Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance  and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”  Then he…

 For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 At a recent prayer group, a participant mentioned that many believers do not understand, let alone access, the immense power of God that is within them to use for His purposes. I realized that this year’s journal, Christ in Me, is full of instruction on that very topic and sadly, I will admit that I do not access or use the power of God within me as…

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 Over the last several weeks I have been experiencing a much needed time out with God. In this time He has graciously made me aware of the many issues that I need to address and with each one, He has also shown me what I need to do in order to make the necessary changes in my mind, heart, attitude and actions. There have been many tears, confessions, moments of repentance and forgiveness as well as joyful outbursts of…

Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,    look around and consider,    search through her squares.If you can find but one person    who deals honestly and seeks the truth,    I will forgive this city. Jeremiah 5:1 Today I read a few chapters in the book of Jeremiah. God called this young man to deliver a powerful message to His people who were living in a way that closely resembles our world today. People were seeking their own interests and had completely left God out of their daily lives. They only listened to messages that supported their lustful desires and they followed leaders who only looked for opportunities for their own financial and social gain. Jeremiah’s message started…

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 On Good Friday I watched the movie, The Passion. For years I have chosen to view this movie during Holy Week to be reminded of how much Jesus went through to save me. I loved the compassion He showed to…

He is not here; He has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where He lay. (Matthew 28:6) I would have liked to walk with Mary Magdalene and the other ladies as they made their way to the tomb that morning. Mostly because I know how their day was going to turn out and I would have loved to see the amazement on their faces when they heard the Good News and saw the Risen Lord. These women faced two overwhelming problems as they set out to honor Jesus’ body. The Roman guards and the huge rock in the tomb’s doorway. These were impossible obstacles, yet urged on…

What just happened! Yesterday was a day like no other and the believers were emotionally crushed and in observance of the Sabbath, were at their homes. The stillness must have been deafening compared to the uproar of the events the day before. How their minds must have been trying to remember the words that Jesus spoke and comprehend their meaning now that He was dead and buried. Was this real? What would happen next? As the believers sat in silence, the Pharisees remembered and were actively trying to prevent the predicted outcome. The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.  “Sir,” they…

In order to prepare my mind and heart for today I read each version of the Good Friday events from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I’m a visual learner and as I read the passages my mind would recall the scenes from the movie The Passion. Tears filled my eyes as I read about the brutal treatment that was given to my Lord. I thought of how exhausted He must have been, the sadness at betrayal and abandonment of some of His followers, the pain from the beatings and the mockery that He endured. Over and over in the passages it said, “these things happened that Scripture might be fulfilled.”…