Happy Easter!
The Bible reading plan takes us into Psalms for a while (along with Leviticus). It's an interesting opportunity to praise God while mediating on His holiness and His love. These two qualities met in the cross, where God's righteous requirements were met by a perfect man whom God provided for us out of His great mercy.
Today, rejoice! For God's love is amazing! And He is at work in us and through us. Keep the faith! Keep praying and reading! And follow God as He leads you!
- PD
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Lenten Readings: John 21
Lenten Readings: The two-year Bible reading plan puts the Gospel accounts of Luke and John right between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Whether you're doing the reading plan or not, you can follow along on the blog and read daily meditations based on the accounts of Jesus, whose life and death we remember and cherish during this season of Lent. Check back every day starting on February 14 and until Easter Saturday.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
READ John 21
MEDITATE on John 21:24, "This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true." What is encouraging about knowing that John is giving his own personal testimony about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?
REFLECT
The day between Good Friday and Easter must have been excruciating. Hope had died and been buried and they were supposed to be worshiping (it was the Sabbath) but they were very confused about everything that was happening. They knew Jesus personally. They heard him speak about things that were happening and going to happen, but they did not know how to sort it all out.
God did not leave them in the darkness. Jesus came back and spent weeks ministering to the disciples to restore their faith, strengthening and teaching them, so that they would be able to understand and share this Gospel with others. We have their testimonies. So when Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles were able to carry on the ministry that Jesus commissioned them to do.
Still, Peter needed some special counseling. He had risen high and fallen far, denying Jesus three times around that campfire during Jesus' trial, just as Jesus had told him it would happen. As much as Peter felt that he had betrayed Jesus, Jesus still loved him. And He restored Peter and renewed Peter's call.
There may be times when we are confused or times when we fail, but God is gracious and is still calling us to follow Him. He's given us Christ, His Word, and His Spirit to guide us and help us. Let this weekend be a time for renewal, refreshing, and revival in your relationship with Jesus. Happy Easter!
PRAY
Saturday, March 31, 2018
READ John 21
MEDITATE on John 21:24, "This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true." What is encouraging about knowing that John is giving his own personal testimony about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?
REFLECT
The day between Good Friday and Easter must have been excruciating. Hope had died and been buried and they were supposed to be worshiping (it was the Sabbath) but they were very confused about everything that was happening. They knew Jesus personally. They heard him speak about things that were happening and going to happen, but they did not know how to sort it all out.
God did not leave them in the darkness. Jesus came back and spent weeks ministering to the disciples to restore their faith, strengthening and teaching them, so that they would be able to understand and share this Gospel with others. We have their testimonies. So when Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles were able to carry on the ministry that Jesus commissioned them to do.
Still, Peter needed some special counseling. He had risen high and fallen far, denying Jesus three times around that campfire during Jesus' trial, just as Jesus had told him it would happen. As much as Peter felt that he had betrayed Jesus, Jesus still loved him. And He restored Peter and renewed Peter's call.
There may be times when we are confused or times when we fail, but God is gracious and is still calling us to follow Him. He's given us Christ, His Word, and His Spirit to guide us and help us. Let this weekend be a time for renewal, refreshing, and revival in your relationship with Jesus. Happy Easter!
PRAY
Pray for refreshment in the message of Easter and the love of Jesus Christ for us! Pray for a renewed commitment to follow and for revival in your affections for Christ above all other things! He is risen! He is with us in His Spirit! And He is calling us to follow Him!
Friday, March 30, 2018
Lenten Readings: John 20
Lenten Readings: The two-year Bible reading plan puts the Gospel accounts of Luke and John right between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Whether you're doing the reading plan or not, you can follow along on the blog and read daily meditations based on the accounts of Jesus, whose life and death we remember and cherish during this season of Lent. Check back every day starting on February 14 and until Easter Saturday.
Friday, March 30, 2018
READ John 20
MEDITATE on John 20:9, "for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." This description of the disciples post-cross but pre-resurrection describes many people. Without the resurrection is there true hope in the world?
REFLECT
Today is Good Friday. We remember that Jesus died, and we just read about His crucifixion. The arrest, the trial, the mocking, the torture, and the crucifixion - none of this was done without God allowing it and ordaining it. We see that God was in control, and John, as he wrote the Gospel, understood it.
But when the disciples were experiencing the first time, they did not have the privilege of hindsight. And their confusion and turmoil was deflating: there was no hope left. Mary's tears and Thomas' doubting confirm just how hopeless the disciples felt. There was not coming back from this.
The resurrection changes all of that, but we have two options here. One, we may think the resurrection softens the blow of the cross. "It's okay that Jesus suffered because He came back." But I do not think that is appropriate. Healing and restoration do not negate the suffering that occurred. It's history. It happened. And it was real.
So, the second option: the resurrection does not negate Christ's suffering. It does not even validate it. But it does demonstrate God's goodness and power, both in Christ enduring the very real and very necessary suffering for our sins and in Christ overcoming the gravity of that suffering through the love and grace of God.
It's only when we acknowledge the fullness of the suffering that the resurrection has power. So today, remember Christ suffered. The disciples' responses reflect this weight of this. And remember that God is good.
PRAY
Friday, March 30, 2018
READ John 20
MEDITATE on John 20:9, "for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." This description of the disciples post-cross but pre-resurrection describes many people. Without the resurrection is there true hope in the world?
REFLECT
Today is Good Friday. We remember that Jesus died, and we just read about His crucifixion. The arrest, the trial, the mocking, the torture, and the crucifixion - none of this was done without God allowing it and ordaining it. We see that God was in control, and John, as he wrote the Gospel, understood it.
But when the disciples were experiencing the first time, they did not have the privilege of hindsight. And their confusion and turmoil was deflating: there was no hope left. Mary's tears and Thomas' doubting confirm just how hopeless the disciples felt. There was not coming back from this.
The resurrection changes all of that, but we have two options here. One, we may think the resurrection softens the blow of the cross. "It's okay that Jesus suffered because He came back." But I do not think that is appropriate. Healing and restoration do not negate the suffering that occurred. It's history. It happened. And it was real.
So, the second option: the resurrection does not negate Christ's suffering. It does not even validate it. But it does demonstrate God's goodness and power, both in Christ enduring the very real and very necessary suffering for our sins and in Christ overcoming the gravity of that suffering through the love and grace of God.
It's only when we acknowledge the fullness of the suffering that the resurrection has power. So today, remember Christ suffered. The disciples' responses reflect this weight of this. And remember that God is good.
PRAY
Pray in thankfulness for Christ's suffering. Pray for all those suffering today (including yourself) to find comfort in knowing Christ really did take on our suffering. And then pray for hope for all those who are suffering...because Sunday does come.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Lenten Readings: John 19
Lenten Readings: The two-year Bible reading plan puts the Gospel accounts of Luke and John right between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Whether you're doing the reading plan or not, you can follow along on the blog and read daily meditations based on the accounts of Jesus, whose life and death we remember and cherish during this season of Lent. Check back every day starting on February 14 and until Easter Saturday.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
READ John 19
MEDITATE on John 19:8, "When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid." Of whom or what was Pilate afraid? He had Jesus flogged, crowned with thorns, and mocked. Yet when the crowd told him Jesus should die for saying He was the Son of God, Pilate was afraid. He claims he had authority to release Jesus, yet he was afraid.
REFLECT
There are times when we are called to take a stand for justice, or for righteousness, or for truth. It can be as simple as objecting when co-workers say something mocking religion, to more large-scale working with an organization that addresses human trafficking or abuse. In any case, it requires for us to take a stand and to place our welfare, reputation, and achievements in God's hands. Pilate could not do that: he didn't know God.
But Jesus was standing right in front of him. How ironic! But Pilate refused the truth and tried to wash his hands of guilt, but he could not ignore the truth. He was torn up over it.
Jesus faced all the punishment, injustice, and mockery, the ugliness and vileness of man's sin and its systemic fruit. He took it all.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and the group of women honored Christ. They did not understand, but they still followed. They had laid aside fear in their relationship with mankind because they had been able to lay aside fear in their relationship with God. They knew Jesus. And though they did not know what good was coming out of the crucifixion, they would soon thereafter. Until then, they had a tiny bit of faith still. Let us have faith as well.
PRAY
Thursday, March 29, 2018
READ John 19
MEDITATE on John 19:8, "When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid." Of whom or what was Pilate afraid? He had Jesus flogged, crowned with thorns, and mocked. Yet when the crowd told him Jesus should die for saying He was the Son of God, Pilate was afraid. He claims he had authority to release Jesus, yet he was afraid.
REFLECT
There are times when we are called to take a stand for justice, or for righteousness, or for truth. It can be as simple as objecting when co-workers say something mocking religion, to more large-scale working with an organization that addresses human trafficking or abuse. In any case, it requires for us to take a stand and to place our welfare, reputation, and achievements in God's hands. Pilate could not do that: he didn't know God.
But Jesus was standing right in front of him. How ironic! But Pilate refused the truth and tried to wash his hands of guilt, but he could not ignore the truth. He was torn up over it.
Jesus faced all the punishment, injustice, and mockery, the ugliness and vileness of man's sin and its systemic fruit. He took it all.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and the group of women honored Christ. They did not understand, but they still followed. They had laid aside fear in their relationship with mankind because they had been able to lay aside fear in their relationship with God. They knew Jesus. And though they did not know what good was coming out of the crucifixion, they would soon thereafter. Until then, they had a tiny bit of faith still. Let us have faith as well.
PRAY
Pray for a heart for truth, justice, righteousness, and mercy. Pray for churches to be purified and to stand with Jesus in faith.
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