iLent.org

Online Lenten Devotional

Archives for February 2013

Watching Your Lead

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT KNOWING GOD

John 1:14-18 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'” From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

Jed Maschke
First Lutheran Concord

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
God surpasses everyone and everything in Jesus. That happened, is happening, and will happen no matter what. We’re supposed to let Him surpass everything in our lives, too. That’s what John knew would happen in his life.

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
That’s not what always happens in my life. I get frustrated when my leadership doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Sometimes I need to stop what I’m doing, remember the forgiveness that Jesus earned for me, and point my life back to Him. I will stop taking out the frustration on others, stop trying to manipulate people, and wait for God’s Spirit to do His work in His time. I’ll be able to follow better if I’m not getting tripped up every time I try to pass Him.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Jesus, forgive me for the times when I step in front of You, open my eyes to see Your lead and give me the strength to follow You at all times. Amen.

From Him Who Sent Me

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT KNOWING GOD

John 7:11-17 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, “Where is that man?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

Jeff Reed
Hillside Covenant

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
Jesus, Your wisdom came to You from Your Father, because He had sent You, and because You were always willing to do His will. I believe that, likewise, I will receive tangible wisdom from You (You who have sent me!) if I am always willing to do Your will.

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
In order to see if I am in fact living with such a surrendered attitude, for the next month, each night as I crawl into bed, I will conduct a “Daily Examen”—prayerfully reviewing in my mind’s eye all the events of the day, looking for places where I submitted to You and places where I resisted You (to the best of my knowledge). Where I detect any resistance, I will say a short prayer of repentance and recommit to the fully surrendered life.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Search me, O God! Examine my heart and see if there be any stubborn way in me, and lead me, please, in the Your good and long-lasting ways so that I might be filled with Your wisdom!

This Man Really Is The Savior Of The World

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT KNOWING GOD

John 4:39-43 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” After the two days he left for Galilee.

Jim Shields
Sanctuary Ministries

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
Listening to others talk about You is just a beginning. My relationship with You requires that I “believe” because of what You say directly to me. Individual encounters. You to me and me to You. And that this may take some time. Two days for the Samaritans. Time from You and time from me.

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
I am going to get alone with You. Then I’m going to pick out a verse of Scripture, just one verse, read it to You and then ask You for Your thoughts about it. I will write down whatever I think You say and then, later, ask a trusted Christian friend if they think that came from You. I will do this for five consecutive days.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Jesus, I want to know You, not just what others know about You but YOU. I will give You some private time. Please meet me there. Please let me know You more.

Worship In Spirit And Truth

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT KNOWING GOD

John 4:19-26 (ESV) The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Pete Woodward
Faith Lutheran

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
It’s a call to the Who of worship and to quit worrying about the where. I spend so much time worrying about where I am that I forget the Who—Jesus. Who is with me is of far greater significance and importance than where I am.

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
Today I am going to list all the “where(s)” in my life that take my focus away from Jesus. Whatever is keeping my body, mind, or spirit from the Lord is an idol and must go. I am going to ask Jesus to reveal them to me. He tells us to ask for such wisdom. I invite you to do the same—with paper and pencil—and lay them before the Lord.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Holy Spirit, expose the truth that will enable me to repent and believe. Amen.

Believe The Way

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT KNOWING GOD

John 14:6-11 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

Joe Hernandez
Gateway Church

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
Jesus is saying I am “the way”… and I have been showing you “the way”…and any time you want to know the heart of the Father look at the God/Man – Jesus

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
In the coming week, I am going to spend an hour re-reading the Gospel of John to focus on the Father’s heart.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Father, I really want to know You. Open my eyes to see Your true heart through the life of Christ my Lord. Reveal Your knowledge and wisdom so I can “BE” a better follower.

Your King Is Coming

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GOOD NEWS 4 SEEKERS SUNDAY

John 12:14-18 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.

Lance Anderson
The Living Way

PERCEPTION // What I see/hear God saying/doing:
It brings me tremendous comfort to know that God is sovereign. All things are under His rule. I don’t have to get caught up in what I seem to think is an adverse situation or inconvenient circumstance. He will work it out for good, and graciously include me.

PLAN // What I am going to do about it:
Father, may I never forget your greatness. May I be intentional about Your kingdom and Your righteousness. I want an attitude worth catching – the mind of Christ. A mind that loves the unlovely, helps and heals the hurting, and binds the broken – starting with those closes to me – to the furthest from me.

PRAYER // Seal the deal:
Holy Spirit, have Your way in me that I put off the old man daily and put on Christ. As I decrease, clarify my focus and increase my faith so that Your walk in me is a vital witness to the world around me. May I always be pliable in Your hand to constantly reflect Your glory in Christ Jesus. Amen.