The Power of Words

More often than not... It's not what we say... It's how we say it...

    A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold

    in settings of silver. (NKJ)

 The right word at the right time
is like a custom-made piece of jewelry.
~Provers 25:11 MSG

Easter

“I have seen the Lord!”
John 20:18

“The disciples had seen the strong hands of God twist the crown
of thorns into a crown of glory, and in hands as strong as that they
knew themselves safe . . .
They had expected a walkover, and they beheld a victory; 
they had expected an earthly Messiah,
and they beheld the Soul of Eternity.”
Dorothy L. Sayers

In the book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee said, “Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE.”  He continues: “We begin our Christian life by depending not on our own doing but upon what Christ has done.  Until you realize this, you are no Christian; for to say: “I can do nothing to save myself; but by His grace God has done everything for me in Christ,” is to take the first step of faith.  If I put a dollar bill between the pages of a magazine, and then burn the magazine, where is the dollar bill?  It has gone the same way as the magazine – to ashes.  Where the one goes the other goes, too.  Their history has become one.  But, just as effectively, God has put us in Christ.  What happened to Him happened also to us.  All the experiences He met, we too have met in Him.

“Our old man was crucified with Him,
that the body of sin might be done away,
that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin.”
Romans 6:6

This verse is not an exhortation to struggle.  That is history: our history, written in Christ before we were born.  Do you believe this?  It is true! Our crucifixion with Christ is a glorious historical fact.  Our deliverance from sin is based, not on what we can do, nor even on what God is going to do for us, but on what He has already done in Christ.

Action: Based on this reflection, give thanks to God for what He has done.

“The crowning evidence that Jesus was alive was not a vacant grave, but a Spirit-filled fellowship.  Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried away church.”
Clarence Jordan

Join a group of Christ-followers, and together celebrate the risen Christ.

“The death of Jesus is for us nothing if we have not died with Him;
the resurrection of our Lord is for us nothing
if we have not been raised with Him.”
Swiss Theologian, Emil Brunne

Day 40 of Lent :: Tombstone

“Mary stood outside the tomb weeping.”
John 20:11

The disciples had left everything to follow Christ.  Many had abandoned personal aspirations, hopes and dreams.  They had placed all their trust in this Rabbi – Jesus.  They believed He was about to establish a new kingdom, but now He lies lifeless within the tomb.  “What will we do now?” they wondered.  “I suppose I can go back to work with my dad,” added another.  Others sat despondently on the verge of depression, unable to sort out the events of the past seventy-two hours.

Have you ever wondered what they would have done had Jesus never risen from the dead?  I imagine they would have somehow found their way back into the rhythms of life, as they had once known it.  But who knows?  After all, Peter had once said, “Where else can we go?”  What if the tomb remained darkened with death?

Reflection: Take a few moments to reflect on this dark question:

•  What if Jesus had never risen from the dead?
  
• What would your life be like today, had Jesus never invaded the darkness of your soul?
  
• What struggles, pain, wounds, and addictions would still have you entrapped?

This may, indeed, be a dark reflection, but do not be too quick to climb out of the grave.  Allow yourself to feel the darkness of sin and death without a Savior in sight.  Allow yourself to experience the ambiguity that these first disciples felt.

Day 39 of Lent :: Good Friday

“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,
‘It is finished!’  And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’”
John 19:30

“Good Friday,” Virginia Stem Owens writes, “is the day when you can do nothing.  Bewailing and lamenting your manifold sins does not in itself make up for them.  Scouring your soul in a frenzy of spring cleaning only sterilizes it; it does not give it life.  On Good Friday, finally, we are all, mourners and mockers alike, reduced to the same impotence.  Someone else is doing the terrible work that gives life to the world.”

Today, we recognize we are powerless to change ourselves or to make amends for our sins.  We stand in awe of the One Who is suffering for our sakes.  We gaze at the One who willingly laid down His life so that we may live.  Today, we are reminded again that He is everything that we need.

“As you sit and gaze, it will be born in you
that only a crucified Savior could meet your need.”
William Sangster

Prayer:  Spend a few moments gazing at the One Who suffered for your sin and died so that you may experience true life.

Day 38 of Lent :: History in the Making

“These who have turned the world upside down
 have come here too.”
(Acts 17:6)

“Not only countless individual lives but civilization itself was transformed by Jesus Christ.”  These are the words of Dr. Paul Maier, professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University.  Professor Maier continues,

In the ancient world, his (Jesus’) teachings elevated brutish standards of morality, halted infanticide, enhanced human life, emancipated women, abolished slavery, inspired charities and relief organizations, created hospitals, established orphanages, and founded schools.

In medieval times, Christianity almost single-handedly kept classical culture alive through recopying manuscripts, building libraries, moderating warfare through truce days, and providing dispute arbitration.  It was Christians who invented colleges and universities, dignified labor as a divine vocation, and extended the light of civilization to barbarians on the frontiers.

In the modern era, Christian teaching, properly expressed, advanced science, instilled concepts of political and social and economic freedom, fostered justice, and provided the greatest single source of inspiration for magnificent achievements in art, architecture, music, and literature that we treasure to the present day.1

Prayer: Spend time reflecting on the influences Jesus Christ has had on the history of civilization.  Think about what the world would be like today had Jesus never come to earth.

But as we gaze, it is not pity that we feel,
but a profound reverence,
for there on Calvary is the great turning point in the course of human affairs.

Hughell Fosbroke

1 Quoted by Alvin J. Schmidt, Under the Influence, 8.

Day 37 of Lent :: Unlikely Candidates

He appointed twelve that they might be with Him 

and that He might send them out to preach.
(Mark 3:14)

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He spent all night in prayer, seeking God’s direction, and He then chose twelve individuals to be His disciples.  Consider His perspective.  As the Son of God, He was going to choose twelve men to carry on His mission on earth once He returned to the Father.  For what character and temperament qualities should He look?  What type of selective process should He use? 

Suppose Jesus had consulted a local employment agency to assist Him in His selection of future leaders.  How would this agency have assessed the twelve men Jesus selected?  Consider the following as a possibility:

Memorandum

TO:
Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter Carpenter Shop
Nazareth

FROM:
Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem

Thank you for submitting the résumés of the 12 men you have chosen for management positions in your new organization.  Each of them took our battery of tests, and we analyzed the results.  Our psychologist and vocational-aptitude consultant then interviewed each one.
It is the opinion of the staff that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking.  They do not have a concept of working as a team.  We would recommend that you continue your search for people of proven capabilities and managerial experience.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper.  Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty.  Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.  We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.  James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both register high manic-depressive tendencies.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential.  He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places.  He is highly motivated, ambitious and innovative.  We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right-hand man.  All other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new venture.1

Reflection: Are you glad God does not see things the way humans do? As you go through your day, reflect on the following verse.  As you meditate on it, ask God to increase your ability to see situations and people as He does.

No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, 

Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—
What God has arranged for those who love Him.
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

1 Greg Ogden, Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time, 77.

Day 36 of Lent :: Hope Deferred

“But we were hoping…”
(Luke 24:21)

The two disciples walking along the Road to Emmaus were confused and disillusioned.  They had possessed great hope that Jesus was indeed the One Who was going to “redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21)  But, that was before His arrest, the trial, the flogging, and, most notably, the crucifixion.  After all, this was the “third day since all this took place.” Their hope had begun to fade.  The wisdom writer, in the Book of Proverbs, reminds us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs13:12)

Reflection: In what ways are you like the two disciples walking along the Road to Emmaus?  Are there prayers you have been praying, perhaps even for years, that have yet to be answered?  Is there something you have been hoping for from God that has not come to pass?  How has this deferment affected you, your outlook on life, your view of God, and how you interact with others?  Has your heart grown sick?  The tomb reminds us that things are not always as they seem.  Jesus’ body was inside the tomb, wrapped in burial clothes, void of life.  But death was not the final word.  The tomb reminds us that regardless of how things currently look, Sunday is coming!

Day 35 of Lent :: Roadside Reflections

“What do you weep at, if you do not weep at this?”

(Dante Alighieri )

Reflection: Read the following passage from the Gospel of Luke. Read it slowly. Read it prayerfully. Read it responsively. As you read, listen to what the characters say. Feel what they feel. Imagine you are one of the disciples.

13Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"  18Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?" 19And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."

25Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them. 30Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" 33So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. (Luke 24:13-35)

Fasting Focus :: Week Six of Lent :: The Tomb & Beyond

Time

The Gospels are the narrative of the Eternal God stepping into time and space in the Person of Jesus Christ.  This week, we will be reflecting on the time Jesus was in the Tomb.

We will be fasting time this week. Get up a half-hour or an hour earlier to read the Bible and pray.  Spend your time serving others rather than indulging yourself.  Make it a goal to bless someone through your words or actions daily.  Give someone the gift of your listening ear.

Resist the urge to share your troubles, but instead, focus on bearing someone else’s burdens.  Commit to a specific task to help someone. Perhaps help a friend move or paint, serve the poor, or stop to help a stranger, especially if you are in a hurry to get somewhere.

Keep journal entries of what it is like to spend your time on others.

Day 34 of Lent :: Fish and Bread

Jesus said to them,
“Come and have breakfast.”
(John 21:12)

Just before the arrest that would lead to His death, Jesus gathered His disciples together for a meal of preparation.  Shortly afterwards, they all fled in fear and dismay.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He gathered His friends together for another meal, this time for restoration.  At this meal, they brought the fish, and He brought the bread.  They brought their shame-filled brokenness.  He brought the resurrection power of forgiveness and acceptance. 

In ancient times, bread was not merely the substance of a meal, it was what they shared to make a covenant.  Jesus specifically addressed Peter in a heart-penetrating conversation. Kenneth Wuest’s translation offers one of the richest renderings of this passage found in the Gospel of John 21:15-19:

“Then when they had breakfasted, Jesus says to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you have a love for me called out of your heart by my preciousness to you, a devotional love that impels you to sacrifice yourself for me?  Do you consider me more precious and thus love me more than these [fish]?’  He (Peter) says to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, as for You, You know positively that I have an emotional fondness for You.’  He (Jesus) says to him, ‘Be feeding my little lambs.’ Jesus says to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you have a devotional love for me called out of your heart by my preciousness to you, a love that impels you to sacrifice yourself for me?’  He (Peter) says to Him, ‘Yes, Lord. As for You, You know positively that I have a friendly feeling for You.’  He (Jesus) says to him, ‘Be shepherding My sheep.’  Jesus says to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you have a friendly feeling and affection for me?’  Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, ‘Do you have a friendly feeling and affection for me?’  And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, as for You, all things You know positively.  You know from experience that I have a friendly feeling and affection for You.’  Jesus says to him, ‘Be feeding My sheep. Most assuredly, I am saying to you, When you were younger, you were accustomed to clothe yourself and to walk where you were desiring to walk. But when you grow old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall bind you around and carry you where you do not desire.’  And this He said, indicating by what kind of death he will glorify God. And having said this, Jesus says to him, ‘Be following with me.’”[i]

Reflection: What do you notice about Jesus’ interactions with Peter? Jesus asks Peter some very poignant and piercing questions.  Pay attention to the honesty of Peter’s answers.  This is quite a contrast to the boastful claims made just a few days earlier.  Peter now stands before Jesus, a humbled man.  As you go through your day, reflect on the following statement:

Victory begins with the name of Jesus on your lips;
but it will not be consummated
until the nature of Jesus is in your heart.
Francis Frangipane

---

[i] Kenneth Wuest, The New Testament  : An Expanded Translation (John 21:15).

Day 33 of Lent :: At a Distance

“Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”
(Matthew 26:56)

At Gethsemane, the angry crowd “seized Jesus and arrested Him.” (Matthew 26:50)  Jesus, fully expecting the mob to come, did not put up a fight.  In fact, Jesus said this had happened so that “the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” (Matthew 26:54) At His arrest, “all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”  No one was closer to Jesus than His disciples.  If anyone should have stood with Him, it should have been one of them.  They had seen and been a part of more miracles than anyone else, but they caved in.  They forsook Him.  They fled.  They left Jesus alone. 

Soon Peter would deny Christ three times.  It is easy to criticize Peter for his outright denial, but there were others who were not even close enough to the scene to disavow knowledge of Him.  Matthew’s Gospel tells us, “Peter followed Him at a distance.” Tricia McCary offers an insightful reflection on this scene:

“We often think of Peter as the one who betrayed Christ, but in reality, he was one of the few who stayed near Him after the arrest.  What might have been his thoughts, feelings, and fears as he followed at a distance?  Place yourself in the courtyard that night.  See yourself being asked about your relationship to Christ.  How would it feel to deny Him as Peter did?  Do you at times deny Him by your life?  By your words or lack of words?

“Jesus was neither surprised nor discouraged at Peter’s failures – He knew it would happen.  In fact, after His resurrection, it seems He may have sought out Peter.  Their conversation is not recorded – just the fact that it took place. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)  Imagine those moments together.  If it were you, what would you want to say?  What would you want to do?

“Consider your own weaknesses, failures, and sin.  Christ is not surprised or discouraged.  Come to Him today and receive His love and forgiveness, and pour out your heart in love.  Write a prayer of response.”

Prayer: “Oh, Lord, how often I follow You at a distance. The cost of staying by Your side at times seems too great.  I have denied You – maybe not with words, but in a thousand deeds of disobedience.  I need to see Your eyes of love across the courtyard of my life, but too often I find myself running away, tears of regret coursing through my days.  Seek me out, Lord – draw me to Your side with the lovingkindness I sorely crave.”[i]

---

[i] Ibid., Tricia McCary Rhodes, 45-46.

Day 32 of Lent :: Turning Back

“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
(Luke 22:31-32)

Satan requested to sift Peter as wheat.  Jesus did not deny that request. Instead, Jesus prayed for Peter.  Jesus knew that Peter had to be sifted as wheat because He knew that Peter had his share of chaff that needed to be blown away.  Peter was blinded by his own pride.  Rather than thanking Jesus for His prayers or inquiring about how he could withstand the sifting, he rebutted Jesus by saying,

“Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
(Luke 22:33)

Jesus foresaw Peter’s denying Him three times (see Luke 22:34, 54-62), but Peter would not hear it.  After all, just a few minutes earlier, he was in the running to win the dispute concerning which of them was the greatest.  Jesus knew Peter did know his own heart, yet Jesus accepted Peter just as he was—blinded by presumption and pride.  Jesus does not give him three tips for resisting Satan’s sifting or five steps for standing firm.  No, Jesus knew that as long as there was chaff, sifting was unavoidable.

The understanding grace of Jesus is unmatched and astounding. Knowing full well what would transpire, He prayed that Peter’s faith would “not fail,” and that “when he turned back” he would “strengthen his brothers.” Just as the wounds of Christ bring us healing, God intends to use the lessons we learn from our being wounded and our overcoming our shortcomings to help others.

Reflection: How does it make you feel to know that God can take what was once your lowest, deepest, darkest moment of life and use it to bring strength, healing and encouragement to others? This is your story, and He wants you to share it with others.  Stories remind us of who we are, from where we have come, and to where we are going.  Take a few minutes and reflect on how far God has brought you, how He has changed your life, and how He is currently directing your steps.  Thank Him for what He has done and is doing in your life.

You and I may give one another the impression of being earnest, godly Christians, but before the cross we have to admit that we are not that sort of person at all.  At Calvary the naked truth is staring down at us all the time from the cross,
challenging us to drop the pose and own the truth.

Roy Hession

Day 31 of Lent :: Satan's domain

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.”
(Luke 22:31)

As far as we know, Simon (also known as Peter) had not gone out and initiated a fight against Satan.  Jesus indicated that in some form or fashion, Satan had initiated an attack, or at least had permission to do so against Peter.  The Bible does not give us details of this exchange between Jesus and Satan.  Jesus does not say that He rebuked Satan or denied Satan access to “sift” Peter, but rather it says Jesus prayed for Peter.   Jesus did not refuse Satan’s request.  Why?  Did Jesus see a greater purpose in allowing Satan access to Peter?  Was there something going on within Peter that Satan saw as an entry point of attack?

To this day, Biblical scholars debate whether Satan is on earth or in hell.  Can he dwell in people or only in the world?  As inconclusive as some of these arguments may be, one thing seems to be agreed upon: Satan, the devil, is darkness. Therefore, we can rest assured, wherever spiritual darkness exists, there the devil is.

“If we tolerate darkness through tolerance of sin,” writes Francis Frangipane, “we leave ourselves vulnerable for santanic assault.  For wherever there is willful disobedience to the Word of God, there is spiritual darkness and the potential for demonic activity… Satan has legal access, given to him by God, to dwell in the domain of darkness. We must grasp this point: The devil can traffic in any area of darkness, even the darkness that still exists in a Christian’s heart… Let us recognize, that the areas we hide in darkness are the very areas of our future defeat.”[i]

Reflections: Do you know the areas where you are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks?  Is there an area of your life that is hidden in darkness?  If so, are you willing to ask for forgiveness and rid yourself of that darkness?

The greatest defense we can have against Satan
is to maintain an honest heart before God.
Francis Frangipane

---

[i] Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 6-7.

Day 30 of Lent :: Sifting as Wheat

“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
 (Matthew 26:21)

Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him.  More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing.  He also announced that one of them would betray Him.

Can you imagine the feelings in the room?  Hearing that Jesus was going to suffer was a blow to the emotions, but hearing that someone among them would betray Him, compounded their anxiety.  Eyes began to roam around the room, locking on sudden expressions creeping across the faces of others.  Immediately, some pulled up mental scorecards kept over the last three years as they traveled together.  Who made the most mistakes?  On long days, which one showed a testy attitude and secretly grumbled?  The lists go on and on as each scanned his internal files for a perfect match for a possible betrayer. 

“Then they began to question among themselves,
which of them it was who would do this thing.”
(Luke 22:23)

Someone finally had the guts to speak up, “Not I.”  Then another chimed in, “Well… don’t look at me.”  In a matter of seconds, there was a buzz of grunts and self-supporting acclamations.  Looks turned to comments. Comments turned to defenses.  Finally, defenses turned to accusations.  Fingers began to point.  Emotions began to rise.  They were no longer whispering, instead, roaring voices clamored to be heard.

“Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the greatest.”
(Luke 22:24)

The best way for a disciple to prove that he was not going to be the one to betray Jesus was to prove himself to be the greatest in the room.  All those skilled at arguing employed this tactic at one point or another when they began to lose the battle of words.  This was not merely a mild disagreement.  The word translated as dispute, actually means “an eagerness to contend,” even “lover of strife.”[i]  We do not know how long this argument ensued.  We are not told what line of rationale they used to secure the upper hand.  We are not told whose voice was the loudest; however, it seems at the end of the round that Simon Peter may have been in the lead.

Jesus interrupted their petty squabbling, instructing them concerning true greatness, and demonstrating what pure service to others is.  Changing the subject rather abruptly, He turned to Peter, looked him in the eyes and said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)

Reflection: Do you find yourself talking over others to add your thoughts and comments?  Are you prone to contentedly listen in order to understand another’s perspective, or do you quickly insert your own opinions?  Do you typically answer more questions than you ask?

   If so, you may suffer from the same ailment that afflicted the disciples.  That night in the Upper Room, they seemed to have lost the ability to truly listen to what Jesus was saying.  They could not hear Him over the voices of their own hearts.  They were unable to see past their own expectations, plans and desires to accurately decipher what He meant.

   The thought, “Could it be I who will betray Him?” does not seem to cross anyone’s mind.  Rather than hearts being broken that someone would actually betray Jesus, each became defensive: “I could never betray Him!” 

Prayer: “Lord, show me my heart.  When I interrupt and talk over others, convict me.  Help me to listen—truly listen—rather than become defensive.”

---

[i] Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Day 29 of Lent :: cloud of Smoke

“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
 (Matthew 26:21)

Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him.  More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing.  He also announced that one of them would betray Him.

Can you imagine the feelings in the room?  Hearing that Jesus was going to suffer was a blow to the emotions, but hearing that someone among them would betray Him, compounded their anxiety.  Eyes began to roam around the room, locking on sudden expressions creeping across the faces of others.  Immediately, some pulled up mental scorecards kept over the last three years as they traveled together.  Who made the most mistakes?  On long days, which one showed a testy attitude and secretly grumbled?  The lists go on and on as each scanned his internal files for a perfect match for a possible betrayer.

“Then they began to question among themselves,
which of them it was who would do this thing.”
(Luke 22:23)

Someone finally had the guts to speak up, “Not I.”  Then another chimed in, “Well… don’t look at me.”  In a matter of seconds, there was a buzz of grunts and self-supporting acclamations.  Looks turned to comments. Comments turned to defenses.  Finally, defenses turned to accusations.  Fingers began to point.  Emotions began to rise.  They were no longer whispering, instead, roaring voices clamored to be heard.

“Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the greatest.”
(Luke 22:24)

The best way for a disciple to prove that he was not going to be the one to betray Jesus was to prove himself to be the greatest in the room.  All those skilled at arguing employed this tactic at one point or another when they began to lose the battle of words.  This was not merely a mild disagreement.  The word translated as dispute, actually means “an eagerness to contend,” even “lover of strife.”[i]  We do not know how long this argument ensued.  We are not told what line of rationale they used to secure the upper hand.  We are not told whose voice was the loudest; however, it seems at the end of the round that Simon Peter may have been in the lead.

Jesus interrupted their petty squabbling, instructing them concerning true greatness, and demonstrating what pure service to others is.  Changing the subject rather abruptly, He turned to Peter, looked him in the eyes and said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)

Reflection: Do you find yourself talking over others to add your thoughts and comments?  Are you prone to contentedly listen in order to understand another’s perspective, or do you quickly insert your own opinions?  Do you typically answer more questions than you ask?

   If so, you may suffer from the same ailment that afflicted the disciples.  That night in the Upper Room, they seemed to have lost the ability to truly listen to what Jesus was saying.  They could not hear Him over the voices of their own hearts.  They were unable to see past their own expectations, plans and desires to accurately decipher what He meant.

   The thought, “Could it be I who will betray Him?” does not seem to cross anyone’s mind.  Rather than hearts being broken that someone would actually betray Jesus, each became defensive: “I could never betray Him!” 

Prayer: “Lord, show me my heart.  When I interrupt and talk over others, convict me.  Help me to listen—truly listen—rather than become defensive.”

---

[i] Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Fasting Focus :: Week Five of Lent :: The Disciple's Responses

Fifth Week of Lent

The Disciples’ Responses

Social Media and Internet

This week, we will be exploring how the disciples responded to the events that surrounded Jesus’ death.  Though they made bold claims to never deny Him, in the heat of the moment there were many other things clamoring for preeminence in their hearts.

We are surrounded by noise.  Everything is saying, “Look over here,” or “Listen to this,” or “This is what you need.”  These voices, even though they may not be inherently evil, often have the ability to distract us, even numb our hearts and cause our bold declarations of dependence and trust in Christ to become diminished.  We will be fasting all forms of social networking media and Internet this week.  Turn off Twitter, FaceBook, blogs, and news.  Deal with work emails and nothing else.  Put a Lent, Out-of-Office, reply on your personal email, letting people know you will get back to them next week.

Keep journal entries of what it is like to unplug and disconnect.  Do you feel disconnected, or do you feel free?

Instead of spending time connecting with others, use that time to bond with Christ and others to advance His Kingdom here on Earth.

Day 28 of Lent :: Place of the Skull

“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull
(which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).”
(John 19:17)

Jesus was lead outside of Jerusalem. This is where He was crucified. The events of Jesus death and resurrection are the most significant in all of history. While there is still some dispute over the actually spot Jesus was crucified, it is well documented that He indeed was. Scripture says it was at a place called Golgotha. Calvary is the Latin form of this word. Golgotha is the Aramaic word mean, “the skull.”

Some believe, that this hillside where Jesus was crucified, was named such because the side of it looked like that of a skull. While it is uncertain, we can substantially conclude, that it was named this because it was a place of execution, where skulls and bones of criminals lay scattered. 

For Jesus, Golgotha - the place of the skull, is where His battle ended. For us however, it is at the place of the skull, where our battle begins. In other words, if we are to be effective in following the ways of Christ, the first arena of conflict where we must learn to become victorious, is the battleground of the mind; i.e., the place of the skull. It was on this hill, as Jesus breathed His last breath, that the last round of an unseen war was waged in the realm of the spirit. And, it is in the place of our own skulls, that the unseen battle of thoughts emerges. “The territory of the uncrucified thought-life,” writes Francis Frangipane “is the beachhead of satanic assault in our lives. To defeat the devil, we must be crucified in the place of the skull. We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds.”[i] The words of Andrew Murray are helpful in knowing how to pray. He writes, “As you gaze upon the cross, and long for conformity to him, be not weary or fearful because you cannot express in words what you seek. Ask him to plant the cross in your heart. Believe in him, the crucified and now living one, to dwell within you, and breathe his own mind there.”

Reflection: Meditate on the following verses:

When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal,
I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives.
But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body
I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me.[ii]
(Galatians 2:20)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
(Ephesians 4:23 NKJ)

Prayer: Father God, help me to take every thought captive and to be renewed in my mind. Spirit of God, make me aware of thoughts that are not surrendered to the cross of Christ. Son of God, help me to set my mind on Your Word.

My Jesus! Loaded with contempt,
nail my heart to Your feet,
that it may ever remain there,
to love You and never leave You again.
(Alphonsus Liguori)

---

[i] Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 3.

[ii] David Stern, The Complete Jewish Bible, Galatians 2:20.

Day 27 of Lent :: Fountain of Life

“On that day a fountain will be opened

to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”
(Zechariah 13:1)

The eighteenth century poet, William Cowper penned the famous words to the poem, There is a Fountain Filled with Blood. In it, Cowper vividly captures what the prophet Zechariah spoke of some five hundred years before Jesus.

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins.
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains . . .


E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

Jesus is the only true source of life. Ironically, it was brought about through death. That’s how the kingdom of God often seems – upside down. In the garden, humanity reached for the forbidden fruit. As they freely exerted their own will, they became enslaved to their own desires. As they acted as one who ruled their own life, they suffered death. At the cross, Jesus surrendered his very life, yet resurrected all of humanity from the grave of sin. He allowed human hands and forces of darkness to nail Him to the cross in the ultimate display of evil triumph over goodness, yet in doing so He led captivity captive, dethroning powers and principalities. This, in part, is the mystery of the Gospel. The cross, once only an instrument of death, now becomes an instrument of new life.

“The very existence of the cross, and of the crucified Christ,” writes Alister McGrath, “forces us to make a crucial decision: Will we look for God somewhere else, or will we make the cross, and the crucified Christ, the basis of our thought about God?”[i]

Prayer: Must I go on, Lord Jesus? I can barely stand to see myself through the gaping wounds on Your back. My stomach churns and I want to walk away. The journey to the cross is fraught with a thousand deaths, and I’m not sure if I am prepared to embrace each one. To know the fellowship of Your sufferings is not so simple. Sustain me in my quest, dearest Savior, and I will seek to share Your sorrow.[ii]

---

[i] Alister E. McGrath, The Mystery of the Cross, 13.

[ii] Prayer by Tricia McCary Rhodes, Contemplating the Cross, 71.

Day 26 :: Healing in the Wounds

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; 

‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”
(1 Peter 2:24)

Christ died for the forgiveness of sins. He suffered for the healing of our own wounds. “At the head of the procession of life,” writes Earl Stanley Jones, “is a thorn-crowned Man, His pains healing our pains, His wounds answering our wounds, His love taking our sin.”1 This is the heart of the Gospel, the restoration of our whole person. This is the beauty we discover as we reflect on the bloody, disfigured Person, seemingly, helplessly, hanging on the cross. “When we look at his cross,” Augustine reminds us, “we understand his love. His head is bent down to kiss us. His hands are extended to embrace us. His heart is wide open to receive us.”

Reflection: Are there areas of your life that have yet to experience the healing power of the cross?

    Find a quiet place. Get comfortable. Take a few deep breaths. Open your hands before the One Who’s hands were outstretched on the wooden beam of the cross. His pain was to bring you peace. The strips upon His back are for your healing. His outstretched arms, your embrace.

    Bring you life before Him – all of it – every part.

Prayer: Wounded Savior, I come before you, stained by sin. Show me any area that I’ve not willingly surrendered to You… Is there anything I’m holding back? Are there areas of my soul that have yet to know Your healing touch? (If God shows you something, spend some time telling Him about it or perhaps journaling about it. It is important to identify what He shows you and then intentionally pray-fully bring and give it to Him.) I offer you my whole life. Take my sin. Embrace my pain. Heal my wounds.

    Finish your time of prayer by simply being with-God. Rest in His peace. So feel as if you have to say anything, just be aware of His present-nearness.


1 E. Stanley Jones, Christ and Human Suffering, 169.

Day 25 of Lent :: Suffering Servant

Christ is to us just what his cross is. 

All that Christ was in heaven or 
on earth was put into what he did there . . .
Christ, I repeat, is to us just what his cross is. 

You do not understand Christ 
till you understand his cross. 
(P. T. Forsyth)

Jesus came to bring redemption and forgiveness of sins? But, why did Jesus suffer? In the Old Testament, a lamb was offered as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus was the ultimate Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the whole world (see John 1:36, 1 Peter 1:19, Revelation 5:12, 13:8). Throughout the Old Testament, a lamb was never beaten or mistreated in any way. A quick cut to the throat, the blood flowed on the altar and forgiveness was acquired. So, why did Jesus suffer? Wouldn’t His blood have been enough?

The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews tell us that,

“We do not have a High Priest
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are,
yet without sin.”
(Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus offers more than forgiveness, He offers understanding. He knows what it’s like to be tempted every way. He experienced injustice and abuse. His friends betrayed Him. He was spit at, mocked, stripped naked, beaten, and raised on a stake as an act of humiliation before the masses. Jesus knows pain. He’s not aloof to human suffering, He’s been there. Why was Jesus beaten? To join us.  Why was He abused? To join us. Why did Jesus suffer? Because, we all in one way or another have suffered.

Reflection: After informing us that Jesus has experienced what we have, the writer of Hebrews encourages us to,

“Then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, 

so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us 
in our time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:16)

How does it make you feel that Jesus can sympathize with your own weakness, sin and suffering?


Of all the pains that lead to salvation this is the most pain, to see thy Love suffer.
How might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life,
all my bliss, and all my joy suffer?
(Julian of Norwich)

Day 24 of Lent :: Crucifixion

“Pilate had Jesus flogged, 
and handed him over to be crucified.”
(Mark 15:15

The Romans didn’t invent crucifixion as a means of punishment, but they did all they could to perfect it. Crucifixion was designed to maximize pain and suffering. It wasn’t merely about killing someone— it was about killing someone in a cruel and excruciating way. Crucifixion was the most disgraceful form of execution. It was usually reserved for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and vile criminals.


Before every crucifixion, one would undergo a flogging or scourging. The scourging was intended to bring a victim to a state just short of death. Roman soldiers were trained to do this with great precision. 

A criminal was usually first forcefully stripped of his clothes and then tied to a post. The scourging began. The brutal instrument used to scourged the victim was called a flagrum. It can readily be seen that the long lashing pieces of bone and metal would greatly lacerate the human flesh.1
This was gruesome sight. Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, the Church historian of the 3rd century, wrote in his Epistle of the Church in Smyrna, concerning the Roman scourging inflicted on those to be executed: the sufferer's "veins were laid bare, and that the very muscles, sinews, and bowels of the victim were open to exposure."2
The Journal of the American Medical Association, published a medical study of the death of Christ. Regarding the scourging of Jesus, we read:


Flogging was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution, and only women and Roman senators or soldiers (except in cases of desertion) were exempt. The usual instrument was a short whip (flagrum or flagellum) with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. Occasionally, staves also were used. For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged either by two soldiers (lictors) or by one who alternated positions. The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. After the scourging, the soldiers often taunted their victim.

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim's back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross. . . .


The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a preshock state. Moreover, hematidrosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus' physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.1

Dr. C. Truman Davis, a medical doctor who has meticulously studied crucifixion from a medical perspective, describes the effects of the Roman flagrum used in whipping:


The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across [a person's] shoulders, back, and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. The small balls of lead first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open by subsequent blows. Finally the skin of the back is hanging in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it is determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner is near death, the beating is finally stopped.2


Reflection: Based on the descriptions of what Jesus would have experienced, reflect on the following prophecy about Jesus.

Just as there were many who were appalled at him
—
his appearance was so disfigured 
beyond that of any human being
and 
his form marred beyond human likeness.

(Isaiah 52:14)

1 William D. Edwards, Wesley J. Gabel, Floyd E., Hosmer, "On the Physical Death of Jesus  Christ," The Journal of the American Medical Association 11 (March 21, 1986): 1457-1458.
2 C. Truman Davis, "The Crucifixion of Jesus," Arizona Medicine (March 1965), p. 185.

Day 23 of Lent :: Against all Odds

“This was to fulfill the word 
of Isaiah the prophet.”
(John 12:38)

There has never been another human to walk the earth like Jesus. Even centuries before He was born, prophecies were spoken about Him. In fact, there are more than 300 messianic prophecies found throughout the pages of Scripture. There has never been another human on earth to which this has been the case.

A number years ago, Peter Stoner wrote a book entitled Science Speaks.1 In it, Stoner proceeds to select eight of the best known prophecies about the Messiah and calculates the odds of their accidental fulfillment in one person as being 1 in 1017.

Imagine filling the State of Texas knee deep in silver dollars. Include in this huge number one silver dollar with a black check mark on it. Then, turn a blindfolded person loose in this sea of silver dollars. The odds that the first coin he would pick up would be the one with the black check mark are the same as eight prophecies being fulfilled accidentally in the life of Jesus.

Or to put it a slightly different way, according to the laws of chance, it would require 200-billion earths, populated with 4-billion people each, to come up with one person whose life could fulfill 100 accurate prophecies without any errors in sequence. Yet the Scriptures record not 100, but over 300 prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming alone.2

Reflection: Some eight hundred years prior to Jesus, the Prophet Isaiah described the death of Jesus in great detail. Slowly, read it, imagine it, and allow it to begin to sink into the depths of your soul. As you go throughout the day, reflect on it. This week, commit this passage to memory.

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him…
(Isaiah 53:2-5)

 

 

1 Peter W. Stoner and Robert C. Newman, Science Speaks: Scientific Proof of the Accuracy of 
Prophecy and the Bible.
2 Dr. Charles Ryrie.

Fasting Focus :: Week Four of Lent :: Nailed

Food and Meals

Jesus is the ultimate example of what it looks like to abandon our will to the will of the Father. We have seen this in various degrees at each stop along the path of Christ’s journey. Abandonment always requires surrender. So, this week, as we reflect on what it was like for Christ to be nailed to the cross, we will physically be practicing abandonment and surrender by fasting food.

Pick either a type of food (like meat or carbs or even “solids”) and fast from them for the week. Or alternately, pick a meal (like breakfast or lunch) to skip on a daily basis. If you skip meals, spend that time you would have spent preparing and eating food in doing something like prayer, reading Scripture or serving others. Perhaps take these blocks of time and find a way to bless someone, even if it’s just time spent listening to them.

Keep journal entries of what it’s like to go hungry, even if it’s just for one meal. What has it been like to begin to assert some mastery over your body these past two weeks? How does your body/mind respond to that?

If you forgo a whole category of food, consider: 

 • What is it like to deny a craving? Is it easy or hard?
 • How does that craving grow the more you deny it?
 • Does it eventually become easier? Why?

Day 22 of Lent :: Unstoppable

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
(Revelation 12:11)

Many of us have never been ridiculed for our faith.  Some of us have been called holy-rollers or have been looked at as old-fashioned or have experienced the rolling of eyes by a co-worker.  This is a far cry from being abused and persecuted for the cause of Christ.  Many people enjoy the freedom of personal prayer in open places and enjoy public gatherings for the purpose of worship, but this is not the case in numerous places in the world.  In fact, an average of 171,000 Christians worldwide are martyred for their faith each year.1  For countless Christ-followers, taking up their cross means being disowned by family members, being discriminated for employment, and/or suffering violence.

From the beginning, the followers of Christ have suffered.  Around 34 A.D., one year after the crucifixion of Jesus, a young disciple named Stephen was stoned to death.  Martyrdom for Christ was prevalent in Jerusalem during this period.  Over the next several decades, all but one of the twelve Apostles were martyred for their faith. 

Here is what history records:
James the brother of John was killed with a sword during a persecution initiated by King Herod. (44 AD)
Andrew was hanged on the branch of an olive tree. (circa 70 AD)
Doubting Thomas was thrust through with pine spears, tortured with red-hot plates, and burned alive. (Circa 70 AD)
Philip went to Phrygia where he was tortured and crucified. (54 AD)
Matthew was beheaded. (Sometime after 60 AD)
Bartholomew was flayed (skin stripped from his body) for refusing to deny Jesus.  When that did not kill him, he was crucified. (70 AD)
James the lesser was taken to the top of the Temple, and refusing to deny Jesus, he was thrown from the roof.  He survived the fall, so a mob beat him with clubs until he died. (63 AD)
Simon the Zealot was crucified by orders of the governor of Syria. (74 AD)
Judas Thaddeus ministered in Mesopotamia where he was beaten to death with sticks. (72 AD)
Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot, went to Ethiopia and was stoned to death while hanging on a cross. (70 AD)
Peter (according to Eusebius, a third-century historian) thought himself unworthy to die in the manner in which Jesus was crucified, so he requested that he be crucified upside-down.  (Circa 67 AD)
John the beloved is the only disciple who died a natural death, but that does not mean he was exempt from persecution.  According to historian, Tertullian, John was plunged into boiling oil in a Roman coliseum, yet suffered no effects from it.  He was then banished to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of the Revelation, and died an old man. (Circa 100 AD)

Persecution did not slow the growth of the Church during the first few centuries after Christ died.  As its early leaders suffered horrible deaths, Christianity flourished throughout the Roman Empire.  It is estimated that 70 million people have been martyred because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Spend time throughout the day praying for our brothers and sisters around the globe who are suffering as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ. 

 The following are a few things to pray for them:

To have physical protection and deliverance
To speak the right words to fearlessly make Christ known
To know God’s grace as sufficient and God’s power is perfected in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
To love Christ’s appearing
To rejoice in sharing the sufferings of Jesus
To faithfully endure by more completely trusting in God
To choose ill-treatment and the reproach for Christ’s sake, rather than the pleasures of sin
To overcome sin
To love Christ far more than life itself
To love their enemies
To not enter into temptation, even under the stress of      persecution
To rejoice that they are considered worthy to suffer for His Name
To demonstrate the joy of the Lord before their persecutors
To focus on their future glory
To rejoice that they bear in their bodies the “brand marks of Christ.”

Action: To learn more about the persecution of Christians around the globe visit: www.persecution.com, www.persecution.net, and www.idop.org. 

1 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (2006).

Day 21 of Lent :: True Service

“Learn the lesson, if you are to do the work of a prophet, 

what you need is not a scepter but a hoe.”1
(Bernard of Clairvaux)

We learned in the Upper Room that the towel is a symbol of service.  As Jesus was making His way toward the hill called Golgotha, we saw the cross as a symbol of submission.  Jesus willingly accepted the cross, but the Bible tells us that Simon from Cyrene was “forced” to carry the cross. (Mark 15:21)  The question is, what about us?  When presented with opportunities of submission and service to God and others, do we accept them willingly?

“Radical self-denial,” writes Foster, “gives the feel of adventure… In service, we must experience the many little deaths of going beyond ourselves.  Service banishes us to the mundane, the ordinary, the trivial.”2  Some people only want to serve a person of greater status or serve a cause of cosmic scale. A true servant is not enamored or impressed with the size of a project, nor is he enchanted by the status or title of the person being served.  D.L. Moody, the great evangelist of the 1800’s, said it well: “There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things.”  A true servant does not distinguish between the small acts of service and the large.  A true servant understands that what is done for oneself or merely done to be recognized by others will die with him.  St. Francis of Assisi captured the essence of true service in a statement he wrote, “Being the servant of all, I am bound to serve all and to administer the balm-bearing words of my Lord.”3


Reflection: Are you more prone to look for opportunities to serve others, or do you frequently expect others to serve you?  Do you discriminate when choosing whom you serve?  For example, do you willingly serve your boss but not necessarily serve someone of a lesser position?  If so, in your thinking, the service rendered to your boss may have more to do with you than with the boss.
Our world determines greatness by how many people serve you. 
God defines greatness by how many people you serve.

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, help me recognize the person You bring across my path today whom I may serve.”

Action: As you go about your day, actively look for ways to serve others.  Do not discriminate in your service.

“The greatest among you will be your servant.”

(Matthew 23:11)

1 Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 126.
2 Ibid.
3 St. Francis of Assisi, Selections from the Writings of St. Francis of Assisi, 25.