Day 5: Somber Thursday: Passover

Our tour through Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.

From Bethany Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how they were to love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their Maundy Thursday services.

Then Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples saying, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of the Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine:

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’ ” (Luke 22:19-20, ESV)

Later Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke’s Gospel says “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44, ESV)

Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours,​ as Jesus’ trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.

Thursday’s events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Day 4: Silent Wednesday

The Bible doesn’t say what the Lord did on Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of the Passover.

Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem. Here Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted him and the disciples during these final days in Jerusalem.

Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him. Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus’ sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.

While we can only speculate, it’s fascinating to consider how our Lord Jesus spent this final quiet day with his dearest friends and followers.

Read More:

Bible Story – Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Day 3: Tuesday in Jerusalem – Mount of Olives

Today our journey with Jesus through Holy Week takes us back to the Temple in Jerusalem and then to the Mount of Olives.

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus taught them about faith.

At the Temple, the religious leaders aggressively challenged Jesus’ authority, attempting to ambush him and create an opportunity for his arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them: “Blind guides! … For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness…Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?” (Matthew 23:24-33)

Tuesday afternoon Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem due east of the Temple. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He taught in parables using symbolic language about end times events, including his Second Coming and the final judgment.

Scripture indicates that Tuesday was the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples stayed the night in Bethany.

Read More:

The events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

For our devotion this week, we are going to spend each day walking with Jesus. Instead of posting one blog on Monday, I’ll post every morning this week. It may be a challenge, and it may take time, but I want you to commit to reading my blog each day this week in remembrance of our Lord and Savior. Every day I am going to post a blog that describes a “day in the life” of Jesus Christ during the week of Easter. Each day will remind you of what happened as Jesus prepared for His death.

Walking by His side and imagining what He was going through will help us all have a deeper connection with our Savior and a better understanding of what Easter is really all about.

I look forward to this journey and growing closer to Him every day.

Day 1: The Triumphant But Humble Entry – Palm Sunday

Beginning with Palm Sunday, we’ll walk the steps of Jesus Christ visiting each of the major events that occurred during our Savior’s week of passion.

On the Sunday before His death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for the sins of the world. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead to look for a donkey with its unbroken colt. Jesus instructed the disciples to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem.

Read More:

• Jesus’ Triumphal Entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

Day 2: Jesus Clears the Temple

Today, we continue tracing the footsteps of Jesus, as Monday morning he returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God’s judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine, living faith is more than just outward religiosity. True faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person’s life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple he found the courts full of corrupt money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” (Luke 19:46)

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

Read More:

Bible Story – Jesus Clears the Temple of Money Changers

Monday’s events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.

Lord we thank you taking these steps to secure our salvation. We thank you for enduring what we could not do ourselves. As we walk with you through Holy Week, I pray that you will give us a better understanding of all that you are, remind us of your love, renew our passion.

We praise you and thank you.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace Every Day!

God’s Artwork

Last weekend I was blessed to be able to take a little “girls trip” to Myrtle Beach. We are taking our youth to the Garden City Beach Retreat Center which is about 15 minutes from Myrtle Beach, SC so we got a group of girls together and took a trip to visit the camp before summer!

First of all, we had a great time! We didn’t schedule, we didn’t rush, and we didn’t have any drama! It was a great trip with some amazing ladies!

Life is short and sometimes it takes slowing down to realize how beautiful God’s creation really is.

Saturday morning, I woke up randomly at 6:45 a.m. so I walked out on the balcony and enjoyed the sunrise over the ocean.

In that brief moment of time, with the sound of the ocean waves and calm of the morning, I was able to reflect on the beauty of God’s creation and thank Him for the things that so often go unnoticed.

My challenge to you this week is to slow down, take a deep breath, and look around…enjoy God’s artwork!

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

The third step to finding God’s will is: Serving. Once you’ve Surrendered your life to God and Obeyed His commands, you can finally Serve Him with all that you are.

Congratulations! If you’ve made it to this point, I can tell you are serious about finding God’s will for your life! You are a dedicated child of God!

Being a servant for Christ means living for His Glory, serving as He served us, and living sacrificially to serve Him no matter the cost.

You can Serve God by simply loving others.

By serving God’s children, helping others, and letting Christ work through you, you are being a true servant of God.

Following the commands of Christ is essential to being a servant and obeying the Lord. One command we hear repetitively in the Bible is “Love one another.”

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

If we love one another like we are commanded to do, we will find ourselves serving each other without even realizing it. We are to do everything for the Glory of God and with a cheerful heart.

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesian 5:21

Every follower of Christ is called to Serve the Lord; however, every person has different spiritual gifts that allow them to serve in different ways. Some people are gifted writers or speakers where others prefer not to speak in front of crowds and work better with small groups or one on one conversations. Others may serve best making meals for families in need, sending cards to shut ins, or even simply sending a text or making a call to check on others. Not everyone is able to travel across the world and work in the mission field every day of their life, but everyone is called to serve.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

My challenge to you is start today finding God’s will for your life, serving the Lord with all your heart, and finding out what spiritual gifts you can use for His Glory.

God made you with a purpose, created you for more than the bad day you are having today, and He wants you to have peace in finding His will for your life.

Start your prayer today asking God to reveal His plan to you. Be quiet about your plans and simply listen to your Heavenly Father.

When you feel like you’ve gone off track and have no idea where to go, remember S.O.S.!

Surrender

Obey

Serve

When a traveler is lost or stranded on a deserted island, they can signal for help by created a S.O.S. symbol in the sand or somewhere noticeable so passing by air crafts will know they are in need of rescue. In the same sense, when you are in trouble, remember SOS and let the Lord rescue you from your struggle and get you back to the life He has planned for you!

May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

Last week we talked about the 1^st step to finding God’s will in your life: Surrender. When you fully surrender your life to Christ, He will guide you in His will and direct you in the way that you should go.

Surrendering to God includes turning away from your sins, fighting your temptations with His Word, and focusing on His will for your life. To fully surrender you must realize that “it’s not about you…it’s only about Him.”

Obedience is the 2^nd step to finding God’s will in your life. Once you surrender to Christ you must wake up each day and choose to OBEY God. Some people believe that salvation is a “magic fix” for all your troubles and once you get saved you are a new person with no struggles, no temptations, and no more sin in your life…but the fact is…it’s not easy. Salvation is a continuous process called sanctification. Every day as a follower of Christ, you must wake up and choose Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. When you choose Christ, you are rejecting the ways of this world and accepting Christ as Lord of all. You’re putting Him before yourself and His will before your own will.

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

It’s not always easy to choose God’s way. Have you ever known God’s will and felt that you weren’t right for it? What about hearing God and questioning His reasoning? What has God called you to do, and you said no? Maybe He’s leading you to the ministry or to a career that you are unsure about? Or maybe it’s the opposite…what if God is telling you quit or move in a different direction in life? It’s not always easy to follow God’s plans…but when you get confused or start to question His will…fall to your knees and pray.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Sometimes, the world will paint a picture that looks beautiful and perfect for your life but God says no…God’s plans are not always our plans, but if you will trust in Him, I promise you will be rewarded.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.                                                       For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Jesus doesn’t want your excuses or want to hear why you can’t give up that friend or that sin that keeps dragging you down, He only wants your surrender and obedience to His will.

Are you ready to obey?

Are you ready to discover His will for your life?

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Have you ever wondered if you are truly saved?

The Bible says in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Every day we are faced with challenges and doubts that can cause us to drift away from God. The devil hates to lose and he hates to see you follow Christ, so stay strong on the path the Lord has set before you and when you start to doubt your salvation, remember that Christ alone is your strength and your refuge.

In the Book of 1 John you can find a checklist for your salvation. If you are having doubts or wonder what it means to truly be saved, I challenge you to read the Book of 1 John and see the love that Christ has for you and what He offers to His Children.

Starting in 1 John 2:4 it says, “The one who says “I have come to know Him (basically I am saved), and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;”

If you say you are truly saved but continue to disobey God and not keep His commandments, the Bible says you are a liar and the truth (Christ) is not in you.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

Here is the Good News: “But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this WE KNOW that we are in Him. The one who says he abides in Him ought Himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:5-6

As followers of Christ, we can KNOW that we are saved and that Christ abides in us because we keep His word and follow His commands. Throughout the entire book of 1 John you’ll see sentences that start out with “BY THIS WE KNOW…” each verse is a part of the salvation check-up list. Read each verse and compare it with your life.

Do you KNOW you are saved?

This one question determines your eternity? Make it a priority to read 1 John and check up on your salvation.

True peace begins with Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or special prayer requests for yourself or friends or family, send me an email and I’ll be honored to pray with you!

May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

Hey Ladies!

Today’s devotion is from one of our awesome Glitter and Grace Teens, Sadie Grace! Thank you Sadie for sharing how God has changed your life and is continuing to work through you each day! May God Bless you for your service to Him!

You can also follow Sadie’s blog at: www.nourished2serve.wordpress.com

Here’s a little bit about Sadie:

Hi there! My name is Sadie Grace, creator of “Grace Fitness”. I’m passionate about Jesus, family, nutrition, and fitness. I’m here to encourage, inspire, and share my story with you all. I’m currently 3 years into my fitness journey and have already learned so much but can’t wait to learn more! The word  Grace to me means something very personal that I’d like to encourage y’all with! G. – grit R.- radiance A.-ambition C.- courage and finally, E.- endurance. All of those characteristics are what I personally aspire to have! I hope you enjoy my website and don’t be afraid to reach out!

Sadie’s Blog:

“I’M ANXIOUS! WHAT DO I DO?” – Grace Fitness

In today’s blog I’m going to be talking about how to cope and deal with an anxiety disorder. *Disclaimer; I’m speaking from personal experience, not professionalism.*

I have had an anxiety disorder for about 7 years now and I must say, it’s the toughest battle I’ve ever fought.
-What is an anxiety disorder like?
* The best way to describe an anxiety disorder is constant racing of the mind and constant fear of unrealistic and uncontrollable things. Such as; the fear of dying, fear of failure, and fear of rejection from those you love.
– I personally suffer with all of those listed above. You must understand that it’s not just a fear that comes every now an again– no. This fear keeps you up at night, wakes you up in the morning, and goes with you throughout the day. The devil is constantly laughing because it’s weighing you down and you constantly feel defeated.
– How do I deal with it?
1.)Spiritual Warfare.
My parents have reminded me thousands more times than I can count that my anxiety disorder is the devil’s way of discouraging me in my walk with Christ. Often times my worst attacks are when I’m sitting on the front pew at church trying to listen to my dad preach. “You’re not really saved,” “You really think God will forgive you for holding a grudge against XYZ?” “Do you remember what you thought about that day last week? God won’t forgive you! who do you think you are?” Those are all thoughts that he piles on top of me when I’m trying to serve The Lord. It’s what you’d call “Spiritual Warfare”. You can’t quit just because it’s hard YOU HAVE TO FIGHT!!!
2.)The Word- when the devil spits lies of anxiety, you have to give that spitfire attitude right back to the devil. He cannot stand the name of Jesus nor can he Scripture. Some things i like to quote when having a panic attack are (Matthew 4) “You must serve The Lord your God and serve Him only.” Or, “Get out of my head in Jesus name.”

3.) Prayer- Our peace, our hope, and our strength is found where God is. He will strengthen you, carry you, and hold you through your anxiety attack. It’s not easy and you probably are so scatterbrained you can’t even think of the words to pray, but simply calling on the name of Jesus and asking him just to be with you is enough. God knows what you need even before you pray– always remember that!

4.) Grit- this has become my new favorite word in the dictionary. I love learning about our Army and Navy. The group that fascinates me the most though is our Navy SEALS. These guys have what you call “True Grit.” They are the elitist of the elite and you literally have to kill them before they give up. I don’t know about y’all but I want the same to be said about me! A lot of times my anxiety just won’t stop no matter what I do to try and prevent it. So i start quoting in my head, “SEALS don’t quit SEALS don’t quit.” Now obviously, I’m not a Navy Seal. But in my head it feels like I’m in the midst of war with the enemy. Don’t quit just because it gets hard, you’ve got to have GRIT! Perseverance, courage, and bravery!

5.) take care of yourself.
When you have an anxiety disorder it drains you. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Don’t let that give you a reason lay in bed all day and starve yourself. everyone is different but I, personally, lose all of my appetite when i’m anxious. In result, that gives the devil more leeway because I’m exhausted and thus, more vulnerable. I’m very passionate about fitness because of many different reasons but a huge one being it helps my mind relax tremendously! I highly urge you to go for a run, lift some weights, and do yoga instead of taking medication for your anxiety.(obviously though, if you are currently on medication don’t just up and quit. That is very dangerous– make sure you consult with your doctor first!) Also, make sure you are properly fueling your Temple! Eat lots of veggies, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. What you eat is so much more than losing weight, but it’s also HUGE for your mental state.

Shower daily and get lots of sunshine. God has blessed us with beautiful creation that we can enjoy! For me personally, walking in the field outside my house gives me so much peace of mind, I feel close to God.

Anxiety is not for the fainthearted, it’s a battle that is constantly going on in your head though others can’t see it. You’ve got to always remember that God is sufficient, nothing takes him by surprise, and HE is your strength. 💗

GLITTER AND GRACE RESPONSE:

Sadie, I applaud your strength while fighting this battle! Anxiety is not for the fainthearted but the sad part is – the majority of teen girls are facing this battle every day! In my years of ministry, the main struggle that is common among all teen girls is anxiety. We all worry, we all stress, and we all have racing thoughts that keep us up at night. It’s a battle that the devil loves to attack people with, but the truth is, the only way you can fight back is with the WORD, with PRAYER, and WITH CONSTANT FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST. We live in a world of uncertainties and it’s important to stay focused on the one thing we know will never change, and that is God’s love and His Grace for us. Stay focused on Him and don’t let the worries of this world distract you from your true purpose!

Love and Grace,

Kayla Rampey