Was there a Better Way?

Written by Thomas Yoon


Continued from page 1

What did we do?

There were grumblings fromrepparttar people, especiallyrepparttar 126616 older generation. They became agitated, lost their mood, and became discouraged. However, some of our more sober members came back to their senses and very quickly came out with an alternate plan.

The program forrepparttar 126617 retreat was very specific. The mass wasrepparttar 126618 time forrepparttar 126619 disciples to be sent forth, to make disciples of all nations. It was planned to berepparttar 126620 last event. We were now required to attendrepparttar 126621 mass before we could finishrepparttar 126622 other parts ofrepparttar 126623 retreat. Obviously, this would upsetrepparttar 126624 whole plan.

Allrepparttar 126625 facilitators voiced out their concerns during our meeting that dragged on untilrepparttar 126626 wee hours ofrepparttar 126627 morning. Finally we came out with an idea for a community meal where we can still be sent forth byrepparttar 126628 attending priest. Some parts ofrepparttar 126629 program were rescheduled.

The mass started at 8:00 a.m. Allrepparttar 126630 participants forrepparttar 126631 retreat occupiedrepparttar 126632 North wing ofrepparttar 126633 church.

What happened duringrepparttar 126634 mass made me completely speechless!

Allrepparttar 126635 hymns and their messages, fromrepparttar 126636 beginning torepparttar 126637 end of repparttar 126638 mass, were totally in line with what we had wantedrepparttar 126639 participants to experience.

The 1st reading was Is 49:3, 5-6. It talks about being Light torepparttar 126640 Nations and being appointed to be a servant to bring back His people. "Because of you, people will praise me."

The psalms, Ps 40:2, 4, 7-10, talks about He making me secure when I trust inrepparttar 126641 Lord, and willingness to do God's will; "Here I am, and how I love to do Your will" and not keepingrepparttar 126642 news of Salvation to myself but sharing with others.

The 2nd reading, Cor 1:1-3, talks about being called to be God's holy people.

And finally,repparttar 126643 Gospel was Jn 1:29-34, that talks aboutrepparttar 126644 baptism of Jesus by Johnrepparttar 126645 Baptist.

Inrepparttar 126646 homily,repparttar 126647 priest stated very clearly thatrepparttar 126648 readings were about discipleship. He explained that St. Johnrepparttar 126649 Baptist, being such a well-known person would humble himself and was able to accept being placed in a lower position when Jesus Christ came.

What an announcement! Here we were trying so hard to bringrepparttar 126650 message torepparttar 126651 participants and nowrepparttar 126652 whole church was reinforcing repparttar 126653 message we wanted to proclaim. Allrepparttar 126654 songs were sung to reinforcerepparttar 126655 message and it was sung byrepparttar 126656 whole church congregation, and choir complete with music, visuals and all!

Each timerepparttar 126657 priest mentioned about discipleship, we sitting atrepparttar 126658 pews would nod our heads and smile to each other. Tears came upon some of us, realizing how God's ways are so different from our ways, and that He will provide more and accomplish more than what we can do by our own efforts.

On reflecting onrepparttar 126659 whole sequence of events that took place, it dawn upon me that one ofrepparttar 126660 things mentioned inrepparttar 126661 priest's homily was obedience - it was one ofrepparttar 126662 marks of discipleship. Was he trying to test our spirit? If he did, I think we had passedrepparttar 126663 test by submitting to his authority and not opposing him.

Whenrepparttar 126664 mass was over, we came out of it in awe. God has provided more than what we had hoped for.

The book of Proverbs fromrepparttar 126665 Bible provides wisdom on right living. Our compilation of "50 Secrets of Truth and Life" might help bring people to study scripture. Done in pictorial form it is a lighthearted way of looking at Bible Proverbs. Perhaps that might just open up people's hearts...

Many years of involvement in Engineering and Discipleship has given the author material for writing e-books and articles related to engineering, management, and right living. He has also produced an ebook on "50 Secrets of Truth and Life" that is fully illustrated with cartoons in a humorous way.


Passover

Written by Terry Dashner


Continued from page 1
3.The lamb was to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5). Jesus was without spot or blemish (I Peter 1:18-20). Duringrepparttar crucifixion week, Jesus was examined by many in fulfilling this Scripture, includingrepparttar 126615 chief priests, Pilate, Annasrepparttar 126616 High Priest, Caiaphas, Judas,repparttar 126617 Centurion, andrepparttar 126618 repentant thief. 4.The lamb was ofrepparttar 126619 first year (Exodus 11:4-7; 12:5). The firstborn of both man and beast was to be set aside and given to God. The theme ofrepparttar 126620 firstborn runs throughoutrepparttar 126621 Bible. Cain was set aside for Abel. Ishmael for Isaac. Esau for Jacob, and Egypt for Israel. You see,repparttar 126622 firstborn afterrepparttar 126623 flesh is set aside to bring forthrepparttar 126624 firstborn afterrepparttar 126625 spirit. In this process, God distinguishes betweenrepparttar 126626 first or natural birth andrepparttar 126627 second or spiritual birth. The first birth constitutes us as sinners andrepparttar 126628 second birth makes us believers and children of God. Jesus wasrepparttar 126629 firstborn of Mary (natural) andrepparttar 126630 firstborn of God (spiritual). 5.It is a male. It was through one man’s sin…Romans 5:12. Adamrepparttar 126631 first male sinned; therefore, a firstborn male must make atonement for man’s sin. 6.It is a lamb for a house. God’s intention was that all (households) men should be saved. The lamb was a lamb for a house. By believingrepparttar 126632 Lamb of God, we become members ofrepparttar 126633 household of faith. Prophetically, this is progressive. For example, Jesus was first a Lamb for a house, then a Lamb for a nation (Israel), and then a Lamb forrepparttar 126634 world. 7.A Passover lamb was to be killed betweenrepparttar 126635 evenings. The Biblical day goes from evening to evening, from sundown to sundown, which is roughly 6:00 PM to 6:00PM. The day is divided into two 12-hour periods. Each 12-hour period is further divided into two smaller portions—6:00 AM to noon isrepparttar 126636 morning part ofrepparttar 126637 day. From noon to 6:00 PM isrepparttar 126638 evening part ofrepparttar 126639 day. The phrase, “betweenrepparttar 126640 evening” refers torepparttar 126641 period ofrepparttar 126642 day that goes from noon to 6:00 PM, which is exactly 3:00PM. This would berepparttar 126643 ninth hour ofrepparttar 126644 day. 8.The whole assembly shall Kill it. Every person who has lived on this planet, except Jesus Christ, has sinned. We are all guilty of our sin before God. It was you and I,repparttar 126645 world, that murdered Jesus. He died forrepparttar 126646 guilty ones—you and I. 9.The blood must by applied torepparttar 126647 door. We who believe arerepparttar 126648 house of God. The only way intorepparttar 126649 house of God is throughrepparttar 126650 door. Jesus said that He isrepparttar 126651 door. His blood was applied on our behalf to enterrepparttar 126652 house of God. 10.The body ofrepparttar 126653 lamb must be eaten. It must be eatenrepparttar 126654 same night—Jesus was crucified, suffered, and diedrepparttar 126655 same night. It must be eaten with unleavened bread. Leaven speaks of sin. Unleavened bread is without sin. As believers, we are instructed to live holy lives before God. It must be eaten with bitter herbs. This speaks torepparttar 126656 grevious burdens carried by our sin. It also speaks to our lives after accepting Jesus—Those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. 11.The lamb must be eaten in haste. (Self explanatory). 12. It’srepparttar 126657 Lord’s Passover. God provide everything in our redemption, evenrepparttar 126658 faith to believe. 13.It is a memorial. God remembers us throughoutrepparttar 126659 generations. We must pass along His word to every generation. 14.It is to be observed atrepparttar 126660 going down ofrepparttar 126661 sun. 15.It isrepparttar 126662 place where God would put His name.

Faith Fellowship Church…PO Box 1586…Broken Arrow, OK 74013…Pastor Terry Dashner

16.Not a bone ofrepparttar 126663 lamb was to be broken. 17.There was to be an explanation ofrepparttar 126664 service. Jesus explained each part ofrepparttar 126665 Passover as He didrepparttar 126666 service at His last meal. 18.The Egyptians were spoiled atrepparttar 126667 Exodus. Satan was spoiled byrepparttar 126668 death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. 19.The males must be circumcised to eatrepparttar 126669 Passover. Inward circumcision ofrepparttar 126670 heart happens when we receive Jesus. 20.The Passover feast was to be a holy convocation, and no work was to be done. Matthew 11:28 21.The Passover must be killed outsiderepparttar 126671 gate ofrepparttar 126672 city. 22.There is healing power inrepparttar 126673 lamb (Exodus 15:26). Jesus carried our sicknesses and diseases in His own body uponrepparttar 126674 tree. 23.The Exodus was on eagle’s wings (Exodus 19:4). Has God promised to carry us on eagles wings? 24. They sang a song of rejoicing torepparttar 126675 Lord. When we are delivered from bondage, we are made new and now have reason to “make melody in our hearts.” 25. Israel isrepparttar 126676 firstborn of God.

Keeprepparttar 126677 faith. Stayrepparttar 126678 course. Jesus is passing your way today.

Pastor t.



Pastors a small church in Oklahoma. 918-451-0270


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