The Meaning of Easter for Christians

The cross was only the beginning - After three days in the grave, Jesus rose from death and was alive again. He defeated sin and death. He completed the work of paying for my sin, your sin and all the sins past present and future for all who place their faith in Him. Amen!!!

New life is what we celebrate - Because of the first Easter miracle when Jesus rose from the dead, we too have new life when we believe. When we die, everyone goes to one of two places heaven or hell. If you trust Jesus and believe that He died for your sin and took your punishment, His blood atones for your sins and you are a new creation. One that is free from the stain of sin and death. You have assurance that when you leave this earth, you will immediately be in the presence of the Lord. What assurance we have because of what Jesus did for us! My heart is full. How about you?

How do I make Easter special? This time of year is a celebration, and a refocusing on Christ’s atoning sacrifice. You might think, “I already read my Bible and pray, should I do anything different during the season of Easter?”

There is great value in renewing and revisiting the last days of Jesus’ life on earth. Taking time each year to reread the Gospels and companion passages refreshes and deepens your faith. It helps you truly reflect on the meaning of the cross, what the Lord endured and how beautifully the resurrection impacts all people for all eternity.

Where do I begin? Spending time in scripture blesses you as the Lord speaks through it directly to you. Take some time beginning on Ash Wednesday to read through the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Try reading the same passage in other translations or versions of the Bible. Sometimes it’s also helpful to read it in a paraphrased translation such as “The Living Bible or The Message.”

As you read, pause and reflect and ask yourself questions about what’s going on, who’s speaking, what do you learn from it, how can you apply it to your own life?

Psalm 23 introduces us to the Lord as a faithful, loving, and compassionate Shepherd, an image that’s familiar throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. Sheep have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. As believers, we tend to do the same thing. As we get to know God as our Shepherd, we begin to see how He guides us, cares for us individually, and protects us. We realize that we lack nothing because our Shepherd is with us, directing our path and looking out for our every need. Even if He leads us into a dark valley we, like David, can say, “I will fear no evil.” For the soul in need of restoration, Psalm 23 is perhaps the most comforting place to turn in all the Bible.

Ask Yourself: What does the 23rd Psalm mean to me? It means I am never alone. Every moment of every day, I have Someone to turn to, Someone to talk to, Someone to trust in. It means I have a Provider and a Protector. It means I don’t have to worry or be afraid. It means I don’t have to have all of the answers or know which way to go next. It means I only have to follow God because He will take care of me. It means I will not be destroyed by the trials of life. It means God is taking me through the hills and valleys to be with Him in Heaven forever.

There is nothing this world could offer me that could compare. No one else can promise me they will never leave me. No one else can be available for me 24/7. No one else has every answer to every problem. No one else knows the way out of trouble. No one else can get me from here to Heaven while comforting me in every situation that seeks to drain me of life. No one!.

That connection, those conclusions, feed my soul. Do you see how beneficial the Word of God is? When you allow the Word of God to become more than words on a page, but when you allow the Word of God to become a conversation between you and the eternal, loving, redeeming God of the Universe, your soul, the part of you that was made for Him, the part of you that was made to respond to Him, the part of you that can connect with Him, comes alive and you are satisfied and full of the kind of life that matters most.

Psalm 23 is full of action words. It describes a journey, not a standstill. Even when the sheep lie down in green pastures, it is a temporary rest for the weary. From that point on in the psalm, the sheep are moving. The Shepherd leads them beside still waters and through the valley of the shadow of death. All the days of their lives He leads them in the paths of righteousness, with goodness and mercy constantly following them.

Bible Study

TUESDAYS @ NOON ID: 832 4172 0154 PC: 381000

(Exhorter Doris Coffey )

WEDNESDAYS @ NOON AND 6PM ID: 881 5939 5611

(Pastor Robert A. Strode)

ZOOMING AND BLOOMING FOR CHRIST

4TH MONDAY MONTHLY @ 7PM

ID: 844 0501 0039 PC:830795

(Exhorter Doris Coffey WM Director)

SUNDAY SCHOOL – SUNDAYS @ 9:30AM

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Sister Dinah Johnson

(Superintendent and Adult Teacher)

PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to attend the scheduled Bible Studies and are interested in another time…Let Us Know!

What Does the Bible Say?

The Bible is God's love letter to us! It's not just for studying to obtain knowledge, but it is our guide to knowing Him! The Bible tells us that we are to use the Scriptures to teach others how to live a righteous life. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy

3:16

Scripture is for teaching. It is to be used to instruct people to know God better. Scripture is for reproof or rebuke, the idea of exposing or pointing out sin. Scripture is for correction Scripture both points out sin and offers a solution to it. Scripture is for training in righteousness. From Scripture, we learn what is true, what is wrong, how to correct wrong, and how to apply truth.

As Christians, the Bible, along with God's Holy Spirit, is to be our guide for life. Daily we need to search God's truth for how to live, as well as how to become more and more like Christ. Let's not forget though that the Bible also teaches us Who God is; it helps us know God! God's Word is "living and active."

Hebrews 4:12 declares - "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any twoedged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." NASB

With words like "living", "active", "inspired", "profitable"... the Bible is anything but boring! It is the only book that can actively cause change in our lives!

When was the last time you sat down and enjoyed studying your Bible? Or the last time you attended Bible Study. Too many times we have in our mind that studying the Bible has to be boring (not that any of us would admit that to another Christian!). It's not meant to be though!

Bible Study at Historic St. Paul AME Church is alive and active with the Word. God has blessed the Church with super passionate spirits in teaching God’s Word. Come Join Us and see what God has to say about your situation in life, and don't neglect your prayer life! Prayer and Bible study go hand in hand.

TUESDAYS @ NOON ID: 832 4172 0154

PASSCODE: 381000

WEDNESDAYS @ 12 NOON AND 6PM ID: 881 5939 5611

Clean Your Spiritual House

How’s YOUR spiritual house? Is it clean or cluttered? Do you need to do some spiritual house cleaning? Now, one would suppose that at a certain point we recognize that we will not live forever, and start to go through our stuff, organize it, and get rid of most of it.

We hardly ever give thought to our spiritual growth as a cleaning out process, but we have to put off the old habits and ways of thinking in order to make room and remove the blockages that keep us from growing in the Lord.

We all have to do this? Most of us will continue to find old stuff from the old self that we need to put off throughout our lives. Without doing this, we cannot hope to grow without being hampered.

A very good place to start in our spiritual house cleaning is to ask God to cleanse our heart. We can clean our physical bodies, but we need God to cleanse and forgive us on the inside.

One of the next things that we need to clean out is our mouth. This is not just about swearing and cussing, if you do those things. Of course it is good to clean up your language if you need to. This is more about how your words bring glory to God. You see, we can be very unreflective of God’s glory in the way we speak.

When we fill our talk with worry, or complaining we are sharing with the world that we doubt that God will come through. When we fail to share our faith we rob the rest of the world of seeing God glorified in our lives.

3.Repent from hidden sin, We all have sins that are more easily seen by the outside world. Perhaps we have a quick temper and take it out on others. Perhaps we are messy not good stewards of our possessions. These are things that the world can easily see.

But there are attitudes of the heart that we think that no one else can see that are equally sinful. We think they are hidden and no one else knows. Things like jealousy, greed and pride.

The final step in the process is to replace the old baggage with renewing your mind; By reading God’s Word, by being in a Bible study, sharing God’s Yes stories with each other.

Renew our minds and get rid of old baggage - Next we need to renew our minds and get rid of old baggage (un-forgiveness and bitterness). Why do we hold onto old stuff?

We do not need to keep everything. We need to get rid of old baggage and be selective in what we keep. Hold on to the good, uplifting, and Godly memories.

We need to rid ourselves of the useless things and those that are positively damaging to us. We need to be on the alert for old un-forgiveness and bitterness when they rear their ugly heads. We need to get honest, admit it is there, and work to get rid of it.

Use your gifts - When God gives us a gift he expects us to use it - He gives us gifts for the good of the church body to build each other up. When we fail to use these gifts, we deprive the church body of gifts that will benefit us as a church family. The reason He gives it to us is for the good of others. Use the gifts that God places in you.

So how’s YOUR spiritual house. Is it clean or cluttered? Do you need to do some house cleaning?

Even though it may be a daunting task, take courage. Let God help you take your trash to the curb, forgive your sins, let go of un-forgiveness and bitterness, and replace it with God honoring words and behavior, and use the gifts He has placed in you.

If all the worldly attitudes such as hatred, greed, self-centered living and envy are piled up in our spiritual homes, we indeed need a cleansing by the power of His Holy Spirit. The Message Bible says in Hebrews 12:28b, “He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and don’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!”

A lot of us have “stuff” taking up space in our heart that impedes the fruit of the spirit from taking root in our daily walk with Jesus. You see, the Lord wants us to remove the junk from our life and have a pure heart one that he can use for his purpose. “Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit with me” (Psalm 51:10).

Today we have God’s promise of being as clean as newly fallen snow, as pure as sweet honey and without spot or wrinkle. We need to allow the master cleaner to take out the trash in our lives and to fill us up with His wonder working power that comes through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.

What Needs to Go? What Can You Give Away? What Needs Some Love?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to let go of everything Perhaps the pillows just need to be fluffed, the shelves dusted or the universal “junk drawer” reorganized.

Our spiritual lives can usually use some tidying up, too. Think of all the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to churches about keeping the faith. It takes work, he told them constant energy to get along, set a good example and generally be faithful to Christ.

There’s no shortcut to a relationship with Jesus. It takes time and effort elbow grease, you could call it.

Whether your faith life needs a fresh coat of paint or total renovation of the heart, there’s no better time to jump in than now. Start with one thing at a time maybe it’s alone time with God, spending time in the Bible or treating others as He would.

Wherever you begin, remember you’re not spring cleaning alone. God Himself can help you cut through the spiritual clutter in each area of your life.

Scrub Your Blind Spots: Blind spots are areas in our lives we are not aware need attention. In our spiritual lives, blind spots can include our attitude, body language, habits, or our tone of voice. . There's a reason they call them “blind spots.” Sometimes it takes the keen eye of someone else for you to really see what you're missing. Don't be afraid of constructive criticism, the hard scrub, or the deep clean. It's how we grow.

Savor Self-Care: not only do we emphasize cleaning every room of the house, but we also include our exterior in our spring-cleaning process. Now, think of your physical body. Your exterior is where self-care comes into play.

We live in a culture where busyness is valued. However, busyness is not an indicator that we are fruitful. We can be busy and not bear any fruit in our lives. Our culture teaches us that the more active we are, the more essential we become. God calls us to be fruitful, not busy.

As we take time to clean our spiritual homes, let's not neglect our physical bodies. Take time to exercise, drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, enjoy nature, read a book or do something that you absolutely love! The Sabbath is for your benefit, and it's an essential part of spring cleaning.

1. Study God’s Word daily to hear His voice. The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

2. Talk continually to the Lord through prayer for prayer is the breath of life. In addition, the book of Psalms includes many prayers that can be of help in our daily walk with the Lord.

3. Be a part of the body of Christ or the church. The Psalms present many invitations from God to His people to come and fellowship with Him in His sanctuary (Psalm 95:1-2

4. Live in praise. The Bible tells us that God “inhabits the praises of Israel” (Psalms 22:3). Praise and gratitude allows the Lord to live in our hearts and purify our souls.

Know Your Church

Presented by The Lay Organization

Jesus Has Risen

Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ 8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

[Christ Is Risen]

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Do you believe? This is the overarching question of the resurrection. Faith is more important than understanding details or even recognizing the resurrected corpus of Jesus. Do you believe?

The query is full of implications. Believing entails a different perspective on life, death and sin. It calls for a new focus and energy with regard to behavior. It is announced with the boldness of a trumpet and has comforting expectation called hope. Do you believe?

[We pray] that each of you will be fortified with faith that conquers death and defies the power of the grave. May you confront the challenges of daily existence with the hope which springs from faith in the living Lord! Let us renew our commitment to earthly justice and compassionate service as we set our faces toward eternity.

Rising from the ashes of Lent, let us embrace the flames of service which are fanned on Pentecost. This is not a season to be discouraged or afraid. It is a period for boldness through faith, because He lives.

[We pray for the comfort of our sisters and brothers in our church, our community and in various places around the world who have and are experiencing illness and/or the loss of loved ones, and for those have who experienced persecution and injustice. In spite of these things] we still maintain faith in the protection and justice of the One who raised Jesus from the dead. Rising from the ashes of Lent, let us embrace the flames of service which are fanned on Pentecost. This is not a season to be discouraged or afraid. It is a period for boldness through faith, because He lives. We pray blessings for each of you during this Easter season.

[Our prayer:] …….…………………………………………………………………………………..

Almighty Creator, we praise You for faithfulness in raising Jesus from the dead. We glorify Your name for love which saves and sustains Your people. We thank You for progress in the struggle for justice as we pledge to continue the battle. Bless those who mourn because of the move of nature and the ravages of violence. Give wisdom to those who illuminate the path which leads to the Resurrected Lamb. Strengthen those who protect our freedoms and those who keep peace through justice. Heal our brokenness, and give hope to our lives. Increase our faith. Receive the praise of Your people who gather [in your name]. Let our joy be full as we witness to the power of the risen Jesus, who is our Lord. In His precious name we pray, Amen!

Reprinted in part from the 2015 Resurrection Greeting from the Council of Bishops. [Updates, edits and emphasis added for this Lay Organization Know Your Church message].

The Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him but some of them doubted!

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”