You can't have a Resurrection Day, without a Good Friday

I was reminded in Palm Sunday worship that we can't receive all that God wants us to receive this Holy Week, if we choose to simply make it another hurry week!  So with that in mind, I ask: what if we were to walk and talk differently this week, in the pace and grace of God's holiness, instead of our own hurry-ness?  What might be transformed in and through us if we were to walk and talk as if God really IS who He says He is...and that Jesus really IS doing what He said He would do?!  Would not Holy Week impart into our souls a new pattern for living every day life?  I do believe so!

ONE way to break the pattern of our hurry-ness in favor of receiving God's holiness, is to make sure we don't shy away from, but walk through, a Good Friday.  Far to often we want to avoid that ugly cross, but then wonder why we are not experiencing a breakthrough on something.  Or, we side step the cross then complain that God is missing, quiet, uncaring.

Friends: We can't have a Resurrection Day without first going through a Good Friday. 

Without death to sin, there cannot be birth to new life.  Without the cross and its spilled blood, there can be no Resurrection Day--- with its conquering glory, its over-the-top forgiveness, its eternal hope of new life.

Case in point: one week after Joanne, Aimee and I moved from Northfield to Prior Lake, MN (just two weeks ago), our next door neighbor, Chris, left his wedding ring and cell phone on his dresser, walked out the door of his home of 11-years, and left behind his wife and three children.  No one has seen or heard from him since.  Its crushing news.

I'm told that Chris had gotten himself into some deep trouble a few months ago.  Obviously it had affected his sense of worth, his marriage and his relationship with the kids.  I didn't know Chris was going through such hell.  I do know, however, that Chris and his wife are non-believers.  Its not my responsibility to eye-guard my neighbor and his behavior 24/7, but the Bible does say it is my responsibility to love him as God has first loved me, 24/7.  So, I'm praying that through this very difficult "Good Friday" experience that Chris is experiencing, he will receive what God has for him on the other side of the cross--- a real and lasting resurrection hope that Jesus makes all things new again.   

Would you please join me in praying that Chris turns to the Lord this week, comes home, goes through his punishment for breaking the law---- and ALL SO THAT HE, HIS FAMILY AND THEIR FRIENDS CAN RECEIVE God's gift of redeeming faith?!  Let Chris represent the many neighbors we all have that currently do not know the holiness of this week, but will, when they see us modeling God's holiness instead of our hurry-ness.

INTERESTED IN PLANTING A NEW CHURCH?  The LCMC currently has 5 hot bed cities where the interest and support is high.  For more information, contact me: dan@lcmc.net.

Greenville, Ohio (just outside of Dayton)
Fairborn, Ohio (a 4-year old church outside of Dayton that has a pastor preparing to retire)
Oregon, Wisconsin (just outside of Madison.  Eighty people are already set to go)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (just outside of where the Brewers play)
Casa Grande, Arizona (just outside and south of Phoenix)