Take the ink pad and make a fingerprint. Look at your unique print – there is no other like it. Leave your mark remembering that God created you and loves you.
Stop to feel your pulse. Life is running through you.
Life is a gift of God.Feel your fingertips. Look at the pattern on them. Each is unique. You are unique. You are made in God's image. You are loved by the Creator who is proud of you. Look again at the mirror. Ask God to show you the real you, the you without image, the you that God sees.
Psalm 139:13-16For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 100:3
Know that the Lord is God. He made us and we belong to him.
SIN SEPARATED US FROM GOD 
Shake up the bottle with the oil and the water in it. No matter how hard you shake it, it will always separate. Sin separates us from god because God is without sin. When we choose to sin, we are choosing to separate ourselves from God.
What sins have you committed that have separated you from God?
Isaiah 59:2"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear".Romans 3:23"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". GOD'S LOVE
Read the following love letters from god to us. How does it make you feel to know the creator of the universe loves you this much?
How deep the Father's love for us- How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son- And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss- The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One- Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon the cross- My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice- Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there- Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life- I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything- No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ- His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward- I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart- His wounds have paid my ransom
1 John 3:1, 16 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Romans 8:38-39For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
JESUS PAID THE PRICE
Hold the nails in your hands as you look at the pictures of Christ's hands and feet. What was he thinking while on the cross? Why would he suffer and die for someone like you?
The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is thrown backwards unto the wood. The soldier drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through his wrist into the wood. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, feet extended, toes down and a nail is driven through the arch of the foot. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrist, excruciating pain shoots along his fingers and arms and explodes in his brain.
As he pushed himself upward to avoid the pain in his arms, must place full weight on the nails through his feet. His body begins to cramp and then he begins to lose his ability to push himself up to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but is almost impossible to exhaled.
Hours of limitless pain as his back is lacerated and torn from moving up and down the cross to breathe. Deep, crushing pain is deep in his chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and blood and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level and the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues.
Finally, he can allow himself to die.All this the bible records with the few, simple words:
“AND THEY CRUCIFIED HIM.” (Mark 15:24)
John 19: 1-3Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face. Luke 23: 33-34When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:44-46It 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. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. Isaiah 53: 3-6He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and 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. CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
Human beings are beautifully made in God’s image and yet as individuals we are sinful. Spend some time reflecting on the sinfulness of our world and our lives. How must that make God feel? Remember that through Jesus, God offers us forgiveness!
Write down your prayer of confession – or list the things for which you seek God’s forgiveness. When you have finished place your paper through the shredder! Watch them disappear and be reminded that God removes our sins and does not remember them.
The first fall took me by surprise. How many more times have I yet to fall! It happens again. It will never cease. The sin of this world is beyond measure. Jesus did bear in his body man's most
grievous sins, those sins which catch us unaware. He shouldered also the habitual, daily transgressions, those we had vowed never to again commit.
Lord, free us from the sins which have cost you so dearly. Liberate us from our sin, that which threatens to tear us from your hands for all eternity. Whatever life we may have led, by the grace of your death, save us from despair.
1 John 1:8-10If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. Psalm 32:5-6Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord " and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Take a penny and wash it with the solution. How did it come clean?
We aren’t worthy of forgiveness, but god gives it to us because of his unconditional love. There isn’t anything you’ve done that will ever be too big for god to wipe clean. Take your penny with you to remind you of the forgiveness god has given you and the sins he has washed you clean of.
Psalm 103:8-12The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. BECOMING MORE LIKE JESUS
Please take a cross with you to remember to “Take up your cross and follow Him.”
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his Cross
You are with me, but I am also with you. Your soul will be infused with my grace. It will calm your troubled heart; it will enable you to carry my Cross. In you, I bless all those who, through the ages, will imitate you; who will be compelled to shoulder a burden, a cross that they
neither chose nor desired. Every cross to be born, every suffering to be undergone by humanity, will be blessed this day through my Cross. Thank you Simon for coming to my aid, Thank you.
O my God, see how overwhelmed are the priests of today. Come to their assistance, and grant to them comfort. Make yourself known to all who suffer, as He who suffers in union with them. Grant to us your unwavering hope in the Resurrection. Teach us to love as Jesus loved; so much so that he presented his very life as an offering for us. .
2 Corinthians 3:18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Ephesians 4:17-24So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Romans 12:2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. CHANGE THE WORLD
On the map make a dot where you are right now.
And then make a dot where you are going.
Think about the people who have been significant in your faith journey. Give thanks for them. Ask God to help you have the courage to share his good news with others. Ask for the words you need.
Have confidence that God is active in the world today! The Church is growing rapidly in many areas of the world and thousands of young people are coming to know Jesus. Things are happening here too! Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
Grant us the courage of our convictions that our lives may faithfully reflect the good news you bring. Grant us your sense of righteousness that we may never cease to work to bring about the justice of the kingdom that you promised. Grant us the gift of honesty that we may not fear to speak the truth even when difficult. Grant us patience in times of suffering that we may offer our lives as a sacrifice of praise. Grant us strength of purpose that we may faithfully bear our crosses each day. Grant us willing spirits that we may be your instruments on earth. Grant us gentle spirits that we may comfort those who mourn. Grant us perseverance that we may never stop seeking you. Grant us constancy that we may be willing to stand by those in need. Grant us your compassion that we may always provide for those in need.
Matthew 9:37-38Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.Matthew 28:18-20Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
When you look in the mirror-what do you see? Do you, like the psalmist, see someone that is 'fearfully and wonderfully made'?
Shake up the bottle with the oil and the water in it. No matter how hard you shake it, it will always separate. Sin separates us from god because God is without sin. When we choose to sin, we are choosing to separate ourselves from God.
Read the following love letters from god to us. How does it make you feel to know the creator of the universe loves you this much?
Hold the nails in your hands as you look at the pictures of Christ's hands and feet. What was he thinking while on the cross? Why would he suffer and die for someone like you?
Human beings are beautifully made in God’s image and yet as individuals we are sinful. Spend some time reflecting on the sinfulness of our world and our lives. How must that make God feel? Remember that through Jesus, God offers us forgiveness!
Take a penny and wash it with the solution. How did it come clean?
Please take a cross with you to remember to “Take up your cross and follow Him.”
On the map make a dot where you are right now.