Easter Week Meditation . . .

As we celebrate the most historically important week in the history of the world, I want to encourage you to take some portions of the Bible and meditate on them.

Meditating (which you've probably heard me define as 'chewing the cud') is simply letting the words and thoughts and idesa roll around in your mind. Spending some time in quiet asking God to reveal to you: 'What does this mean?' 'How does this apply to me?'
And then just keeping parts of the Scripture that stand out on your mind throughout the day (I make notecards and carry them around).

Psalm 119 says: "Teach me, O Lord, to follow every one of your principles. Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found."

It is God's Spirit using God's Word that changes our life!

Here are two passages that I would encourage you to use to meditate on this week:

1 Peter 1:3-5

Luke 24


God, give us passion for you and fire to love you! Show us the power of the resurrection of Jesus! Give us great expectation because He rose from the dead!

Living Hope

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!" (1 Peter 1:3)

I was reading John Ortberg last night and and check out this great thought from Reinhold Niebuhr that he shared that draws a distinction between optimism and hope:

'Optimism believes in progress, that circumstances will get better. Hope, however, is built on the conviction that another reality, another Kingdom, already exists.'

Life can be hope draining. But our hope is not just in this life. It's in a King and a Kingdom. As followers of Jesus we are part of a reality that is way beyond this life and yet is buried deep within the belly of this life. It is in us. He is IN US. The Kingdom is IN US. Christ in us the Hope of Glory!

Whatever is going on today, in Christ you have hope! Pray that His reality and His Kingdom will prevail on earth and in our lives.

Easter Expectations

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3)

Do you ever under-expect God to live through you? Do you ever come to church with little or no expectations of God moving?

Today the seats sit empty. Do you expect Jesus to bring heaven to earth this Sunday?

As we celebrate His defeat of death on Sunday you have 3 opportunities. Will you be there? Who does God expect to be there with you?