What does God want anyway?

A Lenten StudyHaven United Methodist Church

200 Taunton Ave, East Providence, RI Rev. Althea V. Jackson, Pastor

Table of contents

Week 1……………………………………………………………………………….. page 4

Week 2………………………………………………………………………………….page 9

Week 3………………………………………………………………………………….page 16

Week 4…………………………………………………………………………………..page 21

Week 5…………………………………………………………………………………..page 28

Week 6………………………………………………………………………………… page 34

Greetings beloved, It seems these Lenten seasons come faster and faster. But here we face another one. I invite you this time consider some of the possible answers god might provide for the question;’ what does god want anyway?’ Over the next weeks we will explore aspects of our journey with Christ. What keeps us steady? What allows us to give Jesus our very best? How does a relationship with Christ bring out the best in us? My prayer is that along journey you are able to find inspiration or information. I pray that the journey Christ has mapped out for you becomes clear and that you are to follow it to its end. Blessings, beloved. Have wondrous Lenten season. In Christ,Pastor Althea

Week 1 What God wants Micah 6:1-8

Introduction

The big question is what does God want from us? This comes after we become aware that God the Creator is trying to get our attention. Not so much the great displays of faith or the mighty displays of nature but in the still small voice that prompts to consider a relationship with our Creator.

The prophet Micah recorded this moment in the ’heavenly court.’ Israel is the defendant. God is the prosecutor. God has few things He intends to discuss with the people He carved out a covenant with.

Not looking good for Judah. This is a wakeup call.

Judah seems surprised that God is not happy with the way the relationship has been going.Yet the God is willing to work with them. God is hoping they get back on the right track. That they remember Whose they are and how far God has carried Israel.

From this moment the people of Judah discover what God really want s from them.

Because Micah recorded the whole event: so, do we.

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;And what does the LORD require of youBut to do justly, To love mercy,And to walk humbly with your God?

Week 1 Wednesday Micah 6:8aTo do Justly

Not Even Earl Stanley Gardner could have written such a dramatic scene. Mr. Gardner is the creator of the famous lawyer detective Perry Mason. God the prosecutor, Judah the defendant and they are guilty of neglect and even worse unkindness to one another. Judah seems surprised that God would condemn their behavior. After all they went to Temple on the Sabbath, they gave their prescribed sacrifices at the right times. What else could God want with them?

Sounds like the carnal Christian complaint. This God stuff is daring to stretch me beyond my comfort zone. This God this is expecting me to have honor and integrity in my dealings with others. Why can’t God be happy with the prayers I offer- most of the time? Why can’t God be content with the sacrifice I offer as I strut to the offering plate looking oh so pious?

Because one the hallmarks of Gad doing his transformative work in our lives is that our commitment to him is best displayed when we interact with one another. When we encounter the stranger. When we have the choice to show Godly kindness or the depth of our carnality. To do justly is to leave the house in the morning determined to deal with each other in a God honoring manner. It’s not about the ’brownie point’s we get from shows of half-hearted piety. It is recognizing God’s place in our personal lives and the determination to let the world see the transformation in us

It also having sense enough to know that we can’t do this by ourselves. By nature, we are not prone to honor others when our selfish needs might suffer. It takes understanding God’s grace in our lives before we can offer it to someone else. Thank God He is willing to support assist and correct those things in our hearts that need correction, support and assistance.

Once we acknowledge our weakness we ask for God’s Strength. His answer is always Yes! Prayer focus: Lord, humble my heart enough to ask for your help in living the life you designed for me. AMEN

Week 1 Thursday Micah 6:8bLove Mercy

Which is more desirable? Justice or Mercy? There is some part of human nature that wants to scream; “Justice! Justice!” Give the guilty one the prescribed punishment ant watch t hem squirm under the heavy weight of justice. Justice says the guilty do not get a second pass. Justice declares you mess up you are out of the game – for good. You never get a chance to redeem yourself. Justice says eye for an eye is a good thing.

Mercy – God- like mercy says to all of us daily you messed up or you will before this 24-hour period is over. And you should be punished BUT I will pardon you. You deserve to be punished severely but I will pardon you completely. Mercy said to the guilty one you failed to ‘toe the line’. You should pay the price, but someone has stepped in and paid the price you, so you don’t have to. Someone interceded for you appealing the kind-hearted nature of the Judge and your penalty is erased. God’s preferred method if dealing with the many little misstep and big mistakes we make just because we are human is to lean toward mercy. Israel was experiencing God’s tendency toward mercy in this passage. The covenant between God and Judah said do the way I said or pay the price. There was no mercy only justice. Yet God chooses to be merciful by having this moment with them.What He is asking his people Israel is to do the same with their neighbors. Be merciful to stranger and enjoy the pardoning as much as he enjoys pardoning us Again, it seems God is asking us to do the impossible. Love the fact the sinner/offender got off free? Hard to accept. Even harder to be happy about it. But it is the sign of walking as God prescribes. And we can’t do it alone. Prayer: Dear God, my human nature cries out ‘not fair’! When I have been hurt or betrayed, I want justice. But ask you to teach me to be merciful. Help me Lord to love as you love. Amen

Week 1 Friday Micah 6:8cWalk humbly with your God

We don’t hear much about humility today. It is a hard quality to define but it takes a discerning eye to see genuine humility. If you are blessed to be in the presence of a truly humble person you will meet someone who has had some lumps and bumps in life and yet has continued bring joy into others’ lives. In the presence of a truly humble person there is a generous compassion that can’t be mistaken for weakness. The truly humble person is all of those things we just described because they have learned an important lesson: the best life is lived when there is a relationship with God. There is an understanding that we humans have great need of a merciful God and dare to turn to God for help and relationship. The humble person understands between the two parties God is the greater. We are called friend by God’s determination to call us friend or child. And their gratitude knows no limits.Humility is not a well praised personality trait in today’s culture. But humility is a gift from God.Humility comes from knowing God’s awesomeness. It is without presumption.

It was critical for the Israelites to relearn this lesson. They had grown comfortable in their relationship with God-. They were casual in their approach to God to the point where the understanding of His awesomeness was diminished. There was a familiarity that allowed the Israelite to presume they were on par with the God who created heaven and earth. In the passage God reminds the Israelites of the prophet’s day and us living in these days we are our most effective when your awareness of God is shaping and molding our character. When we understand we live move and breathe because of God’s greatness it produces a gratitude in our spirits that will deepen our relationship with God and those around us. Prayer: when You bless me, Lord Help me let the next word from my lips be thank you. AMEN

 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Peter

Week 2 Introduction We can learn a great deal from what God required if the Israelites. But there is more to the story. Centuries later the Messiah will arrive. All the word pictures of the New Testament are fulfilled in the Anointed One Christ Jesus. The question of how we humans are to deal with God still linger. Over the next weeks we will explore some of those answers Jesus gave His students and disciples. Fair warning: if you are thinking these requirements are going to require great feats from you, guess again. Jesus came to simplify the relationship with God not complicate it. Our part is as it has always been: Just say Yes, Lord. What does He want? And the first response is:

Accept the Invitation

The king of kings requests your presence in a life long journey beginning now. Please RSVP

Week 2 Monday Accept the Invitation John 1: 35-42

The First Ones God’s invitations come when we least expect it. Sometimes the invitation comes even when hadn’t asked for one. After all it is not consider polite to wrangle an invitation from someone who did not send a personal invitation you. But these men in our reading today weren’t expecting the lord Himself to offer such a wonderful opportunity to peasants. Like most Jews of their day they had been hoping and anticipating the Messiah’s arrival. The Anointed One that would purify Israel and lead their nation into an era of great prestige and some even expected a return to the day when the Anointed One would forge an empire as magnificent as King David’s. Who would expect the gift from God would walk about as a common looking person? Except Jesus was anything but common. The presence of God was unmistakable in Jesus even when He engaged in ‘common’ tasks. There is something within each of us that knows when we are in the presence of God. It is the sensation of time standing still it the concept that in that moment you have the Creator’s undivided attention. And that God enjoys our company. These first disciples recognized the rabbi walking by was no ordinary man. They wanted to know more.And the Jesus made the invitation’ what do you seek?’ The Creator who made us knows we seek Him. When our hearts are still receptive, we will reach for the chance to spend time with Him. So, my question to you as we begin this week is;

“What do you seek?” Is its material comfort? The answers most often given say healing for a loved one, relief from financial troubles. Peace of mind is one of most often heard requests. And when we ask, God is ready to respond. What would you ask God in that intimate moment? My prayer for you in that moment is the same one Paul had for the Ephesians Christ-followers: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Amen

Ephesians 1: 17-23

Week 2 Tuesday Mark 3:13-19 Jesus could have carried out his ministry without disciples. He is God incarnate he did not need people. One mass miracle and the world would have been his. Yet the whole purpose for Jesus coming to earth was to let humanity know that God is available approachable. It seems an easy to concept to grasp. God likes the people he made. But it is the hardest fir the sin alienated heart to receive. The disciples Jesus chose for the three-year journey were the ones that could not resist the offer or the opportunity to be in God’s presence. Likewise, we are offered too share a lifetime journey with Christ. We take our journey by faith. We are presented with the chance to grow in knowledge and comprehension. We have the privilege of discovering daily the height, depth and width of God’s love for us.

Shall we begin our journey? Shall we continue our journey with Christ?

Whichever question best suits your situation right now I encourage you to respond.

Week 2 Wednesday John 3:1-21Private Lessons

Nicodemus was what you could describe as and ‘it’ man. He had wealth. He had influence. He was considered one of the perfect ones. Someone who followed the law to the letter. Someone who could teach the law. One the 7000 that would be spared so that Israel could rebuild if they should ever fall short of the covenant Israel had with God. Nicodemus was among those who were considered the remnant. Just in case they blew it with God again. But with all that Nicodemus had Nicodemus was missing something. And it was important enough for him to find this new rabbi and seek a private lesson with him. Somewhere along the line this leader of the Jewish community discovered all the accolades he had, all the influence he possessed we’re not enough. This man’s soul was looking for something else or perhaps something more. And it seemed to him he could find it in this rabbi. And in the middle of the night Jesus welcomes this Seeker and they begin a dialogue. In this dialogue the people of God get the best understanding of who Jesus is and why he has come among us. This was not a surprise to Jesus it’s likely that he saw the questions and Nicodemus is hard when they were publicly teaching. There was no reason to give this man an interview. But Jesus brought him closer and he doesn’t waste any time. Jesus tells Nicodemus what he is looking for cannot be perceived with the five physical

senses that are sin damaged. It will take a reset of the heart. Jesus is the only way to reset the heart. Jesus understood Covenant Love. The religious leaders did not grasp that it was an intimate Dynamic love that is God. The irrefutable fact that God loves us to the point that God gave us his only son to demonstrate it and to prove it Jesus doesn’t offer the invitation. Jesus is the invitation. He is offered to us not so that we can get right with God. Jesus offers himself so that we understand God loves us in Christ Jesus he proved it! Prayer for the Day: lord filth empty spaces in my soul with your presence and your love. Help me dare to be as brave as Nicodamids and ask for it. Amen

Week 2 Thursday Luke 18:18-30When Good is not enough

To look at him he had everything this Rich Young Ruler. He was wealthy, which was a symbol of God’s blessings on his life according to the teachings of the day. He was doing everything in his power to follow the moral codes that would lead to the ultimate blessing of eternal life. Things should have been fine. But somewhere along the line this young man encountered this rabbi that made him begin to question if there wasn’t more to this life he was trying to live. Somewhere along the line he understood that this Rabbi was a teacher unlike any of the other teachers he’d ever heard before. That’s the gift of being in Christ’s presence. you recognize there is something unique about Him. That’s the God shining through. That’s God calling you to more than ‘enough’ The rich young ruler called him good teacher which was the highest compliment he could offer. Jesus didn’t need the compliments. He knew Who He was. Jesus did recognize a soul that was searching for more than just the “just follow all of the rules and you’ll get Heaven” teaching of that day. And so being good was not enough to satisfy the hunger for more. Jesus recognized this and was ready to take this young man out of his comfort zone. It was comfort in knowing you fit in the community you live in. It was comfort in knowing you have the approval of your community. For this young man the comfort he found is his status as rich was a safety net. Jesus asked for his riches. There are going to be times in our lives as Christ followers when Christ will call us to journey beyond our comfort zones. These are the places where we know we’ve accomplished a spiritual goal and even gained the approval of our faith community. To be honest it’s scary to be asked to give up something or even someone. But we have to receive the invitation to more than ‘good enough’ by faith. After Decades of learning what’s acceptable, Christ calls us to what is pleasing to him. And how do we get past the assumption that what we have been doing is enough? It takes faith to take those next steps out of our comfort zones. True, there going to be some that are not going to understand why we are moving the

way that we’re moving. In that moment we are like the young man what we have is not enough and there is more just beyond our comfort zone.

Will you answer the call?

Prayer for the day: Lord when you call me beyond my comfort zone grant me the courage to say yes, Lord. Amen

Week 2 Friday Matthew11:28-30Invitation to the Overwhelmed

You are given 24 hours each day. Within the time frame, we are given a myriad of tasks to complete. They can be mundane, they can be monumental. Each task is to be completed perfectly to either your standards or someone else’s’ Then we discover that we are not from Krypton and that we do not wear an “S” on our chest. Our perception of task seems to expand while your confidence in your abilities and capacity seems to crash and burn.Welcome the overwhelmed zone Perhaps in your cursory analysis of your bank account reveals that you have more debt than your account has the capacity to pay. Creditors can be relentless. Some are ruthless. More bills than money and no known way of alleviating the stress on your bank account and you.Welcome to overwhelmed zone. Perhaps you are a parent of a child with special needs. Or you have that one child whose antics were once adorable and now are annoying and places the child in dangers they don’t seem to understand or seem to care about. Of course, as contentious parent you do everything in your power No matter how old your child is to keep them safe with little or no success. It’s frustrating and it hurts. When the child must face the consequences of their actions it is painful to watch. Of course, we want to help, rescue and we can’t. The guilt sets in without relief or resolution.Welcome to the overwhelmed zone. Overwhelming circumstances can eat at our hearts and sap our mental wellbeing. It is that feeling of hopelessness that nothing is ever going to get better. In the midst of this despair and hopeless no matter the need and the circumstance Jesus send a message;‘I am Here. I know how this feels because I know what it means to be pushed beyond the reasonable. I have been where you are. And I know the way through’ [Matthew 4:1-11] Christ offers rest from the relentless despair. He offers peace in the details of our challenges and disappointments.

Overwhelmed can happen gradually or suddenly. In a culture that demands perfection self-esteem and confidence can take a hit, we often expect more of ourselves than others. Nobody can beat us up better than we can. But in Christ the measuring stick is wielded by the God who oversaw our creation and conception. In Christ we are loved right where we are and beyond. God sets the goals and give us the analysis on when and where we meet the goal. It God’s love for us that controls the assessment. Today tomorrow and always.Let that give you peace. Rest dear one. It’s God’s turn to carry the burden. Will you let Him?

Prayer for the day: Remind of Paul’s teaching in Philippians when life seems overwhelming “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen

Week 3 IntroductionBe Available

Once the invitation to a life Journey with Christ is accepted, we learned there is a new facet to it we have accepted the invitation to eternal life and now from time to time must agree to do a favor for Jesus. We are engaged in the ministry of being Christ’s hands and feet to the world. It requires us to make ourselves available. To be available means to make oneself present and accessible. This week we are going to explore what it means to be available when Christ calls us to service. How available are you?

Week 3 Monday Proverbs 1: 1-5The father’s invitation

David was a man after God’s Own Heart. But David was not always a perfect father. But in these words, David gave to his son Solomon sound Council. Solomon would need it he would succeed David as king over Israel. So, David takes time to sit down and pen some words to his son. Lessons that he has learned over the years he shares with his child who will be king one day. In this passage we hear David invite his son to embrace Godly wisdom Divine knowledge The New American Standard Bible says discretion is the most important thing.

It is not likely that anyone reading this will be a king one day. But we do have to live our lives in a world that does not always value wisdom knowledge and discretion. Yet these are precious gifts from God that allow us to live our life abundantly. The Elders of my community would call it good sense. And the ‘good sense’ is formed out of our relationship with God. It defines our habits. It defines our practices. Good sense ultimately defines us. WE must be careful from where we cull our wisdom. The highest and best of wisdom comes from the God who created the heavens and Earth. The best wisdom comes from the God who knows all things. When we make ourselves available to receive that knowledge and wisdom, we are able to walk through our lives much easier. When we followed the wisdom of God by faith, we are able walkthrough the tough times and the joyful times So, I asked you to consider what is the source of the wisdom that guides your life? Is the source of the wisdom that you follow based on the things you see around you circumstances that affect you? Where is the source of your wisdom from a relationship with a God that offers you wisdom knowledge and discernment? And are you ready to hear God’s wisdom in all your circumstances and in the circumstances of others?

Prayer for the day: God of all wisdom God of the best wisdom Lead Me in your ways. Teach me to hear your wisdom when you speak to my spirit. Amen

Week 3 Tuesday Psalm 1God’s Timing

In this chapter David gives us the secret to have he became known as the man after God’s Own Heart. David had a lot of time to observe the Good the Bad and The Ugly in his fellow human beings. It begins with his own father who seems to have had a strained relationship with his son. David was the youngest and had been assigned to watch the family phlox of sheep. But out in the Sheepfold David getting closer to God. He saw how God cares for us in the work the shepherd does for the sheep. Underneath the night stars, caring for the sheep, David learn how to be a good shepherd. He is also learning how to be a good shepherd he learned how to be a good King: a king that understood God was in control. David learns to make himself available to The God Who would make him King. In these words, today’s reading, we learned one very important thing about being available. We make the offer to be available, God is the one who chooses the who, the when, the where, and the how. We don’t have to worry about the why. That was already answered when we said ‘I will be available to you, Lord The one thing David was clear about was that all things happen in God’s timing. David understood that God’s timing is the best. For those of us who live in the world who believes everything must be instant this immediate it is an

important reminder that God’s timing brings about good things in our lives and then the lives around us. Scripture will tell us that God’s timing is not our timing. We make ourselves available by trusting God’s timing and all of our circumstances And so, there are some places and circumstances in our lives we’re the only thing we can do is wait. It’s not easy because it requires us to trust that the God made ourselves available to knows what God is doing. Learning to wait on God’s timing is one of the critical lessons we learn in our life Journey with Christ. It’s not something we can ask for or demand. Learning to trust God’s timing means taking the time to walk with God day by day season by season until in his perfect timing blessings are revealed miracles happen and someone discovers there is a faithful loving God who knows what he’s doing.

Prayer: Lord sometimes the hardest thing for me to do is to wait for your answers. Help me transform my impatience born from mistrust into faith that is directed and informed because I understand you are in charge. AmenWeek 3 Wednesday Nehemiah 1

Dare to Step Up After many years of exile, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland. But not all did. The reasons why were many but for one Jew it was the job he held as the king’s cupbearer. It was a position of absolute trust. For the cupbearer was to test the wine offered to the king in case of poisoning. At the cupbearer’s word the king would drink freely and without fear. The cupbearer would also become a trusted advisor to the king. In many ways the cupbearer was the gateway to an audience with the king. Nehemiah could not leave. As the story unfolds Nehemiah becomes the intercessor for God’s people who were in a very vulnerable position. Any city without walls was a ’sitting duck’ for invasion and pilfering. And this trouble Nehemiah whose duty held in Babylon while his heart was with the exiles in his homeland. When Nehemiah could no longer bare the painful news, he began a conversation with his God.

He truly repented for Israel’s corporate sins. He asked for favor in front of the king that could supply him with

everything he needed He asked God how to ask for help from the one person on earth that

could make this happen. And God responded by granting Nehemiah favor with the King. Sometimes we find ourselves in places and positions that don’t seem so glamourous or desirable. But when we trust that everything does get worked out for God’s glory, we find out we are the very person God is able to use as a witness or even and advocate.

So what conclusions can we draw?

Making ourselves available for God to use can situate us in strange and sometimes uncomfortable places.

Humility throughout the placement is the key to hearing God’s call to action.

God sets the moment when it is time to move. Gods will navigate you to the place you need to be and put in front of the

people you need to meet. Everything and everyone that is required for you fulfill your assignment

form is provided in abundance.

Thought for the day: Will you make your time, talent, and treasure available for God’s use in setting?

Week 3 Thursday Luke 5: 1-11The offer we can’t refuse

Jesus is just beginning his ministry. And people were fascinated with this new rabbi that seemed to have clarity about eternal matters that no other rabbi had before him. And the people kept coming until the only room left for Jesus to stand was on a boat in the middle of the lake to continue the teaching. In the process, Jesus borrowed the fishing vessel of a reasonable wealthy fisherman named Peter and His partner. The boat had been beached for the day. Peter had nets to attend to, so it was not an inconvenience. Then Jesus returns the boat and inquires about the night’s catch which had been dismal. Jesus suggest pater to go against everything he knew about fishing and relaunch his boat. Against all logic Peter complies, and brings in a catch so large it took all of his partners to bring it in. Then while Peter is still reeling from the enormous catch Jesus makes him an intriguing opportunity: 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” [TLB] That moment changed Peter’s life forever, once he said ‘yes, Lord.’ Every step we take on this Christian journey begins with a ‘yes lord’. But the first step is the most critical. We take comfort that from that very first yes lord until we reach our God goals, we are accompanied with Christ who paves the way and dares to take that next step.

Prayer for the day: Lord, when you call give me the sense to know it’s you and the courage to answer. Amen

Week 3 Friday Luke 1:26-38Miracles

Every Jew is first century Palestine has written on their souls the promise from that One would come restore Israel and save their souls. It’s kind of like that hope

we as modern Christian have that Christ will come again. We haven’t seen it come to pass but it is a powerful promise that we hold onto, and tuck away in our hearts. Every Jew had that hope tucked away in their hearts even if their outward behaviors did not express it. In the fullness of God’s timing God set in motion events that would present the promised one to the world. You would think God would have sent his son to earth in ablaze cloud with a media blast no one could ignore you would think God’s Son would arrive in luxury to the right people, the wealthy or the righteous. You would think the anointed one arrival would be to well-known time and place… You would think. Instead, the Sn of God was sent to earth as vulnerable wiggly loud new born to young woman none of the ‘it’ crowd had ever considered. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. Then Gabriel tells her that God has entrusted her to carry the Messiah in her womb. Mary asked how, she did not ask why me. Jesus’s conception defies logic; it defies the laws of nature. It defies human expectation. Miracles do that. When we ask for a miracle, we are expecting God to override natural laws in our favor or relief. But God’s miracles often involve human agent who dared to say ‘yes, lord’ when presented with the prospect of Godly intervention. It takes faith on our part to receive the miracle. Should have need to use you to be a messenger or even and agent in one of his miracles would respond as Mary did? Do we dare to respond as this young woman did? Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” Its nerve rattling proposition, but we have a faithful steadfast God who walks with us even when we are his miracle agents.

Prayer Focus: Whatever you ask of Me, for whomever you ask to do it for, dear Lord grant me the courage and faith to and as Mary did long ago. Amen

Week 4 IntroductionBe Alert

Christ followers find themselves in a conundrum. We are encouraged to participate in God’s ministry service here on earth. We are encouraged to accept the invitation with complete trust. We expected to make ourselves available. We are supposed to walk fearlessly through this world without being terrified of our own shadows and trepidation. Even when the world is seems to be getting meaner and more bent toward selfishness.

Yes, we walk by faith, but Christ also advises us to walk wisely. At the same time, we trust God we are to on against the plans of the Evil One. This week we will explore passages that can help us navigate what seems to be impossible.Christ’s next command is: Be AlertP.S. In case life has you wondering how all this is going to work out let me; eave this with you

Read the back of book.WE won!

Week 4 Monday Matthew 10:16-19A Strategy for Service

It was time. Jesus had prepared and trained the disciples for service and ministry. He has given them the authority to teach what they had been taught. He has directed them to work miracle and bless those who welcome the good news of the messiah’s arrival. He also reminds them there will be opposition; some harmless and some life threatening. [Israelites could very volatile in their faith expressions] He tells them to use God sense which will be with them through the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will prompt the disciples when and/or of someone or a group of someone are receiving the Good News. The phrase be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove sums up how to walk around Palestine. Dove are known for their docile nature and they represented purity. The Serpent has the reputation of being crafty. Somewhere in between these two extremes Jesu teaches his disciples to conduct their ministries.The apostle Paul would later equate this ability with a gift from the Holy Spirit known as discernment [1 Cor. 12] Two things are clear: while we do this work called ministry the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us. The Holy Spirit will reveal the true motives of people’s hearts: whether they are receptive to the Good News or not.It’s that nudge in your spirit that says goes this way or do this right now or say it this way.

There are two challenges for us:1. Are you in enough contact with Christ to know when He is speaking?2. Will you listen, follow directions, and obey the instruction God provides?It is a dangerous thing to walk around this world not hearing from God. It is even foolish to ignore the promptings of the God who loves and trust you enough to give you an assignment of kingdom importance.

It could be as simple as ‘call so n’ so to say hello’. It can be as daring as telling someone who may not have heard the good news that God Loves them. Christ promises the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us [John 16:7-15] How do we get this wisdom?

1. Ask for it2. Study God’s word. It’s filled with God’s wisdom.3. Make us available to follow through on God’s promptings.

The theme song from the mystery show ‘Monk’ said ‘it’s a jungle out there’! Following God’s leadings will get you through the best and the worst of the journey.

Week 4 Tuesday 1 Peter 5:4-10

Watch out for the Lion By the time the apostle Peter wrote this passage he had seen the good the bad and the ugly of humanity. He had witnessed it influence in his own life. He had also witnessed the wickedness that drives people to do and say terrible things. He understood the source of this evil. It was the evil one that Jesus had told his disciples to ask for protection from in the Lord’s Prayer. An entity so malevolent it hates the very thought of the holy one. All this evil one knows is hatred and bitterness. It hates those who choose to follow Christ. The evil one’s prime target are those who say, ‘yes lord ‘in word and deeds. This evil understands any act of witnessing any word of encouragement to follow Christ will lessen the influence he has. He is vehemently hostile to it our devotion to Christ. We who love the lord and are determined to live and love as Christ as lives and loves are at the top of the ‘hit list’. Anything to damage or even destroy the peace or joy or knowledge of Christ’s love is his prime target. But after years of seeing the good bad and ugly, Peter could only describe the Evil One’s machination like movements of a lion ready to pounce on its prey. But Peter also understood even though we are wary of the evil one’s tactics we are also aware of Christ’s protective love. In the cocoon of His love we can walk around this planet live lives devoted to Christ and the good News and accomplish the great commission,[Matthew 28:16-20] It is a matter of balance. Be aware when evil rears its head. But also, be aware of God’s presence in your life. God want us to watchful, but we don’t have be afraid.

Thought for the day: Look at the promises of Psalm 91. How many can you list?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now thank God for his protections and blessings.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Amen

Week 4 Wednesday Isaiah 54:11-17[Over the last two days we have read about the danger the faithful face. During these next days we will explore the promises for protection and strategies to maintain our victory over all of it.]

No Weapon When God promises to lead guide protect you, he’s not joking. God’s love is a fierce love. And when he has set his sights to love you there nothing that assault you. You are God’s beloved. The people of Israel were about to face a turbulent time. Political turmoil in the region would mean Israel’s sovereignty was under attack. That’s enough to scare a king, never mind they average citizen. God spoke through the prophet Isaiah in the midst of this uncertainty and gave his people hope they could count on. It is a promise we can grasp onto today. No matter the plans to damage your witness for Christ, Christ himself will be your protector. One of the ways we are protected is that nay plot, plan or scheme the evil one or his agents concoct to harm us will fail before it has a chance to bloom. There is some stuff that never touches us because the promise of God intervenes.When God promised this to us, he meant for such knowledge to bring us peace when it is tumultuous around us. While we are striving to live Christ like lives, Christ himself is a shield we can depend on.There’s our glimmer of hope when it gets hard or scary, God is with us and God cares for us. May your comprehension of this wonderful truth permeate your life as you go boldly and faithfully in the name of Jesus!

Prayer for the day: Lord for all you do, thank you. Amen

Week 4 Friday 1 Corinthians 15:57-58Encouraging Counsel

The Corinthian Church required a great deal of teaching re-teaching and correcting. There were so many un-Christ-like issues within the Church that Paul had to write them several times to make course corrections. But this was also a church that Paul loved dearly. He had spent more time with this church than any

other. It pained him to see the damage the mingling of their old life styles with Christ living was causing. So, Paul wrote to them sometimes with firm hand and others with a God Pastor’s tenderness. He gave the Corinthians the best definition of love ever written [1 Corinthians 13] He finally reaches the end of what we know as the first letter and reminds them of the reason for all we do and all we don’t do. We serve while we wait for Christ second coming. He understands the challenges he understands there are temptations to revert back to the familiar pagan ways he understands life as a Christian is not an easy journey. He offers them one reminder58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. The promise of Christ’s return was imminent. The first century Christian believed he would return any day and it was their duty to prepared to return with Him to heaven. The advice was living like Jesus is returning tomorrow. The resurrection was very important to the first century Jews. The moment when Christ did return and those who believe him that had died would rise with him to give God honor and glory was always with him. Centuries later and we still waiting the promise is no less potent. The plan is to live not knowing what the exact date is like it was in the next minute. And the Father is the only one who knows and He’s not telling. But in that waiting time, however long it will be; we live love worship and serve trusting confidently that what we do and say matter to God. What we do and say in Christ’s name will yield fruit in the live we minister to. We don’t stop serving just because we don’t have the exact date on this last day where we explore the theme, I encourage you, what we do and says for Christ makes a difference. It’s one thing to take a sabbath rest; but do not become lax in the ministry God has assigned it does pay off! It is worth it!

A prayer for the saints: Dear God, you promised that you would return one day, and we would be with you. But waiting gets hard and it seems like it’s been a long time. We could get tired and scared. But give those who are weary peace. Restore our hope in your promises to return again. And help us live love and serve while we wait. Amen

Week 5 IntroductionStay Faithful

One of the most highly valued attributes in one another is faithfulness. We expect that two who are in a relationship with one another will remain committed to the other. We expect mutual trust can be cultivated. For some the cultivation faithfulness can outweigh the desire for love.

Faithfulness in a relationship is critical for it to grow and thrive. There is sense of security that makes the journeying with another easier to bear. Faithfulness in our relationship with god is high priority. It is the result that comes from us growing in understanding about the height depth and width of God’s lives. Faithfulness is the choice to be loyal to the one we have relationships with. Christ does not compel us to faithfulness, he asks for it. Out the abundance of love we have we determine to be faithful to Christ, his beloved church and to fellow believers. My prayer for you as we continue this journey is that your faithfulness be enlarged flowing the abundant love Christ has shown you.

Blessings.Week 5 Monday Matthew 25:31-39

For the Right Reason Earlier in the passage Jesus has been teaching his disciples about the His second coming. He has been teaching them to always be prepared for the day of His return. Bit how shall we prepare? Jesus reflects back over our journey step. He examines what we did, feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, and visit sick and the prisoner. Doing these things showed that Christ love had increased your capacity for compassion. It was pleasing to Christ and those who engaged in found themselves enjoying the master’s favor. The second half speaks to those who did or would not offer these services to those who needed them the most. They were cast away. Kindness, especially to those who cannot return it makes Christ heart smile. But we have to be careful. It is not enough to do these things. True the hungry poor, sick and incarcerated receive relief, but it comes down to this question: what was your motive for giving? Was it to look good to the community? Or pat ourselves on the back and say I’m awesome? Christ is most impressed when the reason why you serve is out of sheer devotion and gratitude for the wonderful things He has done in our live. When we dare to do good work as unto the Lord our motives are on the right track. There comes a point in our relationship when god evaluates the motive of hearts. When they are tender toward those in need it makes Jesus smile. When they can’t be touched because of selfishness and worse Jesus grieves because that person has not loved enough to want to share it. It is not easy to dare to love. For every story filled with kindness and grace there is a story of betrayal. Hearts are fragile things. But when we serve in Christ’s name it is Christ that protects our hearts even when they hurt or broken. Faithfulness mean you take time to heal and then begin the work gin trusting god’s love and grace will care for you. Remember your heart matter to him most of all.

Prayer for the day: Lord come in my heart and make it your Home. Grow a faithfulness in me that is as pure as the love you first love me with. Amen

Week 5 Tuesday 2 Peter 5-8Shine!

Peter writes to the Christian community scattered across the Roman Empire because their faith makes the unfaithful uncomfortable. Many have been displaced, disenfranchised. It was not a good time to be a true Christian. But Peter reminds the recipients of this letter they have the Character of Jesus Christ settled in their hearts and their spirits. Peter reminds them whose they are. They are sons and daughters of a faithful awesome and loving god that sent his son to be among us. When Christ become our savior, he also endows us with his character. That character cannot be hidden or suppressed. The nature of Christ will come through his disciples and the world may not like what they see but they cannot ignore. They may not like seeing the character of Christ shine through because they must admit they have hidden or repressed the Christ character calling out to them. But the virtues as they are listed in this passage cannot be ignored. For every instance we allow Christ to shine through us give testimony to a Savior who is faithful and give us everything we need to be faithful. So, when life becomes a challenge let us reminds ourselves whose we are. When we face relentless obstacles, let us remember to access the Christ that live in us because of Jesus Christ.It is the Christ that lives in us that empowers us to live as we are called to live. We live like Jesus. Everything that comes from that truth brings god glory. That is our priority as Christ followers.

Prayer for the day: Lord, thank you for living in us. Thank for your transforming presence. Show me how to shine brighter for you. Show me who needs to see you and let me be a beacon of your grace. AMEN

Week 5 Wednesday 2 Peter: 5-8

Tool Kit for Faithfulness Peter well understood how daunting being s truth Christ follower can be. But Peter also learned that he had been equipped with characteristics that reflect Jesu Christ. He lists them in this passage showing that one bald on another until our witness is perfected. It the tool kit for the Christ follower that endeavors to shine. Like all things pertaining to god, the foundation for our interactions with God are built on Faith. Faith is our starting point in this relationship with god.

Believing with confidence that Christ is sufficient for reconciliation with the Father. Trusting that the sacrifice on the cross was enough to reestablish our god connection allows us to trust well is with us and god is for us. Faith allows to take the next steps in the faith journey. Faith calls us to move forward when fear or uncertainty wants to keep us tethered to the comfortable and familiar. Especially when faith calls us into the unknown. Courage is next tool in the kit. Courage say because I trust in the God who has carried me this far, I will keep going. It is the quality of admitting we might be scared of the unknown but we’re going anyway because we don’t journey alone. Self-control allows us to sustain the courage that calls us to trust the faith relationship that got this all started. Piety is the practice and habit of always giving god the worship he is due. It also includes that capacity to let other witness the grace [unmerited favor] you walk through life with.Brotherly love is as we know Philadelphia. We cannot say we hate our brother and love Jesus at the same time. Jesus who is love has no room for hatred among His followers. We are called to love our brother especially the one who not as easy love. Our love for one another is threshing example to the rest of the world that Christ has made a difference in us.

Prayer for the day: Lord, help me see these virtues operate in my relationship with you and with the people around me. Amen

Week 5 Thursday Philippians 2:5-11The Example Christ Gave

The Apostle Paul knew very well faithfulness’ enemies. The years before his life in Christ Paul was determined to live a righteous life. He had earned the title ‘rabbi’. He was considered one of the great minds in the Jewish faith. When the resurrected Jesus stopped Paul on the Damascus road [Acts 9] Paul got a glimpse of Christ’s awesomeness and his inadequacies. Paul saw the humility Christ exuded and it exposed his arrogance. Arrogance and faithfulness can’t inhabit the same soul. One will overpower the other. But the good news is Christ is gives us the capacity to let faithfulness win. We must choose faithfulness. It means choosing the eternal over the temporal. It means choosing to serve rather than be served. It means embracing humility and trusting in God’s promises that humility has rewards arrogance and self-centeredness can never offer. When we chose faithful, we chose as Christ chose. With all his divine magnificence Christ chose to humble himself for our sakes. We are not like Christ when we understand our reflection of Christ’s goodness in our deeds is our top priority, we put aside our selfish ambitions. When we do that, we reflect Jesus. That’s called Christ likeness. When we do choose humility consistently that’s called faithfulness. It’s our choice.

Prayer for the day: Lord, work in me so that I have the courage to choose faithfulness. Amen

Week 5 Friday Hebrews 11:6; 2 Timothy 4:7-8

The Light at the End of the Tunnel Faithfulness is journey. Every journey has its termination point. Fort those who chose to walk in faithfulness the endpoint is that moment when we stand face to face with our Lord. For those who chose faithfulness no matter how harrowing the journey has been find themselves in God’s presence without hindrance or distraction. Matthew 25 describes when that moment comes that we hear well done god and faithful servant, here is your reward. It is the hope [the confident expectation] that companions with the faithfulness that provides this moment. This moment makes it all worth it. This moment means unspeakable joy. So, I urge as the apostle Paul wrote to his beloved timothy and the writer of the Hebrews wrote to a fumbling discouraged people facing unrelenting persecution: Hang in there beloved. It’s worth wait. At that moment even the painful things. We experience on the journey will make it worth the trip. We may never understand the whys, but we can testify even the pain was worth it. The joyous moments become joy to the overflowing! Remain faithful dear brother or sister in Christ the journey is worth the trip. Stay close to Christ. Love one another. God’s got this! Most of all God has us. Prayer for the day: Lord, thank you for the grace to complete our journey. See you in good time. Amen

Week 6 Holy Week

Jesus spent three years preaching teaching healing from sickness, delivering from demons and from death. He has done all he can here on earth to demonstrate god’s great capacity to love us. As we come to the final week of Lent, we ask ourselves; what did Christ want us to know before Calvary?

Week 6 Monday John 4What true Worship Looks Like

There was no earthly reason for the great teacher to have be having this conversation. After all male rabbis did not associate with female privately. The Jew and Samaritans have had a virulently hostile relationship with one another for centuries. Yet here Jesu is at the watering hole having a private teaching session with someone he should not even be entertaining for conversation. Yet he welcomes her in and offers more than she had ever imagined she would receive that afternoon she left her home to get water. She was a thoughtful woman, and she was hungry for relationship with God. She had some idea of what it might look like, but her lens had been blurred by the animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Her own life showed signs of confusion. Yet she hungered for more. And Jesus fulfills her every need and longing. In the time they spent alone Jesus showed her what real worship looked like. He showed her the expansive grace god bestows in everyone- even her. He teaches something very important. Worship the expression of our adoration for god is not bound up in our nationality, but in our willingness to give god access to our souls. Worship is the outward expression of that encounter that cannot be contained in rituals. It is easy to get caught up in the practice of worship. But there is also a danger that worship can become routine and monotonous if not fired by the kinship we share with God through Jesus Christ.Though we have written prayers and liturgy to guide our worship the emotions the words evoke is the priority. What does it mean when we sing the doxology or respond to the Great Thanksgiving? And are we sincere? Or have we let the mundanity of creep in and smother the passion? God wants us to mean it when we sing the doxology. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Our challenge whether we have written prescribed prayers or spontaneous displays of worship is to have our hearts in alignment and agreeing to offer real worship.

Week 6 Holy Week Tuesday Matthew 21:1-11The difference days can make

Sunday, we celebrated his triumphal entry. That moment in Jesus’s assignment when the teaching, healing and delivering on an individual basis had ended. It was time to declare what those around him had come to expect. Jesus really the Anointed One. It was time for everyone to see that he is sent from god above. That he truly is the Messiah. Except Jesus is the Messiah the majority of people were looking for. Most people of this day were expecting a Messiah to come riding in on war horse and destroying Roman occupying forces most were looking forward the Anointed One that would lead the nation in battle and conquest.

And Jesus enters Jerusalem n a donkey. A sign of peace and reconciliation. Sime did not take it well. Judas did not take it well and he began to hatch the plan to betray Jesus thinking the thought of crucifixion would force his into picking up arms. It won’t. he comes as the prince of peace not as the holy conqueror and many were displeased with that. And they expressed their disfavor by turning on him the during ghee days of his trial and crucifixion. Human favor can be an uncertain thing. The one moment you are their favorite the next they are hollering crucify. Here’s what Jesus wants us to know: He’s not here to satisfy our selfish ambitions. He is here to save us from destructive ambitions that keep us alienated from God who loves us.Jesus keeps his focus on his task. He experienced the adoration knowing full well the tide would change quickly. What Jesus wants us to know; this week is not going to turn out the way it began. And we will be much better for it.

Prayer for the day: Help me remember when my expectation and your will are at odds to surrender my desire in trust to you perfect will. Amen.

Week 6 Wednesday John 17:5-19One Last Plea

He was done talking. He done explaining how god loved humanity. He was done explaining enteral truth to folks mired in temporal confines. At least until after Calvary. But the very last conversation Jesus had was with his Father in Heaven. Jesus prayed even facing the cruelty of the cross and of unrepentant human. He prayed for the eleven men set aside and chosen by the Father to be his disciples. Because sooner than any of them realized they go from being disciples to being apostles. And Jesus knew the nest part of the story was going to be scary, heart breaking. He knew what the final determination would be. Beyond Calvary and that these men would be empowered to share the good news he had shared with them. But for their sakes the scary parts were just ahead.And he prayed for them. He will pray for those of us who will the gospel and receive it because we too will have a message to share.Here is some of the Jesus prayed

Never forget entrusted us to Jesus care. Jesus has been faithful in assignment and His care

The best joy is the joy we enjoy because of our relationship with Jesus. Disciples are to be sent out into a world that will not always be kind to

them. Sometimes sharing the Gospel will be life threatening but Jesus has remained our care back into the arms of the God who loves us.

We are under God’s protective custody.

We are not exempted from the sinful choices others make, but we are protected. And even in our choices we are always loved. So grateful we are always beloved. That’s good news.

Prayer for the day: thank you Jesus that in you time of great need you considered mine. Thank you for loving us this much. My we grow in our knowledge and understanding of the lengths you are willing to go to ensure it.

Week 6 Holy Week Thursday 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Remember Me Decades later the early church continued this one act of worship. We share it centuries later. Every time we take the bred and the cup it is to remember the night Jesus was arrested and ultimately crucified. Every time we remember the sacrifice made in love. Every time. The Corinthian church was having its challenges and the Apostle Paul wrote to help their understanding. As we read this today it brings us back to the basics. This night our Lord would surrender His freedom for our bondage to sin. This night would be the last time they would share bread and cup before Calvary. This night takes on a somber note because we do not take lightly the gift God gave us through Christ’ life death and resurrection When you take bread in wine at some point during this day remember the Lord who loves you and give thanks.

Prayer for the day, lord every time I take cup and bread let me be ever mindful of your sacrificial love for me and the person sitting or standing next to me. Amen

Week 6 Holy Week FridayIn the Name of Passion

What makes an innocent man endure a cruel cross for guilty men and women everywhere for all time? Passion this goes beyond loving someone. this the

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someone giving his life so that we would not have to face the consequences of irrevocable separation from God. Just one word from the son of god and this debacle would have been over. The angels would have defended their lord and we would be in deep trouble with god. The plans that had been set out eons ago would have failed. We would have still been alienated from god and worse we would be in more trouble for the death of this innocent man. But that day passion ruled. Jesus had his moment of reluctance. But in the end, he as to take up a cross that did not belong to Him. All because of unrelenting love. This unrelenting love does not mitigate the magnitude of the injustice Jesus endured. But god has found a way to take the ugliest act we as humanity have committed and transform it into the demonstration of supreme love. We couldn’t stop and it was not in in god’s plans to have this moment interrupted. We weep at the thought of his agony, but we must be grateful for a passion that saw Jesus through the worst. And we must never forget; this is not the end of story...

Lord we shall never forget what you have done for us…

Resurrection SundayThe long season of grieving is done! the sin debt is paid in full! The pardon has been granted! What we could not do for ourselves Jesus has accomplished! Sin conquered. Death defeated. We are now allowed to commune with living god as beloved children

Hallelujah!Let there be celebration may you celebrate the wonderful gift Christ has offered us.

Hallelujah! Enjoy worship today but consider the great gift you have been given. Don’t forget the share the good news.

Christ is risen and risen indeed!

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered

into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”Luke 24:5-7 !

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