Sharing Easter Sunday Dinner

April 11, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 16 Comments

Camila and Diego are a young couple from Brazil with a sixteen month old baby boy. They invited me over to share Easter Sunday dinner with them and some of their friends. It was a blessing to join them.

Camila cooked some delicious food she called Cod. It was fish with potatoes and other veggies. It was so good that I had two plates. Double blessing she sent some home with me. 🙂

Before we ate, Camila shared that the food was her grandfather’s favorite and that she wanted to share it with us. She also shared with us that Easter Sunday is a day her family gets together for lunch, but since she is here she cannot meet with her family, so she wanted to share the dinner with us. As she shared, her eyes teared up.

My response upon hearing that was, “eu estou feliz estar que com voce minha irmazinha.” I am happy to be here with you little sister.

The other guests were a married couple, wife from Brazil and husband from Ukraine, their two children, and a dating couple the man from the USA and the woman from Brazil.

As we ate the wonderful fish dish, I thought about another meal with fish. We read about in John chapter 21.

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus had a breakfast of fish and bread with his disciples after his resurrection. The significant thing that happened during that breakfast was Jesus restoring Peter in front of the other disciples. Peter had denied Jesus three times just as Jesus predicted. That morning of the breakfast, Jesus asked Peter three times, “do you love me.” When Peter would answer yes, Jesus would then say, “then feed my sheep,” meaning take care of my followers.

When we fail, when we falter, Jesus is faithful to restore us. He does not abandon us when we fail, He does not give up on relationship with us when we mess up. He is ever faithful to us.

How was your Easter Sunday?

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Happy Resurrection Day

April 9, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 22 Comments

John 20

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus is alive, on his throne in heaven, and will return to earth one day. He defeated death through his resurrection and will share that victory with us.

Happy Resurrection Day to all of my readers/followers.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Why Jesus Allowed Himself to Be Crucified

April 7, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 10 Comments

Hebrews 12:2- fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I have often thought about the joy set before Jesus that motivated him to endure the shame and pain of the cross. In the immediate context of the verse we see sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Being seated again in all of his glory in heaven would definitely be a joyful reunion in heaven.

Is that all? Could there be more to the joy set before Jesus?

Jesus had emptied himself of his glory and left his throne in heaven to become a human baby for the purpose of growing to be a man to die for our sins on the cross. He returned to his rightful glorious place when he ascended after his resurrection. But there is one aspect to be included.

In John 17:24 Jesus was praying:

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

The aspect included in the joy set before Jesus was knowing his most beloved part of his creation, us human beings, would be able to be restored into relationship with God, forgiven, and in heaven with Jesus where Jesus can share his glorious presence with us for all of eternity.

We are the why for the cross of Jesus. Out of his great love for us, he allowed himself to be arrested, put on trial, tortured and crucified. He endured all of that because he wanted human beings to be reconciled to God. For Jesus looking into the future and realizing millions of people being with him in heaven was a joyful realization.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

The Last Supper-Jesus Sharing Time with His Followers

April 6, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 8 Comments

A few years ago, a friend from church was in hospice care in the last few weeks of her earthly life. She was terminal with cancer. One afternoon I visited and brought grape juice and a little gluten free bread to share communion with her and those who were with her. She could barely swallow the juice, but it made for a very poignant moment as we reflected on the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross.

During that visit, the thought struck me of how Jesus must have felt sharing what we call The Last Supper with his disciples. Jesus knew he was going to be arrested, put on a farce of a trial, tortured and crucified. He knew the plan for him to become our Savior. The disciples even though Jesus shared with them many times about his impending suffering, did not comprehend it. Nevertheless, Jesus shared The Last Supper with them.

Jesus knew that Peter would deny him and yet Jesus shared The Last Supper with Peter. Jesus knew Judas would betray him and yet Jesus shared it with him. Jesus knew the disciples would go into hiding and not understand until after Jesus’s resurrection and yet Jesus shared it with them.

Jesus knew his death and resurrection would be the pivot points for his beloved creation-US. He knew that he was instituting a new and better covenant. He knew he was about to suffer and he wanted to share a moment with his friends beforehand even though they did not understand.

Because of what Jesus did for us, my friend passed from this life into eternity with Jesus. Because of what Jesus did, we can all enter heaven if we place our faith in Jesus. Because of what Jesus did, my life transformed.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Music Mondays- How Can It Be by Lauren Daigle

April 3, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 14 Comments

This week we remember Jesus’s love for us when he allowed himself to be crucified on the cross because of his great love for us. He took our guilt and sin on himself and paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Death being not just physical but also separation from God. Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf opens the way for us to be forgiven and enter into relationship with God and receive eternal life.

It is awe inspiring when I ponder it. Jesus who knew no sin, committed no sin, took my sins, our sins, on himself because he loves us. It causes me to be in awe and wonder filled with gratitude.

I love Laruen Daigle’s song How Can It Be because it expresses those sentiments so well. May this Holy Week be a blessed time for you as we remember Jesus’s love and sacrifice for us.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Palms Sunday- What I Will Focus On

April 2, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 15 Comments

Today in churches children will enter worship services carrying palm leaves whether real or made of paper and shouting out Hosanna. It makes for a cute endearing moment as parents and grandparents watch. Today is Palms Sunday the Sunday we commemorate Jesus entering Jerusalem and people throwing palm leaves on the road shouting Hosanna.

The people were looking to Jesus to be the Messiah who would drive the Romans out and restore Israel. They were looking to Jesus to become King of Israel. They wanted Jesus to save them from the Roman occupation and tyranny. But Jesus knew before going into Jerusalem what was going to happen. He knew the crowd that would shout Hosanna while he entered would turn around and shout Give Us Barabbas five days later.

He told his disciples what was going to happen in Matthew 20:17-18:

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Jesus knew he would be tortured and crucified. He knew the suffering he would endure to become our Savior. He knew it all and he chose to enter Jerusalem anyway.

That is what I will remember during worship service at my church this morning. My focus will be on Jesus knowing all that was about to happen and choosing to enter, choosing to save us from sin and eternal separation from God.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Music Mondays- This Is Our God by Phil Wickham

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 5 Comments

We have sung this song during worship the past few Sundays and I love how it reminds us of the love and power of Jesus. Jesus loves us so much that he died on the cross for us, but because he has all power, he defeated death for us.

Whatever we experience in this life, we can trust that Jesus is with us and has the power to help.

In a few weeks, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. This Is Our God is an excellent song for Easter Sunday.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Jesus’s Resurrection Written About Hundreds of Before It Happened

April 20, 2022 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 4 Comments

It is one thing to have a lucky guess about a future event such as who will win the World Cup or as in the case of weather where I live, the weather person on TV forecasting correctly. It is another thing to write about something hundreds of years before it happens.

1n the start of 1st Corinthians 15 we read:

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

The phrase according to the scriptures is something that needs to considered not just brushed by. The reason it needs to be considered is what scriptures it is referring to.

At the time of writing 2nd Corinthians, there was no New Testament put together as we have in our bibles. Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians was written about ten years before Luke, Matthew and Mark. It was written about thirty years before John was written.

So what scriptures is Paul referring to? He was referring to what we call the Old Testament. One example is found in Psalm 16:

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Another one is found in Isaiah 53 the chapter that has specific details about the Suffering Servant-Jesus.

After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

So my friends, the resurrection of Jesus was written about hundreds of years before Jesus came, hundreds of years before he died on the cross and was resurrected.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Mary Magdalene- First to See Jesus After His Resurrection

April 19, 2022 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 12 Comments

When I think about the appearances of Jesus after his resurrection, the one that gives me the most hope is when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. That might sound strange coming from a man, but for me it is not a man/woman thing. It is an outcast being honored thing.

The first person to do something is the one we remember. Who was the first person to walk on the moon? Most people would be able to say Neil Armstrong. Who was the second? think, scratch our heads- Buzz Aldrin was but his name does not come so readily if at all. Who was the first President of the U.S.? That should be easy- George Washington. Who was the second? Wait not a history buff!!! answer John Adams.

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I know Paul wrote that Jesus appeared first to Peter, but that is easily explained. In those days only men could testify in court. Sad but true. When we read one of the time Jesus fed thousands it says- The number was about 5,000 men besides women and children. They only counted the men UGH. Furthermore, Paul was focusing on the apostles in 1st Corinthians and concludes with himself.

However, the first PERSON Jesus appeared to was Mary Magdalene. We know Jesus delivered her from seven evil spirits but we don’t really know anything else about her before Jesus came into her life. However, it is safe to conclude that she would have been an outcast of some kind. After Jesus delivered her, she was welcomed into the group even hanging out with Mary the mother of Jesus.

Jesus did NOTHING by ACCIDENT. Every act was intentional on his part. He could have chosen to appear first to anyone he chose, but he chose to appear to Mary Magdalene. This gives me hope because I identify with her more than the apostles. The reason is because my life before Jesus I was an outcast. I was the alcoholic’s son. I was the teen who got into trouble acting out in reaction to an alcoholic father and mentally ill mother. I was the cold-hearted salesman in my twenties. When I first started going to church and trying to pray to Jesus, my prayers would start with something like- “Lord I am a jerk”

Jesus appeared first to his follower who was the lowliest before Jesus and when he said her name after his resurrection, she recognized him. It would like if today he appeared to someone, it would be the person who is an alcoholic, a person who struggles with depression/anxiety, a person who struggles with an eating disorder, a person who- you can fill in the blank. He gave her the job of going to tell the men. There is a message in that. I hope to meet Mary Magdalene in heaven and learn more about her. For now, I just feel blessed and filled with hope that Jesus cares for the lowliest people like me and can turn our lives around.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Jesus Defeated Death and Will Share His Victory

April 17, 2022 ~ jesusluvsall ~ 13 Comments

It is Easter Sunday my favorite Sunday of the year. Today we remember that Jesus defeated death through his resurrection. He took on that which we fear most, death, and defeated it. Jesus is alive and on his throne in heaven.

Jesus’s resurrection also shows how completely he saves us. He died for our sins, so we can be forgiven by God and have eternal life. But our eternal life will not be only our spirits. Jesus will share the victory of his resurrection with us.

1sr Corinthians 15:

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

and 1st Thessalonians 4:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Because of Jesus, we can look forward to eternity with resurrected bodies completely saved mind, spirit, soul and body. Because of Jesus, we can see our loved ones again.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.