Angels on Ash Wednesday

watch this video

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent.  Ashes signify repentance, and the dust-to-dustness human nature of our lives. As children of Adam, we also are made from dust or dirt, possessing "mortal flesh." We are in need of cleansing from our dirtiness and sinfulness. The prophet Isaiah knew this, so when in a vision he stood before the throne of God surrounded by angels, he cried, "Woe is me!" By his grace, God cleansed him with forgiving, purifying mercy. The angels around the throne rejoiced! Here is a video for Ash Wednesday that captures those truths. It references the vision in Isaiah chapter 6, and connects purifying forgiveness to the ultimate act of God on the cross. It is set to the music of an ancient song: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.  Find a quiet place. Clear your schedule for 20 minutes. Turn on the volume. Say the BEFORE prayer below before watching the video, and the AFTER prayer after watching the video. Then spend a moment on this holy day in quiet meditation. https://youtu.be/hy3gP5yDc3o  BEFORE PRAYER: Dear holy God, as I contemplate the weight of my sins and the burden of my guilt, I sink in despair that there is no hope for mortal flesh like mine. I cannot be the good person you demand that I be—perfect in every way. I realize the reality of pain, heartache, trouble and ultimately death. I only ask that in your mercy you save me, not because I am worthy but because you are full of mercy and compassion. Open my eyes now, to see in the animation of this video your precious promises being fulfilled in the death of your Son Jesus, and the rejoicing of angels as the holy collides with the unholy and overcomes it. Amen. AFTER PRAYER: Dear gracious God, today is a day for silence, for quiet meditation, for repentance and for an inner joy and confidence that you are so serious about saving me that your Son suffered for all my sins. It's so real, and it's so done. Finished. Complete. Now, during this season of Lent, I want to give up sin, I want to endure temptation with more resilience, and I want to love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I am awed by your love, and truly appreciate the power of your promise that I'm forgiven. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Visualize pieces of the video that you noticed with special interest. What promise of God do they communicate to you today? How will holding this promise close during the 40 days of Lent help you? Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

Moses, Elijah and Jesus

met on a mountain to talk

Departure Ask every person at the airport lined up to board a flight, "Where are you going and why?" Each will have an answer. Departures all have destinations. Purpose. Moses knew about departures. God called him from the burning bush to lead the Israelites on their exodus from slavery in Egypt. For 40 years Moses lived in tents and picked up stakes, navigating the Israelites' journey to the promised land. He was always packing his bags to go somewhere. Departures. And Moses obeyed God's invitation for him to go up onto Mount Sinai to meet. Moses came down from his meeting with God and his face was shining (Exodus 34:29). Elijah knew about departures. When the Bible says "the word of the Lord came to Elijah" it then tells us that the Lord's instructions were "Leave here" (1 Kings 17:3) or "Go" (1 Kings 17:9; 18:1; 19:11,15). Departures. And Elijah led others like Moses did. He told a destitute widow to go get him a drink of water and some bread, then told her to go home where the Lord would provide a full pantry of food that would never run out. He challenged King Ahab to go to Mount Carmel for a showdown between the Lord and Baal. Centuries after these two men of God died and their souls departed to heaven, they miraculously appeared on another mountain with Jesus. "They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31).  Jesus had somewhere to go. Like Moses and Elijah, he obeyed the command from his Father to depart. He had a destination (Jerusalem) and a purpose (to die for the sins of all people). He'd be leaving the Mount of Transfiguration behind, the glorious appearance that his disciples wanted to linger. Departure.  And, like Moses and Elijah, Jesus leads others to go, as well. Leave your sins behind this week. Go to the cross of Jesus during this season of Lent. Recall the past but don't live in it. Step forward with faith and courage into a journey of the future where you don't know it all, control it all, or have it all planned perfectly but your Lord leads the way. Think confidently about your final departure from this earth when your soul will go to heaven. Moses and Elijah will be there. Jesus, too.  PRAYER: Dear Jesus, what was it like for you to be transfigured on that mountain? Bright as a flash of lightning, you appeared gloriously for a moment. Then it was over, and you walked down the mountain toward your suffering and death. You left glory behind for pain and sorrow. You departed. And you fulfilled a divine itinerary so that I would never be commanded by God to suffer for my sins, never face condemnation for my guilt, and never need to fear the past, present or future. Walk with me through this week, and through my life. Help me obey your commands and discern your direction. Remind me that the Christian life is a journey, a process of following you in the little and big decisions of each day. I am journeying into the season of Lent. I can't wait to meet you there again. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Read Luke 9:28-36. What are some of the characteristics and behaviors of the 5 men on the mountain with Jesus—some of them exemplary, some not so much. Meditate on these characteristics and behaviors, how they apply to your life. Pray about them and then depart to face your day with peace and confidence. Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

Too terrible?

Your worst sin can't undo God's best forgiveness.

Justified The ER staff goes to work on the drunk driver, a repeat offender who has just plowed into an innocent family. He's lying bloody on the operating table, his life hanging by the thread of their split-second response. The sheriff's deputy escorts into the courthouse a handcuffed prisoner in a bullet-proof vest, not only directing the prisoner but protecting the life of that prisoner who himself had no regard for the lives of others.  Who is the drunk driver? I am—spitting slurred words of mockery at the very doctors I need to save me.  Who is the condemned prisoner? I am—taunting with idle threats the very judge I need to set me free. I am no victim of unfortunate circumstances. I was an enemy of God having slapped him in the face with my rebellious crimes of sin. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly … But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 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! (Romans 5:6,8-10) "Sinners" and "enemies" and "ungodly" are words the Bible uses for our condition when Christ died for us. Christ didn't die for two classes of people: those who deserve a pat on the back and those who deserve a slap across the face. Christ died for one class of people. "Christ died for the ungodly." All people. The greatest act of evil in any person isn't enough to keep Christ from his greatest act of love for all people. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Have you ever felt like you can't be forgiven because you've sinned too often? This is God's promise that nobody is too sinful for God's love. "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!" Ever feel really guilty because you haven't forgiven your parents for their divorce, because you didn't spend enough time with the kids, because you haven't read your Bible as much as you should? It feels like your guilt is just piling up higher and higher and someday soon God's really going to make you pay for it. Impossible! Jesus' blood justified you from any guilt. Your guilt doesn't exist! It's gone!  Now go find that person who doesn't deserve your kindness, who hasn't earned your love, and freely give it to them. You can, because you'll be giving what you have graciously received. PRAYER: Who am I, Lord, to limit your love? I limit your love to me when I doubt you can forgive me. I limit your love to others when I deny that you can forgive them. But I am nothing without your unlimited love, your mercy on me that doesn't wait for some holy accomplishment on my part. Free me from my self-made prison of guilt, and help me show mercy also to others that they may also be freed and forgiven. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Read Romans 5:6-11. Focus on vv. 6, 8 and 10. Each of them describes our real, spiritual condition that Jesus took to the cross, to his death. He killed these! What are the words the Bible uses for these conditions? Then, focus on vv. 9 and 11. These verses describe our new, real, spiritual condition since Jesus died for us. What are the words the Bible uses for these conditions? Do a Google search for synonyms for each of these words. Meditate on their meaning and say a prayer of thanks to God for his grace. Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

Don’t look up too far

to find

Real Heroes Some people pray to the saints in heaven, insisting that they can push buttons for God's divine interventions that we cannot.  Some people wear sports jerseys with the name and number of a professional athlete, or body fragrance marketed under the name of a beautiful Hollywood star.  Some people spend big bucks on front row tickets at live concert venues, giddily delighted when the energetic performer's sweat (or spit, eeeuww!) splashes onto them. Some people follow a political big shot and change their own Facebook profile picture to an image of that person's face. Some people call this hero worship.  There is certainly delight in admiring excellence, joining fan clubs or collecting autographs. There is also the danger of secondhand living.  It looks like this: My life is so mundane, average, or even worthless, that I need to identify with a superstar. I could never do what they do, but I feel accomplished if I can live in their shadow. I'm a somebody if everybody knows that I'm much more closely associated with a hero than the average person. I feel accomplished. Valued.  So the real danger of hero worship isn't just that we make infallible celebrities out of people who are just as flawed as we are. More than that, we allow them to convince us that we're nobodies.  We could never do what they do. The bar is set way too high. So we sit in the stands as spectators. We chat with our friends about the batting average or Grammy nomination of our favorite star.  And once in a while, the media reports a story about a "real hero," an average suburban soccer mom reaches out to a disadvantaged family or typical small-town teen who rescues a dog. Ah, we're getting closer. Almost there, but not quite yet. The Bible records the faith stories of all kinds of people we'd call heroes, and actually lists a bunch of them in Hebrews 11. Not to worship or pray to them. Not to attach ourselves to in order to become somebodies.  The Bible presents heroes because they're on our team. We're not spectators, we're in the game. Just like they are.  We're on stage performing, sweating our own sweat not someone else's. We're leading and influencing people, swaying others' opinions by our witnessing. We're achieving success, conquering adversity, and angels in heaven cheer for us.  Be more confident that God has a place for you in the script and a position for you in the game. A starring role, actually. Live your life as you. Identify as a uniquely gifted and empowered individual, personally loved by the Father, saved by Jesus and set apart by the Spirit. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded … we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. (Hebrews 10:35,39) With faith in Jesus, you follow him and find confidence. You put on the cape because others around you are doing the same. You belong. You have value and identity. You take a bigger leap of faith instead of shrinking into the shadows. And your statistics or profile become just as meaningful as the admired celebrity's. PRAYER: I often feel like a nobody, God. I call it humility but in my heart I know it is closer to despair, self-pity, and the result of comparing myself to others who are much better. You, Father God, didn't call me to this when you claimed me as your child. You, Jesus my Savior, didn't save me for this. You, Holy Spirit, aren't breathing life into my soul so that it fizzles flatly like a deflated balloon, but you are blowing on the embers of a fire ready to ignite, to crackle and roar and set the world ablaze. God, you made me for more than secondhand living, more than spectating as I observe heroes. You make me to be a hero. Give me greater confidence to have faith in your promises of the impossible. Draw me out from the shadows, from the back of the crowd, from comfortable living as a nobody and help me make more of a difference. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Now you're ready to enjoy the Bible's presentation of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:1-31. Read it and rejoice in God's work through average people like you. By faith (not by their own personal prowess) these folks acted as agents of God. Take tomorrow and the weekend to keep your Bible open on the coffee table and spend some moments getting lost in this list of heroes. Rejoice in them, but don't be a spectator simply cheering for a game. Join them. Identify with them. Don't become them or pray to them. Step into action by their side. Take note of their faith and Christian character. Choose two or three of them whose confident faith leads you to be more confident in your faith. Pray about it. Talk to a friend about it. And get ready for a new week. Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

Why does God let bad things happen?

Watch this video.

Grace Talks Meet Pastor Mike. He's an excellent communicator, and a pastor who presents short videos about relevant spiritual topics. The videos are called "Grace Talks." Here is a sample for today. Topic: Why does God let bad things happen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Vp9uewxi0 Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

God is his Word

like a carpenter is his hammer.

God's Word When you use your Bible, you need to pull it off the shelf, grab it from your bedside table or open the app on your phone. It's something you use. Not with God. His Word is more than a tool for him, more than a piece of equipment he employs like a carpenter uses a hammer.  The carpenter is the hammer. That's the picture of God and his Word. God is his Word. John's God-packed gospel account opens with this hefty truth: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) What God's Word does, God is. Who God is, God's Word does. For God to be your comfort, it will be his words of promise that convince you of this. Not the splendid sunset. Not circumstances piecing together for a clear path forward. Those are nice, but not nearly representative of who God really is. For God to show you compassion, you will find it in his law (literally "instruction," applying to all of God's words not just commands). For you to be saved from yourself, be reborn to a new life, cling to the sure hope of heaven, wake up to joy even during suffering, or stand strong against temptation your soul needs to be filled with God who gives you himself through his word. May your unfailing love be my comfort,      according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live,     for your law is my delight … My soul faints with longing for your salvation,     but I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:76,77,81) And then, God's Word becomes much more than a tool for you, too.  PRAYER: Open my ears, God, to hear you when I hear your Word. Open my heart to receive you as my native language. When you speak I know, I understand, I take to heart, I believe. Feed my faith with wisdom to meditate on this divine mystery and miracle: you are your word. I want to grow with Bible knowledge that does more than know information. Hear my prayer, God, for I am your humble servant and I long for you all day long. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Slowly meditate on the verses of Psalm 119 above. Draw from them material for a prayer that you speak to God using the PRAY acronym. Praise (tell God what you believe and appreciate about him and his word) Repent (tell God about your sins that have neglected, despised or dismissed his word, trust in the promises of forgiveness his word declares) Ask (go ahead, think big, or focus on a small detail, God wants to hear it all, what does your soul desire as spiritual next steps?) Yield (talk to God about what happens after you say "Amen," how you want faith to lead the way, how you are willing to be part of his answer and see it develop for your good) Please update your contacts to my new email address: pastordaron@crosslifepf.org Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.

He came to his senses.

The moment that hinges regret with hope.

Godly Sorrow "He came to his senses" (Luke 15:17).  There is the pivot point of drama in the story Jesus told. It's about the know-it-all son who demanded his inheritance from his father (who was still very much alive). "Dad, you're as good as dead to me." He loved his father's things more than his father. And he broke his father's heart.  The son left home with his payout, set out for the big city, and lived the "good life." But he ran out of money, couldn't find a job, became homeless and discovered the friends he had made with his money turned away from him. Just like he had turned away from his father. And it broke this son's heart. That is the moment where Jesus, as he's telling the story, says, "He came to his senses." In the darkness, he saw the light. Hopeless in his regret, he discovered hope. There was a way out of this mess. His father. The son would return to the father he had disowned, as if he were dead. With shame and sorrow he would admit his sinful ways. He would throw himself at his father's mercy, knowing—believing—that his father would grant him grace. Because if he knew anything about his father, he knew him to be a gracious, kind and forgiving man. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) Your Father in heaven wants you to live in this moment all the time. This hinge moment of coming to your senses. The Bible calls is "godly sorrow."  Be honest and real. Admit sinful ways. But do not stay there and let hope die, joy die, peace die, your relationship with your Father die. Do not constantly live in guilt and shame. Repentance "leads to salvation and leaves no regret."  Live in the hope of knowing your Father's grace. Live in the freedom of believing your Father's forgiveness. Live in the peace of receiving your Father's mercy. Live this week in that moment of godly sorrow that leaves regret behind and leads you forward because your Father is gracious, kind and forgiving. PRAYER: Dear Father, I am sorry. I have sinned against you. I have arranged the "good life" with blessings you've given me, walking away from you and breaking your heart. If I'm honest and real, I have regrets. But I believe they don't have to own me, don't have to be who I am, don't have to chain me as a slave to my past. I believe in your grace and forgiveness, promised through the sorrowful death and resurrected return of your own Son Jesus Christ. I repent, and want to always live in repentance, turning from my sinful regrets to realize your saving mercy for me. As you welcome me home with joy that I've returned, I want that same joy to keep me faithful and true, to define my identity as your child, and to give me a greater purpose in life that pursues not your things, but you. Amen. FURTHER MEDITATION: Open your Bible to 2 Corinthians 7:8-11. Be ready to spend at least 15 minutes listening to God's words speaking more about "godly sorrow." He is reaching out to you like the father running to his son and hugging him at his return. Visualize your Heavenly Father now, his face smiling, his arms welcoming, his voice gracious to you returning to him in repentance. He wants you to leave your regrets behind. He warmly offers merciful forgiveness with no conditions. "I forgive you." He embraces you and says, "You don't have to leave home ever again." You feel a sense of security and peace. You don't want to leave home, either.  "This hurts me more than it hurts you," many parents have assured naughty children being disciplined. Paul is saying the same thing in v. 8. Thankfully, it is temporary. "Only for a little while." A climate of gruff, hard discipline should not be a way of life in the home, but a temporary interruption. Children should not live in constant fear of doing something wrong. Reflect on your childhood. What kind of habits did you learn from your home environment? Are there any to leave behind? Any to better practice? Pray about this now. God doesn't want us to live in constant sorrow, but for that sorrow to lead to what (v. 9)? What does it look like to live with that? What changes does that mean for you? Pray about this now. Godly sorrow is productive. It helps you grow, helps you bear fruit and build character. Read v. 11. Which of those blessings of godly sorrow is something you would like to enjoy more this week? Pray about this now. Please update your contacts to my new email address: pastordaron@crosslifepf.org Daron Lindemann CrossLife Church LOVING. LIFE-CHANGING. FAMILY. + + + Pastor Daron pastordaron@crosslifepf.org 512-808-6052 Copyright © 2019 CrossLife Church, All rights reserved.