Day 40: Some Held Back – Not Sure About Risking Themselves Totally

1.) Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin that needs to be confessed.

2.) [Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20; Message Bible]

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed. “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”

The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

3.) What might still be holding you back from risking yourself totally for God? What will you do to continue the discipleship process in your own life?

4.) Who will you uplift today – Who will you encourage and support? How will you allow the Holy Spirit to work through you today?

These 40 days have been an interesting journey for me. Thank you for joining this FEAST. I have personally grown, and worshiped, and wrestled. It is indeed a journey – thank you for traveling it with me.

When I started the FEAST I didn’t realize that the 40th day would land on my birthday – it was not something intentional. So it is an extra special celebration to finish the FEAST today.

Day 39: Truly, He Finished It – For Us

1.) Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin and then confess it to the Lord – if you need to make something right with someone – do so today.

2.) [Scripture: Matthew 27:35-39, 45-54; Contemporary English Version]

The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. Then they sat down to guard him. Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left. People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus.

At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o’clock. Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?” Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus. Others said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.” Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died. At once the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart. Graves opened, and many of God’s people were raised to life. Then after Jesus had risen to life, they came out of their graves and went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people. The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God’s Son!”

3.) What would it feel like to actually be a person in the crowd? What can you learn from this passage that might help you with an issue that you might be facing today?

4.) Ask the Holy Spirit to bring someone into your day that you might encourage and support.

Day 38: Are You One of His? Can Others Tell?

1.) Ask God to reveal any sins that need to be confessed and confess them out loud in prayer.

2.) Praise God for a specific blessing – feel free to sing Him a song. He is your audience.

3.) [Scripture: Matthew 26: 57-58; 67-75 - Message Bible]

The gang that had seized Jesus led him before Caiaphas the Chief Priest, where the religion scholars and leaders had assembled. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Then he slipped in and mingled with the servants, watching to see how things would turn out.

. . . Then they were spitting in his face and banging him around. They jeered as they slapped him: “Prophesy, Messiah: Who hit you that time?”

All this time, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. One servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean.” In front of everybody there, he denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” As he moved over toward the gate, someone else said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” Again he denied it, salting his denial with an oath: “I swear, I never laid eyes on the man.” Shortly after that, some bystanders approached Peter. “You’ve got to be one of them. Your accent gives you away.” Then he got really nervous and swore. “I don’t know the man!” Just then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried.

4.) What might this passage tell you about your relationship with God? What question might God ask you {NOT what question might you ask God} after reading this passage of scripture?

Day 37: They Deserted Him and Fled

These last few days of the FEAST we will move away from specific statements that relate to the acronym. Instead we will keep certain elements of the FEAST such as confession, thanksgiving, and scripture references. The following ideas are ways you can incorporate parts of the FEAST into the future and your daily devotions.

1.) Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin in your life and then confess it to the Lord – if you need to make something right with someone do so today.

2.) [Scripture: Matthew 26:47-56 - New Living Translation]

And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

3.) What words stand out in this scripture text? What does God want you to hear? Feel free to write God a question about this particular reading.

4.) Have you ever felt betrayed or abandoned? Ask God to heal that pain and choose to forgive the one who betrayed you.

Day 36: I Belong and am Completely Accepted

We looked briefly to these statements several weeks ago (Day 1), but it bears meditating on again and again. One of the core needs we have as humans is to be accepted and to belong. It is in a relationship with Christ that we find true acceptance and belonging. Enjoy the following thoughts and promises.

I Am Accepted

1. I am a child of God.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (John 1:12-13; New Living Translation)

2. I am Jesus’ chosen friend.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father. (John 15:15; New Century Version)

3. I am holy and acceptable to God.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (Romans 5:1; New Living Translation)

4. The Lord lives in me.

Do you not know that you are a house of God and that the Holy Spirit lives in you? (1 Cor. 3:16; New Life Version)

5. I belong to God.

. . . now you belong to God. You do not belong to yourselves. God bought you with a great price. So honor God with your body. You belong to Him. (1 Cor. 6:19-20; New Life Version)

6. I am a part of Christ’s body.

You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything. (1 Cor. 12:27-28; Message Bible)

7. He had me in mind as He laid down the foundations of this world.

Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. (Eph. 1:5-6; Message Bible)

8. I am free and forgiven.

The Son paid for our sins, and in him we have forgiveness. (Col. 1:14; New Century Version)

9. I am complete in Christ.

When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers. (Col. 2:10; New Life Version)

Day 35:Don’t Put Off Tomorrow, What You Can Do Today. . .

F=Fast from procrastination

E=Encourage someone you’ve been wanting to encourage for a long time

A=Admit to putting off things that God would have you to do

S=(Scripture) Proverbs 6:6; Proverbs 6:9-11; Proverbs 13:4

T=Trust God to prioritize your day

The following are pretty strong passages – - – For myself, I can be a very good procrastinator – this was a reminder to seek God to prioritize my day and time.

Go to the ant, O lazy person. Watch and think about her ways, and be wise. (Prov. 6:6; New Life Version)

How long will you lie there doing nothing at all? When are you going to get up and stop sleeping? Sleep a little. Doze a little. Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs. Suddenly, everything is gone, as though it had been taken by an armed robber. (Prov. 6:9-11; Contemporary English Version)

The soul of the lazy person has strong desires but gets nothing, but the soul of the one who does his best gets more than he needs. (Prov. 13:4; New Life Version)

Day 34: Shine like the Stars

F=Fast from complaining and criticism

E=Encourage someone who has criticized or complained to you

A=Admit to any complaining or criticism towards others

S=(Scripture) Phil. 2:14-16; Lamentations 3:38-40

T=Thank God for loving you just as you are

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. (Phil. 2:14-16; New International Version)

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and bad come? Why should any living man complain about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and look over our ways, and return to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:38-40; New Life Version)

Day 33: Saving is all His idea.

F=Fast from thinking you are more humble/spiritual than others

E=Encourage your neighbor or another church member

A=Admit to God any gossip/slander or cheating that you have engaged in

S=(Scripture) Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 11:6; 1 Peter 5:6-11

T=Trust God’s love and forgiveness towards you

Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. (Eph. 2:8-9; Message Bible)

And if he chose them by grace, it is not for the things they have done. If they could be made God’s people by what they did, God’s gift of grace would not really be a gift. (Romans 11:6; New Century Version)

So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. (1 Peter 5:5-6; Message Bible) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (1 Peter 5:7-11; New Living Translation)

Day 32: Who is Your Defender?

F=(Fast) Choose not to deny or refuse to face the difficult/bad things that have happened to you. Face the difficult things with God at your side.

E=(Encourage) Do something to “fill your cup” today

A=Admit to defending yourself wrongly by escaping, withdrawing or blaming others

S=(Scripture) Is. 51:21-23; Psalms 119:153-154; Psalms 72:4; Col. 1:13-14; Eph. 2:8-9

T=Thank God for being your Defender

So listen to me, poor Jerusalem,
you who are drunk but not from wine.
Your God will defend his people.
This is what the Lord your God says:
“The punishment I gave you is like a cup of wine.
You drank it and could not walk straight.
But I am taking that cup of my anger away from you,
and you will never be punished by my anger again.
I will now give that cup of punishment to those who gave you pain,
who told you,
‘Bow down so we can walk over you.’
They made your back like dirt for them to walk on;
you were like a street for them to travel on.” (Is. 51:21-23; New Century Version)

I have not forgotten your Law! Look at the trouble I am in, and rescue me. Be my defender and protector! Keep your promise and save my life. (Psalms 119:153-154; Contemporary English Version)

He will defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
he will crush the oppressor. (Psalms 72:4; New International Version)

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Col. 1:13-14; New Living Translation)

Love Crucified Arose by Michael Card -

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=6330bd8b00b6ebe883fc

Day 31: Are You a Christian or a Christ-Follower?

F=Fast from “taking out frustrations on others” when irritations arise

E=Encourage a family member today

A=Admit to wanting to control how others act rather than developing your own sense of self-control

S=(Scripture) Psalms 4:3-5; Psalms 37:7-8

T=Thank God for developing self-control in you

Look at this: look
Who got picked by God!
He listens the split second I call to him.

Complain if you must, but don’t lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict. (Psalms 4:3-5; Message Bible)

Wait and trust the Lord.
Don’t be upset when others get rich
or when someone else’s plans succeed.
Don’t get angry.
Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble. (Psalms 37:7-8; New Century Version)

This is a parody on the macintosh / p.c. commercials, but with a “religious, Christian/Christ-follower” twist.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c5e5d1c6e28598e8cbbe