Taco Pasta Salad

2 cups uncooked spiral pasta

1 pound ground beef

1 envelope taco seasoning

3 cups shredded lettuce

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing

Tortilla chips

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
²⁴ Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
²⁵ For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ For all the gods of the peoples are  idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.
²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and joy are in His place.
²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
Worship the LORD in holy array.
³⁰ Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
³¹  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
³²  Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
³³ Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD;
For He is coming to judge the earth.
³⁴  O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
³⁵  Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us and deliver us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise.”
³⁶  Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting.
Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. 1 Chronicles 16:23-36

Selah,

Lyn

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*Grace comes from Jesus

²⁴ But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

⁴  I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:4

*Grace builds us up and is with us.

³² And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.    1 Corinthians 15:10

*Grace, with it we are supplied abundantly for every good deed.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 2 Corinthians 9:8

*Grace is perfected in our weaknesses, so that we can boast about Him and not of ourselves.

⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

*Grace is given to us so that we can know how to respond to those we come in contact with.

⁶  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6

*Grace comes to the humble.

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. James 4:6

If we have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we then can walk and live in His grace.  It empowers us for everything we need to live out our lives on this earth.  We are weak but He empowers us and we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. It allows us to know how to respond to others.  God’s grace comes to those who are humble and not proud. 

Are you walking in His grace today or are you still doing things in your own strength?  Are you spending time in His Word?  Do you stop and think before responding to others and ask for His help?  Do you share with others what God is doing in your life or do you boast about what you are doing?

Take sometime today and sit with Him in His Word.  Let Him pour out His grace upon you. 

Selah,

Lyn

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Some reject the gift of grace to save us. They argue that it becomes a person’s free ride to indulge in sin.  They add on works and human effort to feel that they are earning their righteous standing with God. They try to master their sin on their own and portray to the world that they are a “good” person. But, in truth, if we mortal humans aren’t good enough to gain our salvation, how could we be good enough to sustain it. Only Christ can save us and break the hold of sin over us. A believer recognizes their desperate need for Christ to give them a spiritual heart transplant and newness of life. 

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 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. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Romans 6:1-7

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When Christ was crucified, he broke the dominion of sin over man. Now, all believers join in that experience. Christ’s crucifixion death becomes our death. Our sinful nature gets crucified too. Sin may vex us but it will not dominate us. When Christ was resurrected, we were also spiritually resurrected to new life. God takes out our heart of stone that is only self seeking and gives us a new heart that is alive and pulsing with desire to glorify Him. We are saved by His abundant grace and from the moment we accept His spiritual breath of life, He is at work to mold us and make us more and more into the image of His beloved Son. This is not something that we can do for ourselves. It is a process that we need only to surrender to. Everyday He is at work within our circumstances, our emotions, our experiences and our deepest desires. We must let Him do His work. It may require hard times and struggles but God will prevail. He will dig out and uproot every enticement of sin in our lives. 

I have now to serve him and delight myself in him, and use the power which he gives me of calling others from the dead, saying, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." I am not going back to the grave of spiritual death nor to my grave-clothes of sin; but by divine grace I will still believe in Jesus, and go from strength to strength, not under law, not fearing hell, nor hoping to merit heaven, but as a new creature, loving because loved, living for Christ because Christ lives in me, rejoicing in glorious hope of that which is yet to be revealed by virtue of my oneness in Christ. - Spurgeon 

Romans 8:28

This world, ruled by Satan, is filled with evil. And each day grows darker than the one before. That’s why every fiber of my being cries out for the return of Jesus. Oh how I long for my glorified body, and to dwell with the Lord forever. Because let’s face it. This side of heaven is a tough place to be. 

Jesus Himself promised rocky times for His followers dwelling on earth. (2Tim. 3:12) And there’s not a single one of us who hasn’t been touched by suffering or faced trials. But the apostle Paul also gives us another promise. Everything we go through, God will use for good for those who love Him.

Still, it can be hard trying to see the good in a bad situation. But our eyes are not God’s. And where we are blind, He sees everything from start to finish. All God asks, is that we trust in the uniquely wonderful plan He has for each of us. In patience, to continue loving, obeying, and praising Him, in good times and bad. Remembering that while we wait for Jesus, neither a smile nor a tear is wasted. 

As a home cook, I love the analogy of all things in our lives, good and bad, compared to a recipe. Each experience we go through is an important ingredient needed to produce a delicious outcome. God is our Master Chef. And He knows the perfect combination of events which will lead to amazing results beyond our imagining! A perfect helping of blessings, paired with a heaping side of love, joy, and peace!

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Tuna Patties

1 can (6 ounces) tuna, drained and flaked

1 large egg

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chili sauce

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dash hot pepper sauce

Dash Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil

In a large bowl, combine tuna and next 12 ingredients; mix well. Shape into 4 patties (mixture will be soft). In a nonstick skillet, cook patties in oil over medium-high heat until golden brown and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Abba Father, I cannot totally comprehend what Jesus did for me.  How He suffered and was beaten beyond recognition and all to take away the sins of the world.   What a great weight that must have been.  Not just mine but everyone’s.  I can never do anything to be right before You, except for Jesus.  When You see me, You see Jesus in me.  I ask You today that my life would be surrendered totally to You.  That I would walk in newness of life in Christ.  That I would not try to do things in my own strength but through Christ who strengthens me.  That I would not continue to walk in my flesh but in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me.  That my life may be pleasing in Your sight and bring You much honor and glory!  In Jesus name, Amen

Selah,

Lyn

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As we read today's scripture (John 19:25-27),  we find Jesus in a terrible agony and with a deep concern in his heart!!  He knows all that Mary and his followers are suffering at the feet of His cross… and He knows their fears, too!  He wants His loved ones to be cared for and to be ONE in Him, just as He had prayed to His Father in John 17:20-21

“I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, ²¹ that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

When Jesus asked John to care for his mother Mary, John quickly accepted this responsibility to take Mary home with him to care for her as his own mother (v.27). John’s love for Jesus led him to accept this responsibility for Mary. John took Jesus’ place in Mary’s life and became a son to her in His place.

"Author R. Earl Allen shares an interesting thought on the word “Behold” in verse 27 as Jesus addressed John. “Jesus was using the Jewish form of a contract of marriage.” He replaced the standard ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ language for the words ‘mother’ and ‘son’ “making this binding relationship.” Jesus challenges John “My relationship with those to whom I am joined in covenant is to be considered of more value than the relationship with a brother with whom I may have shared the womb." As Jesus, hanging on the cross, enters into covenant relationship with John, he invites John to enter a covenant relationship with Him.” (Dale Pilgrim- Sermon Central)

 I love these challenging quotes that best explain this:

-“If you and I have come to the cross, we have a big responsibility – the responsibility of loving the Lord Jesus and then living for the Lord Jesus and loving others.” (Warren Wiersbe)

- “those who love Christ best shall have the honor of taking care of His church and His poor.” To the Bible’s indication that “from that hour {John} took her into his own household” Spurgeon says to us, “You expected him to do it, did you not? He loved his Lord so well.”

-“ This is a challenge to those who stand in the name of Christ, to those who stand under the protection of the cross of Jesus and say, ‘Lord, I am yours.’ Then Jesus has a right to say to us, ‘Treat the world as I would treat them. Say the words that I would say. Do the things that I would do. If you will not do it for their sake, do it for my sake!’” (R. Earl Allen)

Before I close I would like for us to meditate on these words from John Piper:

“ Paul said in Acts 20:28 that Christ "purchased the church of God with his own blood." Therefore, one of the gifts Jesus gave to us from the cross was the church: a loving, caring, sustainsustaining, encouraging family beyond family. And it is a great encouragement to our faith that he illustrates the meaning of the church the way he did in the relationship between John and Mary. If Jesus could provide for the needs of his own in the moment of his greatest weakness and humiliation, how much more can he provide for your need in his present wealth of power and exaltation. And if Jesus purchased the church with his own blood and ordained that in it bereft mothers find sons and sons find mothers, then no one should be without a caring family today in the body of Christ. Amen.”

May this be our deep concern, too!

Blessings,

Mari

In Luke 2, we are given several incidents that left an impression upon Mary, the mother of Jesus. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be the chosen mother of the Savior of the world. I imagine she saw him as just an ordinary child most of the time. But then there were those special times when she would have been reminded that he was destined for so much more than her heart could fathom. 

The Shepherds: Mary has just given birth in a town that was unknown to her, and in a lowly stable at that. Imagine her surprise when shepherds from that region, who would have been strangers, come to see her newborn child and tell her what God proclaimed to them about her son. “And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke‬ ‭2:10-11‬.

Simeon and Anna: When they took Jesus to present him at the Temple, both Simeon and Anna recognized Mary’s child as the prophesied Savior. Simeon proclaimed “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."”  Luke‬ ‭2:29-32‬

Simeon blessed their child but he specifically warned Mary that as a mother she would also have to endure a mother’s heartache for her child would shake up the order of things and not all would be accepting of him. 

Anna also gave thanks to God on behalf of Mary’s child and began to spread news of him. 

Mary watched her baby boy grow into a young lad of 12. At the Feast of the Passover, her mother’s heart became very distressed when he couldn’t be found and she worried about what might have happened to him. But Jesus, full of wisdom and knowledge that he had a purpose on this earth, reminded her that ultimately he could be entrusted into the care of his Heavenly Father. “And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"” Luke‬ ‭2:49‬ ‭

It can be a hard thing to trust God’s plans for our loved ones. Naturally we want to protect them from hardship, trials and pain. I’m sure Mary was no different but she was also wise enough to recognize that she had to trust God and His ultimate plan. Thats’s why Luke 2  tells us , “and his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” Luke‬ ‭2:51‬

 ‭I imagine she drew strength from these memories when she had to witness her son’s brutal death. We too have to trust God’s Word to us and trust the details of our lives and the lives of our loved ones to Him. We may not understand all of the whys in this life but we can trust that God can make something beautiful out of every heartache. He always has a higher purpose and a plan of salvation for us all. 

I decided to search out Scriptures that speak on just how well He knows and loves us this week and I pray these truths will bless you as much as they have me. 

He know you:

• “The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9). 
• He regards you as “the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8).
•  He can “empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15). “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,” King David wrote, “You knew my path” (Psalm 142:3). 
• “He knows the way that I take,” declared Job (Job 23:10). 

• “The Lord delights in you” (Isaiah 62:4). 
• “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). 
• “I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16).
• “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 147:11). 
• “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. (Zephaniah 3:17)

• So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father’”. (Romans 8:15) 
• God sought you. He searched you out. Before you knew you needed adopting, He’d already filed the papers.  
• For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.(Romans 8:29) 
• God sent Him [Christ] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. ( Galatians 4:5)  
• You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. — (Galatians 3:26)
• The moment we accept His offer we go from orphans to heirs:  You are His heirs… (Galatians 3:29)   
• Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)

• “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Psalm 37:23–24).

Matthew 26:36-46

As we celebrate Christ, His death and resurrection, one of the most painful parts of the story is the Garden of Gethsemane. For it was there when the weight of all our Savior was about to endure overcame Jesus. Such was His anguish, that His soul was overwhelmed to the point of death. And falling upon His face, three times Jesus prayed that if possible, God would remove the cup from which He was to drink. 

Located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, (which literally means “oil press”) consisted of a small grove of olive trees. A fitting place since it was there that Jesus was spiritually pressed. You know it’s often said that our true nature is revealed during times of pressing. And how we face trials and suffering shows the depth of our relationship with God. At any time Jesus could have walked away. He could have returned to His glorious throne in heaven and never once suffered for our sins. But instead He choose God’s will over His own, and obedience regardless of the consequences. And when God didn’t remove His cup of suffering, Jesus let nothing stand between Him and that cup.

There will be times when we will find ourselves face down in our own Garden of Gethsemane. When God permits suffering and we are pressed spiritually to the point of agony. It’s then when we need to follow the example of our Lord. First, in fervent prayer we are to cry out to our Abba, Father. Emptying before Him our hearts filled with fear and sorrow. And when His answer is for us to endure, we are to humbly submit before God saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Drinking the cup of suffering is never easy. But we need to trust that God’s plans are always best, and used for both our benefit and His glory. Most of all remembering that His grace is everything we need to carry us through. (2 Cor. 12:9)

Nowhere was Jesus’ humanity on greater display that in that garden. And because, to the glory of the Father, He drank the cup filled with our sins, He now stands at the right hand of the Father, as our perfect High Priest. So today if you are feeling spiritually pressed, bring it the Lord. For He understands sorrow and pain. Hurt and suffering. Betrayal and anguish. And let Him guide you through your garden of agony. 

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On Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, we reach the culmination of Holy Week. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event of the Christian faith. The very foundation of all Christian doctrine hinges on the truth of this account.

Early Sunday morning, several women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced, “Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." (Matthew 28:5-6)

On the day of his resurrection, Jesus Christ made at least five appearance. Mark’s gospel says the first person to see him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus also appeared to Peter, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all of the disciples, except Thomas, while they were gathered in a house for prayer.

The eyewitness accounts in the. gospels provide what Christians believe to be undeniable evidence that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did indeed happen. Two millennia after his death, followers of Christ still flock to Jerusalem to see the empty tomb.

Sunday's events are recorded in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.

Jesus' body lay in its tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus. “He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40)

Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community. Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they had come to realize that Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial. 

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death. According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Abba Father,

I humbly come and surrender my life to You.  I am not worthy to come into Your presence but for the blood of Christ, who shed His blood to cover my sins, who took all my griefs and sorrows on the cross.  I give to You__________________________.  I do not want to carry them around any more, they only bring me down and take my joy in You away.  When I am reminded of my past sin  grief or sorrow, I will remember that You already took them for me.  Instead I will praise and worship You! I will praise You while I live. I will sing praises to Your name while I have my being.  It is good to sing praises to Your name, for it is pleasant and praiseworthy.  You are the One who heals the brokenhearted, You are abundant in strength and Your understanding is infinite.  I will praise You all the days of my life.  Amen!

Selah,                                                                                                     Lyn

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