Category Archives: Lenten Season

What does the Cross mean to Me?

April 12, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

A time for reflection

The week before Easter is designated as Holy Week. We join Jesus as He journeys to the Cross. We experience His “human nature”, up close and personal. The Gospel writers invite us to listen in on the conversations and vicariously join the activities that will ultimately end on Good Friday on a cross.

Hopefully this week, we will engage in activities that expand our understanding of the sacrifice and suffering that Jesus experienced (Is. 53:5). It is also a time in which we can examine our obedience in following God’s will. Are we willing to sacrifice our life on the cross that lay before us? What does the Cross mean to me?

The Cross and I

What does the Cross mean to me? Is it an object on which Christ was crucified? Or is it a piece of jewelry that you wear? Our view of the Cross is critical in that it establishes the basis of our Christian belief and personal walk of faith.

In the routine of daily living, we often forget Christ’s work of grace on the Cross. Unfortunately, some believers are only superficially drawn to the Cross. We give attention to it only during the sacrament of communion or at Easter. It is critical that we clearly define the Cross’ significance so that we might re-engage its purpose and power in our life.

At the Cross

Christian doctrine is founded on “the Cross.” Our belief about sin and salvation begin and end at the Cross (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Our identity as children and heirs of God are established by our knowledge of what Christ accomplished on the Cross (Eph. 1:7; Rom. 8:17).

To Jesus Christ, the Cross signified lordship and commitment to Him. He told those who would follow Him that unless they were willing to bear His cross, they could not be His disciple (Luke 14:27). Christ has not altered His requirement for discipleship in the twenty-first century. The Cross demands commitment.

To Paul and other New Testament writers, the Cross represented the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus Christ. This gospel was to be clearly articulated to those identified in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus Christ died for sin, He rose from the dead, and “whosoever believeth in Him” shall have everlasting life. The gospel message remains the same in the twenty-first century. The Cross is salvation.

To Christians, the Cross recounts God’s extraordinary act of love. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). George Matherson penned in his hymn these words:

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

God’s plan of salvation did not come as an “after thought” but was formed in eternity (Eph. 1:4-7). Before the Fall, God set in motion His plan of salvation to return beloved man to Himself.

Return to the Cross

Jesus was the decided Victor on Resurrection Sunday. He disarmed and shamed Satan by His victory over death and over sin (Heb. 2:14-17). Knowledge of this strengthens our faith and confidence in Him.

As believers in Christ, let us reverence the Cross, not as a material object seen in isolation, but as the instrument of Christ’s triumph and love (Col. 2:13-15).

Return to the Cross and Christ’s life-transforming love. Re-discover its power that will never pass away.

Jesus, keep me near the cross

There’s a precious fountain

Free to all a healing stream

Flows from Calvary’s mountain

In the Cross,

Be my glory ever,

‘Til my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

Have a blessed Easter. Hallelujah, He is Risen!

Obedience and the Journey to the Cross

April 5, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

Obedience and the Journey

We continue our Lenten season journey to the Cross. In this study, we discussed the meaning of obedience to God. Obedience is discerning what God wants and choosing to seek that outcome. Our response of obedience flows from a heart that hears God’s voice and feels God’s love. It is a matter of choosing and turning to Him versus the lusts of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

The hallmark of obedience is modeled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ especially as He journeyed to the Cross. Jesus demonstrated for us “perfected” obedience by His humility, His faithfulness, and His submission to God’s will.

We decided that obedience was both the outcome of our faith walk and the means by which spiritual maturity is accomplished. We “perfect” (bring to fruition) our obedience through the Holy Spirit and practicing spiritual disciplines that conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). We daily accept the “obedience challenge” by exercising our freedom in Christ rather than being disobedient slaves to sin.

Let go of the ego!

As we perfect our obedience, probably the most difficult part of our journey is our willingness to “let go.” Letting go requires releasing those things that cause us to be independent of God and operate outside the will of God.

Letting go necessitates that we pray often, wait expectantly, and trust unequivocally. When we “let go and let God”, the results are always more than we can accomplish in our own power (1 Cor. 2:9). Much of the difficulty in “letting go,” often times, lie in our inability to “let go of our ego.”

What’s with the ego?

Ego, in this case, is not an exaggerated sense of self-importance but the use of “fleshly” knowledge and “human” effort to accomplish God’s purpose. This is often the case when we endeavor to live righteous and holy lives in our own power. Some of us attempt to do this by “works”: we visit the sick, feed the hungry, and do all the things we think will please the Lord.

Some of us become “masters of spiritual disciplines”: we read our Bible every day, fast and pray, and tithe ten percent. Regardless of our approach, we “miss the mark” using fleshly methods to create spiritual outcomes. In Philippians 3:4-5, the Apostle Paul, confesses his attempt to live holy by operating out of his flesh.

Even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Interestingly the pronoun “I”, in the passage above, in Greek is translated “ego.” Paul’s failure was not due to lack of works or poor self-discipline; nor was it the result of a poor attitude or “stinking thinking.” Paul attempted to do the work and will of God in his own strength. What was the best solution for Paul’s dilemma? He declared his faith and dependence on Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:7-9). Paul “let go his ego” and chose to obediently follow God.

Preparation for Holy Week

As we prepare for Holy Week, let us consider the journey through the lens of obedience. To help us with this exercise, take time to meditate on Philippians 3:8 (NRSV).

I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

When we meditate, we “focus our thoughts” (versus daydreaming). We invite the Holy Spirit to join us. There can be no meditation without His presence. Below are three (3) simple methods of meditation you can try.[1]

Meditation method #1: Emphasize different words in the text.

Meditation method #2: Rewrite the text in your own words.

Meditation method #3: Formulate a principle from the text. What does it teach?

Don’t rush this exercise. Spend time re-reading and focusing on each word. Give attention to the verse, each phrase, and words included in this scripture. Remember, all Scripture is the inspired word from God (2 Tim. 3:16). Take time to hear not only what God is saying to Paul but also, what is God saying to you.

Journal what you learn from your meditation—about God, the Gospel, your ego, and yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how you can practice obedience as you daily journey to the Cross.

[1] Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald S. Whitley.

Lenten Season

Obedience or Slavery?

March 29, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

Preparing for the Passion

Our Lenten season journey will soon close with remembrance of the Passion Week. This week, prior to Easter, recounts the suffering and death of Jesus Christ as He journeyed to the Cross. During that week, Jesus was intentional and direct as He prepared his disciples for the gruesome ending of His physical life. His act represented, not only His extreme love for us but also, His unyielding obedience to the Father.

Jesus’ substitutional death was decreed by God before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). A sacrifice for sin was needed (Lev. 17:11) and Jesus was that willing, obedient sacrifice. Jesus was to die for our sins and receive the penalty we deserved. From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ focus was to release us from the bondage of sin (Matt. 1:21).

Jesus leads the way

Jesus announced His arrival as the promised Messiah in the synagogue at Nazareth. He was the Anointed One who would “release the captives and let the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18).

Jesus accomplished that purpose on Easter Sunday, when He rose from the dead, breaking the power and the penalty of sin in our lives (Col. 2:13-15). This includes sins we have committed in the past, commit in the present, and will commit in the future. When we reach heaven, we will finally be delivered from the presence of sin.

Jesus’ obedience led to our victory over sin and our freedom to grow in grace (2 Pet. 3:18). Why? So that we can obediently serve the Lord and further His kingdom.

So why are we still acting like slaves?

In Romans 6:16-18, the Apostle Paul challenges the young church at Rome to obediently follow Jesus and the Word (the Gospel) that had been delivered to them. I guess you could call them “hokey-pokey” Christians. They had “one foot in the Church and one foot in the world”. Sound familiar?

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

This is the same “obedience challenge” we face daily while living in our earthly flesh. Until we are delivered from the presence of sin, we must doggedly declare “ourselves dead to sin and alive to God” (Rom. 6:11). We must exercise our freedom in Christ to leave behind sinful patterns and influences which move us away from God. We must not take God’s glorious gift of grace for granted and continue in sin through our disobedience.

Slaves of righteousness

During this season of Lent, many of us are practicing the discipline of fasting. We have given up some habit, practice, or vice and have replaced it with new activities that draw us closer to Jesus. This includes more time in prayer, studying the Word, or solitude.

Lent is a period of denying our “flesh” and of self-reflection, hopefully leading us to greater spiritual maturity and obedience. But let’s be honest, aren’t there some things we should stop doing beyond Lenten season? Some sin(s) that are keeping us enslaved to the world and Satan? (Heb. 12:1)

Are we choosing to remain “shackled” by sin when Christ has set us free from sin’s power and penalty?

“You are slaves of the one you obey.” Question for today: Who are you obedient to?

Lenten Season

Perfected Obedience

March 22, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

So, what have we learned about obedience?

According to Webster, obedience is defined as submission to authority. Operating with that definition, our natural response is to challenge, resist, and even disavow.

On the other hand, obedience from a Christian worldview is more than just following the letter of the law. It is discerning what God wants and choosing to seek that outcome. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for obey means to hear.

It is described as an attitude and faith-rooted disposition (2 Cor. 2:9; Phil. 2:12). It is the outward response of the heart that hears God and turns to Him.

Where does obedience come from?

Obedience is evidence of a personal relationship with God. It is not motivated by guilt or shame but by love (John 14:15). We agreed last week that mature obedience is both the outcome of our faith walk AND how we can achieve spiritual maturity. Each time we make a decision or choose a direction, or reply to an action, we are challenged to “response with a heart that hears God”.

Jesus our example

The writer of Hebrews offers us another perspective on obedience—perfected obedience.

Though He [Jesus] was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Hebrew 5:8-9 (NKJV)

Our text gives us a clue into how our obedience becomes “perfected”. It begins and ends with a clear understanding of Jesus and His walk of perfected obedience.

Firstly, Jesus never sinned. Jesus had no need to become perfect for His work of salvation. Jesus was perfect in His nature (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15). Imagine that! Even as a rambunctious child, a growing teenager, and a vibrant young man—Jesus never sinned. No defiance, no hiding behind excuses. To fulfill God’s requirement for a “blameless sacrifice for sin” (1 Pet. 1:19), Jesus suffered and was obedient unto death (Phil. 2:8).

Secondly, Jesus learned. What did He learn? Jesus learned what it meant to be human by experiencing all the emotions and sensations that we as frail humans feel. Why? So that He could identify with our depravity and brokenness.

Jesus willingly experienced the full range of emotions He had placed in us at Creation (Heb. 4:25). Jesus was moved with compassion (Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34); He cried (Luke 19:41, John 11:35); He withdrew (Matt. 14:13); Jesus condemned (Matt. 23:1-12).

But it is in Jesus’ passion that we see the greatest evidence of humanity. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He was in excruciating agony, sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:42; Mark 14:36). Ultimately, Jesus bore the full weight of our sins by hanging on a Cross and dying. (Matt. 27:50)

Jesus was perfected

Finally, Jesus was perfected. The literal translation of perfected is “to bring to an end a proposed goal”. Jesus accomplished the purpose crafted by God before the foundation of the world—to bring redemption, restoration, and reconciliation to all mankind. Jesus became the “all and everything” that was needed to bring salvation to fallen man.

Jesus learned about humanity and why His sacrificial death was the only solution for the sin problem. He became “the author of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:9), the “firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29), and the “first-begotten from the dead” (Rev. 1:5).

Jesus’ perfecting was accomplished through His obedience. Jesus’ submission to and love for God resulted in the greatest gift we as believers will ever receive—freedom from sin and eternal life. To put into words the enormity of God’s plan of salvation is impossible.

Perfected obedience—a new level of love and gratitude

I close with these words from F.B. Meyer on “The Perfecting of Christ”. May his words move your spirit to new levels of obedience.

For the long and steep ascent of life, our Father has given us a Companion, a Captain of the march, a Brother, even Jesus our Lord, who passed through the suffering of death, and is now crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:9-11). He has passed along our pathway, and climbed our steep ascents, that He might become our merciful and faithful Friend and Helper. In this sense He was perfected, and became unto all them that obey Him the Author of eternal salvation. But if we are to walk with Him, and realize His eternal salvation, we must learn to obey.

Understanding perfected obedience is captured in the life and love of Jesus the Christ. Jesus is our model and the example we daily strive to emulate. Let us endeavor, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be conformed to His image and ultimately transformed into all that God has purposed us to be (Eph. 2:10).

Lenten Season

Mature Obedience

March 16, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

Faith outcome and spiritual maturity

Last week we opened with this question: Is obedience the outcome of our faith walk or is it the means by which spiritual maturity is accomplished? The answer we discovered is that obedience is BOTH.

During our faith walk (which will continue until this life ends), our choice to either obey or disobey God will result in “life lessons” that will make us stronger instruments of God. Through these lessons we “grow” or mature spiritually.

Oswald Chambers shared this thought on obedience and spiritual maturity.

Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by obedience to the will of God. Some people mature into an understanding of God’s will more quickly than others because they obey more readily; they more readily sacrifice the life of nature to the will of God.

A lesson in obedience

Let me detail the correlation between obedience and spiritual maturity with the following illustration.

A toddler, immature physically and mentally, has one basic desire—to satisfy their immediate needs. They will do just about anything to have their way, disregarding safety, or well-being along the way. This includes climbing up on high counters or grabbing objects that are dangerous to their health, i.e., laundry pods.

Toddlers show little concern for their own safety or well-being if the result is physical satisfaction. They are best served and protected by their guardian who will provide for and protect them. Toddlers must be taught to obey the direction of their guardian who will help them to gain a healthy fear of the world they live in.

Is obedience only for children?

Spiritually, the toddler illustration can also be true for believers. Oftentimes, we live in the moment—desiring what will immediately satisfy our needs. In that moment perhaps the Holy Spirit is directing us to “pray and wait” or to seek godly counsel through others or the Bible.

Many times, we will even fain obedience (fake it) by responding “I’m praying about it” when we already know what God has directed us to do. Ours is just to obey. Such was the case with Jonah.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah saying, “Go at once to Nineveh and cry out against it.” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. (Jonah 1:1-3)

Reluctant obedience = disobedience

Jonah was reluctant to bring God’s message to Nineveh, the capital of Israel’s hated enemy, Assyria. Foolishly, he thought he fled from the presence of the Lord (Psalm 139:7-10).

God was very clear in His instruction to Jonah. “Go at once” and “Cry out against Nineveh”. He was without excuse, yet he chose to be disobedient. The Lord did not allow him to escape.

Jonah eventually acquiesced. God’s purpose was accomplished. Nineveh repented (Jonah 3:10). But unfortunately, Jonah failed to mature spiritually (Jonah 4:3-4). He was unsuccessful in understanding the nature of God and His mercy (Exod. 33:19).

Practicing mature obedience

Like Jonah, do we often find ourselves running from the presence of the Lord? Is God asking us to respond to a divine directive we prefer not to do? This is a great place to begin practicing mature obedience.

We practice mature obedience by first seeking God’s will through reading and meditating on His Word. This will then move us naturally into prayer based on what we have read. We have the assurance of the Holy Spirit to “guide us in all truth and to glorify God” (John 16:13, 14).

Finally, we must quickly respond to what God has instructed us to do. We must obey. Hesitation is often the result of doubt, which soon leads to disobedience. Mature obedience can be practiced every day. It begins with a willing heart that is swift to say, “Yes, Lord.”

Lenten Season

The Character of Obedience

March 8, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

The nature of obedience

As we defined last week, obedience is submission to authority. Is obedience an outcome of our faith walk or is it the means by which our spiritual maturity is accomplished?

Conversation about obedience seems especially appropriate as we enter the Lenten season. As believers, we have committed to the lordship and authority of Jesus Christ. How well are we doing? Lenten season presents a “space in time” in which we can answer that question. It is also a time to identify those things that keep us from our obedience to God.

Obedience actualized

Accounts of the apostles and other great propagators of the faith give evidence that obedience plays a major role in our faith walk.

Obedience is a constant theme in the writings of the Apostle Paul. He speaks of many relationships in which we are asked to offer our obedience. These includes obedience exercised within a family (Eph. 6:1; 1 Cor. 14:34,35), between a master and their servant (Eph. 6:5), or to civil government (Titus 1:1, 3:1).

In his letter to Christians living in the first century, the Apostle John teaches on identifying genuine faith in Christ. The test is linked to obedience.

“Now by this we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” (1 John 2:3-5)

The great 17^th century English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon had this to say about obedience:

Love is the chief jewel in the bracelet of obedience.

That obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looketh at the heart, and if He seeth that we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him, He will reject our offering.

You and I must be willing to do what God tells us, as God tells us, when God tells us, because God tells us, but only strong faith will be equal to such complete obedience.

Though these views come at varying times in biblical and church history, their message is still the same. Obedience is an expectation for all believers. It is not an option.

Jesus the Model of Obedience

The hallmark of obedience is modeled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ especially as He journeyed to the Cross. Jesus modeled obedience by His humility, in His faithfulness, and in His submission to God’s will.

Jesus humbled Himself as Deity by shedding His blood for our sins.

Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:5-8

Jesus’ faithfulness is seen in His unflinching commitment to the Cross.

“(Jesus) who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Heb. 5:7-8

Jesus submitted to the will of God.

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:18-19

Let us hear

The Greek word for obedience is hupakoe which means “attentive harkening, compliance or submission”. It usually refers to obedience to God’s will in a “special sense”—of willing subjection. Unlike the animals used in previous sacrifices, Christ came willingly to the Cross. He expressed His submission to God’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane as He repeated “not My will but Your will be done” (Matt. 26:39, 42; Mark 14:32-36).

Acceptance of the Gospel requires acceptance of Christ as not only Savior but also as Lord of our lives. We no longer live for ourselves but for Him (Gal. 2:20; 1 Peter 4:2). Through obedience, we learn to have the “same mind of Christ”—obedience in our faithfulness, our humility, and our submission to God’s will.

While the world encourages defiance and applauds noncompliance, Christ offers a different model for living. Through Christ’s obedience two-thousand years earlier, He changed the “eternal outcome” to “all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9). Once destined to an eternity in hell, we now are partakers of eternal life (John 3:16). That’s worth our love, our devotion, and our obedience.

Remember our opening question: “Is obedience an outcome of our faith walk or is it the means by which our spiritual maturity is accomplished?” The answer is, “it’s both”!

Lenten Season

Obedience: An Invitation to Hear

March 1, 2022 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

The Believer’s Struggle

In his book, “Think Like Jesus,” pollster George Barna tackles a formidable topic, “How do Christians develop a “biblical worldview” in a fallen world? But more than that, why is it important to do so? How is it possible to be “in this world but not of this world”? (John 17:14-15)

Our struggle with this dilemma is demonstrated by the world’s inability to see believers as being different from them. The world labels Christian beliefs as intolerant and antiquated. Because of that, we believers are often silent about our faith. The result? It is easier to “go along to get along.” The salt is no longer salty. The light has grown dim (Matt. 5:13-16).

Obedience and the Christian’s worldview

Barna offers several scriptural principles to guide us as we create a biblical worldview for our life. One of these principles is the importance of obedience to God. “Obedience is more than just following the letter of the law. It is discerning what God wants and choosing to seek that outcome.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. It is a time when we can focus on self-examination and self-denial. It is also a great time to study this topic of obedience and answer the following questions:

What is obedience?

Why is it important in my faith walk?

How does obedience affect my “worldview”?

WIFM (What’s in it for me)?

What is obedience?

When you read or hear the word obedience, what comes to mind? If you are like me, you may instantly think of its opposite—disobedience. According to Webster, obedience is defined as submission to authority.

Operating with that definition, people immediately view obedience as harsh and demanding. Their response is understandably, resistance. Resistance is anchored in our human desire to control our destiny. For the unbeliever (and believer, too) this desire includes living independent of God’s rule in their life. This response, unfortunately, misses the true intent of godly obedience. That is why we need a biblical view of obedience.

In the Old Testament, obey is interpreted as to hear. It stresses not only hearing but also understanding. As God spoke through His revelation (His ways and works), His people were able to hear and understand His desire for them. (Jer. 29:11).

In the New Testament, obey is not only connected with hearing but also means to convince or to persuade. Obedience is described as an attitude (2 Cor. 2:9) and a faith-rooted disposition (Phil. 2:12).

We hear, we are persuaded, and in an attitude of faith, we obey. When we hear God speak to us (through His Spirit), our response should be to obey His instruction. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

Obedience flows from the heart

The obedience of Jesus is held as the ultimate example for believers. Jesus heard God’s instruction and “humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8) His obedience flowed out of His personal relationship with God—He heard and knew the Father. More importantly, Jesus’ obedience was connected to and motivated by love.

Obedience is the outward response of a heart that loves God. God’s call for obedience is a loving invitation to experience His best. Man’s response to God’s invitation is a heart that hears and turns to Him (Ps. 14:2).

Obedience, properly understood, is never a cold or impersonal command that arouses resentment. Our response of obedience should flow from a heart that hears God’s voice, feels God’s love, and turns to Him.

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray,

but now I obey your word.

Psalm 119:66-67 (NIV)

Lenten Season

Lessons Learned at the Cross

March 30, 2021 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

Willingness to learn

There was book that was popular many years ago entitled, “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” It contained simple nuggets of wisdom that were garnered from watching how children interacted with each other and the world.

It’s been said that life is a giant classroom in which we can experience many valuable lessons. What really determines our success in learning is our willingness to learn.

As the close of Lenten season approaches, I have learned three valuable lessons in observing Christ’s journey to and ultimate sacrifice on the Cross. I share these with you on your journey to living victoriously in Christ Jesus .

Lesson #1

I must Die to Live. Believers will have difficulty living victoriously until we are willing to die to ourselves and surrender to the Lord. In His final days with His disciples, Jesus used an example from farming to illustrate this point.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:24-26)

Lesson #2

I must Lose to Win. Believers cannot live in the fullness of God apart from the “filling” of the Holy Spirit. “Filling” means relinquishing control to the Holy Spirit. Paul shared this belief in his letter to the church in Philippi.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:7, 8)

Lesson #3

I must Surrender for Victory. Believers who surrender to the King of Kings acknowledge God as the Sovereign of the universe. We are part of God’s kingdom and we must willingly abdicate to His rule over our lives. Habakkuk, the prophet, understood this relationship when he prayed this prayer.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines , though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

What now?

Lenten and Easter seasons are a time for us to not only celebrate the victory of Jesus over the Cross (Is. 49:1-7) but also to prepare for our next steps after Easter. It is a perfect time for reflection and redirection.

What are the things God is asking you to lose, surrender and/or die to in order to live victoriously in the fullness of God? We need only a child-like trust in the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ, to learn all we need to know about “what really matters.”

Lenten Season

Humbling Ourselves: Practicing Forgiveness

March 6, 2018 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

“… bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Col. 3:13 (KJV)

This week as I scanned my mail, I observed an email celebrating the Lenten season. When I looked to see who had sent it, I noticed its source was a past associate, with whom, I had become very “disenchanted.” Translation? They had committed an action that I felt was unkind and I had not yet found it in my heart to forgiven them. With this personal story as a backdrop, I’d like to focus this week’s Lenten season study on practicing forgiveness.

In the Lord’s Prayer, receiving forgiveness from God is joined to forgiveness of others. (Matt. 6:12; Luke 11:4) Jesus used several parables to illustrate the need to pursue forgiveness. In the parable of the unmerciful servant, He makes the point that human beings are obligated to forgive because God has forgiven them. (Matt. 18:23-35) In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus contrasts the “forgiving” heart of the father in the story with the “unforgiving” older son. It is a study in the stubborn refusal to forgive that is characterized by hardness, a demand for revenge, and arrogant refusal to celebrate. The older son’s self-justified indignation and smugness “over being right” was causing just as much pain and separation between himself and his father as was caused by his younger brother. Unforgiveness often causes as much pain as the original offence. (Sound familiar?) Let’s go back to my email.

I opened the email (which I usually delete) and oh my, was I blessed by what I received. It was as follows:

The only authentic fasting is fasting that includes a spiritual attack against our own sin. If there is an unresolved pocket of sin in our life, God is going to come to us and say, “The fast I choose is for that sin to be starved to death.” From A Hunger for God by John Piper

My heart was “doubly convicted”—my “unresolved pocket of sin” had been exposed AND my fasting this Lenten season needed to be more authentic. God did speak to me and say, “Eileen, the fast I choose for you is that you starve to death the sin of unforgiveness.” The refusal to forgive indicates a rebellious, stubborn heart that has “not drunk deeply of the water of grace and mercy at the well of God’s forgiveness” (Luke 7:47). Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you (Eph. 4:32).

Unforgiveness has been described as poison to the person who holds it in their heart. Some people carry unforgiveness around like a banner of entitlement—“I’ve been wronged and it’s my right not to forgive!” While forgiveness is not easy, God has provided His Spirit within us to show us how we can be freed from the death grip of unforgiveness. Ask Him to set you free.

RESPOND:

This week you will have an opportunity to learn more about and practice solitude. Read the short article, What the Bible says about Solitude as part of your “Journey of THE CROSS”.

Then practice solitude by inviting the Holy Spirit to help you with an unforgiveness you may be holding in your heart. Give yourself completely to God to help you knowing that “God loves you just as you are but also loves you too much to let you stay as you are”.

Lenten Season

Humble Ourselves: The Power of Confession

February 27, 2018 ITWMinistries Leave a comment

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.” Psalm 51:2-3 (NKJ)

Completing the first part of our Lenten Journey of the Cross, we will now leave our exploration of “Experiencing God” and move to the challenging area of learning to “Humble Ourselves”. Paul tells us that we are to have a “mind like Christ”, our model for humility, who though He was God, humbled himself and became obedient even unto death (Phil. 2:5-8). We will look at three (3) areas on this leg of the journey—confession, forgiveness, and obedience. We begin today with the power of confession.

Confession, these days, is pretty “unusual” behavior. Even the guiltiest of criminals, caught with their proverbial hand in the cookie jar, will stand before the judge and declare themselves, “not guilty.” It has been said that, “confession is good for the soul” but you wouldn’t guess it by the world’s response. Just read the newspaper this week and you’ll find example after example of individuals and institutions, who in the wake of unfailing evidence claim innocence. One of the opportunities of Lenten season is to examine our hearts and let the light of God’s truth shine into areas in need of His cleansing. Therein lie the power of confession.

The 51^st Psalm is God’s lesson on confession. It was authored by King David after he was confronted by Nathan the prophet for his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. The whole incident was not unlike the stories we read in the gossip tabloid or see in the latest “made for television” sequel. King David, however, gives us a better approach to confession.

First, King David quickly accepted responsibility for his behavior and pleaded guilty to all charges. He immediately called upon God for forgiveness. He offers no excuses but appealed to God to “blot out, wash and cleanse him” from his “transgressions, iniquity, and sin.”

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. (vv. 3-4)

Next, King David recounted God’s expectation of him, as a man and as the leader of Israel. Though King David had perpetrated this crime against Uriah, he answered to a Higher Judge, the omniscient God, who see, hears, and knows all things. There are no “hidden sins” in His presence.

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” (vv. 4-6)

Finally, King David was concerned about his broken relationship with God. He had the unique opportunity of walking closely with the Lord most of his life beginning as a young shepherd boy in the hills of Bethlehem. He longed to be restored to that relationship.

“Create in me a pure heart, 0 God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (vv.10-12)

It is important that we learn to quickly confess our sins. Unconfessed sin results in guilt and shame, spiritual strongholds in our lives, and even worst, a broken relationship with God. There is power in confession. That power comes from the One who is “faithful to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

RESPONSE:

This week you will have an opportunity to practice journaling as part of your Lenten Season, “Journey of THE CROSS”.

Read Psalms 51:1-12. Then ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unconfessed sin you may hold in your spirit. Then ask Him to give you the courage to confess that sin, knowing that God is “faithful and just to forgive you.” Remembering David’s approach to confession, now create in your journal a “psalm of repentance”.