Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 40

He Knows My Co-Mission Scripture Reading:  Matthew 28:16-20 Meditation What Jesus starts, he always intends to finish. His three-year public ministry began with his baptism. After forty days of resisting the worldly lures of the Tempter in the wilderness, he began to proclaim good news in the region of Galilee—that, in him, the kingdom of […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 39

He Knows My Need for Restoration Scripture Reading:  John 21:1-25 Meditation Simon Peter, more than any of the other disciples, is praying for a second chance. Peter’s the one the Master called ‘Rock’ and yet he was the one who crumbled so easily in the High Priest’s courtyard. When a servant girl asked him about […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 38

He Knows My Doubt Scripture Reading:  John 20:19-31 Meditation The Evil One is the father of two fraternal twins:  terror and doubt. During the Savior’s Passion, Satan’s demons dropped these two hellions on the doorstep of the disciples. When the disciples answered the door, the two unruly children pushed their way into the house of […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 37

He Knows My Slowness to Believe Scripture Reading:  Luke 24:13-35 Meditation Emmaus is a small village only a brisk afternoon’s walk outside of Jerusalem. For two traveling together, the seven miles can be easily bridged by a steady gait spurred on by plenty of spirited conversation. But for a pair of Jesus’ disciples burdened by […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 36

He Knows My Grief Scripture Reading:  Luke 23:44—24:12 Meditation The events of the past few days have struck a violent blow to the heart of the women who have followed Jesus from Galilee. Just last week, all of Jerusalem’s people had hailed their Master as a king but today they nailed him to a tree […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 35

He Knows My Eleventh Hour Request Scripture Reading:  Luke 23:32-43 Meditation In death, as in life, Jesus keeps company with sinners. Since his ministry began, the religious leaders have accused Jesus of hanging around the riffraff. When he talked about the value of lost things, the religious leaders were right there, watching with a legalistic […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 34

He Knows My Insults Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:16-32 Meditation Throughout the Passion of the Christ, insult upon insult is added to injury. During it all, Jesus stands silent. He’s like a lamb about to be taken to the slaughter. There is no response to the accusations. No words spoken in self-defense. Only silence. It’s the […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 33

He Knows My Neutrality Scripture Reading:  Matthew 27:11-26 Meditation Pontius Pilate is a good politician. As prefect of the Judean province, he knows whom to please and how best to please them. In his tenure, he has learned that the best political decisions aren’t always the morally right ones but the ones most expedient. Pilate […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 32

He Knows My Remorse Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:59-68; 27:1-10 Meditation The traitorous deed is done. The transaction between Judas and the High Priest is complete. The Son of Man is now in the hands of sinful men for the bargain price of thirty pieces of silver, compensation equivalent to that of a slave accidentally gored […]

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Forty Day Journey with Jesus: Day 31

He Knows My Denial Scripture Reading:  Mark 14:27-31,66-72 Meditation Tonight, Satan’s on the prowl and he’s salivating at the thought of a double portion—the Shepherd and his flock. Everyone knows that, once the Shepherd is gone, the sheep are easy prey. Attack Jesus and his disciples will scatter. “I will strike the shepherd; The sheep […]

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