Jump, Jump, Jump!

I love watching babies bounce in the jumpy thingy in the nursery! Sometimes, they jump and it starts the music. Other times, the music starts, so they start jumping. It always results in giggles and squeals...and the babies laugh too!

Yesterday, we celebrated Palm Sunday. It's the day we remember that Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people praised with palm branches. It's the day our Savior came!

They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:7-9

 The Hebrew word, "hosanna", was used in the Old Testament only one time with the meaning, "please save" (Psalm 118:25). Like many of our words do today, it began to take on a different meaning in the New Testament, "Salvation has come" (Matthew 21:7-9).

The cry of "hosanna" in Psalms was a plea to save. The cry of "hosanna" in Matthew was a cry of thanks and praise for the Savior who had come. Our Savior has come. He has saved. It's past tense!! So sing "Hosanna" loudly this Easter week! It'll make you wanna jump, jump, jump!!

Bandaids or Stitches?

An incident this week reminded me of the time that I was quickly getting pink ribbons measured and cut for my cheerleaders to wear before a game. I hadn't even cut two before jamming the scissors into my hand. Who does that?? Simple gauze and a Band-aid weren't taking care of the problem. I had to leave the game and go get stitches for the first time in my life!
I spoke to a lady this week whose pink ribbons are her identity and whose scissors are her marriage. Over five years of using the simple gauze of "pretending her life was perfect" has caused infection and scarring. Her marriage is on the rocks, her identity is marred beyond recognition, and she is exhausted from trying to stop the bleeding on her own.
It made sense for me to go to the clinic to get stitches. A few hours of waiting and several days of carefully avoiding overuse of my hand was worth it.Similarly, it makes sense to go to the body of Christ for healing of emotional, spiritual wounds.

James 5:16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

As believers, we know that confession of sins is no longer necessary for salvation and approval before God. However, there is healing found in confessing to each other. The prayers of believers are powerful and effective! When we confess our sins, people can pray for us! We are not in this battle alone! Sharing our hurts, habits, and hangups allows us to find help and accountability. It would be ridiculous for me to have gone into that clinic and tell the doctor that nothing was wrong or to pull the stitches out early. So why do we hide from the healing powers that come from praying believers?
I remember the doctor carefully taking my hand, cleaning it, numbing the area he would be sewing and then ever so gently stitching me up. He gave me instructions to follow that would ensure complete healing. I have a little scar on my hand that reminds me of that time, but there is no more pain, and my hand has been restored to full usage.
When a brother or sister in Christ comes to the church for healing, be gentle, stitch carefully, and give wise counsel. It may take time, but full recovery is the goal. The doctor knew what I needed. I can't imagine that he'd get away with lecturing me on how to hold the scissors while avoiding my bleeding wound. Yet, we'll lecture a hurting member of our body about their particular issue while allowing their wound to go untouched.
It's time for healing. So whether you're the one hurting or the one healing, let's go get some stitches rather than trying to cover up deep wounds with small bandages! 
~Rebecca Phillips

My Freedom Journey (Part One) - New Nature

Jesus paid it ALL. Nothing is still owed.
Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow!

I owe nothing more. The debt has been paid.
I do not have a sinful nature. It's been placed in the grave.
My new nature is Christ's - love, joy, peace, patience
Kindness and goodness, faithfulness and temperance.
I'm still embodied in flesh, so sin crouches at my door.
But sin is not who I am. I'm that person no more!
At times I choose to believe the lies of the devil,
I'm saddened to know I've been deceived by evil.
But I'm no longer guilty. Righteousness is my coat.
Not of works that I've done, it's in Christ that I boast.
I am most me when I'm doing good deeds.
Because that's who Christ is, living in me.
I am completely and fully 100% saint.
Don't call me a sinner, cuz I 100% ain't!
My old nature was crucified with Christ on the tree.
Raised to walk in newness of life. I am now free.

All Things New

 New diet plan. New exercise goals. New Bible reading/study habits. New (you fill in the blank). New Year's Day marks a new beginning. According to an article by Dr. Saad in Psychology Today: "Most people fail to keep their New Year's resolutions - 22 percent after one week; 40 percent after one month; 50 percent after three months; 60 percent after six months; and 81 percent after 24 months.
I would fall into that 22 percent after one week category! I just don't do well with resolutions! I'm so thankful that I live under the new covenant and have a Savior who wiped my slate clean a couple thousand years ago! Because, I would NOT have survived in Old Testament days!
When I trusted Christ as Savior, everything about me was made new. I am no longer bound to a list of hundreds of laws I can't keep! In the gospels (while people were still under the law), Jesus declared the "new" law that He would bring at His death:

Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. - John 13:32-35 (NASB)

 Whew! That's alot easier than keeping the Sabbath! Jesus Christ has given me new life (Rom. 6:4), a new spirit (Rom. 7:6) and a new law! He has made all things new!

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. -2 Corinthians 5:16-21

I don't know about you, but I just breathed a big sigh of relief! How often I forget that I've already had an extreme makeover! I don't have to do ANYTHING!  He has made me righteous. I've never been great at keeping New Year's resolutions anyway, so this year, instead of trying to keep a checklist of actions that make me a "better" person, I'm resolving to walk in the Spirit so that I might "...love the Lord my God with all my heart and my neighbor as myself" (Luke 10:27)! I'm off the hook! He has made all things new!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Some great new reads for 2012 you should definitely get your hands on: