What's He saying to you today?
My I to We devotional for today reminds us of one of the results of this week are that we, as believers are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit and that He equips and enables us to share the Good News of our salvation and new life. They remind us from Col. 1:15-29 to "tell others with all the wisdom God has given us...depending on the mighty work of Christ in us." Amen! Christ lives in you to will and to work His ways. You are created, gifted and empowered for such a time as this and this week many may be open for the invite to come and meet our Savior. Allow God to use you as he did with Reid last week to bring comfort and Good news to a hurting person God put in His path. He calls us to be faithful to be available and as Reid shared, He will use us to comfort and share. Thanks Lord! I to We challenges us to "act this week as we begin each day acknowledging who Jesus is and that He lives in you. Ask Him to display His power in and through you today." AMEN ask Him to help you to live and love more like Him, to see those He is drawing and boldness and wisdom to engage with them. Maybe even invite someone to join you Wed. or Sun.? He created you for such a time as this, loves you and will manifest Himself and His love through you if you allow it!
Our Daily Bread carries on this theme with the reminder that we are called, gifted and enabled to share the Gospel. They ask two very important questions that we need to process with God and some teammates: "How will you share the Good News of forgiveness that you've received? How can you meet others' physical needs while sharing the love of Christ?" These may be two of the most important questions you need to process beside who is that man Jesus and what does that mean to my life? We are saved to save others and gifted and empowered to do so. Talk to God about that. get away and pray and prepare then go live and love like Jesus! Think about this as well during this week, Jesus taught, healed and poured Himself out daily and then went up to the Mount of Olives to reload for the next day. Begin and end your day with some reloading time! Open your Bibles prayerfully and sit at Jesus' feet for a bit. (The Connections blogs below discuss this and give some prayer starters) He will refresh, inform and direct you from there to His best for you and maybe for some others too! Amen!
As we move through this week, be still and think about what all Jesus did and endured means to you and invite Him to come teach and lead you. He's waiting and willing! Are you?
ODB:
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The venue and accommodations for our leadership meeting in downtown Chicago were in stark contrast with the neediness I encountered on my way there—neediness that included individuals who lacked the basics of food and shelter. The differences helped me picture and articulate things we needed to include in our vision planning for serving in the city and elsewhere: to get gospel resources (anything given by God to help spread the message of His love and salvation) to places where they’re needed most.
At the time Paul wrote to the Roman believers in Jesus, he hadn’t visited them yet—but wanted to: “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:11-12). The apostle was looking forward to a “gift exchange” that would benefit him and others as they sought to live for Jesus and serve others.
The resources we possess include the spiritual gifts and material resources given to us by God. May we allow Him to use us to compassionately reach out to people with the gospel message. And, as God empowers us, let’s open our hearts, hands, and lips to serve others. May we do so “[un]ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (v. 16).
By Arthur Jackson
REFLECT & PRAY
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How will you share the good news of forgiveness that you’ve received? How can you meet others’ physical needs while sharing the love of Christ?
Dear Jesus, please help me to unashamedly share the good news of Your forgiveness.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Romans opens with Paul identifying himself as “an apostle . . . set apart for the gospel of God” (1:1). His letter is written “to all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people” (v. 7). Yet he singles out the gentiles for special mention (vv. 5-6), perhaps because their inclusion in the family of faith was still a radical concept. Paul reiterates this cross-cultural unity later in the chapter: “The power of God . . . brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (v. 16). His example inspires us to reach out to people in new places with the love of Christ.
Tim Gustafson |
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Connections:
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April 14 - The Discipline of Time and Place
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Daniel gave us an example of the discipline of time when it was recorded that, “he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom (Dan. 6:10).” Daniel set an appointment with God and kept it faithfully. Whether your appointment with God is early in the morning or late at night, you must set an appointed time and with spiritual discipline remain faithful to that appointed time.
Another discipline needed in personal prayer is the discipline of place. Jesus not only had a favorite time for private prayer (early in the morning), but was always able, even in the midst of His travels, to find “a solitary place” (Mk. 1:35) for prayer. Jesus actively sought the solitary place for prayer. In the busiest seasons of His life, Jesus would rob Himself of sleep and needed rest in order that He might have the quiet and unhurried place for prayer.
Father, Daniel was faithful with his time and met with you regularly! He never failed to give thanks even when he was in the midst of difficult circumstances. Often I excuse my lack of meeting with You because of a change of location or because I need more sleep rather than seeking out time and space to seek Your face. Forgive me Lord, and make me so hungry and thirsty for Your continual presence that I will do whatever it takes to meet with You as faithfully as Daniel and Your own precious Son.
--Adapted from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 25, Disciplines of Personal Prayer by Dan R. Crawford). This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God that he cares about this world.
- Thank Christ that he calls the church “his” and that he has promised to build it (Mt. 16:18).
- Confess your own failures in using your time, talents, and tithe as God desires.
- Commit yourself to being an energetic, ability-using, enthusiastic part of the body in which Christ has placed you.
- Ask that, as a part of the church, you will live the fact that you belong to all the others (Rom. 12:5).
- Ask God that your congregation will tirelessly live out the love that it has been given in Jesus Christ. Pray that the character and depth of this love will cause non-Christians in your community to want it for themselves.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2025 is a free devotional published daily by OneCry Prayer. Find more resources at www.onecry.com |
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