FOCUS for LENT WEEK 6

HOLY WEEK

[Semana Santa]

**

PALM SUNDAY

[image credit: 40 Days 40 Words]

On this Palm Sunday, the appropriate One Word

would be "Hosanna" but that One Word is postponed

until Monday, March 25th, day 35

since Sunday is a day of rest

However, the reading for today is:

Mark 11:1-11

emphasis

Mark 11:9

DAYS 35 - 40 (M-Sa) Holy Week

35. HOSANNA - Mark 11:9; John 12:13 36. STRANGER - Matthew 25:35 37. BETRAY - Matthew 26:21 38. WEPT - John 11:35 39. DIE - John 12:24 40. CRUCIFIED & RAISED - Mark 16:6

Powerful One Words!
In the book, "Pauses for Lent", Day 35 is actually JUDGE (Matthew 7:1) and HOSANNA was shared in the videos with Father Laguerta for Day 40 and BELONG was for Day 35. Yet because Sundays are not included in the 40 Days, I thought it was an important One Word from Mark 11:9 and chose to share it as the One Word for Mon. Day 35 instead of JUDGE.
The other changes that I made for this week: Day 38 (Maundy Thursday) in the book is PRUNE (John 15:2), not WEPT (which was on Day 23) and Day 39 (Good Friday) is GETHSAMANE (Matthew 26:36) and DIE is on Day 40. I should have chosen TOMB for Day 40, but I chose CRUCIFIED & RAISED, because those 2 words are in the verse for Resurrection SONday (Easter) from the reading of Mark 16:1-8, specifically Mark 16:6. Raised or RISEN is the best One Word ever (Luke 24:34). He is RISEN indeed! Halleluiah! Aleluya!
I love the image that I shared above from the other book "40 Days, 40 Words" by Ken & Randy Petersen (that I found on Amazon page of the book from the Publisher). If you can read the small print, you will see that HOSANNA, found there in John 12:13, means "Help now!" or "Save us, please!" in Hebrew but in the Greek translation it means "a relief that our hope has come". 
"On Palm Sunday, we celebrate that Jesus has rescued us from our brokenness." For me, in 2024, these meanings speak volumes in the current situation in our nation and the world. My prayers throughout these months have been crying out "Lord, save us, please! Have mercy on us. Help us now." Mostly because our nation and this world desperately needs Jesus, who is and brings our relief that our Hope has come. My continuous prayers during 2024 I'm sure will be this and not just for those who do not yet know, receive or believe; but for the Church, who professes that they do know Jesus and even to me, it hardly looks like it. The other One Word for this day is JUDGE and because that verse echoes in my heart "...do not judge, so that you may not be judged..." I will with hold from any or all judgments on anyone, but I will continue to cry out for mercy. "Lent (according to the devotion that day) can be a time to confront the logs in our own eyes, to name them, and to call on the Lord for help removing them." ...

"... Something beautiful happens when we do this: We become less judgmental, more gentle, and more understanding of the struggles others face. In a word, we become compassionate."

Oh Lord, let it be ... !

{so much relevance found in these One Words and The Word, His Word}
I pray that this week will be HOLY and filled by Him!

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*NOTE: The FOCUS One Word (if I've kept up correctly) for RESURRECTION SONday should be ALERT (1 Corinthians 16:13) and today for this week starting with Palm Sunday ADVANCE (Hebrews 5:14 ESV) and the "Focus Tip" from the author, Cleere Cherry Reeves, seems to be perfect for this Holy Week: "This week, ask God to help you release everything that is holding you back from ADVANCING, learning, and growing in your faith. Focus on what it might look like to go deeper."

FOCUS

and

GO

DEEPER

HALLELUJAH

HOSANNA

... BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES ...

Save us Lord Jesus!

I love PALM SONday!

Palms up & Praise to the King of kings!

{... but then I remember the days & the events that follow}

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Sharing More:

I signed up with Faith Gateway (& other Gateways)  ... for a 

Virtual Journey through 5 locations in 5 days

starting March 25th to

Follow Jesus through the Holy Land

... and you can too ...

[just click on the links, I hope one of them works]

through a 5 day email series

"...Experience sacred sites in the Bible like never before -  places like the towns of Nazareth and Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee and Mount of Beatitudes, and the locations in Jerusalem where Jesus spent his last week before his death and resurrection.   You’ll get a front-seat ticket on this journey through the Holy Land for Holy Week – all from the comfort of your home!   In this unique virtual experience, you’ll engage with expert-led teachings, gain new perspectives, and get exclusive access to 5 on-location videos taught in the Holy Land by Max Lucado, Lysa TerKeurst, Kathie Lee Gifford & Rabbi Jason Sobel, Ray Vander Laan, and N.T. Wright.   Don't miss out – sign up now for this FREE 5-day Holy Week journey, starting soon,  plus get FREE downloadable Holy Land maps and other rich Bible resources TODAY!"

I have always wanted to go & visit the Holy Land

but I have enjoyed in previous years

going through videos of others!

I am thankful that this is being offered with my favorite teachers/authors!

It just seems like the safest way to "travel" is through this way

so I appreciate that I(we) can do this - this way

together

IF YOU SIGN UP

too

I will imagine us being there alongside each other in awe!

FOLLOWING JESUS' FOOTSTEPS

with you.

What a privilege!

through this 

PASSION WEEK

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"ALWAYS ON TIME"

[new unreleased song from Elevation Worship; watch for it]

HALLELUJAH

HOSANNA

... BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES ...

GLORY

I encourage you to listen to Holly Furtick

 Elevation Church service today

3/24/24

"God Has Given Me Everything I Need for the Season I'm In"

Exodus 12:29-36 +

I was ready to Title it myself because 

I couldn't find her title with: 

Pack Your Bags Well Now for Future Seasons

but her message is the last mindset in 

Pastor Steven Furtick's 

"Do the New You"

FOCUS for LENT WEEK 5

A fabulous Focus One Word for this Week:
TRANSFORMATION
["... a change of their very nature or achange at the heart of who they (we) are"](source)

" ... those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14 NLT

  

" ... I offer water that will become a wellspring within you that gives life throughout eternity. You will never be thirsty again. John 4:14 (The Voice)

["Spiritual Transformation refers primarily to a fundamental changein the place of the sacredorthe character of the sacredas an object of significance in life. ..." (source)]

This article covers the definition & more:
What is Transformation in the Bible?
To me, I find this to be a "fabulous" One Word as we approach the end of our Lent journey and then Passion Weekleading us to the ultimate
TRANSFORMATIONin theResurrectionfrom the Cross to the Tomb to theGlorious DayJESUSarose
But I'm getting ahead of myself as I look forward to this SONday in(2 weeks)onMarch 31, 2024
Once again the Focus One Word was not in the verse given, yet most of us are familiar with2 Corinthians 3:18;and Romans 12:2that use"transformed"
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On this 5th Sunday in Lent
the reading's from 
Mark 10:32-45
emphasizing
Mark 10:44-45

29. SERVE-Matthew 20:28 30. JUSTIFIED-*Luke 18:14 31. DIVIDED- *Luke 11:17 32. TEMPTATION-Hebrews 4:15 33. PRAY-Luke 11:1 34. WILL-Matthew 26:39

{the 2 with * are not from the book, but from the videos}
Word 23 "Divided" (Luke 11:14-23) discussion around 3:01-
as most realize, there is much "division" happening in our midst
Word 25 "Justified" (Luke 18:9-14) begins around 2:29-

I'm being "transformed" (this week in comparison to last) and with holding
my personal remarks (which I have many) about 
being "DIVIDED" and "JUSTIFIED"

and instead I continue to

SEEK JUSTICE

for the unreached

and justice for all

I PRAY
and
try not to fall into the
TEMPTATION
to spill my guts on how many of us are
clearly not following Jesus' Word(s)
yet as we all try to SERVE not be served
may we continue to PRAY at least in one accord:
"Your Kingdom come, Your WILL be done"
and really stop praying to God that
our will be done
because 
that's not His will.
We are to SERVE with the
Compassion of
JESUS
since we are to be 
Jesus' hands and feet as we
SERVE
with the heart of God/Jesus
as JESUS served
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May God have mercy!
May His Spirit 
help & convict us!
May we humble ourselves
as the vessels we are meant to be
to love one another
(not fear or be superior)
We are ALL made in God's Image!
<>
Thank You
JESUS
May we REPENT and REJOICE in our
salvation!
And
ACT
as if we are
SAVED,
FORGIVEN,
and
REDEEMED
by
JESUS
only!
There is no other name above JESUS!
No one ... not one!
Stop bowing down & please stand up for the
King of Kings
the Lord of lords
JESUS CHRIST
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"...The heart of our journeys as Christ-followers lies in learning how to surrender our wills toGod's WILL.Jesus models this surrender..."
(from day 34 in "Pauses for Lent")
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HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!
[Traditional IRISH Blessings]
my Prayer for you
from my 1/4 side of Irish - my paternal grandma
to
whatever roots you are/have
May God Bless you!
🍀