Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two
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Lent Day Ten
Upper Room

Music
In the Upper Room – the Gatlin brothers

The Upper Room – Mahalia Jackson

Scripture

Luke 22:7-13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Preparation for Passover
7 Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it.”

9 “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked Him.

10 “Listen,” He said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.”

13 So they went and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Mark 14:12-16 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Matthew 26:17-19 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

An unnamed man, going about his business (carrying a water jug) leads the disciples to the house where the owner is willing to open up for Jesus! What is up with this? Do things like this really happen?

My story

Many years ago, back before cell phones existed and when Star Trek Communicator flip phones were still considered sci-fi fantasy, I was sitting in my home when there was a knock on my door. On the other side of the door stood a young man 19 or so, dressed and in the 70’s Jesus Freak style. He looked at me and said “you’re a Christian, right?”

I said “yes, I am. Why?”

He said “because God sent me to this house to ask to borrow your guitar so that I could share Jesus with someone down in the park that I’ve been ministering to.”

Dumbfounded!
Did I have a guitar?
Yes, I did.
It was committed to Jesus Christ.

Obviously I loaned him my guitar! Now there was a lot of walking involved because the guy had to walk at least four blocks to get to my house and I don’t know what part of the park.he was in. He had passed by easily two dozen houses. God told him to come to my house for a guitar. I provided the guitar(which God had provided for me in another story of his provision) and he went back and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ to somebody. Several hours later he, came back and returned my guitar.

To this day, I have no idea who that person was, who the person he was ministering to was, and what the outcome was. What I do know is how it felt to have someone show up at my door, stating that they knew that I was a Christian, that I had a guitar, and I would be willing to loan it to someone to spread the gospel.

Back to Jesus.

The passage starts with the disciples asking him what he wants done about Passover. So this isn’t an incident where Jesus had pre organized this guy showing up with a jug of water, going to a house ,and this house was already set it up. Jesus knew it was going to happen and it happened just like he said. Was it because  he had snuck away and talked to the owner and ask them to orchestrate this Grins and Giggles?

I take the Bible by faith. I believe what it says. Sometimes there’s a twist in my life that makes my walk a little bit more interesting. In this very case the twist for my ability to believe about the preparation for Passover is because I was that person to whom  Jesus sent a disciple to for a guitar to preach.

In contrast to No room at the Inn! This man had room for Jesus and His followers.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us!
For Now – He has prepared an upper room available to US – in His presence – to prepare us for our growth and purpose and fulfillment of our calling in Him!

Farmer’s Prayer with Sweet Hour of Prayer – Jimmy Dean
Sweet hour of Prayer – Radiance Acapella
Sweet Hour of Prayer – Casting Crowns

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Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

• Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
• Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

• Naomi’s Heart Ministries
• Obed’s House Ministries
• The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.