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Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!  [Romans 5:10 The Message] 

Through the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are no longer separated from God, but reconciled with Him.  Jesus’ death on the cross removed our sin, guilt and condemnation – our transgressions no longer alienate us from God.  That is God’s part of reconciliation.  To be fully reconciled, however, we need to receive this gift of God by putting aside our own alienation and hostility toward the power and authority of God.  We need to repent (turn around) and demonstrate our faith in Christ in our day-to-day living.    It is through our repentance and faith in Christ that we will be fully reconciled with God and find abundant life.

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Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.  – John 10:6-10 (The Message)

Salvation — eternal life — is given to the redeemed who trust in Christ. This gift of grace is ours for the asking.  Do we place our trust and hopes in Jesus and the abundant life He promises?  Let’s not be fooled by the sheep stealers who are out only to steal, kill and destroy.

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As we celebrate the wonder of the resurrection, let us take time to give thanks and express our gratitude for a faithful and present God who answers our needs and provides the gracious gift of salvation.  On this day, and every day, let us express our gratitude to God by:

• Seeing His work in our lives and the lives of others
• Rejoicing in His presence
• Praising His creation and giving thanks for all we are given
• Practicing love to reflect His image to the world

Knowledge of our good and gracious God gives us reason to give thanks and express our gratitude each day of our life.

Open wide to me the gates of justice so that I may walk through them and offer praise and worship to the Eternal. This is the gate of the Eternal; the righteous children of God will go through it. I will praise You because You answered me when I was in trouble.  You have become my salvation.   – Psalm 118:19-21 (The Voice)

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I found an interesting timeline of Holy Week on Biblegateway.com (https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/04/holy-week-timeline-visualization/) and shown below. It links relevant Scripture with each day of Holy Week and shows where the various people involved in the events were. On Monday Jesus turned over the tables in the temple. On Tuesday we see the following events:

The encounter with the withering fig tree [Matthew 21:19-22]
The temple debates [Matthew 21:23-23:39]
The Olivet discourse [Matthew 24-25]

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At Bible study last night we got into a brief discussion of why God let bad things happen  – the recent German airliner crash being the recent cause for question.  Lee Strobel delivered a message after the Aurora, Colorado shooting and I want to share key concepts of that speech with you, as I believe he provides a very good explanation. I have a link to the entire address at the end.

Key points are that God did not create evil in the world.  There is evil in the world because people choose to do evil.  God created man with free will – a will to decide whether or not to love and whether or not to choose God.  People choose not to love.  Second, though suffering exists because people have chosen evil over good, God can use suffering to accomplish good.  Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Scripture promises that God will deal with all evil in the world and triumph over it. We wonder why he doesn’t just do that, but  2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  God promises that he has great things in store for us and that while our sufferings here are painful, he has much in store for us that.  Romans 8:18 tells us “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  Finally, it is up to us to decide whether we see evil events and suffering and cause this to turn against or reject God or whether we turn to him for peace and courage.  In John 16:33 we are told “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. But be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Towards the end of the address Strobel states: “it’s not just that God knows and sympathizes with you in your troubles. After all, any close friend can do that. Any close friend can sit beside you and comfort you and empathize with you. No, Jesus is much closer than your closest friend. Because if you’ve put your trust in Him,then He is in you. And, therefore, your sufferings are His sufferings; your sorrow is His sorrow. So when tragedy strikes, as it will; when suffering comes, as it will; when you’re wrestling with pain, as you will – and when you make the choice to run into His arms, here’s what you’re going to discover: you’ll find peace to deal with the present, you’ll find courage to deal with your future, and you’ll find the incredible promise of eternal life in heaven.”

I recommend you read the entire speech.  It’s at:  https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2012/07/why-does-god-allow-tragedy-and-suffering/

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Hope is a key part of life.  When people lose hope they lose their love of life.  People place their hope in many things – themselves, other people, the government,fad diets, psychics, science, education, money – the list goes on and on.  There is only one true source of hope, however, and that is God.  God is faithful and will not disappoint.  When we have faith and place our hope in him, he provides lasting joy, peace and hope — even in times of trouble.  Hope placed in other people, in ourselves, and in things is false hope and will not fail to disappoint in the long run.  God is with us at all times, walking beside us and giving us strength to face our problems and joy to celebrate our successes.  God is our rock — our only true source of hope.

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Hallelujah!  O my soul, praise God! All my life long I’ll praise God, singing songs to my God as long as I live. Don’t put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. Mere humans don’t have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing! God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen.God loves good people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked. God’s in charge—always. Zion’s God is God for good!
Hallelujah!  — Psalm 146 [The Message]

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God speaks to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10-14) with words of hope…hope that the Jewish people will have their lands restored and be removed from exile in 70 years.  With this gracious promise, God offered a prosperous future,  as well as a promise to be beside them throughout their period of trial.  God promises that the Kingdom of God will be with them while they wait to escape their captivity.  This Godly promise, spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, offered a collective future hope for the Israelites that was based on the promise of a faithful God.  Note that God did not immediately release them…God often fulfills our requests in ways other than we ask or expect.  God did however promise and fulfill the hope of the Kingdom of God for his faithful people.  That promise of redemptive hope was once again fulfilled by Jesus and Christians continue to enjoy the collective hope brought about by the presence of the Kingdom of God today.
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”  [Jeremiah 29:10-14]

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God of Hope
by James Gregory

You hold the broken-hearted
You stand beside the weak
You go to those in darkness
And so must we
Your heart is for the outcast
For those we call the least
You lift the broken spirit
And so must we
God of hope
God of futures
You can take a broken heart and make it sing
God of life
New tomorrows
You can shine the light that changes everything
You go to those forgotten
The faces we don’t see
You give Your life to save them
And so must we
A God who speaks, opens graves
With one word our God saves!

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John Piper points out that there are typically three kinds of hope that people routinely express:

1. A desire for something good in the future (I hope daddy gets home early!)
2. The thing in the future that we desire (Our hope is that Jim will arrive safely)
3. The basis or reason for thinking that our desire may be fulfilled (A good tailwind is our only hope of arriving on time)

All of these “hopes”, which we hear in daily conversation, are based on uncertainty – we are uncertain of a result and we hope (cross our fingers) that in the situation we will get what we want.

Christian hope, however is based on certainty – a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.  With Biblical hope there is a moral certainty that God is loving, that His will for us is good, and that He will be beside us in all circumstances.  Christian hope is based on knowing that we have a faithful God.

“When Scripture says “Hope in God!” it means, in the words of William Carey, “Expect great things from God.”  Whenever faith in God looks to the future, it can be called hope.  And whenever hope rests on the Word of God, it can be called faith.   Hope is faith in the future tense.”  [John Piper]

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