Author: Shameless Plug

“I Don’t Know Him!” (A Good Friday Blog)

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“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…” – Genesis 1:31

You might call it Holy Friday or Easter Friday but Good Friday is good, just as God sees creation in Genesis. The betrayal… the suffering… all the things leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion aren’t by themselves “good”. But God’s purpose for it all was good.

Every year the Lenten season is a long journey but it all comes down to this weekend as Lent comes to an end, and as Holy Week reminds us of the selfless sacrifice of Jesus Christ… for Good Friday is the day we look to the cross – that tree where Jesus bore our sins in His own body and died for us. This is the demonstration of God’s love for us all (Romans 5:8).

Do we know that to be true? Do you believe that Christ died for you?

I’m reminded of the story of Peter denying Jesus in Luke 22:54-62. Peter is asked three times if he knew Jesus, but denies it… “I don’t know him”, he replies. As you can imagine, this could be due to fear or weakness in that moment. But what if Peter denied Him because, like the crowds on Palm Sunday, he expected a conquering Messiah? A heroic king?

We know now that Jesus wasn’t a conquering Messiah but a suffering Messiah… He conquered not the government, but sin and death… He rode into Jerusalem not with an army, but on a colt. Perhaps today you have your own misunderstandings of who Jesus is. Or maybe you’ve taken for granted all that He’s done for you, brushing Lent to the side this year and forgetting the cost that was paid for your life. But remember the purpose for it all, a good purpose, that makes this grim day a Good Friday: God sent His one and only Son to the world, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

If you are feeling a little lost lately and are trying to focus on Christ today, remember that He is the way to the Father. Jesus told Philip, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”

How do you see Jesus? Today we recognize the Savior that Jesus is and the sacrifice He made through the Father’s love for us. May the cross remind us of the death that was necessary in order for us to have new life. Draw closer to Him today, know who He is, and know that it is a Good Friday.

Reflection Song: Here I Stand

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Lent, Week 6: Palm Sunday (Holy Week)

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Today we look at Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday), which kicks off Holy Week leading up to Jesus’ death. Who would have thought that the day Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem would be the same week of His betrayal and death on the cross? In Matthew 21:1-11, we see that the passage is titled “Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King”. Imagine you were there for that Palm Sunday, you hear there’s a Messiah among you, He’s a King, He’s the Lord of lords… The crowds are laying down their cloaks, waving these branches, saying hosanna in the highest! “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Many times throughout the Bible (Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:3, Mark 3:3) it says “prepare the way”, which may remind us of what we read above when the crowds were laying down their cloaks and laying down branches. The crowds were preparing the way for Jesus, even on a colt! They didn’t know what He would do next, but they knew they had to make way.

So where does that leave us? I don’t think any of us are expecting to go outside right now and lay down our North Face or Burberry jackets on the ground. So how do we prepare the way? The Bible says to prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight. We should note that it’s not that the Lord doesn’t like winding or curved roads but we ought to clear the way of all obstructions or hindrances that could keep Him from doing His will in our lives.

If you have things you’ve given up for Lent, or things that are holding you back, it’s time to do some spring cleaning. Have you noticed that refraining from these things makes a better way for Jesus to come? Jesus gave everything up for us in order for our crimson sins to be washed as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). His triumphant entry into Jerusalem is so that we can have a victory in our salvation from the cross and resurrection of our living Lord & Savior. Make worthy to God all of your praise this Holy Week, this Easter season, and with these lives that we have in Him.

Ultimately, instead of being on a throne as King, Jesus humbly took His place on the cross for our sins. So let’s prepare the way, knowing what’s to come this coming Holy Week: our Lord Jesus Christ suffering for us, exemplifying a love that’s humble & beyond how we can love. This, in fact, is the definition of the word “passion“… as in “The Passion Of The Christ”. The love Jesus showed on the cross spans farther than we can imagine. So we begin Holy Week with the palms and end with the cross…

Reflection Song: Prepare The Way

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Lent, Week 5: Humility

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We started the Lenten Season this year by admitting the things that distract us from God, giving them up because we remember that Christ died for unselfish reasons: Jesus humbled Himself and even died a humiliating death for us on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). So we make Lent a time to practice humility as a way to follow after Jesus… not humiliating yourself but humbling yourself, recognizing what has been done not by yourself but with God.

As we shared in Week 1, Pope Francis chose a Lenten message theme of “He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich”. That means nothing else gives us more fulfillment than Him. Do you still cling onto the things you’ve given up? Maybe you’ve even slipped up once or twice. But as we give up these distractions, we’re doing so knowing that self-satisfaction is out the door.

We can’t do it on our own!

Following Jesus is not an easy task. But our own prideful attempts, desires, and solutions won’t cut it – Matthew 23:12 says, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” In context, Jesus warns His disciples and the crowds to be careful of hypocrisy and of what you do. We aren’t to build our own selves up but rather remember that there is one God who’s here for us and deserves all the acknowledgement & praise.

Let’s continue to make way for the Lord, fix our heart attitude before Him, and be humbled beneath His mighty hand. This week we want to encourage you as you drop the things that are keeping you from seeking God humbly and whole-heartedly because our humility will make room for Him to guide us… C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” Are you using this time for extra time in prayer and deep reflection towards Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection?

Reflection Song: Only You

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Lent, Week 4: Hope

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We are already halfway to Easter! I don’t know about you, but this Lenten Season has truly been a blessing. The more time that I spend with the Lord, the more I realize that our life, hope, and trust should be in Christ. It may be difficult for you right now but don’t sweat it! Put your hope in God!

Colossians 1:27 says: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Our hope, our purpose is found in Christ, the One who has saved us. But so often we don’t place all our hope in Christ – we say that we trust in the Lord, yet we hype up and boast in others.

What brings you true satisfaction?

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17). You see, no matter how much we think the things of this world bring us joy, the riches we find in God are far greater. The joy He gives us is everlasting. Our hope of glory gives us confidence and perseverance. It’s a hope that is certain and true.

So do not lose heart! You may be going through tough times as you’ve given things up for Lent. Trials and temptations may come your way. But press on and endure, persevering in tribulation, and continue to devote your life to the Lord (Romans 12:12). Continue to remember that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and nothing else can compare to the benefits of knowing Him & being in an intimate relationship with Him!

That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:10)

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

Reflection Song: Christ Is

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Lent, Week 3: Love

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Have you ever felt disappointed in yourself? Have you ever had someone disappointed in you? Thankfully, our Father has such an everlasting love and patience for us!

We are far from perfect and we are so often disobedient in God’s eyes. Yet God is the perfect parent, the perfect Father, continuing to love us and accept us. In Romans 3, Paul says that we have no advantage – that there isn’t even one who is perfect among us. “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Yet even in our sin, God was not willing to lose any of us.

God says in Ezekiel 34 that like a shepherd looks after his scattered flock, He will look after His sheep – gathering them, tending to them, searching for the lost and bringing back the strays. In this Lenten Season, let us not forget about God’s care for us: Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place, experiencing the death that we deserved… a gift of His perfect love. Remember that we aren’t going through these 40 days because of obligation. God isn’t looking forward to your annual sweets, coffee, social media, or whatever you’ve given up this Lent. He wants you, now, given up as a living sacrifice.

No matter how far we think we’ve strayed or how badly we’ve done wrong, nothing is greater than our Shepherd, our Savior. We want to encourage you in Week 3 to continue going forward strong and confidently toward him, even in the midst of disappointments and discouragements… Christ came for us to show God’s love for us. So we hope your Lenten Season is full of love & blessings so far – it’s not by our own strength that we can live life to the fullest, but by the blood of Jesus!

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

Reflection Song: All To You

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Unending Praise Turns 1!

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Can you believe that we released our debut album Unending Praise 1 year ago today? We’re so thankful for all the supporters of our music & ministry over the years, and we know that this is just the beginning!

Still don’t have a copy of our CD?

Why settle for $14.98 at FYE, $19.09 at Tower Records, $23.39 at Amazon, $28+ on eBay, or anywhere else? Here are a couple ways to get our CD as low as $5 for this 1 year mark!

CD Baby has a deal that offers 3 CDs for $5 each (including Unending Praise). Unfortunately, it’s a bit tough finding albums this way, so we’ll also be running a promotion in our store for merch bundles. If you’ve always wanted our Snellen T-shirt for cheap, this is your chance too! And as always, you can stream our music with services such as Rdio (direct link).

New music is on its way! We’ve written several songs already and can’t wait to share more information soon on how we can make this happen together. Thanks, everyone, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

(Wow that’s a lot of links. But one last thing: don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list to get a free download of our Easter song “He Has Overcome”! Stay tuned tomorrow as we continue our blog series for Lent.)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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St. Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

 

Lent, Week 2: Focus

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If you’ve given something up for Lent, you’ll see that it can be a great time to more fully appreciate the meaning of the cross. Hopefully you are treating it as a time to deepen your relationship with the Lord, rather than doing it “just because”. This Lenten season is meant to enrich our worship to God, growing in our intimacy with Him as we fast these things for 40 days.

But it’s so easy to get stuck in a routine, “Oh, no thanks. I can’t have sweets”, as if we are on a diet. So how can we make Lent less about us, and more about God? How can we focus on Him?

I was reflecting on Psalm 119:33-40, which says that we ought to turn our eyes away from worthless things and preserve our lives according to His word… because His laws are good and we find delight in Him… Fasting from something should help us take our eyes away from these distractions and focus more on the Lord as we live faithfully by His word, His commands, His statutes.

This past Sunday at our home church, we led songs about surrender and how (no matter what we gave up) Jesus is our supplier, provider, satisfier. It’s not easy living a life that shows it but we believe that this discipline can come from regularly spending extra time with God. Rather than dwelling on what you can’t do, use this time to center in on Jesus. Use that TV/internet/dessert/shopping time to regularly be in His word this Lenten season so that we can grow in God’s grace. It’s now Week 2, and we know that there’s great news coming! Rather than thinking we’re taking something away from our lives, let’s reconsider and think how we can add spiritual discipline to prepare for Easter this year.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Reflection Song: Christ Is

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter

Lent, Week 1: Ash Wednesday

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Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season. For the next 40 days of Lent, we reflect upon one of the most significant days of our faith… Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. With ashes made from the previous Palm Sunday, we mark a cross on our foreheads and have a repentant attitude, remembering that we came from dust and will return to dust.

This year, Pope Francis has chosen for his Lenten message a theme of “He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich”, which comes from 2 Corinthians 8:9.

So often we might give something up for Lent thinking it’ll also be good for us to do so (sweets, TV, games, etc.) but it’s very easy to forget that Christ died for totally unselfish reasons. It wasn’t just for your sins. It wasn’t just for my sins. It was for the sin of the world! (John 1:29) And though Lent was originally observed in the fourth century as a time of examination and denial of oneself, we may find ourselves treating it more like a countdown to Easter (“only x more days until I can eat/do _____ again!”).

In the coming weeks, we hope to reflect with you so that, whether or not you’re fasting something, we can prepare the way of the Lord together – not only giving things up, but also laying our lives down in surrender as we contemplate the price Jesus paid on the cross, that we might become rich in Him and have life to the fullest. Let’s set the tone for this season.

What are you giving up for Lent?

Reflection Song: Prepare The Way

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 (Palm Sunday) | Good Friday | Easter