Easter Sunday 2024 He is alive!!!!!!

March 31– Judges 17:1-6 17  There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.  2  And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the  Lord .”  3  And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the  Lord  from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”  4  So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah.  5  And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest.  6  In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

  Holy Week Saturday 2024 The day after Jesus crucifixion, Jesus disciples and followers gathered together behind locked doors afraid of what was to come.   They knew as His followers they would be targeted and didn’t feel able to handle the storms to come.   What did they do?   They gathered and fellowshipped and loved each other.   Encouraging fellow bellievers is so important and to receive encouragement from others who love Jesus can help us through many difficult times.   Who do you need to reach out to today to ask for prayer and encouragement, or maybe to encourage them?

March 30 – Judges 16:28-31 28  Then Samson called to the  Lord  and said, “O Lord  God , please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”  29  And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.  30  And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.  31  Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years. So often we want revenge on someone who has wronged us, but God is the one who is allowed to take revenge as He is the Creator and Judge.   In this par

  Good Friday 2024 Friday of Holy week is the day that Jesus trials ended early in the morning and He was sent just outside the city walls to be crucified.   As he was being questioned, beaten and ultimately found guilty and sentenced to death, His followers were scattered, but some stayed in the city to see what happened to Him with the trials.   Peter was one of those that gathered around a nearby fire trying to blend in with the other Passover guests in the city.   As he was called out as being one of Jesus’ followers, Peter denied any association with Jesus, not just once or twice, but three times, just as Jesus said.   These denials make me think of how we deny Christ today.   Sometimes we deny Him by hanging out with those we know don’t believe, and try to “fit in” with them.   There is nothing wrong with associating with them, but we certainly don’t want to hurt our witness by trying to be one of them.   Sometimes we deny Jesus by refusing to be obedient when He gives us a

  March 29 – Judges 16:23-27 23  Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.”  24  And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.”  25  And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.  26  And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”  27  Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained. These verses are so reminiscent of how the Jewish leaders felt after the crucifixion.   Th

  March 28 – Judges 16:15-22 15  And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.”  16  And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death.  17  And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 18  When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands.  19  She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left

  Holy Week Thursday 2024 It is believed on Thursday of this Holy Week, or Passion Week, Christ gathered His disciples for a meal.   What would be Christ’s last meal and referred to now as the Lord’s Supper or the Last Supper.   It has become a time of remembering our Messiah and the sacrifice He made for us.   But let’s talk about breaking bread with others, as Christ did at this last supper.   Do we generally gather with those we don’t know well or don’t really care about for a holiday feast like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter?   Not generally.   We typically spend those special days with special people.   We typically don’t have meals with people that aren’t special to us, but especially those big meals that are celebratory.   Jesus knew this was going to be His last meal and made it special for those He loved.   He washed their feet, reclined at the table with them and had fellowship with them, because these were the most important people in His ministry and in His life.

  Holy Week Wednesday 2024 As Jesus and the disciples prepared for their Passover dinner, Jesus stepped into a role that not only did he not often have, but certainly has never deserved.   When a traveler came to your home after walking many miles, the host would have   a servant wash the traveler’s feet.   After many miles of walking with nothing but sandals, feet would be dirty, dry, stinky and obviously washing their feet wouldn’t be a job anyone would be excited to have.   Jesus knew firsthand what it felt like to be on the road for many hours and sometimes many days, and He stepped into the role of servant to wash the feet of His disciples.   Why do you think He chose to humble Himself in this way? How can we follow His example and humble ourselves to become a servant so others can see Jesus in us?

  March 27 – Judges 16:4-14 4  After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  5  And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”  6  So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” 7  Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”  8  Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.  9  Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his stre

  Holy Week Tuesday 2024 Jesus once again found the merchants and money changers not only defiling the temple but using it to take advantage of travelers.   He cleared the temple of those thieves and selfish people. When I think about the clearing of the temple and the removal of things unwanted, unneeded or maybe those things causing us to stumble, I can’t help but think we need to do a “spiritual” clearing more often than we think.   What things in your life cause you to not care about others welfare? What things in your life come between you spending time with God? You can tell what is most important to you by looking at how you spend your money and how you spend your time.   Look at your calendar and see if there are things you spend time doing that would be better spent on God.   What do you need to clear out of your temple today?

  March 26– Judges 16:1-3 16  Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her.  2  The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here.” And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, “Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.”  3  But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron. In what way was Samson a slave? What things do we allow to enslave us today? Our enemy loves to enslave us in ways we don’t see as bondage.   In what ways do you find yourself in bondage?   What can you do today to find a new freedom?   Heavenly Father, daily I find myself fighting the battle of allowing things to control me or my thoughts.   The enemy is so good at distracti

  Holy Week Monday 2024 Jesus knew what was about to happen to Him.   He knew within the week He would be tried, crucified and resurrected.   He knew He would face pain, humiliation, and betrayal like no one else has ever experienced.   Even with knowing all this, He chose to enter Jerusalem rather than run and hide, or use His powers to divert attention, or even argue His innocence.   He went willingly.   What are you going to do willingly for Him today?   Will you share him with your neighbor who lost their spouse and share the hope He gives?   Will you pray in public without shame to show Him and those around you that you are proud to call Him Savior? Will you spend time in His word to learn more about Him and allow Him to speak to you? Will you unashamedly attend church, not just on Easter, but every opportunity and allow God to use you and your abilities to teach others? Will you invite someone not join you this Easter Sunday morning as you attend church and praise t

  March 25 – Judges 15:14-20 14  When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the  Lord  rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.  15  And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.  16  And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey      heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey      have I struck down a thousand men.” 17  As soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place was called Ramath-lehi 18  And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the  Lord  and said, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”  19  And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived

  As we celebrated the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem or what is commonly referred to as “Palm Sunday”, I wonder how many of us truly have allowed Jesus to be in the place in our hearts He truly deserves.   He is our Creator, Savior, Healer, Comforter, He’s King of kings, and Lord of lords, and He is our life.   Have you allowed Him to sit on the throne of your life, or are you keeping that spot filled with your own wants, desires and ambitions?   I know I have filled the seat of my heart with myself way too many times, and find it a struggle some days to keep myself from taking a seat where I don’t belong.   The enemy doesn’t make it easy, but our Lord makes it possible.   Please make a commitment today to give the seat of ruling your heart over to the one who gave His life so you could live eternally with Him.

March 24 – Judges 15:9-13 9  Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and made a raid on Lehi.  10  And the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.”  11  Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so have I done to them.”  12  And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.”  13  They said to him, “No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you.” So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. How often do we see our own people as the enemy?   Can God use us even when we don’t follow His will for us?

March 23 – Judges 15:1-8 15  After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat. And he said, “I will go in to my wife in the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in.  2  And her father said, “I really thought that you utterly hated her, so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.”  3  And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm.”  4  So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.  5  And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards.  6  Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given he

  March 22 – Judges 14:8-20 8  After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.  9  He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion. 10  His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do.  11  As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.  12  And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes,  13  but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle,

March 21 – Judges 14:1-7 14  Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.  2  Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”  3  But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” 4  His father and mother did not know that it was from the  Lord , for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel. 5  Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring.  6  Then the Spirit of the  Lord  rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one te