Every time the season of Lent comes around, I ask myself what it is I want to get out of this season. Maybe it’s because of all I’ve been through in the past year, but I don’t want to waste another season, another day, or another moment, of this life frivolously. I want my life to count for something—for God. And so, I have to ask myself, what is this season going to be all about for me … and for you? So, as I was getting ready for this...
Today, we continue on our Journey to Jerusalem together, as we follow Jesus on his journey to the cross. We’ve already talked about 2 mile markers, as we’ve journeyed together: A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the need to avoid roadblocks in our relationship with God. Last week, we talked about the mile marker of self esteem or, rather, ‘our esteem of self in God’—learning how to look into God’s mirror as we journey together. And today, as you’ve probably already guessed, our mile marker is this: UNITY....
At this time of year when ‘resolutions’ are being made for the days ahead, I felt it appropriate to begin here: One of our goals as believers should always be what Paul urged those in his care—to mature in the faith. In other words, we are in continual need of ‘growing up’ in the faith—growing closer to God through worship, through study, and through prayer and other spiritual disciplines (means of grace), that we might grow to be exactly what God created us to be. Our life of faith is...