The observance of Lent has become part of the rhythm of life at East Hills Alliance Church, and we welcome you to join with us during this season. Traditionally lasting for six weeks prior to the celebration of Easter, Lent allows us to turn toward God by taking practical steps to make room in our lives for him. One way that you can do this is by stepping aside from something during this time. Then, consider what God would want you to step into, as you refill your life with something positive. What if, for the next six weeks, you intentionally chose joy instead of anxiety? What if you disengaged from social media and spent time in prayer? What if you stepped aside from watching that favorite tv show and used that time to connect with family, read the Bible, or simply go for a walk? Whatever your practical steps, we encourage you to balance them by using this devotional guide. Each week focuses on a different topic and includes selected Scriptures supplemented with other devotional material. After reflecting on the readings, you will have space to record thoughts and prayers that come to mind. At the end of Lent, you will have a record of your own journey through this season. May each of us be blessed, challenged, and encouraged as we seek God during Lent.

Week 1: Joy Luke 4:16-19 16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the LORD's favor has come." Ps 95:1-3, 6-7 1 Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. 3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. 6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. “We spend too much of our lives in anticipation of a time that is to come: a vacation, a day off, a weekend, and we miss the joy of the present. Begin to celebrate breath and water and food and now.” –From Disciplines for the Inner Life

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Week 2: Faith Luke 8:22-25 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm! 25 Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" The disciples were terrified and amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!" Isa 26:3-4 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. “Our Lord asks great faith from us, and he is right. We owe him great faith. After Our Lord said ‘Come’ to him, Peter had no more fear and walked upon the waters. So that when Jesus has quite certainly called us…we need fear nothing, but should attack the most insurmountable obstacles without hesitation.” – From A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.

Notes & Reflections:

Week 3: Confession Matt 9:1-7 9 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven." 3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, "That's blasphemy! Does he think he's God?" 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" 7 And the man jumped up and went home! Isa 55:6-7 6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. 7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. “Here in the presence of Almighty God, I kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient heart confess my sins, so that I may obtain forgiveness by your infinite goodness and mercy. Amen.” -From A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.

Notes & Reflections:

Week 4: Commitment Mark 8:34-35 34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.” Deut 10:12-13 12 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 13 And you must always obey the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

“Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days; Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of thy love. Take my feet, and let them be Swift and beautiful for thee.”

- From the hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be”, by Frances Ridley Havergal and Henri Abraham Cesar Malan

Notes & Reflections:

Week 5: Dependence John 15:4-5 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Ps 62:5-8 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. “Almighty God, through the power of your Holy Spirit you enable us to do and be more than we can think or imagine. Come now, dwell within us, and make us strong to do your work and will. Amen.” –From A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.

Notes & Reflections:

Week 6: Sacrifice Mark 15:16-20 16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor's headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18 Then they saluted him and taunted, "Hail! King of the Jews!" 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. Isa 53:5-6 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. “If we are not walking in the way of the cross, we are not following Him: we are not treading in his steps; but going back from, or at least wide of, Him.” –From Disciplines for the Inner Life

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East Hills Alliance Church 1405 Burcham St., Kelso, WA, 98626 360-423-0521 | easthillsalliance.org office@easthillsalliance.org