Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Jesus - I AM the Resurrection and the Life

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? 

Thank you for the opportunity to share the Extravagant Love of God with you during this Easter Season. For more devotionals throughout the year, see my blog: BreathingRoomForMySoul.com  Donna Oswalt, Mangrove Ministries ]

EASTER SUNDAY!

Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in Me and will never perish. John 11:25-26 NLT

Easter Sunday is full of joy, praise and hallelujahs that celebrate once again Extravagant Love! His love not only precedes us, it exceeds us. Resurrection marks the transition between life and overcoming death. His resurrection bears the marks of His Passion for mankind. This Everlasting Grace conquers the spiritual death. With certainty we find our Blessed Assurance even in the darkest times. The resurrection of Jesus restores life, offers new life to all, and gives enduring peace. Holy, Holy, Holy; Holy is the LORD. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. 

• Celebrate the resurrection; consider Extravagant Love. 
• Share the resurrection; offer Christ to another.

Holy One, such love wraps my life with assurance of life, and Grace weaves my life into Your community of believers. Mark me as Yours; restore my soul. Hallelujah to the Love Most High! - dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Christians

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Jesus came and told His disciple, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 NLT

A.W. Tozer: People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: they face only one direction, they never turn back, and they no longer have plans of their own. Those who profess their faith in Christ become part of His church. To be part of Christ’s church is to become the heart and hands of Jesus. Not only in thought but in words, not only in words but in deeds, we are to be Christ to others. Before returning to the Father, the last words Christ offers His disciples is to go and make disciples and  teach these new disciples. As followers Christ, we are to focus on Christ, be persistent and intentional, and choose God’s plan. Which way are you going? 

• Will you put down your agenda and follow God’s plans?
•  Re-read the Scripture. Find Christ’s promise.

Jesus, You come to each of us, find us exactly where we wait. I want to turn my eyes toward You, let my heart be open to the needs You see. Fill my mouth with Your Words. Let my life be marked for You. Thank You, for always being with me. – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Transition

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Good Friday

And they all continued in amazement and great complexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" Acts 2:1-13 NASB

These first verses of Acts 2 describe the beginning of Pentecost. This is the day God sends the Holy Spirit. The disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in other languages. Symbolically, the languages confirmed that God's children would come from all nations. This marked the transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to the beginning of the church. All people can come into the Kingdom of God.

Weeks earlier, we find Christ arrested, beaten, and crucified. His death confuses those who had followed Him. Most all of them desert Jesus; fear rules. Believing that Jesus would become an earthly king; confusion and chaos take control. The cross, too, is a time of transition, a time of uncertainty. Who is this Jesus anyway?

Today, we often let fear rule; confusion and chaos disrupt. We live in uncertain times. Our mark of transition is when we choose to live for Jesus. This spiritual transition is just the beginning of the everlasting life that comes only through Jesus. Choose Life!

• Can you mark your transition from lost to redeemed through Christ? 
• If you Choose Life, will you share this Everlasting Life with someone else?

Jesus, the cross gives me the opportunity to change, to make a commitment to serving You. In silence I consider the cost of my soul. The cross always wears the mark of transition from death to life. I choose Life! – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of the Nails

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Maundy Thursday

But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

John20:24-25 NRSV

From fellowship to betrayal, so goes this day over 2,000 years ago. Christ knows His path, but the disciples do not understand. Now, over 2,000 years later, Christians can recount the story and explain its meaning because we have the Holy Spirit to lead us and teach us about God's word; yet, if we are honest, we struggle with understanding how God could love us so much.

Isaiah 49:16 God said, "Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." God makes is clear that He will not forsake us, that His compassion and mercy will be with His children. This is the mark God bears. Jesus wears the mark of the nails, signifying His unfailing, unconditional love for His own. He has us engraved on the palms of His hands. Jesus bears the marks of total surrender, wounded and pierced for the sins of all people.

• Write down words to describe the Divine Love. 
• Do you believe God really, really loves you? Believe it!

Love Most High, this unconditional love You give to me is more than I can understand. Just knowing that Your hands are engraved with Divine Love for everyone makes me fall to my knees. I do believe! - dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Love

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." 

John 15:12-13 NASB

Jesus models sacrificial love and expects us to love like He loves. The verse most people quote from the New Testament is John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. This sacrifice of God is the greatest example of love. 1 John 3:16 reminds - We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Scripture tells us over and over to love God, to love with our whole heart, to love one another. It also reminds us not to love the world or the things of the world. Love comes from God, and we know how to love because God loves us. If we love, God abides with us. Genuine, sincere love marks the heart of a Christian. For us today, to lay down our lives for another can mean that we simply postpone an errand, decide to skip a movie, or lay down any personal agenda to help another in need.

• What is your favorite Scripture about love? 
• Have you ever put down your own life moments to lift up another"? What did you do?

Father, love sounds so right and feels so good, but sometimes it is so hard to do. Touch my eyes to see others as you see them. Help me love like You love. - dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of God on the Heart

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

It's the mark of God on your heart. . . Romans 2:25-29 MSG

For centuries the Israelites use circumcision as a mark of their covenant with God, beginning with Abraham. Don't forget, however, that God makes His covenant with Abraham BEFORE he is circumcised, not because. This is a mark that distinguishes God's people from foreigners, Still today, as over many years, this mark of God remains important to the Jewish people. 

When Jesus redeems the soul, His grace covers our sins, and we are baptized as our symbol or mark of our relationship with Christ. Circumcision as an outward mark is no longer necessary; rather, God wants our hearts to be circumcised, wants our heart's inward promise to mark our faith in Him.

• Read Genesis 17 for the account of God's covenant with Abraham.
• Jeremiah 4:4 says to "circumcise your lives for God"; Deuteronomy 6:5 explains. What does this mean?

Lord, You are greater than anything or anyone. You alone are worthy of Worship. I want the world to know I love You, I trust You, and depend on You. - dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”