Monday, February 8

DAY 1 – So, What Exactly Is Lent?

As Lent begins, we embark on a new journey – a journey to the Cross...more specifically to the HEART of the

Cross. At the Heart of the Cross we discover the ultimate definition of His God’s unconditional love and His

grand purpose for our lives.

Before we start our adventure, we need to ask: “Just what is ‘Lent?’” Lent (Latin: Quadragesima -

English: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations

that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately 6 weeks before Easter Sunday. The

traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, repentance of sins, atone-

ment and self-denial.

Lent is traditionally described as lasting for 40 days, in commemoration of the forty days which, according to

the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent, before beginning his public ministry, fasting in the

desert, where he endured temptation by the Devil. In most of the West, it begins on Ash Wednesday. Its

purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resur-

rection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning with Palm Sunday,

climaxing on Jesus' Crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter

Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is the Lenten journey we begin today – a journey that will take us to the very foot of the Cross. And

there we will strive to seek the deeper meaning of the “Heart of the Cross:” why it had to happen and what it

means for us. One thing we discover right away is that this journey will be one of Grace. Grace defines God

and God defines Grace. Grace is “unmerited favor” – meaning love and mercy given no matter the

circumstances, expecting noting in return. It is this grace that has saved us. Our journey will remind us that is

it so important to not only receive grace...but to give grace.

REFLECTION:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God —

not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:8-10

Do I really understand this verse – that grace is a gift given, even though I don’t deserve it?

Do I realize that it’s just as important to give grace as well as receive it?

Am I ready to take this journey to the cross?

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for the journey that lies ahead of us. Help us embrace Your grace. Help us remember that the Cross is the greatest reminder of Your grace. For what happened there was not something we did – You did it. And You did it for us, even thought we don’t deserve it. Help us embrace the Cross and remember. Amen.

The Heart of the Cross A Lenten Devotional

Tuesday, February 9

DAY 2 – Doing the Math: To Add or Subtract?

During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence.

The point of giving things up is not to be reminded of how much we miss them, but rather to be awakened

to how much we miss God and long for his life-giving Spirit. This means, of course, that Lent is not only about

giving up things. It is also about adding things, God-things.

Having given up junk food for a healthy diet, what will you do with the energy you gain?

Having given up reading magazines, what will you read now?

Having given up Facebook, to whom will you devote meaningful conversation?

Having given up lunch, how will you rely on God for the strength of “food from heaven”?

Having given up TV as a default activity, how will you use that time to cultivate quality family time?

Having given up isolation, how will you immerse yourself in community?

Having given up shopping, will you see those who need clothing in your city?

Having sacrificed whatever form of selfishness you indulge, how will you meet the needs of others? (Source: Journey to the Cross. 2013 Providence church)

In addition, many people also add a Lenten spiritual discipline, such as a daily devotional, to draw themselves

near to God.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship,

and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper), and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42

So, here on the eve of Ash Wednesday (the “official” beginning of Lent) as we prepare for the road that lies

ahead of us for the next 6 weeks, let us, too, devote ourselves to a time of reflection on His Word, silent

meditation, prayer, worship, fellowship with one another, and definitely some meals shared together!

Thank you for coming along on the path to the Cross. May God remind, refresh, restore, and revive the heart

He has placed within us and the place within He wants to dwell.

REFLECTION:

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has

called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us

who believe” – Ephesians 1:18-19

What am I taking with me on this Lenten journey? What am I leaving behind?

Am I giving up anything for Lent?

Am I adding something, instead, for Lent?

Am I doing anything to make Lent special this year to have deeper, permanent meaning and to grow

spiritually?

PRAYER:

Lord, open our eyes, our hearts, our minds, and our souls as we begin this adventure. Help us draw close to

You and experience the full meaning of the cross’s impact on our lives. Help us know what to take with

us...and what to leave behind. Amen.

Wednesday, February 10

DAY 3 – Ashes, Ashes, We All...

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It occurs 46 days before Easter and can fall as early as

February 4 or as late as March 10.

As we mentioned on Day 1, according to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days

fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40

days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday was seen as a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ's

resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate. Accordingly, Christians fasted from

Monday to Saturday (6 days) during 6 weeks and from Wednesday to Saturday (4 days) in the preceding

week, thus making up the number of 40 days.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of “blessing ashes” made from palm branches from the

previous year's Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the

words "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." The

ashes are used to symbolically display a cross on the forehead (or hand) of the believer. It serves as a

reminder that Lent is a time of repentance.

Ok, so what exactly is repentance? The “official” definition: “repentance,” which literally means “to turn,” is

the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. It generally involves a

commitment to personal change and the resolve to live a more God-honoring life. Simply put: it means to

STOP!

Remember this:

We’re ALL sinners “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

And sin separates us from God: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins

have hidden His face from you” (Isaiah 59:2)

The Cross is the bridge between God and us. See diagrams below

Notice the gap between God and us... Now, notice how the Cross bridges the gap:

REFLECTION: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." - 1 Peter 2:24

Do I agree that everyone sins – which especially includes me? Do I understand what it means to repent? Do I repent of my sins? Is the greatest desire of my life to be closer to God?

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the “bridge” You extend to us. As we observe Ash Wednesday today, help us take that step across the bridge. Help us “bear the cross” on our hearts and help us repent from our sins. We know we can do this only with Your help. By Your grace and by Your love, we have endless hope. Amen.

Thursday, February 11

DAY 4 – Surveying the Situation

The song “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” (one of my favorite hymns!) sets the tone for our Lenten journey to the Cross. To “survey” is to measure. During the season of Lent, it is imperative to look at the Cross and imagine ourselves getting closer and closer each day. The closer we get, the better we see it. The better we see it, the better we can measure it and understand the indescribable love of God and what it means for our lives.

I love how the author, Isaac Watts, (published 1707), helps us get a closer look at the Cross. It’s interesting how he takes us from a faraway distance to the very foot of the Cross... LISTEN: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Kathryn Scott

VERSE 1:

When I survey the wondrous Cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

This verse begins the mystical journey to the Cross. I picture the Cross slowly emerging from a misty background, and becoming a towering presence over us. It is only then that we can truly survey/measure it. Notice the last line: upon seeing the Cross, it convicts us and helps to put things in perspective: it brings us to our knees and reminds us that the greatest treasure of our lives is the gift of salvation.

VERSE 2:

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.

This verse is actually a prayer, as it begins by addressing the Lord and confessing to Him. Again, the Cross leaves such a mark on our hearts we can never be the same. Nothing else matters but the Cross and the fact that Jesus gave His life for ours. Notice in the last 2 lines the Cross’ power over our vanity and pride.

VERSE 3:

See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did ever such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

This verse is a very graphic description of what is happening in the cross. It is an invitation for others to look and see. Notice that the verse ends with a question – has there ever been a more beautiful crown than the one made of thorns?

VERSE 4: Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

This verse gives us the ultimate “call” of the cross – nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than this. It spells out the most appropriate response to the Cross by demanding our “soul, life, and all.” At the end of the day, it’s about “love so amazing, so divine.”

REFLECTION: What do I see when I look to the Cross? Does it impact my life? Do I see that the Cross to “demands my all?” If so, what does that mean?

PRAYER: Lord, may this be my prayer going forward on the road to the Cross: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(Galatians 6:14). Amen.

Friday, February 12

DAY 5 – Call of the Cross

“Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself,

take up his cross, and follow Me.” – Matthew 16:24

Here, Jesus is telling us that the Cross is central to our lives. It reminds us of the “big picture:” following Jesus is to be like Jesus – and at the end of the day, it involves a Cross. The Cross is constantly calling us. What exactly is it saying? The cross calls us to sacrificial living. Every day. If you look carefully at Jesus’ requirements above for following Him, He is calling us to a life that is way, way different than what our culture teaches. For example check out this story : (Matt. 19:16-22)

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal

life?”

17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to

enter into life, keep the commandments.”

18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear

false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother, and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”[e]

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will

have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Wow. That’s pretty serious. The message is: Following Jesus is going to interfere w/ our lives. It means we are going to have to unload some stuff to make room for Him. This means that sometimes we will have to do things that inconvenience us...we aren't comfortable doing...aren't going to go our way...will make us unhappy...try our patience...push us to our limits...cause us pain...maybe even cause us to give our lives. You see, most of us don’t mind Jesus making some minor changes in our lives; but Jesus actually wants to turn our lives upside down. Most of us don’t mind Jesus doing a little touch up work; but He wants to do a complete renovation.

Here’s the thing: following Jesus always costs something. The question each of us needs to ask ourselves is: Has following Jesus cost me anything? REFLECTION:

Am I honestly “following” Jesus, or do I follow Him like I would follow someone on Facebook? Do I daily deny myself (turn away from selfishness thinking only of my needs), Take up my cross (endure

suffering, persecution, ridicule, difficulties, inconveniences? Do I avoid things that are inconvenient or make me uncomfortable, even though I know it’s what God wants

me to do? Has following Jesus cost me anything?

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the call of the Cross. Help me seek it, hear it, listen to it, and respond to it. Help me be willing to let You be in total control of my life. Help me be willing to pay any cost in order that I may follow You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Saturday, February 13

DAY 6 – Meditation

Today let us meditate on this song: (click on link below)

Lead Me to the Cross - HIllsong Words & Music by Brooke Fraser

Savior I come, Quiet my soul remember

Redemption's hill, where Your blood was spilled For my ransom

Everything I once held dear I count it all as loss

[Chorus:]

Lead me to the cross Where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down

Rid me of myself I belong to You

Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I, Tempted and trialed, Human

The word became flesh, Bore my sin and death

Now you're risen

Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss

[Chorus]

To your heart

To your heart

Lead me to your heart

Lead me to your heart

[Chorus]

PRAYER:

Lord, as we discovered earlier, when we seek the Cross our response should be immediate: we “rid of

ourselves and driven to our knees.” We cannot look at the cross and it not have any effect on us. Lead us

there every moment of every day so that we may always remember that it’s not about us...it’s all about You.

Amen.

Sunday, February 14

DAY 7 – Worship

Today is a day for corporate worship – worshipping God with other followers of Christ. There is no greater experience in this world than when we are actively and passionately responding TOGETHER in one room to God with our love and praise! I’m pretty sure it’s a preview of the essence of heaven! Today is also Valentine’s Day – a day set aside to express our love to one another. As you worship Him this day, let this be your prayer:

PRAYER:

Thou Who didst first love me,

Thou Who commandest me to love Thee,

With all my heart, With all my soul,

With all my mind, With all my strength,

Above all possessions and honors,

Above all pleasures and enjoyments,

More than myself and all that belongs to me,

More than all my relatives and friends,

More than all men and angels,

Above all created things in heaven or on earth,

Only for Thyself,

Because Thou art the sovereign Good,

Because Thou art infinitely worthy of being loved,

Because Thou art infinitely perfect,

Even hadst Thou not promised me heaven,

Even hadst Thou not menaced me with hell,

Even shouldst Thou try me by want and misfortune,

In wealth and in poverty, In prosperity and in adversity,

In health and in sickness, In life and in death, In time and in eternity. Litany of the Love of God (Composed by Pope Pius VI, 1717 - 1799)

Lord, help us in our worship today seek to honor, glorify, & praise You...and may we, in turn, receive the

blessing of Your Spirit, helping us to sense Your Presence, passion, and purpose for our lives. Amen.

Monday, February 15

DAY 8 – The CRUX of the Matter

The word “cross” comes from the word “crux,” (as in the “crux of the matter”) which is Latin for “intersection or main point” (Merriam-Webster). It is most interesting that it is the same root for “crucifixion”, “crisis,” “crucial,” and “Christ.” For followers of Jesus, the Cross IS the Crux of the matter. Imagine the very point where the horizontal line meets the vertical line of an intersection. This is the crux. There are several intersections that happen at the “crux” of the Cross:

Each of us, at some point in our lives, comes to a major intersection - a crossroads - a crux. And that crux is whether or not to follow Jesus. That decision is the ONE decision that affects every other decision in our lives: choices, friends, behavior, outlook, mood, health (physical, mental, and spiritual), eternal “destination,” etc. The catch is, if we choose to follow Him it means we are “all in” - Either I’m in this with Him, or I’m not,. There’s no in between, there’s no gray area. It’s black and white. Either I’m all in...or I’m not. Jesus reached a major crossroads in His life. The night before He was crucified, He and His disciples shared the Last Supper together. After which, they went to a place called Gethsemane. It was here that the human side of Jesus conflicted with the Divine side. He was struggling with what was awaiting Him the next day. So, Jesus went off on His own....

Going a little farther, He fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” – Matthew 26:39

Jesus went through this 3 times that night. He struggled like the rest of us, but in the end He surrendered and willingly gave God His all. He was “all in.” Notice something else about the Cross: all things “Divine and Heavenly” are associated with the vertical line of the intersection. The horizontal represents the human part of us – and shows us how desperately we need the Divine side. Meaning: when our eyes are more focused on horizontal – the “here and now” and our own little world - we will completely miss the most awesome part! Look upward dear friend...and you will see God! And that is the crux of the matter. REFLECTION: “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Is my relationship with Jesus the crux of my life? Can it be improved? Do I freely allow God to intersect my life?

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for intersecting our lives with Your grace, mercy, love, and hope. Help us to be worthy and grateful recipients. Intersect our lives, and help us look upward and onward and see with Your eyes. In Jesus name, Amen.

The intersection of Heaven (vertical) and Earth (horizontal) The intersection of the Divine (vertical) and human

(horizontal) - Jesus representing both The intersection of Love: between Love for/from God

(vertical) and Love for one another (horizontal) The intersection of eternal LIFE (vertical) and eternal DEATH

(horizontal)

Tuesday, February 16

DAY 9 – A Lenten Beatitude

As we forge onward through our Lenten Journey to the Heart of the Cross, we come to our theme verse:

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” – Matthew 5:8. So what does this have to do with Lent

and Easter? Everything!

This comes from a group of verses called "The Beatitudes." (Matthew 5:3-10) If you worshiped at Ferry Farm

through the fall, you will recall a series we shared together called "Happy," which was centered on the

Beatitudes. Some of this will be very familiar to you.

The Beatitudes come from The Gospel of Matthew – which tells the story of Jesus in the sense that He came

to establish a new Kingdom. Right out of the gate His message was: “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is

near!” (Matt. 4:17) Shortly after that, Jesus gathered with His disciples and a massive crowd on a

mountainside and He began to preach what’s known as “The Sermon on the Mount.” (Matt. 5-7). With This

EPIC Sermon Jesus launched His ministry. And with these Beatitudes – which kickoff the Sermon - He set the

tone for what His Kingdom was all about. We are so blessed!

As we discovered in the fall, each Beatitude begins with the word “BLESSED” (as in “blessed are the poor in

spirit...blessed are the meek...blessed are the merciful...and so on). The word "Beatitude" - (which is a word

that never really appears in the scripture) – originates from the Latin word "beatus" (bee-AH-toos) which

means "state of utmost bliss." So the word “blessed” in this case actually means “bliss” – “perfect happiness,

great joy - to the point of being completely oblivious to everything else.” But there is a catch: although the

Beatitudes give us a wonderful new set of values and a reward beyond compare, they come with a price: a

lifestyle change. Notice the pairings:

WHO: REWARD:

Poor in spirit Kingdom of Heaven

Those who mourn Comfort

Meek The Earth

Those who hunger/thirst for righteousness Fulfillment

Merciful Mercy

Pure in heart To See God

Peacemakers Called children of God

Persecuted Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus is telling us that His Kingdom is essentially one of love, kindness, devotion, and sacrifice...it is a Kingdom that leads to the Cross. The Beatitudes give us the “equipment” we need to get there - new way of living - a new way to experience the JOY God wants us to give us. Sure, the world has its joys - but things like the loss of a job, sickness, death, unfulfilled ambitions, even a change in the weather can take away whatever joy the world can give. As followers of Jesus – those who are living the Beatitudes - we have an untouchable joy that comes from living in the presence of Jesus.

REFLECTION:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will

remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this

so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” – John 9-11

Do I have this kind of joy in my life?

Do I live by the values of Jesus’ Kingdom? How can I better apply these values to my life?

PRAYER:

Lord, thank You for the Beatitudes and for a way to experience the riches of Your Kingdom. Help us know

the joy You are so willing to give us, reminding us that this is the recipe to get us started. Amen.

Wednesday, February 17

DAY 10 – The Heart of the Matter

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” – Matthew 5:8

Our “theme” Beatitude is made up of 2 parts: the who (“pure in heart”) and the reward (“to see God”). I

have always considered this the most significant of the Beatitudes, and, frankly, one of the most important

verses in the Bible. Think about it – the greatest “reward” of our lives is to see God! And here Jesus is telling

us that the way to do so is with a pure heart. OK, so, what’s up with that?

Well, let’s explore this a bit. What does Jesus mean when He says “heart?” Answer: the CENTER of our

BEING, which includes our MIND, WILL, & EMOTIONS – what we think, what we do, and what we feel. OK,

that seems simple enough. We must remember, what’s IN our hearts will AFFECT we what think, do, and feel.

In other words, the INPUT directly affects the OUTPUT. A closer look at the anatomy of the human heart

helps make this point:

The heart’s purpose is to give life to the body (by pumping blood from the body back to the body). The

tissues of the body need a constant supply of nutrition in order to be active. VEINS carry blood to the heart

(into the Atrium – which receive the blood), through the Vena Cava – main system of veins. ARTERIES carry

newly oxygenated blood from the heart to rest of body (from Ventricles), through the Aorta, the main system

of arteries.

What happens inside the heart is vital to a healthy body. Any foreign substance, and build-up (i.e. plaque) on

the arteries will affect the performance of the heart – and eventually the overall health of the whole body.

Jesus' illustration of the heart establishes this same point: the heart works best when what's going IN and

OUT are "PURE" (nothing that clogs, damages, inhibits, causes pain, or even death). In the same way, if good,

positive, Godly things are entering into our “spiritual hearts” then these same things will exit out of the heart

and into our lives and those around us.

REFLECTION:

“The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things

out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks”. – Luke 6:45

What’s going on inside my heart? Do I have any “plaque buildup” in my heart?

What “good treasure” do I have stored in my heart?

What overflows from my heart out of my mouth? How about my actions – do they honor God?

PRAYER:

Lord, this is serious stuff; yet, it is liberating. Help me be more aware of my surroundings – the who, where,

what, and why...help me be sensitive to how it affects me. Let my thoughts, words, and actions be

completely and wholly centered on You and affected by You. Amen.

VEIN #1 (VENA CAVA)

VEIN #2

VEIN #3

ATRIUM

VENTRICLE

ARTERY #1 (AORTA)

ARTERY #2

ARTERY #3

ATRIUM

VENTRICLE

Thursday, February 18

DAY 11 – Purely Coincidental?

So, is it coincidental that Jesus uses the concept of purity as the qualification to “see” God Let’s answer that

question with another question: what’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “pure?” (Enter

Jeopardy theme) I think of freshly fallen snow – so perfect, so white, and so beautifully glistening and

gleaming,

The word "pure" actually comes from the Greek word "katharos" (ka-THAH-rohs) which means “to purge for

the sake of making something cleaner or stronger.” A good example here is boiling water. Extremely high

heat is used to rid the water of any contaminates or unhealthy organisms making it completely safe, clean,

and usable. Another example is an army that has been purged of any soldiers who are discontented,

cowardly, inefficient, or unwilling, creating a highly effective fighting force – a “pure” army.

So when we use the word “PURE” we mean something is flawless, clean, free of contamination, and not

mixed with even a trace of anything else.

What does Jesus mean when He uses the word “pure?” To put it more into perspective, let’s explore what the

Bible say about “purity:”

“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

I Thessalonians 4:7

"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew 5:48

“And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure.”

1 John 3:3

Think of looking at the moon through a powerful telescope. It’s really awesome how we can see every little

detail. However, if the lens has even the tiniest speck of dirt, dust, or smudge, we are not going to get the

full picture of what we want to see. This is what Jesus is saying about a pure heart. It takes a heart

completely free of “dirt, dust, or smudge to see God as we need to see Him. Lucky for us, God is not far

away like the moon. He is actually IN our hearts!

God’s greatest desire is to be close to us. He wants it to be OUR greatest desire to be close to Him. Jesus is

telling us that this begins with what’s in our heart. So, no, it’s not a coincidence that having a pure heart

enables us to “see Him.”

These verses are just scratching the surface on purity, but hopefully it helps us see that this Beatitude is the

MOST challenging to achieve – seemingly downright impossible!! Purity just ain't easy! However, it’s not a

hopeless cause: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." – Matthew 19:26

REFLECTION:

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts,

you double-minded.” – James 4:8

Is it my greatest desire to see God?

Is my heart clean of dirt, dust, and smudges?

REFLECTION:

Lord, help me examine the deep places of my heart and help me find You there. Help clean my “lens” so

that I may see You more clearly – every little detail! Amen.

Friday, February 19

DAY 12 – A Big Problem

In our QUEST FOR PURTIY there is a BIG problem: SIN!! This is what keeps our hearts from being completely

clean and pure. Contrary to what our contemporary culture tries to tell us, Sin is real. Sin is bad. Sin is what

separates us from God. And we all do it (as we discovered on Day 3).

Check this out:

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is

faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not

sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

Uh-oh, I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in calling God a liar. Notice what role confession plays.

The takeaway here is that we cannot achieve purity by ourselves. We need help. And that help is Jesus.

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own

purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

2 Timothy 1:9

Jesus came into this world, first, to teach us about holy living and how to deal with sin. Then He died to save

us from these sins. Not exactly sure what defines sin? Well, check out these verses:

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry,

sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy,

murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time

past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” - Galatians 5:19-21

There is also a list called the Seven Deadly Sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride. Have you

noticed that every single one of these sins originates in our hearts (unlike murder, robbery, arson, etc. which

physically sins)? Remember, what we think is what we are. When Jesus speaks about purity in our hearts,

this is what He’s talking about. And He has plenty to say about it. For example:

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already

committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you;...

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’;

and look, a plank is in your own eye?” - Matthew 5:28-29, 7:4

REFLECTION:

The good news is there is hope:

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.

But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” - 1 John 3:1-3

PRAYER:

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of hope. Without it, we would never know the beauty of You. Nor would we ever experience purity in our hearts. Thank You for purifying us merely through our relationship with You. Amen.

Saturday, February 20

DAY 13 – MEDITATION

For our meditation today, listen to this song and mediate on the words:

How Deep the Father's Love for us - Joy Williams

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure

That he should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away

As wounds which mark the chosen one, bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection

Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for your redeeming, life-changing, purifying love. Amen.

Sunday, February 21

DAY 14 – WORSHIP

As we share together in corporate worship this day, let these words be in our hearts:

Psalm 8

O Lord , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

From the lips of children and infants

You have ordained praise

Because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

What is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:

all flocks and herds,

and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air,

and the fish of the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

And let this song be in our souls...(click on link)

The Majesty and Glory of Your Name - Tom Fettke

Monday, February 22

DAY 15 – The Great War

There is a WAR in our hearts. It’s an extremely intense and bloody battle taking place each and every day. This is the most important war ever fought - the eternal battle between Good and Evil...Heaven vs. Earth...God vs. Satan.

The earth, for now, is under the domain of Satan. He “lives” here. In the Book of Job, we find a very interesting story that illustrates this spiritual war. Satan, in his devious craftiness, challenges God to put His servant Job to the test. And this is no easy test – this is one that was defined by death, loss, and extreme heartache. This marks the ultimate in tragic circumstances that we, as humans, will ever face. (For more info, I highly suggest reading the whole story). In Job 1:6-7, as the story begins, we already get a sense of what the evil one is all about:

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Scary thought! In Isaiah 14:12-16, we learn even more about Satan’s (also known as “Lucifer”) grand scheme:

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Notice how Satan is referred to as the “morning star, son of the dawn.” Interestingly enough, Jesus is called the “Light of the world” (John 8:12) and “the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Apparently, Satan is a being of some kind of light, with much charm and ability to allure the human spirit (if not, why is our world in its current condition? We are too easily drawn into his charms). 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. – 2 Cor. 11:14 But also notice that he has “fallen from heaven.” “Kicked out” would be the more appropriate term, as his greatest desire is to be above God. Uh...not a good idea. Job is a great example of how this epic battle of human hearts plays out. (SPOILER ALERT) Thankfully in the end, he remained faithful even after ALL that he had been through. How did He do it? First, Job wholeheartedly depended on God to get Him through. “The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22-23 Second, we have to remember that our God is NOT of this world. Yes He created it, be He is far beyond it.. In 1 John 1:5-7, we find this:5 God is Spirit...his is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

Boom! That’s some pretty heavy artillery fired at the enemy. I’m pretty sure that the Light of God is far greater than anything Satan can dish up.

Third, we have to remember that we, too, have a rather important role to play: to “walk in the Light.” There’s no place I’d rather be. More on that coming up!

REFLECTION: Do I recognize that Satan is real? Do I recognize his handiwork in my lfe? How can I walk in the Light?

PRAYER: Lord, help me “Be alert and of sober mind. Remembering that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Help me resist him, and stand firm in the faith. Amen (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Tuesday, February 23

DAY 16 – What Goes In...

And then there’s this beauty:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.

Therefore honor God with your body.” - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Earlier, when we were looking at the biology of the human heart, we discovered the importance of input/output: what goes into the heart directly affects what comes out of the heart. The design calls for it to be clean and pure. Spiritually, this is the same. The verse above is a strong reminder about the delicacy of God’s design for our hearts. He wants to dwell there and live through us with His Holy Spirit. What an honor that He should want to do that. What an overwhelmingly awesome thing He asks of us. The thing is, He doesn’t want to dwell in a slime pit or a sewage ditch. Although He knows we will NEVER be perfect, He wants a pristine and lovely home within us. He wants clean and pure – as He so deserves. In 2014, I was in the hospital for 32 days battling pancreatitis. Since I was in the hospital for such a lengthy stay, at one point I had to have what’s called a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) inserted in my upper left arm. Basically this is a “jacked up” version of an IV: a direct line to the heart that provides the medical staff an easier way to give a patient meds and take blood samples (the alternative was inserting a new IV every couple of days in a new location on the patient’s body, leaving badly bruised and very sore arms). Ouch! In order to do this, I was taken into a completely sterile room to avoid any contamination into my veins. Everything was covered from floor to ceiling with special germ-resistant materials. The technicians we covered from head to toe with special uniforms – they looked like astronauts. My whole body with a special fabric, except the one little spot where the line would be inserted. And even it was slathered in a strong antiseptic. It was actually pretty cool as I was allowed to watch them insert the line on a x-ray monitor. The point is that the room was clean and pure. It had to be for the procedure to be successful. If not, I could’ve gotten a serious infection, or worse. God wants us to be “successful” in living for Him, avoiding “infection.” This means holy living...this means paying very close attention to the “input.” INPUT is what is what we experience every moment of every day: including everything that that we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Which means things that we

READ online, social media, print... WATCH movies/TV shows/ Netflix... HEAR TV, radio, music, conversations)... DO Activities with family, friends, co-workers, and even people we don’t know...what we

eat & drink...how we spend our causal time...etc.

A Pure heart HAS to have God living in it. And like the verse says, it’s not our body anyway.

REFLECTION:

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body

and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” - 2 Cor 7:1

Do I have reverence for God?

Do I see my heart as “sacred space?” (remember, the “heart” is our MIND, WILL, and EMOTIONS)

PRAYER:

Lord, thank You for wanting to live in my heart. Help me keep it clean. Help me guard what comes into my

life...my mind...my body...and most of all my heart...Your home. Help me make choices that honor You.

Amen.

Wednesday, February 24

DAY 17 – ...Must Come Out

Now that we’ve established the power Input has on Output, we have to acknowledge that there’s no way

humanly possible to be exposed to what’s going on around us and it not affect us.

If you take a close look at the “sinful nature” scriptures from Day 15, you will notice, among the many other “vices,” every single one of them has some reference to immoral sexual behavior. This is for a reason. If you take a close look at our culture, it is a very sexually-driven culture. Everything is about sex. Some of it obvious, and some of it more subliminal and not so obvious. But it’s there. It’s like we can’t have a conversation about anything but that. Sometimes it feels like we live in a culture of 5th graders who are just beginning to be aware of the facts of life. Meaning: very immature processing of something God intended for greater purposes other than what our culture promotes. For instance, notice what the hot topic and most divisive issues are about these days – sexual preferences and exploration. That’s further incensed by the openly acceptable promiscuity, as seen in the provocative clothing people wear, what they say, how they act. it all points to salacious living. And that seems to be OK. Look closely at advertising in all forms of media – on TV, internet, printed materials – sexual undertones can be found in a huge majority of it! Some of it is subtle, and some of it is blatantly obvious. Our culture today seems to have declared war on Christianity. Which means that the culture is losing its moral compass. Christ is the compass. Without Him we are lost. The media plays a huge role in this because of its deceptive ability to control our thinking and warp our values and morals (if we allow it). If media says it’s OK, then it must be OK. Everyone else is doing it, right? This is permission to do whatever we want, right? Nothing could be further than the truth...at least, God’s Truth. We have to be different. We have no choice. In those verses from Day 15, the message is very clear that these are not appropriate behaviors for followers of Christ. So, how can we overcome what the media is trying to force us to think and do? We can’t do it alone. Look to His Word for starters and these beautiful verses from the Apostle Paul:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2

And then there’s this little reminder...

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the Cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their

glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under Hhis control, will transform our lowly bodies so that

they will be like His glorious body. – Philippians 3:17-21

REFLECTION:

How can I tune out the negative and sinful message of the media?

What forms of media do I pay the most attention to? Are they the best for my spiritual growth?

How can I be true to the Cross, and live in this world in my day-to-day life?

PRAYER:

Lord, help me not give in to what culture says is “right living”, but what Your Word says. Help me listen more

to its message and less of the secular media that is saying the direct opposite. Be my strength, hope, and

guide. Amen.

Thursday, February 25

DAY 18 – “We Have Seen the Enemy...”

The animal characters Walt Kelly created for his classic newspaper comic strip “Pogo” were known for their seemingly simplistic, but slyly perceptive comments about the state of the world and politics. None is more remembered than Pogo the Possum’s quote in the poster Kelly designed to help promote environmental awareness and publicize the first annual observance of Earth Day, held on April 22, 1970:

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” – 1 John 3:8

Oh yeah, in case you missed it: Satan is real. And he’s the REAL enemy – the source of all evil. These days,

he’s having a field day spinning his web of evil. Or have you not noticed? His favorite target is our hearts.

Satan has many, many tricks he uses to win over our hearts.

The most powerful trick he uses is “narcissism “– extreme love of self...which includes a heavy, heavy dose

of self-importance, self-centeredness, self-absorption, selfishness...it’s a total lack of awareness of anyone

else around us. Not sure how to recognize narcissism? Here are some hints (Source: BPDCentral.com)...

Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her

Requires excessive admiration

Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

Whoa! When we allow ourselves to behave this way, it is an open door through which Satan can easily enter.

REFLECTION & PRAYER For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Romans 12:3

Lord, help me be completely aware when my focus is on me – and not You and other people. Fill me with an unselfish Spirit that I may be more like You. Amen

“We have met the enemy and he is us.” Notice in the poster, under the quote, Pogo is seen holding a litter pick-up stick and a burlap bag. He appears to be getting ready to start cleaning up the garbage humans have strewn over Okefenokee Swamp, the part of the planet where he lives.

The words poignantly highlight a key concept of environmental stewardship: we all share part of the responsibility for the trashing of planet Earth, so we should all do our share to help clean it up. (Source: www.thisdayinqoutes.com)

The same holds true for the spiritual condition of our hearts – we have met the enemy, and he is us. We are our own worst enemy. But...it’s not just us alone. We have “help” in our weakness...

Friday, February 26

DAY 19 – “...And It is Us”

Narcissism is powerful, nasty stuff. It is not only a personality disorder, but more importantly, a spiritual disorder. Every one of us is susceptible to it. It is the root for almost ALL sins. And it’s the devil’s playground. It is also a sign of the spiritual sickness of our culture. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, we read: But understand this: that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self,

lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with

conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Look familiar? As you can see most of this stems from narcissism, which is the mortal enemy of God. I like to call it the “flawed chip” in our programming. God didn’t design us this way. The environment around us –in which Satan pervades - has a great deal to do with its influence on our lives. Unfortunately, for humankind, it started very early on. After God had created Adam & Eve, He told them explicitly NOT to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And what did they do? What do we usually do when we are told not to do something? We do it. Just ask any 2 year old.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with

her, and he ate it. – Genesis 3:6 Bad choice. They ate it because it was “pleasing to the eye and good for gaining wisdom” – in other words, it was something that made them “feel good.” Really? Imagine living in paradise – what could be better: brilliantly sunny days, temps in the mid-70’s, beautiful scenery, everything you’d ever want to eat, no wardrobe worries, topped off with walking with God “in the cool of the day?” Wow, no better way to define perfection. All that would be required is to just play by the rules and we can all enjoy it forever. Forever!! But, oh no, they just couldn’t do it. (and here we have to ask ourselves – could we?) The fuel for narcissism is how we “feel” about things, creating completely emotionally-driven beings. There is not a healthy balance of mind and soul. It’s all heart – emotions. There was a saying back in the 60’s – “if it feels good, do it.” The rules don’t apply to narcissists. And all the time running in the background are the evil and deceptive whisperings of the “evil one” who loves, loves, loves to break the rules, just as he did with Eve:

“The serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” – Genesis 3:4-5

Now what happened to Adam & Eve? Well, to make a long story short: they got kicked out of Paradise. Forever. And that led us to where we are today and why we have to fight the daily fight. Love of self pollutes and overcomes our natural ability to know what’s truly right or wrong. That’s why we need a Savior – to save us from ourselves and help keep us in His will. Narcissism is a self-inflicted wound. The Cross of Jesus is the only thing that can stand between us. It is like both a sword and shield. It is the greatest weapon God has to defeat the enemy and protect us, His prized soldiers. REFLECTION:

How can I better tune out Satan’s whisperings into my ear? How can I better allow the Cross to be my sword and shield?

PRAYER: Lord, help me know what is “right” and what is “wrong” in Your eyes. Let this be the moral compass of my life – not what our culture says is right & wrong. As always, may Your will be done in my life. Amen.

Saturday, February 27

DAY 20 – MEDITATION

Today, as we reflect on the devotionals from the last few days, let’s meditate on the song “King of My Heart.” The battle for our hearts is fierce and we need a King who can win it. Without a doubt, God is that King. We just have to let Him have it.

King of My Heart Presented by: Love and the Outcome

VERSE 1: I'm in a war every minute

I know for sure I'll never win it I am David up against Goliath

And it's a fight for my attention I'm being pulled every direction

This world tells me trust what I can see Lord, won't You help me believe what I believe

CHORUS:

You are bigger than any battle I'm facing You are better than anything I've been chasing

Savior and royalty, the only hope in me Jesus, You are, You are

The King of my heart, heart The King of my heart, heart

VERSE 2:

All by myself I fall to pieces But You are strong when I am weakest I feel Your kingdom come alive in me

My feet are bruised but they'll follow where You lead

CHORUS: You are bigger than any battle I'm facing

You are better than anything I've been chasing Savior and royalty, the only hope in me

Jesus, You are, You are The King of my heart, heart The King of my heart, heart

BRIDGE:

Your love is deeper than the ocean You wash away my brokenness

Your arms are always open Come and rule in me Come and be my king

CHORUS:

You are bigger than any battle I'm facing You are better than anything I've been chasing

Savior and royalty, the only hope in me Jesus, You are, You are

The King of my heart, heart The King of my heart, heart

Sunday, February 28

DAY 21 – WORSHIP

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;

let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. 13 Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,

he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples in his faithfulness.

- Psalm 96:9-13

LISTEN: Song of Exaltation - John Ness Beck

Monday, February 29

DAY 22 – Lies My Culture Told Me

Our culture is not concerned, even in the slightest, about our souls. Our culture, probably more than anything else, is focused on PLEASURE. In other words, “what pleases me?” “What makes me feel good?” Thank you, narcissism.

“Do you know the story of Narcissus? The very handsome fellow in Greek mythology who, because of his indifference and disdain toward others, was punished by the gods by falling in love with his own image. He was so enrapted by his beauty that he was unable to pull himself away from his own reflection that he wasted away and died.

“Well, according to recent research, Narcissus has spawned many offspring in our current generation and narcissism is alive and well and living in America. Just so we are all on the same wavelength, narcissism is a personality characteristic associated with self-absorption, egocentrism, an overestimation of one's own importance and abilities, a sense of entitlement, and a disregard for others.

“One study found that 30% of young people were classified as narcissistic according to a widely used psychological test. That number has doubled in the last 30 years. Another study reported a 40 percent decline among young people in empathy, a personality attribute inversely related to narcissism, since the 1980s. These findings aren't surprising to anyone who pays attention to the "it's all about me" culture in which we currently live.

“It's not surprising to see a rise in narcissism in this generation given that young people are being bombarded by these messages 24/7 through every form of media. And here's the truly disturbing part: How can young people these days avoid being infected with this "disease" when, thanks to the "wired" world in which they live, the majority of messages they receive venerate and encourage narcissism.

The self-esteem movement has likely contributed to this increase in self-adoration. Many parents these days do everything they can to make their children feel good about themselves. The result has been a decline in real self-esteem and an increase in self-love and unjustifiable personal "exceptionalism." Also, technology and social media have done their part to promote narcissism. All of the time spent absorbed in screens has reduced the amount of actual human (i.e., face-to-face) interaction that children have, thus depriving them of the experiences needed to develop essential social skills such as empathy, compassion, and consideration for others.

It's one thing to see that there are a growing number of narcissists in America today. But the real concern is not the individual narcissists among us, but when our society embraces and, OMG!, accepts narcissism as the norm. And that time may have arrived.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201105/narcissism-is-alive-and-well-in-america

Our culture lies to us. It tells us that self-worth is gained through an obsession with ourselves. It feeds this “monster” with all aspects of culture – again with all that we see, hear, taste, etc. So our battle is on 2 fronts: Our hearts and our culture. Obviously the immediate and most important battle is in our hearts. We can’t affect culture if we aren’t prepared. So it’s time for some training!

REFLECTION: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.” - James 4:10

Do I recognize narcissism in myself? When I’m around a group of people, do I draw attention to myself? In conversations, do I truly listen to others – or am I thinking about the next thing I’m going to say? Am I too busy on my phone when someone is trying to talk with me? Do I use my phone while driving? Do I feel like the “rules” don’t apply to me? If I answer yet, what can I do about it?

PRAYER: Lord, again, fill my heart with all You are. Help me to be highly sensitive to the triggers of narcissism. Help me to find my self-worth in You. He me see that Jesus felt I was worth dying for. Place this deeply in my heart and let it drive everything in my life. Amen.

Tuesday, March 1

DAY 23 – More Lies My Culture Told Me

So why are we spending so much time in our devotional journey on the subject of “love of self?” Because it is the one thing that is most deceptive and powerful in keeping our hearts pure as God desires them to be. And, as we are learning, our environment – our culture – and how we respond to it are critical in the quest for purity. One thing we can do right away is recognize and realize that the biggest lie of culture is the “pleasure principle.” At its core, this principle is all about instant gratification and feeling awesome. I want to feel great and I want it now. Again, it points to being “feelings-driven.” Look at how many commercials and ads are centered on pleasure: trips, adventurous destinations, cars, alcohol, clothes, technology, dating websites, etc. How do you feel when you are exposed to these? They make us happy, right? Instant gratification is pure poison. It teaches us to no longer promote patience and endurance. Because of our self-centeredness, we want the next best thing, and we want it now! We hear this all the time about technology: “The next best thing is coming.” Some phone companies now offer us the opportunity to upgrade as soon as the newest model is released. I remember having to wait 2 years for the end of the contract before upgrading. This fuels the instant gratification aspect of our culture. I don’t’ know about you, but I already know what the next best thing is: eternity in heaven with Jesus. That’s what I’m going to focus on! But our culture is not concerned about eternity, is it? It is focused on the here and now. It has no concerned for our souls. The culture is most concerned about feeding the unending appetite for pleasure (because that means more money and power for the ones behind it). Our culture, much of which is poisoned by Satan, tells us the same thing he told Eve: (imagine a enticingly seductive whisper) “You NEED this and you need it NOW! It will make you feel so wonderful! Go ahead, it’s OK. Everyone else is doing it.” Again, that’s the biggest lie of all! Just because everyone else is “doing it” doesn’t mean we need to follow the same path.

Take note of 1 Timothy 3:4 we find the phrase “Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Wow! That’s probably the scariest thing of all. Well, we shouldn’t be surprised Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24 It’s like the throne of our hearts – we have only room for one. Jesus wants to live there, but if we are in the way, then there’s no room for Him. Again, it’s what He challenges us to do: “deny yourself.” This is the direct opposite of what culture is trying to force on us.

REFLECTION: 4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?6 But he gives us more grace. – James 4:4-6

Do I live for pleasure?

Do Irealize that following Jesus may not bring pleasure the way culture defines it?

Is God the true Master of my life? If so, what does that look like?

PRAYER: Lord, this is where it gets very difficult – distinguishing between what the world says, and what You say. Thank you for Your Word and how it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Help me focus on Your Word and live it out every day. Amen.

Wednesday, March 2

DAY 24 – American Idol

IDOLS...God hates them. He even goes after them in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17)

A way to measure technology’s hold over us is to gauge how much time we spend in front of TV, or on the

computer, or on other pieces of technology in our free time. How many hours a day are you online – either

on social media, or a news site, or...?

Technology and information (T&I) at our fingertips is a great thing. It’s so awesome to catch up with our

family and friends through Facebook and Instagram. Both apps are a constant source of information about

those we love. It’s also great to have immediate access to the latest headlines.

But T&I is also a dangerous thing in how it consumes our time – time that we could be spending connecting

better with God and other people, or finding a His greater purpose for our lives. It seems we’ve lost the art

of human relations. We spend more time online connected with strangers than we do outside our house

chatting with our neighbors. It’s become a high tech, low-touch world.

Technology is also dangerous because of some of the content. Through technology we read a lot, hear a lot,

and see a lot...a lot of which is not good. We can then become immune and insensitive to soul-damaging

content and information. It’s like the old analogy of a frog in the kettle. If a frog jumps into a kettle of hot

water, he will immediately jump out. But if he jumps in a kettle of cool water and the water temperature is

turned up slowly, the frog will burn to death. He wouldn’t realize the “damage” being done over the period

of time.

What we value determines how we spend our time. We will commit to what we feel is important. And as

humans, we are quite stubborn and we are going to do what we WANT to do. Sometimes, however, what we

think is important does not line up exactly with what is important to God.

Having a deep, meaningful and life-changing relationship with us is the most important thing to God. This

makes it all that much more imperative that He is first in our lives, as he so commands us. Smash those idols!

REFLECTION:

Are there any idols before God in jy life?

What does God being #1 look like in my life?

How much time do I spend using technology? Is it more than I should be?

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for wanting to be #1 in my life and to desire a relationship with me. Help me know what it takes to make this happen. Let it begin by helping me be a better steward of my time Amen.

Look at this list. Check out numbers 1 & 2 on the list. It’s obvious God wants to be first in our lives. Well, don’t forget, so does Satan. Another very powerful trick the little devil uses is “idols.” An idol is “a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” (Webster)

Idols creep into our view and take precedence over other aspects of our lives in a very stealthy manner. They’re sneaky that way. For example, just look at our culture, and see many idols that come before God. The obvious are: pleasure, sports figures, entertainment figures, food/restaurants, cars, possessions, hobbies, clothes, jobs, school, shopping, etc.

Then, there are the not-so-obvious: boyfriends/girlfriends, family, free time, personal fitness, and yes, technology – the unending quest for information.

Thursday, March 3

DAY 25 – Please Pass the PUREX

So, we’ve talked about what keeps our hearts from being pure. Now, what can we do about it? Have you

ever heard of the laundry detergent PUREX? Check this out:

Over the next few days we are going to take a look at the different “ingredients” that make up our PUREX heart-cleansing “formula.” the days ahead will each feature a word that begins with the each letter from the word “P-U-R-E-X.” Today we begin with “P.” The first word in our formula is: PRIORITY. “Priority” is defined as “something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first” (Merriam Webster). I love the part that says “done or dealt with first.” That has a sense of urgency to me. Something that needs immediate attention. What do you think God’s priority is? Us. Our salvation. If you think about it, He gave us “immediate attention.” Remember this old favorite:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the

world through Him. - John 3:16-17

That’s priority. In return for this “gift,” God wants to be the #1 priority in our lives. Remember the first commandments? “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-17). And Jesus added to it the Great Commandment: to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, strength. (Matt. 22:34-40). And then there’s this little gem: You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God – Exodus 23:19. This comes from a whole list of instructions (the Law) for the children of Israel. Here they are commanded to bring an offering of their very first harvest. This would symbolize God’s importance to their lives. God is looking for the “firstfruits” of our lives. Not the leftovers, but the absolute very best. Not what’s convenient, but what’s necessity. He wants first place. When we put God first, everything else falls into place. Simply put: put make God #1, and work out the rest from there. REFLECTION:

What does giving God my firstfruits look like? What is the #1 priority of my life? What do I think about most of the time? What do I spend most of my time doing? How do I give God my firstfruits now? How can I do better?

PRAYER: Lord, Lent is the perfect time to examine my life and to make changes that better honor You. I know family,

work, and school are important, but You should reign over everything. Help me give You my firstfruits.

Amen.

Purex Commercial

Purex has a cleansing formula – “dirt-lift action” – that makes clothes like new. It especially helps white clothing to look like freshly fallen snow. There is a formula in the detergent that makes this happen. What better time than Lent to lift off the dirt of our hearts. We, too, have a “formula” that can help us allow Jesus to clean up our impure hearts.

FRIDAY, March 4

DAY 26 – Practice Makes Perfect

Question: What day of the year is a command to move forward? Answer: March 4th. (get it, “march forth!”) Well, today’s that day! And we MARCH forth WITH today’s word: PRACTICE. To practice is to “repeat exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.” In other words: to do something again and again in order to become better at it. And this: to do (something) regularly or constantly as an ordinary part of your life. (Merriam-Webster) I love these definitions – especially the last phrase “as an ordinary part of your life.” Practicing anything helps us become better at that anything. The word “proficiency” is mastering a certain skill. Practice is essential for musicians, athletes – everyone to improve and grow and be the best they can be. As the old saying goes “Practice Makes perfect.” As we discovered earlier, Jesus commands us to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48. Well, we know we will never be “perfect,” only God is perfect, but we can certainly aim for it. And how we do that is to PRACTICE OUR FAITH. We practice our faith by what I like to call the BIG 5:

1. PRAYER: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17)

2. BIBLE - READING GOD’S WORD: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to

Your Word.” (Psalm 24:3-4)

3. WORSHIP: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6)

4. FELLOWSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD: “But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we

have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John

1:7)

5. SERVICE - DOING HIS WORKS - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

(James 2:26)

As followers of Jesus we need these 5 things in our lives for a complete connection to God and connection to one another. Hopefully we see them not as obligations but opportunities for spiritual growth. If we are not growing, then we are dying. There is no in-between! The beautiful thing is that we do this together. It’s important to hold one another accountable for each others’ faith walk. Besides, it’s not much fun to practice alone. So, tune your instrument, warm up your voice and let’s begin the most important symphony of life. REFLECTION:

When do I have my devotional time with God? Do I have a set time, process? Does it include Prayer, the Bible? How do I worship God...on my own...and with others? Do I set aside time to fellowship with other believers? How about non-beleivers? How am I serving?

PRAYER: Lord, help me make the connection that having You as Priority means that I need to constantly and consistently Practice my faith. Help me see that on the quest for a pure heart this is where it begins. Give me inspiration, strength, passion, and endurance to practice for perfection. Amen.

Saturday, March 5

DAY 27 – MEDITATION

Today, let’s meditate on the song “Purer in Heart, O God.” This beautiful prayer was written in 1877 by Fanny

Davison. The music was written by James Fillmore. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to express to God our

deepest desire for Him to fill our hearts with all He is – removing any selfishness we have may have. Pay

careful attention to how the words spell out the “recipe” for a pure heart.

Purer in Heart, O God Words: fanny Davison Music: James Fillmore

Presented by

Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir

VERSE 1:

Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be;

May I devote my life Wholly to Thee.

Watch Thou my wayward feet.

Guide me with counsel sweet;

Purer in heart, Help me to be.

VERSE 2:

Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be;

Teach me to do Thy will Most lovingly.

Be Thou my friend and guide,

Let me with Thee abide;

Purer in heart, Help me to be.

VERSE 3:

Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be;

Until Thy holy face One day I see.

Keep me from secret sin,

Reign Thou my soul within;

Purer in heart, Help me to be.

Sunday, March 6

DAY 28 – MEDITATION

Today, as we worship let’s “perform what we’ve practiced” from our spiritual journey by celebrating our God

with these verses from Psalm 150. Notice that there are many different instruments listed, as there are many

different gifts each of us have. The important this is that “everything that has breath praise the Lord”:

PSALM 150

1 Praise the LORD.[a]

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,

praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

Monday, March 7

DAY 29 – The Call of a Lifetime

Today’s word is: PURPOSE. Purpose is what gives our lives meaning. It gives us reason, vision, focus, and a

plan to achieve that vision. Sometimes I think the word is overused, but the concept is timeless, as seen in

these words from the prophet Jeremiah telling us God’s view of our lives:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

We also find this verse that points out the necessity of seeking God’s path for us. Clearly He has that vision...

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” – Proverbs 29:18

For we who follow Christ, as individuals and as a church, seeking God’s vision and knowing His purpose

answers the question: “Why do we do what we do?” But we also know that we are not alone and we are

created for something greater than ourselves:

And I am confident that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6

There are many, many verses of scripture that lays out God’s purpose for our lives. (Notice I am not saying

THE purpose of our lives...but GOD’S purpose. If it’s not His, then it’s not worth having)

And here’s the good news: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your

fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty

of man. – Ecclesiastes 12:13

Speaking of commandments, here’s the big one: (The Great Commission)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and

of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. – Matthew 28:19

And, finally, along the same lines here’s this beauty:

And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8

I cannot even begin to imagine a greater purpose!

REFLECTION:

Have I really thought about my purpose in life? What am I doing with my life?

Is my purpose God’s purpose? Do I “see” God’s vision for my life?

How can I better act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God?

PRAYER:

Lord thank You for my life and for the purpose you have in mind for me. Help me to actively seek it every

moment of every day. Help me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You. Amen.

Tuesday, March 8

DAY 30 – Hang in There

Today’s formula ingredient is PERSEVERANCE, which is defined as “continued effort to do or achieve

something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.” (Merriam-Webster) This is an extremely powerful part of

the mix. If we don’t have it, we’ll never make it.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test,

that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

– James 1:12

That’s a nice promise. A crown of life. What beautiful imagery. This tells us that a life following Jesus is

going to be difficult – in the sense of going against the tide of culture. We will need perseverance that is

greater than ours...we need God’s. On question thought: have you ever considered that the “crown of life”

could actually be a “crown of thorns?”

Here are some other thoughts about perseverance:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

– Romans 12:12

And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

– 2 Thess 3:13

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

– Galatians 6:9

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good

confession in the presence of many witnesses.

– 1 Timothy 6:12

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every

encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set

before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured

the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

– Hebrews 12:1-2

Note, too, that with perseverance comes a very important necessity: PATIENCE

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding

that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way:

bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power

according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks

to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the Kingdom of Light.

– Colossians 1:9-12

REFLECTION & PRAYER:

Lord, help me persevere and face the trials that come. Make me brave and faithful to the end...for you. Grant

me just a portion of Your patience – as You have it in abundance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, March 9

DAY 31 – On Our Knees

Today’s word is: PRAYER. I once heard an old saying “A life without prayer is like a tapestry without thread.”

And that’s so true isn’t it? Prayer is how we connect with God and have intimacy with Him. Jesus

demonstrated the importance of prayer and our relationship with God many times. He also showed us the

importance of retreating from the craziness in our lives to carve out meaningful time to pray:

“But Jesus often withdrew to solitary places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16

I can imagine this was a challenge for Him, as people were so deeply captivated by His preaching and

miracles they were constantly surrounding Him. There was always a crowd of paparazzi. A “solitary place” –

meaning lonely – provides peace and quiet...it leaves room only for God.

Jesus gives us instructions on prayer (Matt. 6:6-13). He begins by pointing out the importance of a quiet

place and the need to actually “listen:”

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.

Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on

babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for

your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Then He gives us the perfect model for praying. He begins by addressing God and giving Him Praise...

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Then He moves to Seeking God’s will...

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

He prays for God’s Provision for our needs...(also Thanksgiving)

Give us today our daily bread.

Confession.of our sins...(Forgiveness received, forgiveness given)

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Guidance for our lives...(and protection)

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (uh-oh, him again)

Ending again in Praise:

For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’”

REFLECTION & PRAYER:

So as you pray, try this model:

Praise God

Pray for blessing of His Presence (to sense His Spirit – this might require silence for awhile)

Pray for Him to reveal His will for your life

Thank Him for how He provides for your life; Ask Him for any other needs you have. (This includes

praying for the needs of others)

Confess your sins and ask forgiveness;

Pray for strength and guidance for the day ahead.

Praise Him again

Remember, practice makes perfect!

Thursday, March 10

DAY 32 – Pax Vobiscum

Today’s ingredient: PEACE. For many of us, this is an ultimate goal in our lives. To be at peace. Only God

gives true peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be

troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for

your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-29

God also wants us to be people of peace...

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God – Matthew 5:9

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,

submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. - James 3:17-18

The Lenten Journey is designed to help us achieve peace in our lives. When look to the cross everything else

should fade away. Why? It reminds us that the highest calling on our lives is to live (or die) for others. Jesus

did just that. At the end of the day – that awful, long, terrible day – He had peace as His last words were

“Father, into Your hands I commend my Spirit” - Luke 23:46

REFLECTION & PRAYER:

To receive peace is to give peace. St. Francis of Assisi has given us the perfect prayer for peace and for all

other “P” words: (NOTE: This would make an ideal daily prayer!)

Prayer for Peace Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

(St. Francis of Assisi)

Pax vobiscum (peace to you)

Friday, March11

DAY 33 – “U” Got It

Today, we start to focus on “U” ingredients to the PUREX mix. Today’s ingredient: UNLOAD. In life, we all

have our share of guilt, shame, anger, disappointment, heartache, etc. These are called emotions and these

are the most negative and damaging that we experience. The full range of emotions are all part of the

human experience. Emotions are extremely powerful and can either bring ecstatic joy to our lives or the

deepest sorry knonw to the human soul. None of us are immune to these. Check out the illustration below.

Source: Robert Plutchik

We have to be careful that our emotions don’t run (our ruin) our lives. Getting control of our emotions begins with getting a grip on self-centeredness (again, narcissism). The first thing we need to do is remember that God’s got this. He’s “been there, done that” and then some. He even offers these words to us., Check out these verses:

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. - 1 Peter 5:10

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to

the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. - Psalm 34:17-20

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds - Psalm 147:3

Second, remember the big picture – God has a great plan for our lives and it doesn’t include self-centeredness. It includes a deep awareness of other people. It is a plan that has as its compass the Cross of Jesus. It’s a plan that is focused on the “Love” section of the illustration above.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. – Gal. 5:6 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it

is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. – 1 Cor. 13:4-80

Third, try this:

Resolve conflict in your life – using the Biblical model in Matthew 18

Forgive those who have wronged you...and Seek forgiveness from those you have wronged

Acknowledge & Confess your sins...

Repent ...Give it up – get rid of it. Then you’ll know peace...which is fueled by love. Got it?

REFLECTION & PRAYER: Lord, help me remember that Love is supreme...that it is the essence of the Cross and of life itself. It is Your greatest gift to us. Help me see what emotions are predominant in my life. And help me know how to cope with them Amen.

Notice all of the different emotions. It’s interesting that at the center of the whole diagram is essentially a division between Love and Hate. Love includes: Gratitude, Joy, Pride. Generosity, Hope, Interest/Attraction, and Sympathy

Hate includes Cruelty, Panic, Indifference, Greed/Envy, Fear, Shame, Anger/Sorrow.

We call negative emotions “baggage.” They are an extremely heavy burden to carry. The good news is like a suitcase, we can put this baggage away. For our hearts to be purified, it is essential that we UNLOAD these “burdens.” How do we do this?

Saturday, March 12

DAY 34 – Meditation

As we think about God expressing His love to us through the Cross, let us mediate on this song...

LISTEN: At the Cross Presented by HIllsong

VERSE 1: Oh Lord You've searched me

You know my way Even when I fail You, I know You love me

Your holy presence

Surrounding me In every season

I know You love me I know You love me

CHORUS:

At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me

There's no greater love than this You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now

VERSE 2:

You go before me You shield my way

Your hand upholds me, I know You love me

(CHORUS)

BRIDGE: You tore the veil You made a way

When You said that it is done

You tore the veil You made a way

When You said that it is done

And when the earth fades Falls from my eyes

And You stand before me I know You love me I know You love me

(CHORUS)

Sunday, March 13

DAY 35 – WORSHIP

As today is a day of worship, let’s sum up the previous week with these verses, storing them in our hearts as

we gather to praise & celebrate God.

Romans 8:31-39

If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—

how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that,

who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine

or nakedness or danger or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor

the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able

to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Monday, March 14

DAY 36 – Fresh Fruit

Today’s word is UNDERSTAND, as in understanding what it takes spiritually to live with a pure heart...

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is

death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. – Romans 8:5-8 I love how “the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Hearing that, why in the world would we NOT want to live by the Spirit? Among Jesus’ final words to His disciples, He told them about the coming of the Holy Spirit:

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to

help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be[c] in you.

The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of

everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:15-17, 26-27

Now, hear Paul’s teachings on the subject. First, he offers instructions on the differences between living in the Spirit and not... 13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather,

serve one another humbly in love.14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to

do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the

like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:12-21

Then he offers a solution:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh ith its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.- Galatians 5:22-25

The Fruit of the Spirit – how yummy and how nourishing. Interestingly enough, Jesus spoke about Fruit as well:

Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the

fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. – Matthew 7:17-20 REFLECTION:

Do I bear good fruit? Am I recognized by my fruit?

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that He’s here to comfort, guide, inspire, and instruct us in how to live a life that pleases You and helps others. Help me be always open and receptive to the moving of the Spirit...and the whispers of Your heart. Amen.

Tuesday, March 15

DAY 37 – The Refresh Button

Today’s word is REFRESH, as in it’s time to hit the Refresh Button. The word “refresh” means to “give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate.” (Merriam Webster) In our spiritual journeys, we need to be refreshed constantly. There’s nothing like new energy.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, - Acts 3:19

Part of being refreshed is remembering. For folders of Jesus it’s remembering that the road to the Cross is a long, hard road. We will need to be fresh and new each day to continue along the path. So what does this mean? REST – be sure to observe the Sabbath. Sabbath means “rest & worship.” Sundays are our Sabbath.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the

seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. – Exodus 20:8-11

REFOCUS – to close your eyes for a moment, then open them again. Wipe away any dust, dirt, or tears. Now take a peek at these words from Ephesians 5:1. This is the a HUGE refocus on who we are!

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

REAL - as in BE REAL. Don’t be fake. Be who you are meant to be – and the best at it. Be the same person you are at church are you are out in the “real world.” And be the person who does this:

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse

joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God

18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always

giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:3-5, 18-19

REFLECT – Jesus said He was the “light of the world.” That means He does all the work – He’s there continuously shining. We just merely reflect His life. We are the Moon to His Sun. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 REFLECTION:

Do I observe Sabbath: worship and rest only? Do I remember to refocus: and imitate God? Am I real with my faith? Do I reflect Jesus?

PRAYER:

Listen: Shine - by Salvador

Wednesday, March 16

DAY 38 – At the Crossroads

Today’s PUREX ingredient is ELEVATE, as in it’s time to “elevate our game.” It’s time to go to the next level. So what does that even look like?

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the

disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. – Ephesians 5:8-14

Living as children of light, huh? So what does that mean? Well, let’s go back to our intersection illustration. Throughout our lives, every one of us at some point arrives at an intersection or a crossroads – a time when we have to make some sort of choice about our Career, School, Family, Health, or something as simple as what color to paint the Kitchen. A typical crossroads consist of several different roads or paths. Each one heads in a completely different direction. And the end result is that we HAVE to make a choice to go down one of these roads:

Do I take the new job or not? Which college should I go to? What classes should I take? Should we have grandmother move in with us? Should I get a second opinion on that MRI? Does purple really work with our kitchen cabinets?

Spiritually, we encounter these crossroads every moment of every day of our lives. The thing is…when we become Followers of Jesus, then that takes the whole “crossroads thing” to a completely different level because our choices become based on the question – “What path does God want me to travel?” Also we have to answer the question – “Will this honor God?” For example:

Do I watch this movie or not, even though it looks great, it may not be appropriate? Should I stop and help this guy who can’t get his car started in the Wal-Mart parking lot? Should I date this girl even though she’s not a Christian? If someone pulls out in front of me – should I lay on the horn and shout out some lovely verbal

expressions….or should I just let it go? What will honor God? What does He want me to do?

Getting through the crossroads is nothing less than an issue of the heart.

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests,

but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back

is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Wow – that’s harsh. To tell someone that they can’t bury a parent who has just died…that doesn’t seem like something we envision Jesus to say. But it’s a vivid reminder of Jesus’ demand on our lives and what it looks like when we elevate our game. We cannot let anything hold us back from serving God. REFLECTION

Is there anything keeping me from wholeheartedly serving God? Fear? Inconvenience? Awkwardness?

PRAYER: Lord, help me elevate my game – help me discern what path you want my life to take. Amen

Thursday, March 17

DAY 39 – The X Factor

Today’s P-U-R-E-X ingredient is the MOST important ingredient of all – X, as in the “X Factor.” What is it? The symbol “X” comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word for “Christ.” So for followers of Jesus, X marks the spot! Jesus is what it’s all about. He is the one ingredient that makes the “P-U-R-E-X” formula so powerful – the one thing that can completely purify our hearts. Remember, “X” = Crux = Cross = Christ. Have you ever seen a vampire movie where a priest uses a crucifix to “kill” the vampire? This usually plays out with the handheld cross burning its image into the vampire’s skin. I’m not a big fan of horror movies, it does help us picture in our minds that the Cross of Jesus is like that – it burns its image into our hearts and, in turn, purifies us. Having the Cross of Jesus emblazoned on our hearts will cause us to live differently. , our lives will reflect The Cross of Jesus (We have looked at this from Day 1 in our Lenten Journey. This has been a journey to discover the essence of having a pure heart in order to “see God.” Perhaps seeing God begins by understanding the critical need of having Jesus dwelling within us.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I

now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may

be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. –

Ephesians 3:17-19 Having Jesus within us makes a HUGE difference in the way we live day to day. We will have His vision...His hands....His ears...His feet...and His will to drive us. We will be more sensitive to what we see and what we do. Our responses to the daily challenges will be different. We will be driven by the image on our hearts. And I can’t imagine a purer heart than one that is completely surrendered to Him. REFLECTION:

For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:21

Is Jesus the treasure of my heart?

Is Christ living within me?

Is it making a difference?

PRAYER: To celebrate the day and reflect on our topic, here is the Prayer of St. Patrick:

Listen: Prayer of St. Patrick - John Rutter

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ above me, Christ beneath me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Lord, Pour into my heart all that Christ is So that I may be like Him In all that I am and all that I do. Amen.

Friday, March 18

DAY 40 – The Eyes Have It

Let’s go back to our Lenten Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” – Matthew 5:8

We’ve focused so much on the first part – acquiring a pure heart – that we’ve almost forgotten about the second part: “Seeing God.” As I mentioned early on, seeing God is like the ultimate destination in our lives...the ultimate reward. So, have you ever wondered what God looks like? Do you envision Him as a wise old man, all dressed in white sitting stately on a majestic throne? Or do you see Him as a young, handsome being with golden hair flying in the breeze? Let’s begin by exploring what the Bible says about God’s appearance. Exodus 3:1-2 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. Daniel 7:9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. Daniel 10:5-6 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around His waist. His body was like beryl, His face like the appearance of lightning, His eyes like flaming torches, His arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of His words like the sound of a multitude. Ezekiel 1:26-28 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around Him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Revelation 1:14 Someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, Revelation 4:2-3 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with Someone sitting on it. 3 And the One who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. REFLECTION & PRAYER: Lord these are awesome images to think about. It only adds to the mystery of You and helps remind me that You are the King of the Universe. It’s more than I can comprehend – especially as we get closer to the cross and I reflect on what You did there...for every one of us. No words could ever thank You. Amen.

Saturday, March 19

DAY 41 – MEDITATION

LISTEN: Revelation Song Words & Music: Jennie Riddle

Presented by: Gateway Worship, Solo: Kari Jobe

Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain

Holy, Holy, is He

Sing a new song, to him who sits on

Heaven's mercy seat

Holy, Holy, Holy

Is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come

With all creation I sing

Praise to the King of Kings

You are my everything, And I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows, of living color

Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder

Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be

To You the only wise King

Holy, Holy, Holy

Is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come

With all creation I sing

Praise to the King of Kings

You are my everything, And I will adore You

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder

At the mention of your name

Jesus your name is power

Breath, and living water

Such a marvelous mystery

Holy, Holy, Holy

Is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah...

With all creation I sing

Praise to the King of Kings

You are my everything, And I will adore You.

Sunday, March 20

DAY 42 – WORSHIP

As we worship today, we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem!

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna![d]”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e] “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

(John 12:12-13)

LISTEN: Hosanna

I see the king of glory Coming on the clouds with fire

The whole earth shakes The whole earth shakes

I see His love and mercy Washing over all our sin

The people sing, The people sing

[Chorus] Hosanna, Hosanna

Hosanna in the highest [x2]

I see a generation Rising up to take their place

With selfless faith, With selfless faith

I see a near revival Stirring as we pray and seek

We're on our knees, We're on our knees

[Chorus]

Heal my heart and make it clean Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

[Chorus x2]

Hosanna in the highest

Monday, March 21

DAY 43 – An Enlightening Experience

So in our quest to see what God looks like, we’ve seen Him described as lightning, fire, rainbows, bright jewels, etc. That’s very interesting, because in 1 John 1:5 we find this: 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all. And added to that, John 1:1-5 describes Jesus like this:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has

been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Now add Jesus’ description of Himself in John 8:12...

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In Matthew 17:2, we find this description in the scene of the Transfiguration...

“And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.”

So, it looks like we can safely describe God’s appearance as something indescribably bright and full of light. Whether it’s fire, lightning, rainbows, or whatever, it’s undoubtedly brilliant and a sight to behold. Let’s go with the fire image for a second...imagine God as a candle...

I could see God like that, couldn’t you? Thinking of God as this kind of “Light” makes me think of my fish pond. We’ve had a small fish pond in our back Yard for about 10 years. The biggest challenge is keeping the water clean, in order to provide a healthy environment for the fish. Last year, the algae was horrible as the water became a very green thick, slimy, yucky goop. I decided to take extreme measures and I put in some really strong chemicals. Well you can probably guess what happened – all of the fish died. So, I did some research and discovered that a UV light filter was the way to go. Here on earth’s surface UV light is weak as the atmosphere blocks it. Without it the bad micro-organisms grow. With UV light filtration, simply put, it kills the bad stuff and helps the good stuff grow and flourish. Once I added the UV light, the pond was crystal clear and became a perfect paradise for the fish. That’s how it is when we accept the Light of God. Think of how He can purify the nasty, yucky green slime that can get into our hearts. And think of this as the power of His UV:

7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all[b] sin. – 1 John 1:7

REFLECTION: 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your

eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! – Matthew 5:22-23

PRAYER: Lord, help my eyes be healthy and full of Light. Help me look to holy things...namely, You. Then and only then will my whole body be full of Light. Shine down in my life, and let me experience Your full glory. Amen.

Listen: Holy Spirit - Francesca Battistelli

Looking at the very center of the center of the flame, we see that the light is a pure, bright white. This is what I think of as the Light of God. I find it interesting that many people who have had near-death experiences, have reported being in the presence of a Light – a Being of Light – who they describe as Christ. They describe it a blinding light with the most engulfing and overwhelming sense of love – the all-encompassing kind that embraces the very center of our souls.

Tuesday, March 22

DAY 44 – The Beauty of Radiance

Several days ago, we read about Moses’ encounter with God through a burning bush – a form, I am sure, that produced quite a sense of AWE in our friend. Could you imagine out mowing your lawn, when all of a sudden your forsythia bush ignites into flames and begins calling out your name? I’m pretty sure I would have need of a defibrillator at that moment! Sometime later in the epic saga of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, Moses had to return to the mountain for a second set of commandments (if you’ll recall, he destroyed the first set because of the Israelites’ bad behavior while he was on the mountain). Check out what happened after the second trip:

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites

saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” – Exodus 34:29-30

He was radiant. I’ll bet he was a beautiful sight, and I’m sure seeing Moses like that was a life-changing experience. Wow, I love the imagery of that: glowing like the sun when in the Presence of God. The question begs to be asked: What does your face look like after you have been with God? Are you “radiant?” Do you have a look that captures the attention of others? Check out this scene from Revelation 4:2, 6,8...

2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures...8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all

around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Wow! What a scene! Here we have these creatures who are immediately by the side of God on His Throne. They constantly in His Presence. And His Presence is so overwhelming that their response is immediate and full of praise. Imagine being the Presence of God like that? Imagine how are lives would be so different. The good news is that it is possible. Jesus issued the challenge for all of us to be lights in the world. That’s a tall order, and It can be quite a challenge, considering the deep darkness that engulfs our world. Now more than ever. Check this out:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” made His light shine in our hearts

to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 So, just how DO we light the world? Well, here’s what I think. As we discovered yesterday, “God is Light” (1 John 1:5). In Chapter 4, verse we find “God is love.” The way I do math is: God is Light. God is Love, then it only stands to reason that Light=Love. For further proof, John goes on to say (1 John 4:16-17, 19-21)...

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not

seen.21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Wow! That’s some strong language, but it’s true. We love God by the way we love one another. All Jesus wants is for us to be beautiful for Him. And He’s not talking about our outward appearance...He’s talking about our hearts. BOOM!!

REFLECTION: Do I have moments when I feel like I am in God’s Presence? When? Where? What do I look like after I have been in God’s presence? Am I radiant? How can I be beautiful for God?

PRAYER:

Lord, help me be beautiful for You. Let me shine with Your Presence. Help me understand that whatever

“radiance” I have is not for me...but for others who need Your Light. Amen.

Wednesday, March 23

DAY 45 – A Lesson from Sheep: The Big Picture

There’s an important lesson we can learn from sheep. Jesus points it out with great clarity. In Matthew 25, He tells of parable about “Judgment Day” in heaven. People will be divided before the King into 2 groups: Sheep & Goats. The Sheep representing those who cared for their fellow brothers & sisters, and then go to eternal life, and the Goats, who were selfish, go to eternal punishment and death.

The key thing here is that Jesus will say to the sheep (Matthew 25:31-46)...–

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

“Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Did you catch that – “when did we SEE YOU?” Ahhhh....here we go. Here is the “crux of the matter.” (Remember that word?) This is the answer to the question: what does it mean that only the “pure in heart” will see God?” Jesus is telling us that when we serve others like this (read: LOVE others), that’s when we See Him. When we are experiencing ultimately what we were designed to do, that’s where He is. It’s in the experience. There’s something “magical” that happens. It’s like everything that is important suddenly comes into focus.

Hopefully you’ve had experiences in your life when you have been a “sheep.” There’s nothing more selfless and Christ-like than helping others. (Notice the connection: selfless=Christ-like). And have you ever noticed that when it happens it’s like everything in life lines up? That you have a clear understanding of your purpose in life? That you have this overwhelming sense of love? There’s nothing like it. Want to know why? Because that’s God – and that’s why and how He created us.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27

We’re only imitating the One who created us. And every single day of our lives we have one opportunity right after another to be sheep. What are we making of those opportunities?

As sheep, we also follow the lead of our Shepherd...14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. – John 10:14-15

And gave His life He did. Sheep are easily guided because they are so in tune with the Shepherd, and eager

to please Him.

REFLECTION & PRAYER:

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, - 1 Peter 1:22

Do I see that this is the big picture – that I love God by caring for others?

Have I really thought about the tug on my heart to care for the sick, feed the hungry, help the poor,

visit the prisoner? How can I do this?

Lord, where do I begin? I know there are so many people in need. Give me the courage and ability to help bring Light into the life of someone who desperately needs it. Keep my eyes open and my hands ready. Amen.

Thursday, March 24

DAY 46 – The Unloaded Motive

At the end of the day, purity is about motives. A motive is "a reason for doing something." Again, a pure motive is completely selfless - meaning we gain absolutely nothing from it, and don’t expect to. The reason is completely for the sake of God or for another person.

Sometimes we followers of Jesus miss this. For example, some may go on mission trips simply for the feeling of satisfaction it gives them. “Oh man it was so great helping those people. It made me feel so great!” This may sound harsh, but that's really not the right reason. Why? It becomes about them. What’s the motivation? How it makes them feel (which is a strange way of describing a Christian narcissist. Yes, there is such a thing).

It’s not about how we “feel” about something. It’s awesome that we feel great when helping others. But this is more about having such a genuine compassion for the lost, broken and hurting. We are driven to help no matter the cost. And it may mean that we end up saying nothing about the experience and not drawing any attention to ourselves. We need only bring attention to Jesus.

Here’s an example: Okay, so you find yourself driving down the road one day and you see a young woman on the side who has a flat tire. You decide to stop and help out. You get her tire changed, and you head on down the road. Now, it’s one thing to fix her tire, and it’s another thing to simply let her know that you do this because of your love of Jesus and what He means to you. The first way brings attention to you, the second brings attention to Jesus. Which one is a pure motive?

Note these words from James 1:27...

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

This, too, is a pure motive. And now the greatest example of a pure motive (and He had many!!) is Jesus dying on the cross. He could've made a huge deal out of - "Hey I’m the King of Kings! Look at me I am sacrificing myself for you foolsl! blah blah blah." Instead He said nothing. He prayed "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." He prayed for us. That's a pure motive from a pure heart. Thank God. Another thing to remember, too, is God is pretty specific about motives. Very specific...

Jesus said, “But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matthew 9:13

And just what does that mean? Sacrifice is something we give up from ourselves...but Mercy is something we give out to someone else. In other words, sacrificing can bring attention to ourselves (“hey look at me – look what I gave up for you.”), whereas, mercy is something given out. This is what Jesus did on the Cross. He gave us mercy beyond our wildest dreams.

The “unloaded motive”: Unload the self. Purity begins with less of self and more of Jesus. We cannot have room in our hearts for both. Jesus has to drive.

REFLECTION: Today is Maundy Thursday and the observance of the Last Supper – as Jesus and His disciples shared the Passover meal together.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you,

I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” – Matthew 26:26-29

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of mercy. Thank You for the call on our lives to be merciful. Help us take the attention off ourselves and give it to You. No one deserves it more. Amen

Friday, March 25

DAY 47 – The Greatest Gift

Today is Good Friday. This is the day when Jesus was crucified. This is where Jesus’ journey had led Him, and this is where our Lenten journey has led us. Look now, and see Him on the Cross.

When I see Jesus on the cross I am reminded of a scene from the movie “The Hunger Games,” which is based on a book by the same title by Suzanne Collins. The story is set in a very dismal future of our country, which at this time is called Panem. It is a very dismal picture as the country is divided up into 12 districts. District 1 represents the capitol, full of riches and power. Each district moving out becomes more industrialize, rural, and impoverished. The last district, number 12, is where our “heroine” Katniss Everdeen lives.

As a way to celebrate the "peace" of the country, they have an annual event called "The Hunger Games" - reminiscent of the gladiator games in ancient Rome. At these games a male & female "tribute" from each district is chosen by lot to compete. Each tribute chosen knew that his/her future was bleak as these games wreaked of death: there would only be one victor.

Our scene opens up on the morning of the “Reaping” – when the tributes were chosen. We meet Katniss, her sister Primrose (“Prim”), and her mother. The government officials have arrived to choose the tributes. All of the candidates - which are mainly children & teenagers - wear their “Sunday best” clothes and gather in the center of town for this very macabre event. This is where this scene picks up. Watch the video clip and notice the actions of the character Katniss...

VIDEO - The Hunger Games - The Reaping Here, “Prim” has been chosen by lot as tribute. But Katniss quickly jumps out of line offering herself in place of her young sister. It shocked all of Panem that someone would volunteer for what would be certain death. But that didn’t affect Katniss – her motive was pure. She wanted to save her sister. This would ultimately be the driving force for the whole story. (Spoiler Alert: Katniss survives)

This is Jesus: He offered Himself for us. Every single one of us. This is driven by the relationship He has with His Father and for the great love He has for us. This is the model laid out for His followers.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

When you look at the Cross and see the vertical plane intersecting the horizontal plain, picture Jesus right there in the middle. When you do, notice that His heart is located right where the planes intersect. This is so symbolic of the great love of heaven – God reaching into our lives to save us. Jesus was His instrument. And we all know His motives are the most pure. This is the Heart of the Cross. Love God. Love others. It’s that simple. This is the greatest gift of all. Earn it. Live it. Love it.

REFLECTION:

Listen: At the Foot of the Cross - Hillsong

PRAYER:

Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain, Free to all, a healing stream, flows from Calvary's mountain. Near the cross, a trembling soul, love and mercy found me; There the bright and morning star sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me; Help me walk from day to day, with its shadows over me. Near the cross I'll watch and wait, hoping, trusting ever, 'Til I reach the golden strand, just beyond the river.

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever;

'Til my raptured soul shall find, rest beyond the river.

Saturday, March 26

DAY 48 – MEDITATION

As today is a day of mourning for the death of Jesus....it is also a day of waiting. He said that He would rise again on the third day. And that’s tomorrow. We can hardly wait! Until then, let us meditate on these verses that define our Lenten journey and give us what we need to continue in our journey in life:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance;

and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive

in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Peter 1:5-8

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands

and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:9-12

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over

all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such

things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.

And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9

Sunday, March 27

DAY 49 – WORSHIP & CELEBRATION

Luke 24:1-9

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. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 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? 6 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. He is not here; He has risen Yes, He is risen from the dead! This is the apex of our Lenten Journey – the great reward! Salvation has come and with it eternal life with our Lord and Savior! So now what? We begin a new journey as Jesus commanded us in His last words in this world: ACTS 1:3-11 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” May the Lord bless you immensely with His unending Love, Hope, Peace and Joy as you strive to live with the Heart of the Cross – a heart defined by purity, selflessness, grace, and mercy and seek Him every moment of every day. - Duane DeHart, 2016 NOTE: A special word of thanks to Tad Cardwell for his help with the artwork.