Rambling Friday: He Died for Us!

Good Friday

 

And they crucified Him. -- Matthew 27: 35

He died for our sins that we might live.

Jesus, the King

Sunday Morning Sunshine: I Give You Peace says Jesus

Peace I leave with you 

My peace I give unto you: 

not as the world gives, give I unto you. 

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

--St. John 14:27

Why does he give us peace?

He loves us.

He promised it to his children.

When does he give us peace?

When we are his children.

When we need it. 

What is peace?

Freedom from disturbance

Tranquility

What does peace do for us?

Assures us of his continuing love.

That we might know, he will never leave us.

Enables us to trust him fully.

Peace, my friends! 

Sunday Sunshine: Strength and Courage

I breathe in my courage

and exhale my fear.

Be strong and of good courage,

Do not fear nor be afraid of them.

For the Lord, your God,

He is the one who

goes before you.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Stay strong!

Sunday Sunshine: A Favorite Scripture

Let not your heart be troubled;

you believe in God,

 believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

And if I go to prepare a place for you,

I will come again,

and receive you unto myself;

that where I am,

there you may be also.

St. John 14: 13

Assurance.

Confidence.

Love.

We can rest on those words.

Monday Morning Gratitudes: Thankful

That Christ died and rose again...for me!
That, so far, we have freedom to worship as we believe
For a good church
For the glorious Easter Season
For the joy in children's faces
For the beauty of the season, in the flowers, in the scriptures, in the colorful clothes, in the Sunday morning messages, in the delicious Easter meals, in the laughter, happiness, joy and memories of the season, in the meaning of the reason for Easter...


Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace: Friends, a poem by Karen Double

We Need More Friends

When going thru a sticky mess

A friend is better to possess

Than wealth or fame

Your name could claim

We need more friends of godliness.

The sleepless nights arrest your frame

You feel somehow that you're to blame

Feelings of dread won't pass away

And somehow worry fills your day.

We need more friends who stay the same.

A friend who's strong; quick to defend

A broken heart that seams can't mend

Dark the shadows and sorrows deep

The mountains high and all so steep

We need more friends true to the end.

How blest the tho't that Jesus is

Our friend if we are truly his.

And friends on earth do comfort us,

Encourage and help strengthen us.

In prayer, in faith, our vict'ry is.

--Karen Double

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace: and Simple Things

LOVE and LOVELY THINGS

Kisses
Warm hugs
Baby steps
Toddlers' steps
Unexpected love notes

Soft winds
Fluttering leaves
Mothers' soothings
Fathers' protectiveness
Wisdom from the older ones

Rippling brooks
Roaring waterfalls
Beautiful quilts
Luxurious lawns
Swings
Laughter
Dandelions
Pansies
Lilacs
God's truth
God's forever love

Couples holding hands
Dancing in the rain
Wading in the ocean
Seashells
Kittens
Baby animals
Well loved pets

...and much more!

Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

Hosana to the son of David:

Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosana in the highest.

Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

Today:
Sunny skies; the especially hard winter makes me even more thankful for these days!
Fun outing with birthday grandson, Blake, and his two brothers
Two new fun mugs
Vacation plans being finalized
Christ dying for me!
Praise in my heart for a problem resolved. Thank you, God!
A new-to-me vehicle
a gracious hubby
Work accomplished this week
Internet, believe it or not!

Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

Blessed is he that comes

in the name of the Lord;

Hosanna in the highest.

--multitude who followed Jesus as he rode the donkey into Jerusalem

Matthew 21:9

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Watch and Pray,

that ye enter not into temptation:

the spirit indeed is willing,

but the flesh is weak.

--Jesus

Saint Matthew 26: 41

But I have prayed for you,

that your faith fail not.

--Jesus

Saint Luke 22:32a

Sunday Morning Peace

Let not your heart be troubled.

Ye believe in God.

Believe also in me.

--Jesus, St John 14:1

Sunday Morning Peace

The Greatest Gift Ever Given . . .

" . . . for unto you is born this day in the city of David,

a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:11

A joyful Christmas to you!

Take my Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.

The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.'

The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much.I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel . . . 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'

There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'

But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'

Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.'

Being a poorman, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20?'

'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'

'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'

man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

'What about the paintings?'

'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Pretty interesting, huh?

Quote:
There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em. --Louis Armstrong

Blessings!