March 31, 2010 by Worship Director.

The Austin Samaritans have posted the application for May’s trip to Nicaragua on their website. For those wanting to help gather supplies, they should have a list of requested items up in a week or two.

If you want to go or just to help, click the Austin Samaritan logo for how to get involved!

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March 31, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:    Psalm 119:16

I will delight myself in Thy statutes:
I will not forget Thy word.

Read Psalm 119

Seek God – Be Blessed

Pure happiness, love, goodness, many blessings and our list of desires go on. Reality soon takes a bite out of the day though, doesn’t it? How did our ancestors keep themselves so happy with so little?  They invested their time in seeking God and were blessed inexhaustibly. In Psalm 119, you’ll discover many answers and paths to happiness. Verse 133 says, ”Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me.” Verse 35 says, “Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight.“ Exuberantly read verse 32 that says, “I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.” Seek God by reading His word, join in praise and fellowship, study, pray and you’ll be in agreement with verse 103: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Amply, bountifully, generously, plentifully, richly, satisfactorily the list of blessings go on.

Prayer Starter

Dear Gracious Father -
How blessed I am!  How I thank You for the sweet rewards that come from seeking You.

- Ann Reilley

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March 30, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:    Luke 19:38

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

Read Mark Chapter 11

Amazing Love

Imagine Jesus riding on a colt down the road to the Mount of Olives. There is a crowd and among the crowd stand several of Jesus’ disciples. The disciples have seen the miracles Jesus has done in the lives of many people and they are so moved by this unique and loving man, that their hearts are overjoyed with love and contentment.  They cry out “Blessed is the King -glory in the highest!

There were, however, some in the crowd who had heard Jesus sharing “Good News,” but their hearts were filled with envy, strife, and jealousy such that the praises they heard were inacceptable. They directed themselves to Jesus and told Him to keep His disciples quiet.  Jesus’ response was –“if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  We are to let the world know that Jesus, the Son of God, has come to give us life and life more abundant. He died and conquered death so that we might live. What amazing love!

Prayer Starter
Lord - Yours is the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty; for all things were created for You and by You. We love You.

- Melba Davila

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March 29, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:     Matthew 21:5

Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, the King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass.

Read Matthew Chapter 21

The Unlikely King

Jesus was on His way to the cross, but had to go via Jerusalem. As He entered the city, the people met Him and began to celebrate Him as King, spreading their garments and palm leaves on the path before Him. The city was astir with the news.

How would He be received today? Would there be a grand reception befitting a king, or would many not acknowledge Him? The King of Kings is here today.  How are you receiving Him? Is He King of your life?  We should ensure that we acknowledge and make Him King of our lives now before it is too late. Let this Easter be like the one Mary and the others experienced when they saw the risen Lord.

Prayer Starter

Dear King and Redeemer -
I ask You to take the throne in my heart and make it Your home today.

- Rev. Barry K McFarlane

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March 28, 2010 by Worship Director.

Complaining

It’s so easy to complain when things aren’t going to suit us. Maybe we have worked hard for a project that see’s success — and then someone else takes the credit. When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, you would think the people would remember God’s deliverance - but they griped about being in slavery, and then shortly after deliverance, they complained about the circumstances.

I have found that when we complement and encourage those around us, that there is less complaining and a more positive focus. A call or a visit with someone in our church will focus on the positive and diminish the complaining.

- Charlie Schnabel

Praise!

“Hosanna” (from the Greek) is the cry of praise or adoration shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on His entry into Jerusalem, Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  It seems that “Hosanna” is a cry for salvation; while at the same time is a declaration of praise.

“Hallelujah” and the Latin form “Alleluia” are translations  meaning “Praise Yah.” It is found primarily in the book of Psalms. The word hallelujah occurring in Psalms is a Hebrew request for a congregation to join in praise. It can be translated as “Praise Yah, you people”, and is usually worded in English contexts as “Praise ye the Lord”.  Yah represents the first two letters of YHWH, the Hebrew personal name for God,  sometimes appearing in English as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”.

In any language, through all time, we must praise our God.

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke Your followers for saying things like that!”  He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:39-40).

Something within us longs to worship our creator, even if we didn’t know that He is our Savior as well.  Praise Him today.  Find the words and say them out loud! For He has done marvelous and miraculous things beyond our comprehension and is worthy of our praise!

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March 27, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:    Luke 17: 15-16

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him, and he was a Samaritan.

Read Luke Chapter 17

Gratitude or Indebtedness

Why do some experience gratitude more easily than others? Surely the nine other lepers were thankful they had been healed, but Luke tells us that only one, a Samaritan, returned to praise God and thank Jesus. What is the difference in feeling in debt versus feeling gratitude? Often when in debt, we avoid the one we owe something to, we feel in bondage, our freedom restricted, under obligation to make repayment.  Gratitude can be experienced when aid is deemed valuable to the recipient, costly to the benefactor and given with benevolent intent. Gratitude motivates the recipient to seek out the benefactor, to develop closer relationship with the one who has sacrificed on our behalf.

As Christians, what should our response be to the gift of salvation we have received through Jesus Christ?  “Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.”  Albert Schweitzer

Prayer Starter

Lord – Forgive me for any ungratefulness for the forgiveness of a debt I could never repay.

- Dr. John Doty, Executive Director, Austin Samaritans

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March 26, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:    Ephesians 2:21

We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 

Read Ephesians Chapter 4

Sounds Like Heaven

Banners displaying the Lord’s glory were held by young and old alike. An altar choir joyfully joined in harmonizing, “Hallelujah He is King!” Musical instruments reverberated in the great church and through the gathering of His people - and the Spirit of the Lord was among them.

Sounds like heaven doesn’t it? It wasn’t. Let’s start by reviving ourselves with this daily prayer for each other: May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15: 5, 6).

Prayer Starter

Dear King of Kings –
We shout “Hallelujah” to Your name and together, praise You with one voice!

- Ann Reilley

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March 25, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:     Deuteronomy 10:19

And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Read John Chapter 13

God’s Pure Love

We are called to love and to serve with a heart like Jesus.  His love is unconditional and for everyone. There are many people in our world today who long to be loved and cared for and it is our responsibility as Christians to love the unlovable to give them what God has given us. In the Old Testament we read that God’s people journeyed in route to the Promise Land and were faced with Kings and armies who waged war against them and tried to destroy them. God showed His people mercy and love, giving them victory every time.  God’s love is pure and true.

We ought to love others as He loves us. Many times we are undeserving of His love, but He loves anyway. During this time of Lent, we are reminded of God’s great and unconditional love. A well known scripture in the New Testament reads; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”  There is a well known chorus that says, “Oh, How I love Jesus, because He first loved me.” He loves you and He loves me and we can love others, too.  Let us share God’s love with everyone.

Prayer Starter

Lord –
Help me to daily do unto others as I would have them do unto me. May I pursue and seek to encourage, edify, strengthen and love others. Thank You for loving me.

- Melba Davila

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March 24, 2010 by Worship Director.

Today’s Scripture:    Psalm 86:11-13

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your Truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”

Read Psalm 100

How Can I Say Thanks?

No kidding!  I cannot thank Jesus enough.  When I was saved, He showed me such great and wonderful things; new baby Elizabeth, new First Church of God, new life, new hope, new joy.    The only reason I can think of is that he just loved me amazingly.  All I had to do was take the first step – and He walked me forward.

‘Grateful’ is such a small word in itself that all I can do is say it over and over again, hoping it will sound bigger, occasionally alternating it with ‘thankful’.  I want to learn His ways, walk in His truth, praise and glorify His name – to somehow show my thankfulness to the one “who delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”

Prayer Starter

O, Lord –
Thank you doesn’t seem like enough
So I give You my life – make it Yours.

- Linda Wilkins

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March 23, 2010 by Worship Director.

 Today’s Scripture:      Joshua 1:7

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, My servant, commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Read Philippians Chapters 3-4

On to the Goal

God is now giving His instructions to Joshua who has become the leader of God’s people after the death of Moses. He reminds Joshua of the law which God gave to Moses and helps Joshua to understand the importance of keeping the goal before the people: ”turn not from it to the right hand or to the left.”  God had promised to give His people the land of Caanan, but they would have to go in and possess it.

Goals are wonderful things.  They help to keep us focused on what is most important.  They are not achieved without work and sacrifice. With God’s help, worthy goals are worth the effort.

Prayer Starter

Dear Father–
Help me to make goals that are worthy of my time and sacrifice.

- Fae Jones

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