SUNDAY CHOICE – PALM SUNDAY-HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST – By Charles Schokman   Today, Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (which we usually call “Palm Sunday,” because the crowd welcomed Him by spreading palm branches in His path). Those who greeted Him were convinced He was the Messiah (or “anointed one”), sent by God to establish His Kingdom on earth.   Why did the crowds turn against Jesus so quickly? One week they welcomed Him, and the next week they demanded He be crucified.   Billy Graham addressed this important question numerous times in his My Answer column.   “No events in human history were more important than Jesus’ death and resurrection, and yet many people (even Christians) never take time to study them.   It must have been a dramatic sight as Jesus approached Jerusalem on a donkey (which was a sign of His humility). The ...

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The Message of Easter – By Nilan James Source :  Dæhæna – March 2024 Easter is the most important religious festival for Christians. It celebrates Jesus’ victory over death. It defines the beginning and the foundation of Christianity. For Christians, the resurrection is an important treasure. It’s also a great love story. Jesus did not come into the world simply to suffer and die. He came to bring God’s message of unconditional love The Resurrection of Jesus takes us beyond the Cross to the joy and hope that comes from seeing the Risen Lord. Christ risen allowed us to know that there is a future for every human being and that our cry for unending life is indeed answered in Him. This is the true message of Easter! We also have gives us a new sense of certitude, even if when it is very difficult in our lives, even if ...

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SUNDAY CHOICE – Thank you Jesus for the blood applied – by Charles Schokman Thank you Jesus for the blood applied. An important element of life with God: that we thank him for his past work and his continual work. As Christians, there are some obvious things we can be thankful for. Jesus’s atoning death on the cross that has brought salvation. One day we will go to heaven. We have a relationship with God. But what about what God is doing now? Philippians 1:3–6 ESV                                                                                                                                        ...

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SUNDAY CHOICE – JESUS, KEEP ME NEAR THE CROSS – by Charles Schokman   How many of us can sing by heart the words of the song that starts “Jesus, keep me near the cross”? Can you recall the next few lines? More than just a song, it’s a much-needed prayer for Christians. Too many of us have an incomplete understanding of what happened when Jesus willingly embraced the cross and died upon it. We tend to think of the cross as a way for us to get more of God’s goodies, the ticket, as it were, to our best life now. Of course, there is a degree of truth in that notion: without the death of God’s Son, you and I would still be in our sins, and therefore rightfully under God’s wrath. But there’s more, so much more to it. When Jesus suffered on the cross He was ...

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Ash Wednesday for the year 2023 is celebrated / observed on Wednesday, February 22nd – Sent to elanka by Charles Schokman This is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the Roman Rite, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans,  Methodists, Nazarenes, as well as by some churches in the Reformed tradition (including certain Congregationalist, Continental Reformed,  and Presbyterian churches). As it is the first day of Lent, many Christians begin Ash Wednesday by marking a Lenten calendar, praying a Lenten daily devotional and making a Lenten sacrifice that they will not partake of until the arrival of Eastertide. This is a prayer sung, and to be remembered, during this Holy Season. Pray it will be a Blessing to you.  ...

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SUNDAY CHOICE – PRAYING FOR OTHERS – by Charles Schokman There is a misconception that only certain people are called or gifted to be intercessory prayer warriors. There are people in our churches and our lives who seem to have that special intimate connection with God. They are relentless when it comes to praying for others. The truth is we are all called to pray for others. In Ezekiel 22:30, God is searching for those who would stand in the gap, to intercede for others. The invitation is for all Christians to serve through intercessory prayer. Praying for others is not a choice; it is our privilege.  Whether we believe it or not, we are all equipped to be prayer warriors on behalf of others. We are heirs with Christ. We are adopted sons and daughters and therefore possess the same power and access to God that our Saviour enjoys. We can whisper, or cry out, ...

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Christmas in Sri Lanka – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Website: www.Doctorharold.com Magical and sensational Affair Transcript: Though 70% of the inhabitants in Sri Lanka are Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Christians, and Hindus, Christmas in Sri Lanka is celebrated with much passion and enthusiasm by everyone. It is a time when families living far apart, some across the seas, meet in their ancestral family home in Sri Lanka and rejoice the season most joyfully. Preparations and arrangements begin a month before Christmas. It is a time to share love, kindness, compassion, and, most importantly, gifts with family and friends. People in Sri Lanka are known to host lavish parties during Christmas. History states that European Colonies influenced Sri Lankan customs and traditions from the 16th century to the 20th century. This is how Christmas became vital to Sri Lankan customs and traditions. It is traditional for Sri Lankans, especially the Burgher ...

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SUNDAY CHOICE – IS YOUR HEART RIGHT WITH GOD? There are some people who may not appear to us as “good Christians”, based on what our expectation of a good Christian should look like. We can take a look at them, maybe the way they dress, the way they talk, or something about their lifestyle that we are not comfortable with, and find ourselves jumping to conclusions about the state of their hearts. But their hearts might be just right with God! Only God sees every heart. We are all on our personal journeys with Jesus Christ. Maybe they are pleasing God with their humble hearts. Maybe their hearts are filled to overflowing with love for God and love for others. Perhaps the bigger question we should actually ask is this: Is my heart right with God? Listen to what the Bible says:— Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 139:23-24, ...

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Sovereign Creator of the Universe – By Lakshman Navaratne Sovereign Creator of the Universe He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” PSALM 46:10 THE WORK OF HIS HANDS [When the Creator of our Body and Soul, calls you to His service, He reveals the written agenda pre-programmed, before the world was set in place, as your life in the “Book of Life” [A]. you can listen to this message if you log on to christianityisme.com] The CAKE (Consuming-Humanity) Eat it or keep it! The writer of this article shall use the written word Scripture as the absolute, hidden truth, and the education and the knowledge of Organic Chemistry to separate the Light and Darkness baked into the “cake-Humanity”. Humanity; the ingredients were hand-picked by the Creator of mankind to be the final dimension ...

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BENANIAH (God Made) – by Lakshman Navaratne (If you prefer listening to the message; please log on to    christianityisme.com) We Gentiles, who are Drafted and Grafted to the tree of life, living on earth today, shall always be with the Lord feeding with the sap of Grace from the Cross, hidden in his “Word” and Resting in the shadow of the Almighty. This is the assurance from the Apostles of Christ who were martyred for “His Name”. [A]  Our salvation is a free gift from eternity; so, if we want to be a part of his kingdom, we must be working with him for the final Crown, in spite of the ridicule from the faithless around us. The 40 human writers who wrote the scripture, obeyed the Voice of the Almighty and penned the content as heard into their hearts. So, we may be reading the translated versions of the ...

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