Memorial Day 2024

~ Have You Forgotten Anything ~

 

Scripture ~ Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

 

Application:

Thank you, Joe Heller for this reminder!

 

And, thank you service men and women that have paid the ultimate price for us and followed His example.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Memorial Day 2023

~ Differentiations ~

 

Armed Forces Day is for those who currently wear the uniform.

 

Veteran’s Day is for those who used to wear the uniform.

 

Memorial Day is for those who never made it out of their uniform.

 

Consider Also:

 

Thanksgiving is a day when we pause to give thanks for the things we have. 

 

Memorial Day is a day when we pause to give thanks to the people who fought for the things we have.

 

Scripture:

 

Jesus said: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

Pause and Reflect

 

~ Honor Those Who Gave Their All For You ~

 

Introduction ~ Many countries have set aside a day each year to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice—dying in war—for the benefit of others.  In the United States it is called Memorial Day, and it happens every year on the last Monday of May.

 

Memorial Day is to remember those who never made it out of their uniform.  Memorial Day is a day when we pause to give thanks and pay tribute to all who fought and died for the things we often take for granted.

 

Scripture ~ Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:11-15).

 

Comment ~ The ultimate test of love is sacrifice.  Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice to save us from the eternal punishment we deserve for our sins.  As Christians today we are called to make daily sacrifices.  Most are small but sometimes they are very large.  May we always remember our role model, Jesus Christ, who showed us the ultimate sacrifice.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

They Gave All

 ~ Give Thanks ~

Introductory Scripture  ~  There is “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8).

Special Tribute  ~  In the U.S.A. during the last year we have seen many individual Americans give their lives to protect others.  Special honor this year is owed to our Police who have given their all during senseless riots and to our first responders who have cared for those with the COVID virus and lost their lives in the process.

Scripture  ~  Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:11-13).

Comment  ~  Many of our police and first responders gave their lives to help or better citizens they did not know – unknown people who were not their friends. 

Give Thanks  ~  For all who so gave as themselves to have given the ultimate price for others.  Thank you, most of all, to the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His all to redeem his enemies from their sin.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

* * * * *

We Are All Terminal

~ Remember Those Who Have Gone Before; But Prepare To Follow ~

The Christian (be confident of this)  ~  We are born into a life in the land of the dying — we die into the land of the living.  

“My friend’s body lay peacefully — for a time.  Soon enough, it would decay and the physical would disappear.  But his soul and his spirit—the real person—were still intact and very much alive.   They had clearly departed to another place.  I knew without a doubt where my friend had gone.  Those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have the joy of entering immediately into heaven” (2 Corinthians 5:8).    Luis Palau (Changed by Faith, page 110).  

“The best moment of a Christian’s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.”   Charles Haddon Spurgeon (The Prince of Preachers)

The Pre-Christian (carefully consider this)  ~  On the cross, Jesus of Nazareth faced physical death, what the Bible calls “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26).

“Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

“But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday.  Death came into the world because of what one man (Adam) did, and it is because of what this other man (Christ) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead.  Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results.  But all who are related to Christ will rise again.  Each, however, in his own turn: Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, tlb).

Key Question  ~  Are you one who can confidently say, “I am related to Christ”? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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