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Scripture: 26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.” [Matthew 26:1-5 NLT] I have seen firsthand the results of a betrayal. Two people built a company together and spent years building a dream. Clients put their trust in the company because of what both people brought to the table. Employees invested hours and hours into the company following two people they respected and in whom they believed. The company was very successful and both people were responsible for the success. Then something happened. One person began to believe they had a better way of doing things. They believed that they worked harder than the other person. They believed that they deserved more than they were getting. So that person began to plot secretly to leave, build his own company, and take clients and business with him. The other partner did not know, until one day the other person was gone along with clients, business, and employees. Betrayal wreaked havoc on the person left behind. Betrayal leaves the betrayed person to pick up the pieces. There is hurt and hard feelings as well. It is not a good situation. No one longs to go through betrayal and most do everything they can do avoid being betrayed. We spend time building relationships of trust, mutual respect and love. The hope is that these strong relationships will help us to avoid betrayal. Our hope is that we will have relationships in our life that encourage us, strengthen us, and make us better. We invest in relationships with the hope of the relationship being mutually beneficial. Yet, betrayal still occurs occasionally. We have probably all experienced some level of betrayal in our life. Be at peace! As we enter Holy Week know that you are not alone. At the very outset of Jesus’ last week of life people are plotting to betray him. In our Scripture for today we read about Jesus telling his disciples that in two days He would be betrayed and crucified. One of Jesus’ closest friends, one of his twelve disciples, would sell him for a few pieces of silver. Jesus knew the sting of betrayal. At the same time he was telling his disciples about his impending betrayal, the religious leaders are meeting secretly to plot how to get rid of Him. They want to capture him and kill him because he is a threat to them. Jesus knows about betrayal. Jesus also knows what his betrayal would mean for all of humanity. Jesus knew that his betrayal would set into motion his sacrifice for our sins. Jesus knew that from his betrayal something amazing would happen for all of humanity. Today you may be reeling from the sting of betrayal. You may have been betrayed yesterday or 20 years ago, but the sting of betrayal is real. If you have experienced betrayal in your life, ask God to reveal how God is going to use that betrayal. God never wastes a hurt. God can and will use the hurt you have experienced to bless others. Just as Jesus blessed all of humanity through his betrayal, you can bless the people in your life through yours. Allow God to show you how he plans to heal you, use you, and bless others through your experience. With God you can turn betrayal into blessing … today. Prayer: Holy God, you alone can take my hurt and make me whole. I give you my hurt from being betrayed and trust that you will turn it into blessing. Use me today to help others overcome the hurt of their betrayal. Through the power and presence of your Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Scripture: 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. [Galatians 5:22-26 NLT] It’s a pretty popular item in our culture today. I know several people in our church who have purchased them. They range anywhere from $50 for a small one to over $3,000 for a top of the line model. Most people use them for enjoyment, but others use them for photography and videography. There is even a league where people are very serious about racing these items and competing against other racers. The item to which I am referring is a drone. The most common drones are called quadcopters. They have four separate propeller mounts and come in all different sizes and styles. My daughter bought one and it has been both fun and frustrating. It turns out that it takes a little bit of time and a lot of practice to learn how to control them. After many hours of practice she was able to fly it and control it pretty well. Have you ever had this type of experience? Maybe you have never tried to control a flying drone, but I am certain there are things in life you have tried to control. We all have tried to control our reaction to certain things in life. We have also tried to control our finances, our weight, our tongue, our schedule, and the list goes on. Some things we may have been able to control with relative ease. I was talking with someone this last week who said their weight has never fluctuated more than 8 pounds their entire adult life. It has been easy for them to control and I don’t like them very much, of course I am kidding. Other things may have been difficult for us to try and control. Some people find handling their finances a very difficult thing to control. Whatever it may be we have things in our life we try to control. Our Scripture passage for today flips this idea of control on its head. The passage starts out with the statement, “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us…” Did you catch that? We cannot control the Holy Spirit! We shouldn’t even try to control the Holy Spirit. Living life in the Holy Spirit is about yielding control. We give up control and allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives. The result is fruit, fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Paul goes on to say that the way we yield control to the Holy Spirit is to follow. Paul writes, “If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” The key to yielding our lives to the Holy Spirit is following the Holy Spirit’s lead. In order for this to be an effective reality in our lives we must yield every part of our life to the Spirit. Today don’t try to control things, rather yield. Yield every area of your life and let the Holy Spirit lead you. Let go of your selfish human passions and desires and let the Holy Spirit lead and control. As the Holy Spirit controls your life today you will find yourself experiencing more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It’s all about who’s in control. Prayer: Holy God, I yield my life to your Holy Spirit today. Lead me where you want me to go. Put me to whatever you want me to do. Inspire me to say the words you would have me say. I am yours and I am not in control. May you receive all the honor, glory, and praise through my life today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. [Mark 1:9-10 NLT] Fall is over and the folks up north are probably relishing the thaw and warmer weather to come. One of the best parts of fall is when the leaves turn colors and fall. The array of colors is amazing. The display is worth paying attention to and many people travel great distances just to enjoy it. As a kid growing up in Michigan I loved the colors of the leaves for sure. The part of fall I liked even more though was the aftermath- once the leaves have all fallen and lay all over the ground. This is usually the part adults disliked because the leaves all needed to be raked. A kid, however, doesn’t have the same concern. I loved the leaves on the ground because they could be gathered up and played in. You could bury your friends, have leaf wars, and throw the leaves in the air as high as you could. The leaves literally represented hours of fun. One of my favorite memories was laying in the front yard beneath a very large oak tree. At a certain point in the fall the colorful leaves would begin to fall. As you would lay underneath the huge oak tree the leaves would fall all around and over you. On windy days it would feel as though the tree was raining leaves on top of you. If you stayed there long enough the leaves would cover you almost entirely. It was a pretty cool feeling to be covered in leaves as you continued to watch more leaves falling down from the tree. I sometimes think of that scene from my childhood when I read the Scripture passage for today. I have no idea if the imagery conjured up in my head is anywhere close to what actually happened. In any case I can see the heavens opening up and the Holy Spirit floating gently down to rest all over Jesus. Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River when the Holy Spirit descended upon him. This is, of course, when the voice of God declared how pleased God was with the Son. What an amazing experience that would have been for Jesus. Experiencing the third person of the Trinity falling upon the second person of the Trinity while the first person of the Trinity voices pleasure over the second person of the Trinity was nothing short of a truly holy moment. The descending of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus was also a foretaste of what ALL who receive salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ would experience. Our experience of receiving the Holy Spirit is more than likely less dramatic than what Mark describes. However, each person who has received the gift of salvation has received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has fallen on you. Today live your life as someone who has received the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. You may even wish to say the words “fall on me” throughout the day today as a reminder. You have received the Holy Spirit already, but perhaps these words will help conjure up the image of the Holy Spirit continuously falling down on you and covering you. You can also repeat the Prayer to the Holy Spirit (below) today. Make the Holy Spirit welcome in your life today. Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, fill the heart of your faithful and kindle in me the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and I will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit, you have taught the heart of your faithful. In the same Spirit, help me to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. I ask this through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Scripture: 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20 NLT] One of my favorite Disney movies is Aladdin. I realize that the reason is most likely because Robin Williams was one of my favorite comedic actors. In Aladdin, Robin Williams plays the genie of the lamp. The genie has the ability to grant Aladdin three wishes, with a few provisos. Aladdin promises that he will use his last wish to release genie from the lamp. He is moved to do this because genie tells him that he has “Phenomenal cosmic powers, but an itty bitty living space.” The genie has all of the power and authority to grant three wishes to Aladdin, but he is limited to the confines of the lamp for his living space. While he is able to grant his master any three wishes he desires, the genie doesn’t have the greatest of arrangements. We tend to experience the opposite reality. Living in the United States of America we tend to have adequate living space and the ability to move around freely. What we often times feel is lacking in our life is power and authority. Have you ever experienced this feeling in your life? It could be at your workplace where you have been asked to accomplish a task without being given the authority necessary to do so. Wherever you have experienced this reality in life I am certain it was a frustrating experience. When we are asked to do something, it should be required that we are given the authority to accomplish the task. In our Scripture for today we see that God understands this principle. God sent Jesus to accomplish a great task for the world. As we have been studying in The Apostle’s Creed, Jesus came as God’s only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. All that God sent Jesus to do would have been impossible without the authority to accomplish it all. God knew that and provided Jesus with all he needed. Jesus told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.” Complete authority to accomplish the work for which God the Father sent him. Today realize this … Jesus gives us complete authority to accomplish what we are called to do in His name! In our Scripture for today Jesus commands his followers to go and make disciples in his name. He promises that he will be with them “always, even to the end of the age.” In Luke 24 verse 47 Jesus also told his followers, “With my authority, take this message of repentance to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.” That same command and promise is ours today. The Holy Spirit will continue to lead us to go. The Holy Spirit also is the authority when we go in the name of Jesus. Wherever you feel led by the Holy Spirit to move today, be confident that you have been given complete authority to accomplish what you are being led to accomplish. Prayer: Loving God, thank you for giving Jesus Christ complete authority. Empower me through your Holy Spirit to move when you say move. May I realize the promise of the presence and authority that comes from Christ alone today. I will go where you send me. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. [Matthew 4:1 NLT] In the 1920s American physiologist Walter Cannon first described what took place in the response known as fight-or-flight. This is also known as acute stress response and is a physiological reaction that takes place when we face something physically or mentally threatening. The response is the body’s way of preparing us to either stay and face the threat or run away to safety. Scientists have identified that there is a chain of reactions that takes place within the body enabling the various resources necessary to deal with the threat. This response is a large factor in determining your survival in facing the threat being presented. There is a story in the Bible about one person’s fight-or-flight response to the Devil. It happens to be a story that moves swiftly from one of the most glorious of scenes to one of the most dangerous. In the first scene the Creator of all things in the universe is well pleased. The second scene turns to the Savior of the universe being tempted by the deceiver. Jesus has just been in a place of amazing favor and now he is rushed to a place of demonic fervor. The Son of God is hungry, tired, and tempted like no one ever has been before. The Devil offers him power, fame and position like no one on earth ever. A response is demanded of Christ – fight-or-flight. As we all know Jesus chose to fight. No punches thrown, but a fight nonetheless. We know the response Jesus had in facing temptation in the wilderness. He fought the Devil with the words of Scripture. He fought temptation with the promises of His Father. We know that Jesus won the fight against temptation. Why did Jesus face the temptation? Perhaps, the answer can be found in our Scripture for today. Matthew writes, “Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil.” Jesus was “led out” away from the place of God’s glorious pronouncement of favor “by the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, led Jesus out into the wilderness. Then comes the kicker … “to be tempted.” The Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted. It is not like they were on a stroll and the Devil happened along to tempt Jesus. The Holy Spirit led Jesus out for the sole purpose of allowing Him to be tempted. Maybe today you are feeling like Jesus in the wilderness. Perhaps you feel as though you have been led into the wilderness to be tempted. If this is the case, you have a choice to make. You can fight, flee, or fall prey. Many will fall prey to the temptation in their life today. If you are not feeling confident in your ability to fight, take the advice of Proverbs and flee. Flee as far from the temptation as you can possibly get and don’t return. As followers of Christ we have One who is on our side and who has fought the fight we are facing. We can face the temptation in our life because of Jesus. You need to know today that not only can you face temptation down, you can be victorious against it. When you find yourself facing temptation today, fight; not with your own power, but in the name of Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Prayer: Holy God, I know that there will be temptation in my life today. I also know that I live today as a follower of Jesus. May I remember the way Jesus fought temptation and won. Empower me today to rely on your Holy Spirit to be victorious over the temptation I face. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [Matthew 3:11 NLT] There is nothing like being near the water. The movement of the water and the sounds associated with that movement are soothing. Whether it the gentle flow of a stream or the crashing waves of the ocean, water can be mesmerizing. In the summer months it is not unusual to see people crowded around the beach, lakeside or riverside to enjoy the cool and refreshing waters on hot and sunny days. As a younger person, our family spent a lot of time around water. My family had a cottage on a lake in Michigan where I grew up learning to swim, boat, fish and water ski. I have incredibly fond memories of our time on or near the water. There was nothing like being able to walk out the front door and take 30 steps and jump in the water. One of my favorite parts of being in the water is being under the water. My parents always had to keep an eye on me because I spent more time under the water than above. I loved wearing a mask or goggles and exploring what was under the water. I loved the feeling of propelling myself through the water in what seemed like a totally different world. There was something very soothing and mystical about the water for me. What are your experiences with water? Our Scripture for today uses the imagery of water to help people understand the importance of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist has been calling people to repentance and baptizing them as a symbol of their willingness to repent and turn their lives toward God. He would hang out in the Jordan River and people would come to him all day long to be baptized. He would put them under the water, most likely totally immersed, to symbolize their willingness to repent and die to their selfish desires. As they came out of the water they were raised to a new life of following God. As John states, “I baptize with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God.” The symbolism of the water was an important means to helping people understand what God was doing in their life. John goes on to say that there is one who is coming who will baptize differently. The One who will come will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John, of course, is referring to Jesus. Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit when we accept God’s gift of grace by faith in Jesus Christ. The imagery doesn’t change, however. We are immersed in the Holy Spirit. When Jesus baptizes us with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the fire of His love, it fills us completely. We have received the Holy Spirit. We have been baptized, immersed. We then spend the rest of our journey of faith exploring and understanding this new immersed existence. Today you are immersed in the Holy Spirit, live like it. Yield your day to the presence of the Holy Spirit and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. One way we seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance is through prayer. Carry on a continual conversation today with the Holy Spirit. It may be as simple as, “Holy Spirit help me know which projects are truly important today.” Or it could be asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to the people who need you most today. The second part of seeking the Holy Spirit is to listen. Spend time today stopping and listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Then when you have had the conversation in prayer and hear/feel the leading of the Holy Spirit … move. Do whatever you feel the Spirit leading you to do. Live today immersed in the Holy Spirit. Prayer: Holy God, thank you for filling me with your Holy Spirit. Empower me to live today in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. May you be glorified through all I think, say, and do. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. [Psalm 51:7-12 NLT] It’s a familiar enough scene when you have a small child. The sun has set and things are winding down in the home. Dinner is over with and the dishes have all been done. Bath time has occurred, teeth have been brushed, and hair combed. Jammies are on and the lights are low. Child and parent are nestled in a small bed and a favorite story is read several times at the request of the child. The parent senses that the child is close to falling asleep and makes certain they are snug in the bed. The parent then turns out the light and attempts to leave the room. As the parent is leaving the room they hear the familiar words from their child, “Stay with me!” I will admit there were many nights where I was tired and still had things I needed to accomplish as I heard these words. They were words that were definitely inconvenient some nights to my schedule. There were many nights where I even thought, “Just fall asleep.” I am thankful for the advice of a good friend and colleague concerning these moments. He advised the following … observe the 15 more minutes rule. When your child asks you to stay or read the story again … stay. They will always remember your willingness to stay. They will always remember the extra time, conversation, and presence you gave. When the people important to you ask you to stay with them, stay. This is the essence of the Scripture for today. The psalmist is crying out to God to make him more like God. The writer wants to be purified of any unworthiness in his life. The psalmist desires for his sins to be removed from God’s sight. However, the psalmist wants also to be assured of God’s presence with him in the person of the Holy Spirit. The psalmist writes, “Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.” In other words, stay with me God. When I am uncertain and afraid … stay with me. When I am facing difficulty in my relationships … stay with me. When I am not sure if my finances will be enough … stay with me. When I feel lost and alone … stay with me. When I am feeling tempted and sinful … stay with me. When I am celebrating life and praising your name … stay with me. Today you may feel like the psalmist, needing to cry out for God’s forgiveness, mercy, and presence. If so, pray Psalm 51:7-12 as your continuous prayer today. Invite God to purify you, forgive you, and stay with you through every moment. You may be in a place of praise for all God has done for you. If so, pray Psalm 51:7-12 as your continuous prayer today. Thank God for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Most of all may we all invite the Holy Spirit to stay with us to guide and direct our every thought, word, and deed today. As we invite God to stay with us, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory will be God’s. Prayer: Holy God, stay with us. Do not take your Holy Spirit from us. Help us to confess our sins to you and be purified. May our sins be removed from your sight. We desire for your Holy Spirit to be in every part of our life today. Guide and direct every part of our day. Empower us to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading so that you will be honored through every moment of our life. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV] It seems like everything is available to us almost immediately these days. We can go on Amazon and order almost anything and it will be delivered sometimes within the same day. Good service is synonymous with fast service. We get antsy or frustrated when things take more than 30 seconds to cook in the microwave. We have become a people of near instant gratification. We expect things to happen quickly. That is the mentality that the “get rich quick” schemes play on in order to get people to bite. It is the philosophy behind the lottery, Publisher’s Clearing House, and so many others. I will just fill something out or buy a ticket and the next thing you know I will be rolling in the dough. Yet, some of the most meaningful, and truly valuable, things in life cannot be rushed. Some things are best after having had to wait for them, maybe even earn them. We simply are not a people who likes to wait. In Scripture we see this in Abraham and Sarah waiting for a child. It is evident in the people of Israel traveling in the wilderness. James and John displayed this mindset when they asked for positions of importance and power in Jesus’ kingdom. We find the same attitude in the disciples as they argued over who would be the greatest. It seems to be human nature to seek quick answers and easy ways in life. The problem is that this is not what God desires for us. God desires for us to journey with Him and with each other. The emphasis in Scripture is on relationship. The first relationship in all creation is between God and humanity. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second relationship is human to human. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The message of Scripture, and the Christian faith, is one of relationship. Relationship is not a quick and easy process. Pastor, author, and teacher John Ortberg said it best many years ago when he said, “You cannot microwave relationships.” Relationships take work. Both parties have to put in the effort for the relationship to work. Here is where the beauty of Scripture is revealed. God is already putting in the work long before we realize we need to. God’s work comes to us in the form of grace. The unmerited favor of God bestowed upon us. Grace means that we cannot boast in anything we have done. God offers us grace long before we even know we need it. God offers us grace in the hour we realize we are a sinner in need of a Savior. God continues to offer us grace as we seek to become holy as God is holy. Grace is who God is from beginning to end and everywhere in between. Today take some time to reflect on all the ways you have experienced God’s grace in your life. Have you been boasting in what you have done? Take time to thank God for the grace given to you in your life. Stop trying to take credit and give God the glory. Over time God has been creating you as a priceless work of art. It is by God’s grace that you are who you are, have what you have, and are doing what you are doing. Give yourself more fully in relationship to God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Allow God’s grace to abound in you and overflow out of you today. Pray the prayer below rewritten from the blessing Aaron spoke over the Israelites and allow God’s grace to be released in your life today. Prayer: Holy Lord, bless me and keep me; Lord make your face to shine upon me and be gracious to me; Lord turn your face toward me and give me peace. Put your name on me today and bless me. Amen.

Scripture: 18 I trust in you for salvation, O Lord! [Genesis 49:18 NLT] Have you ever been stranded? Some of us have had the experience of a car breaking down as we are traveling. Perhaps you have been left behind when a group you were with headed off and didn’t realize you weren’t with them. When I was a teenager I was stranded in the middle of a lake on a capsized catamaran. My uncle took me out on the lake to do some sailing. I was completely inexperienced and was relying on his expertise. He had done quite a bit of sailing and I truly was in good hands. When we set out on our voyage it was a very windy day. We were having all kinds of fun going back and forth across the lake. On a catamaran the sail catches the wind and often times you end up speeding across the water with one hull in the water and the other in the air. It was an amazing time out on the water. We were having a lot of fun until something changed. On the last full run we were racing along the water with the sail billowed by a huge wind. Then a gust came across the lake and too much wind entered the sail. The sail caught too much wind and the catamaran capsized. This isn’t uncommon for the size catamaran we were on. Ultimately, you work to pull the catamaran over and right it in the water. However, this time it took a long time to right the boat. When we finally got it flipped over, the wind had completely died. We were on the complete other side of the lake and we had no wind to get back. We also had no paddles. We were stranded. We jumped in the lake and started pushing the catamaran VERY slowly through the water. It seemed like we had pushed that boat forever when something amazing happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, a boat showed up. The operator of the boat offered to tow us home. In essence he saved us. Not from certain death, or even hypothermia, he saved us from a much longer swim of shame. He saved us from being stranded. He was our salvation from poor planning. Our Scripture verse for today is the first time that the word salvation appears in the bible. It is Jacob’s declaration to his sons concerning their future and his. Jacob tells his sons, “I trust in you for salvation, O Lord!” Jacob, the father of Joseph, trusts the Lord for his salvation. If you remember the story, Joseph was Jacob’s favored son whom he had given a coat of many colors. Joseph’s brothers despised him for this and sold him into slavery, telling their father he had been killed. Jacob lost his beloved son and truly was never the same. At his death bed he is able to say he trusts the Lord for salvation because he saw how God used Joseph to not only save him, but a whole nation from death from a famine. God was faithful to save him from death in order to see his son again and live to an old, old age. How much more does it mean for us to trust the Lord for our salvation. Jacob did not know the full story yet. God would send His only Son to be the Savior of ALL humanity. God used Joseph to save a nation … He used Jesus to save all creation. Today spend some time meditating on what salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ has done for you. How has trusting the Lord for your salvation changed your life? What are you doing to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling? What will you do today to make the salvation Jesus gave you known to the people in your life? Prayer: Saving God, you gave your only Son for me so that I would know your salvation. Empower me through your Holy Spirit dwelling within me to make your salvation known. Keep my heart, mind, eyes, and ears open to the opportunities you give me today to share your love. May you be honored and glorified through my life. Amen.

Scripture: 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. [John 3:17 NLT] I was a senior in high school and trying to express my independence. I was working at Publix and usually worked the closing shift. This meant that I usually left work between 10:30 and 11 p.m. On one particular evening I was leaving work at 11 p.m. and a friend had invited me to come over to a party they were having at their house. On my way home I swung by to see if people were still there and they were. I stopped at the party and may have lost track of time. When I looked down at my watch it was 2:45 a.m. I excused myself in a hurry and began to rush home. I knew my parents were going to be upset. I got home and quietly let myself in the front door. I carefully made my way to my parents' room to get the dog (this was my parents' way of knowing when I came home). As I brought the dog out of their room I thought I might be in the clear. Then I heard my dad’s voice, his deep stern voice, say, “Timothy! What time is it?” I very sheepishly answered, “3 a.m.” My dad replied, “We will talk about this in the morning!” I didn’t get any sleep the rest of the night. I could only think of all the ways my dad could choose to punish me. I could lose my car, I could be grounded, I could have to do all the work around the house, and the list seemed full of endless possibilities. I was literally a condemned man. There was no way I could see my way out of this one. The only thing I could do was lay awake trying to figure something out. A while later I could hear my parents getting up and ready for work. I wasn’t going out there, that’s for sure. Maybe the whole thing would go away. After a while someone came to the door of my room. It was my mom who wished me a good day at school. Phew! She obviously had not woken up at 3 a.m. Then my dad came to the door. I couldn’t even look at him. Then he said something I did not expect … “Good morning, Son. Have a good day at school.” He had gone back to sleep and did not even remember the exchange he had with me hours before. How awesome is that? Our Scripture for today paints a picture of a group of people, the world, deserving of condemnation. Just like me as a senior, the world is deep in sin and has done wrong no matter how you slice it. We deserve condemnation. We deserve judgement. We certainly deserve the consequences of our actions. Yet, John 3:16 tells us that God, the Father, loves us so much (even while we are sinners) that God sent his one and only Son so we would not die because of our sin. John goes on in verse 17 to say that the purpose of Jesus was not to condemn us for our actions, but to save us from our actions. Despite the fact that we were condemned by our own sins, Jesus came to save us not condemn us. Jesus brings salvation not condemnation. There may be some things in your life for which you still feel guilty or even condemned. Hear the good news today from the Apostle Paul, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Jesus did not come to condemn you, he came to save you. Today live like someone who is loved enough to be saved and as someone who is free from the power of sin and death. Live today in such a way that inspires others to know that this love and freedom is available to them. You can help lead them to experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Prayer: Holy God, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for saving me from my sin and its horrible consequences. Your gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ has saved me. Help me to live today as one who is saved. May your Holy Spirit have free reign to guide and direct me today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. [Ephesians 1:19-23 NLT] A couple of years ago a group of pastors from The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church went to a conference at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City. This is the church where Rev. Adam Hamilton is the Senior Pastor. I was one of the people leading the group to Kansas City and we had scheduled a time where we could meet for a little bit with Adam Hamilton. It was going to be a great opportunity to speak face-to-face with one of the more influential pastors in The United Methodist Church worldwide. As we gathered in the room for the meeting we all took our place and waited. As Adam Hamilton walked into the room and greeted everyone, he came up toward the front of the room and proceeded to sit in the chair right next to me. I was literally seated at the right hand of Adam Hamilton for the rest of the time we were with him. While the experience I shared is not all that amazing. I have had fun over the years with a few of my colleagues about it. We joke that being seated at the right hand of Adam Hamilton brings to mind the imagery of today’s Scripture. Adam Hamilton is not God, he would be the first to correct anyone who said differently. I am by no means Jesus, I would never suggest this either. However, the imagery of a common local pastor being seated in a place so close to one of the most celebrated pastors in the United States does bring to mind what we believe about Jesus. In The Apostle’s Creed we say that we believe in Jesus Christ who is seated at the right hand of God the Father. This means that Jesus, God the Father’s only Son — our Lord, is seated in the position of authority and power. It is from this position that Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead — everyone. The right hand was the position of authority and power. To this day that imagery persists. We introduce someone who is second in command as the leader’s right-hand woman/man. Scripture tells us that all authority under heaven and on earth is given to Jesus the Son. Jesus uses this power to intercede on our behalf, to love and forgive, to guide, and to eventually judge. In turn, Jesus told his disciples that he was giving them authority to carry out the ministry he gave to them. The disciples were given power and authority by the one who sits in the place of divine power and authority. This power and authority extends to us then as modern day disciples of Jesus. We have the power and authority, given to us by Jesus, to continue Christ’s ministry in our life. In essence having a relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace through faith, means we are seated in the place of power and authority next to him. While sitting next to Adam Hamilton was fun … being seated next to Jesus is infinitely better. Approach today with the knowledge that you are seated in a position of power and authority in Jesus’s kingdom. Christ has given you all the power and authority you will need to follow Him today. Live boldly today in the name of Jesus. Follow every leading of the Holy Spirit today knowing that you have the power and authority you need. Allow Jesus to use you in a very real and powerful way today to do kingdom work. You never know what conversation will help someone experience the love of Christ today. Be bold as one who is seated in the place of power and authority. Do this today and Jesus will be glorified through you. Prayer: God of power and authority, I desire to live boldly for you today. Thank you for giving me everything I need to do so. Empower me to rely on the power and authority you have given me through your Son Jesus Christ. And may you receive all the honor, glory, and praise in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture: 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:5-11 NLT] When I was in college a friend of mine got me into running. I had been attempting to jog and get in better shape in order to try out for the baseball team. I was never a very good runner and was having a difficult time. This friend of mine offered to run with me. She was a much better runner than I was. She could run faster and a lot farther than I could. Despite her superior running skills and experience, she was willing to come down to the level I was at in order to help me. She humbled herself and ran slower in order to make me stronger. My friend didn’t stay there though. Every time we ran she would push me to go faster and farther than the time before. Eventually, I was able to continually beat my previous best time and distance. I was continually getting better because of my friend's willingness to humble herself on my behalf. The best part of my friend's encouragement was that she helped me to go farther than I had ever gone before. Before she started working with me I had only ever run one mile, a very slow mile. After several months of us running together, I was running three to four miles a day at a pretty respectable pace. Then it happened! I had been running about four days a week with my friend, but her schedule changed. I ended up running most days by myself. One day I decided, rather than the three or four miles I normally ran, I would go until I got tired. That day it was up to me to push myself and go farther than I had ever gone. In the words of Forrest Gump, “I just kept running.” When I finally got tired I had run a little over six miles, which might as well have been a marathon as far as I’m concerned. I had never run that far ever. Because of my friend’s willingness to be humble and help me, I was able to go even further than I ever had. Our Scripture today is a story of even greater humility. Jesus was willing to humble himself on our behalf to save us from sin and death. Jesus was willing to go even further. Jesus, in the greatest act of humility and love ever, was willing to die on the cross for you and me. He who knew no sin became sin for you and me. Jesus did this for one reason alone. Jesus died for you and me so that our sins would be forgiven and so that we would be restored to a right relationship with God. Before Jesus Christ’s life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection we could only go so far in our relationship with God. Sin always got in the way. But because of Jesus’ act of selfless, humble love we can now go even further. Because of our Savior’s willingness to be humble and save us, we are able to go even further in our relationship with God. Today thank God for the gift of his Son Jesus Christ. Praise Jesus for being a humble servant who gave himself for you. Today look around you and see who you can humble yourself for and serve. Who can you help go further in their understanding of who God is and how much God loves them? Be the example of a humble servant for at least one person today. Encourage them to go that one step further in faith. Who knows, you may even be the one who helps them receive the amazing gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. How amazing would that be? That would truly be helping them go even further. Prayer: Almighty God, thank you for Christ’s willingness to humble himself for me. Through the power and guidance of yourHoly Spirit, help me to humble myself and help others today. I desire to help others grow closer to you. Amen.