REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE

(from Our Daily Bread)

Reflection:

Every Memorial Day, we remember those
who have died in the service of their country.
In the United States, a place where such
remembrances carry a deep and emotional
significance is Arlington National Cemetery,
near Washington, DC. Arlington is a serious
place where, due to the passing of aging war
veterans and the ongoing conflicts around
the world, there are currently about 25
military funerals every day.

This is particularly difficult for The Old Guard—
members of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment
who serve at Arlington. It is their task to
bear the bodies of the fallen and honor their
sacrifice. The members of The Old Guard
never forget the price of liberty—for they
are reminded of it every day.

Believers in Christ have been given the
Lord’s Supper as a reminder of what our
freedom from sin cost the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we partake of the bread and the cup,
we fulfill His command to “do this in
remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:24). But in
the sober celebration of the sacrifice of
Christ there is joy. For we need not leave
our remembrances at the Lord’s Table.
Living our lives for the Savior can show the
world that we will never forget the sacrifice
He has made for us.

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord, for dying for me
On the cross of Calvary;
Help me always to remember
What You did to set me free. —Sper

Remembering Christ’s death for us should
cause us to live for Him.

(I have one question to ask on this Memorial
Day. I ask this question with respect and
with a sense of Hope

How many more people need to die, how
many more children deprived of a father or
mother, before our conflicts are settled and
people can live in peace and security,
while devoting their energy to building better
lives?}
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO
LIVE AND HAVE DIED SO I CAN
ASK THAT QUESTION.

THE LAST MEMORIAL DAY

Bible, Isaiah

They shall beat their swords
into plowshares, and their spears
into pruninghooks: nation shall
not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any
more.

John Lennon said:

When we say "War is over if you
want it," we mean that if everyone
demanded peace instead of another
TV set, we'd have peace.

Frederick Moore Vinson (1890-1953) said:

Wars are not acts of God. They are
caused by man, by man-made institutions,
by the way in which man has organized
his society. What man has made, man
can change.
Speech at Arlington National Cemetery
(Memorial Day, 1945)

LET US CHANGE AND MAKE THIS THE
LAST MEMORIAL DAY

BEING AFRAID

Scripture:

Hebrews 11:8-12

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called......And he went out, not
knowing where he was going.
(Hebrews 11:8)

I have a question for you today.
Has God ever asked you to do
something that seemed to you,
at the moment, to be unreasonable?
Something that took you into the
realm of the unknown. Let me ask you,
What if God asked you to turn down a
long awaited promotion, or to avoid a long
awaited relationship with a person you
loved.

Reflection:

What if God called you to a remote part of
the world or asked you to let go of your
children to serve him in a faraway country.
Facing the unknown brings all kinds of
"what if's" into our minds. Yet God quit
often asks us to chart unknown territory as
we follow Him. Lets say, to obey His
commands to forgive, or give away all
of our earthly riches to the poor, or to give
up things that provide security and pleasure
often leaves us in the very scary territory of
the unknown outcomes. This is really scary
to us not knowing how things are going to turn
out. Fear of the unknown is number one on
our fear factor scale.
Now imagine Abraham and how he felt when
God asked him to literally move his whole
family without telling him where he was
going (Gen. 12: 1-3). God also asked
Abraham to persevere, to stay in unknown
land while he was been seduced to return
with his family to the past comforts of Ur.
As our life continues, it is like entering
uncharted territory. The fear of the unknown
could cripple our capacity to follow God's
leading through the days ahead. Yet like
Abraham, when we cling to the One who
knows all things, WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS,
regardless where He leads us.

Prayer:

Oh God, I realize that many things about
tomorrow, I don't understand. But I do know
that You hold on to me tomorrow, YOU HOLD
MY HAND.
AMEN!

DO NOT BE AFRAID

Scripture:

The Lord who created you says:
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters and
great trouble, I will be with you."
Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT


Two Margarets

Margaret MacLachlan and Margaret Wilson,
Covenanters in Wigtown, Scotland, were tried
for their faith on April 13, 1685, for refusing to
take the Oath of Abjuration, which stated that the
Church of God is a department of the State.
Found guilty of rebellion, attending field meetings,
and worshiping in places other than a church,
they were ordered to receive their sentences on
their knees. When they refused to bow before
anyone but God, they were forced down to their
knees and then were sentenced to death by
drowning.

On May 11, 1685, the two faithful Margarets
were tied to posts and staked in the sea as the
tide was rising. The older Margaret (MacLachlan)
was farther out. They were given many chances
to recant their beliefs, but they stood firm and
resolute.

Margaret MacLachlan remained silent, her eyes
closed throughout the ordeal, communing with
Christ until death. As the tide rose eighteen-year-
old Margaret Wilson began to sing a Covenanter
rendition of Psalm 25:7. Then, she recited from
Romans 8: "We are more than conquerors
through him that loves us.…"

After the waves washed over her head, the
soldiers pulled her out, pleading with her one
last time to "pray for the king!" She prayed,
but her pray was, "Lord, give him repentance,
forgiveness, and salvation, if it be Thy holy will.
" The angry soldiers threw her back into the water,
and she joined Margaret MacLachlan before the
throne.

We may never face the rising tide of the sea,
but the deep waters of trouble and loss can be
just as overwhelming. How do you react when
you feel you are about to drown in the rising tide
of your own troubles?

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian
History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten
(Tyndale, 2003), entry for May 11.

THE ASCENSION

from Our Daily Bread

Scripture:

READ: Acts 1:1-11

While they watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Acts 1:9

Reflection:

When the husband of my longtime friend
and publishing colleague collapsed and
later died, there was no doubt that life had
slipped away from him. There were witnesses.
The same was true when Jesus died. But
three days later, Jesus was raised from the
dead! We have no doubt that this is true
because there were witnesses who later
saw Him alive.

When we gathered for Dave’s memorial
service, we read familiar passages of Scripture
that affirm our hope that he is now enjoying
new life in heaven. But we claimed these
promises by faith because none of us
witnessed Dave go to heaven. There was,
however, a witness who saw Jesus in heaven.
Not long after witnesses saw Jesus ascend
(Acts 1:9), Stephen saw the heavens open
“and the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God!” (7:56). One of the reasons we
know that Jesus spoke the truth about going
to prepare a place for us (John 14:2) is that
He has been seen alive in heaven.

When a loved one goes ahead of us to heaven,
we feel as if we’re being pulled in the opposite
direction—down into an abyss of sadness. Yet,
because God kept His promise to raise Christ
and take Him to heaven, we can trust Him to
do the same for all who love and follow Him. —
Julie Ackerman Link


The Lord has promised to prepare
A place in heaven above—
A home where we will always be
With Him and those we love. —Sper
.
THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN IS OUR ETERNAL
HOPE

HOW DO YOU DEFINE LOVE

So now I am giving you a new
commandment: Love each other.
Just as I have loved you, you
should love each other. Your love
for one another will prove to the
world that you are my disciples.
John 14:2 NLT


Reflection:

What's your definition of love.
Many people define love in
purely sexual terms. I see a
lot of that kind definition. Many
people define love as primarily
a feeling. Often they describe
love in purely emotional terms.
Actually the Bible is kind of an
expert on the definition of love.
Mainly because love is the
central message of the Scriptures.
The Bible teaches us that love is
a commitment. As a commitment
love is not dependent on good
feelings, but rather a constant
and very courageous decision to
give of yourself, to commit yourself,
to the well being of another. This
applies to marriage, to family, to
friends, to neighbors, to all others.
You see this love, this commitment
produces good feelings not the other
way around.
You know you and I are fortunate
indeed, because we have Jesus
Christ. Jesus became the perfect
demonstration of God's unconditional
love for us by laying down His life
for our benefit.

THE LIVING TRUTH

From "God's Daily Promises"

Scripture:

Jesus said…"I came to bring truth to
the world. All who love the truth recognize
that what I say is true."
John 18:37 NLT

A wife prays for her husband's salvation

After a rather gentle talk [one evening]
about Christianity, [my wife Davy] went
to bed, leaving me lying upon the sofa
in front of the fire reading.…A half hour
passed. I let the book fall and switched
off the lamp. Gazing upon the glowing
coals, I wondered with a strange mixture
of hope and fear whether Christ might be
in very truth my God. Suddenly I became
aware that Davy was praying beside me—
she had stolen into the room in her
nightgown and knelt down by the sofa.
I looked at the quiet figure for a few
moments. I have never seen her pray.
Then she spoke.

"When I was in bed," she said very softly,
"it seemed to me that God was telling me
to come to you. I have prayed to God to
fulfill your soul."

She paused a moment, and then she
whispered: "Oh, my dearest—please believe!"

Moved almost to tears, I whispered back—
a broken whisper, she wrote in the Journal
[the book we both kept of our searching for
God and truth]—I whispered, "Oh, I do believe.
" I was shaken by the affirmation that swept
over me.
"Hold to this moment," she murmured.
"Hold to it when doubts come. This is the
truth—I know it it."
Sheldon Vanauken in A Severe Mercy

Adapted from The Prayer Bible Jean E.
Syswerda, general editor, Tyndale House
Publishers (2003), p 1657.

HAS YOUR SPOUSE EVER SEEN YOU PRAY?
HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED TOGETHER?
PLEASE DO SO AND HOLD ON TO THE MOMENT

REAL FREEDOM

Read your Bible every day. Don't cuss.
Attend worship services at church at
least once each week. Don't drink alcohol.
Volunteer for lots of service projects. Don't
watch certain movies, etc., etc., etc....
The demands and pressures of trying to
keep up with religious rules will only frustrate
and burn you out - no matter how hard you
try. The good news is that God doesn't require
you to follow any rules; he invites you to pursue
a relationship with Him. In the process, he'll
empower you to live a faithful life that leads to
real freedom.

MOTHERS DAY

Scripture:

"We are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1)

Reflection:

Along the old Oregon Trail in Idaho there is a marker—
a giant lava boulder known locally as Register Rock.
It’s located in an area which was one of the favorite
overnight camping areas for westbound immigrants
who traveled the trail in the 19th century.
Travelers often inscribed their names on the rock as
a memorial to their passage. Register Rock stands
as a monument to their courage and tenacity.

When I think of Register Rock, I think of other people
who have passed by me on their journey.
Hebrews 11 lists some of those hardy souls—
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and
Samuel, to name a few.

But there is one recent person, whose name is not
inscribed on register rock but is written in my heart
and my memory. "Lillie Marie Olson", my mother
who went to her father May 21, 2009.

My mother was a Christian. She spent her life speaking
and doing the Word of God. Because of her Christian
example I have always considered the outcome of my
conduct throughout my life. My mother was and is my
Life. Her presence is always within me. Most importantly,
my mother brought me to my faith in Christ and encouraged
me to follow that faith.
My mother's name may not be inscribed on Register Rock,
but it is written in the heavenly book of the living God, and
her name is written in my heart, forever inscribed, forever
loved.

THANK YOU MOTHER YOU ARE WITH ME ALWAYS

Prayer:

Oh Lord thank You for my mother.
Thank You for the path of leadership she
walked.
Thank You for her beautiful always fixed
eyes on you.
Thank You for her steadfast spirit that
pointed Your way to me.
Thank You because of my mother I
follow You day by day.
In Jesus Holy Name, AMEN

Remember:

People who follow Christ lead others in the right direction.

HELP ME TO SEE

Scripture:

[The Lord said,] "I have made you a light to
the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the furthest
corners of the earth." When the Gentiles heard
this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord
for his message; and all who were appointed
to eternal life became believers.
Acts 13:47-48 NLT

Reflection:

Jesus want's us to see, I mean to really see.
He wants us to see that neighbor next door, or
even the person that is sitting next to us on
the plane. He wants us to see them, not
just as interruptions in our daily lives, but He
wants us to see their needs, their unhappiness,
their loneliness, the dreams they long for.
Jesus wants us to have the courage to
reach out to them.

When I read this verse in Acts, I am reminded
that there are a lot of people around us whom
God wants us to see. It could be that aged lady
who lives down the street, or a very lonely co-
worker, a very tired single parent, a teenager
who is struggling for acceptance, or even some
one standing next to us in the grocery line.

God wants us to see that the world is full of men,
women and children who have been literally crying
out to God in the quiet desperation of their hearts.
GOD WANTS TO USE US TO BE A LIGHT TO THEM
AND BRING THEM THE GOOD NEWS OF HOPE IN
JESUS CHRIST!

Prayer:

Lord help me to see the needs of others.
Equip me to be a light to those who don't know you
and to love them for Christ's sake. Lord help me to
see their needs through your eyes.
In Your Name AMEN

I'M A DRUNK

Remember Marcus Welby the TV show?
Well their running reruns right now, and
I've really gotten into the old doctor.
The episode I'm watching now is about
an alcoholic doctor. Immediately, it was
brought home to me as a reminder that
I'm an alcoholic. I'm a recovering drunk.
I can now add a very important word to
that phrase, I'm a "Christian" alcoholic.
That's right, I'm a Christian and I'm a
drunk.
The oldest rivalry in the world, saint
vs. sinner, and praise the Lord, the saint
is winning. The saint won yesterday, the
saint is winning today, and God willing the
saint will win in the future. Saint vs.sinner
and in my life God is winning. PRAISE BE
TO GOD!
They call me a dry drunk, in other words,
I'm a drunk who is not drinking at least
not now. I could be a wet drunk tomorrow,
accept for one very important reason, my
higher power, my only power, my God.
God gives me a future, and that future is
WITHOUT alcohol or drugs and WITH GOD!
ARE YOU WITH OR WITHOUT GOD?

Prayer

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
The courage to change the things that I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference. AMEN.

GOD ENJOYS A GOOD LAUGH

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone brother
2. He liked Gospel
3. He didn't get a fair trial

But then there were 3 equally good arguments
that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into His Father's business
2. He lived at home until he was 33
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and
his Mother was sure He was God

But then there were 3 equally good arguments
that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with His hands
2. He had wine with His meals
3. He used olive oil

But then there were 3 equally good arguments
that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut His hair
2. He walked around barefoot all the time
3. He started a new religion

But then there were 3 equally good arguments
that Jesus was an American Indian:
1. He was at peace with nature
2. He ate a lot of fish
3. He talked about the Great Spirit

But then there were 3 equally good arguments
that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married..
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidence of all
3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice
when there was virtually no food
2. He kept trying to get a message across
to a bunch of men who just didn't get it
3. And even when He was dead, He had
to get up because there was still work to do

CAN I GET AN AMEN!!