HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day Six/March 31, 2018
SCRIPTURE: 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17, NLT
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true
and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when
we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare
and equip his people to do every good work.
“(Scripture) corrects us when we are
wrong and teaches us to do what is
right.”
“The B-I-B-L-E yes that's the book for me” is a lyric from a song that
highlights the importance of the Bible (The Word of God). The Bible is
a love letter to us from God our Heavenly Father. It is written in blood
(through the life of Jesus Christ whose death, burial and resurrection
makes relationship with God the Father possible), and specifically
tailored for all of us. God uses the Bible to make Himself known, to
show us His great love and to show us how we should live our lives.
We are encouraged to prayerfully read and reflect on what we have
read. When we do, the Holy Spirit will reveal God's truth to us, and we
will have a deeper understanding of God and His will for our lives. His
Word equips us for every good work.
REFLECTION
Pray and ask God to identify one or more Scriptures that He wants you
to learn, understand and practice. Then, respond to the following
questions: What was the most meaningful Scripture you read today?
Reword that Scripture into a prayer response to God. What does God
want you to do in response to today's study?
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM
HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day Five/March 30, 2018
SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 11:18, NLT
So, commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie
them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.
“Moses wanted people to experience the
rich blessings that come with obedience
to the Word of God.”
In this Scripture Moses is encouraging the people of God to devote
themselves to obedience to the commands that God had given him.
Moses, God's appointed spiritual leader to His people, wanted the
people to experience the rich blessings that come with obedience to
the Word of God. His desire is that they take the Word of God so
seriously that they would do two things. First, that they would tie the
Word to their hands. By so doing, whatever they did with their hands
they would be reminded of the Word. Secondly, they were to tie the
Word to their forehead. A small scroll with God's Word would be tied
to a strip of cloth and like a bandana be worn around the head of the
scroll resting on the forehead, so that the people would be reminded
that their thoughts were to go up to God. How serious are you
regarding the Word of God? How does the Word of God shape your
thoughts and actions?
REFLECTION
Examine your thought life. On what does your mind dwell? Ask God to
give you creative ways to keep His Word at the forefront of your
thinking.
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM
HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day Four/March 29, 2018
SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 15:13, NLT
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and
peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident
hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“You will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
The Apostle offers this benediction to the Church at Rome, and to all
who read or hear this letter read; including us. His prayer is that we
be filled completely with joy and peace. Joy is a spiritual gift; a quality
of life; a state of being that results from living in right relationship with
God. Peace is the experience of confident well-being that comes
from and depends on your relationship with God. The blessing is that
you not only experience joy and peace, but that they overflow in your
life. This type of blessing comes only to those whose confidence is in
the Lord. Receive the blessing of this benediction everyday of your
life. During this week of fasting and prayer, we must make sure that
our hope and confidence is in the One who can do anything but fail.
REFLECTION
Read Philippians 4:6-13. This Scripture assures us that God is
available and able to meet our every need. It's a guarantee, in writing
to those who trust in Him. Memorize these verses and rehearse them
in front of a mirror for the next three days, then periodically for the rest
of your life.
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM
HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day Three/March 28, 2018
SCRIPTURE: PSALM 119:9, NLT
How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.
“Commitment involves a willingness to
stay with something no matter what
comes up…”
This Psalmist's prayer also serves as advice for young people. While
the young are the focus of the text we can all benefit from his
instruction. To stay pure involves a commitment of obedience to the
Word of God. Purity involves cleanliness which means living in
obedience to what the Bible teaches about how to live. Commitment
involves a willingness to stay with something no matter what comes
up. Commitment to stay pure involves striving to apply God's
instructions for living in every situation, and at the same time
understanding that righteousness is bestowed on us through our faith
in Jesus. We can stay clean by internalizing (reading and meditating)
on God's Word with a commitment to live by what it says. Commit to
spending time in God's Word every day.
REFLECTION
Commit to getting away from the distractions of daily life (cell phone,
television, games, movies, etc.) while spending time in prayer and the
reading of God's Word. Write down your thoughts about what God is
showing you and what actions you will take to make a commitment to
purity.
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM
HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day Two/March 27, 2018
SCRIPTURE: 1 PETER 2:2-3
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will
grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
“Cry out for this nourishment, now that
you have had a taste of the Lord’s
kindness.”
To crave something means, "to have a powerful desire for
something." Some cravings are instinctive. When one is physically
thirsty, one craves water. A newborn baby instinctively craves milk
when hungry. Other cravings, like sugar or chocolate, are developed
over time because they appeal to our senses and there is a sense of
temporary satisfaction when we get it. When we crave something, we
do whatever is necessary to get it for our consumption, and always it
temporarily satisfies the craving.
Imagine the impact on our lives if we develop a craving for the things
of God; for the Word of God. What if we constantly pursued the
spiritual nourishment that God's Word offers. We would crave it,
pursue it, consume it, then crave it more and more. That craving will
be a victorious cycle of productive behavior which results in
satisfaction that only Our Lord can give.
REFLECTION
Are you spending time seeking God? For the next 5 days, schedule at
least ten minutes in your day to pray and read God's Word. Meditate
on Psalm 63 and ask God to help you develop a strong (or stronger)
craving for His Word.
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM
HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL Day One/March 26, 2018
SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 21:16-17, NLT
The leading priest and the teachers of religion law saw these wonderful
miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise
God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant. They asked
Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus
replied. "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, "You have
taught the children and infants to give praise."
“You have taught the children and
infants to give praise.”
God blesses us every day. There are those blessings of which we
are aware, and some of which we are not. In any case, our response
to God for blessing us in ways seen and unseen ought to be praise.
The Bible says in Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that has breath, praise
the Lord." Praise is an act of expressing our appreciation and
admiration toward God. While it is appropriate and essential to praise
God, there will always be personalities who will neither want to hear
nor participate in praises to God. People like that will not want you to
praise God. Nevertheless, we should be neither distracted nor
discouraged by their opposition. Rather, we are to stay focused on
what our Heavenly Father is doing in our lives.
REFLECTION
Take some time to reflect on how God has blessed you and protected
you at various stages in your life. Then take time to praise God.
A NOTE FROM PASTOR WILLIAMS…
Use this week to fast and pray
as we gear up to celebrate
Resurrection Sunday
Then join the Union Family
on Good Friday as we hear
The Seven Last Words as
told by the ministers of Union
Baptist Church and observe
the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday Service March 30, 2018
7:00 PM
Resurrection Sunday Services April 1, 2018
8 AM and 11 AM