Lent Week 6, March 29-April 4, Hebrews 9.11-15

A prayer exercise for Hebrews 9.13,14 from the Spiritual Formation Bible:

"Making a good impression is important. Yet we may become so preoccupied with our outward appearance that we neglect our inner heart and conscience. Jesus comes to cleanse all aspects of our lives. His Spirit begins by renewing our hearts and his work radiates through our attitudes and actions. You may already be conscious of your faults. Are you as familiar with Jesus' cleansing? You might picture your faults as trash cluttering the floor of a room that represents your conscience. Let the Spirit pour through your inner room like a flood—cleansing, purifying and renewing. Envision the room transformed into a chapel where God is worshiped and glorified. You may want to conclude by slowly and reflectively repeating the Lord's Prayer."

Lent Week 5, March 22-28 Isaiah 43.11-13 & Acts 1.7,8

If you are following along with our. Here are a few bullet points to aid your listening (studying of the passage), adoring (worship of Jesus) and cooperating (recognizing His grace and following what He is doing) as you pray through the passage.

• Note how the Lord gives us information about salvation through His revealed word (Isaiah 43.12). How well are you listening to our God who has "revealed and saved and proclaimed" His provision for us?
  
• As the witness for the Lord, account for what He has done, to which you can testify. "No one can deliver out of my hand" (Isaiah 43.13) declares the Lord; how are you experiencing His deliverance?
  
• Note that when the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, then they are equipped to be Jesus' witness! How have you cooperated with your filling of the Holy Spirit to take the gospel of Jesus "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1.8)? Note, this is not an option but a command.
  
• From Pentecost (Acts 2) unto our filling at salvation (Ephesians 1.11-14) the Holy Spirit is the one moving in our lives enabling us to experience the new covenant. Prayerfully worship our amazing God who fills us with His Spirit.

Jeremiah Background

It occurred to me that a bit of background for the book of Jeremiah and its application for us today might aide our praying through this week's Lent passage. So here goes:

Jeremiah's Historical Context: Jeremiah ministers 120 years after Isaiah, which means that approximately 40 years into Jeremiah's ministry Jerusalem falls and the Israelites are carried into captivity.

Context of Chapter 31 in the Book of Jeremiah: God uses Jeremiah to condemn the king's and the people's sins. He foretells of the Babylonian exile and THEN this passage of the new covenant is spoken to give the people comfort: God is sovereign (in charge) and He is promising restoration. Think of the hope that Jesus gives; for as Paul says in Ephesians 2.1-10 (especially vs.4, 5) it was when we were dead in our sin that Christ revealed Himself to us.

Context of verses 31.-34 within Jeremiah 31: In God's provision He is returning His people from exile. Even in the midst of pain (vs. 15) the Lord is still working. This parallel could not be more clear and applicable to us today: Jesus is working and always calling us into deeper relationship with Himself, no matter where we are in our circumstances.

Context of Our Lent Study: Remember that Ezekiel 36 mentions that the Holy Spirit is doing the work, Hebrews 10 centers the work, very clearly, on Jesus and here we see the label of the "new convent" put on that work of God!

Blessed Praying!

Lent Week4 March 15-21 Jeremiah 31.31-34

During week 4 of our praying through Scripture for Lent study, we come to Jeremiah 31.31-34. This is an Old Testament passage that specifically mentions the “new covenant”. As you pray through this passage consider other passages that mention our new convent through Jesus!

2 Corinthians 3.4-6 “We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.”

Lent Week 3, March 8-14 Hebrews 10.19-25

This week in our study of the Holy Spirit's ministry to us for our Lent focus, we are praying through Hebrews 10.19-25. This is a fabulous passage that connects us, through the blood of Jesus, to the new covenant. Consider how Hebrews quotes many of the lines from last week's passage of Ezekiel 36.22-36. (Hint of where we are going: next week's passage sounds similar themes to both of these passages and specifically mentions that these principles are the "new covenant" that God is making with His people!) Pray through how wonderfully these themes are all connected by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, making His grace experienable for us today!

Lent Week 2, March 1-7 Ezekiel 36.22-36

If you are following along with our Lent Bookmark, this is week 2—Ezekiel 36.22-36. Here are a few bullet points to aid your listening (studying of the passage), adoring (worship of Jesus) and cooperating (recognizing His grace and following what He is doing) as you pray through the passage.

• Note why the Lord is doing this work (the work of the New Covenant).
• Note also the contrasts (stated and implied), especially in verses 25-28.
• The blessings of land and descendants parallels Abraham's covenant. As receivers of the new covenant, how does this impact us?
• In light of Jesus' blessings, we ought to be humbled by His forgiveness of our sin—He truly has amazing grace!
• Finally, as per our main theme with this Lent study, note the role of the Holy Spirit in this passage.