Arming the enemy

When I choose to sin or give in to temptation, I hand the Accuser new arrows for his quiver. I arm him with the very fiery darts he will now hurl at me:  Shame. Discouragement. Fear. Doubt. Lies.

Just Like He Said

"He is not here. He is risen. Just like he said."  (Matthew 28:6)

I guess no one believed him, because no one was hanging around the tomb to welcome him back.

Hmm. Wonder what else He said that they (we) missed?


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Looking in the wrong place

"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?"  asked the angels to the women at the tomb on Easter morning.

"Why are you standing there staring into heaven?" asked the angels to the disciples at the ascension.

May God send messengers to redirect me when I, too, have fixed my gaze on where I think He should be.

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He doth protest too much

 “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” protests Pontius Pilate.

But despite his denial and self-proclaimed absolution, no one quite got it.

For through the ages,
generation after generation after generation,
the Church has declared
over and over over again
that Christ,
"suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, dead, and buried..."


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Barabbas 2

So, Barabbas,

        where did you go
            when the crowd cheered
               and you walked away
                                          free?

           where did you go
               when your life was restored
                     and your crime was excused,
                                            forgiven?

            where did you go
                 when his body hung high
                       and his blood poured out
                                               for yours?

See also: I Am Barabbas
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I am Barabbas

I am Barabbas,

Chosen by the crowd.

He is Jesus,

Abandoned for this hour.

I am Barabbas,

The guilty one set free.

He is Jesus,

Who died instead of me.

See also Barabbas 2
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Happy Birthday

God...
Fashioned me in my mother's womb.
Prepared good works for me to walk in.
Knows the good plans He has for me.
Rejoices over me with singing.
Loves me with an everlasting love.
Inscribed my name on the palms of His hands.
Wrote everyday of my life in His book before even I lived my first day.
Calls me by name.
Turns my mourning into dancing.
Knows my every thought from afar.
Gave me the gift of salvation and the faith to receive that gift.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.

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Thine

In closing the Lord’s prayer, Jesus reminds us of the right we have to ask the preceding petitions. The right is based on God’s position, not on ours.

We don’t say:  For ours is the Kingdom, and ours is the power, and ours is the glory.
We don’t say:  Since we’re the ones in charge… Since we’re the ones who can make things happen... Since it’s all about us...
That would be trying to establish credibility on emptiness and air. We have no kingdom. We have no power. We have no glory. And we are as temporary as a blade of grass.

Jesus knows this, so he instructs us to make our appeal on grounds of God's abundant and everlasting substance.  THINE IS THE KINGDOM. THINE IS THE POWER. THINE IS THE GLORY. FOREVER. AND EVER.

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RANDOM #4

This is a poem I wrote a zillion years ago, but I rewrite it everyday:

Forgive me Lord, I forgot. 

You are God. I am not.

Other "random" blogs:

#7, #6,
#5,  #3,  #2,  #1

An evening prayer

If the chief aim of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, as we are instructed in the Westminster Catechism, then a daily evening prayer might be: 

Thank you, Father, for a day guarded by your sovereign and loving care. I worship you for your magnificent glory manifested to me this day.

I acknowledge and repent of the times today when in thought, word or deed I failed to bring your name the glory it is due.  Forgive me for the moments of this day when I allowed the cares of this day to overwhelm me and neglected your gift of faith -- and in so doing, I missed your offering of joy.

Bless you, O God, for the moments of this day when I beheld your glory and celebrated with joy...for the times when you and I shared quiet pleasure in each others company.

Thank you for the delight of your grace - seen and unseen by me this day. Grant me the rest and peace this night that will strengthen me so I can begin tomorrow equipped to glorify and enjoy you one more day. Amen.

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