It's Holy Week 2012. This is a vitally important week every year for born again Christians. Holy Week should set the tone for every other week of the year. This week encompasses the core of Christian belief. Everything in the Old Testament and the majority of the Gospels is aimed at this week. Everything else in the New Testament flows from this week. Holy Week stands as the central point in the space time continuum in the life of a Christian.

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday was named for the triumphal entrance of Jesus as He came into Jerusalem just five days before He would be arrested, tried, killed and buried. The reason we call it Palm Sunday is because the people in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches as He rode in humbly on the back of a donkey. Palm branches were symbols of peace. It was a prophetic sign that Jesus was coming as the great Peacemaker.

In my reflection of this account (which can be found in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:28-44 & John 12:12-18), Jesus ushered in the peace of God in a way that we would not naturally expect. What Jesus did on Palm Sunday became a snapshot of Jesus' character, which is the outline for our personal character development.

1. Jesus came humbly. Jesus never fails to show us that the way of God's Kingdom comes through humility. The donkey was a dramatic statement of humility in contrast to the leaders and warriors of the day who preferred the image of power that comes with riding in on a mighty horse. Jesus preferred the humble approach. This week, as we journey through Holy Week, may we embrace the humility of Jesus. May we recognize that peace with God does not come by our striving but through our surrender. The only glory we have is what we find when we are hidden in Him. Jesus modeled willing surrender to accomplish the will of the Father.

2. Jesus was no victim. Jesus clearly states in John 10:18 that "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord..." Jesus was NOT a victim. He was a willing sacrifice. He entered into Jerusalem victorious. When Jesus showed up, the promise was as good as done. Holy Week starts with the atmosphere of victory as if Jesus wanted us to keep victory in mind all week.

3. Jesus was "Hosanna" in real time. "Hosanna" means "Lord, save now." The people, palm branches in hand, could not have known the truth in their praise that "Hosanna" was happening in front of their eyes. The entry of Jesus was the actual event of Jesus coming to save. The cry of God's people for generations answered in that moment. This is the hope we breathe in during Holy Week. Jesus did come. He did save. And hope is offered to the world through the Good News of the Gospel that sinners have been given their Savior. Hosanna!

I encourage you to pray and welcome God to work in your life this Holy Week. He is eager to recreate His peace in your life. 

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This past Sunday at Highpoint Church, we started a 40-day emphasis called "The 7:14 Experiment." The idea came from the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. The goal is to rally our church to pray in a very intentional way. Very simply praying in the attitude and posture of 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Even if you don't attend Highpoint, this prayer emphasis may be a needed step in your journey with Christ.

Let's understand this passage phrase by phrase...

"If my people who are called by my name..."
God establishes a condition here. He invites us to step into the attitude and posture of those who are dependent on Him. He refers to "my people" as a reference to those who are connected in relationship to Him, i.e. "called by my name." There are positive consequences "IF" we go His way.

"humble themselves"
Hands down, this is one of the most challenging issues for us as sinful, selfish people. We don't want humility. We want pride. We want attention. We want OUR way. Yet here God invites us away from selfishness and into humility. Humility postures us to recognize God as Almighty, Powerful, In control, and Sovereign. So, "IF" we humble ourselves, there is a promise attached...but first...

"and pray"
Humility drives us to a place where we bring God the matters, we once attempted to handle on our own. What our insecurities, selfishness, pride and arrogance fought to achieve, we humble ourselves and petition God based on the confidence of His love for us. We must pray. We must talk it over with God. We must recognize HE is God and we are not. ...but there's more...

"and seek my face"
The simple fact that He directs us to seek His face means we are seeking something else. This is a corrective statement. Think about what you are seeking. Is it the face of God? Why would we seek God's face? Because it's a relational command. I often tell my children to look at me. Why? Because I don't just want them to hear me; I want them to see me. To look in my eyes and read my face, to connect my heart with my words. So, our heavenly Father is no different. He wants us to seek HIM, not simply His blessings. It's easy to seek His hands (what He does for me) and seeking His heart (who He is to me). And yet, there is more...

"and turn from their wicked ways..."
This is where our seeking of God becomes practical. We must recognize the Holiness of God. The desire for God and the desire for sin are incompatible. In order to seek God, we must "turn from our wicked ways" (AKA repentance) or else our "seeking" is just talk. Every one of us should welcome the spotlight of God to illuminate our wicked ways in order to turn from them. I hate to see my junk as much as you, but it's part of the path of seeking God. What do you need to turn from?

"then I will hear from heaven..."
The condition is followed by God's attentive ear. A basic theological reality is that God gives His attention to the humble. He listens to us. God hears prayer. Do you have this confidence when you pray? Do you pray humbly and boldly, knowing God is listening?

"and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
His hearing comes with a response. He is not passive. He is not unable. He loves to forgive. He loves to bring healing to people. God answers prayer! Do you believe this? Praying changes things...don't ask me how all that works with the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent God...but it does. I believe we lack certain things from God because we fail to ask, and our asking is less than humble. I think God gets lots of prayers that are really statements of independence shrouded in pious language. We should truly obey this passage and humble ourselves.

Take the challenge.
An intentional time of prayer is the central discipline of the "7:14 Experiment." The goal would be to establish a time each day to literally get on your knees to pray and embody the attitude and posture of this passage. That's right, on your knees. Praying on your knees doesn't make you more spiritual. It does; however, serve as a physical reminder of your place in the presence of the Living God. Will you take the challenge? Take a moment - even 5 minutes - to pray on your knees. Confess and forsake your sins before God. Ask God to work mightily in your life and those around you. Take time to pray for those needs you are aware of in your family, friends and church's life.

Here are some specific things to pray about for Highpoint Church.  

• Holy Week: Pray for hundreds of people to trust Christ and follow the Lord in baptism.  
• New Series in April - Potential: Can you still fulfill?: Pray for every Highpointer to make specific commitments and actions to fulfill their potential in Christ.   
• Building for the Future: Pray for us to purchase Briarcrest by the end of May and begin renovations this summer.  

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When I wrote and produced the Giant Love book, I could have never predicted the response. The first printing sold out in less than two weeks. God is using this unique resource to create an opportunity for the Gospel to reach the next generation in a way that makes sense to kids. I constantly pray that God will use this simple book to bring thousands of children, and even parents, to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. If you don't own a copy, please order your copy here. If you do own a copy, please help spread the word (repost this blog or send people directly to www.giantlovebook.com) to get this book in the hands of a child.

Giant Love Easter Giveaway
As Easter 2012 is approaching, I have prayed for ways to expand the reach of this vital Gospel resource. The result of my prayers is what I’m calling the “Giant Love Easter Giveaway.”

Every church faces the reality that families will walk through the doors on Easter perhaps never to come again or maybe at Christmas or the following Easter. This means we as pastors, ministry leaders and volunteers have a small window to deliver the Gospel and see transformation. The “Giant Love Easter Giveaway” offers a way to make the most of this small window of opportunity. Imagine if every "Easter only" child receives the Giant Love book as a gift the one-day of the year they come to church. The simple gift of this book to a child means they walk away with a compelling Gospel resource in hand. The one thing we can count on is a parent reading stories to their kids. Giant Love puts the Gospel into a story perfect for kids! Better yet, a child will hear the Gospel through the loving voice their parents. There is no greater way we can partner with families that this!

Your Part. I’m asking churches across our city to commit to the “Giant Love Easter Giveaway” by pre-purchasing a minimum of 25 copies of Giant Love so every child that comes to your church for the first time on Easter Sunday goes home with the Gospel. We have discounted the price of the book dramatically to make this vision happen. This price is not available to the public but is dramatically less than retail. Churches are already getting on board with this and there is still time for you. Please contact us here ASAP to participate in the "Giant Love Easter Giveaway!" 

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