Holy Week In Hollywood 2011

Mon 4-18-11 Passover

I spent Passover reading about the First Passover with Moses, the Israelites and the blood of the Passover Lamb in the Book of Exodus . I also spent some time reviewing Jewish Passover (Pasach) traditions (bitter herbs etc.) and how they are related to the First Passover.

4-21-11 Good Thursday

I spent Good Thursday reading the accounts of the Last Supper and Christ's Crucifixion in the books of the Gospels. I found many gospel programs on TV that were also reviewing the scriptures so it was a good study. I looked up the meaning of Maundy Thursday (another name for Holy Thursday) and fell in love with some of the Medieval traditions associated with it.

As a result, I couldn't resist watching to see if Queen Elizabeth of England would keep with tradition and hand out gifts to the poor or washing their feet. She did meet with some of her lesser (commoner) subjects but there was no gift giving or foot washing done. As it was the Queen's birthday, too I decided to let her slide (plus , she is planning a Royal Wedding-lol).

I also started my 3 day pulse fast and did more soul searching and praying. I had already given up chips and salty snacks for the entire season of Lent but it seemed right to avoid all meat and dairy for those 3 days that Christ was on The Cross.


4-22-11 Good Friday

Tonight's Good Friday service was amazing! Ecclesia's The large wooden cross that usually hangs high in the ceiling of the theater was now on the floor and leaning against the foot of the stage. The stage lights were down and the cross was back lit with floor lights and lighted candles were placed on a small table in front of it.

Pastor Joseph, the elders and the prayer team read from the scriptures about Christ's Crucifixion. The Gospels of Luke, John, Mark and Matthew were all read. Psalm 22 and Isaiah Chap 53 (by his stripes we are healed) were read also and one candle was put out after each reading. In between the readings, we confessed that we are sinners and not worthy but that Christ is our only hope.

Soon all the candles were extinguished and the room was dark. As an elder, Kevin, read the scripture and said "Crucify him! Crucify him!" with a booming voice I actually felt chills (boy does the theater have wonderful acoustics and Ecclesia has a wonderful production staff). A female from the prayer team read the scriptures describing how Christ's body was broken on The Cross and I again
felt physically affected.

I was already holding back tears when Pastor Joseph announced that we should consider that we are at a funeral then 4 men picked up the cross like if it was a casket. They placed the cross on their shoulders and bore it outside like if they were mourning pallbearers.

Then we sang praise and worsip songs about the Cross like Jesus Paid It All with heartbreaking lyrics “sin has left a crimson stain but He washed me white as snow” www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7LNWzfFKU and Oh, the Wonderful Cross with lyrics “Oh, the wonderful cross! Bids me come and die, And find that I may truly live” www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sKcw9_PQYA

Pastor Joseph prayed over us then he encouraged us to spend Saturday in seclusion, as the Disciples did after the cruxifiction. Seclusion not out of fear as they did but out of sacrifice like secluding yourself from Facebook etc. Pastor Joseph also asked us to exit mindful of the solemness of the night.

We exited the room solemnly, some like myself, in tears. We passed vases of flowers at the entrance (almost like sympathy flowers), just as someone attending a funeral would. There was great grief at our loss, with reflection of the life of our passed loved one and with the hope and confidence of us meeting again. It was all wonderful and soul inspiring!

To God be the glory that He gave His only begotten Son for us on The Cross and may Ecclesia and its leadership and members always be blessed for the amazing job they did tonight!

Sat 4-23-11

I Spent Saturday mostly in seclusion as I continued my praying and fasting. I was also commercial TV free and almost Facebook free but I'm not that into Facebook so that wasn't that hard :D

Good Friday Healing Service

We had a beautiful Good Friday Healing service last night and I feel so blessed! There was strong prayer by our pastors, Pastors Daniel and Pastor Joel, and all in attendance received a blessed cross made of olive tree wood from Israel. At least 2 people besides myself had a wonderful healing breakthrough including a wheel chair bound gentleman with a spine problem. As a church disciple and assistant, I helped during the service and felt totally well for the entire service! The service was also videotaped so I will post a video of this miraculous event asap.

Thank You, Lord!

It's Holy Week!

It's Holy Week and my church has a schedule of events that will bring the week before Our Lord's Crucifixion sharply into focus for us.

Palm Sunday 3-28
Instead of palms, this year we returned our "Rose of Sharon" to the altar. These roses stayed in our respective homes for one entire week symbolizing how God works in our lives to defy negative things, spiritual darkness or evil.

Monday 3-29Drink the milk and honey

Tuesday 3-3-Anointing with oil

Biblical reference: The woman with the alabaster box of oil who anointed the Lord before He was crucified and the book of James says that all who are sick should be anointed with oil and prayed over by the church elders. I was first in line!

Wednesday 3-31 Washing of feet

Biblical reference: Christ washed the disciples feet as a sign of how we should be humble.

Holy Thursday 4-1 Blessing the bread

Christ sent the disciples ahead to prepare the upper room for the Passover meal where he broke bread and drank wine as a covenant with them. This year I baked my own unleavened bread for 18 minutes and then had to leave in a hurry to get to church.

Good Friday 4-2 Receive the cross
The Living Faith Church in Israel sent us lots of wooden crosses made out of olive tree wood. This is going to be a life changing event! I will not miss it!

Saturday 4-03 Anointing with perfume
Both Pastor Daniel and his wife, Angela, will anoint worshipers with perfumed oil and pray for our romantic and family lives. Again, I will be first in line(lol)!

Resurrection Sunday! 4-4
He is Risen!!!!!!