Are you Connecting The Dots?

Ephesians 6:12
¹² For we^[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.
Hebrews 4:16
¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

About three weeks ago, I joined a Tuesday morning Zoom Bible Study.  Well, today is Tuesday, so this morning I got up eager and ready to go.  Although it was quite early by my standards, I got dressed and even had my makeup on pretty early.   I can’t tell you just how excited I am about this study.  There are one hundred and forty like-minded women in my profession, that are in this study.  So, I was ready to hang out with my girls and learn more about Jesus.

Things were rolling along quite well this morning, as I was preparing to get onto the morning Zoom.   My breakfast smoothie was made.  I had my book for the study and my Bible, and I was ready to go.  However little did I know, that my computer had decided to side with the enemy.  No matter how many times I tried,  I could not get the link for the study to work.   After trying several times, my husband decided to try and help me out, and he even got the same results that I had gotten.  I was so frustrated because by this time ten to fifteen minutes of the study had gone by.   I had looked forward to this study for three weeks and here I was missing it.

While all of this was going on, I realized that I didn’t bring anything to the table to write on.  I had a brand new spiral notebook, that I had put to the side just for this study.   Will you please tell me why I couldn’t find it?  Everything was falling apart.   While my husband continued to try to pull the Bible Study up on the computer, I got up and went to my bedroom to look for my spiral notebook.   I didn’t see it anywhere.   All of a sudden I connected the dots.  The enemy was trying his best to block me from participating, and hearing from God through this study.  He wanted no spiritual growth from me.

I even got a text from a friend that I had invited to join, saying that there was something wrong with her link to the study.  Please trust me, when I tell you that Satan was putting up a fight.  Trust me also when I tell you that the devil is a liar.

While I was in my bedroom I started to pray.  I asked God to please help me to find my spiral notebook.  The very next moment He led me to the notebook.  As I was about to go out of my bedroom door, the Holy Spirit prompted me to take my iPad to the table and try it instead of the computer, and WOW, it worked.   All I can say is the power of prayer!   

If God worked through that one short prayer to shut the enemy down, imagine how powerfully He could work in our lives if we prayed without ceasing, as He commands us to do in His word.  Satan is on his job 24/7, therefore we cannot relent, we cannot cease from praying.  We must always be prayed and powered up.  Don’t let your spiritual battery run low.  Stay powered up through prayer and through reading God’s word.

Most importantly connect the dots.  When things like this start to happen, know that it is straight-up spiritual warfare. The resistance is Satan taking a stand against, what is good for you.  Start praying immediately and remember you must fight a spiritual battle, with spiritual weapons, and prayer is the greatest of spiritual weapons.  Pray on my sisters! Pray on!

Something to remember:
Greater is He that’s in you than, than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Romans 12:12
¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Are You Asking For Help?

Have you ever been burdened down, with the weight and stress of something that you were trying to accomplish on your own?   I certainly have.  This past week I was working on a goal that I am trying to accomplish, with a deadline that is drawing near.  I could tell that I was starting to stress over it, and quite honestly starting to worry, and wonder if I could get it done in the allotted time.

Now we all know that to worry is a sin.  Yet, I was headed straight down that sinful path, when the Holy Spirit gently whispered in my ear; “ask for help, let people know what you are trying to accomplish”.  Initially, for a second or two, I resisted the idea.  When I look back on it now, it is crystal clear to me, that I was being prideful in resisting a solution that totally made sense.  When I came to my senses, I realized that it was exactly what I needed to do.  I started the process of contacting people asking if they would be willing to help me reach my goal, and the response was amazing!
I found out that people care, and that they are actually willing to help when they know that you are in need of help.  And the only way that they will know that we need help, is we if ask for it.

The more that I have thought about it, I have come to the conclusion that there are several reasons that we do not ask for help, the first of which of course is pride. Many times, we are embarrassed to let others know that we are in need of help.  For some reason, we think by asking for help, people will think less of us.  Another reason that we may not ask for help,  is that we assume that no one can do the job as well as we can, and that would definitely be considered a pride issue.  In addition, we do not want anyone to think that we are not capable of handling the responsibility of the job, and the list could go on and on.  Remember all of these reasons, and hundreds more are simply traps that the enemy has laid to keep us from moving forward.  Do not fall into his trap.

If you have ever experienced any of the reasons that I have mentioned above, as your reason for not asking for help, remember that God created us not only to need Him but also to need each other.  We were meant to be a community and a family that share one another’s burdens.  We accomplish nothing by trying to be Super Woman.  If you have been playing the Super Woman role, and it has not been working for you,  it is time to take your cape off, and scream for help.  Whether it be at the office, or at home if you need help ask for it.   No one benefits when we are tired, burned out, and worn out.  Be ok with asking for what you want or need.  You will be blessed for asking and others will be blessed for responding to your request, it’s a win-win for everyone.

20 Benefits Of Being A Christian Part 2

Psalm 103
¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins   and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit  and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
⁶ The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,  his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love
⁹ He will not always accuse,  nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,  and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

God provides for His children.

Philippians 4:19
¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23:1 
The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need.

12.  He gives us strength for our journey.

Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will become weak and tired,  and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

13.  The blessing of living a peaceful life.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Psalm 85:8
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Proverbs 16:7
When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
Jeremiah 29:11
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

14:  Christians experience joy.

Proverbs 10:28
The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.
Psalm 16:11
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.^[a]

15. God helps us.

   Psalm 33:20-22
We put our hope in the Lord.  He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
   Psalm 121:1-3
1 I look up to the mountains—  does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,   who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

16.  God protects us.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³  He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation—  so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
Psalm 46:1-3
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

17.  God gives his children good things.

Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

18.  God has a purpose for our lives.

Ephesians 2:10
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

19.  We can pray and bring our petitions to God.

Isaiah 65:24
I will answer them before they even call me. While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
1st John 5:13-14
¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
Matthew 21:22
²² You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
John 9:31
³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.

20. We have victory over sin.

Romans 6:13-14
¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 10:13
¹³ Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 15:57
⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.Galatians 5:1
5 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
James 4:7
5 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

20 Benefits Of Being A Christian Part 1

Today I would like to share a few of the benefits of being a Christian.
1.  As Christians we have hope for an Eternal Life with God.
 John 3:16
16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 John 10: 28-30
28  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my
hand.  29  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all [a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  30  I and the Father are one.”
 1 John 2:17
17  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
.  God will not forsake those that seek Him.
   Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.
   Deuteronomy  31:8
8  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

3.  Christians have access to wisdom for living life.
   Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
   James 1:5
5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to you.
   Ecclesiastes 2:26
26  To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to
the sinner, he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the
one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, chasing after the wind.

4.  Healing 
   Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore you to health  and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you
are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’
   Psalm 30:2
LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
   Exodus 15:26
26  He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes,
if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you
any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
5.  Support from fellow Christians and our Church Family.
Galatians 6:10
10  Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those
who belong to the family of believers.
  Galatians 6:2
2  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
  1 Thessalonians 5:11
11  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing.
  Hebrews10:24-25
24  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds,  25  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
6. Guidance from the Holy Spirit
   Acts 13:2
2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for
me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
 Romans 8:14
14  For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
   Matthew 10:19-20
19  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that
time you will be given what to say,  20  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of
your Father speaking through you.

7.  As Christians we have hope.
1 Peter 1:3-6…….
3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,  4  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is
kept in heaven for you,  5  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  6  In all this you
greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials.
    Romans 15:13
13  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Romans 5:1
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [a]  have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
  Psalm 39:7
“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. 8.  We are never alone.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
     Joshua 1:9
9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
   Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.
   1 Chronicles 28:20
20  David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do
not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you
or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

9.  No matter what we face, God will work it for our good.
 Romans 8:28
28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who [a]  have been called according to his purpose.

10.  We can never be separated from God’s love.
Romans 8:38 
38  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, [a]  neither our fears for today nor our worries about
tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

The Blessing Is In The Valley

I was talking to a friend yesterday and the two of us were discussing, some of the difficult things that we had personally experienced in the past year regarding health.  Please be clear, this was definitely not a whining session, it was just two friends sharing their hearts and experiences.

I told her that although I had gone through a very difficult year, I had no complaints.  God has been so incredibly good to me, that I dare not complain.   As we continued talking about our valley experiences, I shared with her,
that it was so interesting to me, how we all want that mountain top experience all of the time.  However, if the truth is known, it is during our most difficult seasons in life, that we experience our most significant spiritual growth.

While we are waiting for God to rescue us from our dark valley, and to lead us to higher ground, amazing things start to happen.   We suddenly start to remember that we really do need God’s help, and we start to reach out to Him more in prayer and through camping out in His word. We also start to realize that we really and truly do have a friend in Jesus.  Most importantly, we start to realize, that we have a loving, caring Father who sustains us in every way. He sustains us spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially, and when we can’t take another step, He picks us up and carries us through our difficult season.

I think our Father’s love becomes more evident to us in the valley because we are already leaning in, waiting to hear from Him regarding our situation.   We start to run to Him each day, seeking comfort and direction.  As we draw nearer to Him, He draws nearer to us and thus the spiritual growth begins.  So the next time you enter your valley season kicking and screaming, remember that although it does not seem like it at the time, God is blessing you because God is the blessing in the valley!

Psalm 23:4
⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley,^[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Micah 7:7
⁷ But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Isaiah 40:31
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 62:5
⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Only God Can Satisfy

H ave you ever thought, I will be so happy when I finally get my next promotion at work, or my new car, or my new house?   It may even be that you have thought, when I get my new designer handbag I will be so happy.  Honestly, the list could go on and on. 

 If we are honest, it seems that we are always reaching for something.   I think that we are always reaching because things don’t bring satisfaction and joy and that we initially think that they will.   There are some people who think, if I could only meet the right person, I would be so happy.  They soon realize that there is no true satisfaction in people, just as there is no true satisfaction in things.   The only lasting satisfaction and joy that we will ever have are in Jesus Christ.   He is the only one that can fill our empty cups with joy.

 You see happiness is based on externals, whereas joy is based on our spiritual wellbeing which works from the inside out.  Happiness is fleeting, whereas joy can last indefinitely.   As long as you are in a relationship with God you can experience a joy-filled life.  The next time you are tempted to seek fulfillment in someone, or something other than God, pray first and ask yourself what I really hungry for am.   Usually, the answer almost always turns out to be, time alone with God.

  Don’t miss the signal.   It will be like craving chocolate and eating broccoli, expecting it to satisfy your craving for chocolate.  It will never work.   No matter how much broccoli you eat, you will still be craving chocolate until that craving is satisfied with chocolate. 

 When the desires of this world are trying to pull you into its web, reach for God first, and more than likely your cravings will be satisfied.    Remember, no matter how shiny the car is, or how big the house is, or how handsome the man is, God and only God can truly satisfy.  Have a joy-filled day, as you seek fulfillment in God and God alone.

     HAPPY EASTER

Isaiah 53: 5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.
1st Peter 1: 3
³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

As we all look forward to celebrating Easter this coming Sunday, I thought I would share with you what the word Easter means to me.

E – Eternal Life

  John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 11: 25
²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
John 10: 27-30
²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

A – Amazing Grace

Ephesians 1:7 ESV
⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

S- Sins Forgiven

    Isaiah 43: 25
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
 Acts 3: 19
¹⁹ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
  Ephesians 1: 7 ESV
⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
 Micah 7: 18-19
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us, you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

T- Triumph

 Colossians 2: 14-15 ESV
¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[a] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.^[b]

E- Empty Tomb

 John 20:1-18
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for? “Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and you’re God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

R- He is Risen

    Mark 16: 5-7
⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
  Roman 6: 4
⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
  Luke 24: 46-47
⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Because of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross,  we have an Eternal home prepared for us with Him.   What joy that should bring to our hearts.  Praise God for His unfailing love and His Amazing Grace!

The Donkey And The Palm Branch

I am writing my blog this time, on the day that we observed as Palm Sunday, which is the first day of Holy Week.  Holy Week is the week leading up to Good Friday, which is the day of Jesus’s crucifixion.  Easter is the following Sunday when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the grave. Some also call this day Resurrection Sunday.

After watching a church service this morning.  I decided to share a few things for those who may not know what the palm branches and the donkey are symbolic of, as we hear about Palm Sunday and Holy Week this week. Let’s read the scriptures first:

Matthew 21:1-5
21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,  ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”^[a]
John 12:12
¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
Zechariah 9: 9-10
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
¹⁰ I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River^[a] to the ends of the earth.

Are you as amazed as I am that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, chose to enter Jerusalem in a humble manner?  He sent for a lowly donkey to make his triumphant entrance.    You see Zechariah had already prophesied that the coming king would bring peace. The donkey is an animal of peace whereas the horse is an animal that is symbolic of war.  Although Jesus’ entrance here is one of peace, when He returns for His second coming He will be riding a horse and waging a righteous war.
Revelation 19: 11-16
¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice, he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
King of kings and Lord of lords.

The palm branch symbolizes the four following things:

1. Victory over sin.
1st Corinthians 15: 56-57
⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
 Romans 6:14
¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master because you are not under the law but under grace.
2. Triumph over death.
Revelation 1:18
¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
 Romans 14:9
⁹ For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
3.  Peace
John 14:27
²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
 Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.
2nd Thessalonians 3:16
¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
 Isaiah 9:6
 For to us, a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
Eternal Life
John 10: 28-30
²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”
 1 John 5:13
¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 John 3: 36
³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Palm Sunday is not the only time that we hear of palm branches being used.  Revelations speak of another time, when we all will hold palm branches in our hands, and what a joyful day of celebration that will be!

Revelation 7: 9-12
⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² sayings:

“Amen!
Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Praise God!!!

My prayer is that Holy Week will be a week when we will all really take time to focus on the gift of grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness that we have been given by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  May God bless you to have a wonderful Easter!