Trey Tuesday - April 26, 2011

He's Innocent!

Jesus took the suffering and the crucifixion because YOU were on His mind!
He was innocent, yet His death paid the price for our restored relationship with God!

Judas admitted Christ's innocence:  "I have sinned by betraying an innocent man."
Matthew 27:3-4

Pilate's wife knew it:  "Have nothing to do with this righteous man."
Matthew 27:19

Pilate answered it:  "What evil has He done?  I am innocent of this man's blood."
Matthew 27:22-24

The crowd declared it:  "Crucify Him.  His blood be on us and on our children."
Matthew 27:25

And Paul reminds us:  "We were enemies...Christ shed His blood for us."
Romans 5:10

What a beautiful example Trey has to follow!  Innocent, yet in the battle.
Trey is so innocent in this fight against cancer.  He didn't ask for it.
He doesn't deserve it.  None of us understand it.

YET!  God knows it all!
The words Jesus shares with His disciples after His resurrection are the same ones
for Trey today - the promise:
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:20

And it is with full confidence that we lift Trey before God, our All-Knowing Father.
Let's claim that promise - that Jesus, Jehovah, Savior is with Trey and Jay and Rachel and Joe and Bella.

May He be with Trey:
- and his blood numbers - raising up the good and crushing the bad.
- and his time in the hospital - protecting Trey from germs and fevers.
- and his parents in each day of uncertainty.
- and his siblings in their health and sense of peace and contentment.
- and his ultimate fight against cancer.
- and his doctors and their wisdom in handling Trey's case.
- and his nurses to be gentle and attentive in his care.
- and his treatment plan to be complete and effective.
- and Team Mitlo One - to be strong on Trey's team, but ultimately on God's team!

"Mary will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus,
because He will save His people from their sins."
Matthew 1:21

Trey Tuesday - April 19, 2011

Hang in there!

Holy Week is sad.
We feel the pain and agony of Jesus as He walks the road to Calvary.
We weep at the sounds of the jeering crowd hurling accusations at Him.
We cringe at the thought of His brutal treatment.
We mourn at the agonizing torture that Jesus' body and spirit endured as He died on Good Friday.

In our heads we know that from Genesis to Revelation God has been all about sending us a
Redeemer, bringing us back to a right relationship with Him!
But in our hearts, we get sad every time we imagine what Jesus went through, what God went through, sending His Son to the cross on our behalf.

"Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him.  They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it. When they had crucified Him, they divided up His clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. Above His head they placed the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up his spirit.

Matthew 27:27-50

As we gather today to pray for Trey, consider your thoughts and feelings when you first heard Trey's diagnosis.  What was your reaction?  How was your level of faith and trust in God's decision to allow this?
Throughout Scripture and throughout our lives, God has not acted always according to our expectations.
Can you still trust Him?  ABSOLUTELY?
DO you still trust Him?  Hmmmmm.....

But hang in there!  Remember the joyous miracle of Easter!
Remember every promise God ever makes is "Yes!"
We do not have to stay there at the foot of the cross mourning a fallen hero!
We stand triumphantly in our daily walk praising our Risen Savior and Lord!

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

Mark 16:1-7

And just as Jesus tells us in His Word, Trey never needs to be afraid!  Trey's family never needs to worry!

Trey's siblings never have to feel forsaken by the God of the Universe!

And Trey will ALWAYS be in God's safe keeping!

As Trey continues to recover from round 5 of chemo, please pray for our Almighty Healer to soothe the stomach pains and nausea that Trey fights.  Please pray for God's peace that passes understanding to fall on Trey and give him exceedingly abundantly more rest and health than we could ever imagine!

And as Christina so perfectly posted in Pray for Trey Tuesday:

Remember, that as much as you passionately love Trey and pray for him each week, there is one who loves you more passionately than you will probably ever comprehend this side of Heaven. Jesus loves you with a passion that took him to Calvary so that He could die on the cross for your sins. Know that we pray for each of you this week, that you would know the Savior, Jesus Christ, in a very real and personal way.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6

Trey Tuesday - April 12, 2011

This Trey Tuesday will you join me in a pre-Easter journey as Jesus prepares for His labor of love for you and for me?

"Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.  “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot."

The chief priests and scribes were willing to kill Jesus, they just wanted to be politically correct about it!!!!
Did you ever try to squeeze between the lines with God? 
Do you count on the "gray" area in life - somewhere juuuuust between wrong and really wrong?

Do you stay far away from the "line" of sin in your life - or do you teeter on the edge?

Prepare your heart and attitude for a posture of prayer.  Extinguish any ulterior motives and

worship our Sacrificial Lamb!  Our Triumphant King!  Our Lord!

"While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?  It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly."

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was about to sacrifice His pure life, untouched by sin for the sake of all

of us!  He was about to take all our sins to the cross, securing our relationship with God!  BUT>>>what became the focus here?  Whining about money!  The woman's whole-hearted devotion to Jesus was overlooked by those whining.

She broke her jar....costly.

She used all the expensive perfume/essential oil...costly.

She poured all the perfume on to Jesus' head...costly.

They perceived her devotion, her act of service as a waste.  Jesus calls it something quite different!

Watch carefully:

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me.

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have Me.

She did what she could."

On behalf of Trey we gather today.  Thank you all for being like the woman in today's scripture: 

Thank you for doing what you can - regardless of your time, money, and ability - as your spiritual act of worship!

Thank you, prayer warriors, for lifting up our little boy as he fights his fight and wins his race!  

Thank you, meal providers, for serving the Mitlos with their daily bread.

Thank you, blood donors, for giving of your very own blood.

Thank you, gift and mail senders, for sharing your thoughts and your treasures.

Thank you, marathon runners, for your time in training and discipline.

Thank you, family and friends and school and church and Facebook and Caring Bridge friends, for your always encouraging comments and uplifting messages!

Please offer a prayer of thanks to God as Trey's numbers have gone (WAY!) up this week!

We're also so thankful that Trey's extra 2 weeks "off" chemo have provided time for him to regain strength and weight!

Please ask for God's peace that passes understanding and good health for Jay and Rachel as they begin another session of juggling schedules and children and activities.

Please pray for Joe and Bella to remain content and secure during this turbulent time.

And of course, please pray that the chemo does its job - that it eradicates the cancer in Trey - without causing stomach upset which causes weakness and nausea and lowering numbers...God is able!

Jay's update today asks you for the same selfless, priceless act of the woman from Bethany.  Wherever you are, whoever you are, in the name of Jesus, please do a beautiful thing - Do what you can.

From Jay:

We love you all and feel the love that you have for us and especially our boy. Let us all go confidently before the Lord and seek His Will and Provision this week. Lastly, listen closely as you pray as He may very well lead you into actions for others who have nothing to do with Trey. Thanks again!

"Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what this woman has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Mark 14:1-9

Trey Tuesday - April 4, 2011

"In"

Two little letters - with BIG implications!

Throughout each of our lives - and especially throughout this new journey for Baby Trey - we encounter many situations we did not plan.  We find ourselves bound by the circumstances God has allowed.
Let's begin this week's devotion right there.
God has allowed it.
God.
"In the beginning God"
Genesis 1:1
Isn't that where we should center everything?
From God's perspective we may not be able to see everything, but we certainly know Who can!

The word "in" occurs 11,363 times in the Bible (NIV)
 - http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=in&t=NIV

Do you think God knew that He would be putting us "in" circumstances beyond our wildest imaginations?  beyond our strongest strengths?  beyond our greatest fears?
Of course He did!
From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 God puts His people "in" special places and times and situations where looking to Him, seeking Him, resting "in" Him are crucial!

"And Mary said:  “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior"
Luke 1:46

"There the angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in flames of fire from within a bush.
Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up."
Exodus 3:2

"They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail."
Acts 5:18

"In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."
Job 1:22

"In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked."

Acts 14:8

As we know too well, Trey is "in" the middle of a tough battle against his cancer.
White blood cells counts....platelet counts....eating....sleeping....coughing....gaining weight....sores in the throat...cancer.
Has God forgotten Trey and his family?  NEVER!  :0)
Of all the Bible people "in" their journeys, and of all the people "in" their journeys of ALL TIME - God remains faithful!  :0)

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"
I Peter 1:3

"They saw the works of the LORD, His wonderful deeds in the deep."
Psalm 107:24

"I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths."

Proverbs 4:11

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins"
Colossians 2:13

"What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 8:31

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 8:37

And so, with great faith in our great God, we present our prayers for Baby Trey.  We trust God's will to be done.
We trust God to take good care of Trey and Jay and Rachel and Joe and Bella and their physical, emotional, spiritual needs.  We believe God is willing and able to use Trey's cancer for God's glory!

Trey and his family have a perfect role model to follow.  Like them, are you "in" with Jesus?
As this season of preparation for Easter continues and our prayer time concludes, please consider the journey of Jesus:
"Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped Him."
Matthew 26:67
"And then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said."
Matthew 27:29
"In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him."
Matthew 27:41
"In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him."
Matthew 27:44
"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 26:41
"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up his spirit."
Matthew 27:50
"At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split."
Matthew 27:51
"And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
Mark 15:39
"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb."
Luke 24:1
"While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; He has risen!"
Luke 24:5,6