Road to the Cross

A 40-day Lenten Journey

A 40-day Lenten Journey

A publication of Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church

901 Woodland Avenue, Fairmont, MN
507-235-6407

Copyright Informaon
Road to the Cross
2015 Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmied in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, without the express wrien permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should
be addressed to Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church, 901 Woodland
Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031.

Scripture quotaons are from The Holy Bible, New Internaonal Version.
Devoonals by Jen Kahler and Liz Wheeler.
Some prayers have been adapted from the book of prayers
provided by the Fairmont Covenant Prayer Team.
fairmontcovenant.com
507-235-6407

Table of Contents
What is Lent?
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Stop
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight
Day Nine
Day Ten
Day Eleven
Day Twelve
One Way
Day Thirteen
Day Fourteen
Day Fifteen
Day Sixteen
Day Seventeen
Day Eighteen
Day Nineteen
Yield
Day Twenty
Day Twenty-one
Day Twenty-two
Day Twenty-three
Day Twenty-four
Day Twenty-ve
Day Twenty-six

Page
7
8
9
10
11
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

Merge
Day Twenty-seven
Day Twenty-eight
Day Twenty-nine
Day Thirty
Day Thirty-one
Day Thirty-two
Day Thirty-three
Cross Trafc
Day Thirty-four
Day Thirty-ve
Day Thirty-six
Day Thirty-seven
Day Thirty-eight
Day Thirty-nine
Day Forty

Page
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
45
46
47
48
49
50
51

29
30
31
32
33
34
35

Note: Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent.

Therefore, there are no readings for Sundays.

LentWhat is It?

Day One
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
What does Lent actually mean? And why do we observe it?
"Lent" is derived from the Old English term which means lengthening of days, or
the coming of spring. Lent is recognized as 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on the Saturday before Easter. However, the Sundays during
this period do not count in the 40 because each Sunday is like its own miniEaster. The 40 days references the time Jesus spent in the desert praying and
fasting after He was baptized by John (Matthew 4).
Ash Wednesday, as the ofcial beginning of the Lenten season, is a time for us
to purposely re-connect with God as we recognize our mortality, repent of our
sins and return to Him.
Ash Wednesday is so called because of the ashes seen on the foreheads of
those who have been to an Ash Wednesday service. The ashes are a sign of
mortality ("ashes to ashes") and repentance (Jonah 3:8). The ashes traditionally come from the palm branches used during the prior year's Palm Sunday
service. The pastor then mixes these ashes with a little oil and places these
ashes in the sign of the cross on the forehead. It's symbolic of the palm fronds
being waved in joy at Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem being turned into
ashes of sorrow a week later and the conquering power of Jesus' resurrection
from death on a cross.
1. What is one of your favorite Easter memories?
2. When you hear the term Lent, what comes to mind?
3. What are your goals for doing this 40-day study? What do you hope to
accomplish?
Lord, I am a sinner saved by grace. Thank you.

Day Two
When you fast,do not look somberas the hypocrites do, for they disgure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in
full.But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,so that it will not be
obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18
Typically, Lent includes a focus on three things: fasting, prayer and service or
almsgiving.
The purpose of fasting during Lent is to help purify your body, simplify your life
and spend more time with God. Anything we eat or see has the potential to
pollute us. Garbage in, garbage out! What are simple ways to limit some of
that pollution during Lent?
When people think of fasting, most minds probably think about abstaining
from food, and thats certainly a good way to do it. But a food fast isnt the only
way you can do this.
What clutters your calendar? What television shows could you fast from?
Could you do an electronics fast and abstain from your smartphone, tablet or
PC for entertainment purposes? What will you do with that extra time youve
now gained? Its tough to say yes to spending more time with God when youve
already maxed out the available time in the day. You need to say no to something else rst.
1. Have you ever fasted before? If so, what kind of fasting have you done?
2. What are you willing to give up during the next 40 days to simplify your life?
3. What will you do during this extra time you now have to grow closer to
Christ?
Lord, simplicity sounds so nice! Please help me to focus on you as I try new
disciplines to grow closer to you.
8

Day Three
This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our
daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13
Prayer gives many people stage fright! What do you say to a holy God you
cant see? It doesnt quite feel like talking to your best friend. And what about
praying out loud? Its scary for kids and adults alike!
While Jesus did give us an example of how to pray, there really is no right or
wrong way to talk to God. My daughter Emily laughed the other day while
we were praying because I thanked God for coffee, one of my comfort foods.
Nothing is too small or too impossible to bring to Christ. Hes our biggest encourager, cheerleader and prayer warrior!
During Lent, add something new to your prayer time. If you dont normally
pray, perhaps make a goal of thanking Him for three things today, four things
tomorrow, and so on. If you are already comfortable praying, perhaps create
a new habit of praying while you brush your teeth or praying for someone before you call or text them. Being comfortable with God in conversation will only
bring blessings.
1. How do you feel about praying out loud?
2. What is one way you plan to deepen your prayer life during the next 39 days?
3. Start right now! Pray out loud with whomever you are doing this study with!
If youre really nervous, just pray the Lords Prayer listed above or the prayer
listed below.

Lord, thank you for the chance to have conversations with you on any
topic at any time.

Day Four
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit
me...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you
did for me. Matthew. 25:25-36, 40b
On average, it can take between two and eight months to really solidify or
automate a behavior. These 40 days of Lent are a great time to start replacing old life-suffocating patterns with new life-giving behaviors such as fasting,
prayer and service!
I heard a story recently about a church whose members were convicted about
the need to tithe, but they were a very poor congregation. So they gave of
what they had--clothes and shoes and blessed a congregation even poorer
than they.
Service and almsgiving during Lentor giving from your wealthis an attempt
to identify in a small way with Christ's sacrice on the cross. Troy Cady, in his
Lenten devotional Faith, Seeking Understanding, put it this way: "By actually
participating in these spiritual disciplines, one is attempting to understand
the wonder of salvation more classically by experience, rather than by a mere
reading of books."
This Lent season, look to connect with Christ through experiences and time
with Him. Don't just know about Him; know Him!

1. What is one area in which you feel your family is very blessed?
2. How can you use those blessings to bless others?
Lord, all that I have is Yours.
10

Day Five
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

While it somehow got this negative reputation, Christianity is not about appearances or a show of counterfeit goodness. The church is made of humans
and is therefore inherently awed. Why, then, should there be any pretense that
Christians are perfect? Our instruction manual, the Bible, even tells us we are
imperfect and that we can't even accomplish anything on our own!
As you proceed through Lent, ask the Lord to humble you, to remove ourselves
so there is more room for God. As St. Anselm said, "Jesus, Jesus, forget the pride
that provoked you; see only the beggar that invokes you."
As a family, pray that you would be real and vulnerable about your faithwith
your family, with friends, with fellow church goers.

1. What do you think will be your favorite part of Lent: fasting, prayer or service?
2. What ideas do you already have in mind for observing Lent? Which ideas do
you want to put into practice as a family?
3. Pray together as a family that God would allow you to be real about your
faith even if it seems intimidating.

Lord, help me to be who You have created me to be.

11

STOP! The Sabbath

12

Day Six
If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORDs holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will nd your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 58:13-14
Stop. Big red signs posted at nearly every intersection in town in at least one
direction. Lets be honest nowhow many of you actually come to a complete
stop when you get to one? Okay, yes, if theres a car coming, you kind of have
to. What about the rest of the time though?
God created for six days, and then God rested from the work of creation on the
seventh day. God also included that Sabbath rest for the rest of us (get it??).
However, we tend to treat our Sabbath rest like we treat our stop signsrolling
through it slowly but not necessarily coming to a complete stop.
One of the traditions of the lenten season is to give up somethinga form of
fasting. Its common to give up things like chocolate, sweets, coffee, and the
like. However, the point of giving up things is to realign ourselves with God.
What if we gave up busyness for a week? What would that look like for you?
God, help me to see the things in my life that keep me from spending
more time with you. Quiet my heart and allow me to rest in your presence.
Amen.

13

Day Seven
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to
nd a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had
gathered there. Acts 16:13
One thing we can look forward to when we rest is having more time to listen
for Gods word in our lives. Praying to God is good, even great but just like any
conversation, sometimes we have to stop talking so we can listen and hear
what God is saying to us.
What would it be like if we allowed more time in our prayers to listen to God
instead of just talking to him and telling God what we want and feel? Consider
taking 5-10 minutes during your day to listen to God. Open a time of prayer by
telling God you want to hear what he has to say to you. Then, just quiet your
heart and listen.

God, we want to hear You. Sometimes, the noise of the world is so loud.
Quiet our hearts and minds amidst the chaos and help us to actively listen for Your voice. Amen.

14

Day Eight
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your eld
or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time
or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I
am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:9-10
Sometimes, what we give isnt necessarily about nding something extra, but
instead, leaving something we might want but dont really need. There were
many provisions set forth in the Bible in regards to caring for the poor, the lonely, and the foreigners. One such provision was gleaning. This meant that the
people who had groves and vineyards and elds would leave a portion of the
harvest for those that had little or nothing. When they had nished their harvest and taken their rest, there was something left for others. It was not needed
and would not be missed. Sometimes, providing for others is as simple as only
taking what we need for ourselves and not letting greed have a hold on us.

God, let us rest in the fact that You will provide enough for us. Allow us
to trade our spirit of greed for one of contentment. Amen.

15

Day Nine
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods
will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Are you overconnected? One of the reasons we nd it so hard to rest sometimes
is that with our TVs, radios, computers, smartphones, cell phones, iPads, and
other devices, we are never really alone. Even when we arent around any other
living beings, we are still surrounded by the world, which is at our ngertips.
Could you go a whole day without being connected? Consider doing a media and technology fast sometime this week. Only use technology when it is
truly necessary, for instance, if you are a parent that needs to pick up a child or
if you need to be on a computer for your job. Put away the smart phone, disconnect the computer, unplug the cable. Spend a day only talking to people in
person, read a book instead of watching the TV mindlessly.
Before wireless internet, we were still always connectedto God. Spend your
media fast doing as Paul suggestedpray continually. Find time away from
your devices to reconnect to the God who is always there. God has more bars
than the best internet connection around, and God will never be less than 100%
power.

Ever present God, help us to see You shining bright in a world that does
such a good job of trying to overpower You. Give us reminders today to talk
to You in prayer and to seek Your advice before we search for answers
elsewhere. Amen.

16

Day Ten
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2
Sometimes, we nd rest simply by walking through the doors of our church on
a Sunday morning and gathering to pray and worship with other believers.
Spend time today praying for those that gather with you on Sunday morning.
Here is a place to start.

Father, we pray for all those who come through the doors of this church.
May they feel Your mighty presence in all that is going on in their lives.
Help us to feel the hurts they have, anoint us so we can minister to those
hurts.
I pray for Your blessings and mercy to make You, the Most High, our dwelling place. May we nd refuge under Your wings, Lord Jesus. Amen.

17

Day Eleven
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying
out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome 1 John 5:2-3
Speaking of service while discussing the Sabbath may seem a little bit contradictory. If we are resting, that means we are not working, right? That is true,
but there are ways we serve others that do not necessarily involve us doing our
daily work.
Part of our duty and joy as followers of Christ is to follow the commandments
one of which is to remember the Sabbath. That isnt the whole command
though. The full command is, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
What does that mean for us as we strive to serve others in the name of Christ?
Truly, I think one of the best ways we can serve others on the Sabbath is to observe it. We can show others that being busy for the sake of being busy is not
good for us. We can show others that we can be good stewards of our time,
which will allow us that Sabbath rest. We can pray for others as we spend time
with God, lifting them up in prayer.
Rest is good, but it is not the purpose of the Sabbath. Helping others is good,
but it is not the purpose of the Sabbath. So what is?
Ezekiel 20:12, 20 says, Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so
they would know that I the LORD made them holy...Keep my Sabbaths holy,
that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD
your God.
We hear God best when we allow ourselves to be quiet and quiet our minds as
well. Part of our service as Christ followers is serving God in the ways He commands.
Quiet our hearts today God. Help us to be good stewards of our time so
that we can spend time with You. Amen.

18

Day Twelve
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will nd; knock and the door will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks nds; and to the
one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
One thing we will be encouraging you to do at the end of every seven days is
to take time to reect on the theme and how it and the verses relate to your life.
One easy way to do this is to consider a simple evaluation: StopStartContinue.
It is tting that we explore this for the rst time in regard to Sabbath and rest,
since the rst thing we are to do is stop. Here is an explanation of the reection
process:
StopNow that you have new information, what in your life are you realizing is
ineffective or not useful? What habits should you be stopping?
StartUsing what you have learned, what would you like to incorporate into
your daily life?
ContinueNot everything has to change. The continue portion acknowledges that there are some things in our lives that we are already doing well.
What are you doing that has been good? How can you be sure to keep doing
that?

God, so much of taking the time to rest is about allowing ourselves to nd

out who You have created us to be.
Pull out your Bible and pray the words of Psalm 139 today.

19

ONE WAY to Know God Better

20

Day Thirteen
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for
they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11
Get a candle and light it. Have one person at the table put his hand above the
ame and describe to everyone else what it feels like.
1. Is having someone describe the feeling and power of the ame the same as
actually experiencing it?
2. How does that experience of feeling the ame change your understanding?
3. How can you relate this to knowing about God and actually experiencing
God?
In Acts, Paul and Silas travel to the synagogue in Berea. They begin sharing
the message of the Gospel with the Bereanswho then begin double-checking
what Paul is telling them with the Holy Scriptures.
ONE WAY for us to know God better and to know His will for us is to investigate
the Scriptures. Knowing what is in the Bible and experiencing it for yourself will
help you discern what is true and what is false.
What can you fast from today or tomorrow that will allow you more time to
investigate the Bible? While you're fasting from that, read Acts 17:10-34 and see
the varying reactions of the Bereans, the Thessalonians and the Athenians.
Then use the following verse as a prayer and work on memorizing it if you don't
know it already.

Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

21

Day Fourteen
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17
The Scriptures have so much purpose and value. It's a very practical book!
However, we need to know what's in it for it to be of any use.
Spend time today reading through Psalm 51, a Psalm written by King David after being confronted by the prophet Nathan after David sinned with Bathsheba and then had Bathsheba's husband murdered. Explore and discuss what
it means. (If you are doing this with younger children, you may choose to just
read Psalm 51:10-17.) After discussing it, write down a verse from that passage
that struck you and pray it back to God.

O Lord, open our lips; let our mouths declare Your praise.

22

Day Fifteen
Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
What color is kindness?
In The Angel Tree, Lucy is a sixth-grader who is blind and looking for a Christmas miracle to save her dog who is dying from cancer.
In describing Lucy, the author writes, "The labels brown and purple were not
something Lucy, who had been blind her entire life, could imagine. But the
words, like so many others, had their own texture and tenor and even their
own taste in her mind. Purple was the sleekness of her satin bedspread, a low
C ringing out from the piano, the soft sweetness of a banana. Brown was the
warm down of her comforter, a bow drawn across the strings of a cello, the
richness of chocolate-covered raisins."
How would Lucy describe the color of kindness?
1. What does kindness taste like? Why would you describe it like that?
2. What is the texture of kindness? Why?
3. What is the color of kindness and why?
Using your descriptions of kindness, what act of kindness can you show someone else this week as an act of service to God?

Lord, help us clothe ourselves with kindness, humility and gentleness. Amen.

23

Day Sixteen
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against
someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
Fasting from food isn't the only thing we can fast from that will help draw us
closer to God.
How about a fast from bitterness or grudges? Awhile back, Pastor Dan used
the illustration of a backpack that was slowly lled with miniature boulders.
After time, the weight of the pack became unbearable. Carrying around the
weight of unforgiveness becomes too much to carry and always acts as a barrier between us and God.
The Bible says to bear with one anothereven when we're being grouchy, passive-aggressive or whiny. And it says to forgive. What kind of grievances should
we forgive? Whatever grievances. Any and all grievances. We are to forgive as
Christ forgave us.
1. What has Christ saved you from? What has He forgiven?
2. What else to you need to ask Him to forgive?
3. Now, to whom do you need to show that same kind of forgiveness?

Lord, we humbly say thank You for the mercy and forgiveness You repeatedly demonstrate toward us.

24

Day Seventeen
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you
may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
"It is the Discipline of prayer that brings us into the deepest and highest work
of the human spirit. Real prayer is life creating and life changing...To pray is to
change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us." ~ Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
The Bible tells us that if we believe, we will receive whatever we ask for in prayer
(Matthew 21:22). However, the understanding behind that is that, as we pray,
our minds will be transformed, and we will begin to think God's thoughts with
Him. So when we are praying, we are actually praying God's thoughts and
desires back to Him. We are no longer praying our own selsh prayers. "To ask
'rightly' involves transformed passions," Foster writes. We desire the things He
desires, love the things He loves, will the things He wills.
Soren Kierkegaard once said, "A man prayed, and at rst he thought that prayer
was talking. But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realized
that prayer is listening."
Take some time to pray the following questions. Then, just listen and see what
God wants you to hear.
1. Lord, what is Your will for us as a family?
2. Lord, what would please You?
3. Lord, what can we do to advance Your kingdom?
Now, with the members of your family who have done this exercise with you,
share what you think the Lord was telling you.

Lord, give us ears that we may hear what You want to reveal to us.

25

Day Eighteen
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
What makes you cry? Hallmark commercials? YouTube videos showing people
paying it forward? Sad stories in the newspaper?
What makes your soul cry? My soul cries when I hear about children being torn
apart mentally or physically. My soul cries when I see how many tantalizing
ways are being crafted to pull my children into sin. My soul cries when I know I
have wronged another and need to humble myself and apologize.
Todays verse tells us that those who mourn because of the stain of sin will be
comforted with a sense of peace and pardon. Perhaps a good example of this
is when Jesus welcomes Peter back to His fold in John 21.
It may not sound manly, but crying is a good thing. The absence of tears is an
indication your soul is dead. More poetically, "the soul unable to weep is likely
petried," says Troy Cady in his Lenten devotional Faith, Seeking Understanding.
Cady then likens us to beggars, beggars who are enriched by God's mercy
and goodness. He then asks, "What can we give to another out of that spiritual
abundance?"
Almsgiving, or giving money, lets someone else, someone downtrodden and
perhaps weary, know that you see them, that you value their worth as a human being. This goes along with service in the Lenten disciplines.
As a family, discuss one specic way you can bless another person or family
through giving a gift. The gift could be money; or, it could be time or a gift of
your talents. Then make a plan to follow through on this plan within the next
seven days.
Lord, prepare the hearts of those we want to bless, that they would see
You and accept the gift readily.

26

Day Nineteen
...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah
40:31
In the last few days, we've covered a lot of ground! Clothing ourselves with
kindness and humility, recognizing that the Scripture is good for teaching and
rebuking, learning and practicing forgiveness. There's a lot to this Faith thing,
and we are always a work in progress!
Growing up, my mom had a sign on the back of her bedroom door. It read
PBPGINFWMY. It stood for "Please be patient; God is not nished with me yet."
Hopefully, this whole process of delving into the Scriptures and doing so with
practical application isn't overwhelming you with how multi-faceted this relationship with God is. Instead, we're praying that this experience gives you the
sweet taste of how deep, rich and satisfying this faith walk can be to your soul.
1. As a family, talk about the last six days of the Lenten study. What part has
been most memorable?
2. Review the memory verse you studied on Day Thirteen (page 19): Your word
is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).
3. Pray together. Out loud. With each person taking at least one turn. Thank
the Lord for something, praise the Lord for something, and then bring prayer
requests to Him.

Thank you, Lord, that no matter how long we live, we will always be learning something about you. Please help our faith stay strong and vibrant;
let it not become stagnant.

27

YIELD Your Life to God

28

Day Twenty
Then Joshua said, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to
serve the LORD.
Yes, we are witnesses, they replied.
Now then, said Joshua, throw away the foreign gods that are among you and
yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.
And the people said to Joshua, We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.
Joshua 24:22-24
That triangular sign. Its kind of nicethose yield signs take the place of stop
signs when a full stop isnt required, or when there is trafc entering from another direction and one side needs to allow other vehicles to enter. Yield is all
about allowing the other inwhomever that might be.
If youve ever been on the freeway in busy trafc, you know what a wonderful thing it is to be allowed to enter the ow of trafc by a kind motorist. They
yielded to you, allowing you to continue your journey.
Sometimes it is we who need to yield to another. We need to step back, to relinquish control. Sometimes others yield to us, and when that happens, we
need to take care not to get a big head. One thing we always need to do
though is to yield to God. God has our best interest in mind, and we need to be
sure to allow God to do work in our lives.
What do you need to yield to God today?

God, take us, mold us, make us Yours. We give ourselves to You. Amen.

29

Day Twenty-one
Then I said:
LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant
of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you
day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites,
including myself and my fathers family, have committed against you.
Nehemiah 1:5-6
When we work to yield to God in our lives, sometimes we have to work through
things that are keeping us from Godprideful or sinful parts of our lives that
make us think we dont need God because we are good enough on our own,
or we cant be with God because our past is too awful. A quick glance through
the Bible can be reassuring for that last partGod can do amazing work with
some people with pretty horric pasts. Just ask Paul.
As I was preparing this devotion, I came across a very tting acronym PRAY:
Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield.
Praise God for the blessings God has provided, repent for the things that are
allowing you to push God away, ask God to intervene for you, and then, YIELD.
How cool! Part of this prayer is allowing God to work in our lives. It can be scary,
but oh the things God can do with our lives when we submit!

Use the PRAY acronym today as you pray.

30

Day Twenty-two
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the
crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in
large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,
worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more
into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of
her poverty, put in everythingall she had to live on. Mark 12:41-44
Yielding to God doesnt always mean just our hearts and minds. Sometimes,
God asks us to release our hold on other parts of our lives too, trusting that God
will provide when we dont stockpile things for ourselves in case of a rainy day.
For some people, giving a little extra isnt a big deal; for others, it can be frightening and might mean we dont have something we need if we give it to another. Giving doesnt always have to be monetary either. I would be willing to
bet that each of us has some extra clothing, an extra pair of shoes, or maybe
a spare bed or dresser or desk that is just taking up space.
Take a little inventory today. Is God calling you to give a little extra, maybe to
a local service organization, or to your church, or maybe even something like
sponsoring a child? Maybe God is calling you to simplify a bit and to put some
of your extra possessions to good use for another who needs them. If you are
wondering where your items might be needed, talk to a local church, the Salvation Army, or maybe even somewhere like Options Pregnancy Center. God
can do so much when we yield our lives and our belongings!
Release our hold on our lives and our things. What we have, our life, our
breath, and everything else is a gift from You. We thank You for them.
Help us to use all of it to glorify You. Amen.

31

Day Twenty-three
When Esthers words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: Do not
think that because you are in the kings house you alone of all the Jews will escape.
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from
another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. And who knows but that
you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are
in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my
attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though
it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:12-16
Part of yielding or submitting to God is preparing our hearts and minds for
Gods work in us. Sometimes we do this through prayer, but many times in the
Bible, as with the story above from Esther 4, people prepared their minds and
bodies by fasting, sometimes alone, sometimes with others.
The idea of giving something up for Lent comes from the idea of fasting, a
part of Lent which was mentioned during STOP. Have you ever done an actual fast from food though? For some people, that isnt an option, but for most
healthy individuals, a day of fasting is not harmful. If you have fasted before,
consider devoting a day during Lent to fasting, perhaps allowing yourself juice
or water, but no food. If you never have before, consider committing a day for
fasting and prayer to God. If you want, you can even donate whatever money
you would have spent on food or snacks to a local charity or cause or to your
church.

God, help us to submit to You in body, mind, and spirit. We want to commit ourselves to You. Amen.

32

Day Twenty-four
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I
stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will
come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:19-20
As we strive to yield to God, sometimes one of the hardest things to yield is our
own will. That will is what leads us to sin against God and against others. Some
people struggle with alcoholism, pornography, abusive tendencies, stealing,
drugs, and many other things. Sometimes, that sinful will gets us in trouble with
mans law in addition to Gods law.
Just as often. however, others of us struggle with nding our place when others in our lives struggle with those same things, whether family, friend, or acquaintance. We dont know how to relate to them, how to help them, or how to
pray for them. We all struggle with sin. All of us. Some of our sins might not be
as publicbut they are still sins and still separate us from God. Pray to God for
freedom from those sins, and for compassion for others who struggle as well.

Heavenly Father, we pray for those who are incarcerated in prisons

and jails. We pray for their well-being and safety. We pray that a copy
of Your Word be made available to every inmate. We pray that when
they find themselves alone, they will seek You. As Revelation 3:20
says, when You stand at the door of their hearts and knock, they will,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit, answer that call. Guide them through
this difficult time. Give them wisdom, strength, and clarity of mind
to hear Your voice. Return them home as changed people from this
experience. Also Lord, bless their families during their absence. I pray
this in your holy, precious name, Jesus. Amen.

33

Day Twenty-ve
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrice, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will
ishis good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
"To yield anything means simply to make over that thing to the care and keeping of another. To yield ourselves to the Lord, therefore, is to make ourselves
over to Him, giving Him the entire possession and control of our whole being.
It means to abandon ourselves; to take hands off of ourselves. The word consecration is often used to express this yielding, but I hardly think it is a good
substitute. With many people to consecrate themselves seems to convey the
idea of doing something very self-sacricing, and very good and grand; and
it therefore admits of a subtle form of self-glorication. But yielding conveys a
far more humbling idea; it implies helplessness and weakness, and the glorication of another rather than of ourselves. ~ Hannah Whitall Smith
Yielding to God means admitting that our life is no longer ours, but instead,
has been entrusted to God for care and keeping. Nearly always, that means
our lives become purposed to serve others and further the Gospel in our world.
Service does not always have to mean heading to a soup kitchen or going
across the country or across the world on a mission trip. Those things are good
and are needed, but can often give us a false sense that we are unable to serve
unless we can do something so grand.
We can serve where God has placed us. We can serve by listening, by teaching,
by giving, by leading. Where can you use your God-given gifts to serve in your
own back yard? Go and do it. If you need some help, talk to a friend or pastor.
God, I want to serve You. Open my eyes to the needs around me, and give
me the courage to reach out. Amen.
34

Day Twenty-six
Dont you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you
are slaves of the one you obeywhether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death,
or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16
Sometimes, I have to admit that another has already said it better than I can.
Oswald Chambers put it this way:
"The rst thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what controls and dominates me is that I am the one responsible for having yielded
myself to whatever it may be...Likewise, if I obey God I do so because at some
point in my life I yielded myself to Him.
If a child gives in to selshness, he will nd it to be the most enslaving tyranny on
earth. There is no power within the human soul itself that is capable of breaking the bondage of the nature created by yielding. For example, yield for one
second to anything in the nature of lust, and although you may hate yourself
for having yielded, you become enslaved to that thing. (Remember what lust
is I must have it now, whether it is the lust of the esh or the lust of the mind.)
No release or escape from it will ever come from any human power, but only
through the power of redemption. You must yield yourself in utter humiliation
to the only One who can break the dominating power in your life, namely, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He has anointed Meto proclaim liberty to the captives
(Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1).
When you yield to something, you will soon realize the tremendous control it
has over you. Even though you say, Oh, I can give up that habit whenever I like,
you will know you cant. You will nd that the habit absolutely dominates you
because you willingly yielded to it. It is easy to sing, He will break every fetter,
while at the same time living a life of obvious slavery to yourself. But yielding to
Jesus will break every kind of slavery in any persons life.
I want to yield to You, God, and not to any other. May this be my prayer
every day. Amen.

35

MERGE Your Life With Gods Will

36

Day Twenty-seven
In his defense Jesus said to them, My Father is always at his work to this very day,
and I too am working. John 5:17
Weve talked about aligning our passions and desires with Gods passions and
desires. This week, lets look closer at ways we can do that.
In Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God, one of the author's main tenets is to see
where God is already working and go join Him. Even today, God continues
working in our world.
Today or tomorrow, do a food fast for one meal. Use the time you would normally use to eat to instead read through Psalm 27 slowly and with meditation.
Then spend some time in prayer and ask the Lord to show you where He is
working.

Lord, thank You that, although we are a corrupt generation, You have
not given up on us or left us destitute. Thank You for continuing to
pursue us. Amen.

37

Day Twenty-eight
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24b
In our story today, Jesus is confronted by a concerned parent whose son is possessed by a demon. The boy thrashes about, throws himself into res, convulses. The disciples have already tried to exorcise the demon to no avail. At last,
the commotion brings Jesus over and He asks the father how long the boy has
been this way. At the end of his response, the father then tacks on this statement, "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"
Jesus quickly replies, " If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.
Immediately the boys father exclaims, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!
St. Anselm understood that faith and belief need to come before understanding and comprehension when he wrote, "I do not seek to understand so that
I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand." Faith wouldn't be faith
if we understood it, studied it, dissected it and could create reproducible outcomes. The Bible says it this way: Now faith is condence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).
In what areas of faith do you struggle? Be honest about your faith struggles
with those gathered with you and then present these struggles to God in prayer.

Lord, in Matthew, You tell us that if earthly fathers know how to give good
gifts, how much better at gift-giving is our Heavenly Father! Lord, thank
You for wanting to bless us with good gifts. Today, we ask You to help us
as we struggle in areas of faith. Lord, help us overcome our unbelief!

38

Day Twenty-nine
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but
in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. I Corinthians 12:4-6
Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church has a variety of commissions and ministries. We have Sunday school for children and adults, we have musicians who
work on the worship team, and we have elders who pray for the congregation, visit the sick and take leadership during the worship service. These are
just a few of the ways people minister to those in our church.
In addition, many members of our congregation are also involved in other ministries outside the church such as leading prison Bible studies, mentoring area
youth, going on mission trips and volunteering at camps.
Two days ago, you fasted, read Psalm 27, and prayed God would show you where
He was already working. Now, as a family, read James 2:14-26, a passage written
by one of Jesus' brothers that talks about how people know our faith is real and
alive by the deeds our faith produces. And faith without actions is dead. [This
does not mean our salvation comes through deeds; this passage is saying
that our deeds are a natural result of our salvation.]
After you've read the passage, discuss where you think God is leading you to
serve. Will you serve as a family? Will each of you have individual pursuits?

Lord, even today you are working. We are available and willing. Put us to
work, too!

39

Day Thirty
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful
for building others up according to their needs, that it may benet those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29
When I was growing up, this verse was posted by the phone hanging on our
wallthe old kind with the 20-foot spiral cord that stretched through most of
the house. While I and my siblings didn't always follow that rule, the visual reminder did ingrain itself into my memory.
Yet, not all people abide by this rule. If you've ever watched American Idol,
you've heard some pretty blunt and snarky responses come out of Simon Cowell's mouthdenitely not "helpful for building others up."
How many times have you remade yourself as a result of another person's criticism? Did you want to be more popular? Get a promotion? Troy Cady once
wrote, "Poems become wretched pieces of art in the hands of too many critics."
God created you in His image; have you let others remake you in theirs?
Today, take a fast from molding yourself to t others' expectations. Explore
who God really wants you to be. Neil T. Anderson, in his book Freedom in Christ,
makes some Truth statements from the Bible about who we really are. Some of
these are "I am loved," "I am content," and "I am adequate." These truths help
combat those old lies that say you are unlovable and just not enough. [You
can nd the whole list here: http://bit.ly/FECCLent1.] Christ makes us more than
enough!
1. What changes have you made because of lies that others or Satan have told you?
2. How will you combat those lies?
3. What changes will you work to undo based on what you hear God telling you?
Lord, thank You that we are "a great big bundle of potentiality." Please
help us to hear the truths in Your whispered voice among the dissonant
noise of the world.

40

Day Thirty-one
Dont let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for
the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. I Timothy 4:12
I've always loved this verse, especially as a youth. It showed me that I had a role
in the church; it gave me power to be an example. It didn't matter that I was
young or very short. I was still important in the body of Christ. And now I value
this verse for what it means for my daughters.
But it also speaks to us who may no longer consider ourselves young. Be radical! Be bold! Be strong and walk in faith and victory! For the Lord our God is
with us and has called us to live without fear or shame.
Spend some time in prayer as a family about setting an example for others.
Pray that you may be bold and unashamed in sharing the Good News of salvation with others.

Lord, help us to be workers who are not ashamed of Your gospel, who
know how to wield the Sword of the Spirit.

41

Day Thirty-two
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9
We love because He rst loved us. I John 4:19
When our family moved to Chicago so Dan could attend seminary, it was a
big, hairy, scary deal. The main breadwinner quit his paying job to pay to go
to school. How on earth were we going to make it?
During the course of those three years, we were repeatedly in awe of the great
abundance God showered on us. Dan and I learned to say thank you graciously as, time after time, others paid our rent, helped get our car xed, sent us
on dates, and babysat our kids for free. Dan graduated without us accumulating any school debt. Miraculous!
But accepting the gifts others wish to bestow on you, allowing others to serve
you, is very humbling. It takes the control out of your hands; it goes against the
"American way" of self-sufciecy. Christ never called us to be self-sufcient. He
never told us to live life alone. Instead, the Scriptures say, "And let us consider
how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one anotherand all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We need each other, and we need to learn to be willing to accept that encouragement, that love and those good deeds that others are wanting to lavish on
us.
1. So, how can you "spur one another on" in your own family?
2. How will you encourage others in the body of Christ this week? Be specic.
3. How will you choose to react the next time someone wants to bless you and
your family?
Lord, we do see what great love You have lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God! With Your grace, help us to love and be loved.
42

Day Thirty-three
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are
really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John
8:31-32
If you haven't already, take a moment to look up and print off the Truth statements (http://bit.ly/FECCLent1) we talked about earlier this week. (If you don't
have a printer, you can ask the church ofce for a copy of these statements.)
As we go through our last week of Lent before celebrating Christ's triumph over
sin and death, fast, pray, serve and be served from a position of freedom. You
are free in Christ! You are his beloved! You are cherished! You are prized! You
are valued! You are not condemned!
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So
if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:35-36

Thank You, Lord, that we are free indeed. Amen and amen.

43

CROSS Trafc Does Not Stop

44

Day Thirty-four
Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing
a g tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then
he said to it, May you never bear fruit again! Immediately the tree withered. Matthew 21:18-19
It seems almost appropriate that we speak of Jesus hunger and the empty g
tree as we explore fasting on this day one. It wasnt intentional fasting though.
This weeks theme is where this whole series began. I was driving home one
day, and I stopped at an intersection before turning on to the highway and
saw those words. Cross Trafc Does Not Stop. The wheels of my mind were
turning, and as so often happens, I started thinking about the possibility of a
new teaching series for my students. I so enjoy using metaphors and object
lessons.
Holy week is upon us. In just a handful of days, Jesus begins his very literal journey to the crosshe will not be prevented from completing that journey, even
though he may want to so he can escape the agony.
Palm Sunday has come and gone, and Jesus is in the nal days before his crucixion. The reality is, nothing we can give up will ever come close to helping us
embrace and understand the sacrice Christ offered for ushis very life. Even
so, our small sacrices may help another to better understand what Christs
sacrice meant as we do our best to live our lives for Christ.
Usually, when Lent is over, we go back to life as usual. Is there something you
might choose to give up for good? What has God been teaching you through
this journey?
God, Your sacrice through Your son is something I will never completely understand. Thank You for giving up so much for me, a sinner. Help
me to live a life that shows gratitude for what You gave for me. Amen.

45

Day Thirty-ve
Jesus replied, Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you
do what was done to the g tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw
yourself into the sea, and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you
ask for in prayer. Matthew 21:21-22
Many prayers were offered by Jesus during the last week of his ministry. Some
were so passionate and deep that it is said Jesus sweat drops of blood. He was
sorrowful and troubled, felt alone. We see some of the most human feelings of
Jesus expressed in some of his last moments on this earth. It is difcult to watch,
difcult to comprehend.
Who in your life are you praying for in earnest right now? Is there someone
whose troubles are overwhelming you, whose pain and suffering is breaking
your heart too? Make extra time this week to offer them up to God.
The words of Grace Adolphsen Brame have always been comforting to me:
The voice inside me says, Do you realize how bad the situation is? What difference can you make? Who do you think you are?
God answers back to say, That is not the issue. Do what you know to do, and
let me give you each thought and each word as you need it. Just be a voice, a
presence, a hand, a pair of eyes that communicates for me I love you, and I will
never ever leave you. I will be with you always. Then help them learn to pray in
trust."

God, sometimes we see the pain in the lives of others and we feel helpless.
Teach us to lift them to You in prayer, and to entrust them to Your care.
Amen.

46

Day Thirty-six
Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend
the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the
morning to hear him at the temple. Luke 21:37-38
What can we give back to God? Our meager offerings pale in comparison to
the great gift God gave to us in His Son. God doesnt need what we have, but
God does want what we have. These words are adapted from Rick Warren. It
is a simple but direct way to look at the importance of giving as a part of our
relationship with God.
First, my giving expresses my gratitude to God for the past. When we give back
to God, we show that we appreciate God and we love God.
Second, my giving expresses my priorities in the present. The way people spend
their time and money reveals what is important to them. Jesus said, For wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Do we give God our rst
fruits, or what is left over?
Third, my giving expresses my faith in God for the future. We trust God with our
eternal salvation. Do we trust God enough to tithe?

God, You have given us so much. May we live our lives as a thank You for
all you have done. Amen.

47

Day Thirty-seven
Maundy Thursday
On the rst day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrice the Passover lamb, Jesus disciples asked him, Where do you want us to go
and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, Go into the city, and a man carrying a
jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, The
Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there. Mark 14:12-15
Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday. This day commemorates the
Passover Meal shared with Jesus and his disciples, often observed with a Seder
meal. The meal uses different food items to remind those eating of the events
that took place in the book of Exodus during the liberation of the Israelites from
Egypt. It also represents the initiation of Holy Communion, which we observe
today. The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word for commandment.
One of the other signicant parts of that passover meal was the conversation
amongst the disciples about who it was that would betray Jesus. Each in turn
seems to ask, Is it I?
Lent, as a time of reection, is often difcult, because if we are honest with ourselves, we see things in ourselves that we scarcely recognize. Where in our lives
do we betray Christ?

God, forgive us for the parts of our lives that deny You. Help us to see
them and repent. Amen.

48

Day Thirty-eight
Good Friday
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large
crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of
the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: The one I kiss is the
man; arrest him. Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, Greetings, Rabbi! and kissed
him. Jesus replied, Do what you came for, friend. Matthew 26:47-50
Today, there is much cross trafc. Disciples, onlookers, family. Many have come
to see Jesus hanging on the cross, the event that was foretold. The name Good
Friday has always felt so wrong to me. Perhaps the darkest day of Holy Week, it
is difcult to accept the death of Jesus as good, even though we know it is not
the nal word.
Jesus is betrayed, condemned to death, sentenced, and crucied. The words
of Matthew are difcult to hear: Do what you came for, friend. Jesus, knowing
what is going to happen, probably before Judas even knew himself, still calls
Judas friend. Jesus washed the feet of every one of his disciples, even Judas.
Jesus still loved him.
The words of How Deep the Fathers Love for Us express the torn emotions this
day brings. We too can hear our voices among those that condemned Jesus.
Behold the Man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders,
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is nished.
Good Friday is good because, as terrible as the day was, it had to happen for
us to receive the joy of Easter.
It is nished. Amen.

49

Day Thirty-nine
Easter Vigil
Take a guard, Pilate answered. Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.
So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting
the guard. Matthew 27:65-66
The pain and hopelessness that must have been felt on the day following
Christs crucixion must have been incredible.
We dont hear much in scripture about that day, other than the scripture in
Matthew 27 which tells of the the soldiers doing what they could to prevent the
body of Christ from being stolen by his followers. They feared that they would
take the body and say that Christ had been resurrected.
John even speaks of the disciples being locked in an upper room together,
afraid of the Jewish leaders. Fear and despair gripped his followers. What
now?

God, comfort us when we fear, reassure us when we feel hopeless. We

know that You felt pain as You lost Your Son. We know You suffer with us
when we are in pain. Amen.

50

Day Forty
Easter
The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for
Jesus, who was crucied. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see
the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the
dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told
you. Matthew 28:5-7
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!!
I cant help but post the words of an Easter hymn as we celebrate the glorious
resurrection of Christ. Death has not won. Sin has not won. Christ has risen!!
Christ the Lord is risn today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Loves redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the ght, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

You are risen as You said. Thank You for saving us! We love You! Amen!

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 2015 Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church

Fairmont, MN 507-235-6407