Lent 2016: Lift Up Your Hearts
Feb. 14, 2016-April 3, 2016
Climbing Toward Peace
March 20, 2016 • Rev. Dr. Gerrit Dawson
Touching us gently God will declare, It’s all right. It’s all fixed now. It’s all put back together. Don’t die any longer. Live. Don’t cry any longer. Rejoice. Don’t strive any longer. Love. I am your God. This is what you waited for. I will make it so.
He Went Up
March 6, 2016 • Rev. Dr. Gerrit Dawson
Our destiny in Christ is upwards. Our hero has come to claim us for his homeland. He has staked his eternal existence on us, joining himself forever to our human flesh. He has sent his Spirit as a pledge in our hearts that he is preparing a place for us. Our destiny is not man degraded but man restored. Our future is not the gloomy cynicism or the resigned sensuality of nearly every movie made these days and nearly every song sung. Our destiny is goodness, truth and beauty. Behold the man. What Jesus is, we shall be.
Mountains of Jesus
February 28, 2016 • Rev. Dr. Gerrit Dawson
Waiting on the Lord in prayer opens up space in us for relationship. When we discover how Jesus waited on his Father for guidance and strength, we realize how our own prayers get taken up in his life. The man for all men and women includes us in his prayers. He prays with us. Wait for my Father. Be strong. Take courage. Wait for my Father.
Following the Upward Call
February 14, 2016 • Rev. Dr. Gerrit Dawson
God is calling to us. He wants to be known. He makes himself available, but he is not a cheap date. He doesn’t give his beauty away for free; he doesn’t let us treat his treasure like trash. No, he graciously gives himself to us but he requires that we seek him. We wants us to press upwards toward him. He wants us to consecrate some time in honor of him. He wants us to stretch our minds to know him. He wants to capture our hearts as we contemplate him in his Word. If you seek him, he promises he will give himself to be found. So over the next six weeks, let’s journey toward Jesus through these passages and prayers. I promise that they will lead you to love him more than ever before for the way to life that he has made for you. Quest upward, beloved!