The Season of Lent

*This is a combination of several past posts...see originals here and here. 

image source

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season.  Do you celebrate the season of Lent?  Do you know what Lent is? 

Growing up in a Baptist church, I never celebrated or even knew what Lent was until high school.  A mentor of mine then explained what Lent was and the meaning and traditions of Lent.  Since I’ve been introduced to it, I love this season and when taken seriously, believe that it is a wonderful time of spiritual renewal.  Jeremy and I celebrate each year together, as Lent was an important part of his church in high school.  

The season of Lent is a forty day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter.  It is a season that is reminiscent of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness and a time for Christians to fast and prepare their hearts for Easter.  When calculating the forty days of Lent, Sundays are not included because each Sunday is considered a “little Easter”, a celebration of the resurrection. It is intended to be a time for Christians to prepare themselves for the coming celebration the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  It is a time to follow Jesus to the cross, and remember the sacrifice that He made for us.  During the passion week, the week before Easter, I love to read through all Christ did the week prior to His crucifixion.  It helps to make Easter more meaningful and focused. 

Lent is a special, intentional time for Christians to become engaged in the process of spiritual renewal.  “Lent is a time to increase the things of the spirit, and decrease the things of the flesh”.  Traditionally, Lent is observed by fasting, often from meat.  However, you can fast from anything that is distracting your attention from your spiritual needs.  It could be food, coffee, a certain activity, a certain tv show, tv altogether, facebook, or something else that you feel the Lord guiding you to sacrifice during this season.  Remember that in comparison to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross, even the hardest thing for us to sacrifice is really insignificant.

So, as we begin this journey towards the passion and Easter, how can you be intentional in your walk with the Lord?  I was listening to the radio and one of my favorite professors, Ben Gutierrez was preaching.  He said something that made me stop and really think and repent.  He said, “You can’t count on past mountaintop experiences to carry you through in your relationship with the Lord.”  Do you ever do that?  Do you ever count on those times with Jesus when He feels so close, so personal, so alive IN you, to carry you over to the next week or the next month, or the next retreat when you experience that mountaintop again?  I don’t want to live mountaintop to mountaintop, but instead everyday experiencing the power of the Glory.  I’m being intentional about the daily walk.  I must be, for He is the reason that I live and the Savior of my soul. May this Lenten season be one where I refocus on being wholly devoted, drawing closer to Him. 

Will you join me in preparing your heart for the intentional celebration of the resurrection?  Lent begins today, and I hope you will prayfully consider how you can celebrate this season in your own life.

An Unknown Future

I've been reflecting a lot on how far we have come in the past year.  This November, I want to focus my attitude on thankfulness for all the blessing the Lord has provided us in the short time Jeremy and I have been married.  The first thing I thought of was how God has taken care of our future.  Last year we were so confused, we were stepping out on faith, we were counting pennies to make it by, and I see where he has brought us and I'm astounded.  This quote has been resonating with me, and I hope it will encourage you as well.

via

Our God is faithful to provide!

Road to Recovery Sermon

A few weeks back Jeremy preached at church for our last series- Road to Recovery.  Below is the video link if you'd like to watch.  As always, I'm so proud of my husband- he does such a great job when he preaches!

http://elementc3.com/media.htm

God's Love

God's love is meteoric,

His loyalty astronomic,

His purpose titanic,

His verdicts oceanic.

Yet in his largeness

Nothing gets lost;

Not a man, not a mouse,

Slips through the cracks.

Psalms 36:5-6 Message Bible

Good Friday-Easter: A Walk Through Holy Week

My husband, Jeremy, has graciously offered to write the final post for the "Walk Through Holy Week" series.  We have decided to combine Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Sunday into one post.  It is a little different than the other posts in this series, but I know you will enjoy what Jeremy has to say!

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This past Wednesday at our youth group we finished a series based on Lent and the preparation of the heart for Easter, and the resurrection of Christ. When we were finished, on our way out one of my more curious students raised his hand and asked "If Good Friday is when Christ was killed, why is good Friday?". Now, when you take into consideration that my youth group is mostly made up middle schoolers who usually don't care about the boring theological discussions I beg them to have with me, I was overjoyed at the prospect of explaining the idealolgy behind Good Friday being "good". Despite this, there was one problem. Good Friday, standing alone, is NOT good. Good Friday is the day that Jesus' earthly ministry was interrupted by His trials and torture and death. How can we, on one hand, say that Jesus is our Lord and we love Him and then on the other say it was GOOD for Him to die?

The answer lies in hope.

I often use the example of what I like to call the "THX moment" to explain how Christ displayed His grace to the world.

When you and I go see a movie at the movie theater, we eagerly sit through the previews waiting to see the movie that we paid an outrageous $9 to see. We watch about 5 previews for movies we won't see, we're told to go buy snacks 20 times (also overpriced) and we sometimes forget that we even came to see a movie. Just as soon as we give up hope that the movie we have now spent $20 on (Cortney usually makes me buy popcorn), the theater goes dark. There is a slow rumble, and the letters "THX" come up on the screen. We are soon deaf and wonder why anyone in their right mind would do this to someone about to watch and listen to a movie. We then realize that all this THX company is doing is showing off how awesome their sound system is and letting us know the movie is about to start. The key lies in the fact that this jet engine taking off in front of you lets you know that you need to turn off your phones, take your seats and shut up because the main event is about to start.

Good Friday is our "THX moment". Good Friday, and the horrible pain and suffering that Christ took on OUR behalf is our wake up call to Him. It cries out to all listening that all the healings, prophecies and parables have been for this moment in time. The moment that the Son of God and the creator of the entire universe would died an ugly disgraceful death, so that you and I would not have to.

Good Friday is good because it screams at us to put away our phones, take our seats and shut up. The show is about to start.

That show takes place the moment Christ is put on that cross, hung for all to see and told He was the "King of the Jews". He was given three painful holes, a crown of thorns, lashes on his back and a spear in His side.He was killed, taken down from the cross, and laid in a tomb. The theater is black, and you don't think there is anyway that the movie will ever begin. You lose hope.

(picture of possible location of Golgotha)

Saturday was a very lonely day. Christ is in the tomb, and no one expects any different for Sunday. We begin to wonder if the law has been fulfilled, if there ever was supposed to be a Savior for the Jews. We begin to doubt that there was ever room for hope in our lives. The theater is darker than ever, and we contemplate the idea that the projector is possibly broken, and it may be time to go home.

Sunday. The greatest day in the history of man's existence begins the same way any other would. The sun comes up on a depraved and sinful world, and we all forget that there is a God that loves us. That is until He wakes us up with a deafening roar that lets us know that our world is not hopeless, and our depravity and sinfulness is not unbeatable. We are awoken by a Christ that is risen from the tomb in the most victorious fashion! He meets us with a message of hope and redemption that cannot be turned down. He shocks us into believing that the most perfect and holy God came to Earth to be with us, and took the punishment that sin gives us. He does this so that we may take the reward that Holiness gives instead. The theater shakes, the speakers show off their power and we are not given any reason to doubt anything anymore. The show is about to begin. For the Christian, that eagerly awaited show is the life that Christ gives us in His death. The life that leads to eternity in Heaven. A life of hope.

I once heard a story of a black Church (I hope you don't mind me calling it a black Church) that had a "preach off". Two men, who believed they could excite the congregation with their preaching decided to see who could do it best. The first preacher, a young man, stood up and gave a eloquent, Biblical sermon that made people think and smile, and even stand to their feet in praise. The second man was faced with a daunting task of "outdoing" his competitor. He stood up in the pulpit, looked in his audiences face and said one phrase. He repeated it, growing in his excitement, and the congregation responded in turn. By the end of the sermon, the entire Church was bursting with excitement, tears and praise. he had obviously won the competition, and in such a simple way. The phrase he used was "Today is Friday, but Sunday's comin!".

Our hope is built on nothing less. Friday and Saturday are so grim and resemble so much of our lives. Dark and scary, but we are given the promise that a sunrise is on it's way. We can rest assured that Christ, in His highest victory, will come back to life! Because of this, we can live our lives focused on Him, and sharing His love with the world. A risen Christ means a endless love that is free and can be accepted at any time. If you have never experienced an Easter celebration in your life, prepare your heart for tomorrow. Prepare your heart for the THX moment about to happen to you. Prepare your heart for the sunrise that breaks apart the darkness. Prepare for the Lord to completely change you in every possible way. Prepare for a love that cannot be taken away. Prepare your heart for the risen Christ.

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We pray that you will each have a blessed Easter and remember the true meaning of it all.
With love,

Jeremy and Cortney

Holy Tuesday- Wednesday

The Tuesday and Wednesday before Jesus died on the cross, He spent a lot of time in the temple teaching the people.  Yesterday we learned that He turned the tables of the money changers inside the temple and that He began teaching the people.

Below is a diagram of the temple mount at the time of Jesus.




Today the temple mount looks like this:

When Jesus returns to Jerusalem the next day (Tuesday), and again begins teaching the people, He is approached by the chief priests and scribes (Mark 11:27).  Yesterday we observed that they were displeased with His actions and now they begin to question Him regarding His authority to teach and do such things.  In classic Jesus fashion, He responds not with a straightforward answer but with other questions and begins speaking to them in parables (Mark 12:1).  He continues to teach in the temple on Wednesday as well.

He speaks about the parable of the tenants, paying taxes to Caesar, is asked about the Resurrection, and the great commandment.  The Sadducees and Pharisees were attempting to "trip up" Jesus, and  they beginning plotting to kill Jesus Wednesday night.

Some believe that Mary anoints Jesus with precious nard on Tuesday of Holy Week, although this is sometimes disputed.

It is important to read the things that Jesus is teaching during these final days of His earthly ministry.  He knows He only has a few more short days, and these are His "final words" of sorts to the people in the temple.  We can learn much by studying the text of these teachings!

Holy Monday

There are two events that we know of from Scripture that occurred the Monday before Jesus rose from the grave:
1.  Jesus curses a fig tree 
2. Jesus cleanses the temple

Yesterday we left off with Jesus returning to Bethany for the night after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Monday Jesus returns to the city of Jerusalem.  As He walks there with His disciples, they pass a fig tree.  Seeing that the fig tree had no fruit, He cursed it and the tree withered.

Mark 11:12-14 recounts:
"12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it."

 From a distance, Jesus could see that the tree was green with leaves. the appearance of green leaves in bloom would indicate that green figs were already growing. The tree had the appearance of bearing fruit, but didn't.  But when Jesus came to the tree and saw that it had no fruit, He cursed it.  This is symbolic of the hypocrisy of all who have the appearance that they are bearing fruit, but in fact are not.  Here it is specifically referring to the Jewish people who have turned away from God into empty rituals instead of showing true fruit of worship. (which would have no doubt have been clearly seen during this Passover week).  Jesus' cursing of the fig tree symbolizes the coming destruction of the city of Jerusalem and Israel.  

Jesus continues to make His way, with His disciples, to the temple.

Matthew 21:12-13 says, "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.  And He said to them, It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN.".


In order to fully understand Jesus cleansing the temple, we first need to understand how the temple system worked.

First of all, taxes for the temple could not be paid in any currency other than the Jewish coinage (the shekel) Therefore, all Roman/other currency had to be exchanged for Jewish coins.  There would have been men sitting outside of the temple exchanging people's coins.  However, often the cost for exchanges was gauged and exchange rates were not equal in order for the money changers to increase profits for themselves.

Near this same area, there would have been areas of people selling animals to be sacrificed.  Only perfect animals could be sacrificed in the temple.  Perhaps a family could not bring a lamb with them the distance they had to travel to Jerusalem.  Or the priests didn't "approve" as perfect the animal they had brought from home.  People could buy  "pre-approved" lambs, doves, pigeons, etc. at the temple.  The prices for these animals could be exponentially greater than their worth.

This would have taken place in the Royal Stoa- the red roofed area in the picture below.

This is at the Southern entrance of the temple and this is the area where all "business" of the temple took place.  It was were money was exchanged, animals sold, and where the Sanhedrin met.

When we were in Israel we had the privilege of visiting the southern stairs, (the large, long staircase in the middle of the picture above).  There is little debate that it is from this staircase that Jesus entered the temple mount.

Here are some pictures of the southern stairs and a short video clip that I took while I was there.

As Jesus comes into the temple and sees the disgrace of these practices in His Father's dwelling place, He becomes angry at what is taking place, and takes action to show His disapproval.

Matthew 21:12-13 says, "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.  And He said to them, It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN.".

The people around were grateful for what took place, children again began shouting "Hosanna" and the blind and lame came to Him to be healed.  (Matthew 21:14-16)  He began teaching them there in the temple.

But the religious teachers were obviously displeased with His actions and were indignant towards him.  However they were afraid to do anything at this point, because they feared a riot from the people.   (Mark 11:18)

Jesus later leaves the temple and returns to Bethany for the night.
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If you would like to study this information in greater detail, a great site that I found related to this topic is here

Palm Sunday- A Walk Through Holy Week

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday- the Sunday before Jesus arose from the dead.  This is the day that He entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey and the people cried Hosanna.

Before entering into the city of Jerusalem, Jesus had been staying in the small village of Bethany, which was located about 2 miles from Jerusalem, on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives.  (The Mount of Olives directly faces the city of Jerusalem.  Below is an aeriel view of the modern day Mount of Olives and Jerusalem.  The temple mount, where the Dome of the Rock is located today, can be seen directly north of the Mt of Olives in the picture.



Jesus often stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus while He was visiting Bethany. (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44; 12:1-3).  We know from Scripture that Mary anointed Jesus after He had arrived in Bethany on Friday or Saturday before His triumphal entry (John 12:2-8).  It is very plausible that Jesus and His disciples stayed with the family during this time.

According to John 12:12, large crowds had come to Israel for the Passover feast.  According to the Old Testament law, all males in Israel were required to travel to Jerusalem 3 times a year for feasts- the feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.  (Deut. 16:16).  Because of this, there would have been a very large crowd in Jerusalem at the time of the events of Holy week. Men and families from all over the land were traveling to celebrate the Passover Feast in the Holy city.

Jesus traveled out of Bethany into the neighboring town of Bethphage, about one mile from the city of Jerusalem.  It is here that He instructs two disciples to go into the village, and that there they would find a donkey and a colt tied up.  The colt was to have never been ridden before.  They were to bring them to Jesus, telling anyone who asked that the Lord needed them.  The disciples did as they were instructed and Jesus mounted the colt and began to ride into the city.

It may seem strange that Jesus would request a donkey to enter the city on and why the crowds would react in such a triumphant fashion.  It is interesting to note that although the donkey was a domesticated animal during the time used for work purposes,  in the days of the Old Testament, the donkey was also considered a royal beast. According to rabbinic law, the king’s donkey should never been ridden by anyone else.  

In 1 Kings 1:32-40, David has Solomon ride on David’s own mule to announce and anoint Solomon as the new king of Israel.  In ancient Near Eastern text, we find similar examples of donkeys being used in ceremonial entries and as an act of kingship.  As Jesus enters into the city on the back of a donkey, He is announcing Himself as the Messiah, the Son of David, the eternal King.  Zechariah 9:9, is quoted in Matthew and John as having been fulfilled by Jesus’ entry into the city on a donkey.  The prophecy states, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is triumphal because of the implication it has.  He was announcing that He was the King- and the people, who had heard of His many miracles, were receiving Him as such by waving palm branches and laying their cloaks on the ground before Him.  The waving of palm branches was symbolic of victory over one’s enemies.  The laying down of their cloaks represented their submission to Him as King.  (2 Kings 9:13).  They shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David”.  Hosanna is a Hebrew word meaning “O Save or Save us”.  By using the term “Son of David”, they were recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah who is called by the same name.  The crowds understood that Jesus was announcing Himself as king, but He wouldn’t be the king they were expecting or wanting.  The people wanted a warrior king, a Messiah who would save them from the Roman influence on the country, who would protect their nation.  Little did they know or understand that Jesus was the King of kings and the Savior of all mankind.  In just a few short days, these same people would no longer be crying out to their Messiah, but crying to crucify Him.

Below are some photos of the Palm Sunday road, the one on which Jesus rode into the city on the back of a donkey.


In the picture below (not my picture), the wall that runs diagonally across is the Palm Sunday road.  This photo shows the road going down from the Mount of Olives into the Kidron Valley, and the road would then go up into the city of Jerusalem (where the photo is taken from).


Click on photo above for source


Luke 19:41 tells us that as Jesus drew near to the city, He wept over it.  He knew that there would come a day when the city would be destroyed.  Below is a picture of the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, where Jesus would have seen the city from.




What love His tears show for this city and for His people.

After entering into the city, Jesus went into the temple and looked around at everything (Mark 11:11)  We do not know exactly what He did, but it was already getting late and He and His disciples went back to Bethany for the night.


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Tomorrow I will share about what Jesus did the following Monday after His triumphal entry.  I hope the description and pictures today helped you to more fully understand and appreciate the significance of Palm Sunday.  It is my prayer that you will continue to prepare your heart for Easter as we celebrate together the death, burial and resurrection of our Eternal King.


*The was originally posted in April 2011- see original post here

Holy Week

Last year, I had planned to write a series "A Walk Through Holy Week" that took us on a journey of Jesus' last week before He died on the cross.  I only wrote a couple of posts, but I want to finish the series this year.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday- the beginning of Holy Week.  Holy Week is the week preceding the celebration of Easter.  Holy Week is a special time for the Christian faith, it is a time to reflect and remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins.  We have spent the last 40 days in the season of lent, and this week culminates the journey to the cross. 

4 years ago, my mom and I visited Israel and my view on the happenings of Scripture were forever changed.  I walked where Jesus walked, I saw the city over which He cried, I stood in the tomb where He may have lay.  This week, I’d like for you to walk with me through the Holy Land and see first hand where Jesus went and what He did the week before He died.  

Let's prepare our hearts and minds for the coming day of joy of Easter together as we walk through Holy Week.  

Unsettle Me

I am 2 chapters away from finishing the book "Made to Crave" by Lysa Terkeurst.  It was my book to read for February and it has challenged and encouraged me to live beyond my cravings for food and practice self- discipline not only to become healthy, but to strive towards holiness.  

Sometimes we just need to be unsettled by God.  Unsettled with where we are.  Unsettled with our complacency and compromises.

These words impacted me today and I hope that in some way they will you as well, 

"Yes, indeed, unsettle me Lord.  

Unearth that remnant of unforgiveness.

Shake loose that justification for compromise.

Reveal that broken shard of pride.

Expose that tendency to distrust.

Unsettle me in the best kind of way.  For when I allow Your touch to reach the deepest parts of me- dark and dingy and hidden away too long- suddenly, a fresh wind of life twists and twirls and dances through my soul.

I can delight in forgiveness and love more deeply.

I can discover a discipline that lies beyond what I'm capable of and grab hold of God's strength to bridge the gap.  

I can recognize the beautify of humility and crave the intimacy with God it unleashes.

I can rest assured through harsh winds blow, I will be held.  

Goodbye to my remnants, my rationalizations, shards, and tendencies.  This is not who I am nor who I was created to be.  

Goodbye to shallow love, sharp words, self-pity, and suspicious fears.  I am an unsettled woman who no longer wishes to take part in your distractions or destructions. 

Welcome deeper love, new possibilities, unleashed intimacy, and the certainty I am held.  

Welcome to the unsettled heart."

Encouragement

Clinging to this verse lately.  Praising Jesus for the hope He provides and asking for patience in the midst of our troubles. 

Click here to download a pdf printable of the verse above.

What is God's Place in Your Life

Last Sunday Jeremy preached at a church in the mountains of NC where we are hoping he will be working as the  youth pastor soon.  We went to meet the congregation and for them to hear him preach, etc.   They will be voting on him in the next couple of weeks, we are so excited and hopeful!  We love the church and really hope everything works out for us to serve there.

Jeremy preached an awesome sermon.  It was probably the best one I have ever heard him preach.  It was titled, "What is God's Place in Your Life".  I'd like to give you a little snippet of his sermon.

He posed the question, "What is God's Place in Your Life" and then took us to 3 passages of Scripture to answer what place He should be.

Daniel 4:34-35

Psalm 23

Romans 5:6

Daniel 4:34-35 says, "But at the end of that period, I Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.  All inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'what have You done?'.


The basic meaning of this passage is that:
1} God CAN, HAS, and WILL DO whatever He wants and there is nothing we can do about it
2} We are WEAK as humans "all inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing..."
3} Because God is so POWERFUL and we are so WEAK, we are to fear the Lord.  Not be afraid, but be in awe, and hold in reverence.

Psalm 23 is a common passage that I'm sure you know.  I won't post the whole passage here but you can read it here:

For this passage Jeremy brought out that:
1}David is calling God his Shepard because He is providing all of his needs
2} In the ancient Near East, Shepard was a common term for a king.  If you think about it, a Shepard and a king share the same vital duties, and provide for their subjects in many of the same ways.  Not only is God David's Shepard, but also his King.
3} We, as the "sheep" are dumb, just as sheep are dumb.  We cannot take care of ourselves.
3} We must have the same dependence on God that a sheep does for its Shepard.

Romans 5:6 says, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly"

No matter how helpless and weak we are, God still loves us and in the midst of our helplessness, gave us the ultimate gift.  Christ's life for ours.

We know that Christ is the Good Shepard , and He is our Good King.

Jeremy used a great illustration using the games of chess.


In chess, the entire point of the game is to protect your King.  The pawns are there to protect the opponent from reaching your most vital piece, the King.

In contrast, Christ, our King, died for His pawns, us.  That is opposite of anything this world says.  The King doesn't die for the people, the people die for the King.  But our King is so great and so loving that He chose to empty himself for His people and give up His life for ours.  (Philippians 2:5-11)

Daniel said that He is all powerful and humans are nothing

Psalms says He is willing to lead us and feed us despite our weakness

Romans says that He doesn't just take care of us, but loves us.

Our all powerful God loved us so much that He sent His son to die for us.

So, in response, what is God's place in your life?

Our answer should be that we are desperately dependent on Him.  


He is our King, our Shepard, and without Him we have nothing. With Him we are fed, nurtured, and most of all loved... no matter what.

How great is our God!

The Best is Yet to Come

This post gave me some encouragement this morning and I thought you might enjoy it as well.  Just click on the image below to read about “holding on to your fork” in view of eternity.

How Great Thou Art

Have you seen this video of Carrie Underwood singing How Great Thou Art yet?  It is beautiful!

A Walk Through Holy Week- Palm Sunday

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday- the Sunday before Jesus arose from the dead.  This is the day that He entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey and the people cried Hosanna.

Before entering into the city of Jerusalem, Jesus had been staying in the small village of Bethany, which was located about 2 miles from Jerusalem, on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives.  (The Mount of Olives directly faces the city of Jerusalem.  Below is an aeriel view of the modern day Mount of Olives and Jerusalem.  The temple mount, where the Dome of the Rock is located today, can be seen directly north of the Mt of Olives in the picture. 

Jesus often stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus while He was visiting Bethany. (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44; 12:1-3).  We know from Scripture that Mary anointed Jesus after He had arrived in Bethany on Friday or Saturday before His triumphal entry (John 12:2-8).  It is very plausible that Jesus and His disciples stayed with the family during this time. 

According to John 12:12, large crowds had come to Israel for the Passover feast.  According to the Old Testament law, all males in Israel were required to travel to Jerusalem 3 times a year for feast- the feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.  (Deut. 16:16).  Therefore, there would have been a very large crowd in Jerusalem at the time of the events of Holy week. Men and families from all over the land were traveling to celebrate the Passover Feast in the Holy city.

Jesus traveled out of Bethany into the neighboring town of Bethphage, about one miles from the city of Jerusalem.  It is here that He instructs two disciples to go into the village and there they would find a donkey and a colt tied up.  The colt was to have never been ridden before.  They were to bring them to Jesus, telling anyone who asked that the Lord needed them.  The disciples did as they were instructed and Jesus mounted the colt and began to ride into the city. 

It may seem strange that Jesus would request a donkey to enter the city on and why the crowds would react in such a triumphant fashion.  It is interesting to note that although the donkey was a domesticated animal during the time used for work purposes,  in the days of the Old Testament, the donkey was also considered a royal beast. It is interesting to note that according to rabbinic law, the king’s donkey should never been ridden by anyone else.   

In 1 Kings 1:32-40, David has Solomon ride on David’s own mule to announce and anoint Solomon as the new king of Israel.  In ancient Near Eastern text, we find similar examples of donkeys being used in ceremonial entries and as an act of kingship.  As Jesus enters into the city on the back of a donkey, He is announcing Himself as the Messiah, the Son of David, the eternal King.  Zechariah 9:9, is quoted in Matthew and John as having been fulfilled by Jesus’ entry into the city on a donkey.  The prophecy states, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is triumphal because of the implication it has.  He was announcing that He was the King- and the people, who had heard of His many miracles, were receiving Him as such by waving palm branches and laying their cloaks on the ground before Him.  The waving of palm branches was symbolic of victory over one’s enemies.  The laying down of their cloaks represented their submission to Him as King.  (2 Kings 9:13).  They shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David”.  Hosanna is a Hebrew word meaning “O Save or Save us”.  By using the term “Son of David”, they were recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah who is called by the same name.  The crowds understood that Jesus was announcing Himself as king, but He wouldn’t be the king they were expecting or wanting.  The people wanted a warrior king, a Messiah who would save them from the Roman influence on the country, who would protect their nation.  Little did they know or understand that Jesus was the King of kings and the Savior of all mankind.  In just a few short days, these same people would no longer be crying out to their Messiah, but crying to crucify Him. 

Below are some photos of the Palm Sunday road, the one on which Jesus rode into the city on the back of a donkey. 

In the picture below (not my picture), the wall that runs diagonally across is the Palm Sunday road.  This photo shows the road going down from the Mount of Olives into the Kidron Valley, and the road would then go up into the city of Jerusalem (where the photo is taken from). 

Click on photo above for source

Luke 19:41 tells us that as Jesus drew near to the city, He wept over it.  He knew that there would come a day when the city would be destroyed.  Below is a picture of the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, where Jesus would have seen the city from. 

What love His tears show for this city and for His people. 

After entering into the city, Jesus went into the temple and looked around at everything (Mark 11:11)  We do not know exactly what He did, but it was already getting late and He and His disciples went back to Bethany for the night. 

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Tomorrow I will share about what Jesus did the following Monday and Tuesday after His triumphal entry.  I hope the description and pictures today helped you to more fully understand and appreciate the significance of Palm Sunday.  It is my prayer that you will continue to prepare your heart for Easter as we celebrate together the death, burial and resurrection of our Eternal King.

A Walk Through Holy Week

Today begins Holy Week, the week proceeding the celebration of Easter.  Holy Week is a special time for the Christian faith, it is a time to reflect and remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins.  We have spent the last 40 days in the season of lent, and this week culminates the journey to the cross. 

This week I will be posting a series titled, “A Walk Through Holy Week”.  3 years ago, my mom and I visited Israel and my view on the happenings of Scripture were forever changed.  I walked where Jesus walked, I saw the city over which He cried, I stood in the tomb where He may have lay.  This week, I’d like for you to walk with me through the Holy Land and see first hand where Jesus went and what He did the week before He died.  Perhaps you will understand in real time, maybe for the first time, what the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry looked like. 

I’ll be sharing pictures and background information as we travel along, following what Jesus did the last few days before He sacrificed it all on the cross.  I’ll start the series tomorrow with Palm Sunday and Holy Monday.

Bloom and Devotion

One of the buds on my orchid bloomed yesterday!  I had forgotten what color it even was.  It is so pretty, I can’t wait for the others to bloom too!

I also wanted to share yesterday’s devotion in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young.  My Bible Study leader gave me this wonderful little book for my birthday last month and I have so enjoyed reading it.  It is written as though God Himself is writing you a letter, sweet reminders of His love and expectations.  Yesterday I felt like He was speaking directly to me.  Here’s is the devotion from April 13th,

“When I give you no special guidance, stay where you are.  Concentrate on doing your everyday tasks in awareness of My Presence with you.  The Joy of My Presence will shine on you, as you do everything for Me.  Thus you invite Me into every aspect of your life.  Through collaborating with Me in all thing, you allow My Life to merge with yours.  This is the secret not only of joyful living, but also of victorious living.  I designed you to depend on Me moment by moment, recognizing that apart from Me you can do nothing. 

Be thankful for quiet days, when nothing special seems to be happening.  Instead of being bored by the lack of action, use times of routine to seek My Face.  Although this is an invisible transaction, it speaks volumes in spiritual realms.  Moreover, you are richly blessed when you walk trustingly with Me through the routines of your day. 

Colossians 3:23; John 15:5; Psalm 105:4”

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Last Bible Study

Today was the last day of my Jonah Bible Study at Thomas Road Baptist Church.  I have learned so much from this study and from the ladies who were at my table. I am so grateful to have been placed in a group of such wonderful women, they have each taught me so much….

From Left to Right: Tanya, Me, Dawn, Jennie, Debbie, and Janie  (just missing Ellie- she was busy selling her house in Atlanta and moving to Lynchburg!)

Dawn was our table leader and she has taught me the importance of sacrifice for your family.  She is an example of a woman who gave up a career to be a full time mom and homemaker.  I admire her so much for that.  She has taught me that instead of always giving advice, we should instead always be in prayer for others.  She is such a great leader, and I am so happy that I was chosen to be in her group.

Ellie has taught me how to move on faith.  She is a woman who is so in tune with the Lord and so willing to follow Him no matter the cost.  She has been an inspiration to me, especially during this time of not knowing where we are going to live. Her love for her family and her devotion to them is so rich!  She is a wonderful example of a godly wife and mother!  She reminded me of the importance of cultivating your personal relationship with the Lord so that you can pour into your family.

Tanya has shown me that even pastor’s wives need to be ministered to.  She is a pastor’s wife that lives 30 minutes from Lynchburg but drives up every week to Bible Study so she can be fed herself and make connections with other women.  She is so uplifting and such a great example of a pastor’s wife. 

Jennie has taught me about self sacrifice and about putting others above yourself.  She has uprooted her life to care for her daughter and grandchildren and her love for her family is so evident.  She is an example of what it means to be devoted to family and I admire her for all she has done. 

Janie has taught me to never stop searching and learning and delighting in the Lord.  She is in the early stages of her relationship with the Lord and it is a blessing to see her get excited and delight in the Lord.  I don’t ever want to loose that love and joy of learning about Him.

Debbie has taught me to have an empathetic heart.  She is so kind and genuine and she shows so much love and genuine care to others.  Her heart for others is contagious and I desire to display that same kind of love!

 

Today was a wonderful day at our study.  Linda and Jen Barrick spoke to our group and I just love hearing about their story and God’s grace that has lead them through so much heartache the past 5 years. 

Each week, Linda Barrick leads Mountain Blend, our Bible Study, at TRBC.  She is the daughter of Ed Hindson, a professor at Liberty University.  She has such a sweet spirit and her and her family have such a powerful story and testimony of the faithfulness of the Lord.

In 2006, the first year that I was at Liberty University, Linda and her family were in a horrible car accident.  Going home from church one night they were hit by a drunk driver, and their lives were forever changed.  Below is a picture of their car after the accident. 

All of the family members were seriously injured and Jen was in a coma and expected not to survive.  I remember us as a Liberty family along with TRBC rallying around this family and praying fervently for a miracle.  The Lord indeed still performs miracles! 

In the midst of her coma, Jen would sing praise songs to the Lord and quote Scripture out loud, despite not being conscious.  The Lord was with her in a very real way and allowed her to live. 

Today, Jen is still recovering from her injuries and still has brain injuries, difficulty seeing, and memory loss.  However she is using her story for the glory of the Lord and proclaiming His mercy and grace! 

It was so inspiring to hear from these two godly women today.  I encourage you to go and read more about their story on their website, Hope Out Loud Ministries

 

 

I would love to be able to stay in Lynchburg if only to get to go back to this table in the fall!  I love you ladies!

Let Your Light Shine

The Calmer of the sea
Here in this room with me
So gently welcoming
The weakest things in me
You are the blood over
The door of my heart
What pain You spared me from
How could I know it all?
Oh wonderful love, You died for me
The power of Your life is in me

Father, let Your light shine down on me
Father, let Your light shine down on me
No matter what the day or night may bring
Father, let Your light shine down on me

Oh Jesus, You became what was my deepest shame
That at Your very name
My calloused heart would change
How could You, oh perfect One
Love me, when I have done nothing that's worthy of
My freedom You have won
Oh wonderful love, You died for me
The power of Your life is in me

Father, let Your light shine down on me
Father, let Your light shine down on me
No matter what the day or night may bring
Father, let Your light shine down on me

Open up the heavens
Poor down Your Spirit
On me God
Jesus, wherever You lead
I'll sing harmony
Hold me God

Father, let Your light shine down on me
Father, let Your light shine down on me
No matter what the day or night may bring
Father, let Your light shine down on me

Bethany Dillon

Click here for song

Lent- Be Intentional

Today marks the beginning of Lent.  I explained the season of Lent to you last week in this post, and I hope that some of you have considered celebrating the Lenten season as well. 

As I said in the previous post, Lent is a time to increase the things of the spirit, and decrease the things of the flesh.  To do this, you must be intentional.  You must push past your own will to follow His. 

This past week, my roommate of 5 years moved to New Jersey to start a new job.  It has been a hard week for me adjusting to being in Lynchburg without her.  She was one of my very first friends at Liberty and we have been the best of friends since.  In order to distract myself from the fact that her side of the room was now empty, I decided to rearrange my room.  It has been a long time since I’ve had a room all to myself.  When I was rearranging, I thought about the idea of being intentional in my relationship with the Lord.  If I desire to grow closer to Him, I have to put forth the effort.  Scripture tells us that “you will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart” (Jer. 29:13).  I’m ready to seek Him with all of my heart, are you? 

As I realized how much extra space I now had in my room, I decided to set up an intentional space to spend time with the Lord.  When I was a student at Liberty, there was a prayer room on campus that was open for students to come and pray and read their Bibles.  It was always comfortable, serene, and intentional.  I loved it because it was a space dedicated to the Lord, set apart for worship and personal growth.  So, I rummaged around the house and stole a few things from the living room to create my own space to spend time with Jesus in my “new” room. 

I have a place to sit, a place to put my Bible, Bible study notebook, and journal.  I can have soft lighting with the lamp, and I even found a cushion to make getting on my knees before the Lord a little more comfortable. 

It is right beside my bookshelf with all my Bible study resources. 

It is my own peace retreat.  I’ve placed a reminder there on the table of what this season is for and what this space is to be used for. 

So, as we begin this journey towards the passion and Easter, how can you be intentional in your walk with the Lord?  I was listening to the radio today and one of my favorite professors, Ben Gutierrez was preaching.  He said something that made me stop and really think and repent.  He said, “You can’t count on past mountaintop experiences to carry you through in your relationship with the Lord.”  Do you ever do that?  Do you ever count on those times with Jesus when He feels so close, so personal, so alive IN you, to carry you over to the next week or the next month, or the next retreat when you experience that mountaintop again?  I don’t want to live mountaintop to mountaintop, but instead everyday experiencing the power of the Glory.  I’m being intentional about the daily walk.  I must be, for He is the reason that I live and the Savior of my soul. May this Lenten season be one where I refocus on being wholly devoted, drawing closer to Him. 

Consider creating your own intentional space to be with Him.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” James 4:8