ASLC Devotions - Monday

Acts 9:8, 18

Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing….And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored.

Saul lost his sight then regained it to do God’s will. Have you ever “lost your sight?” I’m not talking about the time you tore up the house looking for a lost phone or set of keys and then saw it right under your nose. I’m talking about losing sight of God’s plan for you; how you should act as a follower of Jesus.

Special Olympics is now a part of our life. For several years Ayesha didn’t do any sports, but when she watched her friends’ practices/games, saw how much fun it was and with a little convincing from the other parents she joined. She loves it, and very good at it (ok, proud mom talking!). Watching all these Special Ed kids play is pure joy. It opens your eyes to what can be accomplished no matter what your challenge is. They are so excited when they get a basketball through the hoop, the volleyball over the net, or just make it to the finish line of the race. That joy is infectious and it reminds me of the simple things that we take for granted.

God doesn’t ask us to do the impossible. He doesn’t give us more than we can handle.

Let us Pray: Open my eyes today, Lord to your plan for us and doing your will.

Janet Lowe

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour at 9:45. Wednesday, we will have supper at 6:15 and worship at 7 as we meet a woman who was caught in adultery in our series "Christ on Trial." Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.

ASLC Devotions - Saturday

John 1:5-9

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

There are many references to the” light” in the Bible. What does it mean to or for you?  As a child many of us were afraid of the dark and had a night light to ward off the darkness.  Now as an adult the “light” comes in our belief in Jesus the one John was preparing the way for us of his coming.  With Jesus in our hearts we no longer need to be afraid of the darkness as he is the “light” that God promised to all of us.  Remember that your “light is shining brightly” for Jesus will always be there to keep the darkness away.

Kathy Garner

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.  Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list. 

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Do you look like your Mom or your Dad.?  Perhaps a wonderful blend of both.  That's natural.   We may even resemble our parents in our behavior, because they were our first teachers.  We learn to talk and walk by imitating them.   Often, we also have personalities much like our parents.  Our parents, in love, try to teach us the things that we should learn.

 We are also sons and daughters of God the Father Almighty because He created Adam and Eve, the first parents, and through them he created us. In this passage, the apostle Paul urges us, using the most endearing terms, "beloved children" to be imitators or followers of Christ.  Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we are also sinners and rebels against God.  Jesus Christ, the obedient Son, restored the relationship between us and Christ the Father by his suffering and death on the cross to pay the full price of our sins. 

We're to love our neighbors as Christ loved us.  As imitators of Christ, we no longer walk in the darkness of sin. If we live our lives, taking God along with us, we won't adopt bad habits like drug or alcohol abuse, sexual immorality, violence, hated, lies and other schemes of the devil.  We won't deceive anyone or take advantage of them.  We'll try to live Christian lives trying to care for our families and neighbors, helping them with every need.  We'll stop, like the Good Samaritan and  care for  the injured, homeless and helpless.  We're to show others that Christ is a gift for those with failed and broken lives.  There is hope, restoration and healing for those who have passed the point of despair.  

God loved us.  Now it's time to pass it on.

Thank you God, for showing me Your mercy and love in Christ Jesus.  Amen

Carole Graesser

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.  Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Ephesians 4:32

… And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

The truth of our lives is that, over time, stuff is going to happen to us. For whatever reason, there are instances when people do things to us that are unkind and mean spirited, with no apparent concern for our feelings.

The key is not what was done to us but how we act in response to it?  So, what do we do? Do we let anger fester and turn into animosity and retaliation?  Or, do we take a deep breath and let go and move on?  Our attitude and our disposition make such a difference in our lives.  We choose how we react to things, how much we’re going to let things bother us and affect our day.

The point is … There are times in our lives, friends, when we have to let go of stuff, even stuff where we might seem justified. Let it go!  Sometimes it’s hard to let go. Sometimes the pain is deep and we don’t seem like we can get beyond it. Sometimes we don’t seem to be able to forget.  Sometime events of our past mar the future … they seem like they’re just too much a part of us.

Don’t let anger be the guiding light in your life, Forgive and Forget, just as God in Christ forgave you and me. Thanks be to God!

Kevin Drucker

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11.  Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

John 7:14-16

About the middle of the festival, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.  The Jews were astonished at it, saying,”How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?”  Then Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me.”

Roman Daily News, 11/6/33, back page

Rogue Rabbi Triggers Temple Tempest

by Lucius Metellus Stylus

Jerusalem—A country rabbi wanted by Judean authorities showed up at the Temple here halfway through the weeklong Feast of Tabernacles, when crowds max out to celebrate the harvest and give thanks for an ancient rescue.  Claiming his credentials come from the Jewish God, the man defended healing on their day of rest.  He then stirred up the crowd with wild claims about where he came from and where he is going, then slipped away.

He returned the last day, shouting that he is “the source of living water” and citing Hebrew scripture.  This time the crowd cheered him as “Prophet” and “Messiah.”  Fearing a riot, the Temple Guard deployed but he escaped again.

A spokesman for our Roman governor said, “We're monitoring the situation.  Judea is a rebellious province and religious crowds can get hysterical.  We'll catch the agitator.”   An unnamed chief priest acknowledged, “We're worried. No prophet comes from Galilee.  None of us believes this man, but this is a low-information mob—they don't understand our Law.”

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We don't easily accept teachers without “proper” credentials.  Did Jesus study with a local rabbi?  Was he like the Music Man, making it up as he went along?  Or like the illiterate African-American slave preachers who testified that God wrote the Scriptures on their hearts?  Or the Son of God?  Who do YOU say he is?

Linda Foltz

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11. TONIGHT - Wednesday, we will have supper at 6:15 and worship at 7 as we meet Nicodemus in our series "Christ on Trial." Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

1 Corinthians 10:3-4
And all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

God gave all of Israel the same Spiritual food and drink from the rock that was Christ.  What a gift to receive, how many people accepted those gifts?

Albert Barnes asks about these verses, “To what degree do you revel in the spiritual privileges that God has given you?”  “Do you ponder the wonder that out of all the people in the history of the world, God chose of His own initiative to save you?”

Half way through Lent we could probably use some help remembering that God has afforded us the same gifts he gave to the Israelites.  Are you able to accept God’s gifts?

Adrienne Bolbot

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11. Wednesday, we will have supper at 6:15 and worship at 7 as we meet Nicodemus in our series "Christ on Trial." Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

2 John: 7-8

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward.

During Lent, we journey together remembering Jesus’ sacrifice for us to show God’s love. In this letter, the elder began speaking of loving one another. The elder warns us about “the deceiver and the antichrist,” and to “Be on your guard.” When I look around my neighborhood, I don’t see “the antichrist.” What is he talking about? Then I recall the negative people, the ones who do not seem to show love for others. Instead, they work to spread the darkness they feel, as if the story ended when Jesus died.  I think, those are the people that I am to be “on guard” for. They are the people that can pull me away from feeling and sharing God’s love and send me down the negative path of gossip and griping. Maybe, those are the people that we need to share love with most and remind them that Jesus rose from the dead. He rose to save us and to show God’s love for us. I will still be “on guard.” But maybe, if they are shown extra love, they can walk in the light with us as we journey through Lent.

Vikki Drucker

This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11. Wednesday, we will have supper at 6:15 and worship at 7 as we meet Nicodemus in our series "Christ on Trial." Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.