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Easter Devotional ideas

Want to get to better know Jesus during this Lenten season?

If so, this might just be the resource for you!  First of all, it’s FREE {we heart free, don’t we?}.  Secondly, it is offered by one of my favorite Bible teachers, Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  And finally, because God has already used the material in this series to draw many hearts toward Jesus.  Interested?

Then check out the current series on ReviveOurHearts.com called The Incomparable Christ, based on the book, The Incomparable Christ by J. Oswald Sanders.

In February, Nancy began this series and it will continue daily through the week after Easter.  I just started it this week, and the best thing is that I’m really not behind.  Neither are you.  This is how it works:

Author and speaker, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, has a daily M-F radio show. She hosts guest interviews or teaches various Biblical/Topical series. (You can check out past series at this link… it’s a wealth of encouragement and help!) I never seem to catch her on the radio, so while I’m getting ready in the mornings I go to ReviveOurHearts.com and click on the Radio link. Or, I listen to her Revive Our Hearts podcasts on my Podcast App on my phone.  Each program is about 25 minutes long and is a great way to continue fellowshipping with the Lord during your busy day.  (As an extra bonus, if you don’t have the opportunity to listen to the programs, you can read them – because the transcripts of each radio show are on the same webpage as each day’s program.)

The Incomparable Christ Series is going on now, and you can either jump right in the middle of the series, or start at the beginning.  I wanted to share what Nancy has to say about this series and why she is leading us through it:

 

Unfortunately, some of these special days in the Christian calendar that were once observed as holy days have now become holidays. As a result, we strip them of their meaning and their power and what they could mean in our lives.

So I think it helps us to be intentional about turning our thoughts and tuning our hearts to the reality and the meaning of these special days in the Christian calendar, and certainly there is none more special than that period of time that we celebrate as the Passion of Christ: Good Friday, Easter Sunday.

In my devotional time during the Lenten season, I read a classic book by J. Oswald Sanders called The Incomparable Christ. It has 36 short chapters, and I read those throughout this period. Each one of those chapters is on a different aspect of the person and the work of Christ.

This book really ministered to me. It was such a blessing. So I decided that this year I would encourage our listeners to read that book with me, to join me during the Lenten period, during these forty days leading up to Easter in a more concentrated way to focus on Christ.

So during this season we’re going to use Sanders’ book, The Incomparable Christ, as a track. I’m not going to actually read the book to you—you can do that for yourself—but I’m going to use the outline he uses about these different aspects of the life of Christ and follow them throughout these weeks leading up to Easter…

 

To listen to these programs, you’ll find the links below.

The Incomparable Christ Programs in February
The Incomparable Christ Programs in March (so far)

Also, for a PDF of the teaching schedule, click here.

You can download the book here:  The Incomparable Christ, by J. Oswald Sanders  (The e-version is less than $5.)

Nancy writes:

…In order to get the most out of this series, let me recommend a few things for you: First of all, if you don’t have one already, get a copy of Sanders’ book The Incomparable Christ and follow along with us. …

Then if you go to ReviveOurHearts.com, you can see there a schedule of the chapters and the themes that we’ll be covering each day, along with some selected Scriptures on the daily transcript that you can meditate on each day. Even if you’re not reading the book with us, you can follow along with the series.

I just want to encourage you to focus on Christ, to set your attention, your affection on Him. We should be doing that every day of the year, but a special way during this Lenten season to focus on Christ.

How are you focusing on Christ during this Lenten season?  To be totally honest with you – it’s been such a crazy few weeks that I don’t feel like I’ve given Jesus my all.  I’m really looking forward to focusing on Him and hearing what He has to teach me about Himself as I delve into The Incomparable Christ and these radio broadcasts.

Just wondering if anyone else needs a little more Jesus in their lives… If so, maybe The Incomparable Christ is just the Thing.

Much love~

Jennifer Crawford Walker. SmellingCoffee.com

 

 

Following Jesus’ Footsteps – Wednesday of Holy Week

Following Jesus' footsteps on Holy Week. SmellingCoffee.com

To me, it is on this day of Holy Week that the humanity and emotional side of Jesus and what He walked through begins to hit home.  He spent this day with His disciples and friends, was anointed by a freed woman as she poured her expensive perfume onto Him, then betrayed by one of His closest… one He had poured into every single day of ministry.  All the while the religious leaders (the ones who should have embraced His presence) plotted his public humiliation and death.  Betrayal in its deepest sense.

Oh sisters and brothers… do you and I betray Jesus in any way today?  It seems that we can either BETRAY or ANOINT Jesus each day as we speak, act, react, and manage what He has given us.  Lets be bold enough to ask Him as we read these passages and walk with Jesus through His Wednesday.

He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.  Psalm 107:20 (ESV)

Wednesday
Jesus is annointed with expensive perfume from an alabaster flask:  Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9

Judas goes to the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus: Matthew 26:14-15, Mark 14:10-11

The Jews plot against Jesus: Matthew 26:2-5; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Luke 22:1-6

* And for an extra activity today, consider what you could do to show your deep love for Jesus… to anoint Him with your priceless treasure.  Not because it is required, but just because you love Him and are so grateful for your freedom He purchased and guaranteed for you on the cross.

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Following Jesus’ Footsteps – Tuesday of Holy Week

Following Jesus' footsteps on Holy Week. SmellingCoffee.com

A blessed Tuesday of Holy Week to you!  This is the day that the Lord has made…We will rejoice and be glad in it!
And, we will be in much scripture today as we follow Jesus’ footsteps.  There are more passages telling about Jesus’ works on Tuesday than on any other day of the week.  It’s because on this day Jesus spoke to and taught three different groups of people: the “religious leaders,” the crowds, and His disciples.  I’m wondering… where would you and I fall in this grouping?

Plan some time away with the Lord and your Bible today and listen closely to what Jesus had to say to those in His presence on that Tuesday, and to you presently.  Read the  scriptures listed, and ask God to open your eyes to the wonderful truths in His Word (Psalm 119:18), then honestly respond to what He has to say.  He sends forth His Word and heals. Psalm 107:20

Tuesday   

Jesus Teaches in the Temple: Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8

Parable of the Two Sons: Matthew 21:28-32

Parable of the Tenants; Matthew 21:33-34; Mark 12:1-11; Luke 20:9-18

Parable of the Wedding Banquet: Matthew 22:2-24

Jesus Teaches the Disciples much about the end of time: Matthew 24:1-25:46

Parable of the Fig Tree: Matthew 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:29-31

Parable of the Faithful and Wise Servant: Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-48

Parable of the 10 Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13

Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: Matthew 25:31-46

Parable of the Watchful Servants: Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-40

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Jesus and Easter – Part 5 What did Jesus do the week before the Cross?

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Hi my friends~ A blessed Holy Week / Passion Week to you. This is such a special week for those who have trusted their lives in the Saving Power of Jesus Christ. This is the week, so many years ago, that our sins were covered and that the barrier between God and man was forever broken. This is the week that culminated the purpose of Jesus Christ walking upon this earth as both 100% God and 100% man. This is the week that will forever change the lives of any who accept the Gift of Jesus’ paying the debt price for the sins that separate us from the Father. This is the week that is Holy, because Holy Jesus traded His Purity for our filth, and we are washed clean. Holy Week. Passion Week. Oh, may we be somberly grateful for His Passion for us, so that we could be made holy…

Those who know Jesus know that Easter is so much more than new dresses, a big family dinner, and sweet family traditions. If you are looking for a way to bring the reality of Jesus’ Easter Gift to your heart and your home, I have a few links to pass along.

During this time every year, I love to research and piece together the puzzle of exactly what Jesus did, where He went, and what He said during this last week of His life before the cross. Scholars have debated for centuries on the exact placement of each activity and word because each of the four Gospel writers, all inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote from different perspectives and toward different audiences. Not every word and action is recorded in all four gospel accounts. However, we can be 100% sure that all four accounts are correct, even if we humans have a hard time making them fit to our exact liking.

This year I was so excited to find some timelines and sites that do a thorough job of piecing together the events of this Passion Week. Though, even these sites disagree on the events of Wednesday. WHEN something happened isn’t nearly as important as THAT it did happen… and that’s what I want to set my heart upon as I read about and study Jesus this week.

If you are looking for a good family devotion idea, you could take each day of this week and read what Jesus said/did during the corresponding day of His last week before the cross. For older children or youth, you could print the chart and have them choose something to read from each day, then talk about it each evening as a family. However you use this information, I pray that the Lord will use it in your life as you gratefully anticipate Resurrection Sunday ~ The Day all of us came Alive in Jesus Christ!

1. This site is an excellent site to use with children and youth. It has links to age appropriate stories and picture books to be read to or by children. I’m not sure that the books can be downloaded, but they could definitely be opened on a tablet and read as an electronic book.

2. This is a concise chart that pieces together a chronological timeline of the week. I especially like this chart because it helps us distinguish between what we call a “day” in these modern times and what consisted of a “day” in Jesus’ time. (In fact, this whole site is wonderful!)

3. This links to a PDF with details and teachings added to the chronological timeline of Passion Week.

4. *** This is a link to a four-internet-page and 52 printed-page teaching on Holy Week. Not only does it chart each activity and word of Jesus for every day, but it goes into wonderful detail about how each of these words and actions link back to the Old Testament, and it explains many of, what we would call, “little things” Jesus did. Though I know that Jesus’ walk toward the cross was in fulfillment of numerous OT prophesies, I was blown away by how almost everything Jesus did – even how He looked and observed things – pointed back to the Old Testament, and was for a specific reason. (Of course… why should that shock me? Everything Jesus did was for a purpose… I guess I just didn’t realize it in the details until I read this document.)

***I do have to make a disclaimer about this site and the document’s writer. I did a brief research on him before I linked it here, and though the information about this last week of Jesus doctrinally lines up with the infallible Word of God, I can not say that everything he believes is doctrinally sound. So the only thing from this site and author that I am condoning is this four-page-internet document.

I pray that these resources spur your heart and household to seek and find Jesus as you walk with Him into Easter Sunday.

PS: I know this is late posting. You wouldn’t believe all of the trouble I’ve had with this post… 😉

Jennifer