A Meditation on Christ's Resurrection

Reading a devotional essay by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, I was struck by the following passages:

In speaking of new life in Christ, Blumhardt writes,

"It is not at all a question of being better than you were before. The new life means that forces for life can now be seen within you, that something of God and of heaven, something holy, can grow in you. It means we can actually see that it is no longer the sinful desires that have power, but Christ's resurrection, and his life, which leads you toward wholeness.

What is God's kingdom anyway? Certainly not Christian causes or institutions. God's kingdom is the power of God. It is the rulership of God. God's kingdom is the revelation of the divine life here on earth, the birth of new hearts, new minds, new feelings, new possibilities. This is God's kingdom.

Jesus has come from God to triumph over death. Jesus Christ has come into our midst as one of us so that death can be conquered. He has laid the foundation for a completely new life, a new order. In him we can become completely different men and women in the very depth of our beings....

People may say they believe this [the resurrection]....This believe is of no help unless you and I experience Jesus as Lord....

New possibilities can dawn on us, and the more we sense these new possiblities, either in our bodies or in our souls, the more we can ask for, the more we can look for higher and greater things here on earth. Actually, there are no limits. And for this reason we can bring hope into everything, into our daily life, into everything at which we work and into anything that we touch. The power that comes from God is ready to be brought into our human situation, and in such a way as to transform it."

What powerful, impacting words these are to my heart!

The crowning evidence that Jesus was alive was not a vacant grave, but a spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church.
~ Clarence Jordan

Taken from Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, 2003, The Plough Publishing House, Farmington, PA. pp. 350-355.

Spiritual Journal: Silent Retreat Entry III

Precious Lord,

I am afraid to go back to my regular life. There are so many aspects of my life that You want me to yield to You... Lord, I am willing, please help my unwillingness. There is nothing greater in life than loving, enjoying, and serving You. There are just so many issues and areas of my life that need to be laid at Your feet. I know that this weekend is only a beginning and that we will continue to work on these issues in the days and weeks ahead. I’m just afraid, dear precious Lord, that I am going to crowd You out of my life with the busyness of all that is in my life right now.

Please help me to lay this issue before Your feet right now...

“…peace that transcends all understanding…— Philippians 4:7

Spiritual Journal: Silent Retreat Entry II

I love you, Lord...
Yes, I do love you, Lord, more than anything or anyone else...
I truly love You, Lord, as my First Love...
May You always hold this place in my heart, my mind, and my soul.

I want to keep You in Your rightful place in my life — as my First Love. I know that we need to work through this issue this weekend, Lord. I know some of the idols that this entails breaking down. I’m fearful of the emotional pain, of letting go of what I can see and hear and feel to trust You completely. Yet I already feel Your comfort and peace by the special care You have shown me as I’ve begun this weekend. It was as if You were just waiting for me to come away and spend time with You. You do care for me, precious Abba. How much I need Your love to heal my aching heart. You know all of the heartaches and the fears. Thank You that You love me despite my failings and my sinfulness. You have been so incredibly good to me to love me so much. Bless You, Holy Yahweh, forever and ever.

Later…
May every pain and heartache that I feel point me back to You. May my physical hunger remind me of the deep hunger that my soul had for You in my life. You are everything pure and holy, Lord. You are the essence of love, of mercy, of grace, of compassion, of kindness, of righteousness, of creativity, of beauty. You are the ultimate, the Master of the Universe. Everything exists for Your glory. I exist for You and for Your glory. You have a predetermined purpose for every experience of my life. Your purposes for me are eternal. Please help me to treat myself in a manner worthy of Your glory, worthy of Your high calling. Please help me to treat others in a manner that reflects Your glory and all of Your attributes.

Spiritual Journal: Silent Retreat

It is 9:45 p.m. on the first night of my first silent retreat and already You have reminded me and taught me many things. The fruit of the spirit[1] is all nine aspects in one concatenated fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control[2]. You are the Originator and Author (Creator) of the Fruit; You are the one who gives it life and causes it to grow. What I need to do is cultivate opportunities for growth by making myself open and available to You.

You’ve also taught me that You want me living and ministering to those who don’t know You. That being spiritual is not defined by living solely in a Christian commune or private cocoon.

You’ve taught me that even though I sometimes get a little lost or confused, You provide help in a variety of creative ways to point me in the right direction: by asking for help, by someone offering assistance, by trying an unknown path only to find a solution to my present dilemma but one that I didn’t even know I had yet (parking).You’ve shown me how empty I am when I don’t allow You to nourish me and fill me[3]. You’ve shown me from Psalm 23 that You lead me, You restore me, and You guide me. It is You who is in control — not me. May this weekend of silence with You be a time when I begin to let You lead me, let You restore me, and let You guide me. You want so much more for me than where I am at spiritually right now. Please help me to trust You and yield everything to You.

[1] Charles Zimmerman’s BWB tape on the Introduction to the Fruit of the Spirit
[2] Galatians 5:22-23; John 15
[3] Darryl’s reminder of C. John Miller’s words: “One look at my sin; ten looks at Christ.”

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Psalm 23: A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and
unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

[New Living Translation (NLT) ]Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Spiritual Journal: A New Adventure

Abba — Yahweh — Yeshua — I AM – LORD...

Today is a new adventure that You are taking with me.
As my Abba Father, You are not only with me,
You are guiding every aspect of the adventure.
The outcome has already been assured through Christ.

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
~ II Corinthians 5:17
• And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
~ Matthew 28:20b
• 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
• Eternal life and victory over sin have been assured through Christ. Live in His righteousness.

Life is messy. God knew that because of sin, it would be this way. He took care of all of my sin through Christ. I am free! I now live in grace, not under the Law.

• 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 11:28-30
• For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will — to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
~ Ephesians 1:4-8
• How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
~ I John 3:1a

Jesus' Care for Women

Dear Living Room Family,

I have been using Ken Gire’s Intimate Moments with the Savior for my devotional reading recently. There are several that have stood out for me this time as I’ve read each intimate moment: the woman at the well, Mary and Martha, the woman caught in the act of adultery, and Mary anointing Jesus' feet with perfume.

Jesus offered the woman at the well, who had had four husbands and was currently living with a man, His living water. He knew what her heart was searching and longing for.

Although Martha was the one who worked like a dog to make sure everything was in order and well-prepared, it was Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet and communed with Him, that our Lord commended as making the better choice.

Although the Law that God gave condemns the act of adultery as a capital offense, Jesus would not condemn this guilty woman for her sin. He entreated her accusers to look at themselves and see the sin in their own lives and understand that we are all sinners worthy of death before a holy God.

Mary — perceptive Mary. Seeing with her heart what all of the disciples missed. Jesus was about to go to his death and she understood this. She saw the compassion and pain in Jesus’ eyes and heart. She knew Jesus in a way the disciples completely missed. The questions that Ken Gire asks are the questions I am asking myself today:

• – How much clearer could Jesus speak to you?
• – What are you thinking?
• – Do you ignore His words?
• – Dismiss them?
• – Forget them?
• – Hear only what you want to hear?
• – Are the words too painful that you suppress them?
• – Is your mind too occupied with your own agenda that
  you have lost sight of your King?
  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Precious Yeshua,

Everything my heart longs for is found in You. You love me, show compassion and mercy on me, and understand me in a far deeper way than I can ever perceive. Please open my heart to You. Please help me not to be afraid to trust You with my heart. Please help me to make wise choices that would put You first in my life and in my heart. I do want to hear You speaking to me. I do want to think clearly – spiritually. I do not want to ignore Your words or dismiss them or forget them. Please give me the strength to hear all of what You tell me, not just what I think you are saying. Help me not to be afraid to embrace You. Please strengthen me to engage in the battle for my mind so that You would be first in my thoughts, my priorities, my service, and every aspect of my life.

I love you, Lord.... Please help me to love you more.

No doubts...

Any doubts that may have ever loomed inside my head about God's love for me have been squelched.

Thank you, Father.

Spiritual Journal: Precious Names

LORD [I AM]...
Abba [Daddy, Father]...
Yeshua...
First Love...
Comforter...
Friend...

He speaks to my heart and says...

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

Spiritual Journal: Seeking Fulfillment

Dearest Abba:

You are again pursuing me and calling me to Yourself. As I look at yet another work project that needs to be viewed as “just business,” I am angry and deeply hurt and disillusioned about what I am doing with my life. I am trying so desperately to give my life meaning and fulfillment. Yet I know that I am seeking in the wrong direction. I need to turn to You. Your goals, Your purposes, your glory are what give life meaning, not corporations or business in itself.

Dear Lord, please help me to gain an eternal perspective. Please help me to do what is right for the right reasons. I cannot look to people to supply my needs or give my life meaning. You are able to give my life more meaning than I can fathom; the depth, the richness, the perception, and the quality and meaning that I am desperately seeking for in life are found in You in quantities so big I cannot comprehend them.

Please open my eyes to see You, Lord, in fresh ways, in new ways, in big ways.
Please guide my faltering steps toward You...

Worshiping You, Lord...

You are omnipotent; You are all-powerful.
You are omniscient; You know everything about everything.
You are omnipresent; You are everywhere.
Nothing escapes Your knowledge, Your power, Your presence, Your notice.
You always were, You are, and You will always be; You are truly eternal.
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
From You, I can know that Your love will always be the same for all eternity.
You have already gained complete victory over Satan through the cross and resurrection.

You are more loving than I can ever imagine.
You are more merciful and compassionate that I can ever perceive.
You have more patience than I will ever be able to test.
Your forgiveness is more complete than any amount of sin I will ever commit.
You care more deeply about me than the deepest ocean.
You are more breathtaking than the Grand Canyon,
more powerful than the Sun,
more awesome than all the stars in the night sky,
and yet You are also gentler than a quiet mountain stream.
You are perfectly just in all that You do.
You never change.

You are always eager to commune with me.
You want me;
You value me.
You treasure me.
You have proven it to me through your ultimate Sacrifice.

Majesty • Power • Dominion • Authority •
Praise • Glory • Wisdom • Holiness

Spiritual Journal: It Matters...

It matters…

• that You know everything that I think and feel
• that You know how hard I try
• that You know how hard it is for me to face certain things
• that You know how hard it is for me to do certain things
• that You know the motivations of my heart
• that You know my good intentions
• that You know every pinprick and needle of pain
  that I have in my heart
• that You know everything that is on my plate
• that You know everything that I’m going through
• that You love me more than I can imagine
• that You continue to pursue me constantly
• that You will never let go of me
• that You want to be with me now and for all eternity
• that You have chosen me before You created this Earth to be Yours
• that You want deep, intimate relationship with me
• that You care more deeply that I can ever image about every aspect
  of who I am and what is going on in my life
• that You want me to be creative in my relationship with You.
  
  It all matters very deeply to me, Lord.
  
  You matter...

Spiritual Journal: Being Deeply Loved

What do I think it would feel like to be deeply loved?

I would have a strong sense of personal worth or value, a deep sense of well-being, and a feeling of security that was not based on my performance.

Dear friend…
the love that God has already given you
encompasses all of these things…
and more.
It is His love you long for;
it is His love you have.

The Almighty Lord of the Heavens, who always was, is, and will be forever, knows exactly who I am. He knows how many hairs are on my head and how many cells are in my body. He knows my every thought and feeling. He knows how deeply I hurt and how creative my dreams are. He chose me to be His child and His marriage partner before the Earth was formed. He knew all of my sinfulness and my emotional needs and He wanted me to be His own even with all of that. Christ gave up heaven to come and die in my place so that I could be with Him for all eternity; there is no greater security than this. I am an adopted child of the Almighty Father — a co-heir with the King of Kings; there is no greater worth than this. God has assured me that He works all things together for my good; there is no greater sense of well being than this. All this and abundantly more than I can ever imagine are mine already because I have trusted in Christ for my righteousness.

I am most assuredly deeply loved.

Spiritual Journal: Prayer of Repentance

This prayer from many years ago seems to reverberate with truth that continues to be a struggle for me as well as many others who have shared their hearts with me. Let us all take encouragement from the grace and forgiveness of the King of Kings!

Dear Lord,

As I have been editing this spiritual writing project, You have been showing me so many of my sinful strategies. There was a time when I felt that no one thought like me, but now I see that we are all alike in our sinfulness. Thank you for opening my eyes.

Lord, I confess to you that I have been actively pursuing my own track of self-righteousness and self-fulfillment, especially these past few months. I have ordered my whole life around seeking the attention and approval of other people. I have been trying to feed off of the approval of my co-workers, and I have expended great amounts of time, money, and energy to try and obtain this approval. I confess also that I am not sure right now whether any of what I have done in the past months has any merit for Your glory. I am so sorry, Lord. Please forgive me and help me to move forward serving others for Your sake, rather than trying to manipulate them.

Dear Lord, I am seeing so much of my sin, but at the same time, I am seeing that in Christ, I am declared righteous. Thank you, Jesus! Lord, I confess that this problem will not be going away overnight. I have been living like a spiritual orphan for many years. Please help me to start living like a daughter of the King of Kings. Please help me not to be afraid to look at my life, my motives, my attitudes, or my actions to see what my strategies are. Please help me to understand what you want me to do and please give me the strength to do it.

Thank you, Lord, for being so loving, gracious, and forgiving!

My Lord, My Knight

You are my Knight in Shining Armor.
You are the "and they lived happily ever after"
at the end of my life story.
You are the climax to every story:
courage, excitement, strength, skill, power,
knowledge, wisdom, compassion, caring, mercy.
All of life rotates with You as the axis.
You are the pivotal figure in history;
all events led up to Your coming and now
all is forever changed because You came.
All hope focuses on You;
all of MY hope focuses on You.
You are everything that I long for deep in my soul.
You are LIFE itself.

Do You Love Me, Lord?

Do you love me, Lord?
Yes, I love you, dear child of mine.

Very much?
More than you can ever imagine.
I await the day when I shall give you your true name,
known only to Me.
(Revelation 2:17)

Will Your love for me ever change?
Never; not for all of eternity.
I chose you, dear child, before I created the world to be mine —
not only as my daughter, but as my bride.
I love you more completely, more intimately than any human being ever could.
And I will continue to love you this way forever.
My love for you is not dependent upon your performance.
I love you for who you are.
I know everything about you.
You don't need to hide.
You don't need to be afraid.
I gave my life for you.
You are that much of a treasure to me.
Remember, you are deeply loved, completely forgiven,
fully pleasing, totally acceptable, and complete in Me.
Always and forever,
Abba.

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I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.

~ Ephesians 3:16-20 [NLT]

Real Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
~ I Corinthians 13: 4-7 [NIV]

Precious Lord,

We are humbled before You this day as we read this description of what real love is. Apart from You we are far from what we should be. Those around us who don't know You do not know how to love purely. Lord, as we walk through our days, please help us to keep these guidelines in view and draw on the love You have lavished on us to show that love to those around us. You are our Creator, our Advocate, our Strength, and our Guide. We love You and desire to honor You this day.

In Jesus precious name,
Amen.

Spiritual Journal: Recommitment

This is an entry for my spiritual journal from almost seven years ago. I thought that perhaps some of the thoughts expressed within might resonate with our Living Room family:

Dearest Abba,

You have held my hand throughout my first business trip to New York City. I’ve counted fifty new experiences and You have been with me through them all. You protected me and gave me courage.
Thank You so much!

Lord, You know all of the changes that have been happening in my mind and in my life in the past several years. You knew that these things would come about at this time in my life. I perceive that I am blossoming as a person in many ways. Yet, I know that, at the same time, some of these changes have brought about deep struggles with sinful desires that seem to gratify myself alone. Even though I’m changing, I am still a child of God who struggles with sin. You know all the sinful tendencies in my life. I confess them to You and plead for forgiveness through Christ. I know that nothing I do in myself can earn me any favor with You. It is Christ’s sacrifice for my sin that pays for my forgiveness. Thank you for Your incredible grace and mercy to me!

You have been so patient with me through all of my intense struggles, especially those of the past six months. Abba, I know that You are to be my First Love. You are to be the center of my life, my one and only God. I come to You asking that You would help that to be true of my life from now on. You know the deep needs and emotions that I struggle with. Your love and care for me is deeper than anything that I can imagine. Please help me to understand more of Your love for me. Open my heart and my mind to You. Human relationships will always have an element of disappoint for me because, at best, they are only a faulty reflection of who You are. I am Your child. I live for Your glory. You desire a relationship with me that will last for eternity.

Lord, I understand that the decisions I make on a moment-by-moment basis each day matter to You. I have been making some unwise, sinful decisions designed to gratify my own desires and not Yours. Please help me to make wiser, spiritually stronger decisions to live a more holy life before You. Please give me strength, even when I perceive the decision to be very hard for me.

Abba, I recommit my life to You. You are my Father, my Savior, my Bridegroom, my Friend. You alone are holy. I acknowledge that even though other desires are very strong, they are not what You want for me. Please help me not to distort the good gifts you have given to me. Please give me insight and perception to be able to know what I must do to live for Your glory. Then, please give me the strength to act in a godly way. Please open my mind and my heart as I reflect on the changes taking place in my life. Keep me on the path that glorifies You. Thank you that You hear me and that You care so deeply. I love you, Lord. I bless you, Lord, both now and forever.
Amen.

Journaling a Message from the Lord

This is what your Lord is saying to you, dear follower of Christ:

You are loved beyond your wildest dreams...really...right now...forever.
Your arms will not be empty forever.
Your heart will not ache forever...I will dry your tears.
Your deepest longings will be satisfied more completely than you can imagine.
There is more wealth and security waiting for you than you could ever imagine.
Have you taken the time to conceptualize what it means to be My daughter —
the daughter of the King of Kings?
Do you have any idea how much positive, loving attention I want to give you
all of the time?...right now? I am so eager to be with you.
I look forward to your coming to Me.
Everything that attracts you to your spouse is found in Me.
Everything that attracts you to your friends is found in Me.
I want to give you new and better thoughts and dreams...right now…and forever.
I will fulfill all of your wildest dreams and desires…
deeper love than you’ve ever known...joy beyond comprehension...
peace that transcends understanding.
I can heal you more completely than you thought possible.
I will never, ever leave you or reject you.
Open your heart to Me. Trust Me...by faith.
I am right here...now and always.

"For I know the plans I have for you, dearest," declares the Lord. "Plans toprosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Thenyou will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. Youwill seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." ~ Jeremiah 29:11-13

Samplings from Psalm 139

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord....
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.
~ Samplings from Psalm 139 [NIV]

Most Precious Abba Father,
How glorious it is to know that we are surrounded by Your presence and Your love this day.
Lord, we are nothing without You, yet we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Thank you, Lord, for the mighty inner strength that you give us day by day.
Please continue to provide our daily bread in the physical, emotional, and spiritual realm.

We trust You for everything...
We love You always...
Lord, we believe; please help our unbelief...
Amen.

Reflections: A Heart for God

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me again the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.
~ Psalm 51: 10-12 [NIV]

********************************
Here is my heart, O God,
here it is with all its secrets;
look into my thoughts, O my hope,
and take away all my wrong feelings:
let my eyes ever be on you
and release my feet from the snare.

~St. Augustine from The Confessions, New York: Random House, Copyright 1997 Augustinian Heritage Institute.
*********************************

Precious Savior,
as we give our hearts to you this day,
may you fill us with your Light and Love.
May we shine that light and show that love
to all around us today and throughout the remainder of this week.

For Your Glory, Amen.

A Prayer for Today...

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.
I will thank you, O LORD my God, with all my heart,
and glorify your Name for evermore.
For great is your love toward me....
~ Psalm 86:11ff [NIV]

Almighty Yahweh,
In you we live and move and have our being, we humbly ask that you would guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our lives we would not forget you. May we remember that we are ever walking in your sight and that nothing we do or say or think is hidden from you. Even a kind thought or word of encouragement to someone else means so much to your glory. May we show your love and kindness today and throughout the rest of the weekend.

In the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Alleluia.

Not Just Another Day...

Precious Abba Father,

Today is not just another day, but a new day—a day when new things will happen that have never happened before. For your children, this can be a very fearful experience because we cannot see the future, or a very discouraging experience because we desperately want circumstances to improve. Yet, Lord, we come to you in faith this morning, viewing this new day as an adventure in safety because we are in the all-powerful hands of Almighty God. Please surround us, protect us, and guide us as we strive to live for Your glory this day.

All for your glory,
Alleluia.
Amen.

As This Day Starts...

Precious Lord,

We come before you again this morning blessing Your Name. Some days start with a blessing and some start as a battle. Whatever our day holds for each of us today, I pray Your presence and strength for each of us. Help us to renew our heart commitment to love You first and foremost. May our interactions with those around us reflect Your Light and Your Peace this day.

For Jesus sake,
Amen.

St. Augustine on Christ

"The Maker of man was made man, that the Ruler of the stars might suck at the breast; that the Bread might be hungered; the Fountain, thirst; the Light, sleep; the Way, be wearied by the journey; the Truth, be accused by false witnesses; the Judge of the living and the dead, be judged by a mortal judge; the Chastener, be chastised with whips; the Vine, be crowned with thorns; the Foundation, be hung upon the tree; strength, be made weak; Health, be wounded; life, die. To suffer these and suchlike things, undeserved things, that He might free the undeserving, for neither did He deserve any evil, who for our sakes endured so many evils, nor were we deserving of anything good, we who through Him received such good."

~St. Augustine from The Confessions, New York: Random House, Copyright 1997 Augustinian Heritage Institute.

"If It Were Not for the Cross..."

"I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the one Nietzsche ridiculed as "God on the Cross." In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples and stood respectfully before the statue of Buddha, his legs crossed, arms folded, eyes closed, the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth, a remote look on his face, detached from the agonies of the world. But each time after a while I have had to turn away. And in imagination I have turned instead to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in God-forsaken darkness. That is the God for me! He laid aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us."
~John Stott

Taken from Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. 2003, Farmingham, PA: The Plough Publishing House. p. 156.

Praying with St. Augustine

Precious Lord God of Heaven:

We praise You for your abundant grace and mercy to us...what a miraculous gift!

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Setting us Free

When we confess our wretchedness to you
and acknowledge your mercy to us,
we are revealing your love for us,
so that, as you have begun,
so you may complete the task of setting us free
that we may cease to be unhappy in ourselves
and become happy in You;
for You have called us...
to become poor in spirit,
to be meek and to mourn,
to hunger and thirst for justice,
to be merciful, pure in heart,
and authors of peace.
~ St. Augustine

Compiled by Valeria Boldoni, Translated by Paula Clifford, Praying with Augustine. 1997, London: SPCK, Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone Road, NW1 4DU, "Setting Us Free", p 44.
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May we reflect these attributes of Your Shining Glory as we remember Christ's death on the cross for us this day.

For Jesus' precious sake, Amen.
Alleluia.

Good morning, Lord

Early in the morning I cry out to You, for in Your Word is my trust.
~ Psalm 119:147 [NIV]

Good morning, Lord,

We praise You...we bless You...we magnify Your Holy Name. You are the Master of the Universe; may You also be the Master of our hearts. As we begin this new day, please help us to live with You as our First Love. May the words that we speak, the work that we do, the thoughts and emotions of our minds and hearts bring you pleasure and glory. You have showered us with Your grace and mercy. We are free from the punishment of sin because of You. May we live the truth of Your Word and shine as a light to all around us today and throughout our lives.

In the name of our precious risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Alleluia!

Beneath Thy Cross

Beneath Thy Cross
by Christina Rossetti

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon —
I, only I.

Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.

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Christina Rossetti, "Beneath Thy Cross," from Poems: Feasts and Fasts. London: Fount Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 1996.

A Fresh Look

Be still and know that I am God...
Be still and know that I AM...
Be still and know...
Be still...
Be...
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Being still, quieting our hearts, coming to know more and more
the Great I AM...
We are nothing before Him; We are nothing without Him;
We can do all things through Him...
He has chosen us, adopted us, given us a place of total acceptance and security in
His Son...

There is no box, no mindset, no structure that can contain or restrain the vastness of God. Therefore, let us give ourselves permission to know Him in ways that are "outside the box" for us. What attributes and character traits do you long for in your most meaningful human relationships? Look at Christ; search the Scriptures; consider how God reveals Himself to you in these very character traits and relational ways. Remember that He is the very essence of love, truth, compassion, tenderness and faithfulness. He lived here; he suffered here; he died here; he conquered death here...

Pursue and view the Messiah in a fresh, new way this Holy Week.

Blessings and peace to you all.

Confessing our Weakness

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come...

Precious Father,
As we come before you this day, we confess our sinfulness and our weakness to You. We pray that you would forgive our sins and our fears. Lord, help us to so completely trust You that we are willing to relinquish all the other gods and idols that we nurse and cherish in our lives. Lord, sometimes we are so afraid to let go because we are afraid You will say "no" to our hearts' deepest desires. Please help us to believe in the depths of our hearts that You are for us in all things.

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 [NIV]

In Your Precious, Holy Name,
Amen.
Alleluia.

Praise for Renewal

Praise the LORD, O my soul;
All my inmost being, praise His holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits—
Who forgives all your sins
And heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit
And crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
~ Psalm 103: 1-5 [NIV]

We bless You, we praise You, we magnify Your holy name this day, precious Lord. You are what we live for and what we long for. Please help us to stream of heart and mind-consciousness flowing continually toward you as we live and work this week. Renew and refresh us just as we see the beauty of the renewing Spring around us.

You are awesome, holy Lord, and we love you forever.

Please strengthen us to shine the glory of your light to those around us this day.

For Jesus' sake,
Amen.

For the Longing Heart

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
~ Psalm 42: 1-2 [NIV]

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O Lord...
how awesome you are! How all-powerful and ever-present with us. How desperately we need you to give us mighty spiritual and physical strength moment by moment. No matter what circumstances surround us, Lord, may we be at peace with you. As we see Your glory reflected in the lives of those we care about, please help us to know that the love we experience is only a dim reflection of Your great love for us. And at times when we are discouraged, please remind us of our treasured hope in You.
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Why are you downcast, o my soul? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
~ Psalm 42:5 [NIV]

Bless your Holy Name, Lord God.
Alleluia.

A Prayer for Your Burdened Hearts

My dear friends,

You are all on my mind and heart in a very special way tonight. From conversing with some of you throughout the past week or two, I have learned of the burdens, trials, and heartaches that you are living through. My heart is filled with concern and care for your situations....

As I think of you, I have been praying for you in a special way. For those who are facing painful relationship issues, for those who are struggling with fears and concerns for the future, for those who are overwhelmed with the concerns and burdens of life, my love and prayers are with you...

Precious Abba Father,

You are our tender, merciful, compassionate Shepherd. You CARRY us as your newborn lambs. Lord, we are helpless without You: every breath we take comes from you, every beat of our hearts is in your control. Every ounce of food, every day with clothing and shelter, every physical need is supplied by Your grace. But, Tender Father, You know that we are far more that just the air we breathe, the clothes we wear, and the food we eat. We were created in Your image to be men and women of character and spiritual communion with you. Lord, we have heart-longings for love and we share that love with others; we experience deep emotional pain in caring for our families, our friends, our church communities, and ourselves. Lord, so many of us are hurting and burdened today. Please Tender Father, Holy Redeemer, Great Comforter, come to each of us this very hour in ways that only You can control and wrap your loving arms around us and bring us peace.

We worship you; we adore you; we love you; we trust you.

For the sake of your One and Only Son, our Gracious Saviour, Amen.

Alleluia.