Sloooow waaaaay doooowwwwwnnnnnn

(Guest devotion from my pastor Daron)

We call it Holy Week. Why is it holy? Because during this week the most magnificent of all divine events in the Bible took place. Because during this week the Bible asks readers to find a magnifying glass and look carefully at what's happening.

The pace of the Bible's presentation of Holy Week slows .... waaaaaaay ... dowwwwwnnnnnn. God wants our attention now more than ever. Almost half of the chapters of John are dedicated to this last week of Jesus' life and ministry on earth, and significant amounts of the other gospels including almost 1/3 of the gospel of Matthew. 

Give it some time this week, reading it as much and as often as you can with the goal of an entire reading as many days of this week as possible. See what amazing treasures God has in store for you, like watching a movie a second and third time and making new discoveries.

Here's a snapshot outline:

• Palm Sunday - Jesus enters Jerusalem among throngs of Passover pilgrims (Matthew 21:1-11).
• Angry Monday - Jesus disrupts the temple merchants and curses a fig tree (Matthew 21:12-19)
• Busy Tuesday - Jesus spends a long day teaching in the temple courts (Matthew 21:20-26:16)
• Silent Wednesday - we call it this because there is no recorded activity of Jesus on this day, though it's possible Judas made his behind-the-scene arrangements on this day (Matthew 26:14-16)
• Maundy Thursday - Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper with his disciples, and is betrayed, arrested, and put on trial long into the night. The word "maundy" comes from the Latin word for "command," because in the upper room Jesus said "I give you a new command: love one another" (Matthew 26:17-75)
• Good Friday - Jesus is convicted by Pontius Pilate, mocked, beaten, and crucified; he dies and is buried (Matthew 27:1-61)
• Holy Saturday - Jesus' body rests in the tomb, the Pharisees fear that Jesus' disciples will steal his body and see he's risen (Matthew 27:62-66)
• Easter Sunday - Alleluia! Christ is risen! (Matthew 28:1-15)

=========================

Lord, slow me down.
Grab my attention.
Distract me with your love and your Jesus.
Now more than ever.
Amen.

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

God is With You; Now Be With Others

(guest devotion from my brother Chris)
A study on 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
God is With You; Now Be With Others
3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

How comforting it is to hear Paul's affirmation that our living and loving God comes alongside us when we go through hard times!  We know this, but when troubles strike, we quite often get amnesia.  We become worry warts.  We rely FULLY on OUR wisdom, strength and abilities and forget that God planned for this, mapped a way through it for you and is now, and forever, applying his abilities to bless you through it.  NO MATTER WHAT "IT" IS!  

I've read this section of scripture several times in my life and I've always taken comfort from this understanding of God's eternal presence.  Reading it this time around though, in preparation for our study of 2 Corinthians, God led my attention to the next part of this sentence and the sacred charter given to us in it.  Paul goes on by saying "...and before you know it, He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us."

Have you ever received a gift and given a thank you in return?  God is pouring gifts on us daily that are far too numerous to count or separate.  How on earth would we go about "writing" God a thank you for each of these blessings?  This section of scripture makes it clear.  He blesses us so that we, with grateful hearts, would bless others in need.  Our world is suffering from the effects of sin and we carry the cure.  When we show kindness, give selflessly and get involved with those in need around us, we dispense the love of Christ through our actions, and in doing so, show our heartfelt thanks to a loving, living God.

=========================

Thank you dear Lord for your continued blessings.  Work in me a generous, selfless Christlike love for ALL so that I can get and keep busy at the work of sharing YOUR love with the world!

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

Beating the storm...

Ah - nothing like beating the storm.
I went for a morning run in light warm rain and beat the storm by 10 minutes.
Thank God for today's weather detection technology (and my Accuweather app) which told me when it would arrive.

But sometimes you don't beat it.
You're in it.
And you are afraid.
Afraid that you won't make it through it.

Like the disciples in Mark 4:35-41.
Afraid and hanging on for dear life.

When the Savior of the world was right there in the boat with them.
Sleeping.
Not bothered.

When you're in the middle of your storm...
afraid and hanging on for dear life.
Remember - Jesus is right there with you.
Ready and waiting for you to turn around from your self-sufficient mind.
And fall into His arms.

=========================

Precious Lord, take my hand.
Lead me on, let me stand.
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm alone.
Through the storm, through the night;
Lead me on to the light.

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

No help available for this item...

I was greeted with this message on the printer at work this morning.  
"There is no help available for this item."

Well - doesn't that make you feel just great?  And the best it would let me do is "Ignore".

And I think about how often I feel that way about other things in my life.
This is MY problem and I'VE got to fix it.
And "there is no help available for this item."

Psalm 69:20
Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters, but I found none.

BUT how wrong I am.

Romans 5:6-10

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

=========================

God,
Thanks for the constant reminder that "help is available".
24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
It's a prayer call away.
Until I draw my last breath.
Amen.

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

Breathe Deep!

Breathe deep!

As a bicycle commuter I get to smell a lot more smells than most folks.

• Smoke in the air
• Dead animal on the road..that's been in my bike lane for a couple days in the 90 degree heat...
• Restaurant in the afternoon (after opening)
• Restaurant in the morning (before opening and the dumpsters are full)
• Cedar trees cut down - wow - that one I smelled for a month after they did it.

When God breathes deep - what does he smell?

Is it "my prayers rising before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands (to God) like the evening sacrifice". (Psalm 141)

Or that "My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning." (Psalm 38)

Or neither?
"For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
2 Corinthians 2:15-17

Sin stinks.  
Savor salvation.

Breathe deep in Jesus.

=========================

Lord,
Let me prayer rise before you as incense, 
the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
Amen.
=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!
It's the birthday of someone special today (my mom).
It is in my life - maybe in yours too!

What's the best gift I can shop for?
How much did we spend last year?
What's better than last year's gift?

Why are these the wrong questions...?

Because God - the best gift giver of all - teaches us that it's not the shopping or the price tag or the "better than last year" that matters.

Need proof?
John 3:16-17

=========================

Lord,
The best gifts don't have a price tag.
An unexpected hug.
Making dinner.
A phone call just to say hi and how are you doing.
Remind me to think better, not bigger.
Amen.
=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

12 hours of squeaky chalk...

(yes - it is a real YouTube video [no, this is not a link to it])

I am really good...at being bad.
I want to be oil paint smoothly flowing over the canvas.
Instead - I'm 12 hours of squeaky chalk on a blackboard...

So were the people living in Corinth a couple thousand years ago.

Their spiritual GPS had gone off course and needed some recalculating...
1 Corinthians 1

• "I heard tell there's some trouble..." v10-12
• "Let's get this straight!" v13-16
• "Here's the deal..." v17
• "...the Real Deal!" v18-21
• "What are YOU looking for?" v22-25
• "If you're going to blow a horn..." v26-31

Only our God can turn our squeaky chalk into harmonious oil paint.

Give Him a call.

=========================

Hello, God?
I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a pickle.
I said/did something that, umm, I probably maybe shouldn't have.
Well - OK.  I was wrong.
I chose wrongly.
You'll be right here.  Great!
Oh - you ARE right here.
GREAT!
Amen.

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

Why am I here?

Why am I HERE?
At the end of my rope.
And I'm afraid...knot.

Well - I've got to say I can't really tell you.
But I know somebody who can.
Romans 7:24-25

Why am I here?
Everyone is in a different place in the journey through life.
Physically, mentally, spiritually.
A new day brings you to a new place.
This passage tells me WHY I am here and what I should do about it.
Romans 15:1-2

=========================

Lord Jesus Christ,
You know why I'm HERE and WHY I'M here.
You're very clear about both.
Help me to accept, acknowledge and adapt.
All to Your glory.
Amen.
=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

Faiilure's secret ally - Self-Confidence

(guest devotion from my brother Chris) 
"Failure's Secret Ally - Self Confidence"  
A study on 1 Corinthians 10:11-12

"These are all warning markers - DANGER! - in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes.  Our positions in the story are parallel - they at the beginning, we at the end - and we are just as capable of messing it all up as they were.  Don't be so naive and self confident. You're not exempt.  You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else.  Forget about self-confidence; it's useless.  Cultivate God-confidence."

Listen to the vast majority of motivational speakers and you'll hear the gospel of self confidence.  
Observe the pump up speech delivered by most coaches in America and you'll see the self confidence doctrine on full display.  
The world has bought in; self confidence is THE required ingredient for success in this life.

But it's a lie.  
Self confidence is foolishness.  
Faith, belief, hope in me is empty.   
Expecting me to make right decisions, when time and again I've chosen wrong is pure folly.  

Yet again, God's word stands in DIRECT contrast to the world's "wisdom".  
Man's knowledge shows it's shallow nature by directing us to believe in ourselves.  
Trust in your own power. 
Know that YOU can do ANYTHING if you only believe that you can.  

When we trust in ourselves, the devil smiles.  
When we value our worth based on faith in ourselves, our abilities, our own sense of self worth, the devil squeals in delight.

But then Jesus steps in.  
He establishes perfect God-confidence for us and offers it freely to us.  
Satan cringes.  
Jesus wins.  
Satan loses.  

=========================

Dear Lord - Help me to battle Satan and this world's attempts to build up my self-confidence and instead lead me to rely fully on God-confidence!

Amen

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?

this + this + this = amazing

My brother and I were discussing how little things can add up to amazing.

In the world of technology...

• A phone (which knows where I am) + A map + Knowledge of road construction = A customized route map

• A camera + A multi-language dictionary + A screen = the ability to point the camera at a road sign in another language and see it in my language

• A microphone + A multi-language dictionary + A screen = the ability to listen to people talking in another language and see what they are saying on my screen

In the world of salvation...
A promise (see Genesis) + A plan (see The Old Testament) + A Savior (see Jesus Christ) = Eternal salvation for me.  
Just for me.

As I read through the Gospels I have come up to the Good Friday events.
I am again amazed at all the "little things" that were fulfilled - the pieces of the plan that came together.
God's amazing, amazing plan.

=========================

God,
You bring all the little things together in such a mind-boggling way that I can't appreciate it completely.
The technology is your gift to us.
Salvation through Jesus Christ is your GIFT to us.
Thank you.
Amen.

=========================

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

What's the big deal about Jesus?