Daily Readings at Southeast

Lost and Found By Danny Saavedra “Jesus answered, ‘I am   the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”— John 14:6 (NIV) Have you ever been lost? Maybe as a child, you wandered off at a store and ended up separated from your parents. Maybe you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up down a road you didn’t recognize. It’s possible the GPS you were using led you down the wrong path or you were given bad directions. If you’ve ever been lost, you know how frustrating and scary it is. There’s an uncertainty and confusion that comes with it. Many times, when people get lost, they’ll say things like, “How did I end up here?” “Where did I go wrong?” “How do I get to where I’m supposed to be?” For most people, when they get lost while by themselves it can be a very scary thing. Why? Because they feel isolated and alone. And if we’re being honest, there’s nothing scarier or worse than being alone. And when we find ourselves in a ...

  The Divine Drama By Danny Saavedra “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’”— 1 Corinthians 11:23–25 (NIV) Enjoying a great meal while celebrating a momentous day is a treat. Gathering with the people we love, celebrating, giving thanks, and sharing stories, memories, and dreams of the future is something we shouldn’t take for granted. It’s something we should cherish and get excited for. In today’s verse, the apostle Paul describes a festive family meal between Jesus and the disciples. The meal He’s describing is found in all four gospels and is commonly referred to as the Last Supper. But the occasion that brought Jesus, His disciples,...

  Clean Hands, Dirty Feet By Danny Saavedra “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end . . . Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.”— John 13:1, 3–5 (NIV) “It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it!” This expression essentially describes an unpleasant action that’s necessary, but no one wants to do. Have you ever had to do a dirty job? Cleaning a diaper is a dirty job, right? But literally someone has to do it!  Today we see Jesus doing a dirty job. In John 13, we’re told that jus...

  Turning the Tables By Danny Saavedra “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ He said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.’”— Matthew 21:12–13 (NIV) The word  zeal  isn’t one you hear very often. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to hear it come up in everyday conversation. The dictionary defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” Some related words include passion, vigor, intensity, devotion, fervor, and fire.  As Jesus’ final week began, His issues with the established religious order escalated, starting when He rode into Jerusalem on what we now affectionately call Palm Sunday. Things heated up more the following day, as Jesus walked into His Father’s house and saw those He referred to as “robbers” ...

  The Doorstep of Destiny By Danny Saavedra “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”— John 12:23 (NIV) Have you ever found yourself traveling down the road on your way to something you know will be a significant moment in your life? Maybe you were on your way to your first day of college or to interview for your dream job. Or maybe you were driving to your wedding or speeding to the hospital for the birth of your child.  Undoubtedly, this ride is different from your usual trip to the grocery store! Your heart is racing as your mind plays out every possible scenario. Imagine how Jesus must have felt as He traveled down the road about to enter Jerusalem, knowing that this road ultimately would end in His death. Jesus knew that He’d be betrayed, imprisoned, tortured, and killed, but He also knew that “the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” (John 12:23 NKJV). He was at the doorstep of the dream, on the precipice of God’s great plan . . . You...

DAY 30: TRUE SURRENDER Surrender: it's a word we don't like very much because it speaks of capitulation or compromise. Surrender implies loss, and in a world that glorifies winners we don't want to have anything to do with that. And yet God says to the believer, surrender your life to Me. In this sense, surrender involves complete dedication and consecration. True surrender involves getting off the throne of my life and saying, "Lord, take charge. Lord, You take command of my life." God is not a tyrant. He is our loving, holy and heavenly Father. We can trust Him with our families, with our future, and with our fears.  We may not always understand the what, when, how, and why of God's perfect will for our lives, but of this I am utterly sure: We can trust God to lead us well. God has a wonderful plan for our lives! When we give ourselves unreservedly to Him, He will do His very best for us.  The fact is, if we don't surrender to Jesus we'll surrender t...