Passion Week

This is the Passion Week. The journey to the Cross.
One thing you may want to try this week is listening to the Stations of The Cross.

You can also take some time each day and reflect on the account, from Mark, of the events leading up to Christ's death and resurrection.

Monday
Mark 14:1-2
1-2 In only two days the eight-day Festival of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread would begin. The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way they could seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. "We don't want the crowds up in arms," they said.

Tuesday
Mark 14:5-11
3-5Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head. Some of the guests became furious among themselves. "That's criminal! A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well over a year's wages and handed out to the poor." They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her.

6-9But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me. She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial. And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly."

10-11Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the cabal of high priests, determined to betray him. They couldn't believe their ears, and promised to pay him well. He started looking for just the right moment to hand him over.

Wednesday
Mark 14:12-21
12On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the day they prepare the Passover sacrifice, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations so you can eat the Passover meal?"
13-15He directed two of his disciples, "Go into the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. Ask the owner of whichever house he enters, 'The Teacher wants to know, Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare for us there."

16The disciples left, came to the city, found everything just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover meal.

17-18After sunset he came with the Twelve. As they were at the supper table eating, Jesus said, "I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators, one who at this moment is eating with me."

19Stunned, they started asking, one after another, "It isn't me, is it?"

20-21He said, "It's one of the Twelve, one who eats with me out of the same bowl. In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense, the man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!"

Maunday Thursday
Mark 14:22-52
22In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, he broke it and gave it to them. Then he said,
Take, this is my body.

23-24Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said,

This is my blood,
God's new covenant,
Poured out for many people.

25"I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God."

26They sang a hymn and then went directly to Mount Olives.

27-28Jesus told them, "You're all going to feel that your world is falling apart and that it's my fault. There's a Scripture that says,

I will strike the shepherd;
The sheep will go helter-skelter.
"But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee."

29Peter blurted out, "Even if everyone else is ashamed of you when things fall to pieces, I won't be."

30Jesus said, "Don't be so sure. Today, this very night in fact, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

31He blustered in protest, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you." All the others said the same thing.

32-34They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me."
35-36Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out: "Papa, Father, you can—can't you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?"

37-38He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."

39-40He then went back and prayed the same prayer. Returning, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn't keep their eyes open, and they didn't have a plausible excuse.

41-42He came back a third time and said, "Are you going to sleep all night? No—you've slept long enough. Time's up. The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up. Let's get going. My betrayer has arrived."

43-47No sooner were the words out of his mouth when Judas, the one out of the Twelve, showed up, and with him a gang of ruffians, sent by the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders, brandishing swords and clubs. The betrayer had worked out a signal with them: "The one I kiss, that's the one—seize him. Make sure he doesn't get away." He went straight to Jesus and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. The others then grabbed him and roughed him up. One of the men standing there unsheathed his sword, swung, and came down on the Chief Priest's servant, lopping off the man's ear.
48-50Jesus said to them, "What is this, coming after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I've been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. What you in fact have done is confirm the prophetic writings." All the disciples cut and ran.

51-52A young man was following along. All he had on was a bedsheet. Some of the men grabbed him but he got away, running off naked, leaving them holding the sheet.

Good Friday
Mark 14:53-15
53-54They led Jesus to the Chief Priest, where the high priests, religious leaders, and scholars had gathered together. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest's courtyard, where he mingled with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55-59The high priests conspiring with the Jewish Council looked high and low for evidence against Jesus by which they could sentence him to death. They found nothing. Plenty of people were willing to bring in false charges, but nothing added up, and they ended up canceling each other out. Then a few of them stood up and lied: "We heard him say, 'I am going to tear down this Temple, built by hard labor, and in three days build another without lifting a hand.'" But even they couldn't agree exactly.

60-61In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, "What do you have to say to the accusation?" Jesus was silent. He said nothing.

The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?"

62Jesus said, "Yes, I am, and you'll see it yourself:

The Son of Man seated
At the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven."

63-64The Chief Priest lost his temper. Ripping his clothes, he yelled, "Did you hear that? After that do we need witnesses? You heard the blasphemy. Are you going to stand for it?"

They condemned him, one and all. The sentence: death.

65Some of them started spitting at him. They blindfolded his eyes, then hit him, saying, "Who hit you? Prophesy!" The guards, punching and slapping, took him away.

66-67While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest's servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked hard at him and said, "You were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
68He denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about." He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed.

69-70The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, "He's one of them." He denied it again.

After a little while, the bystanders brought it up again. "You've got to be one of them. You've got 'Galilean' written all over you."

71-72Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about." Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.

Mark 15
1 At dawn's first light, the high priests, with the religious leaders and scholars, arranged a conference with the entire Jewish Council. After tying Jesus securely, they took him out and presented him to Pilate.
2-3Pilate asked him, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"

He answered, "If you say so." The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations.

4-5Pilate asked again, "Aren't you going to answer anything? That's quite a list of accusations." Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed.

6-10It was a custom at the Feast to release a prisoner, anyone the people asked for. There was one prisoner called Barabbas, locked up with the insurrectionists who had committed murder during the uprising against Rome. As the crowd came up and began to present its petition for him to release a prisoner, Pilate anticipated them: "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?" Pilate knew by this time that it was through sheer spite that the high priests had turned Jesus over to him.

11-12But the high priests by then had worked up the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas. Pilate came back, "So what do I do with this man you call King of the Jews?"

13They yelled, "Nail him to a cross!"

14Pilate objected, "But for what crime?"

But they yelled all the louder, "Nail him to a cross!"

15Pilate gave the crowd what it wanted, set Barabbas free and turned Jesus over for whipping and crucifixion.

16-20The soldiers took Jesus into the palace (called Praetorium) and called together the entire brigade. They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thornbush on his head. Then they began their mockery: "Bravo, King of the Jews!" They banged on his head with a club, spit on him, and knelt down in mock worship. After they had had their fun, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they marched out to nail him to the cross.

21There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus' cross.
22-24The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning "Skull Hill." They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn't take it. And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them.

25-30They nailed him up at nine o'clock in the morning. The charge against him—the king of the jews—was printed on a poster. Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!"

31-32The high priests, along with the religion scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: "He saved others—but he can't save himself! Messiah, is he? King of Israel? Then let him climb down from that cross. We'll all become believers then!" Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery.

33-34At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o'clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

35-36Some of the bystanders who heard him said, "Listen, he's calling for Elijah." Someone ran off, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down."

37-39But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle. When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, he said, "This has to be the Son of God!"

Saturday
Mark 15:40-47
40-41There were women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome. When Jesus was in Galilee, these women followed and served him, and had come up with him to Jerusalem.
42-45Late in the afternoon, since it was the Day of Preparation (that is, Sabbath eve), Joseph of Arimathea, a highly respected member of the Jewish Council, came. He was one who lived expectantly, on the lookout for the kingdom of God. Working up his courage, he went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate questioned whether he could be dead that soon and called for the captain to verify that he was really dead. Assured by the captain, he gave Joseph the corpse.

46-47Having already purchased a linen shroud, Joseph took him down, wrapped him in the shroud, placed him in a tomb that had been cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the opening. Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Joses, watched the burial.

Easter Sunday
Mark 16:1-16
1-3 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could embalm him. Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb. They worried out loud to each other, "Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?"
4-5Then they looked up, saw that it had been rolled back—it was a huge stone—and walked right in. They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished.

6-7He said, "Don't be afraid. I know you're looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He's been raised up; he's here no longer. You can see for yourselves that the place is empty. Now—on your way. Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You'll see him there, exactly as he said."

8They got out as fast as they could, beside themselves, their heads swimming. Stunned, they said nothing to anyone.

9-11[After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday morning to Mary Magdalene, whom he had delivered from seven demons. She went to his former companions, now weeping and carrying on, and told them. When they heard her report that she had seen him alive and well, they didn't believe her.

12-13Later he appeared, but in a different form, to two of them out walking in the countryside. They went back and told the rest, but they weren't believed either.

14-16Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn unbelief, refusing to believe those who had seen him raised up. Then he said, "Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.

Week 6

Scriptures for the Week:
Mark 14: 1-15 and Mark 15:1-39

Daily Prayer Focuses:
Lent is a time of inward reflection and repentance, but it is also a time to think and pray for others. So this week we are reflecting, focusing, and praying about our city: Spokane, WA.


Monday, March 30th – For Those We Don’t Notice
It’s easy to drive by broken down homes or ignore the homeless person on the corner. So this week try to notice and pray for the broken, the homeless, and the marginalized in our city.
Here are some people you can help or pray for who are already helping the marginalized in our city:
http://www.ourplacespokane.org/
http://www.cupofcoolwater.org/
http://www.spokaneyfc.org/
http://www.thecitygatespokane.org/

Tuesday, March 31st – For Those Who Protect Us
Take some time today to pray for those in the police and fire departments. It’s not easy doing what they do and they and their families need our prayers.

Wednesday, April 1st – For Those Who Tend To Our Bodies
Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Ambulances Drivers, EMTs, and all those other people who work in some sort of medical field need prayer just as much as police officers and fire fighters. And their jobs can be extremely demanding and time consuming so pray for their health and their families today.

Thursday, April 2nd – For Those Who Work for the City
Sometimes the people at City Hall or who work in other civil service jobs get the short end of the stick. Some of us may pray for the mayor, but we probably never think to pray for accounts, clerks, engineers, garbage men, or postal workers. So take some time to pray for all of those who work for our city.
http://www.spokanecity.org/

Friday, April 3rd – For Those Who Are Losing Their Jobs
We all know the economy isn’t so hot right now and some in our city are more affected by that than others. So take sometime today to thank God for what you do have and pray for those who are losing or have lost their jobs.


Saturday, April 4th – For The City’s Health
We live in Spokane. But if we don’t take care our environment we may not want to live here anymore. So take some time to think and pray about what you can do to help Spokane’s environment.


Sunday, April 5th – For Those Who Are New To Our City
One of the main messages on this site is: “Spokane Welcomes You.” So the city is welcoming… but are you? Think about that, pray for help if you need it, or repent if you need to.

Week 5

John 12:20-33 A Grain of Wheat Must Die

There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"
Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together told Jesus. Jesus answered, "Time's up. The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

"Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.

"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.

"Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? 'Father, get me out of this'? No, this is why I came in the first place. I'll say, 'Father, put your glory on display.'"

A voice came out of the sky: "I have glorified it, and I'll glorify it again."

The listening crowd said, "Thunder!"

Others said, "An angel spoke to him!"

Jesus said, "The voice didn't come for me but for you. At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me." He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.

As you are sitting at your computer screen, pray along with these sites this week:
Pray As You Go
Sacred Space

Prayer Focus: The World
All of us have a lot going on. School, work, family, relationships. . .survival. It's easy to forget that there is an entire world out there. Each day this week, take a moment to remember that the world is big. It's full of people just like you and me; struggling, laughing, grieving, living. In the spirit of Lent, give up a moment of your time to pray for them.

Monday
The struggle in Darfur continues and worsens. Take a minute to learn and PRAY.
Save Darfur

Tuesday
Native people around the world are often looked over and forgotten. There are tribes of people all around us right here in Spokane. Their ancestors were here before ours. Remember our Native American brothers and sisters as you pray today.
Spokane Tribe
Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Colville Tribe

Wednesday
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Here is are a couple of examples of people who are making a difference there:
Partners In Health
Matt and Stacey

Thursday
South Africa is one of those places those places that we pray for on a regular basis at The Porch. Below is a link to some people who live and care for people affected by HIV/AIDS in that country. Pray for them today as they work and live in difficult situations:
Positive Ray
Don't forget Mike and Robin and Two Tunics

Friday
There are areas of conflict all around the globe. Almost all of us have a friend or a family member who is or has been involved in Iraq or Afghanistan. Take some time to pray for the people of these regions, US and International soldiers, and all involved in these wars. Pray for peace to come to these regions soon.

Saturday
Open up Google Maps or Google Earth. Pick a place that you are curious about. Explore it from space. Look up information. Who lives there. Who are their tribes. What are their customs and struggles. The world is a big place. Remember. Pray.

Week 4

John 3:14-21 (The Message)

No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.

Pray As You Go
Sacred Space

Lent is a time of inward reflection and repentance, so this week we are reflecting, focusing, and praying about our neighbors and neighborhoods.

Monday

Lets make things real easy today. Go out side! One thing that we do in the winter in Spokane is hibernate and hideout. Hiding usually means that we are hiding from some one or something. We all voluntarily hide from the cold in the winter months but involuntarily it becomes our neighbors. Take twenty minutes or so to be outside and be aware of the world around you. You can just sit on the front step, start working on the yard, smoke a pipe, stretch, throw on a coat and have a conversation with your friend on the porch instead of the living room. Its almost spring…its not that cold.

Tuesday

Take twenty to thirty minutes and simply go for a walk in your neighborhood. Walking helps us slow down, even if you are going speed walk or power walk, and see the things we miss along the way. Say hello to people who are out and about.

Wednesday

Third place community – a place where people gather that is not work or home, and for our purposes and to go a step further a place that is not a church building. Find the closest third place community (you can do more than one) to where you live. If possible, go in and ask some questions or just say hello, make some kind of connection with who and what happens there. Before you drive or walk off, take some time to bring these people before God and pray for them.

Thursday

As a church, we live in the west central neighborhood. It would be easy to just “go to church” at a building in a needy neighborhood. It would be something completely different to be the church in a needy neighborhood and be their neighbors. So instead of walking around your neighborhood this time, go be present in the

God has called us as a church to live in west central. As we all know, church is not a building or something you “go to.” Its people, it always has been. So, today spend some time being present in the neighborhood God has called us to. There is are restaurants and bars, there are grocery stores, there is a community center, there are parks, there are sidewalks for walking, or you could just sit out front or the porch build. Introduce your self and interact with people where can and pray for everyone you meet (praying for people behind their backs is okay). Remember we are not out proselytizing, we are out giving attention to a neighborhood that needs attention (where that leads is totally open).

Friday

As globalization grows, the less we are aware of the local economy. All political and economic arguments aside, local business owners are our neighbors. Find a local business and support it, at least today. This is probably going cost than going to Walmart or Safeway or Red Robin,

Saturday

Assuming that you have some time on your hands, having it be Saturday. Grab some people and go for a drive across town. If you live on the west side of town head east, if you live on the south hill head to the north side, go somewhere you have never gone before or generally avoid. We live in the relatively small city/region of Spokane. There is a downtown core, the surrounding around and even some suburbia beyond that. Filled with all kinds of residential areas, business districts, recreational activity, crazy cool landscapes and tons and tons of people. Its easy to hide in the norms of life, but lets live within the greater community of Spokane and not hide in our houses or stick to our side of the block

Week 3

Scripture for the Week:

John 2:13-32 (The Message)

Tear Down This Temple . . .

When the Passover Feast, celebrated each spring by the Jews, was about to take place, Jesus traveled up to Jerusalem. He found the Temple teeming with people selling cattle and sheep and doves. The loan sharks were also there in full strength.

Jesus put together a whip out of strips of leather and chased them out of the Temple, stampeding the sheep and cattle, upending the tables of the loan sharks, spilling coins left and right. He told the dove merchants, "Get your things out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a shopping mall!" That's when his disciples remembered the Scripture, "Zeal for your house consumes me."

But the Jews were upset. They asked, "What credentials can you present to justify this?" Jesus answered, "Tear down this Temple and in three days I'll put it back together."

They were indignant: "It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you're going to rebuild it in three days?" But Jesus was talking about his body as the Temple. Later, after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this. They then put two and two together and believed both what was written in Scripture and what Jesus had said.

During the time he was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn't entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn't need any help in seeing right through them.

Daily Prayer Online:

Sacred Space

Pray as You Go

You can pick your nose but you can’t pick your family!!! Funny, right? Actually for some of us, family is the least funny thing we know. Whether at odds or in good with your family, these relationship have to be tended to if they are going to be of benefit to anyone, and they really can be of benefit to more than just you.

No man is an island. God assured us of that with our families. I think if you look at how God talks about family in the Bible we would probably see that family can be wonderful ties to people who can support us and love us and ultimately can’t ever divorce as much as we try. Family is often difficult but at the end of the day is going to take our individual investment for it to flourish.

Monday

Take a few minutes to map out your family tree back to at least your grandparents. Make sure to include step or half family members cousins and children of cousins and siblings. Yeah I know, that is going to be harder for some more than others, its okay to use more than one piece of paper. Once you get it all on paper, say a short prayer of thanksgiving to God for these people. And yeah, I know, doing this might be harder to do for certain family members.

Tuesday

Today just focus on your immediate family: Parents, siblings, and also all the halves and steps. Write down each name in list form. Next to each name write something that you like about them or something that has endeared you to them. When this is done, say this short prayer for each of them. “Lord help me love _____” (Keep this list)

Wednesday

Today pick two or three of your family members from yesterdays list and call them, for no other reason then to say hi. If you are feeling up to it, tell them what you wrote down about them on your list. Mom’s always like the phone call, so do that but maybe you need to call that sister you haven’t talked to in months or that nephew that you yelled at last time you saw him or your Dad who loves you but screwed up pretty bad when you were young. Basically, there are conversations that won’t start unless we start them.

Thursday

Grandparents. Our society is pretty much ashamed of old people. If they are not stuffed into nursing homes they are often simply forgotten. Take some time today to write them a card or letter (attach a picture of yourself), a phone call would be good to, or if you have the ability to, go see them. If you don’t have any grandparents left, then find that person in your life that holds the geezer status and honor them in their age and wisdom with your attention and love. (if you have opportunity converse with them….listen to what they have to say, they are dripping with wonderful stories and wisdom you can’t get anywhere else).

Friday

This will be a day of planning; plan a meal with your family within the next week. If making a short trip is not possible grab those people who are significant to you, “your family away from family.” If you are close in proximity to your family this should be easy. If family is an hour or two away, it’s worth taking the time and money to make the trip. I’m not talking about one of those quick dinners where you shoot the breeze till the food is gone. But one of those dinners where you turn off the TV, Radios, phones and share the experience. Whether you go out and have duck confit and cioppani or stay in and have macaroni and cheese, give them your attention, push through the awkwardness if need be and share an experience with them.

Week 2

Scripture for the Week:

Mark 8:31-38 (The Message)

Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: "It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive." He said this simply and clearly so they couldn't miss it.

But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. "Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works."

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

"If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."

Daily Prayer Online:

Sacred Space

Pray as You Go

Daily Prayer Focuses:

Lent is a time of inward reflection and repentance, so this week we are reflecting, focusing, and praying about our lives and relationships at school and/or work.

Monday, March 2^nd – Those We Don’t Get Along With

We all have those people that we don’t get along with well, can’t stand, or just don’t like. But we aren’t challenge by Jesus to be selective in whom we show love to. Jesus wants us to love, period. So take some time today to say this ancient prayer as a way to remind yourself that you aren’t perfect either.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Tuesday, March 3^rd – Those Who Are in Authority Over Us

It can be challenging to go to school and/or work and have someone tell us what to do. And sometimes we find it challenging because we have a hard time being humble.

Ephesians 4:2 says “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

So spend some time today reciting this simple verse as a reminder to be humble when dealing with those who are in authority over us.

Wednesday, March 4^th – Those Who Are On The Same Level

1 Corinthians 13: 1-7 (The Message): If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Think about that today, cause it kind of says it all.

Thursday, March 5^th – Those Who Are Below Us

It’s not easy being told what to do or learn. But it’s really easy to forget that when we are the ones doing the telling or teaching. So today try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s not easy so don’t act like it is. Take some time to pray… we need as much help as we can get.

Friday, March 6^th – Those Times We Don’t Want To Go

It’s tempting to say “suck it up and get out of bed” instead try praying this:

Dear God help me to not be lazy today.

Saturday, March 7^th – Those Times We Should Rest

Lent is about repentance and some of us need to repent of our inability to rest. School and/or work can be exhausting, but sometimes the exhaustion is our fault. It can be our fault when we don’t take the time to rest. So take some time to rest today. Turn off the computer and cell phone and go do something fun and/or restful. Go for a walk, stare out a window, or take a nap. Be still. Rest. It’s okay the world will be there when you’re done resting.

Sunday, March 8^th – Those Times We Don’t Think God Has Anything To Do With School and/or Work

In the Gospel According to Matthew (from the Message) it says:

Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;

They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").

So Jesus is known as “God is with us”…

so the next time you’re at school and/or work and wondering why you’re there or what this has to do with God, say to yourself “God is with us.” That simple phrase can be a simple prayer that can help our attitudes in a big way.

Week 1

Scripture for The Week:
Mark 9:1-15
At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him. After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: "Time's up! God's kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message."


Lent is a time of inward reflection and repentance, but it can also be a time to remember that we are not on this journey alone. This week we take time to remember our partners around the city and around the world.

Daily Prayer Focuses
Wednesday, February 25 - Our Place Ministries
Located in at 1509 W College, Our Place is an organization that meets a variety of needs in our neighborhood. Take some time to look at their website. Pray for the workers and the people they serve. You might even want to stop by and meet them today. Maybe you have clothing, blankets, or food that you could drop off.

Thursday, February 26 - CAMA Services
CAMA, or Compassion and Mercy Associates, is a partner of ours that shares the Gospel of Christ around the world through relief and development work. Spend a few minutes browsing their site. What comes to mind as you prayerfully look at the faces? What can you do to support these people, this work?

Friday, February 27 - Global Neighborhood
Global Neighborhood is a ministry in Spokane that works with refugees. You may not know it, but Spokane has a significant refugee population. Most of them are hidden from us. Most don’t speak English. They work the tougher service jobs, many at night when the rest of us are asleep. lead this new ministry to care for people who many of us would miss. Take some time to pray for our refugee brothers and sisters. Take some time to pray for Brent and Amy. Maybe you could write them a note of encouragement, or better yet ask how you could be involved. info@global-neighborhood.net

Saturday, February 28 - Two Tunics
Mike and Robin Nash live just south of Durban in South Africa. They are doing good work caring for widows and orphans and those affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Support Mike and Robin by praying through their website. Maybe you could subscribe to Mike’s Blog or become Mike or Robin’s friend on Facebook.

Sunday, March 1 - Choshen Farm
Today is not technically part of the Lent Season, but this week was short, with Lent starting on Ash Wednesday. Jeremy Colvin and Choshen Farm are working in Zambia to share the gospel with a community of people there. Jeremy has some updates, photos and a list of needs that he has. Please take some time today to pray with him and this ministry in Zambia.