Something written by Paul for the Thessalonians, which was good news for them.......and for us! 

Bible Commentary on these verses:  "Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers. All Christians including those living when He returns, will live with Jesus forever. Therefore, we need not despair when loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. For God will turn our tragedies to triumphs; our poverty into riches; our pain to glory; and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God's very presence, safe and secure. As Paul comforted the Thessalonians with the promise of the resurrection, so we should comfort and reassure one another with this great hope."

*****

Our leader at yesterday's ecumenical Bible study had us begin looking at the book of James. One of the first verses was "Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow." (verse 2).

Happy? Like some of the things which happen to us that we don't like? But sometimes, bad things turn out to be good!

Then she shared this analogy:

"Think of a seed.
God uses the dark places to make us grow.
They're part of His divine plan.
Spring is coming and we think about planting.
As long as a seed remains in the light,
it can't germinate and will 
never become what it was created for.
But when we plant the seed in the soil
where it is dark.
It becomes alive.
We are like that too........
we sometimes have to go through dark times,
that's where our character is developed,
where we learn to trust God
and persevere.
We tend to pray more,
draw closer to God
and listen for God's 
still small voice."

(Author unknown)

***

My sister Jill really enjoyed a recent sermon at her church in Washington. It was titled "Lies We Tell Ourselves".

How many thoughts do we have that we don't care much about. They can help to destroy our day, or maybe even our lives!

She sent me the highlights. "Might be a Karen's Korner," she said. Here are five of the ten bullet points:

THOUGHT LIFE

I Can't Help What I Think

""Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
~ Colossians 3:2 - 4

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FORGIVENESS

They Don't Deserve It & We Don't Think We Can

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
~ Ephesians 4:32

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CHANGE

That's Just The Way I am

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will."
~ Romans 12:2

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ANGER

This Is What They Deserve

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
~ James 1:19 - 20

"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."
~Proverbs 29:11

* 
HURTFUL WORDS

They Make Me Say Those Things

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
~ Ephesians 4:29

**

God,
I can read these words but how can I do it?
How am I going to believe all of it?
I am going to need Your Help!
Help me!
Put Your Thoughts into my life!
Into My heart and mind.
I am not going to be able to do it myself.
Which You knew all the time!
Thank You, Father!
Amen.

Today's prayer written by Stephanie Sample from her "365 Days of Prayer for Women":

RENEW MY MIND

"Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes."

"Lord, what is more difficult to control than the mind?
If I could stop my anxious thoughts, if I could keep selfish ideas from even forming, it would be so much easier to stay in your will! If only I had a mind like Christ, instead of the inconstancy of my own. Holy Spirit, always here and ready to help, I need you to renew my mind. Replace every unworthy thought before I am even aware of it with something beautiful, pure, and true. Instead of fear, let me see an opportunity to trust. Rather than self-interest, show me a chance for self-sacrifice. Instead of my mind, give me the mind of Christ."

"How do each of us let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes?"

***

Yesterday I was putting gas in my car, when another car pulled in to the next bay. It's license plate said, "EPH 2". 

I was pretty sure it meant "Ephesians 2" and I waited for the driver to step out of his car. Because we are a small town, I knew the driver, and I was right!

So I spent a little time looking at Ephesians chapter 2. Here is a Bible verse from it:

"Because of His kindness you have been saved through trusting Christ.
And even trusting is not of yourselves;
it too is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done,
so none of us can take any credit for it."

~ Ephesians 2:8, 9 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "When someone gives you a gift, do you say, 'That's very nice---now how much do I owe you?'  No, the appropriate response to a gift is 'Thank you.'. Yet how often Christians, even after they have been given the gift of salvation, feel obligated to try to work their way to God. Because our salvation and even our faith are gifts, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and joyfulness."

**

Today's entry in the little book by Max Lucado titled "Everyday Blessings". Good one as we march toward Easter:

"Surely this was a righteous man."
~ Luke 23:47 NIV

"All the Roman centurion did was see Jesus suffer. He never heard him preach or saw him heal or followed him through the crowds. He never witnessed him still the wind; he only witnessed they way he died. But that was all it took to cause this weather-worn soldier to take a great step in faith. 'Surely this was a righteous man'.

"Anybody can preach a sermon on a mount surrounded by daises. But only one with a gut full of faith can LIVE a sermon on a mountain of pain."

*****

The opening paragraph in this month's copy of Decision magazine, by Will Graham, Billy Graham's grandson. The article is titled "The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ":

"In this world, it is very rare --- impossible even ----to find something without blemish. The same can be said of the Old Testament sacrifices --- they were not perfect. They did not purify anything and never truly dealt with sin and judgment. But when we look at the sacrifice of Jesus, the most pivotal moment in History, we witness some thing that is faultless."


HEBREWS 9:24, 26, 28 LAB (in part):

""For Christ has entered into heaven itself,
to appear now before God as our Friend.
He came once for all, at the end of the age,
to put away the power of sin forever by dying for us.
Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of
many people, and He will come again,
but not to deal again with our sins.
This time He will come bringing salvation to all
those who are eagerly and patiently waiting for Him."

***

This is Palm Sunday weekend and will be celebrated in various ways in our churches on Sunday! It is recorded in the first four gospels:  Matthew 21; Mark 21, and John 12.  And also in these verses of Luke:

"Then the crowds spread out their robes along the road ahead of Him, and as they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, the whole procession began to shout and sing, as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles Jesus had done."

~ Luke 12:36 & 37 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They were sure he would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory, and thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus' real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against him."

****

What an exciting week as we celebrate Easter! It begins with Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem and the spreading and waving of branches by the people. Palm Sunday! And ends with His resurrection back to life. On Easter Sunday! What a week!!

"Long ago, before He made the world, God chose us to be His very own, through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His Eyes, without a single fault--- we who stand before Him covered with His Love. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into Him own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to!"

~ Ephesians 1:3 - 5 LAB

*

Bible Commentary on these verses:  "Paul (writer) said, 'God chose us,' to emphasize that salvation depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it, but because God is gracious and freely gives it. We did not influence God's decision to save us; He did it according to His plan. Thus there is no way to take credit for our salvation, or to find room for pride. The mystery of salvation originated in the timeless mind of God long before we existed. It is hard to understand how God could accept us, but because of Christ we are holy and blameless in His eyes. God chose you and me, and when we belong to Him through Jesus Christ, He looks at us as if we have never sinned.

"God has adopted us as his own children. Through Jesus' sacrifice, he has brought us into his family and made us heirs along with Jesus. In Roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as natural children. Paul uses this term to show how strong our relationship to God is."

******

We are 'knee deep' in things surrounding Easter. Our Sunday School class has been looking at days leading up to the crucifixion, his death, and resurrection.

Last Sunday's topic was "The Resurrection of Jesus" Among other things, the 'Answers in Genesis' study book talked about 'the apparent contradiction' in the timing of 'three days'.

Ever stopped to question Jesus 'three days' in the grave?

Here is what it said:

"It would seem that Jesus was only in the grave about 36 hours, not three full days and full nights. In Jewish reckoning, the phrase 'on the third day' could be part of one day, a full day, and part of the next. The timing of the resurrection is a common objection raised by skeptics about the truthfulness of Scripture, but the Bible timetable is consistent with the Hebrew reckoning of time. Assuming a burial around 5 p.m. on Friday and sunrise around 6 a.m. on Sunday, Jesus was in the earth for a portion of three separate days, fulfilling his own prophecy about his burial and resurrection."

*****

"Hallelujah!
Thank you,
Lord!
How good you are!
Your love for us continues on 
forever.
Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God!
Who can ever praise Him
half enough!

~ Psalm 106: 1 & 2 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  'If we ever stopped to list all the miracles in the Bible, we would be astounded. They cover every subject of life. The more we think about what God has done, the more we can appreciate the miracles he has done in our lives---birth, personality development, loving friends and family, specific guidance, healing, salvation, the list goes on and on. If we think we have never had a miracle, look closer---we will see God's power and loving intervention on our behalf. God still performs great miracles!!!"

***

Today's Anne Graham Lotz email in my computer's inbox:

THE CROSS OF OBEDIENCE

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

~ Matthew 16:24 NIV

"Are you repulsed by the thought of crucifixion? I am. But I also know that when I look into the eyes of Jesus, I see a cross! And He has said to me, 'Anne, if you want to be My disciple, if you want to follow Me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. Because if you want to save your life, you're going to lose it in the end. If you choose to lose your life for Me, you will find it. For what good will it do you if you gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?"' (Matthew 15:24 - 25, paraphrased).

"The cross that Jesus commands you and me to carry is the cross of submissive obedience to the will of God, even when His will includes suffering and hardship and things we don't want to do. It is a willingness to totally, absolutely, irrevocably, and finally yield our lives to Him because we want what He wants more than what we want."

***

Today's entry from "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample:

IT WILL BE DONE

"I also persevered in the work on this wall,
and we acquired no land, and all my servants
were gathered there for the work."
~Nehemiah 5:16 ESV

"God, your perseverance gives me hope. You're always moving, never stopped; always progressing, never surrendered. Once you've begun a work, you finish it. I'd like to say the same for myself, but it gets overwhelming, this life, and sometimes I want nothing more than to stop. The racing, climbing, and carrying all get to be too much and I think, maybe I should give up. But that's not really what I want, of course. I don't want to stop; what I want is to be done. Help me persevere, Lord! Through fatigue, disappointment, setbacks, and even temporary failure, help me persevere. Remind me we are in this together, and because of that, it will be done."

"How can we persevere because of our hope in God?"

***

God has a sense of humor!

I like having people over to my house for lunch or dinner. I work to have my downstairs cleaned up for my guests, a long with the right food. I am not a 'great' housekeeper but I like things adequately done. I tend to take 'extra care' when my guests might be particularly tidy.

I can count on after my guests are gone, I find a cobweb draped somewhere. From a curtain to a lamp shade. Across the back of my bathroom stool to my medicine cabinet.

It makes a laugh to know that God is in control. Why didn't I see it earlier!??

*

I type and send Karen's Korners every week day morning! Most times I re-read what I have written or copied; catching lots of errors. But for some reason, many times I overlook a word or spelling. I don't see or don't read what is printed on the page!

I want to apologize for any of those errors! Why do I catch them after the fact??!

*

I have perfection tendencies. I would like to do my 'house cleaning' and 'writing' perfectly!

God has other plans for me. He wants me to enjoy the 'trip'!

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other (including myself), making allowance for each other's faults (including mine) because of your love."

~ Ephesians 4:2 (LAB)

Bible Commentary:  "No one is going to be perfect here on earth, so we must accept and love other Christians (including ourselves!) in spite of their (our) faults. When we see faults in fellow believers, we should be patient and gentle. Is there someone whose actions or personality really annoys us? Rather than dwelling on that person's weaknesses, or looking for faults, pray for that person. Then do even more---spend time together and see if we can learn to like that other person."

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