[UN]CERTAIN

Questions may imply uncertainty. Questions make us ponder. Questions spur us on to dig deeper for an answer. Ques- tions help us discover an answer on our own terms, in our own way and in ways that we will remember far longer than if we were just told the answer.

Jesus asked over three-hundred questions throughout his ministry.

Jesus did not ask questions because he was uncertain. He had a sure and certain purpose in asking the questions he did, when he did and how he did. He desired for his friends, followers and even his enemies to learn from the questions he asked. The questions Jesus asked then, still matter today.

The questions we ask today still matter to Jesus.

In 2021, a year of uncertainty, we ask many of the same questions those who walked with Jesus asked. And in our un- certainty, may we ponder these questions and look deep into God’s Word for answers. May our uncertainties be made certain in the one true Answer--Jesus, our Savior.

Enjoy your interactive devotional each day during this Lenten Season by using: - personalized devotions written by members of Faith Community Lutheran - space on each page to journal your prayers and ponderings - weekly family activity prompts - additional end pages to write prayers, concerns, and God’s responses

SERVICES A Lenten service will be offered at Faith Community Lutheran each Wednesday at 5:30 PM beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 17. Confirmation and ZIP! will have classes from 6:15-7:15 PM (No classes on Ash Wednesday). 2021 DEVOTION CONTRIBUTORS

Each devotion in this book bears the unique mark of the person who wrote it. The different styles from page to page reflect the diversity, life experiences, and growing faith of each of our Faith Community Lutheran Church contributors. Thank you all! We hope you are blessed.

Holly Adams Rhea Hoops Pastor Amy Selby Bob Balsman Andrea Hoyt Blair Smallwood John Bauman Bob Kaiser Bruce Smith Julie Bock Wendy Kerr Pastor Jacob Tackitt Gloria Borcher Pastor Lucas Kinser Catherine Vis Pastor Dylan Curtis Glenn Knipscheer Timothy Vis Hannah Curtis Nick Lehnert Anaka Weiss-Jones Bob Dugan Kristy Martinez Zoe Weiss-Jones Margie Dugan Kaye Mason Pastor Bruce Welander Lindsey Dunlop Marcie Mason Taylor Dunlop Sally Meier Chris Garcia Rick Nelson Kirsten Gjelde-Bennett Marie Powell Bob Goings Lee Quaintance Nanette Goings LaRae Schaff Teri Hassa Debbie Schroeder

Annual Lenten Devotionals are created, edited and coordinated by Nanette Goings, Director of Christian Education. They are designed and assembled by Emily Entner, Director of Communications. Art directed by Emily Entner and created by Bailey Entner. Family Activity Prompts created by Kaye Mason, Director of Children’s Ministry. WHO?

Jesus and YOU, of course!

This week, think about WHO Jesus is to YOU. There are so many names for Jesus! Circle a few that mean the most to you. LIFE HOLY TEACHER

COUNSELOR PRINCE OF PEACE SON OF MAN

DELIVERER MEDIATOR HEALER

TRUTH GIFT RIGHTEOUS SERVANT

MIGHTY GOD WORD OF TRUTH HOLY

WISDOM ETERNAL LEADER

POWERFUL SON OF GOD KING

EVERLASTING FATHER GOOD SHEPHERD WONDERFUL

LIGHT FRIEND LIVING GOD

Add more here if you’d like ______

Discuss with your family WHO Jesus is to YOU. Remember that your family can be dads and moms, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grand- ma’s and grandpa’s, nieces and nephews-- as well as anyone close to you that’s part of your life. ASH WEDNESDAY JESUS ASKS: WHO DO YOU SAY FEBRUARY 17, 2021 THAT I AM? MATTHEW 16:13-20 ______In Matthew 16, Jesus asks a very important question. It is a great place for us to begin our Lenten journeys. Our answer to this question can pro- vide the foundation for all the other questions we’ll look at this season. ______The answer to this question can help us move from uncertain to certain. Jesus asks his disciples, “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you ______say I am?” Peter answers definitively (although we’ll still see him falter at times!) “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ______Friends, this is the place to begin. Who do you say He is? As we answer and ponder this question, we can look at many other questions this sea- ______son through the lens of our answer to this question from Jesus. Know- ing that He is Messiah, gives us the confidence and hope to ask tough ______questions and wrestle with the answers. The Bible offers many descrip- tions and titles of who Jesus is. What would you add to Peter’s answer of who Jesus is? Great words to contemplate as today on Ash Wednesday ______we begin our journey to the cross and reflect once again on the meaning of the sacrifice made on Good Friday and the victory experienced on ______Easter!

PRAYER: Father, we give thanks for the gift of Jesus. Help us to answer ______this question as definitively as Peter and to also reflect on other descrip- tions and titles Your Word gives us as to who Jesus is. Thank you, too, ______for the freedom and space You give us to ask questions and to seek the Truth. Speak to us during this Lenten season. Soften our hearts to You. Remind us all along this journey of Your presence, Your love and the ______certainty of our hope! In Jesus’ name, Amen. ______Pastor Amy Selby JESUS ASKS: WHO ARE MY MOTHER FEBRUARY 18, 2021 AND MY BROTHERS? MARK 3:20-21, 31-35 ______In the first set of verses Jesus is engulfed in an endless crowd, preaching and healing. His mother and brothers show up with hopes of removing him. We see Jesus caring for the sick and sinners, preaching love your ______enemy, and teaching to put God first even ahead of your family. These are very new ideas and some may question his sanity. His family must ______think he is overdoing it to the point of self destruction and they are there to protect Jesus from himself by removing him. ______Does his family understand Jesus? ______The second set of verses contain his family again coming to rescue him. A messenger tells Jesus his mother and brothers are looking for him. ______He replies “here are my mother and brothers, those that do God’s will”, speaking of the people surrounding him. Has he denied his family or has he increased the size of his family by this inclusion of all who are ______with him? He is explaining that we are all his family and He is first and all else is second. ______If we live by his earthly plan we will receive the eternal reward.

PRAYER: Bless our family. Soften our hearts to do God’s work. Amen. ______

Blair Smallwood ______

______References: - Quest Study Bible ______- MacLaren Expositions of Holy Scripture JESUS ASKS: WHO WILL TRUST YOU FEBRUARY 19, 2021 WITH TRUE WEALTH? LUKE 16:1-15

When Jesus asks “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” I find myself wondering what these “true riches” are. The Sunday school answers of “Jesus” or “salvation” are certainly true riches, but our salvation in Christ is a free gift that we haven’t earned (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5), so I think Jesus is getting at something else here.

Jesus’ question comes right after one of his most confusing parables—a parable in which a manager is commended for using his ability to commit fraud to make friends before he loses his job. But the fraud isn’t the point here; the point is that he used his resources to make friends before it was too late, giving himself a welcome when his time in the job was up. He earned the trust and friendship of his master’s debtors, as well as the commendation of his master.

Jesus instructs us to do something similar: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Like the manager, our wealth is temporary. Like the manager, our wealth can earn the trust of others. Like the manager, what seems like squandering wealth may earn commendation from our master.

Sharing Christ allows us to cancel debts and proclaim freedom (Isaiah 61:1-3). But who will give us the true riches of believing what we say about Christ if we can’t be trusted with money? Or, for example, who wants to go to a church whose members stiff them on tips at Sunday lunch?

We cannot serve both God and money. Let’s make sure that we are trustworthy in how we use our wealth, so that those around us will want the more valuable treasure we have in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you have blessed us with so much. Give us wisdom to be trustworthy with what you have given us, so that we bring you glory with those blessings. May we always be so trustworthy with what you have given us so that those around us also want to glorify you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Timothy Vis FEBRUARY 20, 2021 WE ASK: WHO IS “GOOD ENOUGH”? MATTHEW 9:9-13 ______The way that Jesus answers this question, ‘who is good enough?’ is so powerful in these passages because it is easy for us to create these artificial and arbitrary barriers in our minds and souls. I love how he first ______highlights that there really is not something as ‘good enough’. This con- cept does not really exist for Jesus, or his love and salvation. There is not ______some arbitrary level of ‘good enough’ that somebody must reach before they are worthy of his love. We, even at our lowest (and some would say ______especially at our lowest), can receive the love and salvation of Jesus; we shouldn’t forget that. ______And back then, and maybe even now, something really powerful in these verses, but maybe hard for some to accept, is that we need to not ______look at ourselves in terms of ‘good enough’ or ‘not good enough’, for that is not how Jesus sees us. He doesn’t need us to label ourselves instead, he needs us to humbly acknowledge our sins, and acknowledge ______we want to do better, do more, and love more. As he says, ‘I seek mercy, not sacrifice’. He doesn’t need us to judge and label, but to seek and ______accept. Accept our faults. Accept our weaknesses. Strive to do better in his love. Passages like these should fill all who read them with hope and joy; for we should know and see that if Jesus can come for the tax ______collectors and sinners; he can come for all. ______PRAYER: Lord, please bless those of us this week that are desperately seeking your wisdom and guidance. We sometimes don’t feel that we are worthy of your love and salvation, but know that even in our lowest ______moments, you are there for us. Keep us forever in your grace, Amen. ______Taylor Dunlop WE ASK: WHO IS WILLING TO RISK FEBRUARY 21, 2021 IT ALL TO FOLLOW JESUS? JOHN 6:58-71 ______After Jesus’ difficult teaching in the previous verses, some of his followers are dropping out, going back home, going back to their old lives. . .quitting. So when Jesus asks his disciples in this passage, “Will you go away also?” it is ______clear that he would have let them go if they had wanted to. ______But Peter responds like this. . . in the Nanette translation: Lord, it’s tempting to quit now. You’re not easy to live with. You embarrass us. You frighten us. And we for sure don’t understand you at times. You make ______people mad who we think are important. But. . . Your words do reach deep within us. Your words are like nothing we have ever heard before. Your words explain those things we cannot explain. We do know You are the Holy One of ______God, because of your words. ______And Jesus, we have seen how you live. We have watched you. We have eaten with you. We have walked with you. We have been with you when you were mad. We sat with you when you were sad. But, You have drawn us in. There is ______no one like you. We know You are the Holy One of God, because of Who you are. ______I want to be like Peter, the Peter who responds in this way. At this moment in Peter’s life, and in the hard days to come, Jesus knows Peter’s heart. Jesus ______knows my heart. . .even on those days when it may seem easier to walk away. He won’t quit on me. Help me to be more like Peter, who in the end didn’t quit on Him. ______

PRAYER: Jesus, walk beside us. Sit with us. Speak to us. Don’t let us be quitters. We know you will never quit on us. We love you. Amen. ______Nanette Goings ______FEBRUARY 22, 2021 WE ASK: WHO DO YOU SERVE? MATTHEW 6:22-24 ______Jesus tells us that our eyes must be healthy or our bodies will contain darkness. The light must be present within ourselves to see clearly. It’s been said that “your eyes are the windows to your soul.” Especially in ______these uncertain times, we must look with light, not in dark and shallow glances. ______

How can our vision be distinct and unclouded? Christ says we must de- ______cide which master we will serve. We must direct our perceptions toward God, the certain and enduring master. We are transient. When we die, our money will remain in this world - we will not. ______

In uncertain times, look for the guide who will lead you through the ______hard times. God is the treasure that lasts for now and eternity.

PRAYER: Dear Father, grant us clear vision in our lives. Help us to look ______toward the radiance you have offered us with a life in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen. ______Nick Lehnert ______FEBRUARY 23, 2021 JESUS ASKS: WHO TOUCHED ME? MARK 5:25-34 ______I was healed of a habit I’d been struggling with since I was a teenager! As an adult, I was very frustrated and desperate to quit smoking. I complained about my struggle to a group of women during bible study one day. One sweet ______lady tried to console me by telling me smoking was not a sin. I boldly replied anything we do that’s destructive to our body was not God’s will. However, ______when we prayed, I wasn’t totally convinced God would help me. I only had a mustard-seed inkling of hope he would answer. ______Oh, me of little faith! A few days after my desperate whining, I was in the backyard doing lawn work when I felt a quiet peace come over me. I heard the quietest whisper saying I did not need to smoke anymore. I felt in my body ______that I had been healed! ______In Mark 5 we read about a woman who suffered 12 years with a condition she had no control over and apparently neither did her doctors. She was so desper- ate to be healed she chose to put her faith in a man she had only heard about. ______In her determination, she reached out through a crowd to touch his robe… and…she could feel in her body that she had been healed! ______“Who touched my robe?” Jesus did not scold the woman but used her circum- stance for a teachable moment. Once the woman falls at his feet, Jesus ac- ______knowledges her in front of the crowd. He commends her for her faith; confirms she was in-fact healed; then blesses her and tells her to go in peace. ______PRAYER: Oh, Merciful Father - forgive us when we come to you last-after we’ve exhausted all our human efforts. Forgive our doubt. You are a loving, powerful God ready to embrace us and save us with open arms regardless of our circum- ______stances, or the size of our faith. Thank you, Jesus. Amen ______Kaye Mason WHAT?

WHAT are some of YOUR gifts, talents and skills?

There is only one God- Father, Son and Spirit. He is unique, holy, no one is like him in the whole universe. And... he created YOU in his image! What??!! That’s right!

You are made in the image of God to fulfill a unique purpose. No matter how old or young you are, you are God’s magnificent design.

So, WHAT did he design you to do? Well, that’s up to YOU and God.

Pray and ask God to help you answer the questions below and then investigate ways to use your uniqueness to serve God. (Sometimes, we may need input from others. They may see your special qualities before you do!)

WHAT I like to do WHAT am I good at WHAT knowledge and skills do I already have

______

______

______

______FEBRUARY 24, 2021 JESUS ASKS: WHAT IS YOUR NAME? LUKE 8:26-39 ______I’m picturing this crazy guy coming out of the tombs, ranting and raving, unclothed and unchained. Jesus has ordered the demon out of him, and He asks the man, and thereby the demon, “What is your name?” The ______reply is “Legion,” because there are so many demons crammed into the poor guy. Even the demons recognize Jesus’ dominion over them and ______they plead with Him to allow them to inhabit the nearby swine, instead of sending them straight to the “abyss.” The story ends with the man ______cleansed, clothed, and coherent, and Jesus dispatches him back to town to witness about what God has done for him, which he does joyfully. ______To me, the demons represent evil, and in the human world, evil is manifested as sin. Makes me wonder, if Jesus asked me, “What is your ______name?”, would I have to answer, “Legion” to represent the sinfulness within me? Maybe so. But the good news is that by my faith in Jesus, I can stand against even a legion of sins, be forgiven, and become ______cleansed, clothed, and coherent. ______PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for forgiving my sins and restoring my soul. Let me be like the man cleansed of demons and joyfully proclaim to the world what You have done for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ______

Rick Nelson ______JESUS ASKS: WHAT DO YOU WANT FEBRUARY 25, 2021 ME TO DO FOR YOU? LUKE 18:35-43 ______In today’s reading, we hear of the blind man who despite the crowds telling him to quiet down, persisted in shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”. When the Lord heard him, he asked “What do you ______want me to do for you?” He wanted his sight restored and it was. If Jesus asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would ______you ask him? It seems like that is quite fitting in our world today. Doesn’t it seem like we are “blind” to many things? When will this ______pandemic end? When will we get back to normal? What will the new normal be? Even though we may not have large crowds to shout over, isn’t it still important for us to be persistent in our faith like the blind ______man? Like many of you, I sorely miss our worship services together and have had to adjust to online services and relying on time outside of the ______church. It is strange to say, but it almost has been nice. When we have been fortunate enough to gather together, there is a special feeling being around others and sharing our faith and worshiping. It has also ______opened my heart and eyes to other times when I can spend time praying and talking with God. ______PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, while this has been a difficult time, thank you for helping to see the positive in it. We have learned to be more ______persistent in our faith in different ways and cherishing the time we do get to be together in person. Please help us to continue to see the light when ______it seems dark and know that you are listening and asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” Amen. ______Lindsey Dunlop ______FEBRUARY 26, 2021 JESUS ASKS: WHAT DO YOU WANT? JOHN 1:29-42 ______It has always been easier for me to identify what I don’t want than what I do want. I was taught to always consider others first, so I tend to feel a bit selfish asking Jesus for things for myself. I also ponder, as a long- ______time believer, what I should want. ______In this story, two of John the Baptist’s disciples approached Jesus osten- sibly wanting to know where he dwelt. Knowing what their true hearts’ ______question was, Jesus responded, “Come and see.” Jesus drew them into conversation, knowing they were fearful and tentative. This brings to mind “He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking ______flax.” (Isaiah 42:3). Their fears kept them from speaking, but the King of Heaven graciously asked them to engage with Him. They hung out with ______him for a day and were transformed.

As for the uncertainties that face us throughout our lives, personally and ______as a nation, Ecclesiastes 3:1 states: “To every thing there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven,” over which we have scant control. ______But our requests matter to Jesus. I need to examine what fears hold me back from connecting to my heart and my desires and bring them boldly to Jesus, trusting in His intimate knowledge of me and His good pur- ______poses for me and the world. ______So, in January, 2021, my answer to Jesus’s question would be that of past beauty pageant contestants, “I want world peace!” ______PRAYER: Lord of heaven and earth, please help me boldly make my requests known to you. Amen. ______Wendy Kerr JESUS ASKS: WHAT ARE YOU FEBRUARY 27, 2021 ARGUING ABOUT? MARK 9:30-36 ______What are you arguing about? What are YOU arguing about? Jesus was not asking because he didn’t know what the disciples were arguing about. He was asking because he wanted them to think about what they had been ______saying – and more than that, WHY they had been saying it. Why they were so bent on being the greatest, being the first – being RIGHT. Arguments of- ______ten arise when we are passionate about something. They can be extremely beneficial to relationships and growth – if they are approached with an ______open mind and a willingness to listen to and learn from the opposing party. The problem comes when we are so set in our ways that we cannot consider, cannot even LISTEN to the other person (or people). ______

It seems that recently, with so much UNcertainty in our lives, there is one ______thing we are ALL certain about – our own opinions. We have convinced ourselves that whatever we think is correct, that there is only one right way – OUR way. Out of everything to have certainty about, that’s not the best ______thing to choose. Jesus says, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Jesus asks us to put others above ourselves, to ______consider and VALUE the lives and opinions of other people. This doesn’t mean abandon your beliefs and opinions, but it does mean consider different points of view, have hard conversations and LISTEN. Serve others ______with understanding instead of serving them your own unnegotiable, unrelenting opinions. ______

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you for your love and understanding, and help us to extend those gifts to those around us. Lead us to serve others with ______compassion, open hearts, and open minds. Amen ______Zoe Weiss-Jones WE ASK: WHAT MUST I DO TO FEBRUARY 28, 2021 INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? LUKE 10:23-28 ______A lawyer, an expert in the law, has challenged Jesus with the question, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Knowing the man’s credentials, Jesus asked him what the law said. The lawyer answered, “Love ______the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” ______In the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a rich young man that to inherit eternal life he must obey the commandments, sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. In that same chapter Jesus tells ______the disciples that everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, for His name’s sake will inherit eternal life. ______Each of these passages focuses on what one must DO to inherit eternal life. However, to me, the key word in today’s passage is INHERIT. ______

Eternal life, which is a gift, is an inheritance, not a reward. To inherit eternal life, one must belong to God’s family. Romans 8:16-17 states that “The Spirit ______testifies we are God’s children - we are heirs - heirs with Christ.” Ephesians 1:13-14 says “having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” ______

My favorite assurance of eternal life is Ephesians 3:8, “It is by grace you have ______been saved through faith - not from ourselves - it is the gift of God - not by works.” ______What a blessing to know, our eternal life does not depend on what we do, but rather, on Who we belong to. ______PRAYER: Father, thank You that my eternal life is certain because I am a child of God. Amen. ______

Margie Dugan JESUS ASKS: WHAT DID YOU GO MARCH 1, 2021 OUT TO SEE? MATTHEW 11:7-15 ______Countless times when driving through parts of eastern Colorado or western Kansas I have been asked, “What are you looking at?” and this usually is fol- lowed by, “There is nothing out here worth seeing.” My reply would mention ______something that I had noticed and that there was so much beauty to be seen if you took the time to notice. My point is that what you find is dependent on ______what you are searching for or seeking.

As the crowds went into the desert seeking baptism for the repentance of ______their sins with water, John kept telling them there is one to follow who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. So when Jesus asked the crowd what they were out in the desert to see, what were they seeking? Beside seeking ______baptism, they were out there to see John the Baptist because many believed he might be the long hoped for Christ as foretold in scripture. Even after ______John rebuked them for their thinking and said he was only the messenger as prophesied in the words of the book of Isaiah, they still followed John and worshiped him. Jesus told the crowd to open their ears to listen and under- ______stand that John the Baptist was more than just the prophet they were seeking. He proclaimed that John the Baptist was the Elijah who had come to prepare the way for the Messiah. Jesus was starting his ministry by proclaiming he was ______the Son of God, the new Messiah. Those who listened and understood, found a new way to eternal life. ______

So where do you stand; what are you continuing to seek? We all need to open our ears to hear the truth and then find understanding by delving deep into ______the words of the Bible!!!!

PRAYER: Jesus, I am a seeker who wants to listen and understand all that you ______can teach me. Help me to immerse myself in your Word and spread the Good News found in your teachings. In your holy and precious name I pray. Amen ______

Bob Kaiser JESUS ASKS: WHAT GOOD IS IT TO GAIN MARCH 2, 2021 THE WORLD & FORFEIT YOUR SOUL? MARK 8:36-37 ______It is far too easy to get caught up in the world. Our thoughts, swirling around us, can pull us into a whirlpool far away from the one place our hearts are meant to be; surrendered to Jesus. I have such a tendency to spend my time ______planning for what if’s, preparing for anything I can, and worrying about ways to make my own life and the lives of my loved ones more comfortable. ______

When I allow myself to be pulled into the vortex of these thought patterns, I ______end up feeling anxious, worried, and stressed… all signs that this is not the way God meant for me to live. When it is control we are after, it is the world we are yearning for, and at what cost? Would we really desire a life of comfort ______over living the will of God? Would we choose to love money or power over loving Jesus? Would we chase security over the adventure of whole-hearted- ______ly following Christ?

With our best intentions, we would answer “No”, but our grip on the things ______of this world can become habitual, addicting, and a way of life if we let it. How do we break free, knowing that the life God promises us is not a life of ______ease, but rather a life of purpose? I believe continuously coming to God in prayer, praising his faithfulness, fully putting our trust in Him, and seeking Him above all else is the best place to start. ______

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you for saving our souls and for your unimag- ______inable grace as we work to overcome the pull of this world. Help us to seek you above anything else this world can offer us. We long for the day this world is behind us and we experience your presence in full. We love you and praise ______you. Amen. ______Hannah Curtis WHEN?

WHEN are the cookies going to be ready? When are we going to get there? When is it my turn?

These aren’t just questions the kids ask- am I right? We adults need to work on our patience, too. Or, rather allow God to work within us to increase our WHEN impulses.

We may feel like we’ve all had a crash course in learning to wait this year, and I know you all deserve a standing ova- tion! Bravo! However, during this season of Lent let’s not forget to ask God to reveal where we could adjust our WHEN-meters. Pray and ask God to help direct you as you parent your child in being patient, too

Here are some waiting games to play with your children when they start asking WHEN. These may help increase their understanding and skill of being patient.

*Build a Story *Would you rather *Red Light Green Light *20 Questions *I Spy *Simon Says

Find more great ideas, Google this article: “Waiting Games: 20+ Fun Ideas to Pass Time Waiting in Line, Traveling or at a Restaurant” by Clara Muriel JESUS ASKS: WHEN I BROKE THE MARCH 3, 2021 FIVE LOAVES. . .? MARK 8:14-21 ______This is an interesting section of Scripture. Jesus asks a question, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?” When I read this, I cannot help but think about ______my own life experiences. Specifically, experiences in life where I witnessed God do amazing things in my life, but then turn around and not learn that ______God has transformed my life. It’s typically because I’m hardheaded and sometimes don’t pay attention too well. I imagine this is what has hap- pened here with the disciples. When that happens, it typically hinders me ______from learning and growing.

This section of Scripture speaks of the misunderstanding between Jesus ______and the disciples and shows that the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod (religion and government), had taken possession of the mentality of the ______disciples to the point of hindering them from listening to the Good News.

So, what in our life is hindering us from hearing, listening and imple- ______menting the Good News? I know for me, that list is quite long. My hope and prayer every day is that I am able to recognize these hindrances and encounter the grace of God on a daily basis. In our world today, it is easy ______to allow our mentality to shift away from God, but my challenge for us today is to focus instead on the Good News. If that means turning off the ______TV or phone, I hope we are able to encounter God today.

PRAYER: Father God may we find the capacity to hear, listen and imple- ______ment the Good News into our life. May we experience you and remember your goodness, mercy, love and grace on a daily basis. Amen. ______Pastor Jacob Tackitt ______WE ASK: WHEN DO I MARCH 4, 2021 FORGIVE SOMEONE? MARK 11:20-25 ______The answer to the question posed seems obvious, we should always forgive others as quickly as possible. ______Only in Mark 11:25 is the question addressed directly. Mark 11:20-22 set up the scene with Peter and Jesus speaking of faith “moving moun- ______tains”. I believe Jesus led Peter through the explanation of what faith can do to plant the seed so that only when you truly believe (have faith) ______and the way in which you offer forgiveness is when true forgiveness occurs. Too often forgiveness, like prayer is mechanical and not from the heart. When forgiveness or prayer is not genuine, it is just empty ______words. Empty words make us feel like we have made the effort. And yet, Jesus tells Peter “Believe that you receive them (what you pray for) ______and you will have them” (NKJ). In the same manner, truly forgive those who have wronged you and they shall be forgiven, and you also will be forgiven of your transgressions. Anything less is empty words. ______

PRAYER: God grant us the strength and courage to truly forgive others. ______Not to gain our own forgiveness but, to create peace with each other. Do not let us be like the withered fig tree but rather fertile ground for others to grow to know You. Amen ______

Bruce Smith ______(Side note: referencing four different versions of the Bible, two of the four did not have Mark 11:26) ______WE ASK: WHEN WILL MARCH 5, 2021 SUFFERING END? REVELATION 21:1-5 ______A few weeks ago, when I was thinking about writing this devotion, I experienced something strange going on in my mind, something even wackier than usual. Completely unbidden, a certain melody began repeating itself in my head.... over ______and over again.... a very simple, almost folk-songish, tune. It sounded familiar, but what was it? ______Then some of its words came to me, and I realized that it was an old hymn which I hadn’t sung in decades. I checked the old Lutheran Book of Worship, and ______there it was: “Jerusalem, my happy home, when shall I come to thee? When shall my sorrows have an end? Thy joys when shall I see?” ______Then I read that, although the music is based on an American folk tune, its words ______go back to the 16th century. Certainly it expresses a universal question, across all years and cultures: When will suffering end? ______Revelation 21 addresses that question when it speaks of God’s new creation, epito- mized in the “new Jerusalem,” our new life with God and his people when “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” But even now, in a messed- ______up world, we are in the hands of the God who loves us as a parent who comforts a crying child and “wipes every tear from their eyes.” Suffering will end, and in the ______meantime God can use it for his loving purposes. Knowing that God has sent his Son to make us part of his new creation, we can begin to “see God’s joys” – so many of them - even now! ______

PRAYER: Lord, our hearts ache at the sorrows of the world.... and at the sin that so distorts life as you intend it to be. Thank you for Jesus, who came to share our pains ______and bear our sins on the cross, and who was raised as our eternal hope. May your Holy Spirit enable us to live today in the joy of your promised new creation. Amen. ______Pastor Bruce Welander WE ASK: WHEN DO WE MARCH 6, 2021 WALK AWAY? ROMANS 12:17-21 ______I can honestly say that there have only been a few people that I have hated during my lifetime. Unfortunately, there was one person that I met about 15 years ago that I did honestly hate. This young man changed the course of our family’s life ______when he got our 17-year-old daughter pregnant. ______Now you might say “it takes two to tango”, but 15 years ago all I could say was “this person has ruined our daughter’s life.” ______What I was actually thinking was; “this person has ruined my plans for our daughter’s life.” ______You see we were in the process of moving to Colorado from Massachusetts and the child custody judge determined that our new baby granddaughter was “legally” a ______resident of Massachusetts and could not be taken out of state. This meant that if our 17-year-old daughter (a “teen-mom”) wanted to be in her new child’s life (which she very much did), she would have to stay in Massachusetts…while we moved ______2000 miles away from our 17-year old child’s life (which we decided we had to do).

Anger, disbelief, and hatred understate what I was feeling at the time. ______Thank God, He had anticipated my rage and wrote for me these two instructions: - Romans 12:19 - “Do not take revenge but leave room for My wrath” ______- Romans 12:21 - “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” I knew it was time to walk away and to leave this unimaginable situation in God’s hands. ______

PRAYER: Dear God; You are wise to my needs, to our needs. Thank you for taking the time to write your instructions for me down in the Bible and for convincing me ______to read them. Without those instructions, I would be in a completely different place in my life. There but for the Grace of God go I…In Jesus Christ, I Pray…AMEN. ______

Chris Garcia WE ASK: WHEN WILL MARCH 7, 2021 JESUS RETURN? MATTHEW 24:3-8, 36-44 ______“Ready or not, here I come!” Do you remember this game as a child? This reminds me of Jesus’ second coming. We know for certain He is coming, our Father has told us this; we just do not know when, so ______we need to be ready! Noah was ready for the flood, the people outside his family were not. We all know how that story ended. Noah and his ______family lived in faith. The other folks were going about their daily lives but not living in faith. Are we going about our lives and not living ______in faith?

In Acts 1:7, Jesus says: “He said to them: “It is not for you to know the ______times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” Perhaps we should do as the angels said in Acts 1:11 (verses 9-10 included for ______background): “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white ______stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you ______into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” ______So, let us not just stand there gazing up into the sky, let’s get ready before it rains (figuratively speaking)! ______

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we are certain Jesus will return. Please help us to be prepared, help us to live in faith, help us to live out our faith, and ______thank you for your precious Son. Amen. ______Teri Hassa WE ASK: WHEN DID GOD MARCH 8, 2021 CHOOSE ME? EPHESIANS 1:1-4 ______When did God choose me? When did God choose you? Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us, “for he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as His sons ______through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.” Wow--that’s pretty mind boggling! God chose me and chose you before He created the ______world. He knew us before we even knew ourselves. I don’t know about you, but my limited mind has difficulty comprehending that concept. ______Reading this verse also brought to mind a question that one of my 5th grade Sunday School students asked me many years ago. He asked me if God al- ways was and always will be, what was He doing before He created the world? ______I was stumped and directed him to pose his question to the pastor. Even as an 11-year-old boy, this young man was a deep thinker, and God had His hand on ______him. Michael gave his life to the Lord and is now a priest in Rome.

God chose us. It’s not by accident that we are living during these days. 2020 ______and 2021 seem like crazy times and have been challenging times for sure and we are often filled with uncertainty about the future but in all reality, each day is uncertain to us, but it is certain to God. Today and every day we have peace ______when we surrender our lives to God and put our trust in Him, and in doing so, He fills us with His peace, the peace which truly passes all understanding. ______PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for choosing us. Thank you that each and every day that we have the assurance of knowing that you are with us and that ______you love us beyond anything that we can comprehend. Knowing that you are with us every day gives us peace and grants us the knowledge of knowing that one thing that will always be certain is You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ______Gloria Borcher ______MARCH 9, 2021 WE ASK: WHEN WILL I BE HEALED? 2 CORINTHIANS 12:6-10 ______When I first started to learn about Christianity, I was in a place of suffering. My mental health had gotten really bad, starting in 7th grade. In 9th grade, I went to church (willingly) for the first time. I felt afflicted at times with ______thoughts I never wanted; pain I never asked for. Later in life I would learn that I had clinical issues, which meant my brain was incapable of producing ______the right amount of chemicals. Like many believers who deal with some kind of chronic condition, I asked, “When will I be healed?” ______It can be easy for a certain sense of hopelessness to sink in when it feels like you aren’t being answered, especially if pain is involved. Paul’s experience ______and words in this passage have stuck with me for a long time. I have God’s response in 12:9 tattooed on the back of my right arm. For years, the idea ______that my weakness demonstrates God’s power was a paradox to me. But through the years, as I encountered people in the same situation, God’s re- sponse started to make sense. I have had the blessing of speaking hope into ______the lives of many who feel hopeless and to share that God has carried me through dark times. I can walk alongside those suffering from mental illness. ______When will I be healed? Likely never. But I’ve seen God’s sufficient grace and power despite my weakness. To me, my suffering pales in comparison to the ______shining of his glory. ______PRAYER: God, help us to live with open hands. To lean on you when we are weak and feel afflicted. May your glory be shone through the testimony of your power in our weakness. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ______Amen. ______Pastor Dylan Curtis WHERE?

WHERE is God?

Have you ever seen an investigator in action?

They ask tons of questions to solve a mystery. A journalist asks questions to write an interesting and informative fact- filled news article.

This week be an investigator or journalist! Grab a notebook and pen, choose a day or several days to a look into WHERE God is in your everyday life

Take notes everyWHERE you go and ask yourself WHERE do I see God at work… at my school; at home; at the grocery store; at your sports event; a dance class; at a restaurant; a friend’s house and so on.

Describe details of your God sightings.

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______JESUS ASKS: WHERE IS MARCH 10, 2021 YOUR FAITH? LUKE 8:22-25 ______We all go through storms in life. Sometimes it can be something little and doesn’t take much effort to get through, but sometimes it’s so great that we cannot imagine how we are going to make it through. Like ______the disciples, we cry out to God asking Him... “Where are you? Don’t you care? I am never going to get through this!” Jesus replies to the ______disciples and to us, “Where is your faith?” Where you find fear, faith is absent, but if you have faith the fear is gone. Fear maximizes the prob- ______lem and minimizes God’s provisions and presence.

I was given the task to find a new location for a Christian preschool. I had ______no experience with this and had no idea if I was even capable. There were many times I wanted to give up and my faith was absent. After two ______years of reaching out to churches, touring buildings, lots of research and headaches, I cried out, “God....I can’t do this anymore!” While on vacation, a pastor of a local church that I reached out to called me. He ______announced that he only had eight numbers of my phone number and had been trying all combinations to find me. WOW! Wished I had ______given this to God sooner. Needless to say, we re-opened the school and have been there for two years. ______PRAYER: Dear Good and Gracious God, we know that our faith will be tested by adversity and trials in our lives. Show us how to have faith and ______know that we can rely on your promises. Amen

Julie Bock ______MARCH 11, 2021 JESUS ASKS: WHERE ARE THEY? LUKE 17:11-19 ______On his way to Jerusalem, ten men with leprosy ask Jesus to have pity on them. Jesus directs them to show themselves to the priests and on their way to do that, they are healed. Yet only one of them returns to thank Jesus and praise ______God. ______Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (NIV Luke 17: 17) Where are they? ______How often do we draw close to God when we need something, just like those ten men - for healing, safe travels, or a new job? At the end of the day, when ______our pain is gone, our family safe, or after work, do we give thanks to Jesus and praise to God? Jesus’ questions apply to us. Where are we in praising God? Do ______we have gratitude in our hearts? Do we wear our love of Christ on our sleeves?

We need God every day so much so that Jesus sacrificed his life for us. Truly, ______the absolute minimum we can do is be thankful every day. God can see our hearts. Others can see our actions and hear our words. A man I know from ______years ago told me the secret to living a full life is to wake up and praise God first thing in the morning for all that the day will unfold and praise Him at the end of the day for all that the day revealed. It isn’t a secret if you tell someone - ______praise God! ______PRAYER: Gracious God, we thank you and we praise you for the gift of everlast- ing salvation given to us through your Son, Jesus Christ. May we wear our love for you on our sleeves for all to see, believers and non-believers, what is in our ______hearts. Amen. ______Kirsten Gjelde-Bennett JESUS ASKS: WHERE ARE WE TO MARCH 12, 2021 BUY BREAD? JOHN 6:1-14 ______The feeding of the 5,000 is one of my favorite stories. It tells how Jesus tests his disciples with the question: “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” They respond with a weak solution, but a least it ______was a start. A boy has two fish and five loaves of bread. Jesus tells them to have everyone sit in groups. Then He gives thanks to God and multi- ______plies the offering of bread and fish, so much that there were baskets of leftovers to spare. ______

Jesus, who is concerned with the state of his followers, shows how a problem can be anticipated by looking around at what is happening. He ______shows how to solve it by looking for options, getting everyone orga- nized, and above all, he prays to God. ______

Just like the disciples, I do not always see problems that others are hav- ing, because I am focused on my own problems. I do try to follow Jesus’ ______example of planning and organizing. I feel much better when I have a To-Do list. One thing on my list today is to prepare bags with supplies to ______assist homeless people I see when I am driving around town.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that you are always there to help through the ______difficult times. Help me follow your example to see the needs of others and to help where I can. Keep my eyes on you in this season of Lent and ______always. Amen.

Rhea Hoops ______WE ASK: WHERE, WHEN AND HOW MARCH 13, 2021 SHOULD I PRAY? LUKE 11:1-13 ______Why should we pray? The answer to this question is because Jesus prayed! His disciples noticed this and one of them asked Jesus to teach “us” to pray. I think it’s safe to include anyone who prays in “us.” The ______motivation to pray is simple – it gets things done. What type of things get done? Perhaps someone becomes a believer, our children make the ______right choice in a moment of temptation, a war is averted, a pastor finds his way through a period of doubt, or a person receives a needed smile ______because of our prayers. Finding out what our praying “exactly” accom- plished will be like finding the prize in a box of Cracker Jacks when we get to heaven. ______We all know how to carry on a conversation with someone (including in- ______fants) and this is what praying is – a conversation. Conversation involves talking and listening. I have found the listening part to be harder than the talking part. Help me to become a better listener when I pray. And ______still, God promises to answer our prayers - it may not be exactly in the way we think they should be answered, but He will answer them. Which ______of us gives our children everything they ask for? We give them what we think is best for their character development. God does likewise. We who are sinful and imperfect, do our best to serve and give to others. Let ______us not doubt that our Father who is perfect, will not fail to answer our prayers and draw us closer to Him. It’s a promise! ______PRAYER: Lord, teach us to pray! ______Glenn Knipscheer ______WE ASK: WHERE IS GOD IN MARCH 14, 2021 THIS MESS? MATTHEW 28:16-20 ______He’s everywhere! I feel a little bit better about my own insecurities when I read that even some who saw Jesus in person still doubted. It’s easy to be discouraged when there are no empirical rewards, no easy proof in ______an academic sort of way. He’s where ever you are. He says so in the last verse — always, to the very end of the age, when Jesus returns for us. ______This passage is known as the Great Commission, in which we are tasked ______with sharing the Good News with everyone we can so that they can share in His love and eternal life. An unlikely source for an argument in favor of evangelism comes from a Las Vegas atheist/comedian/magician, ______Penn Jillette: How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them about it? He goes on to ______compare sharing it with them to warning them they are in the path of an approaching truck. While it’s ultimately their decision, we have informa- tion that can save them. ______God is always here. God will be with anyone who wants him. Our job is ______to share that knowledge with whomever we can. We don’t want anyone to miss out. Neither does God! ______PRAYER: Father, guide us when we are interacting with other people. Show us the opportunities there are to share the Good News with them, ______lovingly and in ways that they can understand. And inspire us to do it. We love you! Amen. ______Marcie Mason ______JESUS ASKS: WHERE ARE THEY, HAS MARCH 15, 2021 NO ONE CONDEMNED YOU? JOHN 8:1-11 ______This is the story about the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law brought her before Jesus and the crowd that was gathered in the temple courts. They were looking to have ______her condemned and stoned, as was the penalty for her offense. After every- one left, with not a single stone thrown, Jesus kneels down and writes in ______the sand a second time. Then He rises up and says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She answered, “No one sir.” Jesus ______replied, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” The woman must have seen the mercy and love in Jesus’ eyes, and felt that her life was worth something. After all, this man, Jesus just saved her life. ______

Sometimes we act like the Pharisees. We are quick to see the faults of ______others, and slow to see our own. Recently I figuratively hauled out someone before my family, judged him and verbally threw stones at him. This passage reminded me that I too am a sinner and need to repent, and that I should ______continue to pray for this person and leave it in God’s most capable hands. ______The Lord is merciful and keeps no record of our sins. So why do we keep the count of those who cross us? Instead of rushing to drag someone out and expose them, we should be ready to show them grace, mercy and love just ______as Jesus does for us. ______PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for your saving grace, your mercy and your love. Help me to pass it on to others so they can see and feel your love too. Amen ______

Marie Powell ______WE ASK: WHERE IS GOD MARCH 16, 2021 LEADING ME? JOHN 16:12-15 ______Sometimes we ask, “God where are you leading me?” and sometimes the answer is “I have much to say about that, but you can’t bear it right now.” In this passage, Jesus knew the disciples could not yet understand ______that he was pointing to the cross. He knew they expected a warrior and a king so they could not imagine him as a suffering servant who would ______be executed with criminals. Nor that they themselves, would be jailed, beaten and crucified for their faith in him. God knows the same is true of ______us.

There are so many questions we have about tomorrow, but, what if we ______knew the answer? Would we be able to accept or comprehend it? We can rejoice that our God, who is compassionate, loving and kind, will ______send his Holy Spirit to us, his people, today. Through the Spirit, He will reveal His truth to us when we are ready and able to hear it. We don’t know what the path we are on looks like further on, but we can walk ______it confidently one step at a time because we have a direct line to God through His Holy Spirit just as Jesus was a direct line to God for his disci- ______ples before his crucifixion. God promises to give us the tools we need to accomplish his will in his timing. ______PRAYER: Dear Father God, We don’t know what tomorrow holds but please send us your Holy Spirit to guide us in your truth, and to help us ______discern your will and walk in your ways on whatever path you set us on. We trust that you will give us everything we need when we seek you first. All this we ask in Jesus Holy Name, ______Amen ______Debbie Schroeder WHY?

WHY remember Jesus in our customs and traditions?

At Christmas we teach about how people watched for the promised Savior hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth. The Old Testament prophets foretold and documented these promises. WHY? So we could know God always has a much bigger plan then we can ever imagine.

Passover is a significant holiday celebrated this time of year by Jesus and people of Jewish heritage. This year Passover begins on Saturday, March 27 and ends on Easter Sunday, April 4th. People observe the Passover Seder (Supper) retelling stories from Exodus and thanking God for all of his goodness and provision.

Experiencing a Passover Seder together as a family can bring deeper meaning and understanding of God’s purpose for us in Jesus.There is much rich symbolism in the Seder elements which amazingly point to Jesus, the Savior of the world.

We encourage you to highlight stories from Exodus 6-12 (at age-appropriate level) with your family.

Consider purchasing and preparing some or all items for a seder meal, especially matzah and grape juice. Use the sites listed below as references for a seder supper with children and the symbolism of Christ throughout the meal. https://www.gotquestions.org/Passover-Seder.html https://jenniferdukeslee.com/a-messianic-passover-seder-for-families-with-children/ JESUS ASKS: WHY ARE YOU MARCH 17, 2021 LOOKING FOR ME? LUKE 2:41-51 ______Have you ever wondered if people really know you? Your true joys, hidden sadness, inner longings... Sometimes I ponder if I know these things about the people closest to me as well. I want to help them find their purpose in ______life. I want them to feel heard and loved. I believe Jesus wanted to be under- stood and known for his purpose, too. ______

After the Festival of the Passover was over, on the long way home from Jerusalem, Jesus’ parents realized that their twelve-year-old son is not with ______them. It took three days for them to finally find their young son back at the Temple, talking and listening to the teachers. People were amazed at his wisdom! His mother Mary, came to the boy and asked him why he treated ______them this way. She told him that they both had been anxiously searching for him. Jesus replied with a question: ______

“Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ______

Perhaps Jesus was wondering why his parents didn’t go straight into the Temple, since this was the place he needed to be. Maybe Jesus wanted to ______remind them of his divine birth and of his true mission in this world, the reason for which he came. Jesus’ reply was innocent, yet spoken with deep ______meaning. Mary and Joseph didn’t fully understand his words then. They just went through three days of uncertainty which, without a doubt, changed into certainty when Jesus was found! ______

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, in this year of uncertainty, we pray for our world to be certain of your sacrificial love. We pray for all people to long for your heart ______and to fully know you. In your name we pray. Amen. ______Andrea Hoyt JESUS ASKS: WHY DO YOU NOTICE MARCH 18, 2021 THE SPLINTER. . .? MATTHEW 7:1-6 ______Jesus begins this passage by telling us not to judge and what judgement we hand out, we will get right back at us. This causes me to wonder, how is this fair, what if their sin is much worse than mine and ______why should I be punished for something bad, while I only did something slightly bad? Have you ever noticed that often people ______“preach” about someone else’s sin, only to find out that they are guilty of the same sin? ______

I think Jesus addresses this beautifully in His question. “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in ______your own eye?” Maybe, because of the plank in our eye, we are more sensitive to the speck in our brother’s. We notice that speck because we ______have the same sin and know it is wrong and are ashamed. Often our response to shame is anger towards ourselves and others. If we ask in humility, Christ will help us remove the plank in our eye, the anger and ______the shame. His love will be reflected in our actions toward our brothers and sisters. ______

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for gently showing us where the plank is in our eye and we humbly ask you to remove that plank and our shame ______and anger. Help us to love our brothers and sisters with Your love and not our critical eye. We have no ground to stand on and our only ______example is You. Amen.

Holly Adams ______WE ASK: WHY DID THE PHARISEES MARCH 19, 2021 HATE JESUS? MATTHEW 23:1-12 ______From the text of Matthew 23:1-12 we find Jesus talking to the people and his disciples about the culture of honor. He at first reminds them that the Pharisees are teachers of the law and do hold a place of authority. But Jesus ______then points out that the way the Pharisees are doing what they do actually hinders the people they instruct. Jesus calls it hypocrisy. We see it today ______in our churches and our culture. There are people who have achieved or moved to a place of authority and believe their eliteness was what got them to that place. It is also called self-righteousness. ______

So, what is the Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus? Yes, they hated Him! Enough to want to kill Him which they did. For Jesus exposed their hypocrisy. But ______I think there was more. I think they were afraid of Jesus. Jesus was perfect calling out the sins of the ones that were tasked to help people to live in a ______positive relationship with their Heavenly Father!! Whoops, the Pharisees didn’t read the fine print like in Hosea 6:6 that Jesus quotes,” If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not ______have condemned the innocent.”(Matthew 12:7) Of course there was much much more that Jesus had to say which shamed the Pharisees into hating Him. Harboring in their hearts the lie of their position, fear now takes hold ______and turns to anger and from anger to hatred. For us, fear is encountered when we are separated from our family, and it’s frustrating when circum- ______stances like man’s laws get in the way of our normal. And of course, this can separate us too, from God. And for the Pharisees the fear of exposure to the truth would upset the “apple cart” relationship they had with the Romans. ______

PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, that you have given us your Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our place with You and our Heavenly Father. We need ______not fear, or doubt that You want us to be with You and You want to be with us. Awesome! Thank you!!! ______Lee Quaintance JESUS ASKS: WHY DO YOU CALL ME MARCH 20, 2021 LORD, LORD? LUKE 6:46-49 ______It seems like Jesus was having the same problem that historically beset God’s prophets and ministers (i.e.) Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Moses, etc. People would intently listen and pretend to believe what was said, but ______then not do what was asked. Jesus said that His listeners were right in calling Him Lord, but that their actions did not match their words. He ______said that this is like a man building his house on the ground with no foundation. When the storms of life come against it, immediately it falls. ______The opposite is also true He said, of the man digging deep and laying a foundation on bedrock. When the floods crash against it, the house will stand because of how it was built. As a retired builder, I know that the ______quality of the structure starts with, and depends on, the foundation. ______So how about us? Do we confess Jesus as our Savior but fail to demon- strate that belief by our actions? Who, or what, is our foundation? Mon- ey, job, fame, good health, friends or is it Christ? Christ is our rock. He is ______our foundation and nothing can separate us from His love or His protec- tion. The storms of life will batter us: sickness, loss of job, loss of home ______or spouse, but Jesus is always with us. If our trust is in Him, He will help us through anything that Satan throws at us and when at last our time on earth is finished, He is there to welcome us home - our eternal home. ______

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for being my rock and firm foundation. ______Help me to remain obedient to Your word. Amen

Bob Dugan ______MARCH 21, 2021 JESUS ASKS: WHY DID YOU DOUBT? MATTHEW 14:22-33 ______Do you ever end up doubting yourself because the first time you tried, it was great, then the next time it was awful and now you just don’t know what to expect? I do! I wonder if I can trust myself to succeed. But the ______reality is that being human means we can’t always succeed, so it makes sense that we are uncertain. The good news is that God will always suc- ______ceed, so we don’t need to doubt him! ______Look at Peter and the disciples. This is the second time they have been out on the sea and they are again afraid of the wind and waves, and the incomprehensible power Jesus demonstrates. A few chapters earlier, ______Jesus famously calms the storm on the sea, asking them why they were afraid. Now, he asks them why they doubt his control over a similar ______situation, when he has already shown his power. When we lose faith and begin to doubt, or look down at the water, we fall in like Peter. But Jesus is there, right beside us, to reach out His hand and show us there is no ______need to doubt. He is in control; he keeps us from drowning and calms the storm, just as he did in this passage and Matthew 8:24-27. If we fo- ______cus on the world, we’ll end up with a life of disappointments and doubt. But when we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, we will lead a life certain to be cared for, and loved for eternity. ______

PRAYER: God, thank you for walking through life with us. The world is a ______distracting place and it can easily lead us down dangerous paths. Guide each of us down the right path and let us be beacons that lead others to you, so they too can escape the dark and doubt. In Jesus’ precious name, ______Amen. ______Anaka Weiss-Jones JESUS ASKS: WHY ARE YOU TRYING MARCH 22, 2021 TO KILL ME? JOHN 7:14-19 ______Jesus asks this question because he’s claiming to be the Son of God, and because of this assertion, the Pharisees wanted Him killed. Jesus was either - a few sandwiches short of a picnic crazy, or He was the actual Son of God. ______

In this section of John’s Gospel, the people are being compelled to decide ______who Jesus is. As a first-century Jew, the expectations for the Messiah were pret- ty high. A Jewish person living in the first-century, waiting for their Messiah, was waiting for a military leader who would set right all of the wrongs done ______to the Hebrew people. The history of Israel hasn’t been pretty. They have been in slavery, defeated, persecuted, then prosecuted, made fun of, and ostracized throughout history. It’s been a long, harrowing story, and yet they hold to this ______promise - they are God’s Chosen. They are not so much waiting for Gandhi as they are waiting for Willam Wallace from Braveheart. They are waiting for ______someone who’s going to come and draw a sword and yell “Freedom!!” as He leads everyone in a miraculous battle. And because of this, they’re not quite sure what to do with Jesus. ______

My question for us today is, who do you believe Jesus to be? A good teacher, a prophet, a possessed crazy man, or do you believe, like I do, that Jesus is the ______Son of God who died on a cross for us so that by faith, we could be in Heaven forever? ______

If we are uncertain about who Jesus is throughout this Lenten season, let’s continue to turn our eyes to Him and be reminded of who He was/is. I pray ______that Jesus’ words and promises found in the Bible would create faith where there is uncertainty. ______PRAYER: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 ______Pastor Lucas Kinser JESUS ASKS: WHY ARE YOU MARCH 23, 2021 BOTHERING THIS WOMAN? MATTHEW 26:6-13 ______While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. ______

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” ______they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” ______Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this wom- an? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always ______have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, ______wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” ______PRAYER: Jesus, this woman and her beautiful act are remembered to- day, just as you said. Help us to look beyond the practical and be like her ______and recognize you and serve you and give you our best, extravagantly. Amen. ______HOW?

Well… now that you have explored...

- WHO (Jesus and YOU). - WHAT are your gifts, talents and skills - WHEN we learn to wait - WHERE God is at work in your daily life - WHY observe customs and traditions

...HOW will you use all this information to bring glory to Jesus and honor him every day?

No matter how young or old you are, you can express Jesus’ love and goodness to everyone around you. Sometimes with words, sometimes with actions.

By being the awesome person God created you to be, you’ll bring happy praise to Jesus!

We all learn as we grow, so don’t forget to be open to new things God wants to teach you about yourself and others then get ready to explore all kinds of ways to live a full life for Jesus.

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______WE ASK: HOW COULD JESUS LOVE MARCH 24, 2021 FLAWED HUMANS? LUKE 5:1-11 ______After listening to the word of God, Simon spends most of the night fishing with no luck. I sympathize with Simon. That describes most of my fishing experiences. But Simon feels remorse because he hasn’t realized ______the power of Christ. A miracle has occurred and he should have known this. Simon is in the presence of someone remarkable, a person clearly ______supernatural in nature. ______Despite this, Jesus tells Simon not be fearful. Trusting the word of Christ, Simon leaves his boat and follows Jesus in a quest for believers. How uncertain this sounds - quitting your livelihood, your earthly possessions ______and entrusting your future to someone else. But Jesus transformed a common man into an apostle, someone who would accompany Christ in ______His time on earth.

In our lives, we must trust in the word of God and continually improve as ______Christians. The confidence and certainty of Christ’s love truly helps us - in this life and the next. ______

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are very imperfect people. Help us rely on your grace and mercy to strengthen us in your constant love. Amen. ______

Nick Lehnert ______JESUS ASKS: HOW WILL YOU ESCAPE MARCH 25, 2021 BEING CONDEMNED TO HELL? MATTHEW 23:33-39 ______Jesus asks this question to a group of people, including his disciples. As he describes the many problems with the religious leaders, he repeats over and over: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” ______

Questions make me think of tests. There are tests in school. There are tests to earn professional credentials like CPA or MD. At the end of my Confirmation class, I spent ______an entire Saturday morning answering questions on a written test. No one can earn a driver’s license unless several tests are passed. Every year, the IRS requires volun- teer tax preparers to pass a test. This year, the IRS test had some errors. So, the IRS ______published some of the answers for everyone to read beforehand.

The tests we take in life matter --- but only for a time. The test today has eternal im- ______plications. There is only one question. The test is “open book.” But there is a twist. The test countdown timer is running but you won’t know in advance when it is your turn to answer the question. It is best to have your answer ready. ______Question: How will you escape being condemned to hell? ______(A) Lead a perfect life. (B) Be a good person and go to church regularly. (C) Everyone goes to heaven, so no worries. ______(D) Confess your sin and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on your behalf. (E) Either (A) or (D). ______What is your answer? ______HINT: The answer has been published (not by the IRS) for everyone to read. PRAYER: Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: You have told us how to avoid hell. ______You have told us how to get to heaven. The most important test in life has only one question and there is only one correct answer. Thank you for giving us the solution. Help us to review the answer with you daily. Amen. ______

Bob Goings WE ASK: HOW DOES JESUS MARCH 26, 2021 OFFER GRACE? MARK 7:24-30 ______Being a Mom and a Grammy, I would do anything for my babies. Gosh, how I love them! And, I really, really don’t want to see them suffer. The Greek Mom in this Bible passage is a good Mom. Her child is suffering. Surely she is also suffering. ______She will do anything for her child to be healed. . .And that’s when Jesus enters her village. ______Take notice of the Mom verbs in this passage: - She heard ______- She fell - She was - She begged ______- She replied (Spoiler alert! Such a wimpy word for her powerful response. Might I suggest you add an exclamation point to her response!) ______And yet, as she begs. . .yes, begs at Jesus’ feet, Jesus’ response to her seems a little harsh. . .cruel. . .rude. Ouch! ______

But it’s her reply (with that added exclamation point) that He desires from her. She knows who He is and that He is the Savior of the Jews. She is Greek. And yet this ______Mom believes in His healing power. She recognizes who He is, even when some of the Jews do not. And Jesus, who came for ALL, offers her grace, undeserved, unmer- ______ited, with no-strings-attached. He sees this loving, faith-filled Mom begging at His feet and He heals her daughter before she even has a chance to get home. ______Each day, Jesus offers that same undeserved, unmerited, no-strings-attached grace to me too. Thank you Jesus! ______PRAYER: Oh Jesus, we thank you for your love, your healing power, your grace so freely given. Amen. ______Nanette Goings WE ASK: HOW COULD JESUS BE MARCH 27, 2021 HUMAN AND STILL BE PERFECT? 2 CORINTHIANS 5:16-21 ______If I were to pinpoint one of the more difficult aspects of Christianity to under- stand, this would be among them. To err is to be human, as the saying goes. In erring, we sin, we lack perfection. So if Jesus was fully human (and fully divine), ______how could he be perfect? Or more precisely, without sin? Many great theologians and biblical scholars have spent countless hours trying to explain this seemingly paradoxical idea. Two important things must be addressed to better grasp the ______belief that Jesus was fully human and perfect.

First, the nature of Christ. Christ was fully divine and fully human. In church ______history this has been commonly called the “Hypostatic Union.” If Jesus were only human, then he would have certainly sinned. But since he was also fully divine, he was able to live a sinless and blameless life. His divinity enabled him to live a ______life that none of us could ever live as mere humans.

Second, our understanding of the atonement plays a central role. 2 Corinthi- ______ans 5:21a says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,” Looking back into the Old Testament we see multiple times where animals were offered as a sacrifice for sin. Would we say that the animal was actually the one who sinned? ______Absolutely not. If I had a massive debt and someone offered to pay it for me, would they be considered the one who caused my debt? Absolutely not. Christ’s ______bearing our sin and the wrath that was due to us is not the same as Christ him- self sinning. ______So let us rejoice in what Christ has done. Let us rejoice that while taking the form of man, Jesus lived a perfect and blameless life. He bore our sin and we have received eternal and everlasting life as a result, by no merit or effort of our own, ______but solely by the incredible act of Christ being crucified and raised again. PRAYER: Give us eyes to see and hearts that believe. We affirm that Jesus was ______fully human and fully divine, living a perfect life, and paying for our sins upon the cross. We praise you for offering us eternal life through this act. May we respond by living faithfully. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. ______

Pastor Dylan Curtis PALM SUNDAY THE PEOPLE ASKED: MARCH 28, 2021 “WHO IS THIS?” MATTHEW 21:1-11 ______All the boxes were checked, the i’s dotted the t’s crossed. Still they did not understand that the king was coming. Instead they asked, “Who is this?” Even Jesus’ followers were still calling him just a prophet. ______

What symbolic points did the majority of Jews not see during one of the ______most public events of Jesus’ ministry? Jesus’ actions were deliberate. He made an implicit claim to being the heaven-sent king of his people by ______riding on a donkey, the traditional mount of rulers. The image of Jesus approaching Jerusalem on a donkey was consistent with Biblical text signifying the arrival of the Messianic King. Jesus was claiming to be the ______Messiah and that a new age was dawning. The choice of a donkey over a horse, typically associated with war and human pride, was a sign of his ______humility. Jesus was stating his kingdom would be based on humbleness and peacefulness. ______Still the Jews were blind to what was coming. Jesus terrified the political and religious power structures in Jerusalem. Little did they realize that ______their actions would fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament and that they would help usher in a revolution that is still going on. So, are you a part of the revolution or just another bystander asking, “Who is this?” ______

PRAYER: Lord, I praise and thank you for all I have been given. When ______asked, “Who is this?”, I will choose to be one who says that this is Jesus Christ, my savior and king. Amen ______Bob Kaiser ______JESUS SAYS: “IF YOU HAD MARCH 29, 2021 ONLY KNOWN.” LUKE 19:41-44 ______If you had only known. . . If you had only known what would bring you peace. . . If you had only known what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden ______from your eyes. And Jesus wept over Jerusalem. ______As I write this Devotion today, protestors are storming the Capitol in ______Washington D.C. Guns are drawn. A mob has encircled from all sides. Violence is in the streets. People flee in fear. Political upheaval in a coun- try known around the world for its democracy, seems rampant. Does ______Jesus weep for peace in our country today as he wept over Jerusalem? Some days, it seems as though not much has changed since the time of ______Jesus’ ministry. Many didn’t recognize Jesus then, so how can we possi- bly recognize Jesus today with the chaotic clamor of the world? ______And yet, Jesus speaks the same words to us today that he had been preaching to the people of Jerusalem then. ______I am with you. I will give you peace when your world is turned upside down. Seek Me through the violence, sickness, fear and uncertainty. Open your eyes to see Me at work. Open your ears to hear My voice when ______I speak to you. I am still here. I am with you. ______PRAYER: Dear Jesus, we seek your peace. We do know you will never leave us. Open our eyes to see you first. Open our ears to hear your voice first. Help us to love you first, most and best. Amen. ______

Nanette Goings ______MARCH 30, 2021 JESUS ASKS: ARE YOU READY? MATTHEW 25:1-13

Are you ready? That’s a question I ask many times every day. “Boys, are you ready for school?” “Boys, are you ready for bed?” “Dinner in five. Are you ready?” Those “are you ready” questions have simple answers like making sure you have brushed your teeth or washed your hands. Jesus asks, “Are you ready for the kingdom of heaven?” I’ve talked to many people over the years who are worried about their answer to this question. I’ve worried about it myself. After all, if you don’t wash your hands before dinner Mom will give you another chance, but what if you aren’t ready when Jesus comes?!!!

It’s a scary thought, but take a deep breath. Even though being ready for the kingdom of heaven sounds complicated and scary, it is just as straightforward as all those mom questions. God simply asks that you repent of the wrong things you’ve done and invite God to live in your heart with a simple “Thank you, Jesus, for taking the punishment for my sins”.

In today’s parable, Jesus reminds us that just like the five wise virgins couldn’t prepare the foolish virgins for the bride- groom’s coming, no one but you can prepare you for Jesus’ coming. You have to repent and invite God in.

Still worried that maybe it can’t be that simple? In Matthew 25, Jesus tells two more parables: the parable of the tal- ents and the parable of the sheep and goats. The first reminds you that when God lives in your heart, you are wise with what God gives you. The second tells you that how you care for others is how you care for God. Both are signs that you are part of the kingdom of heaven.

So, are you ready for the kingdom of heaven? If you are, you’ve taken responsibility for your sin, asked God for forgive- ness, and invited Jesus into your life. Hurray! You’re a wise virgin. Then, you’ve shown that you are wise by using God’s gifts well. Hurray! You’re a good and faithful servant. You’re also caring for others out of love for God. Hurray! You’re a sheep. Not so complicated after all because God is helping you!

PRAYER: Generous and loving God, thank you for accepting me into your kingdom. Help me each day to be ready for your kingdom by being a wise virgin, a good and faithful servant, and a sheep. Fill my heart with peace that I may be sure that I am ready. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Catherine Vis JUDAS ASKS: “WHAT ARE YOU WILL- MARCH 31, 2021 ING TO GIVE ME?” MATTHEW 26:14-16 ______Judas asks, “What are you willing to give me?”

From the earliest of ages, humans have been asking this question of one another. ______Some people had livestock while others had salt needed to preserve meat, and they traded. Some grew grains, while others harvested fruit, and they exchanged ______goods. Even I, as a third grader, would open my lunchbox and swap a homemade cookie for a piece of candy from my best friend’s lunch. This is bartering, and we still do it today. ______

In today’s passage, Judas barters with the chief priests by asking, “what are you willing to give me if I hand [Jesus] over to you?” ______

There is a cloud of uncertainty surrounding Judas and his reason for doing such ______a terrible thing. Was Judas angry about his loss of potential funds because Jesus had allowed a woman to pour expensive perfume over his head rather than having the perfume sold for the poor (Judas was not concerned about the poor, but as ______keeper of the money bag, he would help himself to cash)? Or perhaps, were Judas’ eyes, ears, and mind kept from understanding the severity of the chief priests plans for Jesus? ______

Despite all this uncertainty around why Judas did this, we are certain that Jesus ______knew his Father’s plans; Jesus would conquer death and atone for our sins.

And the greatest certainty of all is that we don’t have to barter with God for our ______salvation. Ephesians 2:8 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”. ______

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that you have made our future certain. Amen ______

Sally Meier MAUNDY THURSDAY JESUS ASKS: DO YOU UNDERSTAND APRIL 1, 2021 WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU? JOHN 13:1-17 ______Look a bit further than the outright call to serving one another as Jesus has done - “I have set you an example...” (v. 15), and we notice more about who is involved, what’s being done, and what will happen. Jesus raises the bar once again. ______Foot washing was a task so low that it was assigned to a household’s Gentile slaves ______- even the Jewish slaves were usually exempt. Yet, here is the One called ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ (v. 13), who holds the highest rank of all, quietly taking up this menial task. One’s station, then, is no barrier to doing a dirty job. ______

Next look at who is being served. Jesus calls them His friends, yet none present are perfect: Peter, soon to vehemently deny knowing Him despite fervent statements ______to the contrary, Judas, who will betray Jesus to death, and the others who will scatter once Jesus is arrested. Top it all off with an argument during this dinner yet ______again about who will be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. (Luke 22:24) The clueless, the selfish, the fearful, the boastful, and an enemy are all served by Jesus’ foot washing. ______

Do I understand that Jesus’ call to serve one another involves not only doing high tasks for those with whom I am in total agreement, but also doing low tasks and ______further, to ‘love your enemies’ (Matt. 5:44)? ______“...how many are ready to wash the feet of another… particularly someone we don’t like very much? -Chuck Swindoll ______

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me today to quietly serve as You have, loving my neigh- bor regardless of my station, no matter whether I serve my closest friend or my ______mortal enemy, even through the lowest of tasks. Amen. ______Bob Balsman GOOD FRIDAY JESUS ASKS: COULDN’T YOU KEEP APRIL 2, 2021 WATCH WITH ME FOR ONE HOUR? MATTHEW 26:36-46 ______Do you ever have sleepless nights? As I grow older, the nights when I sleep badly seem to outnumber the peaceful nights. At 3 AM, my “to-do lists” and “worry lists” always seem so much more daunting than they ______are during the daytime hours. Sometimes I wish I had some company during those long nights -- someone to be there with me and listen to ______my problems -- I guess misery loves company! ______How much more difficult do you suppose this time in Gethsemane was for Jesus? He was absolutely unable to sleep because of the anxious- ness he was feeling. He was facing death... a horrible, painful death, ______and he just wanted his disciples to “keep watch” with him. Even though it makes me sad to think of Jesus in such a state of despair, it is also ______encouraging to me. Jesus was truly human and felt many of the same human emotions I feel. So what did he do? He felt sad and sorrowful… he prayed. He felt anxious… he prayed. He felt despair… he prayed. ______Even when his circumstances didn’t change, he continued to pray know- ing that the Father was with him. ______I hope that as we move forward during this strange and uncertain time we can follow this example and continually turn to God and ask for His ______presence to rule our lives. That doesn’t mean that our sadness or despair will instantly go away! But, at least we know there is someone who will ______work for good in all of it.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father: Help us when we needlessly “stress out” and ______remind us that You are there with us always. Amen. ______LaRae Schaff JESUS ASKS: MY GOD, MY GOD, APRIL 3, 2021 WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME? MATTHEW 27:45-56 ______Have you ever felt abandoned? Like many others, I have experienced divorce, prolonged loss of contact with my kids, and rejection by friends. Sometimes it can feel like there is no way to survive the experience. ______Yet when I compare those experiences of rejection and pain to the suffering ______and abandonment that Jesus endured, I ask myself how I could be so con- sumed with my own sorrows. Out of an unimaginable love for us, He suffered so much more. ______

My comparison is not meant to discount anyone’s suffering, but rather to illu- minate the profound depth of what Jesus endured. He suffered not only the ______extremes of physical torture as his back was ripped apart with a spiked whip, his wrists and feet were crushed and penetrated by thick iron spikes, then He ______was nailed to a cross, and the cross was tipped upright to ultimately suffocate him. He also expressed his terrible emotional and spiritual anguish at feeling the abandonment by his Father and God with his plea, “My God, my God, why ______have you forsaken me?” In that hour Jesus somehow felt the terrible crushing weight of God’s hatred of all the combined sins of all people past, present, and future. He descended away from his Father and into hell. But then... ______The temple curtain was torn in two and the way to heaven was open to all who ______accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. The stage was set for “the rest of the story.” ______PRAYER: Lord, “thank you” is so trite and inadequate for the incredible love you have shown us. You have given everything, you have sacrificed your very self, so that we may have eternal life. We dedicate our lives to you in gratitude. In the ______name of your incredible Son, Jesus. Amen. ______John Bauman EASTER SUNDAY JESUS ASKS: WOMAN, WHY ARE YOU APRIL 4, 2021 CRYING? WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? JOHN 20:11-18 ______It was a gut punch. Christ’s death became a sudden reality that took her breath away and shattered her heart. And now, the body was missing! ______In this story our heart aches for the sweet Mary Magdalene who devoted her life as a follower of Jesus and served with the small band of women who ______supported the ministry of Jesus and his disciples. I can imagine myself in her shoes that dark morning; overwhelmed with grief, sleep deprived, scared and feeling a sense of duty to the Jesus who healed her from the torment of seven ______demons and taught her a new way of life. The desperation she must have felt must have been overwhelming when she peered into that empty tomb. ______I suspect that nearly all of us have experienced a real world “gut punch” or more in the last 15 months. Most of us could share stories of how the world ______has dealt us a cruel blow that we could not stop or control. Maybe we have been brought to our knees with the news of ourselves, our family or our friends receiving a gut punch like Mary; a job loss, illness or death due to ______COVID-19 or other health issue, a loss of cherished freedoms or situations such as in-person learning at school, sports or other activities, or from other issues that have turned our world upside down. ______As you look back over the last year and your Lenten journey that has culminat- ______ed on this day, how do you answer the questions that Jesus posed, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Fortunately for Mary, and for us, Jesus was standing right beside her as he knew how much she needed his presence. ______

In that moment, life for Mary and every Believer changed for eternity. Uncer- tainty instantly becomes certainty when we encounter the post-resurrection ______Jesus and call him our Savior. Jesus chose this woman to be the first witness of the greatest miracle in all humanity. ______JESUS ASKS: WOMAN, WHY ARE YOU CRYING? ... CONT. ______Now all Believers receive a huge package “deal” that can never be stripped from us. Prophecies are now fulfilled that generations waited for patiently. All of our sins are covered and wiped away, forgiven by the blood of Christ. ______Satan is defeated and cannot destroy us in the spiritual or physical realms. We are given a perfect Advocate in the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and gives us ______the strength and conviction to do God’s will on earth. We are children of God and heirs to all of the benefits bestowed on us by Him, our Heavenly Father. Additionally, we get to live with our Savior in eternity because of the sacrifice ______he made for us on the cross. What a deal!

So, what can we do when we experience the gut punches of the world? Mary ______can be our example; we can acknowledge Jesus in our presence, accept the undeserved gifts he gives us, allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with the joy and ______peace that only freedom in Christ can give, and RUN to tell others that “I have seen the Lord.” In an uncertain world, we can be certain that Jesus IS alive and standing right there next to us as we navigate this spiritual journey. That’s the ______Good News, that’s the Gospel, and that’s the celebration of Easter Sunday!

PRAYER: Lord God, thank you for the reminder that in my darkest moments, ______and when the world gives me a gut punch, you are there with me. I thank you for the many blessings that the Easter message brings to me and the world. ______I ask you to fill me with your Spirit, and give me the courage and wisdom to share with others that “I have seen the Lord.” It is in the name of my trium- phant, resurrected Savior, I pray! Amen. ______Kristy Martinez ______PRAYERS & GOD’S RESPONSES