In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love,
what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My Comforter,
my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone!
who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground
His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life,
no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell,
no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

This study of John has been so powerful. His sacrifice and suffering revealed to me in a new way. He bought me with his precious blood so that sin's curse would no longer have a hold on me. So that NOTHING can ever pluck me from His hand. That power of Christ now lives in me! As I have been studying the suffering and sacrifice Jesus made for me, it has made me question my own willingness to sacrifice and suffer. When I am honest with myself I must admit that neither one of those are a part of my life at this time. Not true sacrifice and suffering. I know where He is calling me, what He is asking me to do, where He is wanting me to sacrifice. I just have not done it. Why? Laziness. Lack of self-discipline. Petty reasons when you get down to it. What He is asking of me is very small, not a large sacrifice. I have been willing, but not enough to actually follow through. Father, please forgive me for my laziness and lack of self-discipline. I can sacrifice to accomplish what you are asking of me. Please give me the desire, the discipline and the mental strength to be faithful to Your call.

The Pink Sheet

Today's pink sheet from BSF...Preparing Your Child to Face Disappointments



Bad things happened to the Lord Jesus, and bad things will happen to those who love and believe in Him. This is a truth that is revealed in Scripture and experienced regularly in our own lives. God does not promise freedom from pain or disappointment. He does promise to accomplish His purpose, to love His people, and to be present in time of need.



...it is not necessary to dwell on the negative, but it is important to acknowledge the truth. Teaching your children that "bad things" can be a part of God's plan is to prepare them to deal with such things as loneliness and pain, seeing them not as enemis but as tools of God.

How can you encourage your children to look to God even in the disappointing times?
How can you prepare them to face pain and trials courageously?

* Teach them the truth
Keep your children's understanding of the nature of God accurate by helping him memorize Scripture. God's Word gives a truthful picture of who God is and what God says he will do for His Children.

*Be an accurate role model
I am a picture of how a godly man or woman responds to life's situations.
God guides and disciplines His children, but He also promises to comfort in distress. My child will learn from my behavior what it means to be comforted. God always cares. He counts our tears. He listens endlessly and with understanding.

When disaster is a part of your day, what is your response?
A child learns from watching you react to the disappointments God allows in your life. Do you dwell in dispair or turn to God in prayer? Do you ruch to a neighbor or friend to complain? Do you open your Bible and see guidance? How you accept bad news, broken friendships, death, or financial difficulties paints a picture for your child of how he can respond when similar things happen to him.

*Point out God's purpose.
God alone knows the details of our future, but He gives us insight into the past. Use Bible stories, biographies of great Christians, and the experiences of friends and family members to teach how God uses hard times and painful situations for His good purposes.

Do not leave out the "hard parts" of Bible stories. To do so deprives your children of learning how God plans and uses every event of our lives. When you talk with your children about the pain and loneliness Christ must have suffered, be sure to help them see the relationship between Christ's death and the gift of eternal life. Christ's suffering was not pointless.

It is important to teach your children to look for and expect some goof to come from suffering. It makes disappointment easier to bear.

There will be times when no good seems possible from a situation. That is when the parent must set the example in trusting God. Be truthful. Say, "We do not know why or understand how God has let this happen, but we will trust Him to take care of the hurt."

The disciples were in shock and fear because of what happened to Jesus. They forgot He has forewarned them. They abandoned their belief in God's sovereignty. They could imagine no good purpose for Christ's crucifixion. When crisis comes to your children's lives, you want them not to fear, not to forget the truth, and not to forsake their belief in God. Begin now to prpare your children to face with courage the hard times that are a part of God's plan for their lives.

I needed to hear these words as much as I needed to hear them for my children. A good reminder for me to trust in God in the hard times. To be a good role model for my children, so when they face trials they can remember how their parents responded and be comforted. To trust in God's plan and look for and expect some good to come from the suffering. God is in control of every event in my life, I do trust in His plan.

There is a situation that our family has been dealing with for a very long time. Many tears have been shed, much pain born, anger and bitterness produced. It would be so easy to judge others, point fingers, cast blame. Brad and I are right in the middle of the entire situation. We did not ask to be here. Being here makes the situation much more difficult. Difficult to ignore, difficult to be indifferent, difficult to be neutral. Our life would be easier, much less stressful, if we could please all the parties involved. But life is not easy and we are called to make difficult decisions. I am very grateful that we have God's Word and Holy Spirit to help.

As a child of God, I do not get to choose indifference. I must chose. There is no middle ground. Am I on Jesus' side or I am not. I can choose to believe in Jesus, love Him which means I will obey His commands and trust in His provision to guide and deliver me through every circumstance or choose to believe He cannot. But I choose to believe He can, He has and He will continue.

Decisions that Brad and I must make, and there are many, we cannot make based on what will make the parties involved happy. The decisions we must make must be based on what will be pleasing and glorifying to God. What is pleasing and glorifying to God is not always pleasing to man. That is what we have experienced in our situation.

Jesus came into this world to testify to truth, so that all men may know that He is the Son of God who will take away their sins. Jesus did not come into this world to judge. (Though he will judge later.) So if Jesus did not judge while He was in this world, it is not my duty to judge. Jesus loved, it was through His love that His Father's love was shown. I am to love others like Jesus loved me. By loving, Jesus did not condone sin, but He did love the sinful man. Through that love many, including me, have come to know Him as Savior. So loving Jesus means I will obey His command to love others. This situation has been teaching me how to do that.

It has been painful, hard, trying, lonely.

But through the sorrow, there has been joy. Joy in knowing that God is transforming me more into His image each and every day and hopefully shining His light through me for others to see.

Counting My Blessings

My childhood best friend posts what she is thankful for every Monday. She has encouraged me to do the same! I am starting today!!

#1. Easter Sunday

#2. Talented songwriters that are able to express their thoughts about Jesus in music

#3. Getting to spend time with all our family

#4. Carrying my girls downstairs first thing in the morning

#5. The transforming power of the Holy Spirit

#6. That my oldest wanted her pink "real" Bible to hold and look at today

#7. Doctors

#8. The money to pay for the doctor visits

#9. An unexpected day to spend at home

#10. A husband who works hard so I can stay at home with my girls

He is Risen!

A group I remember fondly from my childhood is Acappella. The song I have going through my head this morning is the Easter Song. (http://www.acadisc.com/travelin.htm)

Easter Song

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing that you can be born again
Hear the bells ringing, they're singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angels up on the tombstone
Said He has risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the word, He has risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah

Repeat All

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Scriptural Reference:

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." Matthew 28:6-7
"He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" Mark 16:6-7

This past week I have been focusing on the suffering and sacrifice Jesus made for me, very humbling. But today I get to rejoice, because "He has risen!" He has conquered death, not just physical death, but spiritual death. I have eternal life! That is something that satan cannot touch, ever! My salvation is secure! Nothing, no one can EVER snatch me from God's hand! My focus today is JOY! Joy because my Savior has risen and is sitting at the right hand of God! Hallelujah!!!

Good Friday

Remorse- deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed

keen pain or anguish excited by a sense of guilt

compunction of conscience for crime committed

sympathetic, sorrow, pity, compassion

sorrow proceeding merely from fear of punishment

sorrow but NO Change in actions

Repentance- feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin

sorrow for anything said or done

The pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence to God

followed by an amendment to life

Change, a turning from wrong doing, sin

Today, on this Good Friday, my study in John finds me comparing the steps that led Judas to his betrayal of Jesus and the steps that led to Peter’s denial of Jesus.

Judas

Satan entered him, Judas went to the chief priests to discuss how he might betray Jesus, accepts a paltry amount of money and then begins to look for a time when there is no crowd. After Jesus was condemned, Judas was seized with remorse. He went to the religious leaders and admitted that he had sinned and that betrayed an innocent man. He tried to return the silver to them. Their reply, “What is it to us? That is your responsibility.” So Judas throws the silver into the temple, leaves and then hangs himself.

Judas’ actions were over a long period of time. Jesus knowing from the beginning what Judas would do, what Judas would choose, where Judas would spend eternity, Jesus showed Judas nothing but love! Judas was seized with remorse, but whom did he go to confess? It was not Jesus, who had shown him nothing but unconditional love. Judas went to the religious leaders, man, to seek cleansing. Man failed him. He was remorseful, but not repentant. He did not go to the One who loves, the One who forgives all things. He could have. Jesus would have forgiven him. Judas’ story was bad, he betrayed an innocent man, but it could have had a good ending. Judas could have still entered the kingdom of God. He could have gone to Jesus and repented and received the precious gift of grace and mercy, been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. But he chose differently. Why? Probably for many of the same reason people fail to come to Jesus to repent today. Pride. Fear. Unbelief that his sins truly could be forgiven. Lack of understanding. Love of current lifestyle. Unwillingness to lay aside sin in our lives. Our own selfish desires. Love of self. The list is endless.

Peter is repentant. Jesus tells Peter Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. Jesus tells Peter how he will be sifted. Jesus prays for Peter. Jesus tells Peter to pray for himself. Yet, out of fear Peter falls into temptation and sins just as Jesus predicted. Imagine the emotions Peter must have felt when the rooster crowd and Jesus turned and looked at Peter. I am sure Jesus had a look of love. But Peter was overwhelmed, he left Jesus’ presence, went outside, broke down, fell to the ground and wept bitterly. Peter was grieved by his wrongdoing. But Peter clung to Jesus’ love and words. Peter was genuinely sorry, Peter was changed by his sin and repentance. He was transformed a little bit more into the image of his Creator.

Remorse is being sorrowful, but repentance brings change. God knows we are going to fall into temptation. God is so gracious and merciful. When we are genuinely sorry, He transforms us a little bit more into His image! And that is a beautiful sight.

So the question remaining....

is there some place in your life where you are remorseful but not repentant concerning your attitude toward Jesus and His kingdom?

Ouch! On the surface I would like to say no and move on to the next question in my lesson, but deep down I know that is not the case. I am human, I am full of flaws and sin, there is much that needs to be changed in me. I need to be prayerful and genuinely ask the Lord where I am being remorseful and not repentant. I am a bit scared to do this because I do not know what he will reveal. But I want to be transformed. Whatever He reveals to me may be painful, but I do not want to be like Judas I want to be like Peter. I want to desire God’s Will more than my own. I want transformation, painful as it may be. I want to be beautiful in His sight because He is pleased with my genuineness, my willingness to submit to His discipline.

God is good. I am constantly amazed at just how much He loves me. Seeing how holy He is and understanding how unholy I am leaves me utterly speechless. Jesus endured the humility and shame and agonizing physical pain of the cross and unbearable emotional pain of being separated from His Father for me! I know my mind will never fully comprehend the gravity of such a gift. I am grateful I do not have to have full understanding to receive full forgiveness. In this life I know what I have been, but in Jesus I know what I am, forgiven! I don’t have to carry the weight of who I’ve been, Jesus does that for me. When my mistakes run through my mind, when I relive my days in the middle of the night, when I struggle with my pain and wrestle with my pride, when I feel alone and I cry, when I don’t fit in and feel like I don’t belong, when I don’t measure up to much in this life, I know I can rest assured that I am a treasure to Christ, a precious gift from God and I am forgiven! Hallelujah!!!