John 9:3 (GNT with Deuterocanon) 3 Jesus answered, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him.
Many of us are born with disadvantage. Wether it is physical, financial, emotional or mental it is often blamed on our parents. Of course many times we can play Monday morning quarter back and look at all the things our parents should have done better. Better choices may have prevented us from living the life that we are forced to live. But what if our disadvantage is really something far greater than the missteps of our parents? That is exactly what Jesus is demonstrating here. The blind man’s life served a purpose. Through God’s work in his life many would see God’s power. When we have an encounter with Jesus and allow Jesus to show God’s power through our weakness, not only may we be healed, but our healing becomes a powerful testimony.

Lord show me how to look at my disadvantages as an opportunity for You to do your work
In Jesus Name

Ezekiel 24:15-17 (GNT with Deuterocanon)
The Death of the Prophet’s Wife
15 The Lord spoke to me. 16 “Mortal man,” he said, “with one blow I am going to take away the person you love most. You are not to complain or cry or shed any tears. 17 Don’t let your sobbing be heard. Do not go bareheaded or barefoot as a sign of mourning. Don’t cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”

All the times I have read the book of Ezekiel I have never been hit so hard by these verses as I have now. God tells Ezekiel that his wife is going to die suddenly. His wife’s passing and his emotionless response is to be a sign for the people.

Recently I have spent a lot of time with two men during the loss of their wives. Wives whom they adored with all their hearts. I cannot say what God has said to them, but God has certainly used those situations as a sign to me. For all husbands who will read this cherish your wife. Cherish everyday you have with her. Treat her like the queen God created her to be. Let her know you love her. Show God how much you appreciate her.

Rosalee Boyer I love you and I praise God for every moment we have together!

Lord mold me into a godly husband
Show me how to love my wife the way You love the church!

Jeremiah 2:18 (GNT with Deuterocanon) 18 What do you think you will gain by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? What do you think you will gain by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?
So often we long to drink someone else’s water. We believe that what someone else has is better than what God has supplied us. The Israelites always desired what other nations had. God often quenched their desire by exile. We lose what God has given us when we spend our time trying to get what God has given someone else.

“The white man’s ice is colder,” is a saying in the African American community that describes when blacks want what whites have even when we already have the same thing. Envious desire is sinful and it tells God we reject what God has supplied already. So let’s drink water from our own well and worship under our own vine and fig tree. 

Lord we thank You for Your grace and mercy. We thank You for the water you have given us. Teach us to let it quench our thirst. 

Jeremiah 4:1-2 (NLT) 1 “O Israel,” says the Lord, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. 2 Then when you swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.”
What God stated to Israel yesterday is what God is saying to the African American community today. A people delivered by God from the modern day Egypt called America, has now taken the detestable idols of its oppressor and called them our own. Our values have shifted from faith, family, and community to the idols of money, power, respect, individualism, sexuality, and abject ignorance to the injustice that clouds our communites everyday. 
God has left a door open, asking us to come back as a community of people with uncompromising faith. A faith that doesn’t seek self glorification or social status but a faith that seeks righteousness and justice. Then we would be an example for the rest of the world. “O Israel,” says the Lord, “if you wanted to return to me, you could.”

John 20:28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas makes the affirming statement of Jesus’ Divinity after having his doubt removed. Jesus deliberately and forcefully shows up and instructs Thomas to touch Him in order to remove all doubt. When you were in a place of doubt did Jesus ever show up and let you touch Him? I know that many times I have experienced the presence of Christ through confirming situations that could only be orchestrated by Him. Although I have not seen Him with my eyes, I have heard Him with my ears, experienced Him in my life, and felt His presence and arms wrapped around me. To some this may be metaphoric but for me it is literal. That is why I say, “My Lord, My God.”
Lord allow us to experience You

So all may acknowledge who You are

In Your Name

Matthew 28:17When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

Isn’t it true that so many of us have seen Jesus in some way but we still doubt. Sin inside the human spirit fights the overwhelming reality of God’s presence. If we just silence our own biases, laziness and selfishness long enough we will not only see the presence of the risen savior, we will also see Him at work in our lives calling us to purpose. I have seen the Lord! It makes me think of the song the old folks used to sing, “You can’t make me doubt him….”
Lord open our eyes so we can see you

Matthew 26:55-57

Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

This is one of the most disturbing moments in all of scripture. Jesus is arrested in the middle of the night, betrayed by a kiss, and abandoned by his friends. Knowing his fate was death Jesus’ heart was only broken more by the fact he was left alone. How many times have we pledged our allegiance to the Lord and when the trial came we abandoned him and went hiding? My prayer this Good Friday is that my spirit be taught to not abandon God.

Lord teach me to stand with You

Mold me to suffer through my fear for your sake

John 13:2-5
It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Jesus washed all the disciples feet from Peter and John to Judas. It is amazing to me that even though Jesus knew Judas would betray him Jesus washed his feet anyhow. This act of humility says so much to all of us. Pastors, we may have people in the congregation who can’t stand us. The pastoral task, to be Christ like, is to serve the enemy, just as we would serve the ones who love us most. As disciples we can use this example in our family, workplace and our church. Even if we know someone doesn’t mean us well it doesn’t mean we don’t wash their feet.
Lord teach me to love my enemies. Help me to learn that it isn’t about how people treat me it’s about how I treat people.

Luke 22:1-2 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.
Each of the synoptic Gospels gives an account of the plot kill Jesus. In each Gospel the enemies of Jesus carefully planned his arrest, trial, verdict and execution around their fear of the people’s reaction. They succeeded in hiding this wickedness from the people. But it should be noted that injustice fears the power of the people. No matter how tired we may get we must keep up the pressure on the authorities to act justly and to walk humbly. We must make sure that we keep watch even in the midnight hour!
Lord give us strength to be a force for justice and a voice for the voiceless
Help us to be a powerful outcry always ready unlike the people who weren’t there for You

Matthew 22:41-45Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
Up to this point the Pharisees were bombarding Jesus with questions. They were trying to trap him in something they could crucify him with. They asked him about taxes, the resurrection, the law and were left dumbfounded with his answers. 
Then Jesus turns the tables and asks them a question. He challenges them to articulate their understanding of who the Messiah is and his lordship. Unable to answer his one question unlike his ability to answer all of their’s, Jesus not only shows their pettiness but he also bolsters his claim as the Messiah. 
I often tell people that when they are being attacked by people in a confrontational situation in the work place, church or school, to be the most reasonable person in the room. Let people speak then respectfully make your case. When the facts are on your side God will vindicate you and make others look stupid. 
When people question who you are there is no need to get angry, loud and violent. We just need to know who we are and walk accordingly. God will not only help us to answer the questions, God will also give us the opportunity to ask some of our own.

Lord give me the patience and wisdom of Jesus

Let the questions I ask confirm me in You