What Is Easter Sunrise?

I got up with the birds, and you know they get up before sunrise. I was, therefore, able to have my Easter Sunrise Service looking out of my window. 

This pic is not very good because it is a little cloudy this morning. My camera is not a powerful one either. I'm sharing this image anyway for those who don't have a way to look out and see the sun rising. 

I praised and thanked Jesus for being obedient to Our Father and giving His Pure Blood and His Unblemished Body for the world and for me. I quoted scripture and sang songs about Jesus. 

I was thinking about how happy we are that He Arose, and how people who don't know Him find it hard to believe. People who don't have reborn spirits and who are not empowered to live by faith don't see anything to believe in. 

We know that The Resurrection is true because the Word tells us that He is Our Hope of Glory. He is The Resurrection and the Life. Without Him there is no life. I'm just happy this morning that I was able to get up and do this simple act of faith and remembrance. 

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:5-6 

Palm Sunday 2025

Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025.

Palm Sunday which is the Sunday before Easter Sunday and the start of Holy Week for Christians is a feast day commemorating Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem on a Donkey (symbolizing peace versus a horse which symbolized war).

Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday

The name Palm Sunday comes from the palm branches the crowd scattered on the ground in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. Many churches today will celebrate the day with other tree branches (Yew, Willow, Olive, and Box) as many climates are unable to grow the Palm tree.

From CalendarDate.com

Sweet Smelling Savor To God

Daniel answered and said: 

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 

He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. 

I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You.

Let us be like Daniel. Send up a sweet-smelling savor, a sweet incense of praise to Our Father today and everyday!

Where Is That Church's Cross?

I enjoy contemporary churches and modern-day worship. What I don't like is that so many church building designs have removed the symbol of the Cross of Christ. It's just a religious icon to many and we are also told in the Word to not embrace anything as an idol. A cross on a church building is special to me though.

Whether at the top of a steeple or on the façade of the church structure, a cross is regal and dignified. It lends an air of holiness to the property. Approaching a church and looking up at a pristine cross always leads me to think of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and all that he did for me at Calvary. Whether white, silver or colored, a cross is a lovely symbol of the righteousness that I now have through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

I have seen new-construction churches without a cross included in the outside design.

Many churches today are also housed in unusual structures like shopping centers and storefronts. Some church organizations acquire buildings that were not previously churches. Sometimes these churches erect a cross somewhere on the non-traditional structure or they include it in a renovation. They too value the comfort of the symbol of Christ's obedience to his Father. They want to see it whenever they enter their house of worship.

Some church designs have the cross included but in an inconspicuous way. You have to look closely to see it. What is the purpose of it if it is not obvious? The symbol of our Lord's sacrifice should not be hidden.

I can have a wonderful time of worship and be just as blessed in a church building without a cross on it but I would miss it. Think about the classic brick or wooden church building with the very tall, slender, white steeple piercing the blue sky. What is at the pinnacle of that steeple? A small, white, perfect cross, symbolizing the pure perfection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. So beautiful to behold! 

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All images in this post are from Google.

Merry Christmas! God Bless!

 

Holiday Blessings 

To You And Your Family

From 

Draw Nigh To Hope

Remembering Christ At All Meals

The food and drink that we consume daily are not the true life through which Christians survive, though we need them to keep our dying bodies alive for this short period on earth. When we allow any meal that we take to represent The Communion or The Eucharist, we are acknowledging that our daily, entire lives are found in Jesus Christ.

We are remembering that we live and have our nourishment through him whom God has appointed as the only Savior of mankind. As many times as we eat daily, it can be a sacred event where we take a moment to recognize Christ.

When we acknowledge Communion in this way, our daily meals become a representation of the eternal life of the soul, which each Believer has obtained through the shed blood of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It also gives us many more opportunities to remember God's beloved Son.

Choosing to remember Christ at all meals does not need to replace the formal ritual of taking Communion with our churches or ministries. It can be an additional, Holy way to submerge ourselves daily in Christ, to walk in the Spirit more often.

I believe that Jesus meant that whenever food and drink passes our lips, remember Him, until he comes back for us. How blessed it can be to remember Him that often!

I Corinthians 11:23 

Other names for The Communion or Eucharist are The Sacrament, The Lord's Supper, The Last Supper, Holy Communion, Blessed Sacrament and Sacrament of the Altar.

Proclaim The Lord's Death Till He Comes

Allowing each meal that we take to be a reminder to remember Christ Jesus, His sacrifice for us and that we live through Him.

How To Take Communion In Faith

Thoughts on the traditional, formal, infrequent taking of The Communion.

Proclaim The Lord's Death Till He Comes

 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the new church, that he had founded at Corinth, the message for all of us today, that we should proclaim the Lord's death till he comes. (I Corinthians 11:23) He is reminding us all of what took place in that upper room when Jesus had his last meal with his Disciples. 

Jesus was telling them that whenever they had a meal, to remember that though He died in the flesh He was coming back again. He was saying let your eating and drinking of sustenance be a reminder that I was resurrected and I am returning to resurrect those who have died and rapture (change) those who are still alive on the earth at that time.

What does proclaim mean? It can mean to claim and act as if. It can mean to affirm. When we choose to claim the belief that Christ is coming back, we act everyday as if we know that he is. By our actions of taking a moment to remember him when we eat and drink, we affirm that we believe Jesus is alive and coming back.

When we choose that every meal that we take will be a reminder and proclamation of Christ's resurrection and return, we then have more opportunities to remember Christ. What about the Eucharist? What about Communion?

There is nothing wrong with practicing these formal procedures and traditions. Churches, ministries and Christian groups do it differently. Some have group Communion once a week, some once a month, some occasionally, some at special events. Some use grape juice and I imagine that some use fermented or alcoholic drink because they feel that they are being true to ancient, middle-eastern tradition.

Some use crackers, some use bread. Some insist on unleavened bread and other types of baked goods. There is no perfect way that Jesus meant for us to remember him when we eat and drink. 

If we take it the way that Jesus meant it, we will find ourselves with daily opportunities to remember him. That will be many more chances than if we recognize only formal Communion services.

When we only embrace the Eucharist events, we have a tendency to forget about Christ until the next Eucharist. It's as if we are being told that this is the only valid time that we can formally honor the resurrection and return of Our Savior.

In the Upper Room, Jesus Christ was giving each person a way to remember him everyday, as often as they each ate, whether they were together or not. If they ate together, fine. If they ate alone, fine. If they ate with a group of Christians, fine. If they ate with their families, fine.

I take Communion by myself at home whenever I remember or am inspired to and with whatever I have. I don't feel that I have to have a certain bread, cracker or drink to make it valid. My heart is valid before God. 

I am also training myself to remember, whenever I sit down to eat a meal, that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was resurrected from his death, is at the right hand of my Father God and is returning for me one day soon, whether I have died or am alive.

  

Christmas Begins With Christ

It doesn't matter whether or not December 25 is the actual birth date of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It doesn't matter which or what type of manger he was laid in.

Nor does it matter where is the exact location of the inn or the type and construction of the stable where they stayed.

In other words, the particulars don't matter to God and neither should they matter to us.

It matters that we grow in understanding and appreciation of just what our Lord & Savior has done for us.

It matters that we learn to love and respect Our Heavenly Father, who loved us so much that he sent Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb.

The Christmas season is because of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of Our Father even now, praying and interceding for us till the end of time. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

 

How To Take Communion In Faith

I was reading I Corinthians 11:23-34 this morning and taking Communion. I began to think about the burdens that Christians put on each other about the Eucharist. The scriptures 27-33 seem to some to mean that we must go over, recount and acknowledge our sins before we can take part in the Lord's Supper. While it can be helpful to clear our minds of ill will, we can't ensure, through a few quick thoughts, that we are perfect.

In verses 28-29 we are encouraged to discern the Lord's body as we take Communion. We are to perceive that Christ's sacrifice on the Cross cleansed us from unrighteousness. We are to recognize that He is at the right hand of the Father always intervening on our behalf. When we remember, at the time of Communion, that the Blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is able to cover our transgressions, past, present and future, we have discerned the Lord's body. These are thoughts that we should enjoy daily.

We can read the Bible daily and pray with sincerity so that the cleansing power of prayer and the transformational power of the Word is continually converting us. This will help us to exist in a state of discerning the body of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Take Communion with faith. Don't be afraid.