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My Aunt Kay Jean suggested I start sharing a verse of the day.  I liked her suggestion but decided instead of a verse of the day, I would share a verse of the week.  Be reminded of who God is from His Word. 13  He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14  And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15  And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16  And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17  And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners....

Today we celebrate Good Friday which is the day we remember that Jesus died on the cross for us.  Think about it.  God in the flesh died for you and me.  Why is it good? Because Jesus defeated sin, death, Satan, and sickness on the cross.  And there is so much more.  I would encourage you to look into God's Word and be reminded what Jesus' death on the cross accomplished for you. "It Is Finished!" Today, at Hesston MB, we are fasting and this gives us time to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us.  We do this not out of obligation or duty or to earn God's love or make Him do what we want, but instead it flows from a response of love.

Last Friday, as pastors we asked our congregation to consider a corporate fast for 12 hours on Good Friday.  As pastors, we each took a four hour shift to be available in the sanctuary to pray with people.  People came in and out during my time, but I spent most of the time praying and reading the Bible on behalf of Hesston MB.  Here is a portion of what I wrote down during my time in the sanctuary: Because Christ is Redeemer, I am redeemed. Because Christ is Savior, I am saved. Because Christ is Reconciler, I am reconciled. Because Christ is Forgiver, I am forgiven. Because Christ is Healer, I am healed. Because Christ is Provider, I am provided for. Because Christ is Peace, I have peace. Because Christ is Creator, I am new. Because Christ is a Gift Giver, I am gifted. Because Christ is Rescuer, I am rescued. Because Christ is Loving, I am loved. Because Christ is Righteous, I am righteous. Because Christ is Holy, I am holy. Because Christ is King, I am ...

I continue sharing thoughts from The Circle Maker  by Mark Batterson.  In this post, we look at the discipline of having a long term perspective and fasting. Prayer is the inheritance we receive and the legacy we leave.  One dimension of thinking long is thinking different, and prayer is the key to both. Prayer doesn't just change circumstances; more important, it changes us. It doesn't just alter external realities; it alters internal realities so that we see with spiritual eyes. It gives us peripheral vision. It corrects our nearsightedness. It enables us to see beyond our circumstances, beyond ourselves, beyond time.  I'm not talking about the kind of prayer that is the first thing on the agenda; I'm talking about the kind of prayer that is the agenda.  Everything we see and hear is priming us in a positive or negative way. That's one reason I believe in starting the day in God's Word. It doesn't just prime our minds; it also primes our hearts... ...