Betty Whitaker Jackson

I look forward to Sunday worship when our Worship leader begins with praise songs, then works into worship, then to meditative and contemplative, even confessional. I like the sequence. In “Blessings for Every Day,” Susie Larson praise and breakthrough in thanksgiving! when you stomp your feet, raise your hands, and sing a song of parise, the enemy scurries away, covers his ears, and his plans come to nothing. With God on your side, you have all you need to win…..

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In such a time as this, we can use some comforting words. I’ve been reading the Chronological Bible as my daily reading this year. I’m relearning the stories of the Judges, the battles, the guidance of God, and His continuing providence, constantly bringing back His people to Him. Easter is the ultimate revelation of John 3:16. Today, let these words give you comfort, bring you joy, and let you know that God’s presence is just as real to us as…..

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After Easter, Jesus, the Risen Lord, appeared to many. Their stories are riveting.  His disciples and others ate with Him, talked with Him, walked with Him, and listened to His teaching. They knew, because He told them, that He would soon be leaving them, ascending into heaven, and that would be necessary so that He could send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would help them, and us, recall what He had taught and give us wisdom to spread the…..

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On this final Lenten Restoration posting, I am filled with joy at the preparation for Easter our family celebrated yesterday making break, resurrection cookies, and sharing stories of Easter and God’s provisions for our family. Rightly, “Legacy” is the next to the last poem in my book “Restore My Soul: A Lenten Journey” and perhaps the most important one. As we worshiped together last night on Good Friday, we reflected on what the disciples must have felt that evening, with…..

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This pivotal day in history, Good Friday, called this because on this historic day Christ atoned for the sins of the world, and they are legion. Those who follow Him as the Son of God, Savior, Redeemer are forgiven for past, present, and future sin. He is the Pascal Lamb, designated from the beginning of the world, to allow us to call God Abba, Father.

My Psalm 345  THREE SAD DAYS

One sad day the disciples saw

Their Lord crucified,…..

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Maundy Thursday, the date of Christ’s Last Supper and his arrest, was anything but April Fools’ Day.  This was His day of  teaching, of betrayal, of the Last Supper, of prayer–agonizing prayer, of arrest, scourging, and trial. Scripture tells us, “God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” The irony is that fools will reject this message because they think this is the ‘only’ life, but our Creator…..

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One of the greatest themes of Easter is heaven.  Jesus taught about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus ascended into heaven. The early church writers wrote about heaven. Even Old Testament stories reveal the concept of heaven.

We might have differing opinions about where heaven is, what heaven looks like, what our life there will be, and how we will worship God there. We may have confusion about whether we will know everyone there we knew in this life, and whether…..

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Holy Week gives us opportunity to reevaluate our own mortality, to ask ourselves, “What am I doing to advance the cause of Christ?, and to reset priorities. Today’s My Psalm asks God to prepare us to be used to further the kingdom.

For some Christians, perhaps those Christian in Name Only, it means giving up an hour of worship on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve, no doubt dressed in the latest finery. May they truly hear the Gospel preached and…..

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MY PSALM 337 STRENGTH FOR NEW CHALLENGES

Heavenly Father, Lord and Master, Is there a Balm in Gilead where the sin-sick And world-weary can go to find succor, healing and rest?[1] And beside those still waters, will You lead me still To restoration and revelation of Your mercy and grace?[2]

And perhaps, when my weary feet can gain the altitude, You’ll lead me once again to the hills From whence comes my strength.[3]…..

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This begins traditional Holy Week. I wrote “Three Triumphal Entries” for my book “Beyond Easter: Ascension and Pentecost” showing the festive nature of Christ’s final entry into Jerusalem. All over the world this day we celebrate Hosannas to the Son of David. Predidcted from the first words of scripture, this was a mini-version of the finality which will occur: every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ, either in worship or the terror of defeat. It is up to the hearts…..

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