The Creator of the Universe loves you

Christians refer to this week (April 2 to April 8) as "Holy Week". Since the start of this week, we've reflected on all Jesus Christ did to save our souls and reconcile us with God. I hope you always will remember how much the Creator of the Universe (God) LOVES YOU.

Listen to this song "Thank You Jesus for the Blood" by Charity Gayle. It will help you see how much Jesus loves you. He thinks you're worth dying for (John 3:16) and He wants a close, REAL relationship with you.

May God bless you today, tomorrow and always. 

Devotionals for the Heart: Butterflies and the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Holy Week
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16 (ESV)

It’s Holy week! The week between Palm Sunday, the observance of when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey to the cheering crowds shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” to Easter Sunday, the day of celebration and rejoicing that “Jesus is risen! He’s alive!”

During this week, Christians around the world take the opportunity to reflect on the events that led to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Among these events are the last supper, Jesus’s arrest, trial, and the crucifixion (Matthew 21-28; Mark 11-16; Luke 19-24; John 12-21). It is a week great in contrast: from public celebration to accusation, confusion, and ending with death.

As I personally reflect on these events and the life of Jesus, it reminds me of the life cycle of a butterfly. The day it is born, a very tiny caterpillar hatches from an egg. It is small and vulnerable as Jesus was – a baby born in a stable. As the caterpillar takes in nutrients, it grows its body mass thousands of times. Jesus grew up in wisdom and stature because he was about his Heavenly Father’s business, even teaching in the temple at age 11! As caterpillar grows, it changes in appearance. For thirty years, Jesus prepared and waited for the right time to be revealed as the son of God.

A caterpillar knows its purpose – to live, grow, effect life, and sacrifice its life to become something beautiful. Jesus also knew His purpose – to live, grow, point people to a life with God, and ultimately sacrifice himself for the remission of sins to show us the way to become something beautiful too.

On Good Friday, Jesus was crucified on the cross and buried in a tomb. All hope seemed lost. His disciples were hiding, and the enemy believed he had won. When a caterpillar becomes a chrysalis, it appears dead, wrapped in a cocoon. At this stage in its life cycle is the most dangerous because of weather, disease, and predators. By all accounts it appears dead, but the truth is that a transformation is occurring. So too did a transformation occur in the kingdom of Heaven as Jesus entered hell and took back the keys to death, hell, and the grave.

When a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, its wings are crumpled. It must hang its wings down and begin pumping them so they will fill with fluid and straighten out. It must wait until its wings are ready to fly. So too did Jesus, even after he had resurrected from the tomb, take time to prepare before revealing himself in all his glory. When Mary saw him at the tomb, he told her not to touch him because his time was not yet ready, but he sent her ahead to tell the others the good news (John 20:17).

So why is the life cycle of a butterfly important to the life and death of Jesus? To the world, butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment. They also show us the beauty and fragility of life. For the world, Jesus came to show us the unhealthy life of our souls without him. He showed the way to a better life here on earth and to one that would be eternal. He died so that we might live abundantly (John 10:10)!

So, as we reflect on this Holy Week, let us pay reverence to our risen Savior, His sacrifice, and rejoice in His victory, but also consider the beauty of His creation all around us that reflects His glory too. It’s purposeful, motivated, willing to sacrifice even unto death, but it’s also destined to become something more wonderful and beautiful than anyone can imagine.

Praise the Lord! He is Risen!

*Note from Alexis: Mirachelle’s devotional reminds me of the song “Hosanna” by Hillsong Worship. You can listen to it here.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, we thank you and honor you for your sacrifice on the cross. We rejoice in your resurrection power. We ask that you give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to receive the message of your glory reflected in all creation so that it may also be reflected in us. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Happy Easter!

God bless your dear hearts! He loves you! Read Jeremiah 29:11.

The Easter Story told by the cutest kids

A Glimpse of Heaven

Dear friends,

Today is Good Friday and Christians everywhere are called to remember the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we take heart in knowing that Christ didn't stay dead! No! He rose from the grave on the third day and He (after visiting his disciples to prove that he was alive and encourage them to continue to tell the world about His love and free gift of salvation, an order otherwise known as "The Great Commission") ascended to Heaven and serves as our High Priest and Mediator between God and humanity. Because of God's love, and Jesus Christ's sacrifice, we ALL have the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and receive the promise of eternal life.

"The whole point of the Cross is that you're going to fail and you're going to stumble and you're going to feel dirty and you're going to feel awkward. The whole POINT of the Cross of Christ is there be this mighty picture of His love and pursuit of you despite you. So the cross is necessary because of you but it's also the picture we have of just how far God is willing to go because He loves you. You've got to understand God's DEEP and ABOUNDING LOVE for you." -- Excerpt from voice-over in YouTube video "True Love- Phil Wickham (With Matt Chandler & CJ Mahaney). 

Dearest child of God, If you remember nothing else in this Easter holiday, may you always remember this simple truth-- GOD LOVES YOU and HE is coming again to put an end to sin with all the damage it causes and usher His faithful ones into eternity.

So on this Easter holiday and always, I pray that you who know Jesus Christ will remain faithful and true to The One GOD who loves you most, more than you could ever imagine...and if you don't know Jesus Christ yet, I pray that you will come to know Him and see firsthand how He is in the very heartbeat of man...May you experience His love, His grace, and His mercies that are new every morning...May you come to know Him as your Lord, Savior and Truest Friend...and may you accept his gift of salvation so that when your life on this earth comes to an end, you have hope that you will see the promise of forever when He comes again in those great clouds of glory to usher His faithful followers into eternity.

God bless you, dear hearts, on Easter and always! :)

Love,

Alexis