YOUR GRACE...

SCRIPTURE

John 18:28-32 (NRSV)
Ritual defilement and the Passover

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered, "If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death." (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)


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)



YOUR GRACE…

Oh God

On this morning

I lean into your grace

So glad that your mercies

Are new every morning

For I confess

I have sinned

Fallen short

Of Your Glory.

Have mercy Lord

Have mercy on me

And echoing throughout eternity

I hear Your voice

Father

Forgive

S/he knows not what

S/he does...

Amazing Grace*

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost

But now am found

Was blind

But now I see…

Thank you

For your

Amazing Grace*

Which looks beyond

My faults

And sees

My needs…


*draws from John Newton's "Amazing Grace" and Dottie Rambo's "He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Needs."


ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRING PASTOR YOLANDA TO YOUR HOME TOWN--Would you like to invite Pastor Yolanda Lehman to come speak or preach at your church or Christian ministry event? Please use the form to the right. Once you click “submit” your information will be privately conveyed to her email address! Pastor Yolanda is available for church anniversaries, pastoral appreciations, women’s day, missionary day, retreats, revivals, conferences, and so much more! Fill out the form to the right to get onto her preaching or teaching schedule!

LISTEN TO PASTOR YOLANDA’S SERMONS ONLINE--To listen to audio recordings of Pastor Yolanda's Sunday sermons, please visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/57814 or click the widget to the right on this page!

PUT ALL OF YOUR HOPE IN JESUS--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

You are invited to be Pastor Yolanda’s friend on Facebook at www.facebook.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

YOUR GRACE SHINES ON ME

Jeremiah 21:11-14 (NRSV)

A fire in Judah's forest

To the house of the king of Judah say: Hear the word of the Lord, O house of David! Thus says the Lord:
Execute justice in the morning,
and deliver from the hand of the oppressor
anyone who has been robbed,
or else my wrath will go forth like fire,
and burn, with no one to quench it,
because of your evil doings.

See, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley,
O rock of the plain,

says the Lord;
you who say, "Who can come down against us,
or who can enter our places of refuge?"
I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,

says the Lord;
I will kindle a fire in its forest,
and it shall devour all that is around it.

DEVOTION

Oh my goodness! This scripture clearly reminds us that God is the only Righteous Judge. In my heart I can hear the echoes of Romans 6:23 which states, “The wages of sin are death.”

Isn’t that terrible bad news?

In today’s scripture we are reminded that God hates sin, injustice, oppression, thievery, and evil. God’s love, grace, mercy, compassion, holiness, righteousness, and justice simply cannot abide any kind of sin in God’s midst.

As a result, God’s Law demands punishment for sin. The Bible states that, “The sum of the Law is this, to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27).

Yet, all human beings live contrary to this law. We are vain, self-centered, and generally concerned solely about the health, wealth, and happiness of ourselves and/or our immediate families. We live lawless lives, doing what we want, when we want, as if God does not exist at all. We live by a credo that asserts that as long as we aren’t caught doing wrong, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…”

Oh my! This was true in the days of Jeremiah and it is still true today. All you have to do is look in your home, out your door, or on the television set and you will see the all consuming desire for health, wealth, and happiness that causes individuals, families, groups, and nations to destroy each other in a never ending quest for power.

This is extraordinarily sad my friends and if we got what we deserved, God would likely need to wipe us off the planet and start all over!

But, thanks be to God, that since Jesus’ incarnation on the Earth, Law is always paired with Gospel (aka, GOOD NEWS). Although we sin--and are sinners--God’s love sent Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life!

Although death was certainly deserved, Jesus took our punishment upon himself! Isaiah 53 states, “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.”

Wow! Jesus did all of this for us! Oh yes He did my friends!

While sin is a very real grievance against our God, sin does not get to have the final word!

God loves us so much that God desires to spend eternity with us! God loves us so much that God was not—and is not--willing to leave us mired in the quicksand of sin, death, and the grave.

When Jesus went to the cross he shouted, “Father forgive them…”

My! My! My! Someone ought to shout “GLORY! HALLELUJAH!”

I am so glad that God is willing to forgive our sin. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sin, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Look, no matter what you may think, you can’t out sin, out fox, or out run, the Love of God which has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus!

No matter what mistakes you have made, or sin that you have grievously committed, Jesus has already done all that is necessary for you to be forgiven and gifted with eternal life.

Salvation is not about something that you need to do; Jesus has done everything for you! Salvation is about a gift that you need to gratefully receive!

Jesus has His hands outstretched to you today. In His hands is a gift. It is a very, very precious gift bought at a great price! Jesus gave His very life in order to extend to you this free gift of salvation.

Whist Romans 6:23 does say that “The wages of sin are death,” it goes on to say, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Now, ain’ta that GOOD NEWS?

Will you gratefully accept God’s gift of eternal life? If so, please pray with me…

Dear God, thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to die on the cross for me! Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit. I am putting all of my hope in Jesus today! Wow! Thank you for allowing Your grace to shine on me! What wonderful GOOD NEWS! Please help me to share this GOOD NEWS with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SPECIAL NOTE

If you just prayed this prayer for the first time, today, you are saved! I would be so honored if you would let me know about your decision by clicking “Yes” in the poll located at the top/right of today’s devotional! I am so happy for you! Happy Spiritual Re-Birth-Day!

Next steps: In response to what God did for you just now, let me suggest that you consider telling another Christian so that they can celebrate with you! Ask them to help you find a Bible that is easy for you to understand so that you can learn more about your new-found faith! Ask them to help you find a good Bible believing church where you can be baptized and make loving friends who will walk with you on your new journey! You are already saved; now let God mature you by faith! Congratulations!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to the people who have recently put all of their hope in Jesus! We celebrate your re-birth-day and promise to hold you in our 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