SCRIPTURE
Mark 10:42-45 (NRSV)
Jesus came to serve
So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
MEDITATION—Today is Saturday Psalmody! Today, the meditation is offered as a psalm from my heart. If you would like a more traditional devotion, please search the archives for a title that appeals to you! (smile)
FRIEND
I don’t comprehend
How the King of all
Calls himself friend
To the least and the small
He coulda come demanding
A title with grand standing
He could come insisting
Overcoming pre-existing
Leaders, Kings, tyrants and mayors
He coulda played them all
Making them supporting players
In his drama to be known
To be set up on a throne
Could have taken nasty tone
With people all his own
But he didn’t go there
Instead he chose to care
Didn’t try to scare
But to love and to bare
His heart and mind
His care and grace
He was ever kind
Willing to embrace
To serve and to share
To live and to die
To answer all our prayers
And never turn a blind eye
To our trouble and our sin
Our need for a savior
He died and rose again
To redeem our behavior
Making us God’s friend
He paved the way
To life that never ends
That’s why I praise him today
And for eternity
He will ever be
More than life to me
I hope you agree
He’s Alpha
Omega
Beginning and End
Savior
Lord
Redeemer
And Friend.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Congratulations to the people who have recently put all of their faith in Jesus! We are so excited about your new-found faith in Jesus! You are in our thoughts and prayers!
If you would like to put all of your hope in Jesus today, please visit my blog entitled, “Putting All Your Hope In Jesus” located at
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/putting-all-your-hope-in-jesus.html
If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html
Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/
You are invited to follow Pastor Yolanda on Twitter www.twitter.com/PastorYolanda
Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews
You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.
EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right!
Thanks for reading and please come again. Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to all of our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.
From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label friend of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friend of God. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
I AM A FRIEND OF GOD!
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 9:2-13 (NRSV)
Jesus forgives sin and calls sinners to service
And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Then some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he then said to the paralytic - "Stand up, take your bed and go to your home." And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
DEVOTIONAL
Today’s devotional is just chock full of spiritual nuggets that have blessed my life! Unfortunately I can't share all of them because of limited space, so I'm going to beg your pardon and jump straight to the heart of the today's GOOD NEWS message. Aren’t you glad that Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick”?
This commentary from Jesus came about after some of the Pharisees saw Jesus eating dinner with people with whom they would never have associated. In response to this shocking sight the Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
My goodness—what a self-righteous question! Aren’t you glad that Jesus is not like those Pharisees? The Bible teaches us that time and time again Jesus chose to create intentional relationship and fellowship with people others had cast aside in judgment.
I am so glad that Jesus chooses to sup with us sinners! I am so relieved that he enjoys the company of those who are aware of their great need of him. I am so thrilled that rather than pushing us away from the table, God invites us in, again and again!
What wonderful GOOD NEWS!
Now let me say this, during the season of Lent, many of us become acutely aware of our sin-full-ness. Some of us might feel so embarrassed and ashamed that we seek to run away God. Don’t do it my friends, this is a terrible mistake!
Instead, every time you feel the desire to run away from God (which is impossible anyway), I want you to do the exact opposite for scripture teaches us that “God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Joel 2:13)”!
Listen, God knows everything about us and still God loves us passionately! God sees our mistakes and yet God still desperately wants to be in fellowship with us. This is why Jesus said, in response to the snide self-righteousness of the Pharisees, “Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Oh! Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling, “Follow me”?
Look, God loves us so very, very much that God gave Jesus upon the cross to secure our eternal relationship with him! I am so excited to be called a friend of God and I know you are too!
God loves us. God gave Jesus for us. God saves us from all of our sins. My heart overflows with joy when I hear the words of Jesus, “Take heart, your sins are forgiven!”
Who do you know who has experienced the condemnation of the world? Will you invite them to fellowship with Jesus today?
Loving God, I thank you that you have invited me to your banquet table. I am honored that you choose to fellowship with me. Please help me not to stand in judgment of others, but rather to invite them to the table as well. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today's song, "Friend of God" can be purchased by clicking the link to the right.
All of the other songs that have been shared on this blog can be purchased by clicking the words Good News Living at the top of the red box to the right. Find your favorite songs under “Pastor Yolanda’s Favorite Music.”
Would you please be kind enough to answer the one question survey to the right?
We now have enough people interested to start the Good News Living Book Club! On March 1st, I will release the title of our first book! Please mark your calendars for our very first book club meeting to be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 9:00am.
You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.
EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right! Thanks for reading and please come again.
Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.
from Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
Matthew 9:2-13 (NRSV)
Jesus forgives sin and calls sinners to service
And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Then some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he then said to the paralytic - "Stand up, take your bed and go to your home." And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
DEVOTIONAL
Today’s devotional is just chock full of spiritual nuggets that have blessed my life! Unfortunately I can't share all of them because of limited space, so I'm going to beg your pardon and jump straight to the heart of the today's GOOD NEWS message. Aren’t you glad that Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick”?
This commentary from Jesus came about after some of the Pharisees saw Jesus eating dinner with people with whom they would never have associated. In response to this shocking sight the Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
My goodness—what a self-righteous question! Aren’t you glad that Jesus is not like those Pharisees? The Bible teaches us that time and time again Jesus chose to create intentional relationship and fellowship with people others had cast aside in judgment.
I am so glad that Jesus chooses to sup with us sinners! I am so relieved that he enjoys the company of those who are aware of their great need of him. I am so thrilled that rather than pushing us away from the table, God invites us in, again and again!
What wonderful GOOD NEWS!
Now let me say this, during the season of Lent, many of us become acutely aware of our sin-full-ness. Some of us might feel so embarrassed and ashamed that we seek to run away God. Don’t do it my friends, this is a terrible mistake!
Instead, every time you feel the desire to run away from God (which is impossible anyway), I want you to do the exact opposite for scripture teaches us that “God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Joel 2:13)”!
Listen, God knows everything about us and still God loves us passionately! God sees our mistakes and yet God still desperately wants to be in fellowship with us. This is why Jesus said, in response to the snide self-righteousness of the Pharisees, “Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Oh! Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling, “Follow me”?
Look, God loves us so very, very much that God gave Jesus upon the cross to secure our eternal relationship with him! I am so excited to be called a friend of God and I know you are too!
God loves us. God gave Jesus for us. God saves us from all of our sins. My heart overflows with joy when I hear the words of Jesus, “Take heart, your sins are forgiven!”
Who do you know who has experienced the condemnation of the world? Will you invite them to fellowship with Jesus today?
Loving God, I thank you that you have invited me to your banquet table. I am honored that you choose to fellowship with me. Please help me not to stand in judgment of others, but rather to invite them to the table as well. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today's song, "Friend of God" can be purchased by clicking the link to the right.
All of the other songs that have been shared on this blog can be purchased by clicking the words Good News Living at the top of the red box to the right. Find your favorite songs under “Pastor Yolanda’s Favorite Music.”
Would you please be kind enough to answer the one question survey to the right?
We now have enough people interested to start the Good News Living Book Club! On March 1st, I will release the title of our first book! Please mark your calendars for our very first book club meeting to be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 9:00am.
You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.
EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right! Thanks for reading and please come again.
Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.
from Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
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