The Sanctity of Holy Week

 Matthew 28: 1-6

 ¹In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. ²And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. ³His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: ⁴And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.⁵And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. ⁶He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Dear Brother and Sisters,

    Easter is one of the most important times of the year for a true christian believer. A believer of Christ honors this time and his birth... or they should. In the religious world they consider Easter to be a sacred time of praying, fasting and worship; still practiced by Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and other  Judeo Christian followers.
    I have taken a reflective look at our situation in the apostolic world on how we honor this time of the year. What I see is not what it should be. These religious denominations take it quite serious ...even the whole week of Easter for praying and fasting and reflection. I have been to some of these services and is inspiring to see that people who do not have the Holy Spirit in their lives to give great consideration to the LORD. They reverence this time of year and I respect their efforts. I pray that we [the people with the Holy Spirit in our lives] would follow their example. We need to humble ourselves, pray  fast, worship, and do deep soul reflection on where we stand as if we were in the presence of the Almighty GOD. HE who has given so much for us is deserving of honor , respect, and much worship.
     I thank JESUS so much for the  Easter Blessing HE has given me. This means a lot to me because  he has sacrificed so much for us to have a HAPPY EASTER. I pray blessing on all the families of our church and to all those across this great nation as well as those overseas the happiness in JESUS.
      Help me pray that people of the MOST HIGH would reverence this Holy Week with respect and honor that is due our Savior.
     To all a Wonderful, Marvelous, and Fantastic EASTER. He is Risen!

Brother Sam Mireles
 

The Lord's Supper

Luke 22

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

 ¹Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ²and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

The Last Supper

 ⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."

 ⁹"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.

 ¹⁰He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, ¹¹and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' ¹²He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."

 ¹³They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

 ¹⁴When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

 ¹⁷After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

 ¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

 ²⁰In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. ²¹But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. ²²The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." ²³They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

 ²⁴Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 ³¹"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you^[a] as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

 ³³But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

 ³⁴Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."

 ³⁵Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
      "Nothing," they answered.

 ³⁶He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. ³⁷It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'^[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

 ³⁸The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords."
      "That is enough," he replied.

It's Real, It's Real, It's Mine, It's Mine

                                                  Singing in a Brush Arbor During the Early 1940s

 A recent discussion with someone close to me shook me to the very core of my being. I am an old fashioned believer. I have never doubted my salvation. I do not doubt now. The very thought that this person expressed the kind of doubts I heard distressed and disturbed me even in my dreams. It took me back to my childhood and I awakened with this song on my mind.  I couldn't get it off my mind for a week and all of us would do well to revisit the teaching songs of our childhood because thee is truth in this kind of music. I never attended a brush arbor but I heard a lot about it during my childhood that was not so farf away from brush arbor days.

 I Know

Some people say that this ole time religion is just a thing of the past.
But in this modern that we're livin', it's the only thing that will last.
Now you may think that I'm a little ole fashioned; Well friend that's alright with me.
But I'm so glad that I am a Christian and from sin I have been set free.


I know I know, there's no doubt about it. He lives in my heart and I'm gonna shout it
I know I know, my sins are forgiven. And I'm on my way to a place that's called Heaven.


Not long ago, at an ole fashioned meeting. I knelt on my knees there in prayer.
He lifted my burdens; Sins shackles fell from me and His presence was so real everywhere.
Now that the load that I carry is light, and he changed the grey skies to blue.
My steps are now higher, for I have this assurance that His sweet love will carry me through.



I know I know, there's no doubt about it. He lives in my heart and I'm gonna shout it
I know I know, my sins are forgiven. And I'm on my way to a place that's called Heaven.


Come go with me to that land over yonder, He's prepared for the pure and the true.
It's a place where sickness and death cannot enter, I'm going brother how about you?
Maybe today or maybe tomorrow, He'll return in robes of pure white.
I'm packing up now getting my things together, Who knows? It might be tonight.


I know I know, there's no doubt about it. He lives in my heart and I'm gonna shout it
I know I know, my sins are forgiven. And I'm on my way to a place that's called Heaven.


I know I know, there's no doubt about it. He lives in my heart and I'm gonna shout it
I know I know, my sins are forgiven. And I'm on my way to a place that's called Heaven.