Reflection for Palm Sunday

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As we celebrate this coming Palm Sunday, as Jewish congregations prepare to celebrate Passover, may the Old Testament types add to the dimension of our faith and understanding of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Consider for a moment that on that same day thousands of lambs were being ushered into Jerusalem through the same Eastern gate, also known as the Golden Gate, as Our Passover Lamb. But I wonder how many who were enthusiastically waving palms, saw with spiritual eyes the Lamb of God, who would take away the sin of the world, among all the other lambs.

The lambs were being brought into Jerusalem five days prior to Passover, to be examined by the priests. They were to be examined for blemishes or disfigurement, as only perfect lambs were found worthy to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. It is interesting to note that the priest did not examine the sinner who brought the sacrifice, rather the priest looked to see if the sacrificial substitute was worthy.

Likewise Our Lamb was brought into the city five days prior to Passover, to also be examined. He was brought before Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas and Ciaphas, the high priests, and the ultimate judgement was made by Pilate when he declared, “I find no fault in Him.” Praise God for our Lamb who was found worthy to be sacrificed for our sins.

As we worship this coming Sunday let us with a loud voice declare with the heavens

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” Rev. 5:12

 

Recognizing God’s Voice

Hearing God’s Voice part 2

Stand on the Rock of His Faithfulness

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Dear Child,

Have assurance of My love for you, which is displayed in only wanting the best for you!

Humbly submit to My sovereign workings in all seasons of your life. If you do this you will find rest for your soul, for you will then be dwelling in harmony with My will for your life.

Trust Me! If you do not trust Me, you do not really believe that I love you! Love is built on trust.

Have I not been faithful in the past?

Believe in my faithfulness today in all things.

Trust my faithfulness for the future.

I am the Lord, I change not.

Build upon my faithfulness of the past, and you will have a solid foundation to build your hope for the future upon.

I am the Rock, I will not move, I am called Faithful and True.

I am dependable.

                                           Thus saith Papa

Proverbs 3:5 -6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Trust is simply relinquishing control. – Angela Bass Buchanan

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Challenge: Build a foundation of trust in His love towards you for the future, by listing all your past and current blessings from His Faithful Hand .

You see the evidence of His faithfulness during each new season of the earth, you can trust His faithfulness in each new season of your life.

A Heart of Integrity

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Dear Child,

A heart of integrity will lead you to a life of righteousness. Let your ‘nay’ be ‘nay’ and your ‘yea’ be ‘yea’. Do not be doubled minded.

A heart of integrity will lead you to trust yourself and you will have peace.

A heart of integrity will not act in haste because you know your heart will hold you accountable.

A heart of integrity will have a conscience clear before God and man, and will thus hear My voice clearly.

                                                        Thus saith Papa

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them:

Psalm 15:1- 4 A psalm of David. LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, WHO KEEPS HIS OATH EVEN WHEN IT HURTS.

Whatever the nature of the contract, when the word of a Christian has been given, the promise must be honored. Because God keeps His word we have salvation; He is true to His pledge. The Gibeonites craftily deceived Joshua, and he made peace with them before discovering their plot (Joshua 9:19). Nevertheless, God insisted that the terms of the covenant be honored, and generations later withheld rain because King Saul went back on that undertaking. God will not permit us to carelessly destroy a covenant. He who insisted that Joshua should spare the Gideonites, and later that King David should avenge the wrong done to them, expects us to be true to our word, even if it be to our own disadvantage

Integrity means “a quality or state of being complete or undivided”

When our lips say “yes” in haste, yet our hearts are saying “no” we have become a divided person! To have a heart of integrity we must say what we mean and mean what we say!

Challenge: Always count the cost before making any promise, because God will hold us accountable to keep our word whether it was made wisely or unwisely, whether it will be to our advantage or disadvantage.