Prayer Focus: Old Jerusalem, New Jerusalem

Lord Jesus, Scripture doesn’t record Your weeping often. You wept over the pain Lazarus’ death left in its wake. And You wept over Jerusalem, Lord, they were so blind to the peace You were bringing! Lord God, as we’ve been warned that death hangs heavy in coming days due to this virus, I pray that Your peace would hover over us and protect Your people. I pray that those who do not know You would seek Your face and find comfort and eternal peace with You. Remove the blinders off the eyes of Old Jerusalem, I ask Lord, that Your salvation would be made manifest among the chosen people of Your heritage on earth. May I never forget that salvation is from the Jews and that You, Lord, came to fulfill the Scriptures given to the Jews over the many years through Moses and the prophets. May I never neglect the olive tree into which I’ve been grafted as a wild branch. May the time of arousing the consciousness of the Jews of our day come upon us swiftly and the New Jerusalem You have promised come to fulfillment as You are faithful to what You have promised and fulfill every last word of Scripture. Help me to fight against hatred of certain racial and ethnic groups knowing that the New Jerusalem will have many tribes and nations and tongues. Help me to have an open heart toward those Jews still waiting for their Messiah, having expectations layered over what Your word says, expectations that cloud their thinking. Lord, I’m watching and waiting for the full number to be redeemed and Your imminent return. I believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I believe in Your bride, the Church who You will return to claim. I believe in Your power. I believe in Your deep historic love for Israel and that Your love for Gentile peoples then and now has never been diminished because of it. Thank You that God so loved the world. Thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ, willingly He laid down His life to pay for human sin though He had no sin of His own. We praise You and glorify You and look forward to the New Jerusalem. In Christ alone. Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Meditation Focus: Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Suffering

Rather than leave today’s Lent 2020 Sabbath rest as silent meditation, I beg your indulgence. It’s important to gain that 2020 clarity of seeing things correctly and from God’s perspective, to let Him “Be Thou my Vision.”

The Triumphal Entry (as Palm Sunday is often called) was Triumphal mainly for the crowds who thought they were getting political liberation and victory over Rome. Jesus had something entirely different in mind. It was Triumphal Entry only as He went knocking on the doorway of death. It was His entry to Triumphal Suffering.

Following the events (using the Gospel according to Matthew beginning in Matthew 20:17), Jesus was headed to Jerusalem. He tells His disciples explicitly He will be betrayed, condemned to death, mocked, flogged, crucified, and only on the “third day” will He be raised to life.

After that major downer of news, what was their reply? It’s almost like they didn’t hear it! Scripture doesn’t record their immediate reply as individual disciples, but what comes next suggests they truly didn’t get it. Maybe they said, “OK”, or “Cool”, or “Whatever. Now about this Kingdom stuff. We’re stoked!”

It’s time Jesus corrected their understanding.

Vision correction 1. Their reply was to see who was going to sit next to Him at the coming of the Kingdom and they asked their mommy to press Jesus. Jesus says He can’t give them choice seats the Father alone gives, but they too will drink the cup of suffering. It’s not about honor. It’s about suffering.

Vision correction 2. The crowds see 2 noisy blind men as hecklers and spoil sports of the big parade they’re following. Jesus gives the 2 men sight, displaying His compassion. This is not a popularity thing by a nice man, but a steady drumbeat of fulfilling Scripture.

Vision correction 3. Entering Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey, the city is stirred and asks, “Who is this?” The crowd in the big parade answers incorrectly: “Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Jesus answers for Himself by overturning tables in the temple area and pointing to Himself as receiving the praise ordained by God from children and infants. “The Son of David,” the children shout–it’s a Messianic term.

Vision correction 4. Jesus curses a fig tree that is all show and no fruit as He enters the temple area and His authority is questioned by the all-show-and-no-fruit crowd of chief priests and elders of the people. They have the audacity to try to test Him. They’ll wither spiritually for it.

Vision correction 5. Jesus is not a political solution and doesn’t fall for that trap. Jesus knows their evil intent. Don’t ever confuse politics with faith.

Vision correction 6. The Kingdom of God and the elites of men are two different things entirely. Jesus, pointing that out and seven woes later, lets them know in explicit terms He knows their showy but empty power structures and how vacant they are. “Your house is left to you desolate” He says.

Vision correction 7. The temple isn’t what you think it is. It’ll be destroyed. So much for what man builds.

Vision correction 8. Don’t go looking for a checklist, a crib sheet, or signs for you to determine for yourself when the end of the age will come. That hour is unknown for good reason. Your job? Be ready.

Vision correction 9. Trust Me, you don’t want a Judge to assess vindication rights before I’ve paid for your sins. The good works are helpful, but only as you do them for others as if we did them for Jesus out of gratitude for His mercy. Unforgiven sinners who do nice things are still unforgiven sinners who do nice things and die unforgiven.

Vision correction 10. We all betray Him. Some more irredeemably than others. Judas was over the edge and couldn’t live with himself afterward. Peter would be restored. Our collective sin and universal betrayal is why He had to die. We’re all to blame.

Vision correction 11. It’s not blasphemy if it’s true. Jesus alone is God’s one and only Son, His perfect Image, and the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The only thing false in the accusations of the high priest, chief priests, and Pilate–are You the Son of God and King of the Jews–was they didn’t believe Him when He said Yes.

Vision correction 12. Jesus went to Jerusalem to conquer. But the invisible enemy with the visible results (death)–now, that was the enemy He would engage in battle. Not the temporary and minor victory over Rome. The genius of God was hitting a target no one among the Pharisees could see. Even today, faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation of sinners is a target many remain blind to seeing. Give it up. You can’t earn it yourself. We all need Jesus.

So as we progress through Passion Week, let’s do it with corrective lenses of Scripture to see the Triumphal Entry for what it meant to Jesus. He entered into suffering for us, to give His life as a ransom for many. Amen?

This year’s Lent Devotional Series: Be Thou My Vision resumes tomorrow after today’s Sabbath.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: Seeing You as the Messiah I need, not the Messiah I think I want

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my wrong understandings of You as the Messiah. For all the ways I’ve placed expectations upon You than I have no right to expect with my incredibly limited knowledge. I know that You can do all things; everything is possible with You, even saving sinners! You are mighty and wise. No purpose of Yours can be avoided or overcome. When You ask, ‘Who is this that obscures My plans without knowledge?’ I hang my head in shame. All my plans and expectations melt away. You alone are the source of all wisdom and knowledge. When I speak, Lord, too often I speak of things I do not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. I am listening and waiting for You to speak truth to me. My eyes read Your Word and my ears have heard of You but there is no substitute for the experience of a relationship with You through Your Holy Spirit. I repent of my pride and offer myself, humbly to You. You are my God and I praise You. In Christ always. Amen. (Adapted from Job 42:2-6)

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: Unpleasant as the thought may be, God’s wrath is real

Father God, I know Your wrath is real. But if I’m honest, I prefer to see You as “God is love.” Yet the two are equally weighted sides of love. Your love without Your holy wrath would be meaningless. Your wrath without unconditional love would be heartless. Maybe I’m frightened at the knowledge my sins are ever before me. You know them too. Nothing is hidden from Your eyes. Apart from Your mercy and forgiveness, Lord, I’d experience Your wrath. Maybe too, it exposes my heart. I want to see Your wrath against those I think deserve it, who have wronged the least of these in ways unthinkable. I want to see them punished and yet I remember that You are the only One able to Judge perfectly. You alone are holy. You tell us, “‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” When I think about You, the One who “treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty,” I know You mean business. You wouldn’t be loving if You didn’t act to protect and preserve the innocent little ones, the weak, and the least among mankind. The nations are as a drop in the bucket to You. As You sent the plague upon the firstborn in Egypt, yet You provided a way safe within their homes for those who love You, who showed their devotion by their obedience with the blood of the Lamb protecting them. May I have a healthy respect for and fear of Your wrath. To know that it is real. When You come to judge, we will all tremble before You…not a baby in a manger. Not a dead man on a Cross. Not a vanishing act telling us always to wait for the end of days. No. Your return is a fearsome thing to behold. Your Word tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord to the glory of God the Father. You do not bear the sword for nothing. On Your robe and on Your thigh You have this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. We bow before You. Have mercy upon us, Lord Jesus! In Your mighty Name we pray. Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: Unconditional and Absolutes are two sides of the same attribute

Thank You, Father, that in Your eyes with Your 2020 vision, love is unconditional. It is absolute. It is firmly grounded in Your Image and displayed as perfect and holy in Your Son Jesus. During the stresses of our days as we are isolated and feel so alone, we ask as did Paul, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Praise the Father that it won’t be trouble like this virus. It won’t be hardship like many families are experiencing with loss of jobs and livelihoods. It won’t be persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. Nothing can separate us because Your love is absolute! Therefore, even though the news has reports of death all day long; remind us of life ETERNAL made possible by the supreme sacrifice of Christ who loves us. Remind us that we will always be more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Our trials may be many. We may feel alone and nearing despair, but in You, we are convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! How we praise You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s in Your power I pray for everyone–worldwide–in these dark days as Your light dawns upon the entire globe. Turn everyone’s eyes to You and may they–from the least to the greatest–know You love them unconditionally and may they be prepared to find Your mercy and forgiveness in their repentance. May they know Your unconditional love! Amen! (Adapted from Romans 8:35-39)

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: What serving is all about

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting before us an example–the best example, the purest example, the ultimate example–of what serving really means. To lay down our lives for our fellow man. To love one another unconditionally. To do what is necessary and helpful for others when they cannot do it for themselves. To carry one another’s burdens. To pray without ceasing, for the prayers of righteous people accomplish more than we could ask or imagine. Help me to understand the incalculable blessing of seeing acts of service as the intangible of love displayed visibly by human hands. Help me to serve willingly, not begrudgingly, and to honor others’ service above my own. May I be every bit as gracious as a receiver of kindness and hospitality as a regular giver of it. I pray that just as You supply seed to sowers and bread for food , You will also supply and increase our store of seed to enlarge the Kingdom harvest of Your righteousness. May we be generous on every occasion, so that our generosity will result in thanksgiving to You. When we love unconditionally and serve others, we are not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people, but You receive glory as overflowing expressions of thanks. May our service display our confession of the gospel of Christ so many hearts will soar in the surpassing grace God. We give thanks to You, O Lord, for Your indescribable gift of Jesus Christ! (Adapted from 2 Corinthians 9:10-15)

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: With humility comes rest

Almighty Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be our Deliverer. In these times of restless days and sleepless nights, remind us that Jesus saves. If only we would repent of our sins and look to You, we would find rest in You. Not only rest, but peace, comfort, mercy, and forgiveness! I want to learn from You, Lord Jesus. I need Your gentleness and to be handled with care for my fragile spirit which feels so broken right now. It’s hard to let go of the familiar yoke of oppression, to bravely let You break these shackles of dependence upon any but You, to risk having our hearts truly exposed for our dependence upon self, and to know the uncertainty of pure freedom for our souls once this time of testing has passed. Are we in the tribulation or is this a time of isolation to enter the inner chambers of our own hearts awaiting a Passover of sorts as this plague passes by? May we have Your wisdom, Lord, to put into practice the things You have commanded so we can learn how to endure to the finish line. We are weary. We are burdened. How we need Your rest! Strengthen us with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Show us the light at the end of the tunnel and prepare our hearts to be found obediently serving You when Your time of return comes. I want to live expectantly. For Your glory alone. Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: Giving God 100%

Lord Jesus, in an uncertain world, we give You thanks and praise that You are our firm foundation! Even when it seems like our investments are taking a beating and we’re being quarantined from the work we love doing or work You provide for us to have money to live on, our labor in You is never fruitless or pointless. It is never in vain. Alone in our homes, we can still share the Gospel with people in a variety of ways. I thank You for the Internet and technology and social media…all of which can be used for good and advancement of Your Kingdom. Thank You that these tools–in the hands of godly people–can be powerful witnessing mechanisms! Give us strength and power, indeed, give us words to say … just as You have told us You will do. May Your holy angels camp around us and guard us from discouragement and arrows of despair launched by our adversary during these uncertain days. Use this time in our lives to remind us that You are the Giver of everything. You own everything and therefore all we really are boils down to receivers and stewards of Your goodness, mercy, and provision. Help us to be grateful and to look no farther than daily bread … and dependence upon You. Give us Your eyes to see the fields are white for harvest. Send us into Your harvest fields to give You our all! May we love our neighbors with our time and provisions, and in doing so, point the way to You and to life everlasting. Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Meditation Focus: Jesus fulfilled it

This year’s Lent Devotional Series: Be Thou My Vision resumes tomorrow after today’s Sabbath rest to meditate and worship.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Prayer Focus: Where is my faith?

Father God, Lord of all, Almighty One, Author of Salvation, we praise You. It cannot escape our notice that You are unchanging even in troubled times. I marvel at Your reliability–You are so deserving of our faith!!! The grievous irony stares us straight in the face that we often make You our last priority and last resort until calamity strikes. And it has. Even now, You demonstrate that all our idols fail to protect us and fall away with a simple coronavirus. Our athletes, sidelined. Our entertainers, quarantined. Our politicians, self-isolating. Our economy, fallen and dormant at present. Our jobs, fleeting. Our families whom we love, social distanced. Our church buildings, empty. These idols–revealed as of perishable worth–are being trampled, one after another. You alone are deserving of our faith. You alone are unchanging. Eternal. From before time and forever. Even when it doesn’t seem like there is any reward anywhere for keeping our faith in You, drive home the reality that You reward our faith. You keep Your promises. May we earnestly seek You and receive Your mercy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2020 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.