Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter is Here!

Deuteronomy 11:18

“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

The Jewish people took this passage very seriously. To this day, certain Orthodox Jews still have Bible passages on small pieces of paper or scroll, rolled up and tied around their wrists. That's what this Life in 4-D was all about. It was an experiment to see what would happen if we made a real effort to "commit ourselves...to these words." It's interesting that God doesn't just ask us to read His word once. He knows how forgetful we are, how we wake up sure of His love, and by lunch we're feeling lost and alone. That's why it's so important that we remain in Him (John 15). It's so important that we keep Scripture and prayer as a regular routine in our lives, hoping that His words, His truth, His love, and His promises for us would be constant reminders to us.
I want to hear your experience. I want to hear how your 40-day experiment went. I know that most of us probably missed a day or two, here or there, but I think we'll all really appreciate hearing how other people's 40 days went.

Happy Easter.
He's alive. And there's nothing, not sin, not even death, that can separate us from Him now.
-brian

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Day 33---You will understand

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?

John 13: 1-7
Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."




At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Day 30-Let Go

Wednesday, March 12

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?

Matthew 11: 28-30
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."




At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Day 30---Leaving the 99

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?

Luke 15: 1-7
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.

Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

So He told them this parable, saying,

"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'

"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.



At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Day 29---Consider the Lilies

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?

Luke 12: 27-34
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell
you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

"But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and
tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You
men of little faith!

"And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not
keep worrying.

"For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your
Father knows that you need these things.

"But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to
give you the kingdom.

"Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts
which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes
near nor moth destroys.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Day 25---Lose Yourself

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?


Luke 9: 23-25
And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

"For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?



At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Day 24---Be Still

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?


Luke 8: 22-25
Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out.
But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.

They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"


At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?

Monday, March 3, 2008

Day 23---Forgiven.

Monday,March 3, 2008
Ok, so heres the deal for the morning
1. You pray the Sign of the Cross
2. You offer God your day
This just means that you tell Him everything thats coming up that you know
of, then you say "take all that I think, do, and say and I unite it all with
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" So this way your small sacrifices are being
united to His all-powerful and saving sacrifice on Calvary.
3. You read the Bible Passage. Then pause for like a minute or two.
4. Ask yourself 2 Questions:
a. What is the keyword or theme of this passage?
b. What does this have to do with me?


Luke 7:37-43
And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,

and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."

And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."

"A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

"When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"

Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."



At the end of the day, before you go to bed,
Ask yourself 2 Questions:
1. How did God love me today?
2. How did I love God today?