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Sunday, March 21st – Be Prepared to Hide*

// March 21st, 2010 // 1 Comment » // LENT, Lent Devotional

John 8:46-59
46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
48The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
49″I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
52At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57″You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58″I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

The scriptures declare that the truth will make you free if you want to be free. It can also cause stones to be thrown at you. The truth is not always embraced by others. When you think that the truth should make the hearer happy, is often when the hearer throws rocks your way. Does that mean that we should shy away from the truth and what we know to be right? No, not at all. It simply means you must be prepared to hide and understand that the rejection of the truth is not about you but it is about the rejection of the God whom you represent.

Jesus stated plainly that “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” When the truth of God is spoken and not received, it is an indication of where the other person is spiritually, not about you. Jesus was very clear in stating who he was just as his audience was clear in stating who they thought he was, and even asked if he agreed with them. Talk about bold! If you notice, Jesus never wavered. He kept giving example after example that proved who he was until they could take it no more. They wanted him dead and prepared themselves to take his life. However, Jesus was one step ahead of them and was already hidden.

As we seek to say a good word for Jesus in our daily walk, there will be those who will not receive us to the point of wanting to silence us. We can “hide” ourselves by remembering that it is not about us but about the God we represent. We can also hide ourselves by staying grounded in the truth of God’s word ourselves. When we doubt, it leaves us exposed and vulnerable. Lastly, we can hide ourselves by following God’s lead. Every battle is not ours to fight, every sermon is not ours to preach. Speak as God leads and He is obligated to back you up. There is nothing wrong with hiding when you are hidden in Christ. So go ahead and be prepared to hide.

Tracey Bowen
Bethel Apostolic Temple
Miami, Florida

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Saturday, March 20th – Lord, I Believe*

// March 20th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 9:14-29 (NIV)
14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16″What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19″O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22″It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23″ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil[a] spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.

In this passage of scripture, we find a father desperate to find help for his son’s illness. It describes what today would be diagnosed as epilepsy or a seizure disorder. The scripture causes us to visualize the son’s seizure activity and his post ictal (post-seizure) state. It shows the anxieties and fears experienced by the persons witnessing the son’s active illness. The father provides us with insight on how the disease state can horrifically affect a family and a patient’s activity of daily living. Everyone is engulfed in fear because no appropriate or lasting intervention has been provided.

Here Jesus is present and is asked by the father if he CAN help. Jesus reminds us that not only CAN he help but admonishes us to remember that “All things are possible to those that believe.” What are you believing GOD for? What should you be believing HIM for?

Yet when we are faced with difficult challenges ─ especially regarding health, we need assistance with our unbelief. Will they figure out what’s wrong? What will happen if they don’t get better? Is there anymore that can be done?

During these times of anguish and strain, there is an opposing position in faith…Belief interspersed with unbelief. Jesus tells us through the scripture that some things can only come out through prayer (Mark 9:29).

What is it that you have tried unsuccessfully to get out of your life, work, school, or other circumstance? Write your answer down. Place it somewhere that you will see it daily. Then daily pray about it. As the Lord provides you clarity and instruction on the situation, write it down and place it next to your initial concern. As you continue to pray you will notice that the situation is coming out through prayer! Your unbelief is being replaced by belief and confidence. The reality becomes apparent that ALL things truly are possible to him/her that believes.

Have A Healthy Day.

Ouida Collins, MD MPH
Payne Chapel AME Church
Nashville, Tennessee

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Friday, March 19 – Transformed for God’s Glory*

// March 19th, 2010 // No Comments » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 9:2-13
2After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 11And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 12Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Has God transformed me?

According to Webster’s dictionary, transfiguration is defined as a change in form or appearance, a metamorphosis. This exact change is what took place atop of that mountain this day during the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. This same transformation takes place in us as God shapes and molds us in to his disciples. We no longer think on the physical things we can touch or see, rather we focus our hearts, mind and soul on the heavenly treasures that we can not see, but that wait us with our Father. After the cloud appeared and surrounded the disciples, they heard a voice from the cloud “This is my Son, whom I love, Listen to him”. The disciples did not see anyone, but they heard the voice.

Many times the Lord is speaking to us, and are we listening? As disciples of Jesus Christ it’s imperative that we listen to the voice, and listen attentively for what he instructs us to do. Listen for the voice that tells us to do those tasks that are uncomfortable in nature, but necessary, and does not receive the popular vote; listen to the voice that has the almighty power to transform our lives, not for man’s glory rather for the glorification of Jesus Christ! During this season of Lent, simply remember to WAIT, WAIT I say, patiently on the voice of the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, I am waiting at the top of the mountain, waiting to hear your voice so that I may be transformed for your glory.

Andrea M. White
Mt. Zion AME Church
Greenwood, SC

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Thursday, March 18th – No Shame!*

// March 18th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 8:27-38
27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29″But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.[a]”
30Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Born into a generation of sin we’ve learned of the life of Jesus. His teachings, his sense of humor, his friendship and his ultimate sacrifice for our lives and sins so that we can enter into his fathers’ glory without shame.

If you listen carefully, Jesus will plainly speak to you with direction and guidance. Some things that are said are easier to accept than others. But, like Peter, we want to correct God’s plans if it is something that we do not agree with or want to hear. We will rebuke God, tell him how we think things should be and will wait for a change. As if it would really happen our way.

Imagine if Jesus stopped his mission for us and continued on a path based upon the thinking of a man that he selected to follow him. Would Jesus have died on the cross for our sins or have risen? Peter, like us sometimes, failed to understand having confessed Jesus as being Christ did not give him the authority to correct Jesus or his mission for us. No wonder Jesus stopped and turned to his disciples and rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”

Why confess that Jesus is Christ if you won’t listen to him and be ashamed of him?

Warning: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Felecia Teasley
Nashville, Tennessee

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Wednesday, March 17th – Where’s My Burning Bush?*

// March 17th, 2010 // 5 Comments » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 8:11–26
11The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.” 13Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
14The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15″Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
16They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
17Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
20″And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
21He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.

Where’s my burning bush? God, please give me a sign. My Lord and Savior Jesus, show me the way. Guarantee my safe passage, keep me safe – even from my own bad decisions. Make my life perfect. Free from strife. Free from those who might try to harm me. Free from weather, the economy, the collection agencies, sickness, death, unplanned events and just the regular trials of life. But that’s not realistic and that is why we have Faith.

Faith in the unseen can be hard to hold onto when things aren’t going your way or when catastrophic events occur around you. Some people see bad things happening and bemoan the end of the world as we know it. Some predict end times based on what they see and hear and then begin warning all those not in their rapture scenario to “look out! Repent or you’ll be left behind.” But Faith cannot be measured by the sum total of events around you. And Faith should be the rock upon which you depend through good times and bad. Every day you wake up is a good day. Didn’t you believe you would? You had Faith. Every day you can say Good Morning to God or Thank You to God for letting you see another day is evidence enough. If God has always been there for you, why now would you doubt his capacity to protect and sustain you? Faith should be the quiet voice inside that says all will be well; that says have no fear; that ends the thunderstorm and secures your shelter. Faith is not reserved for the loudest or most self-righteous but rather for those who see the miracles of Jesus Christ in the world around them. Even if you have lost your job, that you are still alive, that you still have food, that you have assistance from programs and community is evidence of the work of God. Trials should make Faith, that quiet voice inside, stronger. That’s where we often find the burning bush we are looking for and don’t even see it for what it is. Sometimes we need to see something happen around us to remind us of our blessings each day when it feels like our lives are full of storms. Because Faith, true Faith, is always there: quiet, modest, filled with love, stable, a rock.

Julie Doar-Sinkfield
Greater Smith Chapel AME Church, Atlanta, GA
Washington D.C.

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Tuesday, March 16th – Spiritual Nutrition*

// March 16th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 8:1-10
1During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2″I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5″How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
6He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so. 7They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away, 10he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha

“To him that is able to present us faultless before His glory…” I greet you.

As events manifest in the present day, which were spoken about in the days of the twelve disciples, I find worldly people and new believers seeking righteousness from sons that have been called by His name according to his purpose and holy will. Unfortunately, the lack of spiritual maturation has not afforded these believers the spiritual authority needed to affect the lives of the people who have been given unto them to feed. Therefore, those hungry people leave the believers’ presence with nothing to eat and continue on later collapsing along their spiritual journeys and inquiry in Christ.

If we believers take our places in righteousness, God will prepare manna from heaven in us before the people. Then, the hungry can and will get fed, and we believers will have an identity of whom we are in God to continue in this good work of Jesus Christ by bringing God’s kingdom from heaven to earth.

James Lee Isreal
Boynton Beach, Florida

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Monday, March 15th – Going the Distance Just for You*

// March 15th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 7:24-37 (NIV)
24Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[a] He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil[b] spirit came and fell at his feet. 26The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27″First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” 28″Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” 30She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.[c] 32There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
33After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” ). 35At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

This passage has two distinct accounts. In the first story of the Syrophoenician woman, Jesus has traveled outside of Israel entering into a house to perhaps rest from his journey as he is placed in Jerusalem earlier in the chapter. Even here Jesus’ power is well-known as attested to a non-Jew, and a woman at that, comes to plead with Jesus, who some think he spoke rather roughly, to cast the demon from her daughter who is back at her home. Surely Jesus knew leaving Israel his chances of encountering Gentiles would be greater, so why is he there? Not to be deterred, the woman secures an edict from Jesus by which her daughter is healed.

The second story is of a man, perhaps Jewish since there is no mention of his ethnicity, who is deaf with a speech impediment. Here too Jesus is in another region outside of Israel where his power is well-known. Having been approached in public by family or friends who bring this man to Jesus, they ask Jesus to lay his hands on the man. Without objection, Jesus puts his fingers in the man’s ear, spat touching his tongue, and commanded the man’s ears be opened. Not only could the man ear but he spoke clearly.

These two stories say no matter gender, ethnicity, religion, distance, the only one, present or not, those who come to Jesus believing will get their answer.

Rev. Karen McGhee
Kairos Community A.M.E. Church
Nashville, Tennessee

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Sunday, March 14th – Hunger Is A Mindset*

// March 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // LENT, Lent Devotional

John 6:27-40 (NRSV)
27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ 28Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ 29Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ 30So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 32Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ 34They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ 35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’

Key Verse: 35 “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

For some time now, we have been on this spiritual journey together to God’s heart by fasting and praying. Sure, you may have wanted to cheat a little here and there, but ultimately, we each understand to delight in the Lord is to fully trust Him at our weakest moments. Weak moments in our lives make us want more than we need. When we think we don’t have enough money, we want more. When we think we’re not getting enough out of a relationship, we want more. Whenever there’s a sense of emptiness, we look for ways to fulfill that emptiness with temporal things, feel good for a while just to return to emptiness.

Wanting more is usually the answer when we fail to trust God to meet our needs. In this scriptural passage, we find Jesus teaching the crowd not to rely on their physical hunger, but to learn how to live off the blessings that God gives, which will never allow them to be hungry. In order for this teaching to be effective in your life, you must believe His word is the only bread you need. With this level of faith, you’ll find yourself only looking at the needs that God has met versus the wants you thought you needed. It is at this point where the weight of worry will be lifted off your heart and you can begin to concentrate on His goodness. Today, don’t tease yourself with temporal wants, but focus on your spiritual needs and God will step in and take care of the rest.

Prayer: Lord, help me to ignore any and all physical hunger pains and rely on your word. Draw me nearer to your word where I can receive your direction for my life.

Rev. Orsella R. Cooper, Associate Minister
Bethel AME Church
110 Grove Street
Bridgeport, CT 06610

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Saturday, March 13th – Where Is the Love?*

// March 13th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 7:1-23 (New International Version)
1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a]) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?”
6He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
” ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’[b] 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”
9And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions! 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[d] and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’[e] 11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” 14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.15Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ “[f] 17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.18″Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? 19For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) 20He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ ”
In these scriptures the Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with ceremonially unclean hands. Christ exposes their hypocrisy, and shows that they had made the Word of God of no effect by their traditions and rituals. Jesus shows what things defile men and teaches his disciples in private that the sin of the heart alone, leading to vicious practices, defiles the man.

The lyrics from the Black Eyed Peas popular song “Where Is the Love?” question the evidence of heartfelt love given:

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?

To find love, we are pushing away outward distractions to work on renewing our minds and hearts. This inner work requires time apart in meditation, reflection, prayer and Bible Study to consider the residue of unrelenting anger, jealousy, envy, deceit, unforgiveness, lasciviousness the effect of sins that harden our hearts. Whether perpetrator or victim you will find relief in confession, repentance and by allowing God’s love to heal your broken and/or hard heart. You will find His love and this will help you love yourself as well as others.

In this moment it is helpful to remember that we are on a journey together to the heart of God. Our fasting is not an effort at rituals, but part of a larger spiritual practice that includes regular and consistent prayer so as a result we can heed Christ’s call to above all else practice love from our hearts.

Sis. Katherine Ellington
Saint Albans, NY USA
worldhousemedicine.blogspot.com

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.

Friday, March 12th – Never Ending Blessings*

// March 12th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // LENT, Lent Devotional

Mark 8: 1-10 “I have compassion on the multitude because they have now been with me three days and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.”

The story in which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fed 4,000 people with just Seven Loaves of Bread and a few fish always inspires visions of a magnanimous and generous God; recognizing the very earthly needs of His people and his obligation to them as His people.

Katrina, Haiti, and the Recession can lead us all to suffer from “Giving Fatigue”. It seems like there is no end to suffering, we need to look out for our own families and how much can one person really do? Worse yet, heading into Lent we are on the tail end of the “Giving Season”: Thanksgiving baskets and Angel Trees and Mitten Trees and food drives. Sometimes it can feel like you are working to keep taking care of others before yourself and your loved ones. We don’t even give loved ones so much so as not to spoil them or engender their dependency on our own wallets.

The story of the fish and the loaves reminds us that God’s blessings are never ending. Tithing doesn’t lead one to the poor house. And giving up a few luxuries we enjoy so freely to feed and clothe and shelter more of His people is not too much to bear: $5.00 Large Soy dry Cappuccinos are not a staple! But while it has been hard to keep up with satisfying the very basic needs of others who may also be far away and maybe weren’t even doing so well before disaster struck we can continue to look out for our brothers and sisters through the season of Lent if we begin to change our priorities and beliefs about what is truly a luxury.

Following the example of Christ who himself felt “Giving Fatigue” at times but kept it up no matter what was asked of him may be a tall order but little “fasts” every day can add up to the difference between life and death for those who are suffering around us.

Throughout this season we need to remember our fast is someone else’s blessing and that God’s Blessings may go out slowly with the tide but they come back crashing down in large waves when they return.

Julie Doar-Sinkfield
Greater Smith Chapel AME Church, Atlanta, GA
Washington D.C.

**During Lent and Holy Week, devotional writings will be posted by Facebook and Twitter friends who are praying and fasting together in a Daniel Fast. Read more about this “Journey to the Heart of God by clicking here.