Lent 2019 Day 36 “Human Being or Human Doing?”

 

Wed Apr 10

Psalm 119:145-176 Psalm 128-130

Jeremiah 25:30-38

Romans 10:14-21

John 10:1-18

^{Psalm 130:5} I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.
⁶ I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

 

Waiting….Waiting….Waiting. Is there anybody who enjoys waiting? Most people I have met will describe waiting as one of their least favorite life situations. When we are waiting our minds tend to fixate on the not yet and the things we would love to be doing. The growth opportunity exists in bringing our full attention into the present moment and identifying GOD in our midst. It is easy to grow agitated and disturbed when we are having an “out of being” experience. When I say out of being experience I am thinking on the lines of Being a Human being and not just a human doing. An “out of being” experience occurs when our bodies exist one place but our minds are running all around town. Every moment of anxiety while waiting in a line, at a stop light, at the doctors office can indicate an out of being experience.

In the writing of this Psalm as in many others we connect with the writer in an intimate moment. The writer expresses the cry of the soul for help. He writes, “Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD…Be attentive to my cry for mercy. I can feel this. In the most challenging of my life experiences, I have found myself laying prostrate at the altar of the church I pastor with my face down and a full agonizing cry to GOD. (I do this when alone, so I don’t alarm anybody). In the moment of this cry I am fully present. My mind is not wandering, I am totally focused on experiencing GOD and GOD experiencing me. In this moment like the Psalmist I must confront my role in my situation. Either through neglect or arrogance sin has crept into my life and I need forgiveness. My situation cannot totally change until I change. Carrying guilt locks me into living in the past. Forgiveness liberates us to live in the present. When we are forgiven the residue of sin can be washed away and we become new creations in Christ. Forgiveness allows us to breath again and begin practicing being fully present in the moment. This is the challenge of waiting.

When we are able to say my whole being waits for the LORD, we are able to lose the illusion of time and see ourselves in the context of eternity. It is always now in the context of eternity. To wait with our while being takes practice. Imagine pausing the next time you find yourself waiting, and focus on your breathing. Drop your shoulders, exhale, de-stress and know you are blessed. Place your hope in the word of the LORD who plans to prosper you. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and put your hope in the unfailing love of GOD. Sometimes the wait is a Divine delay while GOD is preparing a great blessing for us. Instead of stressing through the stretching of waiting, Be Still and chill. GOD is with you and that’s all we need.

PRAYER: LORD we confess we want you to hurry up. We want to escape the waiting time and just get to the bottom line now. We want the joy of Easter without the pain of Calvary. Help us to wait with our whole being. AMEN

Point To Ponder: Where are you now? Are you fully present? Today when you find yourself waiting, don’t fiddle with your phone, or get distracted, but whisper a prayer for someone near you. Pray for your pastor or president. Breath and Be…

Lent 2019 Day 30 “Going or Growing Through”?

Thur Apr 4

Psalm 69, Psalm 73

Jeremiah 22:13-23

Rom 8:12-27

John 6:41-51

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+69%2C+Psalm%C2%A073%2C+Jeremiah+22%3A13-23%2C+Romans+8%3A12-27%2C+John+6%3A41-51&version=NIV

Psalm 69: 1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
² I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. ³ I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

^{Romans 8:16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.                                                                                                                                  ²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Going or Growing Through

Everybody has had “one of those days”. The kind of day that produces anger, anxiety, and even animosity. The kind of day that makes you want to lose your mind, up in here, up in here. The kind of day where you know you are close to the edge and all you want is not to lose your head. And then the unthinkable happens. The day becomes days and the days become weeks and the weeks… Now not only have you experienced pain, you are now experiencing suffering. Suffering is a pit with slippery walls that can’t be climbed. To you and all who know you it appears as if you are going through.

The writer of both the Psalm and the writer of Romans both tackle this life experience. How does one deal with life in the suffering zone? The Psalmist describes crying out till the throat is parched and still no answer. Sinking and drowning with no way out. Paul writes to believers in Rome experiencing similar conditions and says, ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. In other words suffering is real but it is not final. Whatever we are going through can also become what we are growing through. The suffering and pain can be the source of our strength and eternal gain. The sufferings of this present time cannot compare to the glory that shall be revealed in us. The sufferings serve like a buffer to a tarnished treasure. The rubbing hurts but it also brings out the shine. Without the rub there can be no shine. Not only do we go through, Jesus shows us that we grow through. In the end, we win.

Point to Ponder: Think about suffering. Who in your world would you describe as suffering? What challenges are you presently facing? Could lack of purpose and motivation be a form of suffering? What are you growing to?

 

 

 

Lent 2019 Day 13 “Naked and Unafraid”

Scriptural Readings for today:

Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Jeremiah 1:11-19, Romans 1:1-15, John 4:27-42                  Click link below to open scriptures

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+56%2C+Psalm+57%2C+Psalm+58%2C+Psalm+64%2C+Psalm+65%2C+Jeremiah+1%3A11-19%2C+Romans+1%3A1-15%2C+John+4%3A27-42&version=NIV

^{Psalm 57:1} Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,  for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. ² I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. ³ He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me— God sends forth GODS love and GODS faithfulness.

^{Jeremiah 1:17} “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.¹⁸ Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Naked and Unafraid

There is a popular television show on Discovery channel called Naked and Afraid. In this show contestants are placed in wilderness situtions to live off the land and they are given no clothes. They are naked and must fight off the elements using only one personal item and their knowledge. Needless to say this is a challenging environment. Many of us although not on a television show may be living a life in which we feel naked to the problems and challenges of the world. We often feel overwhlemed by a series of ups and downs. During Lent may may feel even more vulnerable as we examine our hearts and realize some of our messes are self made. We may feel like everybody sees our flaws and recognizes the facade has fallen. We tried to wear the mast that grins and sighs like Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote of but now we are naked.

The writer of the Psalms is crying out for mercy and shelter. The writer expresses a sense of being exposed and chased. He wants a hideaway until the disaster has passed. I am sure we call all relate to this. WE just want a break from all this stuff. From Jeremiah 1 we find a word of encouragement given to the young weeping prophet. GOD tells him to get ready and stand up. Don’t be terrified I have built protections all around you and I will rescue you. In others words, “You can be naked and unafraid”.

Points to Ponder: How do you handle your vulnerability? In what ways can you relate to being naked and afriad? How can you provide shelter or support for others in our midst who are vulnerable. Help someone today.

We Wear the Mask

BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

       We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

       We wear the mask!

 

Lent 2018 Day 39 “I Want to See”

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Jeremiah 33:10-16  (NIV)

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹ the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,  for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord. ¹² “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. ¹³ In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord. ¹⁴ “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁵ “‘In those days and at that time  I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it^[a] will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’

Mark 10:32-34, 46-52 (NIV)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles,³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” ⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

I Want to See

Have you ever felt like you were missing out on something? Have you ever found yourself asking for things that others seemed to acquire naturally? Have you ever just generally felt lost, not knowing which way to turn, and always bumping into stuff? I can imagine this feeling is similar to being blind. Blindness, in this case, is not physical, but also emotional, spiritual, and psychological. Being blind means often missing out on things that are within your reach but you can’t see them. It means having to rely on others to take the time to give you what you would ordinarily get for yourself. Many people go through life blind. Missing out on seeing the power and presence of GOD being manifested all around them. They struggle to see the value even in their own selves. Many times they beg for what they already have internally but just can’t access. Eckhart Tolle tells a story of a man who sits by the roadside on a box and begs for change. When asked what was in the box the man didn’t know because he had never looked in the box. When he does open the box it is filled with gold. Many people like this man have not looked in our inner box and thus beg for what we already have. I want to see. I want to see the best in me and around me. I want to see.

Our text in Mark 10 tells of Bartimaeus a blind man who is begging by the side of the road. While sitting he hears that it is Jesus who is walking by on the road. I’m sure he had heard of people talking about Jesus and the things Jesus was capable of, so he figures this is his chance. He starts crying out for mercy. He doesn’t see Jesus but he knows Jesus is nearby. Now here is where he must show some stamina because as he cries out, people around him start rebuking him and essentially trying to shut him down. Instead of recoiling and shrinking and starting a pity party he doesn’t stop and catches Jesus attention. Jesus calls for him. What a blessing. First, he is calling Jesus and now Jesus is calling him. He jumps up and comes to Jesus. Jesus asks him what he wants and Bartimaeus answers “I want to see”. Today I put myself in Bartimaeus’ place and say I want to see. I want to be aware of all that is going on around me. I want to understand the mysteries of GOD. I want to see. What about you? Are you ready to see? Here is the launch pad idea found in Jesus’ response, “Go your faith has healed you”. Whew, I felt that. Your faith has healed you. Not my faith has healed you, but your faith has healed you. Jesus lets hi know, that the power of his healing was within in. In that same way there resides in us more ability than we may know.

As we prepare to leave the season of Lent let us be mindful of the connections with the DIVINE we have established. Let us trust that GOD is hearing us and with GOD on our side, we can do all things. Seek first the kingdom and all things will be added to you. You can see, You will see. You must see. LIVEBIG.

Points to Ponder: What abilities have been lying dormant within you? In what ways have you experienced blindness? What is your vision for the life GOD has granted you? How will you be better after this season of Lent?

Palm Sunday 2018 “You Are Needed”

 

Matthew 21:1-17 (NIV)

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a] ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c] “Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”  ¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’^[f]” ¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of  David,” they were indignant. ¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’[g]?” ¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Its Palm Sunday. Have you ever recognized the gap between where you are and where you want to be? Have you examined yourself honestly and recognized your blemishes and flaws. In short have you ever in the presence of GOD felt, awkward, unworthy, even ugly? After forty days of reflecting and drawing closer to GOD, repenting of my past wrongs, I now see how much further I have to go. Whenever we draw closer to the light, we are able to see more details. We have a tendency to only see the gaps but miss the glimpses of grace and glory. What I am driving at is even though we may not yet be all we can be, after forty days of discipline we are better than we would have been. The triumphal entry of Jesus on a donkey is an example of how GOD can use the ordinary to fulfill an extraordinary purpose.

In our text we have the Master preparing to enter Jerusalem for what would be the last time. He prepares by asking two disciples to run ahead and get a donkey and a colt to ride on. There is no indication that Jesus was anticipating the crowds gathering yet they did. As Jesus rides in on the donkey, a beast of burden, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan in THE LAST WEEK, indicate there was another procession on the other side of town. The sense is Pilate was also arriving around the same time. The contrast between these two arrivals is stark. Pilate would have arrived with military guards on Stallions with pomp and circumstance and the show of power and authority was intentional, for all to see. On the other side of town, arriving through an olive grove on what would have been a side street, Jesus arrives, with a crowd that seems to gather and they start a commotion, shouting Hosanna. Now Hosanna literally means save us. As we say Hosanna today we will be saying save us. The question is, save us from what? From the oppression of external pressures? From sexism, racism, ageism, or any other ism? Or save us from what we have learned about ourselves over the last 40 days. How we can be cranky or prone to acting out on our worst desires? What are we asking to be saved from and saved to?

As Jesus arrives a few things come to my mind. First, he chooses a donkey. Donkeys are low to the ground, they are generally, beasts of burden, and rarely have you ever heard that’s a fine looking donkey you have there. They may resemble horses but they aren’t admired of adored like horses. I believe Jesus chooses to enter like this and even say the LORD has need of the donkey to remind us, no matter how scared we may be, no matter how ignored we may be, no matter what our past may be, The LORD still has need of us. GOD can use us no matter what we look like. GOD can use us despite the gaps in our life or the gaps in our teeth. The LORD has need of you.

Today and as we continue into this Holy Week, be encouraged. GOD can use you to do a mighty work for the kingdom. The challenge is for us not to simply get caught up in crowd celebrations because as we follow the story throughout the week, crowds can be fickle. One moment they cheer and the next they jeer. One moment they can say Hosanna and the next they say hang him up and kill him. Beyond the crowd check the core of your heart. Save us from us and from others. Live In Victory Everyday, Believing In GOD. LIVEBIG.

PRAYER: LORD you have revealed yourself in so many ways. Unfortunately, our vision has been obscured and we have not noticed you. Open our eyes that we may see your royalty on a donkey. Guide our footsteps on the pathways that our praises are sincere and we resist the pull of the crowd.  Grant us courage and compassion. AMEN

Point To Ponder: How many times have we missed the presence of GOD in our midst because he didn’t meet our expectations? How will you look in the unfamiliar places for the faces of Yeshua in our midst?

Lent 2018 Day 23 “Tell Your Story”

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

² Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, ³ those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.^[a]  Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. ¹⁸ They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. ¹⁹ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. ²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. ²¹ Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Genesis 9:8-17 (NIV)

⁸ Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: ⁹ “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you ¹⁰ and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. ¹¹ I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

¹² And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

¹⁷ So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Ephesians 1:3-6 (NIV)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[a] predestined us for adoption to sonship^[b] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Tell Your Story

Everybody loves to marvel at the excellence of others. When we think of Michael Jordan hitting a game-winning shot we celebrate him as the greatest. We celebrate the accomplishment. The same is true of music and most people we consider successful. We see the product without the perspiration it took to get there. We see the shot, we hear the symphony, we take in the art, buy the Apple products and Microsoft products. We enjoy the end story, but behind the glory, in the story, there may be something gory. Malcolm Gladwell writes that it takes about 10,000 hours to reach mastery of most things in life. 10,000 hours when no one is watching. Hours of blood sweat and tears. Hours of playing for the audience of one. Hours of not making the team and not quitting but working harder. And so it is with each of us. Whoever we are, whatever station in life we find ourselves, We have a story to tell.

The writer of the Psalms says, “ Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story”. The story was a critical part of communicating in a semi-literate society. The Bible as we have it was first communicated through stories. When we reference certain scriptures we say the Creation story, the story of the flood, David and Goliath, the good Samaritan, the feeding of the five thousand, all were first shared through stories. Communicated from one generation to another by word of mouth. When we tell our stories we are able to share not just what we heard but also what we have experienced. The Psalmist does not encourage glossing over the rough stuff. It is easy to skip the pain and just focus on the prize. The Psalmist says share the times when your money was funny and you did some things you are not proud of today. Share the story of your abuser that caused years of depression. Share your story of fear and failure. Share your story of shame. Share these stories, but don’t stay there. Share not just where you have been but also where you are. People need to know that the past is not the present. You cannot change what happened so sharing our struggles also shares the faithfulness of GOD.

Our story lets others know there is hope. Our story lets others know that in our weakness GOD has been strong. Our stories let others know weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. YOUR story YOUR testimony is powerful and can change someone’s life. This Lenten season as you build more spiritual resolve be yourself. Let your light shine by telling your story. You may not be all you can be but you are not what you used to be. To GOD be the glory. And remember There would be no glorious Resurrection had there been no gruesome cross.

Points to Ponder: Reflect on your journey. Think of the good and the bad. How has GOD brought you to this point in your life? In what ways have the stories of others made a difference in your life? Commit to sharing your story with three people in the next month.

 

Holy Week Tuesday: Living to Die, Dying to Live

        

Death is life’s common denominator. At some point in the life of every living creature, death comes. Instinctively all life forms pursue what it takes to perpetuate life until the moment the pursuit of life ends. In essence life ends in pursuit of life. This being said, it sounds peculiar to hear that this is a good day to die. Why would anyone say that or believe that? We tend to run from death, so how is it possible to be a good day to die? Jesus gives us a response to this query.

In our text, recorded in the Gospel of John 12 we find Jesus in the last week of his earthly ministry. He has arrived in Jerusalem to a crowd and this crowd continue to gather around him. Yesterday we said “Don’t believe the hype”. Even though crowds may gather people are fickle and the mood of a crowd can change like the weather. I mean, snow in April??? Knowing this Jesus senses a mood shift in the atmosphere and knows the praises of men and women are Not a foundation to build upon. Jesus responds to an inquiry of his presence by Greeks in the crowd by saying, “24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Reading these words knowing the end of the story makes it difficult to imagine how the disciples must have heard them. My sense is they heard Jesus in essence say “it’s a good day to die.” It is clear that Jesus sees that life has no meaning when all one is doing is avoiding death. Jesus begins to unlock a door in the hearts and minds of people that had long been a fear inducing mystery. Death! nobody likes talking about or even hearing about it, yet the Master Jesus uses nature to teach, There can be no forest or fruit unless a seed is willing to sacrifice it’s life. As long as a seed holds on to it’s “seedness”, it misses its life giving purpose. Inside the seed is life. This life however cannot be experienced without the death of what has been familiar. As long as we stick to the familiar spaces of our comfort zones, there may be no new life coming from us. As long as we fight for the status quo we ultimately refuse to live. Jesus challenges us by giving us a broader vision of life. Jesus offers eternal life to those who value the Spirit over the flesh. Those who love their life in this world which is temporary will lose it. Those who hate their life in this world will gain eternity. It’s a good day to die. It’s a good day to die to the pursuit of this worlds delusive dreams. It’s a good day to die to selfishness. It’s a good day to die to petty arguments and foolish pride. It’s a good day to die to greed and fear. It’s a good day to die to any ideas of scarcity when we deal with a GOD of abundance.

This week reminds us as we follow the steps of Jesus that Death is not to be feared as an ending but embraced as a new beginning. I encourage you to no longer be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. If anyone be in Christ they are a new creature. If you want to live you must die. #livebig

PRAYER: LORD, teach us to value your presence, more than your presents. Enable us to die to the things that compromise your glory from shining through. We surrender as our big brother Jeshua did, aware of the risk, help us to say yes to your will. AMEN

Point to Ponder: What death needs to occur in your life in order for you to be fully alive? How often have you gone through the motions of your faith journey, devoid of passion and vitality? Do you have the courage to say, “Not my will, but thy will be done”?