Turning Point Sharptown Lent Devos 2021

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Saturday, March 20th The Hour Has Come , John 1 -  Written by Ben Kraihanzel Read John 13. “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”   John 13:1 Anticipation. I have been anticipating this day for my entire life, my wedding day (3/20/21). The proposal, the planning, the payments, the stress.   All of it has come to this day, this moment, this hour.   The hour has come where I lay down my old life and begin my new life as a husband. Jesus also anticipated an hour, the hour that he would lay down his life so all of us can have new life.   Jesus lived his entire life in anticipation of the hour when his public earthly ministry will be over and he will hang on the cross. The cross is not specifically mentioned in the opening verses of John 13, but casts a shadow ov...

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Friday, March 19th Miracle , John 20:11-18  -  Written by Jeremiah Jamison   Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”   “They have taken my Lord away,” she   said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”   At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.   He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”    Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”    Jesus said to her, “Mary.”    She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).   Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not y...

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Thursday, March 18th Lifted Up , John 12:20-36  - Written by Kevin Foley Read John 12:20-36 21  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”  22  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23  Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  24  Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  25  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  26  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.   John 12:21-26. Jesus knew exactly how he was going to die.   He refers to what was going to ...

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Wednesday, March 17th Powerfully at Work , Acts 4:33 -  Written by Janet English With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.   Acts 4:33 Grace means undeserved favor; the freely given, undeserving support of God.   Peter and John were healing and teaching in Jesus name.   Officials were disturbed because people believed. They’re told to stop, threatened. Their response? “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?” Ever felt that way?   Witnessed His healing and power yet afraid to tell others?   Our country is moving away from God.   Laws and norms tell us what we consider sin is ok and we are intolerant!   We are haters? They’re trying to silence Christians.   But what’s right in God’s eyes:   to listen to them or to Him? If you’re willing to testify abou...

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Tuesday, March 16th Who is like You? , Micah 7:18 - Written by Carol Sparks Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant  of his inheritance?   You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.   Micah 7:18 The name Micah means "Who is like the Lord?” The answer to that question is....no one is like the Lord. "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me."  Isaiah 46:9 So, who is the God of scripture who pardons immorality, disobedience and rebellion?  He is Elohim (God, Mighty Creator).  He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and end of all existence, wisdom and power. He is a God who sets standards for our well- being and expects us to respect and adhere to those standards. As a result of the fall, everyone is born with the propensity to sin.  Sin corrupts the spirit, soul and body, making us impure....

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Monday, March 15th Saved , Romans 10:9-10  - Written by Mason Strawderman “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”    Romans 10:9-10 Belief and confession.   That’s all it takes.   But what does that really mean?   Beliefs shape how we live.   If I believe in my heart that Jesus is the risen Lord, the incarnation of the Creator, that should certainly shape something about how I’m living:   what I spend my time doing, how I move towards others, the disposition of my soul.   What I truly believe in my heart will always come out in the way I live my life.   What about confession then?   Jesus tells us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45a)   Paul tells us that to...

  Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT Saturday, March 13th Above All Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13   -  Written by Kathy Bieber The L ord  says to my lord:   “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”   Psalm 110:1 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.”   Daniel 7:13 I was at Sharptown Church the first time I heard the song, “Sing to the King Who is Coming to Reign.”   I was moved to tears when I heard our congregation singing with jubilation “Satan is Vanquished and Jesus is King.” As we prepare our hearts and spirits for the Lenten season, I have thought about the kind of death that Jesus had to endure in order to make the above chorus ring true. Jesus’ death was filled with unspeakable pain, betrayal and torture…. And above all, the only true sacrifice for us...