Holidays

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

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

True Love (A Valentine’s Day Blog)

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Maybe you’ve seen a movie like 2010’s Valentine’s Day or some other rom-com where they try to answer the age-old question “What is love?”, or you’ve been to one too many weddings where they quote 1 Corinthians 13, or you’ve been able to celebrate Valentine’s Day with somebody special over the years.

But perhaps on this Valentine’s Day, I can offer a different perspective: Valentine’s Day is about true love. Can you believe that just 300 years ago, Valentine’s Day flowers, chocolates, and cards never even crossed our minds?

The story goes that Saint Valentine was a Christian priest and physician in early Rome, during a time where it was very anti-Christian and anti-marriage. Yet, he constantly did good deeds, cared for the sick & the poor, and secretly performed Christian weddings. Right before the Roman Empire beheaded Valentine for his Christian faith, he fell in love with a woman and gave her a final note signed, “Your Valentine”.

Now where in that story did you see true love? The origin of Valentine’s Day cards? Or how Valentine knew the value of his faith and love for Jesus Christ that he would take it to the very end?

When we think of true love, we may think of romance… but real, true love is unconditional, like the true love shown to us by Jesus Christ – the perfect sign of God’s love on the cross. This true love is what inspired and drove Valentine to do what he did. He risked persecution, punishment, and even death to take a stand for his Christian faith. Jesus was his shameless plug.

So this Valentine’s Day, have fun with the candy and flowers but don’t just fall for the commercialism and Hallmark holiday of February 14 – Valentine’s Day is more than that. Consider true love and show true love to those you care about: your friends, family, husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, and even strangers. How can you show more of the true love of Jesus?

Reflection Song: Here Today

The Day After The Most Depressing Day Of The Year

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Researchers determined that yesterday was “The Most Depressing Day Of The Year”, calling it “Blue Monday”. They say that January 6th would be the most miserable day, based on guilt-related words and weather complaints all throughout the internet – apparently up to six times more results than past first Mondays of the year.

I don’t know about you, but that kind of news just makes me think about the things that I’m grateful for and what to look forward to in the new year. Sure, the holidays are over and work/school is starting again. And yes, today is a drastic temperature drop from yesterday (The Most Depressing Day Of The Year): a shocking 6° (real feel -16°). But what are you looking forward to?

Let’s look ahead and remember that God is faithful. 2013 is done, and we’ve almost had a full week of 2014. Instead of complaining and living a life of regret, let’s continue to find satisfaction in the Lord this year. You may be “used to” bad news and discouragements in the past, but that’s not how we should live. Instead, God wants us to expect the good He has planned for you in 2014! (Isaiah 30:18)

It’s a new day, it’s a new year! Let’s put our faith and trust in God this year as the best is yet to come! Psalm 119:49-56 reminds us that God and His Word give us hope… hope for this new year, hope for a joyful and fulfilling life. All that we need He will provide. So let’s rejoice and live for Him, magnifying Him, and make Him known. Happy New Year!

Reflection Song: Prepare The Way

Advent Week 4 (2013)

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In Luke 2:8-11, an angel of the Lord shares news to the shepherds. News that would cause great joy in us. News that would change us forever. News that Jesus is born!

Week 4 of Advent means that Christmas is near. It may not feel like it though because Thanksgiving was only 4 weeks ago, or because you still haven’t gone shopping yet, or because over here in the northeast we had unusually warm weather… (Maybe this is what Christmas in California feels like?) But soon we will be celebrating and giving glory to God in the highest for the gift of gifts – His one and only Son, and our Messiah: Jesus Christ!

We’ve enjoyed sharing our thoughts during this Advent season with you this year. Hopefully Christ won’t be the center of attention only during Christmas but every day as we live for Him. Just like we say in our song Unending Praise: Jesus, more than anything be our everything!

Reflection Song: Unending Praise

Advent Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Advent Week 3 (2013)

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The other day I overheard a mother and son talking about Christmas…

Boy: “Mom, Santa’s supposed to bring the Nintendo Wii U and the Light Blue 3DS, right?”
Mother: “Uh… (panicking) Don’t you mean the Aqua Blue 3DS?”
Boy: “No, the Light Blue.”
Mother: “I’m pretty sure you wanted the Aqua Blue…”
Boy: “Oh you’re right, it was the Aqua Blue!”
Mother: (Sigh of relief)

You see, the mother was panicking because she thought she had everything figured out until her son surprised her with some last-minute color confusion! The son thought he knew exactly what to expect for Christmas, but threw his mother off track a bit with his color mix-up!

It’s already Week 3 of Advent, which means next week is Christmas… what are you expecting? In this life we’ll find that so many things we plan, map out, or expect don’t go according to our design. We’ll be disappointed by many things. But one thing we can count on is the faithfulness of the Father, and especially in this Advent season we can certainly know to expect the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son. Even in our trials and suffering, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Let’s keep focusing on His coming with expectation and anticipation as we continue to make our way towards Christmas!

Reflection Song: Christ Is

Advent Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Advent Week 2 (2013)

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So you’re in Target, or Walgreens, or in the mall, and you start hearing Christmas music like “Angels We Have Heard On High”. You might think: Christmas carol time! But wait… remember that many of these songs are actually worship songs for the newborn king Jesus!

Often times we forget the true meaning of Christmas. We get caught up in the shopping frenzies, sales, presents… and then we have church. We think there’s a schism between “sacred” and “secular” around this time. Going to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular shocks some people when (spoiler alert) they talk about the Nativity of Jesus. But Christmas is what Christmas is… it is about Christ.

Last week, a popular article/blog on Switchfoot was trending on social media sites: Why Switchfoot Won’t Sing Christian Songs

During this second week of Advent, we would like to challenge & encourage you to be more Christ-like and to make Christmas about Christ. Advent isn’t about the arrival of your Amazon Prime order. Advent is about the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who didn’t come to die for our gifts but for our sins – which is the greatest gift of all!

Reflection Song: Only You

Advent Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4