Prayer Service for Victims of Cyclone Nargis

Greater Bay Area Revival 2008

Resurrection Sunday

Pastor Latt

GOD’S WORD: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

INSPIRATION: Ernest Gordon was a World War II prisoner-of-war who survived the horrors of the Japanese death camp by the River Kwai in Burma. In his book "Through the Valley of the Kwai", Gordon described how the unbearable despair of the death-camp was transformed into a spiritual triumph of a "Church Without Walls." The POWs were turned into slaves and forced to build a Railroad of Death for transporting prisoners to death camps and Japanese soldiers to the battlefront. These prisoners were tortured, diseased, starved and worked to the point of exhaustion. "Every man's hand was against every other's," wrote Gordon.

At one day's end, as the tools were being counted and the prisoners were about to return to their camp, the Japanese guard declared that a shovel was missing. He demanded to know which prisoner had stolen the shovel. "All die! All die!" shrieked the guard. He cocked his rifle, aimed it at the prisoners and promised to shoot them all. At that moment one Scottish soldier stepped forward. Standing at attention he calmly declared, "I did it." The guard viciously clubbed the hapless prisoner to death. When they returned to the camp, the tools were again counted, and no shovel was missing. That soldier sacrificed his life so that his companions could live.Christ willingly laid down His life so we may know God. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His matchless love for you and His sacrifice on the Cross for your sins.

"Christ spoke of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness. And these are things I think we need to be reminded of again. He forgave as he was tortured and killed. And we could do with a little of that behavior." - Mel Gibson

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we have walked with you through the "way of cross" and we now realize that you are the only Savior of the world who is worthy to be worshipped and praised. We thank Thee for the spiritual blessings and lessons from your Words and transforming stories of faithful believers through these forty days of Lent season. Now we dedicate our lives into your hand. Help us to continue our daily lives with your love and power of resurrection in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Passion Week Devotioanl (40th Day of Lent Season)

Pastor Latt

Via Dolorosa – Fourteenth Station – Here Jesus is laid in the Tomb

GOD’S WORD: “Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the Place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19: 40-42)

“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12: 24)

FACT: They take the body of Jesus to its resting place. The huge stone over the tomb is the final sign of the permanence of death. In this final act of surrender, who would have imagined this tomb would soon be empty or that Jesus would show himself alive to his disciples, or that they would recognize him in the breaking of bread? Oh, that our hearts might burn within us, as we realize how he had to suffer and die so as to enter into his glory, for us.

INSPIRATION: A mother living in a tenement house went shopping for groceries. While she was in the store, a fire engine raced by. She wondered, "Is the fire engine going to my home?" She had left her baby asleep at home. Forgetting about the groceries, she ran toward home. Her building had fire hoses aimed at it.
It was burning like a matchbox. Rushing to the chief, she cried out, "My baby is up there." He shouted back to her, "It would be suicide for anyone to go up there now; it's too late."

A young fireman standing by volunteered, "Chief, I have a little baby at home, and if my house were on fire, I'd want someone to go up to save my baby. I'll go." The young fireman climbed the stairs; he got the baby, threw her into the rescue net, and just as he did, the house collapsed and he was burned to death.

The scene is 20 years later at a graveside. A 20-year-old woman is sobbing softly. Before her, at the head of this grave, is the statue of a fireman. A man stopping by asks respectfully, "Was that your father?" She replies, "No." "Was that your brother?" "No," she says. "That's the man who died for me."

PRAYER: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; Free me from my distresses. Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.” (Psalm 25:16–18).

Passion Week Devotioanl

Pastor Latt

Via Dolorosa – Thirteenth Station – Here Jesus is taken down from the cross

GOD'S WORD: Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Pilate agreed. (John 19: 38).

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9: 26)

FACT: What tender mourning! Jesus' lifeless body lies in his mother's arms. He has truly died. A profound sacrifice, complete.

MEDITATION: On that terrible Friday afternoon, Peter, John, Thomas, and the rest thought it was over. Jesus had failed. They had failed. Their dreams of the kingdom had failed. Everything they had hoped for was finished.

Two days later they were hearing crazy rumours about Jesus being seen around Jerusalem. Some women were telling wild tales about seeing and touching him. Was there no respect for the dead? Were they trying to add insult to injury? Would there never be an end to this taunting?
Some of them rushed to the tomb and found it empty. But that probably meant only that the Romans had taken his body and reburied it in a secret place. One thing they knew: death is final and irreversible. It was over. Nothing would ever be right again. Jesus was dead.

Then, in a room whose door was shut and secure, Jesus was standing before them! Could they believe their eyes? Had the rumors been true? Maybe they pinched themselves. But they weren't dreaming. He was there - alive and with them again.

Death wasn't irreversible after all. Neither, then, were their pain, unbelief, and fear final. Their crushing sense of failure could give way now to confidence. They could be bold in Jesus' name. When this startling understanding fixed itself in their hearts, the same men who had crept away from Golgotha in fear would stand in the streets of Jerusalem to preach that the crucified-but-raised Christ is the Saviour of All.

REFLECTION: I behold this scene at the foot of the cross. I contemplate touching, caressing his body. I remember all his hands have touched, all who have been blessed by his warm embrace. I pause to let it soak in. He knows the mystery of death. He has fallen into God's hands. For me. That I might love as I have been loved. I pour out my heart to the God of all mercies.

PRAYER: “Save me from bloodguilt, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue will sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth will declare Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:14–17)

Passion Week Devotional

Pastor Latt

Via Dolorosa – Twelfth Station – Here Jesus dies on the Cross

GOD'S WORD: “It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23: 44-46)

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

FACT: Between two criminals, a mocking title above his head, with only Mary and John and Mary Magdalene to support him, Jesus surrenders his last breath: "Into your hands I commend my spirit."

INSPIRATION: There is an old legend that takes us back in time and recounts the time when Jesus slips back into heaven after He had died on the cross and rose from the dead. According to the legend, the angel Gabriel met him. Gabriel frowned when he saw the marks of Jesus’ scars of His tortuous years on earth, especially the scars of His crucifixion.
Gabriel said: “Master, you suffered terribly for those down on earth.”
“Yes, I did,” was Jesus’ reply.

Gabriel continued: “Do they all know now about your live and your forgiveness? Have they all heard about your death and resurrection?”

“No, not yet.” Said Jesus. “Right now only a handful knows. Only a handful of people in Palestine know about my death and resurrection.”

Gabriel looked perplexed. “Then”, he asked, “Euh… How will everyone find out about your wonderful life and your sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection?”

“I have asked Peter, James, John and a handful of friends and followers to tell other people about it. And when other people hear and believe, they in turn will tell others. And Gabriel, by and by, the planet earth will hear the message.”

Still frowning, the angel responded: “But, hmmm, you know how people are on earth. What if they… What if Peter, James and John get tired? What is they tell the story and then the next generation gets all involved in other pursuits? What if way down in the 18th or 20th century, people aren’t committed any longer to your commission? Have you made other plans?”
The Lamb of God looked directly at the angel of God and said: “I have not made any other plans. I am counting on them.”

MEDITATION: I stand there, at the foot of the cross, side by side with all of humanity, and behold our salvation. I carefully watch and listen to all that is said. And then, I experience the one who gives life pass from life to death, for me. I console Mary and John and Mary. And let them console me. This is the hour to express the deepest feelings within me.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, you have sent your Son Jesus Christ and died on the cross in my place. I am so thankful to you that all my sins have been washed away by your precious blood. Help us to remember this each and every minute so that I will be able to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to this world. In precious Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Devotional (Day Thirty Seven)

Pastor Latt

Via Dolorosa – Eleventh Station – Here Jesus is nailed to the Cross

GOD’S WORD: “Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him.” (Mark 15: 23)
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3: 14)

FACT: Huge nails are hammered through his hands and feet to fix him on the cross. He is bleeding much more seriously now. As the cross is lifted up, the weight of his life hangs on those nails. Every time he struggles to pull himself up to breathe, his ability to cling to life slips away.

INSPIRATION: There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, it won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry,' the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Jesus was nailed on the cross for our sins. Let us nail our sin nature on the cross with Jesus.

MEDITATION: I make myself watch the nails being driven through his flesh. And I watch his face. I contemplate the completeness of his entry into our lives. Can there be any pain or agony he would not understand? This is for me. Nailed to a cross to forever proclaim liberty to captives. What sorrow and gratitude fill my heart!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to realize each day about your crucifixion on the cross in my place so that my commitment will be renewed each day. In Jesus Name. Amen.