WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Words of encouragement taken straight from Scripture. They are from Romans 8:35-39 (NIV):

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And from 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV):

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

HOLY WEEK--WHO ARE YOU?

Approximately 2000 years ago yesterday people lined the road into Jerusalem waving palm fronds and yelling:
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the king of Israel!"
The people along the road wanted to proclaim this man, Jesus, their king, the long-awaited Messiah. The one who was going to save them from the tyranny of the Romans and establish his kingdom. How many times have we wanted Jesus this for us? Walking along beside Jesus was his twelve closest friends and followers. Among them was Peter who would with John prepare the Passover meal; who would have none of Jesus washing his feet and then beg Christ to wash his whole body; who would deny him three times? How many times have we denied him? Near Jesus was Judas who would betray him for 30 pieces of silver. How many times have we betrayed him? There were the remainder of his twelve who would scatter upon the arrest of Jesus? How many times have we scattered when something fearful and dreadful has happened to us? Following close behind were the hundreds of disciples who had been following Christ faithfully until he said he was "I am". Upon hearing this they followed him no more. How many of us after hearing Christ proclaim he is the "I AM" follow him no longer. And finally, there was those who cheered him on Sunday and cried crucify him at Jesus' trial. How many times have we been filled with bitter disappointment and hopelessness and cried "Crucify him!"
For anyone who answered yes to any of these questions, which I might suspect we all fall into one of these categories, there is good news!! For this, only the Scriptures themselves  can proclaim the Good News. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." And,Ephesians 2:8 and 9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--- and this is NOT (emphasis mine) of yourselves, it is the gift of God--- not by works so that no one may boast." There is nothing you did that is greater than any sin committed in the previous paragraph. Christ lived this week for you, for me. He loved each one of us that much!!