Reinventing Lent.. Day 1

Today begins my 40 day journey through this lent season with a group of guy from Kensington. Tonight in our Wednesday Experience, we heard Dan Kopp share an amazing thought from a priest that says, How you go through lent prepares you for Easter.

That is an amazing thought!! Taking 40 days to focus on God and not on myself puts me in a place where i am less and He is more. For me it isnt’ just about giving something up, but rather taking the road blocks out of the way so that I can focus in on growing into a deeper relationship with Jesus. So, over these next 40 days leading up to Good Friday, I will spend some time to share about what I am personally learning. It will be carrying a fine balance of living out what I am learning in day 1 from Matthew 6:1-18, where it gives us direction on how we talk & share about what we are doing in our spiritual life…t hat we are not bragging and trying to look like a big deal..

There were two things I did feel that I learned from Jesus’ time in the wilderness, which can be found in Luke 4:1-13 are.. Just because you know scripture doesn’t mean that it guides your life and temptation will come and go, but it  will be back.

Knowing It doesn’t mean anything…

^{Luke: 4: 9}The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
¹¹they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

I find it extremely interesting that the Devil quoted scripture (Psalm 91:11,12) to Jesus when he had been in the wilderness. But beyond that, I have heard many people scripture that really don’t believe it or that they are using it to argue with someone who really believes it. I won’t dive too deep into this tonight but it is an interesting thought!

It’ll Be Back…

Luke 4 ¹³When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

I feel like this one hits me like a “DUH” statement… Once you get past a temptation its only an amount of time before that temptation will return, and usually in those moments when your guard is down or when you are weak. Even Jesus dealt with that..

40 Days… Reinventing Lent Group

Hey fellas…

Tomorrow night, we will gather at Buffalo Wild Wings in Rochester at 7:30pm..

If you do not have your “40 Days.. Reinventing Lent” book, e-mail me by 3pm tomorrow and i’ll bring one for you… they are $3.00.

Also.. if you don’t have a book.. be sure to read Matthew 6: 1-18 and Luke 4: 1-13 just to prepare..

Rethinking Lent Group

It will start on Ash Wednesday…which by the way if you back up one day, is in many circles known as FAT TUESDAY….one of my personal favorite national holidays…why ? Because we get Punzchkis…You know the most delectable 1000 calorie gift from God?

OK, , how many of you celebrated lent….and how many people are painfully confused as to why they should have to give things up?   Well, here in lies the purpose of what we are attempting to do, we are encouraging you to read scriptures, journal & pray, and give something up.  I want to make something really clear here, we are asking you to engage in this not so that you are burdened by it, but because it is a gift to engage with the one that created you.   I believe many of us are stuck on our spiritual journey….(I was just thinking to myself of what a rut I am in), and I believe no matter where you are at on the spectrum with God, this is a great next step to be shaped and molded by God.  Scriptures say that we are to stay in step with the Spirit, and I believe this a a great way to engange in this….NOT because some pastor told you to do it, but because it is a means to understand what is in the bible and the person(s) it is about.

You can buy this journal out at the Resource Center’s at your campus. We would love for you to come there, but if you can’t please know that the services are also online for you to download.

HERE’s THE GAME PLAN…

Wednesday Experience.. you can do one of three things to participate in the Wednesday Experience.. 1. Attend at the Troy campus for one of the services at 6:30pm or 7:45pm  2. Check out the service at 6:30pm or 7:45pm on www.kensingtonchurch.tv  3. watch one of those services on the site before we meet on Thursday nights.

Thursday Gathering.. We will meet on Thursday Nights at Buffalo Wild Wings in Rochester Hills at 7:30pm. You can feel free to grab some wings, snacks or whatever and we’ll start chatting about 7:30-745pm and go for about 45 min or so.. then if you want to hang out afterwards we can do that too!

Drop me a note and let me know if you are interested in coming.. bryanwillmert@gmail.com or DM me on twitter