Really makes you stop and think about how we are responding to each other.  "Thank you Lord Jesus you are still arising in many of your people today.  May we live the ressurrection life in front of others so they can have the same hope."

This is a week to be especially sensitive to why Jesus came and what he came to do. Thank you for helping us do that.

I just want to declare that, "Jesus is enough for me!" 

Mike,

Great Job.

So often I feel like I fall into that category, where I am looking for that earthly relief from the day to day trials. I need to be focused on the eternal vacation from all of this worldly chaos that is already being planned for me by my true "Boss" in this life. Your an eye opener Mike, you truly do have an ability to stir my thoughts, and search my heart with your blogs. Thanks for the jump start for my day.  .

"How often do I look for salvation from my habits and addictions, abusive people in my life, pain from the past, personal injustices, etc., rather than an eternal salvation unthreatened by what happens in this life?"  YIKES!!!  This is so true!  I recognize this in myself, which is why I am praying daily for a change in attitude, a change in perception, a change in how I respond to my surroundings.  I don't want to crucify Jesus again; the pain I feel when I reflect on the pain he endured for my sake over 2,000 years ago brings tears to my eyes and a true sense of repentance to my heart. 

"Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"

Thanks for a great blog! 

"a change in how I respond to my surroundings." ... We all need this. I'm convinced it's part of keeping our eyes trained on heaven, rather than looking for salvation all around us.

"when I reflect on the pain he endured for my sake over 2,000 years ago brings tears to my eyes and a true sense of repentance to my heart." .... amen, amen, and amen!!!

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts Bernadette, the blog is better as a result!

Mike, these few days are the part of the story we like to skip over, but there is much to be gained from walking through Jesus' last days on earth, as dark as they were.  The story has a happy ending, but there is so much to learn from the darkness that precedes daybreak. 

Thanks Doyle!

And thanks Gil! Regarding "...evangelism is so difficult in these times", wow, don't hear that voiced very often. I agree, I think evangelism in the US and other rich countries is particularly difficult. Sometimes this makes me want to become a missionary to some third world country somewhere, where Christ is truly appreciated!