Devotionals

Intro: Eternal life (a quality of life or abundant life with God) is the proof of Christ’s resurrection and our relationship with the Father. In Christ, we have the assurance our sins are forgiven and we are free from the judgment of God. Believers can enjoy tastes of eternal life now while we are in the world, because we have died with Christ and been raised with him into new [resurrection] life. So this reality gives us a different perspective of our lives; a heavenly one filled with hope.

We can know the power that raised Christ from the dead right now, because the Spirit helps to raise us from sin and dead living. This is where we place our faith; in the presence, provision, and power of God. And let us not forget, according to Scripture, there will be another resurrection in the future—all people will be resurrected either into eternal life or into judgment.

For this reason, please make sure you have an abiding relationship with Christ now; make him the Lord of your life. By obeying the Lord and living according to his will, we can look forward to stepping from this corrupt and sinful world into God’s glorious paradise (Luke 23:42-43). This is where God’s people place their hope [Heb: tikvah—expectation]. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).

1 Corinthians 15:19-28 NLT

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) 28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for people across the world to be drawn to you and to reach for the salvation you offer in Christ. As believers, our hope is in you and everything you have promised to do in bringing us into the fullness of eternal life. We know one day you will conquer all evil on this earth once and for all. It cannot be soon enough for us, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

As a reminder, Psalms 113 – 118 are known as the “Hallel”, which means praise, and these Psalms were often sang in connection with Jewish holidays or celebrations such as Passover.

Today, we are spending time in Psalm 114 and celebrating the deep sense of ultimate security that God gave, and continues to give, to His people. During the Exodus, we see God’s powerful commitment to save His covenant people, Israel, from slavery by the Egyptian empire. It was such a spectacular event of redemption. You and I must always remember that this ultimate redemption was for God’s people then and is for God’s people now. We are God’s holy people, and we will always clash with the world’s ungodly systems, just like our Israelite brothers and sisters did when they were in Egypt. But we must never forget that we are a part of God’s Kingdom, and God is always seeking to rescue and to protect His people as we are God’s sanctuary, His temple.

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s sovereign power with the parting of the waters at the Red Sea and at the Jordan River. God made a way for His people, just like He makes a way for you and me. We know that the Israelites experienced miracle after miracle and they still struggled with their faith. That is why we must fear and tremble at the sheer holy presence of the Lord. I am not saying that we must be afraid of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; I am actually saying the complete opposite. We must grow so close to each of them, as One, that we cannot think, say, or act without the holy guidance of the Holy Trinity within our lives. Only then are we living in true fear of the Lord, or a place reverence of the Lord.

God wants to move the mountain within my life and within your life…and if you do not have a mountain standing in the way right now, then praise Jesus; because He is Who you will call on when you are faced with one that seems far too big to climb.

Psalm 114 (NLT)

1 When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—
when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—

2 the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary,
and Israel became his kingdom.

3 The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way!
The water of the Jordan River turned away.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs!

5 What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way?
What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?

6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams?
Why, hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob.

8 He turned the rock into a pool of water;
yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Jesus, Who redeemed me and rescued me from sin. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Who seeks to guide my second-by-second life. I need Your protection, at all times. This world seeks to mess with my soul, and I know I need You to have full control over my soul. I want my mind to be fixated on You, Lord. I want my will to be firmly rooted in You, Lord. Finally, I want my emotions to be guided by You, Lord. I want my faith to keep growing because I know in order to grow closer with You that is what needs to happen. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: Humility is not associated with believing we are worthless; on the contrary, it is simply recognizing God’s all-powerful redemptive work alive in and for us making our lives worthy of His call to be his sons and daughters (2 Thes 1:11). We need to see ourselves from God’s perspective; from the immense love he has for us as his ‘adopted’ children (Gal 4:5). We are adopted on the basis of grace to be a part of God’s family; we are no longer children of the world (Gal 4:3-7). Therefore, we eagerly humble ourselves before the Mighty Hand of God, because what Father brings into our lives is so much better!

In our passage today from the Apostle Paul—a religious Pharisee who was at one time considered an enemy of the church—is now proclaiming the gospel message of Jesus. I can only imagine how unworthy Paul could have been feeling to be in such a position, but he is exactly the person God wanted to use. The Truth Paul earlier rejected about Christ and his followers actually prepared him to share the gospel of grace that turns the heart of people back to God and his redemption. Paul had to humble himself to become a son of God and follower of Christ. Who better than Paul to testify to the power of God’s grace to change a human perspective?

Therefore, Paul was very strategic with how he shared the gospel. First, Paul began by telling those listening about how the promises of the Old Testament have been fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ps 16:8-11; Isa 9:6-7). Second, Paul shared about God exalting Jesus by resurrecting him to be the head or Messiah of a new people with a fresh perspective—born again or adopted (Phil 2:6-11). Third, Paul, as well as all the apostles were eye witnesses to the miraculous works of Christ, so Paul shared his personal experience which was very influential (Mat 14:15-21; Acts 9:3-20). Fourth, Paul taught a true believer’s response to these things should be one of humility, repentance, and faith (Acts 20:21). Lastly, Paul affirms that God sent the Holy Spirit to move a person from sin into a life led by the Spirit (Ro 8:5-9, 14).

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NLT The Resurrection of Christ
1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

Prayer: Father, thank you for adopting us as your children through the work of Christ whom you sent, as well as the work of the Spirit who helps us to grow and experience salvation and life from your perspective. Teach us, guide us, and place your message on our lips, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Prayer is interacting [talking] with God and seeking his favor [grace]. When we pray, we are addressing our Creator and Maker; the One who loves us more than any other. No One cares for us spiritually, emotionally, or physical more than God. Our prayers to him can be filled with emotion and desires and God welcomes us to pour out our souls to him. Have you ever just sat and cried with God? Maybe our prayers are filled with praise and gratitude and God welcomes every one. When is the last time you just sat and praise God for every blessing he has poured into your life or the lives of your loved ones? Prayer can be motivated by need, so we petition God and he listens to the cries of our hearts and rises to be our Provider and Healer. Do you realize every good thing that has touched your life comes from God and every power you need is at his command? Every human being has much to pray about each day. Will you spend some time in prayer, today?

In our passage from the Apostle Paul and his letter to the Colossians, we are encouraged to devote ourselves to prayer and thanksgiving; we must never grow tired of praying. Paul asks believers to pray for him that he would be alert to the evangelistic opportunities given to him while he is in jail; he wants to make the gospel of salvation clear to others who may be facing death. As believers, we should be praying for those opportunities, as well. There are people around us who may not know Christ; they may not realize the salvation he offers. So, who will tell them, if you and I don’t?

Colossians 4:2-5 NLT An Encouragement for Prayer
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be watchful and vigilant with every opportunity to share your love and message of salvation. We pray for ourselves; we need you in every area of our lives. Give us courage to step into the opportunities we are given to share Christ with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Some relationships are challenging in life, because our wills can be very strong, as well as our determination to defend ourselves [or our loved ones] against those who see things differently. As Christians, we need to remember every relationship we make should be built upon God’s love, good listening skills, and a proper mindset of trying to understand one another. Honestly, we all come to a listening time in our relationships with built-in judgments; positive or negative.

For example, say someone once hurt or rejected us, so since that time we listen from that place of pain in the past to interpret what is being said in the present. We may not be listening for good things or kind words to be said at all, because we are standing on our emotions about what happened in the past rather than standing on Christ and the forgiving love of God. We struggle to let the negative judgments go in order to love as Christ. However, Paul reminds us, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (1 Cor 13:7). So, will we love others the way Jesus loves us?

In our passage from Colossians, today, the Apostle Paul gives some advice to those who desire to live as genuine Christians: 1) we must imitate Christ’s compassion and forgiveness in our relationships; 2) we welcome Christ’s love to be the compass that guides our lives; 3) we allow the shalom [peace] of Christ to rule in our hearts; 4) we live with a spirit of thanksgiving for the salvation of Christ; 5) we apply the Word to our lives; and 6) we desire to do all things—in thought, word, or deed—in a way that glorifies Christ. As Christians, we celebrate the resurrected Christ, because we have been raised with Him to new life—a life that is filled with holy attitudes, holy forgiveness, and holy love.

Colossians 3:12-17 VOICE
12 Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind. 14 But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together. 15 Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.

16 Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness. 17 Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him to God our Father.

Prayer: Lord, please continue to lead us into a holy new life. Help us to be full of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You have forgiven us for so many offenses; please help us to be quick to forgive as a way that imitates you. Groom us in great listening skills; we welcome you into all of our relationships. We know all these amazing attributes found in your Word reflect your character and are bound together in your love. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yesterday ended the Lenten season, but that doesn’t mean that we stop living for Christ simply because one of the annual “holidays” in which we celebrate Him is over. Actually, as Christians, we need to be celebrating Who Jesus is and what He has done, is doing, and will do for us ALL OF THE TIME!

In today’s passage the Apostle Paul tells us that we are to put to death our earthly selves because we no longer live for ourselves since claiming our salvation in Christ; we now live as one with Christ. Paul goes on to caution us against living for our earthly desires because God’s anger will come upon us. When we live for our earthly desires, no matter what it is that seems to satisfy us, we must remember that everything and everyone is temporal, the only One Who is eternal is Jesus. So, we need to focus on making Him the only idol that we worship and stop placing ourselves in an idol position by worshipping our desires because that is living for ourselves and not living for Jesus.

You and I must remember that we are new creations in Christ, and so as we celebrate Him daily (and not just during the Christian holidays) new desires that are holy and in alignment with His Word start to grow and navigate our lives. We begin to despise the sin that we once loved, and those outside of our Christian Family may start to think that we are weird, and that God has too many rules. The truth is that you and I simply choose to love Jesus more than we once loved our sin, and we shouldn’t care how weird or unaccepting that is to anyone.

Verse 11 is my favorite…we are all free in Christ and He is in ALL of us. There is nothing that makes any one of us stand ahead of the other in our oneness with Jesus because there is no distinction! Friends, that means we must treat each other the same, just as we would treat Jesus.

Colossians 3:5-11 (GNT)
The Old Life and the New

5 You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality, indecency, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idolatry). 6 Because of such things God’s anger will come upon those who do not obey him. 7 At one time you yourselves used to live according to such desires, when your life was dominated by them.

8 But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips. 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits 10 and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself. 11 As a result, there is no longer any distinction between Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, savages, slaves, and free, but Christ is all, Christ is in all.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for so many beautiful reminders this past Lenten season. Help me to focus more and more on growing in our daily relationship together. I want my desires to be what You want for me because I know that Your plan and purpose for my life is perfect. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.
With regard to Christ, humanity must make a decision for how we will view His story to offer salvation through a miraculous rebirth into eternal life—we will either accept it as Truth or reject it.

The Resurrection narratives are not a picture of survival after death; they record how a totally new mode of being has arisen in the Universe.” (CS Lewis; God in the Dock)

As human beings, we have an innate desire to try to make sense of everything—we want the circumstances we face to be clear and easy to understand. In our passage from the Psalter, David cries out about his humiliation, the rejection and mockery of people, as well as his perception of God’s absence or abandonment. David cannot make sense of what is happening to him. Like David, we may question, examine, doubt, or even grieve over our perception of God’s absence in our trials that leave us in a state of confusion. However, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Cor 14:33). So, as God’s distressed servants facing things we do not understand, instead of praying for vengeance against our enemies, like David we need to pray and ask God for comfort and salvation.

Psalm 22:1-11 NLT A Passion Psalm of David
1
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
2 
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
    Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.
3 
Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 
Our ancestors trusted in you,
    and you rescued them.
5 
They cried out to you and were saved.
    They trusted in you and were never disgraced.
6 
But I am a worm and not a man.
    I am scorned and despised by all!
7 
Everyone who sees me mocks me.
    They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 
“Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
    Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much,
    let the Lord rescue him!”
9 
Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
    and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
10 
I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
    You have been my God from the moment I was born.
11 
Do not stay so far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and no one else can help me.

David’s psalm makes a connection to the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus himself actually quotes a portion of Psalm 22 while he is on the cross. The Righteous One—the sinless Son of God—suffers unjustly as the sin of the world is laid on him and the wrath of God is poured out upon him. Jesus dies in our place. Forgiveness for our sin can now be found in a relationship with Father God through the Son. If you have never asked Jesus to forgive your sin and welcomed him into your heart, today is your day.

Matthew 27:1-54 NLT Judas Hangs Himself
27 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”
“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder” [blood]. 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,
“They took the thirty pieces of silver—
    the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
10 
and purchased the potter’s field,
    as the Lord directed.”

Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
11 Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.
Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)
19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”
But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

The Crucifixion
32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene [Africa], and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries [criminals] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

The Death of Jesus
45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

54 The Roman officer [centurion] and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

Prayer:   Lord, with unwavering gratitude, we thank you for paying the penalty for our sin. Although we cannot make sense of the perfect love you have displayed for sinners by dying in our place, we know you are the sinless Son of God. Thank you for offering us salvation by exchanging your Righteous Life for our unrighteous ones. Now, Holy Spirit, help us live as reborn sons and daughters of the Father who walk in your glorious ways. Give us strength as we share in your sufferings.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

Prayer is essential during the wait times of suffering, because we are desperate for God’s strengthening of our souls; we know every affliction becomes our share in the Passion of Christ.

“We all try to accept with some sort of submission our afflictions when they actually arrive.” (CS Lewis; Chiefly on Prayer)

In our passage from the Psalter, David experiences pain that foreshadows the suffering of Christ. Yet, like our Messiah, in the most difficult times, David submits to God’s plan for his life because he knows the Lord is faithful. In the midst of every trial is ‘the wait.’ It would be nice if we could take a nap during the wait [weeks or months if necessary] and then wake up to a changed situation, but that is not an option for us. What do we do with the circular movements of our thoughts that lead to anxiety, unrest, and the inevitable temptation to take matters into our own hands? Whether we are waiting for medical results, reconciliation in relationships, or just dealing with the filth of the world that tries to cling to us and take dominion…the distress during the wait is real, so we must entrust our spirits to God and accept His will for our lives.

Psalm 31:1-5 NLT A psalm of David.
1 
O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
2 
Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
3 
You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 
Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.
5 
I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

In our passage from the Gospel of John, Jesus prepares his disciples for the most glorious moment of his brief life—the upcoming cross where he will be exalted before the world. In our reading, we note this preparation of the disciples takes place during the Passover meal. Judas sits as a friend of Jesus, but has already decided to be a host for Satan and betray the Savior.

Jesus knows the heart of Judas, but chooses to look at him through the lens of grace. In fact, he looks at each one of his disciples through the lens of grace. How do we know? He stoops down—sacrifices his royal position—and takes the role of a servant to wash the filth of the world off from the disciple’s feet. It is symbolic of what Jesus will do for all humanity on the cross—when his sacrifice will make a person clean all over. Every disciple of Christ will face personal sacrifice that will require a servant’s heart and spirit that trusts God’s plan. We must follow-through, because Jesus sees this place of suffering as an opportunity to heal us and set us free!

John 13:1-11 NLT Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end [demonstrating genuine love]. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas [Satan planned this for Judas], son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us look deeper at the power found in the midst of suffering as we wait and trust you with a servant’s heart. Please heal us, Lord, and bring us into a greater place of spiritual freedom and oneness with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

The love and purpose of God is to recreate us in His good and glorious image; therefore, remember the enemy is cunning and diligent at trying to destroy every Christian’s devotion to God.

“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because he loves us.” (CS Lewis; Screwtape Letters)

Psalm 141:1-10 NLT A psalm of David.
1 
O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry!
    Listen when I cry to you for help!
2 
Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
    and my upraised hands as an evening offering.
3 
Take control of what I say, O Lord,
    and guard my lips.
4 
Don’t let me drift toward evil
    or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies
    of those who do wrong.
5 
Let the godly strike me!
    It will be a kindness!
If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.
    Don’t let me refuse it.
But I pray constantly
    against the wicked and their deeds.
6 
When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,
    the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.
7 
Like rocks brought up by a plow,
    the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.[a]
8 
I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord.
    You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.
9 
Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
    from the snares of those who do wrong.
10 
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    but let me escape.

Luke 22:1-8 NLT Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

The Last Supper
7 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, “Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.”

Please take time to read over our passages for today. I will be teaching on them and leading a discussion this evening during our Lenten Bible Study at 7PM. I hope you will plan to join us in person at Connect2Christ Church or online through our website as we explore the Scriptures together.

Prayer: Father, help us to hold fast to the Truth about your love found in your Son, our Messiah. Holy Spirit, give us the power to resist every temptation sent by Satan to shake us into denying or betraying the Truth. Like your Kingdom, make us unshakable. In Jesus’ name. Amen.