SCRIPTURE READING PREPAIRING FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL

THE UPPER ROOM WHERE THE LORD’S SUPPER IS SERVED (PHOTO BY PASTOR DAVIS)

 On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the day they prepare the Passover sacrifice, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations so you can eat the Passover meal?”

He directed two of his disciples, “Go into the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. Ask the owner of whichever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to know, Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare for us there.”

The disciples left, came to the city, found everything just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover meal.

After sunset he came with the Twelve. As they were at the supper table eating, Jesus said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators, one who at this moment is eating with me.”

Stunned, they started asking, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it?”

 He said, “It’s one of the Twelve, one who eats with me out of the same bowl. In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense, the man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”

“This Is My Body”

In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, he broke it and gave it to them. Then he said,

Take, this is my body.

Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said,

This is my blood,
God’s new covenant,
Poured out for many people.

 “I’ll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God.”

They sang a hymn and then went directly to Mount Olives.  (Mark 14:12-26 MSG)

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macedonia (Photo credit: gabork)

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! You’re already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it.

Stay calm; “mind your own business;” do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

The time has come that we must learn to do as Paul had commanded the people of Macedonia when they were just sitting around and melding in other people’ business.  Paul first exhorted them to focus their ambition on learning how to live and lead a quiet life, then he told shut up and “mine their own business!” 

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PROCLAIMING THE I AM

The Lion is of the tribe of Judah (Photo by Pastor Davis)

TODAY WE ARE PROCLAIMING THE I AM THAT LIVES IN EACH ONE OF US

The Lord has spoken to us, and He has proclaimed, that He is, the, “I AM!”

He said, “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness (Isaiah 42:6a ESV)

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:9 ESV)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25c,d ESV)

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35 ESV).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. (John 10:11-13 ESV)

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.  (John 10:14 ESV).

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  (John 15:1-4 ESV)

 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

I am the Vine and you are the Branches.  When you learn the truth of who the “I AM,” that lives in you and come into the full and complete knowledge and understanding that, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:4a ESV,”) then you will know the truth of these final words spoken by Jesus when he said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my DISCIPLES. (John 15:7-8 ESV).

We bless this word to you that it may stir up the Holy Spirit that is alive inside of you and seeking the release of its full and unlimited powers that will propel you to any place or heights that you may desire.  The choice is yours, what do you believe?

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ARISE SHINE AND SING PRAISE TO THE LORD

THE RISING OF THE SUN (Photo by Pastor Davis)

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3 ESV)

 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.
Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in the coastlands. (Isaiah 42:10-12)

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!  (Psalm 150 ESV)

Today we sing Praises to our God, because He is Truly and Awesome God.  Will you all join with me this  morning and lift him up in all that you do, and sing Praises unto our God, because He is worthy, He is worthy, I tell you He is worthy to be Praised. Now come on join with me and lift up your Holy Hands, open your mouth and just begin to say the words, “Our God is an Awesome God!”

http://youtu.be/smZwG-auxC8

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MATERIAL WEALTH IS A HINDERANCE TO YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE    

Open Bible (Photo credit: Ryk Neethling)

In part one of these very important lessons we wanted to focus your attention only on the pure scripture of this message.  In lesson two we will go into the details of Jesus teachings on this subject.  Read it, pray on it, then spend some time and meditate on what Jesus is teaching you here.  This is taken from the Message Bible in (Luke 6:27-36).

To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING (LOVE YOUR ENEMIES)

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.” Matthew 5:43-45 MSG

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING (BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS)

Just as it is written in the Law of Moses as to all this evil [that would surely come upon transgressors], so it has come upon us. Yet we have not earnestly begged for forgiveness and entreated the favor of the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and have understanding and become wise in your truth.  (Daniel 9:13 AMP)

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING (RIGHTEOUSNESS)

Isaiah 5:11-17 (MSG)
Doom to those who get up early and start drinking booze before breakfast, Who stay up all hours of the night drinking themselves into a stupor. They make sure their banquets are well-furnished with harps and flutes and plenty of wine, But they’ll have nothing to do with the work of God, pay no mind to what he is doing. Therefore my people will end up in exile because they don’t know the score. Their “big men” will starve to death and the common people die of thirst. Sheol developed a huge appetite, swallowing people nonstop! Big people and little people alike down that gullet, to say nothing of all the drunks. The down-and-out on a par with the high-and-mighty, Windbag boasters crumpled, flaccid as a punctured bladder. But by working justice, God-of-the-Angel-Armies will be a mountain. By working righteousness, Holy God will show what “holy” is. And lambs will graze as if they owned the place, Kids and calves right at home in the ruins.