Pastor Mary Haley

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“To love righteousness is to make it grow, not to avenge it…Throughout His life on earth, He resisted every impulse to work more rapidly for a lower good.”
—George MacDonald

Day 28: Fasting Reduction

We should never overlook the power of God’s name, because at the name of Jesus every knee in heaven and on earth will bow (Phil 2:9). We note this happening when the temple guards come to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, bring him to trial, and sentence him to death. When the guards say they are looking for Jesus of Nazareth and he responds, “I Am he” the crowd draws back and falls to the ground (John 18:6). Jesus and God are One in Nature and Name!

No one would have been able to lay a hand on Jesus unless he allowed it, friends. This is again another picture of the love of God for us. He was innocent, but willingly gave up his righteous life for sinners. Human beings know when they are in the presence of true righteousness even in a state of unbelief. The living Word of God holds the universe together, so giving his life for us was not an act of passivity but rather absolute and pure restraint—the cup of suffering for the highest good.

Today we will fast trying to reduce Jesus to fit within our level of thinking or ability to express. We can never accurately articulate the purity, power, and presence of Almighty God; for this reason we approach God with awe and a healthy fear. The Pharisees served God, but had not connected to his pure love. Therefore, they found Jesus guilty of weakness even though he could have commanded ten thousand angels to his side (Mat 26:53). There is nothing passive about Jesus—his restraint on our behalf is simply love-driven obedience. So, does reciprocal love drive our obedience to the Lord? What restraint do we practice?

John 19:1-6 NLT Jesus Sentenced to Death
1Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.
4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!”

6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

Prayer: Lord, please forgive us for trying to reduce you, your righteousness, and your omnipotence to fit within our finite, selfish, and sin-laden minds. Help us to understand and respond with gratitude as we think about the restraint you revealed on our behalf. Salvation came at a great cost for you, Lord. Continue to renew our minds in the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“If every annoyance can be made to remind me to turn and grip Your hand and ask You, ‘What are you saying through this vexation?’ then I can turn life’s rough spots into Your vocabulary. If I can do that perfectly, nothing can defeat my soul.” —-Frank Laubach

Day 27: Fasting Discontentment

Life in this fallen world can leave us feeling like we are missing something important; like whatever we have accomplished or whatever we have accumulated is not enough. Judas must have felt that way, because as one of the first twelve disciples, Judas was given the power, the purse, and the purpose of God from the day he met Jesus. Yet, it was not enough to satisfy him; he stole from the mission purse and sought to highjack the sacrificial purpose of God. It is always the work of Satan to make people feel a measure of discontentment; in this way he lures people away from Christ and toward a spirit of worldliness—mentality that is focused more on the world than on Jesus.

Satan entered Judas and this disciple of Jesus became a betrayer. His discontentment overwhelmed his commitment to Truth. Judas ate at the table with Jesus; he allowed Jesus to wash his feet knowing he was going to betray the Lord. He believed lies. Discontentment is a spiritual problem that arises from greed, a desire for more, and a lack of Trust in God’s plan. Pride is a thief and discontentment is its manifestation! Pride is how Satan fell from heaven. Jesus is greater and Satan has no power over him.

Today, we will fast discontentment, because we know we can trust God’s plan. We will put on a spirit of gratitude, seek the guidance and wisdom of God, and guard our hearts from leaning toward worldliness. We must stay out of Satan’s playground.

John 18:33-40 NLT 33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.
34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?”
Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?”
40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the challenge your Word has provided us today. We cast down the spirit of worldliness and the mentality of discontentment. We have all we need. If we need more, we will ask you to be our Provider. Thank you, Lord; we are grateful for your goodness each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“There are two absences of God. One is the absence that condemns us, the other is the absence that sanctifies us. In the absence that is condemnation, God ‘knows us not’ because we have put some other god in His place, and refuse to be known by Him. In the absence that sanctifies, God empties the soul of every concern that might stand between our face and His.” —Tomas Merton

Day 26: Fasting Comparison

Insecurity is a difficult emotion to deal with in our present culture. Many factors may play into a person feeling insecure: social comparisons, past experiences, trauma, societal pressure, etc. People want to be accepted and we HATE criticism even though it may be good for us. The fallen world constantly sends a false message to the minds of people, because the devil is a liar. God never created human beings to live feeling inadequate or unloved; so he commands us to get our security, value, and self-worth in Christ.

When we are facing the emotional pressure of insecurity, we may feel vulnerable, uncertain, or lack confidence which may lead to the additional feelings of rejection, anxiety, or even judgment from others. It’s a slippery slope of lies the enemy tries to feed us. Out of any of those feelings, the temptation comes to compare ourselves. Mistake! We live for Jesus and his true perception of reality; not the reality according to the world.

Today, we fast comparison. I imagine some of the disciples struggled with insecurity, a lack of confidence, or perhaps rejection, when Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go forward with him to Gethsemane, but left the other eight behind. Jesus treasures every human being, so he treasures and desires companionship with you. The Pharisees compared themselves to the temporal world and in the process they did not see the holiness of Christ or the truth about their hearts. When we look in the mirror, may we be more interested in seeing the character of Christ growing in us rather than comparing ourselves to other fallen human beings.

John 18:28-32 NLT Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”
30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.
31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them.
“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making each one of us unique in your nature. You do not compare us, so we should not compare ourselves to anyone else. Instead, help us to judge our lives by your glorious standard. As we do, please provide mercy, restore our sense of self-worth, and fill us with confidence to do the things you call us to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“What matters is participating in the reality of God and the world in Jesus Christ today, and in doing so in such a way that I never experience the reality of God without the reality of the world, nor the reality of the world without the reality of God.”
—-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Day 25: Fasting Denial
According to Scripture, humanity’s story with God began in the Garden of Eden—an unspoiled place. This Garden was a gift from God to humanity. It was a place of abundant natural beauty, because God created it. But, instead of caring for it and honoring the boundaries God put into place, humanity spoiled it with disobedience and an unholy focus on self—sin. Denying the flesh is not pleasurable. When we demand our own way, we must face the authority of Truth and pay the consequences for our sin.

The Father sent his Son, to die for the sins of the world, so we could live in the unspoiled Kingdom realm of heaven. Jesus faced tremendous anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed for himself, his disciples, and future believers because he would obediently and unselfishly lay down his life for us (John 17). When Jesus prayed, he asked the Father if there was another way to provide salvation (John 17:6). However, the answer was already written, “Jesus is the Way…” (John 14:6).

I suppose each one of us have prayed and asked God to take a situation away so we would not have to drink of it, “Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me” (Matt 26:39). But life happens and God calls us to a place of surrender, “Not my will but your’s Lord.” We press on and endure the pain in our souls.

Today, we fast denial; we must be honest with God and stop hiding our sinful nature, because the Truth has the final authority. Jesus faced his emotions; however, he surrendered to the Father’s will and remained faithful with his commitment. Peter denied knowing Jesus and his work of salvation. We must not.

John 18:25-27 NLT Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”

26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for teaching us more about denying our flesh, today. We know you require honesty in the inner places of our hearts. Holy Spirit, please keep us in the will of the Father as we honor our commitment. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“There is no one-size-fits-all crucifixion. Jesus said each one of us must pick up our own cross, and pick it up each day. For some, martyrdom might be fame. For some, martyrdom might be anonymity. Regardless of what it is, first followers ask daily, “Lord what is my cross today, and where shall I carry it?” —Leonard Sweet

Day 24: Fasting Self-Direction

I’m sure the disciples had no idea why Jesus told them they would desert him, because they believed they would remain loyal to him. But Jesus knows all things; he knows we all must experience the transitioning of our sinful nature to become spiritually mature. Transforming our hearts is the goal of Father God.

Following his teaching to the disciples about abiding in the Vine and the impartation of the Holy Spirit, Jesus make the announcement that he is going away. Therefore, he promises to leave them with heavenly peace of mind and heart (Jo 14:27). Then, Jesus tells the disciples, “Come [Gk. egeiro; a command that means ‘arise’ or “come to life”] let’s be going [from here]” (Jo 14:31). Jesus was telling the disciples they had a transition awaiting them; a shift of direction for their lives. Jesus was heading to the cross…his disciples were heading to a cross, too.

Jesus gave his life as a redemption sacrifice for our sin; he died in our place so we could be reconciled with Father God. However, we will have to pick up our cross of self-denial to deal with our sinful nature. We must deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and follow wherever Jesus leads us (Luke 9:23).

To deny [Gk.translated from aparneomai] ourselves means to “claim no knowledge or relationship to.” It’s also the word used in Scripture for what Peter did when asked if he knew Jesus. So, in life we either deny ourselves or we deny Jesus. A choice of leadership must be made and our souls are sticky with selfish desires.

The high priest and temple guards denied Jesus as a leader, so they took measures to silence him. There is no middle ground for us either. We will deny self or Jesus. So, today we fast self-direction—the cross is about committing to the leadership of Christ.

John 18:19-24 NLT The High Priest Questions Jesus

19 Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 20 Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. 21 Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”
22 Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23 Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?”

24 Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for taking us on this transformation journey where we are learning more about the power of denying ourselves and releasing the leadership of our lives to you. Holy Spirit, please help us every day to deny our selfish tendencies by choosing to live the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“God’s mercy is greater than our sins. There is an awareness of sin that does not lead to God but rather to self-preoccupation. Our temptation is to be so impressed by our sins and failings and so overwhelmed by our lack of generosity that we get stuck in a paralyzing guilt. It is the guilt that says, ‘I am too sinful to deserve God’s mercy.’It is the guilt that leads to introspection instead of directing our eyes to God. It is the guilt that has become an idol and therefore a form of pride. Lent is the time to break down this idol and to direct our attention to our Loving Lord.” —-Henri Nouwen

Day 23: Fasting Guilt and Fear

At the Last Supper, Jesus was aware of Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial, and the knowledge his disciples would desert him in his time of need. Yet, he washed their feet, anyway. Jesus understood the emotions sin would leave within his followers. Let’s not forget, Jesus was fully human and fully divine and acquainted with our grief, our guilt, our pain, and our fears.

We all have hidden weaknesses. I know we tend to focus on the divinity of Christ, but he was also a human being who had to sort through his feelings, too. Maybe washing the feet of the disciples helped Jesus wash away his emotions as he faced the cross.

Today, we fast guilt and fear as we seek to remember the humanity of Jesus. We must resist having a wrong perspective of our Savior. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Heb 4:15). Give God your guilt and fear, you have no need of it and it only hinders your fellowship with Christ. “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love (1 John 4:18).

John 18:15-18 NLT Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. 16 Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. 17 The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”
“No,” he said, “I am not.”
18 Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the Word that helps us understand our weaknesses and limitations. Rather than make our guilt an idol that robs us, we choose to come to you and ask for a cleansing only you can bring our lives. Refresh us, Lord, and help us serve you based on your great love for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“Absent God, all other desire, by necessity, will fail to fully satisfy us.”
—-James Davison Hunter

Day 22: Fasting Noise

Throughout the life of Christ and the eyewitness accounts of the apostles, it is clear he enjoyed an ongoing prayer conversation with the heavenly Father. Scripture records many of those conversations with Jesus’ words, but several times the Father audibly responded to his Son—Baptism, Transfiguration, and just before his Last Supper. The Father’s voice was heard differently, but an awareness that it was a voice [Gk. (phōnē—audible sound] from above was emphatic [from a cloud, heaven, the abode of God].

The sound of God’s voice was not always heard by everyone, sometimes it was only Jesus and John the Baptist, the disciples Peter, James, and John, or was described by other listeners as ‘thunder.’ Can you imagine hearing the audible voice of God? I have never heard the audible voice of God, but many times God has spoken inaudibly in the depths of my spirit and my soul acknowledges the authority and bows. Tears fill my eyes and knowledge is met with understanding. We were created to communion with God—to have conversation with God as our greatest desire—and it has been my experience that he speaks in the midst of silence.

Today, we will fast noise and all the external sounds in life that are so deafening and distracting; maybe an hour would be a good goal for us. This world is filled with noise and we are so used to it, we may actually struggle with silence. Moments ago, my washer and dryer played a little tune interrupting the silence. Think about it for a minute and reflect upon your preferred environment. Everything comes with a noise of some kind—microwave, refrigerator, alarm system, beeps and bells in every direction. Do you listen to music while working, driving, leisure? Or, maybe you have the TV on for noise. Then, there is social media or youtube with our phone in hand spending hours watching and listening. Is there any time you just sit in silence and desire conversational time with God? We must be deliberate. Being alone with God should be satisfying.

Jesus prayed with anguish in the Garden, but he did not ask to be delivered from God’s purpose for him Then, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and protected by Peter who both wanted to find an alternative route to salvation. In our passage today, Jesus is under trial by the religious leaders. All of it would have played out so differently if humanity was willing to hear from God.

John 18:12-14 NLT Jesus at the High Priest’s House
12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ability to hear your voice in our spirits. When we shut out all the noises of the world, we position ourselves to recognize when you communicate with us. We desire for our lives to be led by you so we gain the assurance we are moving according to your plan. Today, help us set aside a period of time and fast noise, because the audible distractions of this world can be very deafening. May silence comfort and satisfy us today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“No intellectual answer will solve suffering. Perhaps this is why God sent his own Son as one response to human pain, to experience it and absorb it into himself. The Incarnation did not ‘solve’ human suffering, but at least it was an active and personal response. In the truest sense, no words can speak more loudly than the Word.”
—Philip Yancey

Day 21: Fasting Alternative Routes

In our previous readings, the Word of God reveals to us the Holy One, Jesus, experiences all the emotions common to human beings; yet, he remains sinless before the Father. In spite of his inner emotions, Jesus stays the course toward his purpose— the cross. As people begin to gather for the Passover, Jesus begins to release words that connect his life with a soon arriving death. To his disciples, Jesus transparently speaks about the distress of his soul. Our souls understand the reality of inner turmoil and it is reassuring to know Jesus felt it, too. He understands.

Jesus handles the distress in his soul in an amazing way which teaches us the power of his holiness. He says to the disciples, “Should I pray, ’Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!” (John 12:27-28). This is Christ’s moment to bring glory to the Father’s name by offering redemption to the world. Please note, Jesus has a troubled soul, but he is not deficient in faith. When we make a choice to remain obedient to God’s Word, we can experience inner turmoil, because our souls try to stick to the things of earth. Obedience is a process of dealing with the issues before us and we must allow it to guide each step.

The Lord presses on in the process of obedience to do the will of the Father even when it means the distress of his soul. He does not try to interrupt God’s plan or take other action to avoid the cross that will lead the world toward eternal life. In the garden, Peter fights to change the outcome of Christ’s surrender, but finds himself rebuked and reminded that eternal life must be lived on God’s terms.

Today we fast the desire to take an alternative route in glorifying the Father. We accept even the distress of our souls, because we know God will be faithful to use it for his glory and to bring us greater spiritual transformation. Relationship with God brings wholeness; we are able to bear righteous fruit that reveals Christ’s holy presence in us. Our goal is to become more faithful partners with the Lord and his purposes for saving and redeeming more souls. Our obedience matters in that process.

John 18:1-11 NLT Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
1 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.
4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.
5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7 Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.”
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

Prayer: Lord, today we fast the desire to find alternative routes to the transformation you bring our souls. You alone know the way to bring us into Oneness with your mighty power and grace. We dare not try to rewrite what you have already written for our lives. You alone know how you will use even the biggest challenges to refine our souls and wash the world from us. Cleanse us, Lord. We accept your plan and purpose and know you do all things in love. Thank you, Lord, for the holy way of salvation that leads us in glorifying your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“No intellectual answer will solve suffering. Perhaps this is why God sent his own Son as one response to human pain, to experience it and absorb it into himself. The Incarnation did not ‘solve’ human suffering, but at least it was an active and personal response. In the truest sense, no words can speak more loudly than the Word.”
—Philip Yancey

Day 21: Fasting Alternative Routes

In our previous readings, the Word of God reveals to us the Holy One, Jesus, experiences all the emotions common to human beings; yet, he remains sinless before the Father. In spite of his inner emotions, Jesus stays the course toward his purpose— the cross. As people begin to gather for the Passover, Jesus begins to release words that connect his life with a soon arriving death. To his disciples, Jesus transparently speaks about the distress of his soul. Our souls understand the reality of inner turmoil and it is reassuring to know Jesus felt it, too. He understands.

Jesus handles the distress in his soul in an amazing way which teaches us the power of his holiness. He says to the disciples, “Should I pray, ’Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!” (John 12:27-28). This is Christ’s moment to bring glory to the Father’s name by offering redemption to the world. Please note, Jesus has a troubled soul, but he is not deficient in faith. When we make a choice to remain obedient to God’s Word, we can experience inner turmoil, because our souls try to stick to the things of earth. Obedience is a process of dealing with the issues before us and we must allow it to guide each step.

The Lord presses on in the process of obedience to do the will of the Father even when it means the distress of his soul. He does not try to interrupt God’s plan or take other action to avoid the cross that will lead the world toward eternal life. In the garden, Peter fights to change the outcome of Christ’s surrender, but finds himself rebuked and reminded that eternal life must be lived on God’s terms.

Today we fast the desire to take an alternative route in glorifying the Father. We accept even the distress of our souls, because we know God will be faithful to use it for his glory and to bring us greater spiritual transformation. Relationship with God brings wholeness; we are able to bear righteous fruit that reveals Christ’s holy presence in us. Our goal is to become more faithful partners with the Lord and his purposes for saving and redeeming more souls. Our obedience matters in that process.

John 18:1-11 NLT Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
1 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.
4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.
5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7 Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.”
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

Prayer: Lord, today we fast the desire to find alternative routes to the transformation you bring our souls. You alone know the way to bring us into Oneness with your mighty power and grace. We dare not try to rewrite what you have already written for our lives. You alone know how you will use even the biggest challenges to refine our souls and wash the world from us. Cleanse us, Lord. We accept your plan and purpose and know you do all things in love. Thank you, Lord, for the holy way of salvation that leads us in glorifying your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“It seems that what St. Basil identified as danger lurking behind some of the practices of late antiquity, namely the dangers of isolationism, individualism, and self-pleasing, still remain. The temptation of our own time seems to be the same, a spirituality focused upon the self as its ultimate telos [purpose].” —George Kalentzis

Day 20: Fasting the Yeast of Hypocrisy

As human beings, we can act in ways that contradict what we say we believe—hypocrisy. Jesus referred to the sin of hypocrisy as having yeast infected hearts—in Scripture it is the sin corrupted practices of the world [Egypt] that must be left behind. Our lives are like gardens that have the potential to plant and grow both righteousness and unrighteousness. I pray for us to be mindful of what we are growing in thought, word, and deed. God is not mocked; we harvest what we plant (Gal 6:7).

We can practice hypocrisy by looking down at the sin of others, even when we know our hearts possess the yeast of sin. We can look at religious activities as righteous even when our hearts are filled with deceit. We can see ourselves as holy, but our actions actually reveal the Lord is not welcome on the throne of our hearts. We can say we wholeheartedly honor the commands of our Father, but never produce the fruit of integrity—wholeness. All of this is like putting on a religious mask and pretending to be righteous when we are actually focused on self.

Jesus told a variety of parables and many of them were pointed toward the religious leaders. Because these leaders could never see their own sin and repent, Jesus told them prostitutes and tax collectors who were willing to repent, would enter the Kingdom of God before them. After hearing several of Jesus’ parables about the sinful fruit of hypocrisy, the religious leaders eventually knew he was talking about them. Jesus ended with, “I tell you the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to the people who will produce fruit!” (Mat 21:43). To his disciples, Jesus said, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1).

Today, we will fast the yeast of hypocrisy, because Jesus makes it clear we will be judged by how we live and the fruit we are willing to produce. When we repent and turn toward God, the world just can’t stick to our souls. May God continue to transform us!

John 17:20-26 NLT
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

Prayer: Lord, we pray for our hearts to be free from the hypocrisy, corruption, and the bondage of sin. We confess our sinful thoughts, words, and actions; we have failed to glorify you. It is so easy to say one thing and do another. May we seek to live in you—our sinless Bread of heaven—and the grace you provide to keep our souls cleansed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God.  Self cannot satisfy self.  We must hunger for God.

This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God.  Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.

“The question asked is not, ‘What should be happening in my life?’ but ‘What is happening in my life?’ The present moment, the present set of circumstances, the present relationships in our lives—this is where God lives. This is where God meets us and gives us life.” —-Alice Frying

Day 19: Fasting Dominance for Holiness

Our journey in life as worshipers of the Lord is to embrace his holiness; a holiness that begins to take dominion of our hearts and starts the transformation process that makes us holy in the Truth. The whole purpose of our Lenten reflections and repentance is to further our commitment to live in the Truth. Learning Scripture is purposeful and spending time in corporate worship and attending helpful Bible studies will open us up to experience more of God’s faithful love and guidance in the Truth, but if we do nothing to apply the Word to the life we live each day, we have missed where God lives. Remember brothers and sisters, today, God lives in you!

From the beginning, God instructed humanity to take ‘dominion,’ but we must remember in Hebrew the deeper meaning of that word [radah] reflects ‘partnership or stewardship.’ Jesus is the embodiment of all that is holy and he instructs us to follow him—take part in his dominion—because he is the Truth that brings salvation to sinful hearts. The Lord did not surrender his role of dominion; rather, he loaned it to us for the purpose of bringing transformation into our very lives and revelation of the Kingdom to the world. When we are faithful stewards of the Truth, we understand we are not called to a spirit of dominance but to a posture of faithful surrender and partnership. We live every aspect of our lives each day in worship—e.g. waking, sleeping, working, playing, exercising, and resting—knowing we are to be responsible stewards of the Truth.

For this reason, the Church—those who connect to Christ—are given the Holy Spirit of Truth and the gifts we all need for the journey. Jesus has the authority to pass out these spiritual gifts so we can all keep the Word; live in the Truth. Believers do NOT serve the Lord by demonstrating dominance—control. We serve the Lord through his dominion and authority—stewardship and holy care-taking of all creation.

Remember, the authority of Christ was always questioned by the religious leaders (Mat 21:23). Jesus’ response was to answer these leaders’ questions with yet another question, because he knew their hearts were deceitful and found their outward religious facade repulsive. Believers operate within the loaned authority of Christ—Truth—so the world has the opportunity through our care-taking in holiness to receive salvation and submit to the Holy One.

Today, we will fast dominance and feast on holiness. Like the Pharisees, when believers are driven by the world’s way to live in dominance or control, we will miss the beautiful gift of taking dominion through partnership in Christ’s holiness. We must take his yoke upon us (Mat 11:29-20). Jesus prays for us, because each day he sends and goes with us. We are so blessed!

John 17:6-19 NLT
6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

Prayer: Father, please help us fast an attitude of dominance in order to feast on your holiness. We must fight the desire to control or protect our self-perceived need for power, because it is deception at work. We desire spiritual intimacy in the Truth, so we bow and surrender to take dominion with you. Thank you for the yoke that guides us toward transformation and daily salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.