Today is Maunday Thursday, the day we remember the “Last Supper.”

As Christians, we typically think about the Last Supper as when our modern day Holy Communion was first instituted. However, what Jesus and the disciples were doing, was celebrating Passover, which was the day the Jews remembered God saving them from the Angel of Death in Egypt; the last plague before Moses led them out of Egypt. That day in Egypt, the Jews painted the blood of a lamb on their door posts as a sign of the agreement with God that the angel of death would “pass over” their homes safely. The first born in houses without the blood on the door posts was killed.

Mark 14:23-24 writes, “And he [Jesus] took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.”

At that passover meal, Jesus instituted a new tradition that we use today to remember how the blood of Jesus saves us also from death, eternal death.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the wonderful gift you gave us in Holy Communion, reminding us of the new agreement, “Salvation,” you give us if we accept Jesus Christ. What an amazing agreement. You save us, all we have to do is accept it. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

You have probably heard the expression, “if you play with fire you will get burned.” Telling someone this is telling them that they are risking serious consequences with their action, and indirectly telling them to stop their risky behavior.

Psalm 16:6 expresses a similar idea but more directly, “by fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.” the Living Bible translates it as, “evil is avoided by reverence for God.”

If we “fear” God, or “have reverence” for God, we will avoid those things that bring us close to evil.

The chances of us giving into temptations are much lower, if we avoid where the temptations exist. When we fear God, we will try to fill our time with those things he would like us to do, which should inherently keep us away from many temptations.

Dear Lord, we need to avoid evil. Thinking we can just resist temptations every time is like “playing with fire.” Avoiding the temptation in the first place, gives us a much better chance to avoid evil, and do your will. Help us to see that path around temptation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

The direction in this verse is pretty clear, that if we give, we will receive. However, I think the second sentence has a deeper message. “For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” The message is not how much we give, but the attitude we have in giving. If we give reluctantly, worried about what is being done with “our” gifts, God is likely to treat us the same way.

But if we give generously, with the confidence that God always provides, we will receive with the same “measure” or generousity.

2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Dear Lord, you provide all we have, and can give us much more, or much less, at your will. Help us remember then to give with a generous measure and you will allways give us everything we need and plenty left over. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There are some people that are so good at writing or delivering a speech that they can change people’s perspectives and behaviors enough to change the course of history; People like Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan.

Isaiah was given this type of capability by God to influence people’s lives as well. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”

God may not give us visions, and the ability to prophesy, like Isaiah, but he can use any of us to offer encouragement and hope to those that are weary, distraught or discouraged. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Any of us can be the one to provide the needed “gracious words.”

Dear Lord, give us the insight and understand to see those in need of healing words, and provide us the words that can make a difference in people’s lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There are many reasons to attend church services regularly, to learn, worship, encourage each other, and maintain our belief and faith. It is where we actually touch Jesus through Communion.

Paul mentions the importance of coming together in Hebrews 10:24, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

The famous motivational speaker and writer Zig Ziglar, wrote, “People often say motivation doesn’t last, well neither does bathing, that is why we recommend it daily.”

Attending church is the same, we need the reinforcement, regularly, to maintain and grow our faith. It is also the place the devil will do everything to prevent us from visiting. The more regularly we attend, the stronger our resolve will be to continue.

Dear Lord, many are misled into believing that they do not need regular worship to maintain their faith. Help us see that we do need this renewal and engagement with you. Protect us from the devil’s tricks to keep us away. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.