Lent Day #6 | The Power of Truth

We are living in a world that is growing more and more disconnected from any idea of what truth is. It seems that truth has become personal rather than universal. It is a preference to have rather than a principle to be adhered to. As we walk on this earth we will be faced with a difficult choice. Will we uphold the reality of truth or will we cave to the pressure to remain silent?
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Lent Day #5 | Running as if to Win

Running as if to win the prize is not about our physical or intellectual abilities. Those who win are those that have made a decision in their hearts that they will never quit or retreat.

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I have often read these words and have wondered what it must be like to run for the prize. I am not a runner. I am not much of anything that could be described as athletic. So, it can be difficult at times for me to understand some of the images that Paul used.
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First Sunday of Lent | “Easter Song” by Keith Green

Each Sunday during the season of Lent is a “little Easter” and is therefore a time of celebration. Amen!

Lent Day # 4 | Stop and Smell the Roses

One of the most important realities of life is that there are no “do overs.” What this means is life must be lived each and every day.

One of the most important realities of life is that there are no “do overs.” What this means is life must be lived each and every day. This may sound odd at first, but I have found myself thinking about what I am filling my years with. I do not want to look back on the moments that I have been given and have a regret. I know that I will miss opportunities. But, that is not what I mean. A regret is something that follows you around because you cannot go back and change it and it’s too late to do anything about it.
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Lent Day #3 | Change is not the Problem

When people talk about change, and how bad it is, what they are really saying is that the thought of losing control, of having to depend on others for security is too nerve-racking to allow.

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These words serve as the foundation for our confidence in God. The reason that we can trust in God is due to his unchanging and unchangeable nature. God is the very definition of consistency. Therefore, whatever God has said will happen could be talked about in the past tense because it is as good as done. There is no reason to doubt this attribute of God’s being.
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Lent Day #2 | Every Thought Captive

One of the lessons I have learned in the last several years is this: I like being able to get what I want.

One of the lessons I have learned in the last several years is this: I like being able to get what I want. At the beginning of this year our church participated in the Daniel Fast. This is a twenty-one day fast where we do not eat any meat, or anything that is processed. It was my first time participating and it was an incredible challenge.
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Lent Day #1 | Remember that thou art dust…

Facing our limited time on this earth can be unsettling, but we must never forget that our lives here on this earth are not supposed to last forever. We are sojourners and travelers in this world.

Today is Ash Wednesday. For those who may not know, this is the first day in the season of Lent in the Christian calendar. That’s right, the Christian church has a calendar. I was introduced to this time of the year when I began working at a United Methodist Church as a youth pastor several years ago. The first time I attended the Ash Wednesday service I was surprised that people would go to a service and have ashes put on their foreheads. I have since learned to appreciate these opportunities to reflect on what God is teaching us.
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Easter 2010 (Pt. 7) | “Father, into your hands…”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Seventh Word

⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. (Luke 23:44-49)

Meditation on the Seventh Word

Death, the final enemy, no longer has the power to terrorize or torment us. The only power death has over us is the power we give it. Those who have placed their trust in Christ can follow His lead into the presence of God. These are words of comfort; words of peace; words of instruction. The journey that Jesus has traveled has been long and, at times, difficult. But we see here in the final moments that the reward is worth the cost. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Jesus is dead. The hope of Glory seems to have been lost. We are left now with the heavy charge to contemplate these things.

Easter 2010 (Pt. 6) | “It is finished!”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Sixth Word

³⁰When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished… (John 19:30)

Meditation on the Sixth Word

We are drawing to the end. Jesus has submitted himself to the full brunt and breadth of what God had intended in Jesus’ death. Jesus looks out toward the crowds, both in front of him and those generations yet unborn, and with the little bit of energy he has remaining he completes the work for which He was sent. There is nothing lacking or deficient in Christ sacrifice for our salvation. He has paid the full price and has closed the book on His work. Jesus has not faltered and he has not failed. “It is Finished!”

Easter 2010 (Pt. 5) | “I Thirst”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Fifth Word

²⁸After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” ²⁹A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. (John 19:28)

Meditation on the Fifth Word

The true humanity of Jesus is now on full display. The one that said he was “living water” now finds himself thirsting. The loss of blood, the savage beatings that he has endured, the humiliation that He has suffered has sapped what little energy Jesus has left. In this moment Jesus identifies with us as a people who continually go to dry and broken cistern for refreshment. What we are challenged to see is that the only lasting satisfaction for us is to be found in Jesus. And so Jesus thirsts so that we may never thirst again. He invites us to drink deeply from the wellspring of His life and righteousness. I encourage you to see and understand that Jesus’ identification with us is the clearest sign that faith in Him is the only true and genuine religion.