Initially in my calling to ministry I traveled full-time, preaching & teaching at churches, camps, conferences, and anywhere else that would have me. To prepare for this ministry I traveled with the evangelist Stephen Manley one summer as his intern. Stephen is an amazing man of God and was in the Word—soaking up the scriptures more than any person I have ever encountered, and you could tell. The name of his ministry was Cross Style Ministries.

On the left is a video of Stephen preaching. He’s pretty amazing. You can download his videos and listen to messages on the Cross Style website. Stephen is the best but there are a few other folks that are worth a listen in the Cross Style community. Check em' out.

Jeremiah Bolich and Billy Huddleston are two guys from this crew I especially love.
Here is a little video from Jeremiah that is perfect for todays reflection (it's on the right below).

There is no offical content for the day here on the web guide but this quote from the the book is so good I though I would post it again. And also encourage you to look around, where do you see signs of this cycle of life? It's Spring, are there things that are dead and which have laid fallow that you are excited to soon see? Are there signs up that new life bubbling up already? Keep your eyes open, even in the desert of Lent there are sign that point us to life, to resurrection.

"I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2

Here is the full meditation from Oswald Chambers entitled “Sanctification.”

#1,  The Death Side.

In sanctification God has to deal with us on the death side as well as on the life side. Sanctification requires our coming to the place of death, but many of us spend so much time there that we become morbid. There is always a tremendous battle before sanctification is realized—something within us pushing with resentment against the demands of Christ. When the Holy Spirit begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle starts immediately. Jesus said, “If anyone come to me and does not hate… his own life… he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

In the process of sanctification, the Spirit of God will strip me down until there is nothing left but myself, and that is the place of death. Am i willing to be myself and nothing more? Am i willing to have no friends, no father, no brother, and no self-interest—simply to be ready for death? That is the condition required for sanctification. No wonder Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). This is where the battle comes, and where so many of us falter. We refuse to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ on this point. We say, “But this is so strict. Surely He does not require that of me.” Our Lord is strict. and He does require that of us.

Am I willing to reduce myself down to simply “me”? Am i determined enough to strip myself of all that my friends think of me, and all that i think of myself? Am i willing and determined to hand over my simple naked self to God? Once i am, He will immediately sanctify me completely, and my life will be free from being determined and persistent toward anything except God (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

When i pray, “Lord, show me what sanctification means for me,” he will show me. It means being made one with Jesus. Sanctification is not something Jesus puts in me—it is Himself in me (see 1 Corinthians 1:30).

#2, The Life Side.

The mystery of sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once i enter by faith into the realization that He “become for [me]… sanctification….” Sanctification means nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life.

The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you…” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification—imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am i willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His presence, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy—it is drawing from jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, i slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness—”…kept by the power of God…” (1 Peter 1:5)

—From My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

A little extra Bonhoeffer is never a bad thing

—Meditations of the Cross by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

—From Lose, Love, Live by Dan Moseley

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I wanted to find a thought provoking video the centered on the cross. I couldn’t find much that wasn’t  a) cheesy or b) that didn’t just show a lot of clips from The Passion of the Christ with Hillsong music overtop of it. 

I found this little intro video from a church that was kinda cool and hopefully thought provoking.  

If you have any videos that are thought provoking on the Cross of Christ I'd love to see it!
Share it on twitter with the #LentJourney and mention me @erikwillits

ALSO, here is Bishop Robert Barron talking about the cross and Isis.
This is a pretty amazing word, check it out! 

Since it's Palm Sunday I wanted to give you a few images to ponder or use... 

My hope is that you are apart of a Church or community that is taking this lenten journey together, Sunday have that in mind and I will simply point you back to week ones Sunday post, linking you to reading and resources for your journey. 

As mentioned, the Sunday readings in your book are for year B of the Revised Common Lectionary. 
The best place to find all of these years & readings listed are CRI / The Voice website

The Church Year begins with Advent in November/December.
Take a quick look at the breakdown of years from the Revised Common Lectionary.
Click on the years below to take you to the Sunday readings you are looking for.
Year A:   2016-2017, 2019-2020
Year B:  2017-2018; 2020-2021
Year C:   2015-2016; 2018-2019

For more Sunday resources refer to the post for the 1st Sunday in Lent.