God's Promise

Through prayer, our faith is placed in His promises.

"Because he loves me, "says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91:14-14

GOD's PROMISE: I WILL RESCUE YOU, RUN TO YOUR AID, AND RAISE YOU UP.

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:11-14

GOD's PROMISE: I WILL RENEW YOUR HOPE AND REDIRECT YOUR FUTURE.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

GOD'S PROMISE: I WILL RESPOND PERSONALLY AND REVEAL POWERFUL TRUTH.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

GOD'S PROMISE: I WILL RELIEVE THE PRESSURE AND REPLACE IT WITH REST.

All things you ask in prayer, believing, you will recieve. Matthew 21:22

GOD'S PROMISE: YOU WILL RECIEVE WHEN YOU REQUEST.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

GOD'S PROMISE: I WILL REPLACE YOUR ANXIETY WITH MY PEACE.


Put prayer to work in your life and you will be tapping into a power source that allows you to experience the joys of life and gain God's peace.

Appointment

I like this quote..

"My most important appointment today is with Jesus in prayer."
-anonymous

When We Suffer

God allows suffering so that nothing stands between Him and me. You
see, when we suffer, we're much more apt to fall to our knees, and when
we do, our hearts are open to the Lord. -Joni Eareckson Tada

"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

Are we willing to suffer for Christ? If we avoid suffering and persecution, we may miss His will for our lives. Peter, who certainly knew his share of suffering, told Christian slaves, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps." 1 Peter 2:21

Let's be willing to suffer for Christ. He sure did suffer for us.

A Pleasing Aroma

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeith much" James 5:16 KJV

God commanded the Israelites to be a pleasing aroma before Him. The Bibles tells us we are to present ourselves before God as a living sacrfices ( Romans 12:1 ). The sacrifices have changed, but God still likes the aroma. John tells us there is a bowl full of odors that are pleasing to God, which are the PRAYERS of the saints. ( Revelations 8:3).

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the PRAYERS of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the PRAYERS of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth, and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelations 8:3-5

Are you presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to God with PRAYER? King David wrote, "Let my PRAYER be set forth before thee as incense" ( Psalm 141:2 ). We honor God when we PRAY. Imagine God on His throne, seeing a tiny wisp of smike from someone PRAYING - maybe a small child, or perhaps someone just beginning his PRAYER life. Imagine a Christian who is mature in faith with a big plume of smoke, like an old factory. Our PRAYERS rise before God as a pleasing aroma. Let's be a giant smokestacks of praise.

The continual offering of praise requires stamina; we ought to praise God even when we do not feel like it. Praising Him takes away the blues and restores us to normal. - Harold Lindsell

Dear Lord,
Help me to pray, laying my burdens before You, knowing You answer.
In Jesus's name.
Amen
- Jean McCoy, Fayetteville, Tennessee

A censer filled with live coals was used in temple worship. Incense was poured on the coals, and the sweet-smelling smoke drifted upwards, symbolizing believers' prayers ascending to God.

Learn from the Penguins

Strength in Numbers

"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" Hebrews 3:13

The Film, March of the Penguins, depicts the amazing life-story of the penguins in Antarctica. The films begins by showing the long march of the penguins from the sea to their inland breeding ground. They march in large numbers, forming long columns. As the narrator points out, a long penguin attempting this march rarely survives.

The penguins remain at the breeding ground during the Antarctic winter until their eggs hatch and their chicks are strong enough to march to the sea. During the period when a storm comes, the penguins gather in a tightly packed circle with their backs to the wind, those on the outside of the circle protecting those in the middle. So that all may have a chance to survive, the penguins take turns standing on the outside of the circle.

As Christians we can learn from the penguins. Life is difficult. Only by drawing close to one another, protecting and encouraging one another, can we survive the inevitable storms that life brings. No one should try being a lone Christian.

Our Father, thank you for giving us Your church. We thank you for the strength and comfort that You give us though one another. In Jesus's name. Amen.

written by Robert Raz, Winona, Minnesota

People in the church are not alone. Members of Christ's body should be able to count on others for support and prayer, especially when they are sick or suffering. The Christians's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Spiritual Army

You are being called to become a part of an army…It’s a spiritual army and it is the most powerful and effective army in existence. One of the great things about this army is that the battle field is wherever you are. You can go to war in your own prayer closet, living room, car, workplace, backyard or church. You can do your part alone or together with other believers…God has equipped everyone in this army with the most efficient and unbeatable weapons. The three most important ones are PRAYER, PRAISE and the WORD of GOD. Used properly there is no enemy that can prevail against them.
--Stormie Omartian, author and prayer warrior

God's Mighty Weapons

Paul assure us God's mighty weapons - PRAYER, FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, God's WORDS, the Holy Spirit - are powerful and effective.

Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. Ephesians 6:13-18

We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. And we will punish those who remained disobedient after the rest of you became loyal and obedient. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

We, like Paul, are weak humans, but we do not need to use human plans and methods to win our battles. God's mighty weapons are available to use as we fight against Satan's "strongholds". The Christians must choose whose methods to use, God's or the world's.

These weapons can break down the proud human arguments against God and the walls that Satan builds to keep people from finding God. When dealing with the pride that keeps people from a relationship with Christ, me may be tempted to use our own methods. But nothing can break down these barriers like God's weapons.

God must be the commander in chief even our thoughts must be submitted to his control as we live for him. In the Christian life we battle against rulers and authorities ( the powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by Satan, who is a vicious fighter ). To withstand their attacks, we must depend on God's strength and use every piece of his armor.

How can anyone pray on all occasions? One way is to make a quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God's desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a PRAYER. You can make your PRAYER your life and your life a PRAYER while living in a world that needs God's powerful influence. Praying for all saints means praying for all believers in Christ, so pray for the Christians your know and for the church around the world.

Use the power of PRAYER. In any battle, it is essential to really understand your opponent. Keep your eyes open. Use the POWER of PRAYER - I do this not because I am a spiritual giant but because I am desperate. The Bible is clear; it is our duty as Christians to pray regularly and often for and with our saints.

In the end, it will be God's word in your heart that helps him be a light in our dark world.

God Answers

God Answers A Prayer.

Have you asked God to help you with something this week? What are some of the ways he might answer your prayers.

Abraham's servant asked God for guidance in this very important task. Obviously Eliezer had learned much about faith about God from his master. What are your family members, friends, and associates learning about God from watching you? Be like Abraham, setting an example of dependent faith. And be like Eliezer, asking God for guidance before any venture. He knew the important of having the right heart and he asked God to help him his task.

O LORD, God of my master," he prayed. "Give me success and show kindness to my master, Abraham. Help me to accomplish the purpose of my journey. See, here I am, standing beside this spring, and the young women of the village are coming out to draw water. This is my request. I will ask one of them for a drink. If she says, 'Yes, certainly, and I will water your camels, too!'—let her be the one you have appointed as Isaac's wife. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." As he was still praying, a young woman named Rebekah arrived with a water jug on her shoulder. Genesis 24:12-15

The man fell down to the ground and worshiped the LORD. "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master, Abraham," he said. "The LORD has been so kind and faithful to Abraham, for he has led me straight to my master's relatives." Genesis 24:26-27

You Can Pray For Anything

Jesus Says the Disciples Can Pray for Anything.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:22-25

The kind of prayer that moves mountains is prayer for fruitfulness of God's Kingdom. It would seems impossible to move a mountain into the sea, so Jesus used that picture to say that God can do anything. God will answer your prayers, but not as result of your positive attitude. Other conditions must me met:

You must be a believer.

You must not hold a grudge against another person.

You must not pray for selfish motives.

Your requests must be good for the good of God's Kingdom.

To pray effectively, you need faith in God, not faith in the object of your request. If you focus only on your request, you will be left with nothing if your request is refused.

Jesus, our example for prayer, prayed, "Everything is possible for you...Yet not what I will, but what your will" ( Mark 14:36 ). Our prayers are often motivated by own interests and desires. We like to hear that we can have anything. But Jesus prayed with God's interests in mind. When we pray, we should express our desires, but want his will above ours.

Check yourself to see if your prayers focus on your interests or God's.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2

Always be joyful.

Keep on praying.

No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Take Time To Pray

The great people of the earth today are the people who pray - not
those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer;
nor those who can explain about prayer; but those who take time to
pray. -S.D. Gordon

Knees

Prayer is, and should be, part of every Christian's life. It is how we communicate with God - giving Him praise and thanksgiving, as well as confessing our sins.

"When I get on my knees, God helps me to stand up to anything."
-Anonymous

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father. Ephesians 3:14

I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the people these prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequence of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get off our knees for the rest of our lives. -Peter Kreeft

When people become acutely conscious of their weaknesses, it does one of two things to them: it either so unnerves them that they panic, or it drives them to their knees in prayer. Blessed are those who pray when there is no hope. God created the universe out of nothing. He can just as easily save us when we come to nothing. He not only can, but it delights him to do so. -Prayer Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004) p.505.-

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

"Bear up the hands that hang down, by faith and prayer; support the tottering knees. Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down." John Wesley

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that {the limb} which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Hebrews 12:12-13

When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven. 1 Kings 8:54

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
Daniel 6:10

Get on your knees to pray, praise and give thanks. Jesus is Lord.

OBSERVING THE LORD'S SUPPER

Heartlight.org

Christian Order..

But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. 1 Corinthians 11:17-23

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 1 Corinthians 11:27-29

Dear Father, giver of bread and wine,

When we come together as your family to partake of bread and wine,
let it truly be "the Lord's supper" which we eat. Let there be no
divisions or preferences among us, no putting ourselves first, or
putting our group first. Let there be no divisions between rich and
poor, young and old, dark-skinned or light, white collar or blue
collar. Let no one do anything that would humiliate another. For
"the Lord's supper" is a feast of love and unity.

Cause us to remember what was delivered to us by your apostles,
how the Lord Jesus on the night that he was betrayed took bread,
and having given thanks, broke it, and said, "This is my body which
is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

In the name of Jesus, who is the daily bread and wine of our
lives, I ask. Amen.

Jesus is All the World to Me

Jesus is all the world to me,
My life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day
Without Him I would fall.

When I am sad to Him I go;
No other can cheer me so;
When I am sad He makes me glad:
He's my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me,
My Friend in trials sore;
I go to Him for blessings,
And He gives them o'er and o'er.

He sends the sunshine and the rain;
He sends the harvest's golden grain;
Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain:
He's my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me:
I want no better friend;
I trust Him now,
I'll trust Him when Life's fleeting days shall end.

Beautiful life with such a Friend,
Beautiful life that has no end;
Eternal life, eternal joy:
He's my Friend.

Prayer Starts With The Relationship

Prayer does not work for you? Then you need to start with the relationship.

God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life, abundant and eternal.

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. God gave us a will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

People have tried in several ways to bridge gap between themselves and God.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." 1 Timothy 2:5

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

God has provided the only way. We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

I am a sinner. Admit your need.

Repent - Be willing to turn from your sins.

Confess and believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.

Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit.

Once the relationship is established, you will find that prayer is its natural expression. It is simply speaking and listening to your Heavenly Father. God wants to answer our prayers.

Pierced For Our Transgressions

Think about this while we take the bread & cup during the Lord's Supper on Sundays..

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and
by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6

I don't know how Jesus could stand up under its weight. He had
my sin, your sin, our sin. He allowed it to be placed upon him so
that we would not have to bear the ultimate consequences of it at
all. But in that sacrifice, as horrible as it was, we find
ourselves healed -- cured of the most awful disease a person can
have, a sin-sick soul. He was pierced, crushed, and punished for
our sins. In their place, he has left us his transforming peace and
a place to belong.

Lord,

Let me not forget the cost of your love. Stir in me the constant and
abiding memory of your redemptive grace. Thank you for your love
and mercy.

In Jesus' name,
Amen

Praise God for Ways He Has Acted In Your Life

Psalm 145. As you read each verse decide if you agree with what is expressed. Take those parts of the Psalm that truly represent your thoughts and feelings, and read those parts aloud to God.

Use Psalm 145 and specifically praise God for ways he has acted in your life. Pray for Tim Stewart ( Fairfax Church of Christ deaf worship leader ) as he plans our services, and for the many scripture readers, prayer leaders, song leaders, and servers that help us worship each week. Ask God to increase our desire for more of Jesus as we worship together and as we live out our faith during the week.

Thanks to Tim and his team for all they do for Fairfax Church of Christ Deaf Ministry.

A psalm of praise of David.

1 I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
2 I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery!
4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.
6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness.
7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will bless you.
11 They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom; they will celebrate examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule generation after generation.
The LORD is faithful in all he says; he is gracious in all he does. F108
14 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
15 All eyes look to you for help; you give them their food as they need it.
16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.
18 The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.
21 I will praise the LORD, and everyone on earth will bless his holy name forever and forever.

Hope

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4


Psalm 38:15
For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Psalm 39:7
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

Psalm 42:5
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psalm 71:5
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

Psalm 119:81
My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:114
Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:116
Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Psalm 130:5
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Lamentations 3:24
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Philippians 1:20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

PERSONAL PRAYERS

Personal Prayers from Colossians...Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer.

Lord God, help me to remember to give thanks to You, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in all things and to maintain an attitude of PRAYER. Colossians 1:3

Build in me a strong faith in You and a love for all the saints. Colossians 1:4

Fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all areas of my life. Colossians 1:9

Teach me to walk in a manner worthy of You and to please You in all things. Colossians 1:10

Help me to bear fruit daily in the work I do and increase in the knowledge of You. Colossians 1:10

Help me to be strengthened with Your power that I may have endurance and patience. Colossians 1:11

Help me to always remember that, as a believer, I have been delivered from darkness and brought into the kingdom of Your beloved Son. Colossians 1:13

I pray that You will have first place in everything in my life. Colossians 1:18

Father, I ask You to make my faith strong, stable, and fixed on the truth of the gospel. Colossians 1:23

Please knit my heart together in love with other believers in the body of Christ. Colossians 2:2

Create in me a good discipline and stability of faith in You. Colossians 2:5

Cause me to be firmly established in You, with a heart of gratitude. Colossians 2:7

Thank you, Lord, that through Your Son I have been made complete. Colossians 2:10

Teach me to keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at Your right hand. Colossians 3:1

Help me to focus my thoughts on Your purposes and not on worldy situations. Colossians 3:2

The Blood of Christ

Without the shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22

Why does forgiveness require the shedding of blood?

There is no greater symbol of life than blood. Blood keeps us alive. Jesus shed his blood and gave his life for our sins so that we would not experience spiritual death, eternal separation from God. Jesus is the source of life, not death. Jesus gave his own life to pay our penalty for us so that we might live. After shedding his blood for us, Christ rose from the grave and proclaimed victory over sin and death.

...so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28

Jesus is coming back. Are you prepared? Are you waiting?

Cindi's ( artist ) comments:

The picture of Jesus on the cross...I chose to do the final death on the cross as it is the exact position we would have been in if Christ did not die for us. We are all sinners, without Christ we're truly "dead."The striking contrast between the bold red (blood) color and the black background paper is the same as the contrast between life (blood and living in Christ) and death (no life, total darkness, no hope).

Jesus Prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane

They Didn't Know What to Say!

Again he [Jesus] returned to them and found them sleeping, for they just couldn't keep their eyes open. And they didn't know what to say. Mark 14:40

Sometimes we just fail. Maybe it's because we don't understand the gravity of a behavior. Maybe it is because we are just too weary and distraught to do what we need to do. Maybe it's because we are weak or lazy.

The bottom line is that we are flawed people living in a fallen world. Despite our best intentions, our flesh sometimes triumphs over our faith. I can't think of anything that reminds us of our desperate need for Jesus to be our Savior more than Jesus' closest followers' letting him down in his moment of greatest need. Yet he dies for them and then calls them back to his service.

What a message of grace triumphing over sin, disappointment, failure, and death.

I pray in your name so often to praise, thank, and request things from the Father, that I sometimes forget to thank you for your incomparable love, mercy, and grace to die for us -- to die for me --when I have let you down and hurt you with my failure and sin. Thank you, dear Father, for such a divine plan to deal with human weakness and sin. All praise be to you, and to your Son. Amen.