Simple + Southern Sunday No. 24

April 5, 2015~ Faith, Simple + Southern Sunday

He is risen!

“When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride”
–Issac Watts

“He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.
Come, see the place where he lay!”
Matthew 28:6 “The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely
glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ’s death
and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself
so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring
his infinite beauty”
–John Piper
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that
in him we might become the righteousness of God”
2 Corinthians 5: 21

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace”
–Helen Lemmel
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we
might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds
you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have
now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls”
1 Peter 2:24-25 “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!”
-Issac Watts
“Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God’s story never ends with ashes.”
–Elisabeth Elliot “For if we have been united with him in a death like his,
we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection
like his”
Romans 6:5^“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ”
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
“Death has died, love has won! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Jesus Christ has overcome
He has risen from the dead!”
-Lacey Sturm “Jesus paid it all, All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow!”
-Elvina M Hall“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection,
and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…”
Philippians‬ ‭3‬:10 “Behold him there! the risen Lamb,
my perfect, spotless righteousness;
the great unchangeable “I AM,”
the King of glory and of grace!”
–Charitie Lees Bancroft
“Your blood has washed away my sin…Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied… Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table… Jesus, thank You”
-Pat Sczebel

^“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for
us all—how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things? “
Romans 8:32
“Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die!”
-Matthew Bridges

A very special thank you to Katy for all the beautiful photos!

“I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”
Psalm 122:1

Linking with: Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict ,Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers

TGIF

April 3, 2015~ Faith

TGIF – an acronym that is commonly used to express how glad we are that the weekend is arriving. While it usually means “Thank God it’s Friday”, it can also mean “Thank goodness it’s Friday”. TGIF is a big deal with various other representations and influences including the name of a restaurant chain, a website, and a TV show just to name a few.

Weekends – don’t we just love ‘em! Fact is, we can be obsessed and fanatical about our end of the work week plans. I passed a large billboard this morning advertising a local chocolate festival to be held on an upcoming Saturday. Sounds like a sweet time. Very inviting. I may attend. A week-end hike in the Rockies!

I am aware that lots of folks work weekends. I understand this because for years I had a job that required that I work most weekends. But even then, I looked forward to the activities I could squeeze in between shifts. And even more exciting were those occasional weekends I had off! A week-end close to home on Weiss Lake!

Most of us work all week with Friday in mind. Wednesday is even called “hump” day. A lot of people get off a little early on Friday. Friday afternoon traffic is the worst! Our typical wardrobe most Saturdays from October through January!

Sporting events do occur all week, but not like weekends. All kinds…from College Football to NASCAR to well, you name it! Parties, cookouts, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, golf, yard work, gardening, eating out, attending events, attending church, or just relaxing. A complete list would exhaust us-weekends are huge! Take Super Bowl weekend for example. Seth and Jimmie Johnson on a week-end at Bristol!

From Friday’s anticipation to Sunday’s culmination, it’s a treasured time. Is one weekend more important than another? Has there been one more meaningful, more significant than any other? I have to say that the answer is yes. I am aware of “a weekend of weekends”. I have adopted my own acronym for this one, AWOW. Consider the most important one in the history of the world. A Friday that had been anticipated before we existed, followed by a Sunday that culminated just as planned and predicted. And everything that took place Saturday (a study within itself) makes even our best weekend plans and activities seem uneventful! What we love about Sunday!

On a Friday almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus, God’s Son, was nailed to a cross. He was crucified for crimes He did not commit. How’s that for a start to a weekend?! He died, but just before He did, He cried out “It is finished” (See the Bible, John 19:30). He was going through with His weekend plan and nothing would stop Him. Then on Sunday, to bring things to a conclusion, He rose from the dead and left the tomb He had been placed in. What a weekend! We must consider why He willingly subjected Himself to such an agonizing start to this particular weekend-a weekend with all of us in mind. AWOW.

What will you do this weekend?

What will you do about Jesus’ weekend?

TGIF – “Thank God it’s Finished”

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do
you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son
of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you,
Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my Father who is in heaven”
Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭13-17‬

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl

The Question

April 2, 2015~ Faith

It has been so fun and exciting welcoming spring into our home and lives over the past few weeks! We wanted to give you all a recap of what we have shared so far! While everything is cheery and bright in our home, there is a dark day approaching. We all know that tomorrow is Good Friday, the day Jesus was put to death-on a cross. For you and for me.

We want to direct our attention to Pontius Pilate. Pilate was the Roman governor, and was basically in charge of the execution of Jesus. There was much talk about crucifying Jesus, and possibly in the depths of his heart, he wanted to do what was right. But to do what was right in the sight of God and the sight of man were opposing views. Pilate was more concerned with Caesar and the crowds than with Jesus. But his need to make a choice ultimately led him (and leads us) to this question…

‘Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”’
Matthew 27:22

Pilate was on to something. He knew that this Jesus that stood before him demanded a response-and there were and still are only two options.
Do we deny him or do we bow down in surrender?
There is no way around it. And this isn’t something that just Pilate had to face. We live in this reality today. To not fully surrender to him is to deny him. But as believers, we can joyfully surrender to who he is in his life, death, and resurrection.
In his life, we respond by obedience to his commands.
In his death, we respond with humility that he endured the wrath of God to give us life.
And in his resurrection, we respond with gratitude.

So, we challenge you, as we enter into this holy weekend to ask yourself the question that Pilate asked…
“What shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”