Nehemiah Baptist Church Hosts Expungement Seminar This Saturday

Jesus Saves Celebrates the Savior With Free Community Breakfast

Jesus Saves Ministries and  The Life Conference Suite  presented "Celebrate the Savior" Free Community Breakfast & Worship Service on Saturday, April 15th.  The celebration included praise and worship, prayer, and the preached word.    Rev. Dennis Prince inaugurated our new vintage keyboard, Amatullah Shabazz ministered in song. Pastor Ruth Wilson led us in prayer and exhortation.  Rev. Michael Lee's message on Jesus and the thief on the Cross was entitled, Just Read the Sign(s).  The sign over Jesus on the cross and those that accompanied Jesus throughout his earthly ministry told of who he was.  If only they had been read and properly understood.  This was an awesome word!

Rev. Milton Seymore, co-host on the Justice Resource Center radio broadcast on 104.7 FM, stopped by, and we met some new friends, including radio listeners who joined us at this Easter celebration. Shouts out and much love to Brenda Willis James, Rev. Dennis Prince Jr.,  Amatullah Shabazz, and her son Zechariah,  Sylvia Harper,  Jerome and Sharon Price, son, Brandon Flippins, and "Chef Bill" on the griddle for volunteering their time and, talents to this community event. Much thanks to Sam's Club for goodies for our goody bags, and muffins! We thank God for another opportunity to lift up Jesus Christ.  Congratulations to Sylvia Harper, winner of a pair of tickets to see Kirk Franklin Live, May 20th!

TGIF! Thank God It's Good Friday!

By: Angela Lee Price

A "bad" thing happened to Jesus on Good Friday, so what makes Good Friday so "good'? Jesus was falsely accused, scorned, rejected, whipped, humiliated, and nailed to the Cross on Good Friday. He suffered an agonizing death that day at the hands of the Jewish and Roman authorities.

What happened on Good Friday definitely was not good, but the results were very good for you and me. Scripture tells us that because Jesus endured the suffering of the Cross, Christians can shout, T.G.I.F.!, thank God I'm forgiven and it's Good Friday!

Good Friday is good because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Isaiah 53:5 says, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." What can wash away are sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Good Friday is good for another reason. Jesus defeated Satan and his evil forces at the Cross. Colossians 2:15 states, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them at the cross." Hebrews 2:14-15 says, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

Finally, Good Friday is good because it proves to us that when you put your faith in Jesus, it ain’t over, as Maurette Brown Clark sings, until God says it’s over! A lot of conversation occurred up on the Cross as Jesus died between two thieves. Jesus prayed to God. One thief taunted Jesus. The second thief rebuked the first thief. The second thief asked Jesus to remember him in His kingdom. Finally, Jesus promised the second thief that he would be with Him that day in paradise. In lst Peter 3:8 we read, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body, but made alive in the Spirit." Acts 4:12 says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Good Friday is good because our sin debt was paid, Satan was defeated, and it proves that through faith in Jesus Christ there's hope for eternal life even in our darkest hour. For these reasons, you can say, T.G.I.F.!, thank God I'm forgiven and it's Good Friday!

Proverbs 18:24: I Have A Friend

Jesus Saves Ministries Celebrates the Savior with Free Breakfast Easter Weekend

Jesus Saves Ministries & The Life Conference Suite are hosting a Free Community Breakfast, Celebrate the Savior, Saturday, April 15th, 10:00 AM- 12 Noon, The Life Conference Suite, 2001 W. Broadway.  Join us for a delicious, hot breakfast plus, prayer, praise and the preached word with exhorter Pastor Ruth Wilson, guest clinician Rev. Dennis Prince, and guest psalmists.  Rev. Michael Lee, Chaplain, CHHCW will bring the message.  This free community breakfast is part of our "Least of These" initiative to feed and clothe residents in need.  We are in need of door prizes and giveaways.  Call Min. Angela Price, 415-1001,  or drop off at The Life Conference Suite,  M-Thur, 10-5. Space is limited.  Doors open at 9:30 AM!  Gotta thank the Breakfast Club, Brenda Willis James, Sharon Price, Min. Marian Anderson!

The Jesus Story and Forgiveness

The Jesus Story is a story of forgiveness. Many times the Gospel writers describe people seeking God’s forgiveness from Jesus and Jesus granting it. In fact, our Savior’s first words from the cross were a plea to the Father for those who had crucified him: “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

The issue of forgiveness marked our Lord’s ministry again and again. The apostle John describes a woman who had been caught in adultery. Some Pharisees brought this woman to Jesus, hoping to pit what he would say against what the Law of Moses had commanded. That Law, you see, said that she should be stoned. Saying nothing, Jesus simply “bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger”(John 8:6).

I wonder what he wrote. Perhaps it was something like, “Hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). Whatever Jesus wrote that day, the Pharisees insisted on a response. Finally, the Savior straightened up and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7), and then he continued to write.

At that, they left, one by one, humbled and with nothing left to say. When they had all gone, Jesus asked the woman, “Has no one condemned you?” (v. 10).  “No one, sir,” she responded. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus said. “Go now and leave your life of sin” (v. 11). Jesus had the authority to forgive sins and to set individuals free from guilt and shame. He has that same authority today. He speaks words of pardon and peace into our own troubled hearts: “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Post Your Reply:

We all get angry and judgmental at times and want to "throw stones." Instead of throwing this stone, someone wrote on it a very important truth about Jesus and forgiveness, "Jesus Is My Rock." What one truth about Jesus would you write on your stone?

Wednesday: The Jesus Story and Humilty

This devotional from the Lenten 6-week series, Life. Death. Victory.

The Jesus Story and Thankfulness

The Jesus Story is a story of forgiveness and humility. It’s also a story of Jesus’ thankfulness. On one occasion, Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed more than 5,000 people! (Matthew 14:13–21). The text says, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves” (v.19, emphasis added). I wonder what else might have been on Jesus’ mind at that moment.

Perhaps he was giving thanks to the Father for his call to be the Savior of the world. Perhaps, too, he thanked God for the power to do miracles, for the little boy who had shared his lunch, and for his faithful (if not always discerning) disciples. Perhaps he was giving thanks for the spiritual hunger of this throng of people, for their thirst to hear the Word of the Lord.

Post Your "Thankful" Point of Power:

Can you cite times in the Bible when Jesus thankful? Can you think of examples in your life where Jesus took a little and turned it into a lot? What are you most thankful for?

Post your favorite Scripture of thankfulness!

If you have already posted something on thankfulness on this site--because we have talked about it a lot--post a blog here for new members to read!

From the CTA Inc. series Life. Death. Victory: The Jesus Story.