You Have A Part To Play

Each one of God’s children
Has a special part to play
Whether it be great or small
We are needed every day

If your part seems very small
Don’t feel you’re insignificant
Don’t feel that you can’t offer much
And you wouldn’t make a difference

Though you’re tempted to give up
And let another take your place
Remember God gave you your gifts
And you cannot be replaced

And these gifts that God has given
He longs for you to share
You’re just as important as anyone
So don’t be in despair

The only one who matters most
Is watching for your part
With much anticipation
And excitement in His heart

So do not disappoint Him
By not taking your cue
Though you think it unimportant
This part is made for you

Don’t let God walk away
With a disappointed heart
Because you felt so unworthy
Of your very special part

The parts that we’ve been given
Isn’t based on size at all
But rather on the abilities
And the gifting of the Lord

For each part is important
To make the whole thing work
So do your part with enthusiasm
And know that you have worth

 By M.S.Lowndes

That's My King ... do you know him?

احدث ظهور....يسوع يظهر للطفل السوري ورد

يسوع يظهر للطفل السوري ورد

On the road to Emmaus

Let us consider first the lessons learned from the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. This beloved Gospel story from St. Luke; (24:13-35) is a very human story, full of pathos; stylized in pattern, suggesting a Eucharistic celebration (vv. 30-32). The disciples come with their questions and doubts (vv. 13-24); the Scriptures are recited (v. 27); words of clarification and instruction are exchanged on the road (vv. 25-27); and finally, the moment of recognition comes in the context of a meal (v. 31). The narrative concludes with the disciples' return to the community in Jerusalem, only to find that the good news of the Resurrection has already been made known to those who patiently waited for Jesus in the Holy City.

Jesus approached the disciples in their blindness on the road and led them to sight. As soon as they recognize him after the bread is broken, he disappears from their midst. They are both able to look back over the past few hours and see how Jesus slowly brought them back to faith (v. 32) and helped them discover the meaning of the Messiah's suffering, death and Resurrection.

Cleopas and his companion slowly journeyed through the darkness and desperation of faith. They had to discover a new God's Word and God's Envoy: the Risen Lord. Their initial sadness, non-understanding and disbelief are transformed into joy as they eagerly listened to the explanation of the Scriptures on the road, and as their eyes were opened at table in Emmaus. The "Good News" descended from their head to their heart, and they experienced that strange and wonderful feeling of their hearts gradually being on fire.

The journey motif of this passage is not only a matter of the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus, but also of the painful and gradual journey of words that must descend from the head to the heart; of a coming to faith, of a return to a proper relationship with the stranger who is none other than Jesus the Lord. The Evangelist Luke's picture of the dejected disciples can help us to recognize how difficult the struggle is for the world, and for each of us to yield to God's purposes. Jesus' disciples are unable to understand that he must suffer, and this failure is connected with a series of other personal: failings evidenced in the Scripture stories.

The Lord always listens to us and is always there. It is part of the Lords' pedagogy with regard to his disciples to always listen to them, especially when times are hard, when one has fallen, experiences doubt, disillusionment and frustration. His words make the hearts of the disciples "burn", they remove them from the darkness of sadness and desperation, provoking in them the desire to remain with him: Stay with us, Lord.

The dejected disciples begin to change only when they are enlightened by the risen Christ, who explains from the Sacred Scriptures how God works in a resistant world and among resistant, sinful people like us. It is indeed an ironic victory because the forces of rejection and experiences of suffering and sinfulness, themselves, become the means by which God's purpose is accomplished in the world! For Cleopas and his unnamed companion on that first Easter, their journey was a gradual, painstaking process requiring a careful remembering and re-articulation of the events of salvation history found in the Scriptures, along with an experience of the Risen Lord. It is no less the same for 21st century Christians who continue to interpret the Scriptures in this day and age, and move from faith-filled insights to a proclamation and lived experience of the One who is truly risen from the dead.

Thomas Rosica

Easter Sunday: Resurrection

Within three days Jesus’ followers went from heartbroken sadness to triumphant jubilation. The cross screamed, “The End,” making them feel hopeless and helpless. But the resurrection trumpeted, “The Beginning,” bringing confidence and courage. The cloud of doubt and despair that had shrouded them melted away and was replaced with unshakeable faith.

Can you imagine how they felt when they realized Jesus had risen from the dead? Suddenly hope came alive; now everything He had said was validated as truth. They had not believed a lie. His victory over death was the acid test that forever sealed their sure conviction that He was the Messiah.

We commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross with solemnity, but the resurrection calls for thunderous applause, praise, and song. All the blessings that come our way through the Savior’s cross are confirmed by the resurrection. It proved that the Father was satisfied with the Son’s payment for our sins. Now we can know that our transgressions are forgiven and we’re eternally secure.

What’s more, Jesus promises that we, too, will be resurrected and given new bodies. Physical death could not hold Him, nor will it overpower us. Because He overcame the grave, His followers have the same kind of life He has—eternal and indestructible.

As Christians, we have the right to celebrate Easter with great rejoicing. Because of this event, our lives have been forever changed. We’ve been transformed and given new life. With unwavering faith, we trust the Bible because Christ’s power over the grave proves He can and will fulfill every word.

Dr. Charles Stanely

Why did jesus choose women as witnesses of his resurrection?

Schreiner writes, "Even though the testimony of women was not received by courts…Jesus appeared to women first, showing again their significance and value as human beings.

 

Borland, another conservative, comments on the significance:

Why were the women chosen as witnesses of the resurrection? Was God bestowing a special honor on these women? Was God trying to indicate larger roles for women in His new community of believers? I believe both were intended. All four Gospel writers bestow a great honor on the women who lovingly and with servant hearts came early to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body, thus paying their last respects…. These women led the way in proclaiming the gospel…. The duty and high privilege of witnessing for Christ is still open to every believer, without distinction as to gender.

Good Friday: The Lamb of God

Jesus is called by a variety of names—Messiah, Lord, Christ, Rabbi, Teacher—but the one that is probably the most unfamiliar to the modern world is the Lamb of God. Since most of us do not have a Jewish background, we have a limited understanding of this title. But the Israelites of that day understood the significance of this name. Lambs were for sacrifice.

God has always dealt with sin through the blood of sacrifices. When Adam and Eve sinned, an animal was slain to cover the nakedness and shame of two individuals (Gen. 3:21). On the first Passover, eachhousehold covered their doorway with sacrificial blood (Ex. 12:1-7). Later, a goat was slaughtered for the atonement of the entire nation (Lev. 16:15). Now in John 1:29, we see the ultimate sacrifice—the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.

Usually a person’s most impressive achievements are completed while he or she is alive, but think about what Jesus accomplished through His death. Just as innocent animals had died in place of the guilty, so Christ gave His perfect life for sinful mankind. He assumed full responsibility for all our sins and took the punishment that we deserved. As He hung on the cross, the judgment and wrath of God was poured out on Him instead of on us.

Since we are limited by our human minds and senses, we cannot fully understand all that the Lamb of God endured to bring us salvation. But we know enough to realize that we owe Him our lives. He took our place on the cross; let’s give Him first place in our hearts.

If I do not wash you, you have no share with me...

John 13:8

Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Let’s see the lesson or picture Jesus taught His disciples in John 13:1-20. During the Feast of the Passover Jesus rises from the supper pours water in to a basin and starts washing the disciples’ feet and wipe them. He comes to Peter, but Peter refuses the Master not understanding what Jesus is doing, says,” You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answers him,” If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.” Then Peter thinks if it must be, then I’ll get all of me washed, since all of me is dirty.

In verse 10 Jesus responds, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” In John 15:3 Jesus says, “Already you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”

Firstly, all who believed and believe in Jesus to be their Redeemer are those who are COMPLETELY CLEAN. Those who have heard the Gospel of Jesus and believed in Him are justified.

Secondly, those who are thus made completely clean in God’s sight still do get their feet dirty because of dirt from within and dirt from without – THE FLESH and THE WORLD.

Thirdly, our pride like Peter’s keeps us from coming to Jesus to have our feet washed from daily use and dirt. Our pride/self-righteousness says, ‘by now I should have been less dirty, less sinful within.’ (I admit there is also great ignorance in us of how God makes us holy, namely less of self and more of Christ seen in my life, though not less of sin in our flesh, that’s why it says,” put off the old man" (not, change the old man); and "put on the new man" (not, put on the act of Christ, but let HIM live)).

Fourthly, if we don’t let Jesus wash us daily from our defilements He says, “you have no share with Me.” Precisely, it’s the benefits of His death and life that we could not share in with Him, if we don’t let Him wash us from our daily sins and shortcomings by coming, confessing and believing in the Blood of Christ to forgive and wash us.

Fifthly, don’t some of us say? ‘Lord wash all of me, I’m lost I never knew You, save me.’ That’s despair speaking, because of the unconfessed and unwashed sins from daily life accumulate and weigh us down. That in turn makes us despondent and despairing. Could it be why we feel so much darkness in our hearts at times? Look what John says in 1.John 1:6,7 that if we walk in the light we have fellowship with Him and we are cleansed continually from all sin, but if we walk in darkness we cannot have any fellowship with Him (nor with any brothers and sisters) – NO SHARE WITH HIM. No joy, no peace, no strength, no fullness of Christ to live through us in our experience can be the only result of such refusal to be washed daily by Jesus.

Sixthly, do we see that this is OUR GREAT LORD AND TEACHER that stoops down to do this humiliating washing FOR US SINNERS, that He loves to the end?

When we look at this mirror what do you and I see in our hearts? Do we come to Jesus to wash us from our daily defilement, our sinning and shortcoming of what we ought to be?

But here are other lessons to ponder in this portion of Scripture - like humbling ourselves in serving one another, and forgiving each other.

The word, “but not every one of you”, not all of you are clean", is obviously not clean, unwashed, unsaved Judas.

Dear brother/sister, let not our pride that says,’ I want to be like Jesus first and then I’ll go to Him’ stop us from coming to Him, as the hymn says,’ JUST AS I AM’. May our eyes be always on Him, not on ourselves, not on what I am, but on what He does in us and through us.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).

Easter Brings Hope

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

— John 11:25

Easter is not about brightly colored eggs, wearing pastels, or enjoying a big meal, although it could include these. Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

For some, Easter will be a great day, spent surrounded by family and friends. But for others, it will be a sad day, because Easter is a reminder of a loved one who has died and is now desperately missed.

Death seems so cruel, so harsh, and so final. That is what the disciples were feeling when they saw their Lord, whom they had left everything to follow, hanging on the cross. They were devastated. Death had crushed them. But if they would have gone back in their memories, they would have recalled an important event and statement Jesus had made.

They would have remembered Jesus standing at the tomb of his close friend Lazarus. They would have remembered that Jesus did something completely unexpected: He wept (see John 11:35). Jesus wept, because He knew that death was not part of God's original plan. Humanity was not meant to grow old, to suffer with disease, or to die. But because of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin entered the human race, and death followed with it. And death spread to all of us. Jesus wept, because it broke His heart.

But standing there at Lazarus' tomb, Jesus also delivered these hope-filled words: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). Death is not the end. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ proves it.

If you have put your faith in Christ, then Easter means that you will live forever in the presence of God. Easter brings hope to the person who has been devastated by death.

Greg Laurie

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When God Has Another Plan

Easter Is for Second Chances

But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."

— Mark 16:6–7

Do you need a second chance today? On the first Easter morning, Peter needed one. There in the Upper Room, he had insisted that he would never deny Christ. But just as Jesus had predicted, Peter not only denied the Lord, but he denied Him three times. The last glimpse Peter had of Jesus before His crucifixion was in the glow of the fire in the high priest's courtyard, where he actually made eye contact with Jesus. And then he went out and wept bitterly.

What kind of look do you think Jesus gave Peter when their eyes met? Do you think it was one of those I-told-you-so looks? Do you think it was one of scorn, as if to say, "How could you betray Me?" I don't think it was either one. I think it was a look of love, a look of compassion that said, "I still love you, Peter." And I believe that is why Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had failed the Lord so miserably. He probably thought there was no hope for him.

But then a message went out from the empty tomb that Jesus had risen, followed by these instructions, "Go, tell His disciples—and Peter. . . ." It was not, "Go tell the disciples, including Peter, James, and John. . . ." It was just Peter, because Peter needed a special word of encouragement.

Do you need encouragement today? Maybe you have fallen short. You didn't plan on it, but it happened. And like Peter, maybe you ended up with the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time, ultimately doing the wrong thing.
God gave Peter a second chance. And He will give you one, too—because Easter is for the person who needs a second chance.

Greg Laurie

فيديو رائع ...خواطر عابر الى المسيحية- من هو المسيح؟

مستحقو الملكوت ... متى 20

متى 20

فان ملكوت السماوات يشبه رجلا رب بيت خرج مع الصبح

 ليستأجر فعلة لكرمه. فاتفق مع الفعلة على دينار في اليوم وأرسلهم إلى كرمه. ثم خرج نحو الساعة الثالثة ورأى آخرين قياما في السوق بطالين. فقال لهم اذهبوا انتم أيضا إلى الكرم فأعطيكم ما يحق لكم فمضوا. وخرج أيضا نحو الساعة السادسة والتاسعة وفعل كذلك. ثم نحو الساعة الحادية عشرة خرج ووجد آخرين قياما بطالين فقال لهم لماذا وقفتم ههنا كل النهار بطالين. قالوا له لأنه لم يستأجرنا أحد قال لهم اذهبوا انتم أيضا إلى الكرم فتأخذوا ما يحق لكم. فلما كان المساء قال صاحب الكرم لوكيله ادع الفعلة وأعطهم الأجرة مبتدئا من الآخرين إلى الأولين. فجاء أصحاب الساعة الحادية عشرة واخذوا دينارا دينارا. فلما جاء الأولون ظنوا انهم يأخذون اكثر فاخذوا هم أيضا دينارا دينارا. وفيما هم يأخذون تذمروا على رب البيت. قائلين هؤلاء الآخرون عملوا ساعة واحدة وقد ساويتهم بنا نحن الذين احتملنا ثقل النهار والحر. فأجاب وقال لواحد منهم يا صاحب ما ظلمتك أما اتفقت معي على دينار. فخذ الذي لك واذهب فأني أريد أن أعطى هذا الأخير مثلك. أو ما يحل لي أن افعل ما أريد بما لي أم عينك شريرة لأني أنا صالح. هكذا يكون الآخرون أولين والأولون آخرين لان كثيرين يدعون وقليلين ينتخبون

هذا المثل ضربه السيد المسيح ليشرح الآية السابقة (30:19) ويتضح هذا من (مت 16:20). أن آخِرين يكونون أولين.

والمثل مأخوذ من بلاد الشرق حيث تعود الفعلة الأجراء أن يتجمعوا في مكان معين من القرية، وياتى أصحاب المزارع إلى هذا المكان ليؤجروا بعض العمال للعمل في حقولهم نظير اجر متفق عليه. وهذا المثل قاله السيد في بيرية (عبر الأردن ). أثناء ذهابه للمرة الأخيرة إلى أورشليم. ومعنى المثل هو الخلاص لجميع الناس، فالأمم وهم أصحاب الساعة الحادية عشر لهم نصيب في الملكوت تماماً مثل اليهود أصحاب الساعة الأولى، اى الذين عرفوا الله منذ أيام إبراهيم وإسحق ويعقوب. وبنفس المفهوم فالخلاص هو لجميع التائبين الآن مهما تأخرت توبتهم. فالدينار إذاً هو دخول ملكوت السموات، هو الخلاص، وهو الخير الذي سيقدمه الله لكل مؤمن تائب. ولنلاحظ أن المساواة هي في دخول الملكوت للكل. ولكن داخل الملكوت فإن نجماً يمتاز عن نجم في المجد (1كو 41:15). الفعلة = هم كل البشر الذين يدعوهم الله للحياة معه وخدمته.

آية(1):- رجلاً رب بيت= هو المسيح كلمة الله الحى، رب السماء والأرض. الخليقة السماوية والأرضية هي بيته الذي يدبر أموره ويهتم به. كرمه= هى الكنيسة التى بخمرها يفرح الله. والله يدعو الكل لكنيسته. وما أجمل أن نرى السيد يدعو الكل لكنيسته، طوال ساعات النهار، فهو يدعو الجميع ليخلصون وإلى معرفة الحق يقبلون (1تى 4:2). خرج = الله هو الذي يبادر بالحب. فهل كان أحد يتصور أن هناك حلاً للموت.

آيات (2-6):- الساعات هي بحسب التوقيت اليهودى، فالساعة الأولى هي الساعة السادسة صباحاً، هي بداية تكوين الأمة اليهودية حين دعا الله إبراهيم. ثم الساعة الثالثة هي التاسعة صباحاً الآن. والسادسة هي الثانية عشر ظهراً الآن. والحادية عشرة هي في نهاية النهار هي ساعة دعوة الأمم بعد إنقضاء النهار اليهودى.أي لقد إقترب وقت إنتهاء علاقة إسرائيل بالله. وأيضاً تشير الساعات هذه لأن الله يدعو الإنسان في كل مراحل عمره، وحسنا لو إستجاب حتى لو كان في الساعة الحادية عشرة، أماّ لو تكاسل فالثانية عشر تشير للموت فهى تأتى بحلول الظلام ونهاية اليوم أي نهاية العمر. إن الصوت الإلهى لهو موجه للبشرية كلها خلال كل الأيام وكل مراحل العمر. الصوت الإلهى لا يتوقف ما دام الوقت يُدعى اليوم (عب 13:3). ولكن إذا كان المثل يُفهم منه أن الله يقبل أصحاب الساعة الحادية عشرة، فهذا لا يعنى أن نؤجل توبتنا لسن الشيخوخة فمن يعلم متى تكون نهاية عمره، الساعة الحادية عشرة هي التي تسبق الموت مباشرة ولا تعنى سن الشيخوخة. وأيضاً لماذا نؤجل التوبة وفيها أفراح وتعزيات.

7: ولاحظ أن أصحاب الساعة الحادية عشرة ما كانوا ممتنعين عن العمل، بل لم يستأجرهم أحد فهم ليسوا معاندين ولا مقاومين لله بل لم تصلهم دعوة الله، أو لم يفهموها. هم كانوا راغبين في العمل وليسوا متكاسلين.

6: بطالين =إشارة للأمم وقد صاروا بطالين كآلهتهم الباطلة وإشارة لكل من يسير وراء شهواته وخطاياه فهو بطال إستأجره الشيطان.

      v         ولنأخذ مثالاً، فالمسيح دعا بولس الرسول في منتصف حياته بعد أن كان بطالاً مضطهداً للكنيسة، كان اخِراً فصار أولاً إذ إستجاب.

      v         لقد إنحطت البشرية وسقطت بسبب الخطية ولكن الله في محبة لم ينتظر أن تصعد إليه البشرية، بل هو الذي يبادر بالخروج ليدعوها فترتفع اليه.

            الدينار= هو دخول الملكوت والبقاء فيه في حياة أبدية والتمتع بشخص المسيح. وهذا ليس لبرٍ فينا إنما هو عطية من الله لأنه صالح =لأنى أنا صالح. هذه عطيته تعبيراً عن جوده الإلهى وكرمه. وهذه العطية ليست عائدة على أعمالنا بل عائدة على كرمه، فالنعمة هي عطية مجانية لا تعطى لأعمالنا بل هي محبة من الله ورحمة. فمهما عملنا، هل كان أحد يستحق أن يتجسد المسيح ويموت لأجله ويفتح له باب السماء. هذا معنى حصول الكل على نفس الدينار، فدخول السماء بإستحقاق دم المسيح لا علاقة له بأعمالنا. ولكن نكرر 1) النعمة الآن أي عمل الروح القدس فينا وإمتلائنا به متوقف على جهادنا، فالنعمة لا تعطى إلاّ لمن يستحقها، حقاً.. المسيح مات لأجل الكل مجاناً.. لكن التمتع بثمار صليبه يحتاج للجهاد المستمر. 2)لن يكون الكل متساوون في المجد، بل كل واحد سيكون له بحسب عمله. الكل يدخلون (المؤمنون التائبون) ولكن نجماً يمتاز عن نجم في المجد.

آية (11):- تذمروا= أشارة لتذمر اليهود على قبول الأمم، وتذمر الأخ الأكبر للإبن الضال. وهذا التذمر راجع للحسد، وكان حرياً بهم أن يفرحوا لخلاص الكثيرين ويفرحوا بلطف سيدهم ورحمته إذ أنعم على الآخرين بالملكوت، ولكن هذا الحسد دفع اليهود لرفض المسيح فصار الآخِرون أولون.

آية (15):- أم عينك شريرة =إشارة لحسدهم. ولاحظ أن تذمرهم معناه أنهم لم يجدوا لذة في العمل لحساب الله بل هم عملوا فقط لأجل الأجر. وكان هذا هو منطلق التفكير اليهودى والفريسى، ومن يتشبه بهم حتى الآن، أن هؤلاء يعملون ويخدمون الله ويطلبون الأجر المادى ويحسدون من يكافأه الله ويعطيه أكثر منهم، وهذا راجع لحب الذات. هؤلاء لا يرجع تذمرهم لحرمانهم من شىء وإنما يرجع للخير الذي ناله الغير. عينك شريرة =حقود.              لأنى أنا صالح= أي كريم أعطى بسخاء.

آية(12):- إحتملنا ثقل النهار والحر= وماذا يساوى هذا التعب بجانب المجد المعد لأولاد الله. المشكلة أن هؤلاء كانوا يعملونه بروح العبودية فلم يشعروا بأى تعزية، بل شعروا بثقل النهار وحره.

 القس أنطونيوس فكري

رسامة كورية شابة ترسم الجحيم بطلب من يسوع