Happy Easter!

Isaiah 53 (NIV)
"Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and a familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgement, he was taken away.  And who can speak of his descendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken.  He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.  Yet it was the LORD'S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.  After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.  For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

May you all have a happy and blessed Easter!

www.karenejklein.com

Pray and Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
God hears all our prayers, even the most simple ones.  The summer of 1995 was terrible.  I had an abnormal mammogram and my mother had a small heart attack. After my mother's heart attack we stayed with her to help out.  One afternoon I took my beautiful golden, named Ashley for a walk.  Many times when I walk my dogs I will silently pray. I was alone and as I passed by the houses on one street I said to God, "I wish we could afford to live here.  Any one of these houses would do Lord, this one, or that one."  Then I turned to this really cute home and I said to God, "That is a really pretty house Lord, I would love to live there."  I continued on my walk and didn't think much more about it.  Two years later in 1997 we were able to move to that neighborhood.  Our realtor brought us to look at a really pretty house and when we walked into it we immediately felt like this was "home".  It was the house that I had prayed for two years earlier.  We moved in about two months later. It was so nice that the Lord heard my little prayer and I am still rejoicing and still thankful to Him.  This beautiful home is truly a gift from God.
No prayer is too small  for God.  He wants to hear from you.  God wants to bless you.  Talk to Him!

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus, I lift up the people who are reading this devotional.  I pray that they will talk to You Lord and I pray that their hearts will be open to what You have to say.  I pray that those reading this will ask Jesus into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior.  Please keep us safe and healthy Lord.  Thank You for answering our prayers, for You are always there ready to listen and ready to rescue us.

www.karenejklein.com