John 20:19-23

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

There they were, sitting together, probably discussing quietly, when suddenly Jesus is there with them!!  Not through the door, but somehow He just appears!!  Amazing!  Somehow I always think that was a one time occurrence that would never happen today but then I realized it does happen every day, every moment for believers.  Jesus breathed on the the disciples and they received the Holy Spirit, which is God.  Don't we also believe we have the Holy Spirit living in us now?  Aren't we the temples where He lives?  So Jesus suddenly appearing isn't a one time thing it's something that happens today, with you and me!  He's always with us, do we always remember that?

Attachment at its finest!!

R Before I

When I’m in a business, church, or ministry meeting, my tendency is to get to the issues as quickly as possible. If I give into this urge, I usually regret it.

When we rush into addressing business or ministry issues before we’ve connected with others at a heart level, our discussions are more likely to be guarded, superficial, and even competitive. This often results in less-than-ideal outcomes.

But when we take time to connect personally with others, our conversations are almost always more relaxed, authentic, and collaborative. Such meetings usually lead to better decisions and more fruitful long-term results.

I learned this wisdom principle from one of my dearest friends and mentors, Don Bubna.

Don served Peacemaker Ministries for many years as a volunteer Board member, chaplain, fundraiser, trainer, and highly respected conciliator. Moreover, he was a true friend and confidant, calling me regularly to learn what challenges I was facing, to offer encouragement, and, best of all, to pray with me.

Perhaps his greatest contribution to our ministry and to me was his frequent reminder: “R before I, except after T.” This catchy little saying stands for “Relationships before Issues, except after Trust has been established.”

Don challenged us to apply this principle every time our Board met. He taught us to start our meetings by reading Scripture together, sharing transparently about life struggles, telling of the ways God was refining or comforting us, and joining together in prayer. Having reinforced our personal relationships and our bond in Christ, we entered into our business discussions with greater humility, sensitivity, and willingness to listen to one another.

But that was just the beginning. “R before I” eventually penetrated every part of my life.

When I was dealing with a tense management issue, I heard Don’s voice, “R before I.” If my wife or children frustrated me and I was about to go into lecture mode, there it was again, “R before I.” When I was mediating a volatile dispute … you guessed it, “R before I.” Even when teaching in Cairo or Beijing, I sought to apply his wisdom. Don’s voice and example affected every corner of my life.

Whenever I listened to his voice, I was more successful at navigating difficult problems. I took time to pray for understanding, to listen to others’ perspectives, to ponder their feelings and needs, to affirm their value, and to do all I could to serve them and look out for their well-being (see several model questions in the reflection section below). This deliberate effort to be other-aware never failed to pay dividends.

In contrast, my biggest blunders, both personally and professionally, can all be traced in part to my failure to remember Don’s words.

I recall one failure in particular. I was facing a difficult issue that would impact others deeply. At a time when I should have been especially sensitive to others’ concerns, I failed to invest time and prayer seeking to understand the situation from their perspective and to engage them in a way that protected their interests and feelings, as well as our relationships. As a result, I deeply hurt some people whom I dearly loved and respected.

Whenever I think about that meeting, I can’t help but ask myself, “Why, oh, why did I forget Don’s timeless counsel and proven example?”

And then I smile inside as I imagine what Don would say if he could speak to me from heaven. I know that he would not berate me, but would simply say, “Yes, you stumbled, Ken. Now get up and move on, never forgetting, 'R before I.'”

- Ken Sande

Reflection Questions

• Why do many of us want to “get down to business” as quickly as possible in the meetings we attend? What price do we pay for giving in to that tendency?

• How does Philippians 2:3-4 support the R before I principle? ("Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.")

• How and why can taking time to strengthen relationships by sharing personal concerns change the dynamics of a church, ministry, or business meeting?

• The next time you’re in a meeting, ask these types of questions to help people connect at a personal level:

• Why have you taken time out of your busy life to be part of this meeting (or organization)?
• What’s the most rewarding thing we’ve accomplished together in the last year?
• What are you most thankful for in your personal life in the past two weeks?
• How can we pray for your walk with the Lord? For your family? For your work?
• If you could change one character quality in the next year, what would it be?
• How have you seen the gospel of Christ transform someone or lead to a reconciled relationship?
• What would you do tomorrow if you knew you could not fail?

The closer the group, the more personal your questions can be. The point is to tap into matters of the heart and forge a personal bond that enables you to work whole-heartedly together to advance the mission of your organization.

Permission to distribute: Please feel free to download, print, or electronically share this message in its entirety for non-commercial purposes with as many people as you like.

© 2013 Ken Sande

John 20:10-18

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11 but 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 "Woman," he said, "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 returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your 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.

Shock after shock!  What would you do if you were grieving a loved one and suddenly they appeared?  You would hardly believe it, but here is another instance of God working in Mary so that she would recognize Him and be able to tell the rest of the disciples.  How often doesn't God work in us to do something that He wants us to do and we don't recognize it or give Him the glory for it?  Too often I just think I thought of it myself and give myself the glory or want others to give me the glory.  I need to be more aware of what God is doing in my life, looking for Evidences of God's Grace (EGGs) and then give Him the glory! 

John 20:1-9

1 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, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, 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.)

What a shock!!!  The people who loved Jesus go out to the tomb and He's NOT THERE!!  Wow, what are they to think?  They didn't understand that He had to die, so how could they understand that He had to rise from the dead?

John 19:38-42

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

75 lbs of spices!  Wow that's a lot but this was one way that witnesses could truly say that Jesus was dead.  It meant Joseph and Nicodemus spent time with a body, wrapping it in spices and strips of linen.  The details in these verses are there for us so we really know that Jesus died and was laid in a tomb.  I think this is really important so that we don't easily shrug it off that Jesus died.  Death is so final, but thankfully for us, Jesus' death was not final.  

John 19: 28-37

28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37 and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

How many times in the New Testament doesn't it say "so that the Scripture would be fulfilled"?  This really helps me to see, once again, how involved God is in the details of human life.  He didn't just create the universe and then let it go from there, He kept being and still is being involved in every detail.  Even when we also look at Jesus in this text.  He decided when He was to die.  He deliberately said He was thirsty, had His drink and then decided to die.  We don't do that.  Death often takes us by surprise even as we expect it.  We never know the moment or time of death before it happens, but Jesus did and so at just the right time, He gave up His Spirit and died.  That is powerful!!

I Am Christ's!

Relational Wisdom with Ken Sande

Read in your web browser I wake up some mornings and feel overwhelmed before I even get out of bed. Ministry challenges, relational concerns, personal weaknesses, past failures and future tests swirl through my mind, causing me to doubt myself and fear the day. Time and again, I’ve found encouragement and hope by crawling out of bed, tip-toeing to my favorite reading chair, and seeking counsel from my old friend, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Though he has been dead for over a century, he still speaks to me through his marvelous writings … especially on gloomy mornings. What I especially love about Spurgeon is his intense focus on God, which sweeps away my doubts and fears and renews my desire to engage life and love the people around me. Here is a sample of the encouragement he has offered to me over and over. It is taken from his superb devotional book, Morning and Evening (January 12). “Ye are Christ’s” (1 Cor. 3:23). You are his by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; his by his bloody purchase, for he counted down the price for your redemption; his by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to him; his by relation, for you are named by his name, and made one of his brethren and joint-heirs. Labor practically to show the world that you are the servant, the friend, the bride of Jesus. When tempted to sin, reply, “I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ’s.” Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin. When wealth is before you to be won by sin, say that you are Christ’s, and touch it not. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ’s. Are you placed where others are sitting down idly, doing nothing? Rise to the work with all your powers; and when the sweat stands upon your brow, and you are tempted to loiter, cry, “No, I cannot stop, for I am Christ’s. When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, “Thy music cannot charm me; I am Christ’s.” When the cause of God invites thee, give thy goods and thyself away, for thou art Christ’s. Never belie thy profession. Be thou ever one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Nazarene, whose conduct and conversation are so redolent of heaven, that all who see you may know that you are the Saviour’s, recognizing in you his features of love and his countenance of holiness. “I am a Roman!” was of old a reason for integrity; far more, then, let it be your argument for holiness, “I am Christ’s!” Do you have days when you are discouraged, bitter, fearful, envious, lazy or unforgiving? If so, repeat, with Spurgeon, these powerful words, “I am Christ’s!” Let your identity in Christ sweep away your doubts and slay your temptations. Let it inspire your worship and fuel your relationships. Let it pull you from your bed and catapult you into your day, ready for its challenges and filled with faith, hope, and love. And by the way, if you’ve never spent time with Spurgeon before, I encourage you to buy a copy of Morning and Evening, or download it to your smart phone or tablet, and spend a little time every morning with this dear brother in Christ. - Ken Sande Reflection Questions Read the devotional above out loud, either to yourself or to your family, emphasizing the words, "I am Christ's!" How does that impact you? If it doesn't fill you with joy and confidence, you're not getting it! What discouragement or temptation are you wrestling with today? How does remembering that you are Christ's put things in a different perspective? How does remembering that you are Christ's impact your view of yourself? Of your gifts and talents? Of your weaknesses and failures? Of your duties and calling as a Christian? How does remembering that your are Christ's change how you view and engage the people around you? If you don't already have a good morning devotional, give Morning and Evening a try. You'll be amazed at how Spurgeon's insights will strengthen your relationship with God and with other people. Permission to distribute: Please feel free to download, print, or electronically share this message in its entirety for non-commercial purposes with as many people as you like. © 2013 Ken Sande

John 19: 16-27

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

God is so connected to details.  This passage is so specific in the details God wanted to happen: Jesus HAD to be crucified, everyone HAD to know He was a King, He HAD to be further degraded by the dividing of His clothes, the OT Scripture HAD to be fulfilled, and finally Jesus HAD to show His compassion in passing on the care of His mother to John.  Since God is so concerned with the details leading up to and including Christ's death, in order that I might have a good relationship with God again, He must STILL be so concerned in the details of my life today!!  That's an amazing God we serve!

John 19:1-15

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face. 4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe,Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" 6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him." 7 The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God." 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." 12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." 13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.15 But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.

Have you ever felt exposed, hated, perhaps gone into a classroom to find the students don't want to listen, or tried to get your point across to a group of people and it felt like they were ready to stone you?  You definitely felt like you were not invited into their presence!!!  This is what I imagine Jesus was going through in this scene.  He feels my exposure, my insecurity and yet He did not let that stop Him from doing what His Father had planned for Him.  He had the power to stop the whole proceedings but He went on because He knew He had to be forsaken so that I might live, have eternal life!!  When Adam sinned he passed on that sinful nature to me so that my default position is to do things that are not pleasing to God.  God is perfect and somehow my sin has to be made up to God, His justice has to be fulfilled so He took it out on Jesus because He knows I can't pay for my own sin.  Thank you Jesus, for being my scapegoat!

John 18:28-40

28 Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" 30 "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you." 31 Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. 32 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 34"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?" 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." 38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" 40 They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

What is truth?  That is the question that keeps coming back over and over, no matter what year it is.  Last night we were talking in Women's Society about the Canons of Dordt where it talks about the reprobate, the group of people who do not belong to God's Kingdom.  Here is a true example of a group of people who want absolutely nothing to do with God/Jesus, who are determined to see Him killed.  Even though this is all part of God's plan these people are still responsible for what they did.  This is also the same for us, when we do wrong, we are still responsible for what we have done, however, the wonderful news is that when we truly confess and repent we KNOW that we are forgiven and we do not have to pay back that debt since Jesus did that for us on the cross.  Thank you LORD!

John 18:25-27

25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not." 26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

My grandchild fell off his chair the other day and hurt himself.  His Mom said, I warned you to sit still and yet you keep doing it and now you're hurt.  My grandson says, I know, I know, but it just happens....  Can't you hear Peter fighting this same fight?  I will never deny you, he told Jesus, but here he is denying Jesus at the same time Jesus is on trial, fighting for His life.  This is who we are, when the sinner in us takes over.  That's our default position.  Read Romans 7:7-25 to get another sense of this struggle, but then remember that if Christ can rise from the dead He can surely help me with my saint/sinner struggle too. I will continue to pray for His Holy Spirit to work in my heart and even if I don't feel it, I know and believe He is there.

John 18:18-24

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." 22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded. 23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

Have you ever felt that someone did not understand you, in fact said something to really hurt or judge you?  That's what I think Jesus must have been going through here.  He was so open about His teachings and yet people just did not want to listen, the Jewish ruling council seemed to go out of their way to NOT listen to Him.  This is another example of Jesus understanding what I go through when I can't make people understand.  This is another example of details God is working with to make sure Jesus went to the cross.  What might be the reason God has for not allowing people to understand me or you?  Perhaps to teach me to listen??? or help me understand Jesus' suffering for me???

John 18:15-18

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not." 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

Can you imagine Peter, sneaking around trying to get inside to stay close to Jesus but then having to lie about knowing Him?  Even as he denied Jesus he probably felt bad but because he wanted to stay close he probably justified it in his mind.  That's so easy to do, to justify our actions.  I also often wonder why the other disciple was not questioned, but again it really is about God's plan.  We hear about Peter because God had planned his denial so that later God could use Peter to glorify Him, to teach others about Him.   It kind of blows me away when I think about how God plans these "little" details, days, weeks, months, years in advance of other parts of His plan!

John 18:19-24

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." 22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded. 23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

We had a very interesting sermon yesterday afternoon, where the minister spoke on Jesus' trial.  I always wondered why Jesus had to go through this trial, to be mocked and yet stand up for what was right.  I think I really understood why yesterday because this human trial had to be held so that an important human being, namely Pilate, had to confirm that Jesus was sinless, and yet He had to die!  Earthly government people, and us too for that matter, often think they make all the decisions themselves but truly they, and we, only have the authority that God gives us.  God planned for Jesus to suffer and to die so that our sins might be paid for to God Himself, so that God's wrath against us would not happen.  Therefore even this "trial" was in God's hands and no future generations could say that Jesus may have sinned somewhere along the line and that's why He was crucified.  No, we have historical proof that a human trial eventually deems Him innocent.  Amazing as we watch God's hand in this area too.  Where is God in the details of YOUR life?

John 18:15-18

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not." 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

How do we deny God/Jesus?  This was Peter's first denial at this time of Jesus' "trial", but don't we do this everyday?  When I forget to go to Him in prayer, trying to do things myself first and then, oh yeah, I should pray about this, even though I've actually already made up my mind what to do.  I have to be reminded over and over I can't do this life by myself.  I need my Saviour and His Holy Spirit.  That's what I need to pray for every day, 70 times a day!

John 18:12-14

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

We remember the birth of a unique special man this past Christmas, but now we go forward into 2014.  I would like to wish everyone God's blessings in 2014, as we try to serve Him this year!  May the words of verse 14 resonate in our hearts, "that it would be good if one man died for the people."  That's you and me!  Christ died for us, that we might live in 2014, to imitate Him, to love Him, trust Him, obey Him in our love!!  But together let's also look forward to the day when He WILL return again.  Maranatha, Come LORD Jesus!