Surrounded by Prayer

Surrounded by Prayer 2016 was a year with many difficulties but rich with God’s blessings. However, by the end of the year, I was spiritually and emotionally worn and tired. I anticipated the newness of the new year to perk me up but the month of January only added to my gloominess. By February, I was pretty much sick of my darkness and whiny attitude. One day in early February, after reading my devotions, I began lamenting my condition to the Lord to which He began talking to me about being in the center of His will. At that point, I wasn’t even sure what that was but He made it VERY clear that the center of His will for me, was getting back to my prayer life. See, I had gotten lazy. I had thought with all the time off for knee surgery, I would have much time to spend with God, learn from Him and come out of that time rejuvenated and ready to go out and work for the Kingdom. But, no. I just became lazy, not reading, praying or meditating as I should. Years ago, I had developed the habit of talking to God throughout the entire day. Many days, I felt His presence with me everywhere I went and in everything I did. Sometimes it would be time specifically cut out to spend in prayer; other times it would be talking to Him as I lived through my day. I had gotten away from this, so on that day in early February, I returned to my prayer life. Only this time, something was different. Instead of my prayer life being part of my life, my prayer life surrounded me as if my life was part of my prayer life. This may sound strange but it revived my spirit, rejuvenated my soul, put a smile back in my heart and a spring in my step. As I reveled in my refound prayer life, I happened upon a book I had had for a while but had not read – The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. As I began reading, I kept thinking, this sounds like me. This is happening to me. Wow! So, I share an excerpt from the book that you may understand life being a part of your prayer life instead of your prayer life being a part of your life: Chapter 1 First Conversation I met Brother Lawrence for the first time today. He told me that God had been especially good to him in his conversion. He was eighteen at the time, and still in the world. He told me that it had all happened one winter day, as he was looking at a barren tree. Although the tree's leaves were indeed gone, he knew that they would soon reappear, followed by blossoms and then fruit. This gave him a profound impression of God's providence and power which never left him. Brother Lawrence still maintains that this impression detached him entirely from the world and gave him such a great love for God that it hasn't changed in all of the forty years he has been walking with Him. Brother Lawrence had formerly been a servant to the treasurer of the monastery and had been very clumsy. He believed that in order to be saved, he'd have to be punished for this clumsiness. Therefore, he sacrificed all of the pleasures in his life to God. But, rather than punishing him, God gave him nothing but wholehearted satisfaction. Often, he would tell the Lord endearingly that he felt deceived, because his Christian walk had thus far been so pleasant and not filled with suffering as he had anticipated. Brother Lawrence insisted that it is necessary to always be aware of God's presence by talking with Him throughout each day. To think that you must abandon conversation with Him in order to deal with the world is erroneous. Instead, as we nourish our souls by seeing God in His exaltation, we will derive a great joy at being His. Another thing he mentioned was that our faith is too weak. Instead of letting faith rule our lives, we are guided by our petty, everyday, mechanical prayers, which are always changing. The Church's only road to the perfection of Christ is faith. The dear brother remarked that we must give ourselves totally to God, in both temporal and spiritual affairs. Our only happiness should come from doing God's will, whether it brings us some pain or great pleasure. After all, if we're truly devoted to doing God's will, pain and pleasure won't make any difference to US. We also need to be faithful, even in dry periods. It is during those dry spells that God tests our love for Him. We should take advantage of those times to practice our determination and our surrender to Him. This will often bring us to a maturity further on in our walk with God. Brother Lawrence wasn't surprised by the amount of sin and unhappiness in the world. Rather, he wondered why there wasn't more, considering the extremes to which the enemy is capable of going. He said he prayed about it, but because he knew God could rectify the situation in a moment if He willed it, he didn't allow himself to become greatly concerned. To succeed in giving ourselves to God as much as He desires, we must constantly guard our souls. In addition to being involved in spiritual matters, the soul is involved in the things of this world. But when we turn our backs on Him, exposing our souls to the world, He will not so easily answer our call. When we are willing to accept God's help and guard our souls according to His desires, we may commune with Him whenever we like. By Cyndi Bennett Genesis 25 tells us that when Rebekah became pregnant she could feel the babies jostling within her. When she asked the LORD why this was happening, He answered her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the Your Guide to the Top 10 Most younger.” In that time, the older would have never served the Extraordinary Mothers of the Bible younger, and the firstborn son would have inherited the best of everything. When Isaac was old in age, he told Esau to hunt and prepare food so that he could receive his blessing. But Rebekah overheard this and told Jacob to bring her food so she could prepare it for Isaac first. Jacob was unsure about deceiving his father, but Rebekah responded in Genesis 27, “My son let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me.” I think it is safe to say that she remembered and took very seriously what God had spoken to her during her pregnancy. Rebekah risked deception to follow God’s promise, and His plan unfolded exactly as He had told her. Later her son Jacob would wrestle with God and be given a new name, Israel. 4. Leah and Rachel: The Mothers Who Had to Share When Jacob went to stay with his uncle Laban, he met one of his daughters, 1. Sarah: The Mother Who Waited Rachel, and loved her. He wanted her for his wife and was willing In Genesis 11:30 we learn, “Now Sarai was childless to work seven years to marry her. But Laban tricked Jacob by because she was not able to conceive.“ This would have grieved giving him his older daughter Leah in marriage instead. Jacob both Sarah and Abraham, and in Genesis 15 when the word of the worked another seven years for Rachel, and he loved her more. LORD came to Abram he answered, what will you give me LORD Leah, knowing that she was unloved, bore Jacob many children to since you have not given me an heir? God tells him to look at the please him, while Rachel remained barren. Both women ended stars in the Sky, for that would be the number of his offspring. up giving their maidservants to Jacob, who in turn bore him more Abraham and Sarah waited 15 years before God renewed His children. Genesis 30 tells us, “Then God remembered Rachel; he promise, and 10 more years before the promise was fulfilled and listened to her and enabled her to conceive.” Rachel bore Jacob Sarah bore a son, Isaac. two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, before she died in childbirth with Sarah probably wouldn’t win an award for waiting and Benjamin. Siblings like to compete, but she even laughed at the idea that God could do what He promised, can you imagine having to share a husband with your sister, feeling but thankfully God’s promise did not rely on the level of Sarah’s like you always had to outdo the other. But God blessed both Leah faith. God fulfilled His promise according to His plan and Sarah and Rachel with children, continuing his covenant promise with responded in Genesis 21, “’God has brought me laughter, and Abraham. Leah and Rachel’s sons would go on to form the 12 everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.’ And she added, tribes of Israel. 5. Jochebed: The Mother with a Plan ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse A new King in Egypt came to power children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’” who was under no obligation to honor Joseph’s deeds in Egypt and Can you imagine waiting that long for a blessing? Sarah keep the special arrangement with the Israelites. He was worried tried to believe the promise, but she had doubts until it finally about the Hebrews outnumbering and overtaking the Egyptians, so came to fruition. Then she laughed with joy at what the LORD had he made them slaves. He also commanded the Hebrew midwives done. Isaac would go on to continue the legacy of his father to kill Hebrew baby boys when they were born, but they did not Abraham. listen. Then Pharaoh gave another decree in Exodus 1, “Every 2. Hagar: The Mother Who Endured Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every Hagar was an Egyptian slave and a maidservant to Sarah, girl live.” A Levite woman, Jochebed, gave birth the wife of Abraham; she didn’t have much say about anything and to a son and hid him for 3 months. Exodus 2 tells us that when she especially not in becoming Abraham’s wife. Though her status could hide him no longer, she coated a papyrus basket with tar and changed, she was still secondary to Sarah. pitch, placed the baby in it, then she set it in the reeds along the Once Hagar became pregnant with Abraham’s child, a rift bank of the Nile. Jochebed’s daughter, Miriam, watched to see developed between her and Sarah. After receiving mistreatment what would happen as Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bath. from Sarah, Hagar fled toward her homeland. But she met the When Pharaoh’s daughter saw the basket, her servant’s retrieved it angel of the LORD who told her to return, He also promised her for her and inside she found the baby crying and knowing he was a numerous descendants through her son whom she was to name Hebrew child she felt sorry for him. Ishmael. Miriam then spoke up and asked her if she would like her Later, Hagar and her son Ishmael were sent away into the to fetch a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby; she agreed and desert, where she believed they would both die. But God is faithful Jochebed returned with her daughter to nurse her own baby. and showed her a well. Genesis 21 tells us, “God was with the boy Pharaoh’s daughter paid Jochebed to nurse and raise the baby until as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.” he was old enough to come live with her. She then adopted him as Hagar thought she would get to escape her misery, but her son and named him Moses. God called her to return to it. She obeyed, and He blessed her and Jochebed was determined to find a way to save her son, her son just as He promised He would. and God blessed her plan. Not only was her son saved from death, 3. Rebekah: The Mother Who Deceived she was able to nurse and raise him until he was old enough to go Rebekah was a woman of great faith, obeying God when live with Pharaoh’s daughter. Her son, Moses, went on to free the Isaac’s servant told her of the man who wanted to marry her. Hebrew people from Egypt, leading them in the desert toward the

2 Promised Land according to God’s plan. Hannah, and she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel, 6. Samson’s Mother: The Mother Who Followed the Rules “saying, ‘Because I asked the LORD for him.’” -1 Sam. 1:20 She is not mentioned by name in the Book of Judges, She did just as she although some would say she is the Hazelelponi mentioned in 1 had promised, and when the boy was old enough she took him to Chronicles 4. We cannot know for sure, so we can deduce that the house of the LORD and presented him to Eli. Hannah then what she did is more important than her name. She was married to prayed, “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is a man named Manoah but was unable to conceive. Judges 13 tells lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your us, “The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, ‘You are deliverance.” And her beautiful prayer continues in 1 Samuel 2:1- barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and 10. Samuel lived a life dedicated give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other to the LORD, and he would go on to lead the people of Israel, fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will anointing Israel’s first and second kings—Saul and David. become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be 9. Elizabeth: The Mother touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite dedicated to Who Believed in Miracles Elizabeth was married to a priest named God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from Zechariah, and Luke 1 tells us that both Elizabeth and Zechariah the hands of the Philistines.’” were righteous before God, observing all of His commands. But Samson’s mother knew there was something special about Elizabeth was childless, and they were both old in age. Similar to the angel of the LORD, and when her husband was afraid they people in Job’s day, people would have thought that sin prevented would die for having seen the face of God she became the voice of Elizabeth from bearing a child. This would have been very hard to reason saying He would not have told us these things if He were face, especially being a wife of a priest. going to kill us. When Zechariah was serving in the temple, an She gave birth and named the baby Samson, and the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, approached him and said, “Do not be LORD blessed him. Although some of his actions were afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife questionable, the LORD used him mightily in His plan to defeat Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He the Philistines. will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of 7. Naomi: The Mother-in-Law Who Shared Her FaithNaomi and his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” –Luke 1:13- her family fled to the country of Moab because of a famine in their 14 Zechariah still questioned how this land. Her husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, would be possible and because he doubted he was struck mute for Orpah and Ruth. After 10 years both of Naomi’s sons passed away, the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Elizabeth was overjoyed at and Naomi heard that the LORD had blessed the land of her people this blessing of life and said, “The Lord has done this for me… In with food again. She told her daughters-in-law that they could these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace return home to find new husbands. Although they both wept at her among the people.” –Luke 1:25 leaving, one refused to leave Naomi’s side. Orpah returned to her When Mary, the mother of Jesus, came to visit her cousin people and her gods, but Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you or Elizabeth, the baby leapt in Elizabeth’s womb and Elizabeth was to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay filled with the Holy Spirit. She took great joy in Mary’s pregnancy I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. and blessing from the Lord. And when it came time for Elizabeth Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD to give birth, she named her son John. When neighbors went to deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you confirm this with Zechariah he wrote the same name and his mouth and me.” Ruth was already learning from was opened; everyone wondered at what the child would be since Naomi’s faith even during a time of bitterness. Naomi continued to his birth was miraculous. watch out for Ruth and instruct her wisely in her dealings with John would go on to baptize people from their sins with Boaz, who became her kinsman redeemer. The LORD blessed water. He would prepare the way for the Messiah. Naomi, and she gained a son when Boaz married Ruth. Ruth and 10. Mary: The Mother Who is Blessed among Women Boaz had a child, and the women of the land said to Naomi, Mary, a virgin pledged to a man named Joseph, was also “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a visited by the angel Gabriel. He said to her in Luke 1:31, “Do not guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God seven sons, has given him birth.” The child was named Obed, will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the father of Jesse, the father of David who would be king. -Ruth Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 4:17. 8. Hannah: The Mother Who Kept Mary wondered at how this would be possible, and the Her Promise Hannah was married to a man who angel told her, “The Holy Sprit will come on you, and the power of loved her very much, but he also had another wife. This wife was the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born able to bear children, but in 1 Samuel 1:5-6 we learn that the will be called the Son of God.” Mary embraced these words in LORD had closed Hannah’s womb. The rival wife provoked faith. When she visited her cousin Elizabeth, Elizabeth proclaimed, Hannah continually, but Hannah would go to the house of the “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will LORD to pray. Her husband tried to console her saying, “Don’t I bear!” Mary believed God would fulfill His promise. mean more to you than 10 sons?” in 1 Sam. 1:8. Hannah prayed to An angel of the Lord also visited Joseph, who put him at the LORD and wept bitterly; she made a vow saying, “LORD ease with Mary’s pregnancy. As we read in Matthew 1, Joseph Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and took Mary to be his wife, but they did not consummate the remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then marriage until after she had given birth. Mary and Joseph traveled I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no to Bethlehem for a census, where she gave birth in the humblest of razor will ever be used on his head.” environments. In fact, she was Mary treasured up many things in her heart as she raised praying so hard that her lips were moving but no sound came out Jesus, but she also had to endure the greatest sacrifice of all time— so that the priest, Eli, thought she was drunk. The LORD blessed her son was the Son of God and He had come to give Himself up

3 as a sacrifice, the one and only sacrifice that could be made for mankind. She had to watch Him suffer, be tortured and mocked, and die a cruel death on a cross by crucifixion. John 19 tells us, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Even while He was dying, Jesus cared for His mother and gave her a new son to love her. Mary was blessed among women, for she was chosen by God to bear His Son and raise Him. Though there was death there was yet joy for Mary, as her son did not stay Gloria Gaither (born March 4, 1942) is a Christian songwriter, dead. He rose again from the grave, securing eternity for her and author, speaker, editor, and academic. She is the wife of Bill all who would believe. Gaither and together they have written more than 700 songs. She by Liz Kanoy, editor for Crosswalk.com performed, traveled and recorded with the Bill Gaither Trio from 1965 through 1991. Since 1991, she has served as a performer, recording artist, songwriter, scriptwriter and narrator for the Gaither Homecoming series of television broadcasts, video and BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES DVD releases, and audio recordings. She was born Gloria Lee Sickal in 1942 in Michigan, a MARCH Lois Edwards 4 daughter of Pastor Lee Sickal and Dorothy Sickal. She spent most Maude Lohr 9 of her childhood and high school career in the Battle Creek area of Isabelle Rauch 12 Michigan, working a brief time for the Kellogg Company. Tom & Rosalyn English 25 When Sickal graduated from Clare High School in Clare, Sharon Koch 27 Michigan, she attended Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana. There, she triple majored in English, French, and Sociology. Her APRIL Larry & Lori Lockcuff 21 extracurricular activities at the college included participation in the Cecil & Lois Edwards 21 Drama Club and Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and Jerry & Nancy McHenry 25 Sigma Tau Delta honor society. MAY Rachel Hubler (Velez) 2 Upon her graduation, she took a job at Alexandria Nancy Flook 5 Monroe High School as a French teacher. There, she met Bill Gaither, who was teaching English at the time. She married Ron & Nancy Flook 5 Gaither in 1962, and they began writing songs recreationally. Bev Clark 12 In 1991, she attended Ball State University and received a Paul & Sue Krape 13 Master of Arts in British and American Literature. She taught as an Bethany DeWitt 14 adjunct professor at Anderson University in 1987–88 and 1996–97. Joe & Gwen Bickel 24 Bill and Gloria Gaither began writing songs in the 1960s, and many those songs (including "Because He Lives", "I Am Loved", "Something Beautiful") would go on to become church hymn book standards across North America and around the world. By the end of the 1960s, Gloria, Bill, and Bill's brother Danny Gaither were touring steadily as the Bill Gaither Trio, singing and recording songs Bill and Gloria had written. After touring with the Bill Gaither Trio for nearly thirty years, Gaither drew her focus to the Gaither Homecoming series. She has been an active presence in every video production. In 1996, she spearheaded the creation of Gaither Family Resources in Alexandria, Indiana, and currently serves as co- owner and managing director. In 2002, Gaither launched Homecoming: The Magazine, and she currently acts as writer, interviewer, and contributing editor. In 2000, Bill and Gloria were named Christian Songwriters of the Century by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), an award based on the songwriters who have had the most songs recorded over the past 100 years. Gloria is the recipient of seven honorary doctorate degrees, and she is the author of more than 40 books including 20 children's books. From Wikipedia Kick Off Spring with 21 Crazy Fun Ideas for You and Your Kids

4 Spring has sprung. Somewhere birds are chirping. Is it still chilly Doctors often ask this question of patients who come to them in your neck of the woods? Try these activities and the temperature with a physical ailment. It is important for a physician to know won’t matter. what measures a patient is taking to improve their health or stave off debilitating health problems. 1. Spruce up your footwear. Decorate plain white sneaks. Using How about considering how you take care of yourself in other paint pens, doodle your own designs or paint blue skies, wispy things? How are you taking care of yourself spiritually? Believe it clouds, green trees, and lavender flowers. or not, it is more important to take care of yourself spiritually than 2. Watch nature in action. Tour your town or an area park looking it is physically -- that is, if you believe in God and accept his word for budding leaves, early blooms, and robins. 3. as the truth. Fashion a kids-only clubhouse with blankets tossed over a circle of Physicians are concerned that we exercise, have the proper lawn chairs. Serve lunch outside. 4. Tie-dye diet, and get regular checkups. We know this is good. Even more T-shirts in soft pastels or wild primary colors. 5. Collect so is it important to exercise in godliness, feed on the word of God, rocks, paint them sky blue, leaf green, sun yellow, and cloud white. and get a regular examination of our spiritual condition. Display them indoors on the kitchen table, or outdoors around your mailbox or ringing a favorite tree. 6. Tap your inner "Exercise thyself unto godliness: for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is forester. Collect leaves from local trees, identify them, and make profitable for all things, having promise of the rubbings. 7. Hang a bird life which now is, and of that which is to come" feeder. Then keep it stocked with goodies for feathered guests. (1 Tim 4:7-8). 8. Spring clean to "As newborn babes, long for the spiritual music to finish faster. Reduce your clutter by 30 odds and ends. milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto 9. Go salvation; if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious" (1 Peter 2:1- fake camping. Grill veggie or turkey burgers outdoors, sing songs, 3). and feast on s’mores. Sleep inside in a makeshift tent, or a sleeping "Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your bag, on the family room, living room, or basement floor. 10. Learn own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus birdcalls online. Instead of words, use your personal chirps to say Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate" (2 Corinthians 13:5). hi to other family members. 11. Play catch with water balloons (outside) . . . and keep a stack of beach Obedience to the will of God is the exercise we all need in taking care of our spiritual needs. Studying the Bible is the only towels handy for the inevitable explosions. 12. Host a spiritually healthy diet. tea party outside on a blanket. Serve Rice Krispies treats in pastel Measuring our lives, our beliefs, and our religion by the Bible colors (dye the marshmallows with a few drops of food coloring). is the only reliable way to get a checkup from the Great Physician, 13. Make Jesus Christ. a spring bouquet with tissue-paper flowers. Fold tissue paper back and forth in a fan effect; fold in half and secure with a chenille- stick ‘stem.’ 14. Anticipate the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Hose down your swing set, hammock, or porch swing now. 15. Fly a kite, row a boat, or take up archery. 16. Support your local Little League teams. Attend their games, wear the team colors, and donate oranges and water as refreshments. 17. Decorate planters, using pinwheels instead of flowers, for an instant garden—no watering necessary! 18. Organize a neighborhood stroller-wagon-bicycle parade on a Saturday morning. All wheels welcome! 19. Satisfy a sweet tooth. Make springtime sundaes with vanilla ice cream, pastel sprinkles, and lots of whipped cream. 20. Do your community a favor. Pick up trash in the park or join forces with your neighbors on spring clean-up day. 21. Celebrate spring as they do in other cultures. The Russians eat pancakes; the Swedes light bonfires; the Japanese picnic when the cherry blossoms bloom. You can, too. by Mary Sears

How Are You Taking Care of Yourself?

5 And The Women Also planned out to the detail and something comes up that completely changes your plans? These ladies went to the tomb that day And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, thinking that Christ's body was there waiting on them and when followed after... Luke 23:55 they arrived it was gone. The verse in 24:4 says that they were "much perplexed". They couldn't understand what had happened Bible Passage: Luke 23:46-56; 24:1-12 to the body of the Lord. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining I love reading this passage of the Easter story where it garments... Luke 24:4 mentions, "And the women also" in Luke 23:55. It's great that we These Women Were Propelled to Action. see what some of the women were doing during this climatic event Luke 24:4-12 in history. We see these women mentioned first in verse 49 of that As these women stood there being "much perplexed" two angels chapter. They were beholding and looking on all the things that were there. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces led up to the Lord's death. And all his acquaintance, and the to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake these things. Luke 23:49 unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man On down in chapter 24 it tells us a little more specifically must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, who some of these women were. It was Mary Magdalene, and and the third day rise again. Luke 24:5-7 Isn't it nice to get Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that answers right when you need them? These women were troubled, were with them.... Luke 24:10 I wonder what it was like for these afraid, and full of grief. They needed to hear that the Lord wasn't women who lived at the same time as Christ and followed him and dead. They were witnessing an empty tomb but still didn't quite listened closely to His teachings to be there firsthand to witness all grasp the meaning of it. The angel told them that Christ was risen. that transpired surrounding Christ's death. We women are such They might not have understood it all at that very moment they emotional beings and I just can't imagine what all this was like for were told, but they had the information they needed. It's so like these women. God to provide us answers at just the right time whether He sends These Women Pondered. angels or not and whether we understand those answers at the time. Luke 23:50-55 I love what happens next. These women didn't keep it to This part of the story is talking about how a man named, Joseph, themselves. They went and told the disciples all the things that begged the body of Jesus from Pilate so that he could be buried happened. And they remembered his words, And returned from properly. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the before was laid. Luke 23:53 The women who were mentioned in mother of James, and other women that were with them, which verse 49 as standing "afar off and beholding these things" were at told these things unto the apostles. Luke 24:8-10 the tomb as well. Instead of standing far away and watching, they now were up close and checking out what was going on. They were taking in every detail down to how the Lord's body was laid. Conclusion: And the women also, which came with him from It's been such a long time since the resurrection of Christ but it's Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his the one thing that gives us hope. The one thing that makes our body was laid. Luke 23:55 We all know the ending. We know Christian life worth living. Everything about Christianity hinges Christ rose from the dead but the resurrection hadn't happened yet on that one event in time. I hope I can be propelled into action to for these women so the overwhelming finality of death must have tell others about what Christ did for me. The depth of His love been right there at the top of their minds. I can imagine that the wasn't meant to be kept hidden. We're to share that joy and victory sights and sounds of the Crucifixion weighed heavily on these of the resurrection of Christ with others. These women were women. They'd just seen and heard it all. The last sound of moved with all types of emotions through the whole process of Christ's voice, "Father, into thy hands I commend my events that led up to the resurrection. They sat at the very feet of spirit" (23:46), was still ringing in their ears. Jesus and listened to His teachings. I think sometimes it's good for us to think and ponder on all that Christ suffered too. We need a closer look as well. We need to I think that's what we need to do to really appreciate the read and study through the Easter passages in the bible and be resurrection of Christ. We need to sit at His feet. Perhaps take a reminded down to every detail of what Jesus endured for us to save new look at all those words in red in our bibles and really take in us from our sin. all the love, wisdom, compassion, and grace that embodied the life These Women Were Prepared. of Christ on earth. I think it's then that we can more appreciate that Luke 23:56 long road to Calvary that He made for us. Even with all the grief and pain that these women must have been So, how well do you know the Christ of the Resurrection? feeling, they still moved right along and began preparing the spices and things needed to prepare the Lord's body. They focused on the task at hand, which must have been difficult. And they returned, Copyright ©2011 Julia Bettencourt and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day Scripture References are from the King James Version. according to the commandment. Luke 23:56 www.juliabettencourt.com

These Women Were Perplexed. Luke 24:1-4 Here these ladies were all prepared to do the task at hand and circumstances change their plans. Have you ever had things 6 China Eggs When I was in sales we were warned against counting on prospects that really were not prospects at all. They looked liked a prospect, talked like a prospect and acted like a prospect. But in reality they had no intentions of purchasing our product. We called them “China eggs”. A China egg looks just like a real egg, all nice and shinny, but it will never hatch because it is made out of porcelain. God spoke of this same idea through Jeremiah in Jer 17:11. “As a partridge that broods (lit. Sits on eggs) but does not hatch, so is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, and at his end he will be a fool.” Don’t we sometimes put our hope in the wrong place or in the wrong person? It may be that we fail to “move on” to the next lost soul in sharing the gospel. The scriptures point us to times when our efforts would be better spent somewhere else. When the Jews in Corinth opposed Paul’s teaching about Jesus being the Christ “he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:6) Sadly, there are some who look like brethren but prove themselves to be those we should avoid. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” (Rom 16:17) Going back to our verse from Jeremiah, sometimes we put our trust in the wrong place. We think we have something but in reality, it will never “hatch”. The person who “gets ahead” at any price will find that he has put his treasure in the wrong place. At the end of his life he will find that his “eggs” never hatched. “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Lk 12:20-21). Perhaps the real lesson for us is this: “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” (1 Thes 5:17) Our greatest hope is that which we cannot even see with the naked eye. “...but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” (Rom 8:24) But when we only trust in what we can see or if we put our efforts in that which will never produce anything, then we are sitting on China eggs which will never hatch! By Ben May

7 7 THINGS THAT WILL HELP YOU GROW SPIRITUALLY 1 - LIVE and WORK to reach others each day as if you knew the world were going to come to an end next Sunday night. Think of that feeling of urgency and priority! (Read 2 Peter 3:1-12). 2 - BE AS ENTHUSIASTIC about the church and its services as you would be if there were an overflowing crowd each time. Think of the interest, anticipation, and excitement of an overflow crowd 3 - COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Make a list of the things you are thankful to God for and thank Him for them one by one as you pray in your closet. This will help you to be grateful (Philippians 4:6). It will also help you to realize your dependence on God (Acts 17:24-25,28; John 15:5). 4 - MAKE & MAINTAIN A LIST OF YOUR FAULTS. And pray for forgiveness and help to overcome them as you truly strive to overcome them. This will help us see that we are really not as good as we think we are and how very much we really do need Christ for Savior. It will also help you to sympathize with the faults of others (James 5:16; Galatians 6:1). 5 - KEEP A QUIET TIME. Set aside 30 minutes every day to spend with God in prayer, Bible study, and meditation. If you really love someone or a game you want to spend some time with them. Just so, if you truly love God you want to spend some time alone with Him. (Psalms 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1). First century Christians kept an “hour of prayer” (Acts 13:1). 6 - VISIT SOMEONE FOR CHRIST EACH WEEK. Visit some member you do not know very well; or a sick person; or a visitor to our services; or a weak member who needs encouragement; or someone who needs to become a Christian. 7 - REACH ANOTHER PERSON (RAP). Conduct a Bible class in your home once a month and invite your relatives, friends and neighbors to attend. The preacher or elders will assist you if you want them to. Matt. 5:12-15; James 5:20; Daniel 12:3. There are 168 hours in a week. If you were to attend Bible Study, morning worship, and evening worship on Sundays and Bible study on Wednesday, and 30 minutes 6 days a week in Bible reading, prayer, and meditation, and conduct an hour long study once a month, you would be giving God less than 10 hours a week, leaving you 158. by the late Grover Stevens

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