To Discourage You

"Evil doesn't have to defeat you; it just has to delay you long enough to discourage you." --Doug Burroughs

Why Does Jesus Weep?

There are two times Jesus weeps: when He entered Jerusalem, and when Lazarus died. Why He cried, however, was very different.

When He came into Jerusalem, He wept because the Jews missed the point. They thought He would deliver them from physical bondage, not spiritual bondage.

When Lazarus died, Jesus wept because those around Him, His children, were weeping. He was sorrowful because they were sorrowful. He was hurt with them. He was brokenhearted with them. He wept with them.

Why does Jesus weep for you? Is it because you are in grief from loss, or because you have missed the point He is trying to make? Are you expecting Him to deliver them from physical bondage, while He is trying to free you from spiritual bondage? Is He broken hearted with you, or because of you?

Weeps with you

Lazarus, a good friend of Jesus, was dead. He’d been sick for days, and had finally died. Jesus had chosen not to come so “God's Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)

When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Many had come to comfort Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha. Mary, then Martha went out to him.

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. (John 11:33—35)

Why did Jesus cry? He knew what was about to happen. He knew that in a few minutes Lazarus would be walking around with them. So why was he sorrowful?

Jesus wept because those around Him, His children, were weeping. He was sorrowful because they were sorrowful. He was hurt with them. He was brokenhearted with them. He wept with them.

It is comforting to know that when we are hurt, when we weep, Jesus is also hurt and weeps with is in our pain.

Read all the story in John 11

From That the World May Know: Easter from Force on the Family

Missed the Point

In the first century, rebellion often rose around Passover. The Romans would bring in extra troops to keep everything under control.

Why Passover? It was when the messiah was to come, and the Jews were reminded that they should be free. Imagine the US being conquered by China or Russia or a country where we lost our freedom. Every 4th of July, we would remember that we were suppose to be free. That’s what Passover reminded the Jews.

Jesus comes into the Jerusalem on a donkey, as the messiah. The people are overjoyed! Finally freedom from the Romans! They start waving palm branches. The last time the Jews were free, palm branches were on their coins, so palm branches were a sign of freedom.

"Hosanna! Hosanna!” they shout, which means “Free us! Free us!”
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Then Jesus did something remarkable; he wept over the city. “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Jesus was broken hearted because the crowd missed the point. He wasn’t coming to save them from the Romans, but to save them from their sins and damnation.

But they missed the point. They missed the savior and the messiah.

From That the World May Know: Easter from Force on the Family

Blink by Revive

Teach me to number my days
and count every moment,
before it slip away
take in all the colors
before the fade to gray

I dont want to miss
even just a second
more of this

(Chores)
It happens in a blink
it happens in a flash
it happens in the time it took
to look back

i try to hold on tight
but theres no stopping time
what is it Ive done with my life
it happens in a blink

when its all said and done
no one remembers
how far we have run
the only thing that matters
is how we have loved

I dont want to miss
even just a second
more of this

(Chores)

it happens in a blink X4

slow down X2

before today becomes our yesterday

slow down X2

before you turn around and its too late

(Chores) x2

it happens in a blink X4

Listen to the song

The Separation

The garden of Eden was literally heaven on earth. Adam and Eve were in the presence of God. God walked with them in the garden. How cool is that! Imagine going on a walk with the creator of the universe.

It all ended with a lie. Did God really say…? Adam and Eve bought the lie, and ate the forbidden fruit, the fruit God commanded them not to eat.

For the first time in history, Man had disobeyed God’s commands. Sin entered the world, and Man was separated from the presence of God.

An important fact about sin: sin separates us from God. God can’t be around sin, so when we sin, we are setting away from God. It isn’t until heaven when we are sinless that we will be 100% in the presence of God.

Word Definition: Praise & worship

Praise: To say good things about; give a good opinion of
Worship: Very great love or admiration. The act of showing honor and respect for God. To take part in a religious service.

This Sunday, give Him glory and honor. Tell him how awesome He is. Praise needs to be about us letting God know how cool He is.

Praise needs to be about Him, not us. One thing praise does is remind us how great God is and how weak we are. It humbles us in His spirit. It takes our minds off of ourselves and puts it on Him, which is where it belongs.

Psalms 150
Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise Him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!

Lamb Selection Day

The Sunday before Passover was lamb selection day. Each family had to pick the lamb they would use. It had to be perfect: no spots or defects. After the lamb was picked, the family would bring that lamb into their home to live with them until Passover

On the lamb selection day, what we call Palm Sunday, Jesus came into Jerusalem. He stayed there, lived with the Jews, until Passover, when he was killed.

Jesus used the picture of Passover to show the Jews He was the Jesus used the picture of Passover to show the Jews He was the lamb of God.