~CONTENT IN GOD'S GREAT LOVE~

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."Philippians 4: 11 KJV





It has been said that guilt is concerned with the past, worry is concerned about the future, but contentme enjoys the present. Today is a gift from God to enjoy. The present really is "a present" from our Lord. We can rejoice and be glad each day. When we love God and also each other, we find life is more rewarding and have true joy of the Lord in our heart. Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And, your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.





With God's grace in our lives, we can face whatever comes our way. He who endures unto the end, the same shall be saved. Through it all, we learn to trust in God and can have a peace that passes the world's understanding. Regardless of the physical conditions, we can be content knowing Jesus is our Great Physician. It makes no difference if we are in want or have plenty, Jesus is Jehovah-Jirah, our Provider. He is our Helper, Healer, Hope, and Head of the Body of Christ. If one ever feels they are at the point where Jesus is all they have, they will find Jesus is all they need.





Our Lord is the supplier of every need when we heed His commands and love Him with our whole heart. We do not have to be concerned with the past, as our sins are gone. They are underneath the blood of the cross of Calvary. The future is in God's hands so why should we worry? Our trust is in God and we can enjoy the present, although we must plan for the future and work for the Lord. Our times are in His hands and God has a plan for our lives which will come to pass in His time and way. Contentment comes from learning how to have peace in whatever state we may be.





Our joy and happiness is not dependant on the circumstances around us, but on who lives within us. Through Christ our Lord, we can have joy in the midst of trials, triumph in the midst of tears, and a testimony through all life's many trials. Knowing Christ who lives within and is greater than any earthly problem gives us great peace as we lean on Him. We cannot trust in our own power or strength, but must learn to lean on Jesus. It is only by His Spirit that we can have true contentment and satisfaction in this life.





Jesus will always be there. His promises will never fail!





We can be content with Christ and have great peace when our life is in the Lord as we love God, and each other. Expresses contentment in every condition of life.It is a good work to succour and help a good minister in trouble. The nature of true Christian sympathy is not only to feel concern for our friends in their troubles, but to do what we can to help them. The apostle was often in bonds, imprisonments, and necessities; but in all, he learned to be content, to bring his mind to his condition, and make the best of it.





Pride, unbelief, vain hankering after something we have not got, and fickle disrelish of present things, make men discontented even under favourable circumstances. Let us pray for patient submission and hope when we are abased; for humility and a heavenly mind when exalted. It is a special grace to have an equal temper of mind always. And in a low state not to lose our comfort in God, nor distrust his providence, nor take any wrong course for our own supply. In a prosperous condition not to be proud, or secure, or worldly.





This is a harder lesson than the other; for the temptations of fulness and prosperity are more than those of affliction and want. The apostle had no design to urge them to give more, but to encourage such kindness as will meet a glorious reward hereafter. Through Christ we have grace to do what is good, and through him we must expect the reward; and as we have all things by him, let us do all things for him, and to his glory. (Php 4:20-23)

VARIETY OF CROSS

If I wrote a note to God

Note To God"

If I wrote a note to God
I would speak whats in my soul
I'd ask for all the hate to be swept away,
For love to overflow
If I wrote a note to God
I'd pour my heart out on each page
I'd ask for war to end
For peace to mend this world
I'd say, I'd say, I'd say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong
On this road we're on

If I wrote a note to God
I would say what on my mind
I'd ask for wisdom to let compassion rule this world
Until these times
If I wrote a note to God
I'd say please help us find our way
End all the bitterness, put some tenderness in our hearts
And I'd say, I'd say, I'd say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong
On this road we're on

No, no no no
We can't do this on our own
So

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong
On this road we're on

If I wrote a note to God

Songwriters: Warren, Diane

Short prayers for various situations

A Prayer for Today
God, thank You for always having my best in mind. I know that You love me and want the best for Your children. Help me to be faithful to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Short prayers for various situations

GeneralHoly and eternal God,in you we live and move and have our being.In all our cares and occupations,guide and govern us by your Spirit,that we may both remember and reveal your presence;through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Preserve us, O Lord, while waking,and guard us while sleeping,that awake we may watch with Christ,and asleep may rest in your peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is discord, union;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;where there is sadness, joy.Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled,as to console;to be understood as to understand;to be loved, as to love.For it is in giving that we receive;it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

O God,the author of peace and lover of concord;to know you is eternal life,to serve you is perfect freedom.Defend us your servants in every stress and danger,that we may trust in your defenceand not fear the power of any adversaries;through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.Amen.
God be in my head, and in my understanding;God be in my eyes, and in my looking;God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;God be in my heart, and in my thinking;God be in my end, and at my departing.
In darkness and in light,in trouble and in joy,help us, heavenly Father,to trust your love,to serve your purpose,and to praise your name,through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,and the love of God,and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.

For the illLoving God,keep us aware of your presence,support us with your power,comfort us with your protection,give us strengthand establish us in your peace.Amen.

For the dyingGod our creator and our end,give us grace to bear bravely the changes we must undergo,the pain we may have to faceto come to our home with you.Give us the courage to welcomethat unimaginable moment awaiting us;give us trust and confidence;and at the last give us peace.Amen.

When someone has diedGod of heaven and earth,help us to entrust our loved ones to your care.When sorrow darkens our lives, teach us to look to you.May we on earth always know the comfort of your presence,and share with them the rest and peace you give, in Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

Loving God,be with us as we face the mystery of life and death.Strengthen us as we bear this loss.Help us to face the future with courage and confidence in your care and love;through our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.Amen.

How Does the Resurrection Affect Us?

Now that Jesus Christ has RISEN from death and we have celebrated Easter in our own traditions...lets see How Does The Resurrection Affect Us and What the next steps for us are ?

If we believe in the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament, what's the significance of resurrection for us?

1. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ we see the clear demonstration of the power of the true God. Ephesians 1:19-21 tells us that it is the power of our heavenly Father that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

2. The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is God. That is exactly what God the Father wanted to communicate to us, as we read in Romans 1:4. The Jews crucified Jesus Christ because, to them, he was blaspheming when he said that he was the Son of God, equal to the Father. The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates the truth that he is who he said he was.


3. Our salvation depends on our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Romans 10:9, we are told how to be saved. It says 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." This means that you cannot be a Christian unless you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This should tell us that even if some people are in churches, if they reject the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they are not Christians.


4. The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates to us that all the teachings of Jesus Christ are true. Everything Jesus taught was true, including his great promise in John 6:40, "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Jesus' teachings concerning his person, his work, heaven, hell, and the future judgment are all true.


5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ secured our justification. "Christ died for our sins and he was raised for our justification," Paul says in Romans 4:25.


6. Our own resurrection depends completely on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:14: "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." There are a number of other verses concerning this, including 2 Corinthians 4:14, and others.


7. The power for our Christian life in the present is the power of his resurrection. We read about this in Ephesians 1:19-21, as well as in Romans 6:4: "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." People ask me, "How can we live this Christian life?" We can live it by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.


8. The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that this Jesus Christ is going to be the appointed judge of all the wicked people in the world. In Acts 17:31, Paul told the Athenians, "'For he [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.'" We see the same idea in John 5:22 where Jesus said, "Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son." In verses 27-29 he continued, "And he has given him authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out-- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that he will raise up everyone who ever lived--some to eternal life and some to eternal damnation--and Jesus Christ will be the judge of the wicked. All who have trusted in their fallen reason and rejected the claims of Jesus Christ will be raised up from the dead by Jesus Christ himself. He will judge and damn them.

TO DO SOMETHING

The Lord Jesus came into the world not primarily to say something, not even to be something, but to do something (Mark 10:45).

If then He is held to be less than God, His salvation is worthless.The church has historically hurled anathemas at those who held that Christ, though great, was less than God. But those anathemas were beneficient and right.

It kept the truth from being blurred.The fact that we believe is a mystery to us; it is ridiculed by those who do not have it. Such is the cleavage between the kingdom of God and the domain of darkness.

'Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies

'Tis finished! the Messiah dies,

cut off for sins, but not his own.

Accomplished is the sacrifice,

the great redeeming work is done.

The veil is rent;

in Christ alone the living way to heaven is seen;

the middle wall is broken down,

and all the world may enter in.

'Tis finished! All my guilt and pain,

I want no sacrifice beside;

for me, for me the Lamb is slain;

'tis finished! I am justified.

The reign of sin and death is o'er,

and all may live from sin set free;

Satan hath lost his mortal power;

'tis swallowed up in victory.

Resurrection of Christ

Luke 24
The Resurrection

1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?

6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:

7 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

8 Then they remembered his words.

Matthew 28
The Resurrection

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 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."
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”- 1 Peter 2:24

Easter Cards