2010 Lenten Guide

Pantano Christian Church

Follow me!

The most basic invitation and command of Jesus is to follow him.  Take some time to look at a few of the verses where Jesus offered the invitation to follow him:  Luke 5:27; 9:23, 59; 18:22; John 10:27; 12:19; 21:22; Matthew 4:19; 10:38.  The most significant and the most important thing in the entire world is to follow Jesus well.  During Lent we’ll focus on what it means to follow Jesus well and some of the things that get in the way of doing that.  That’s why we focus on fasting during Lent – removing some of the distractions that keep us from following Jesus well.

Glen Elliott

Lead Pastor

Click here to view the embedded video.

What is Lent?

Lent is an opportunity to practice the key spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible reading and fasting that help us follow Jesus well.  Traditionally Lent is the 40 days of fasting before Easter (Sundays were not traditionally counted in the fasting).  Lent is a time of preparation for remembering and celebrating the suffering of Jesus on the cross and his victorious resurrection on Easter.

Lent at Pantano Christian Church

2010 Theme: Following Jesus to the Cross

We invite you to enter and practice the Lent season in the following ways:

1. Begin Lent by coming together for the Ash Wednesday service on Wed. Feb. 17 (7pm – main auditorium) for encouragement, resources and instructions.

2. Continue or start the 2010 Bible Reading Challenge.  During Lent we want to be in God’s Word hearing from God.

3. Use this Lenten Guide. Lent begins on Wednesday, so each week of Lent begins on Wednesday.  On Wed. of each week read the scriptures that prepare us for that week.  Take time to meditate on those scriptures (online use “Meditation” in the keyword box).  Each week will have specific suggestions and instructions for the unique fast of the week.  Each week we’ll fast from something different – food, entertainment, busyness and things.  See the back of this guide for help on how to fast or go online using keyword: “Fasting”

4. Conclude Lent during the Maundy Thursday celebration on April 1^st (7pm).  The program is called “Christ in the Passover” presented by Jews for Jesus.  During this service we’ll remember the Last Supper of Jesus and conclude our fasts with communion.

What is Fasting?

During Lent we decide to fast from something that we consume and consumes us.  It can be something that we typically “can’t live without” or it can simply be something we enjoy and would miss.  We can fast from food in general or from specific foods like sugar or caffeine.  We can also fast from activities or hobbies (like watching TV), or habits (like talking too much) or even from sinful things (like addictions).

We fast for four basic reasons:

1)  It reminds us of our selfishness and self-focus.  Fasting is an act of self-denial and dying to self is a life-long journey with God.

2)  During our fasting, the desire or temptation to partake of the food, activity or habit becomes our reminder or prompting to pray.

3)  We use the time we would invest in eating, preparing food or in the activity or habit we are fasting from to use for prayer, Bible reading and reflection.

4)  In a small way during our fast we join Jesus in his suffering and dying.  We join him in “crucifying our flesh” during this time.  To maximize our Lent experience we choose fasts that are truly self-denial by “dying” to things that is a part of our life.

Check out some more ideas on “Fasting” on our website.  Be sure to consult with your doctor if you have any serious health issues before fasting from food.

Week 1 – February 17- 23

We choose to follow Jesus.

Read: Luke 14:25-35

Practice: Focus before the fast.  We begin Lent not with fasting but focusing on Jesus.

Read the Gospel of Mark this week as if you’ve never read it before. If you are doing the 2010 Bible Reading Plan, you won’t read Mark again until December.  To finish it in a week requires reading just over two chapters a day.   The focus here is on re-discovering Jesus.  Take the time to focus on Jesus – it is a great way to begin Lent.

Week 2 – February 24 – March 2

We find our nourishment in the Bread of Life.

Read: John 6:30-51; Matthew 4:1-4

Practice: Fast from food.  In fasting we intend to feel hunger.  The hunger and fasting reminds us of our dependence on God and that only he fills.  Here are some options:

• Fast from one meal a day.  If you have had experience in fasting, you might fast for more than one meal.
• Almost half the planet lives on less than $2 a day.  How about joining them?  For this week, eat $2 worth of food a day.  Additionally, you might consider giving the money you didn’t spend on food to the Food Bank, our benevolence program or help those in Haiti.
• If you can’t fast from one or more meals, choose a significant kind of food to fast from like coffee, any sugar, meat, etc.

Week 3 – March 3 – 9

We must be ready and attentive to the Lord.

Read: Matthew 24:42-44 (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11).  Jesus admonishes us “keep watch” and “be ready” for his return.

Practice: Fast from entertainment.  We love to be entertained. There is nothing wrong with entertainment!  But our entertainment often keeps us from being attentive to God and serving others well.  Consider these options to unplug from in order to create space for God:

• TV, videos or movie
• Electronic gaming, computer or smart phone surfing
• Music
• Whatever your source of amusement is

Week 4 – March 10 – March 16

We resist the temptation to fill our lives with too much activity.

Read: Exodus 31:12-19; Luke 6:1-11.

Practice: Fast from work or busyness.  God knew we all needed rest (called the Sabbath).  Jesus reminds us that it is not a law of time and place, but a need of man.  Devote special time to your family, friends and neighbors or time with God.  We think we are important when we are busy.  But it in fact being busy distracts us from things that are truly vital.  Here are some options:

• At sundown each day this week rest, reflect and re-create
• Take a real day off of work – a Sabbath rest
• Take a Sabbath rest from a major project

Week 5 – March 17 – March 23

We are not to own but we are owned.

Read: Matthew 6:19-34; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23

Practice: Fast from or avoid unnecessary purchases.  Experience freedom from stuff.  Notice all the ways you are bombarded with advertisements.  Our culture tries to force us to be primarily consumers.  The lie of our culture is that we’ll only be happy by what we consume (buy, own and eat).  The world promises that if we own or experience this or that, we’ll be really satisfied.  Really?

• Rather than consuming, practice giving without the possibility of receiving in return
• Give a joyful and sacrificial gift to bless someone in need
• Make a plan to get out and stay out of debt

Week 6 – March 24 – 31

We follow Jesus to the cross.

Read: Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6-14

Practice: We prepare to remember the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus on the cross (Maundy Thursday – April 1^st and Good Friday – April 2^nd – services at 7pm).

• Meditate on and memorize Galatians 2:20
• Journal a response to this:  To follow Jesus to the cross means…
• Make a list of the things you need to crucify in your life.  Offer them to Jesus.  Spend significant time in prayer.

and Study the Entire Bible

For Individuals or Life Groups

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF BOOKLET

A. What is Book of the Month?

“Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NIV). The Bible is one of the primary places where we find spiritual food to feed others and ourselves. Many of us don’t have a way or a plan to read the Bible. It can be overwhelming. Here’s an effective way to get a handle on the entire Bible by reading and studying a different book of the Bible each month.

The “Book of the Month” idea is for individuals or life groups who decide to read and apply insights from God through a different book of the Bible each month. So in just over 5 years, you could read every book of the Bible and not be overwhelmed with the task.

This is a great way for folks new to following Jesus and new to the church to get into God’s Word, the Bible. It is also invaluable to folks who have followed Jesus a long time. Christians, who know Jesus and the Bible well, sometimes think the church is no feeding them through the weekend messages. In a sense, they are right. The weekend message can’t spiritually nourish a person throughout the whole week, not matter how good it is. It is not the church’s responsibility to spiritually feed everyone all they need. On the contrary it is very fair to say; “The church has not taught me to read, study, meditate, memorize, apply and obey the Bible.” It is the church’s responsibility to help you feed yourself. That’s what the Book of the Month project is about.

We prepared a Teaching series: A la Carte – Learn how to spiritually feed yourself from the Bible. God’s words are nourishment for our souls. You can get the printed notes or MP3 messages from http://pccwired.org/weekend/series/a-la-carte/

The beauty of this kind of idea is that it promotes self-study and self-discovery of God’s Word. Even better is to do this with a partner or group where you can belong and grow together.

B. How do I study a book of the Bible?

1. The first week of the month read through the entire book. Try not to get lost in the details but get a feel for the big picture. Make notes in the margins of your Bible, noting key events, persons or points. It is really important to be able to write in your Bible, so get a Bible you are “okay” writing in. Also keep a notebook or notepad handy to write down questions the first time through. It’s also good to keep a list of things you want to “study later.” Again, at this point, you are not trying to answer every question, but trying to get a feel for what the book is about.

2. During week two take some time to write out what you are discovering. Writing helps you focus your thoughts. Don’t see this as homework, but as a tool to help you discover the meaning of the book.

Here are some things to write about:

• The THEME of the book

• The AUTHOR of the book

• The SETTING of the book (what was happening during the writing or the stories)

• The PURPOSE of the book

• Major CHARACTERS or EVENTS in the book

• Key VERSES in the book

• Key IDEAS in the book

At the end of this document is a list of web sites and resources that can help you if you need help with a particular book of the Bible. But try to resist going to read what others have discovered about the Bible and find the joy of discovering the rich spiritual food of the Bible for yourself. Do a first attempt and then go to the resources.

3. Look for a verse, or story or paragraph or character that seems to really address something for you that you can meditate on, apply or obey.

4. At the end of the month, write a summary of the principles you gained from your study. Call this “Principles from the book of ______”

Some folks like to do this writing on the computer while others like to use a notebook that will become a collection of several book studies. Others see the writing as a kind of journaling.

C. How does a LIFE GROUP study a Book of the Month?

A group is two or more. You could do this with a spouse, a friend, an accountability partner or a larger group of no more than 12 people. Meeting with others provides accountability to help you be consistent. You will gain a great deal of understanding from what others have discovered.

You could meet every week or every other week. We do not recommend you meet only once a month.

Choose a leader of the week. Anyone can be the leader of the week as that person is not the expert or the answer person. The leader simply asks EACH PERSON of the group to answer one of the following questions (other questions can and should be added):

• What insights did you gain from Judges (or whatever book you are studying) this week?

• What impacted you about Abraham or The Exodus (choose a character or major event from the book)?

• What has God been saying to you personally through your study?

• What do you want to apply from your study?

• What surprised you in your study of Philippians?

D. Where can I get help if I’m stuck or clueless about something?

Books:

• NIV Study Bible / Zondervan. We recommend a good study Bible. There are many good ones available. Many people all time favorite is the NIV Study Bible. It is fair & balanced – often giving two or three common interpretations of a text.
• How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour By: Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart / Zondervan / 2002
• Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible, Revised and Updated By: Howard G. Hendricks, William D. Hendricks / Moody Publishers / 2007

Websites:

• The NET Bible is a very good online study Bible. We have found it to be very accurate and helpful. It gives notes on particular verses and gives overviews of books of the Bible. You can even download a free version onto your computer. http://net.bible.org/bible.php
• You can also read or compare from different versions of the Bible or do a word study by using Bible Gateway. http://www.biblegateway.com
• One of the best and free resources is E-Sword. It has multiple versions of the Bible, search features, maps, commentaries, and more. Download it free at http://www.e-sword.net

E. A Suggested Study Plan

This plan has been developed with an intentional sequence, even though at first glance it might appear haphazard. There are four months in which you do more than one book, as they are smaller and related. Psalms was broken into its natural books. Also notice one month was kept open for the group to take a break or do a specific topical study. You are free to change the order of the books listed.

Book of the Month Suggested Study Plan

1. Begin Lent by coming together for the Ash Wednesday service on Wed. Feb. 25 (7pm – main auditorium) for encouragement, resources and instructions.
2. Decide to fast from a food, activity, habit or sin. See the back of the guide for help on how to fast or click here for help on fasting.
3. Commit to spend time each day with the Lord using the Lenten Guide we’ve prepared. The guide has a scripture for each day. Read it and take time to reflect or meditate on it. Click here for help on meditation.
4. Take time to pray about what you read regarding love. Make this a very real, authentic and personal time with God.
5. Conclude Lent during the Maundy Thursday celebration on April 9th (7pm). During this service we’ll remember the Last Supper of Jesus and conclude our fasts with communion.

a. The Papa Prayer, the Prayer You’ve Never Prayed, Larry Crabb. Something new and exciting happened when Dr. Larry Crabb began practicing the four steps of what the calls the PAPA prayer–a revolutionary conversational approach to talking with and enjoying God. In this book, Crabb shares his experience and encourages readers to be drawn into their own journey of prayer.

b. Can You Hear Me, Tuning in to the God Who Speaks, Brad Jersak. This book is a compelling combination of biblical and historical research, real life experiences, and inspiring exercises on listening prayer. God desires to transform your prayer times into intimate conversations, real meetings with a living friend. Through this book, you will become aware that encountering God is simpler and more interactive than you ever dreamed.

c. Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God, Bill Hybels. Practical help to develop a rich and regular prayer life in the midst of life’s busyness.

d. Intercessory Prayer: How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth, Dutch Sheets. Pastor and teacher Dutch Sheets explains the nuts and bolts of prayer, with wisdom, gentleness and humor. This book will inspire readers, give them the courage to pray for the impossible and help them find the persistence to see their prayers to completion.

e. Lord, Teach me to Pray in 28 Days, Kay Arthur. A practical, step-by-step guide to learning the basics of prayer. Great when used as a study personally or as a group.  It will help the beginner out of the starting blocks and into the race.

2.  Family Prayer Books

a. Children, Can You Hear Me?  How to Hear and See God, Brad Jersak. This book is about hearing and seeing God. It encourages children (and adults) to listen for and talk to God; as well as, enjoy a loving relationship with Him.

b. The Praying Family: Creative Ways to Pray Together, Kim Butts. A practical, step-by-step approach to making family prayer time the most exciting activity a family engages in. Broken into several steps, each ‘journey’ will further enhance this essential aspect of your family life.

c. The Power of a Praying Parent, Stormie Omartian. In 30 easy “to“ read chapters, Omartian shares from personal experience as to how parents can pray for their children’s safety, character development, school experiences, marriage, and so much more.

d. What Happens When Women Pray, Evelyn Christenson. A wonderful book for men or women who want to get started on applying the truths of prayer found in scripture to your daily lives and those around you. It is simple, practical and a great starting place for many to begin applying these truths and seeing hope arise in those around you.

e. Prayer on Fire, Fred Hartley. Want to experience prayer that is not routine or boring?  Invite the Holy Spirit’s presence to come transform your daily prayer life as well as those you pray for. This is a book that will lead you into bringing heaven to earth and igniting your prayers through a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.

3.  Spiritual growth – Pursuing God

a. The God Chasers, Tommy Tenney.  Want to truly hunger for God?  Follow the paths and examples of many Biblical and historical figures that have “chased” God in pursuit of His heart and character to be formed in them. Very few things will propel you into prayer like knowing the heart and presence of God.

b. The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer This book traces a path of thirst for divine satisfaction. It is a book that outlines the realities of who God is and who we are in relation to him. It’s deep and precious truths caused me to press into God that much more.

c. After God’s Own Heart, Mike Bickl. One of the greatest examples in Scripture of one seeking God’s heart is the life of David. His wholehearted pursuit and hunger for God, gave rise to a man called “a man after God’s own heart.” Follow the path he took and see your heart turned inside out for more of God.  This is a tremendous launching pad for powerful prayer.

4.  Spiritual Warfare Books

a. The Believer’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Wising Up to Satan’s Influence in Your World, Thomas B. White. Complete with many real-life illustrations, sample prayers, helpful techniques and answers to the most commonly asked questions about warfare, this book will help you fulfill a central call of the Gospel-to resist evil through the power and authority of the Cross.

b. Every Place Your Foot Shall Tread, Mark Geppert This is a one-of-a-kind book that will equip you with bold strategies needed to combat the forces of evil in this world. Taking the principles and practices presented within to your streets and prayer-walking through your neighborhoods, schools, cities and nations with the authority given to us, you can change your world by becoming a part of the army of God.

c. Churches That Pray, Peter Wagner.  Want to pray with power? This author is well respected and renowned for his authority and knowledge in applying “action prayer” through the church. This book gives practical steps to take to break down walls between the church and our communities

5.  Other Recommended Books

a. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala.  Jim Cymbala became the pastor of a dilapidated church in Brooklyn, New York. When all was hopeless for those he ministered too, Jim and his congregation have found power and joy in seeing the Spirit move and transform lives through continued and persistent prayer.

b. Red Moon Rising, Pete Greig & Dave Roberts. Even with the world getting darker, a new generation is learning to pray and obey like never before. Story of a prayer movement that started in 1999 and has exploded to more than 50 countries.

Who is a Candidate for Baptism?

Baptism is for anyone old enough to understand who Jesus is and who is able to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  It is for anyone who is ready to follow Jesus with all their heart for all their life to the best of their ability.  You don’t have to be perfect and have all your proverbial ducks in a row in order to be baptized.  You don’t have to go through classes and be approved.  As broken and messed up folks, we simply have to know enough about Jesus to be ready to say “yes” to Jesus and genuinely trust him to guide and influence you.

The Believer’s Wedding Ceremony

We like to describe baptism as the believer’s wedding ceremony.  In 1 Peter 3:21 we find these words: “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Baptism is a “pledge” or a response or intense desire to say “yes” to Jesus.  It is in fact a “vow” like we make in a marriage ceremony.  Even if you’ve known Jesus and loved him for a long time, in baptism you are formally entering into a lifelong commitment like a marriage.  You are promising to follow Jesus, to obey him and to allow him to influence you as best you can.  You are choosing to enter into a lifelong committed relationship with Jesus.

It is interesting that the Bible often uses the metaphor of marriage or husband and wife to describe God’s desire for a committed and faithful relationship with us (Matthew. 25:1-13; Luke 5:34, 35; John 3:28-30; Ephesians 5:25-33; Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17, etc.).  Jesus wants to be our spiritual bridegroom.  In the metaphor we are the bride.  In baptism we make our vow to forsake our rights of self management and any other allegiances and commit to put Jesus first and turn over the “deed” of our lives to him.

Jesus invites us (and commands us) to join him in baptism.  What an amazing invitation.  He’s waiting.

Why Baptism by Immersion

We practice baptism by being immersed in the water (rather than just sprinkling or pouring water) because this is the very meaning of the original word for baptism.  Further, Jesus modeled this.  But even more, immersion is a powerful symbol.   In Romans 6:1-10 the Apostle Paul shows us that when we go down into the water we are making a spiritual declaration – we are dying to our old way of life.  We are burying that life and all its sin and wrong doing in the watery grave.  We come out of the water and symbolize our resurrection with Jesus.  We are alive, but this time we come alive with Jesus whom we love and follow.  This “new life” marks a new beginning.

What Happens After Baptism?

When couples are wed they usually understand the basic commitment of marriage.  Yet, at the onset, few know how to really be a good spouse.  We learn that over time and through experiences and challenges.  During the difficult times and during the times we are not a good spouse; our vows keep us faithful and keep us in the relationship as we learn.  That is also true in our relationship with Jesus.  Hopefully, we learn how to follow Jesus better and better as we live life with him.  There are ups and downs.  Jesus will always be a faithful and committed partner.  We strive to be a faithful and committed partner to the best of our ability.

Salvation

Notice in 1 Peter 3:21 that it says two things – “baptism now saves you” and “It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  That sounds a bit confusing and people have taken different views of this.  No physical act we do saves us.  Only Jesus saves.  We are saved from the punishment of our sins by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection.  We are saved by his grace, mercy and forgiveness (Ephesians 2:8, 9).  But we enter into salvation by choosing to commit to following Jesus.  If we choose not to follow Jesus, we can’t and won’t know and experience salvation from the power and the consequence of our sins.  Salvation is a partnership.  Jesus offers salvation and we must accept it.

Infants

Some parents are concerned that their child is not spiritually safe and want their baby baptized.  We do not believe that an infant has consciously chosen to sin and reject God their Father.  In fact, Jesus often used small children as the model of how we adults should live (see Matthew 18:3, 4; 19:13-15).  So small children are innocent before God.  There is no concern over their eternal destiny.  Further, a baby or very small child can’t grasp the meaning described above of commitment to Jesus.  Once a child has grown to the point where they see their need for God’s forgiveness through Jesus and can understand the basic meaning of a lifelong commitment to Jesus, then they are ready. There is no magic age as it can come in early elementary school or sometimes not until middle school or later.  We have a children’s baptism class that can help you and your child determine when they are ready.

We do baby dedications at Pantano Christian Church.  This is a special time where the parents commitment themselves to raising a child to know and love God and bring them to a point when the child can make his or her own decision to follow Jesus.  Contact the children’s department to find out when the next baby dedication will occur.

Baptism of Children

Once a child has grown to the point where they see their need for God’s forgiveness through Jesus and can understand the basic meaning of a lifelong commitment to Jesus, then they are ready. There is no magic age as it can come in early elementary school or sometimes not until middle school or later.  We do offer a children’s baptism class that can help you and your child determine when they are ready.  This 1 hour class is offered 4 times per year and, while not mandatory, we do suggest that all children go thru the class prior to (or even after if need be) their baptism.  In addition, if we offer a complementary work book entitled, Joining God’s Family, for parents that cannot make the class and/or would like help in discussing baptism with their child.  Please contact the Children’s Ministry office to find out the next class dates and/or to receive a copy of this workbook.

A Final Word

Because baptism is a vow to God, it is a very significant and important event that should not be viewed in a casual way.  Just like marriage, baptism is a declaration of a lifelong commitment and it should be considered carefully.  Also like in marriage, we are making a vow or a promise to God.  Such promises or vows must be taken with careful consideration.  We do not want to break a promise to God.

And because baptism is such a meaningful ceremony, don’t forget to invite your family and friends, just like you would to your wedding ceremony.

Help or Next Steps

If you are ready to be baptized, please contact Julie Wesley (298-5395 x278) to arrange your baptism.  You can be baptized on the church property and during a service or arrange other times and locations as well.  Any follower of Jesus can be the person who performs the baptism.

We have all that is needed for your baptism on the church property – private male and female changing rooms, towels, outerwear gowns to cover swim or street clothes, mirrors and blow dryers.

If you have questions, would like more teaching or would like to talk to someone about baptism we would love talk or meet with you.  Contact Julie and she will set up an appointment with one of our pastors.

Parents, if you have children that you think are ready to be baptized, we strongly encourage both you and your children attend our children’s baptism class.  It is a one time class that we find very helpful for both you and your child to clearly understand the meaning of baptism appropriate for a child’s understanding.  Again, contact Julie and she’ll provide you with information on our children’s baptism class.

2008 Guide for Lent.pdf

2008 Guide for Lent. doc

1. Read the verse several times and meditate on it.
2. You might want to write or print it out on a card to carry with you. Some folks put it as the screen saver or wall paper on their computer screen. I know some who tape them to the bathroom mirror.
3. Learn the verse reference with the first phrase (that way you’ll also be memorizing where it is from). Repeat this several times.
4. Then add the next phrase(s) and repeat.
5. When you get to the final phrase, be sure to add the verse reference again at the end.
6. Work on saying the verse(s) audibly whenever possible.
7. Review is the key. Review the verse several times a day over the next week or more. If you review the verse for 21 days straight, you are virtually assured of having the verse memorized.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

In the Old Testament there are two primary Hebrew words for meditation: Haga (pronounced – haw•gaw) which means to utter, groan, meditate, review or ponder; and Sihach (pronounced – say•akh) which means to muse, rehearse in one’s mind, or contemplate.

In Christian meditation, we seek to fill our thoughts with truths about God. We meditate by focusing on the Word of God, as the psalmist said: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalms 1:2 – NIV). Rather than emptying ourselves as in Eastern style meditation, we fill our minds with hope and encouragement from the promises that God has given us in His Word or on good things that God has done for us. Or we may simply just think on the wonder and awe of God. In the meditation we often reflect on the ways God wants us to obey or apply his teaching to our lives.

Here are some ideas on how to meditate:
• When reading or studying, select a verse or even a phrase from a verse that captures your attention.
• Keep thinking about it all through your day – while you are walking, driving or waiting. Make special time to reflect on the passage.
• Use your own creativity. Picture the meaning or story in your mind. Draw pictures.
• Consider the idea, promise or command from as many angles as you can.

Confession is possible because of grace. God loves to forgive and he has ALREADY forgiven those who follow Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Confession is our awareness of not just our specific sins, but our perpetual brokenness. Both public and private confession requires truth, authenticity, vulnerability and above all, humility. These are vital to following Jesus well and confession invites us to experience these.

Ancient Christian leaders instructed those following Jesus to include three aspects in confession:
1. Examine your heart. Good confession is born out of honest self-awareness. Good confession is very specific and avoids confessing just a general sense of sin.

2. Experience sorrow for your sin and brokenness. This is deeper than just “feeling bad” about our sin, it is an experience of the soul that is truly in anguish over the stubbornness of our wrong doing. Sorrow is the experience of deep regret and comes as we take confession seriously.

3. Determine to sin no more. Confession is also a statement or desire to end the sin and wrong doing. It is not a promise not to sin (Who can guarantee that?), but a stated desire not to sin.

Confession can be a private matter between the follower of Jesus and God. But confession should also be done with others. Choose those you can “reasonably” trust. If you hear a confession, respond in grace and commit yourself to sharing the confession to others.

Worship is all about the Person to whom is worthy of honor. The act of worship is giving God worth and honor. It can come in an unplanned moment as we see an amazing Tucson sunset. It is to see God, sense God, experience God and give attention to God in whatever manner is most appropriate and/or natural in a given moment.

Worship is about who God is and what he has done or is doing. There is no end to the things that can direct our worship.

Worship can include praise, thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation, adoration, awe, confession and even service. Sometimes we say or sing these things. Sometimes they occur in silence. Sometimes we do this with others and sometimes alone.

In the end, worship is our spirit connecting with the Spirit of God. You know you have worshiped when you have made an authentic connection with God.