February 27th, 2023
by Sarah Turner
by Sarah Turner

Day 6
Monday, February 27
John 3:1-21
1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish leader. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could do these miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew,[a] it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How is it possible for an adult to be born? It’s impossible to enter the mother’s womb for a second time and be born, isn’t it?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom.6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s Spirit[b] blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said, “How are these things possible?”
10 “Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and you don’t know these things? 11 I assure you that we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you don’t receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Human One.[c]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Human One[d] be lifted up 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. 17 God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son.
19 “This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. 20 All who do wicked things hate the light and don’t come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. 21 Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God.”
Reflection
When God gave us Jesus, he gave us his only son. He did it all out of his love for us. God doesn’t judge his believers, he loves them, and in turn we need to trust him. It’s easy enough to believe, but it is much harder to trust. You can say that you believe and leave it at that. If nothing else, you believe that God knows what he’s doing with your life. But trusting is a very different and more difficult thing to accomplish. Trusting means understanding that you cannot have full control, and God has power and can help guide us. Giving anyone your full trust is not an easy thing to do. We want to take control for ourselves and not put it in the hands of someone else. However, God is still in control. Even when things get hard in life, we have to remember that God will help guide us, and it will all be okay in the end. No matter how difficult, if we put our trust in God, he will help bring light into our lives and give us his unconditional love.
By Mia Fauss
Monday, February 27
John 3:1-21
1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish leader. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could do these miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew,[a] it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How is it possible for an adult to be born? It’s impossible to enter the mother’s womb for a second time and be born, isn’t it?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom.6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s Spirit[b] blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said, “How are these things possible?”
10 “Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and you don’t know these things? 11 I assure you that we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you don’t receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Human One.[c]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Human One[d] be lifted up 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. 17 God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son.
19 “This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. 20 All who do wicked things hate the light and don’t come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. 21 Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God.”
Reflection
When God gave us Jesus, he gave us his only son. He did it all out of his love for us. God doesn’t judge his believers, he loves them, and in turn we need to trust him. It’s easy enough to believe, but it is much harder to trust. You can say that you believe and leave it at that. If nothing else, you believe that God knows what he’s doing with your life. But trusting is a very different and more difficult thing to accomplish. Trusting means understanding that you cannot have full control, and God has power and can help guide us. Giving anyone your full trust is not an easy thing to do. We want to take control for ourselves and not put it in the hands of someone else. However, God is still in control. Even when things get hard in life, we have to remember that God will help guide us, and it will all be okay in the end. No matter how difficult, if we put our trust in God, he will help bring light into our lives and give us his unconditional love.
By Mia Fauss
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Archive
2025
January
Happy New Year // M-Note 1.4.2025Cancel the Noise // M-Note 1.11.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 1The Beloved Community // M-Note 01.18.2025Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 2What A Coincidence // M-Note 1.25.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 3Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 4The Original Influencer // M-Note 2.1.25
February
The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 1Exploring New Sites…And You’re Invited // M-Note 2.8.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 2Uncovering Implicit Bias // M-Note 2.15.2025A "Flurry" of Activity // M-Note 2.22.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 3The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 4
March
Beloved Community Action Steps // M-Note 3.1.25Vulnerability & Wilderness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 1Trusting the Spirit's Lead | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 2Courageous Connection | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 3What's Your Emotional IQ? // M-Note 3.8.25The Spaces Between Us | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 4Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 1Jesus Weeps With You | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 5When Sadness Lingers | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 6Lurking in the Shadows | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 7Cycles of Life and Death | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 8Inked in Memory | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 9The Void of Grief | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 10Sending Forth // M-Note 3.15.25Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 2Journey Not Alone | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 11Friends Along the Way | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 12The Loneliness of Fear | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 13Not Through With You Yet | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 14Clinging to Hope | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 15Bring It To The King | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 16Pray When Unsteady | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 17Courage to Stand for Faith | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 18Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 3A Holy Rage | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 19Focus on What is Holy | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 20Fast for Justice and Kindness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 21The World is Harsh and Beautiful | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 22I Feel Sorry for Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 23Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 4i flipped a table once | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 24Ain’t Got Nothin’ | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 25Spring Forward in Faith // M-Note 3.29.25Visio Divina | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 26Everlasting Joy Sealed in Your Heart | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 27
April
Sometimes Joy is Simply Doing Your Best | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 28An Unexpected Gift of Spring | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 29When Joy Flows Freely | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 30Easter Challenge // M-Note 4.5.25Joy Even When It Rains | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 31Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 5Joy Entwined with Loss | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 32When Betrayal is Part of the Plan | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 33Healing From Disappointment | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 34Betraying Others is Betraying Yourself | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 35A Sarcastic Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 36Have Compassion for Yourself | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 37Another Easter Challenge // M-Note 4.12.25A Disappointing Disciple | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 38When We Disappoint Others | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 39Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 6The Belief of Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 40The Value of Praise | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 41Through the Eyes of Those Who Knew Him | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 42Feeling Called Out | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 43Where Was Judas? | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Maundy ThursdayEaster Discussion GuideEasterSTL @The Factory Pro-Tips // M-Note 4.18.25Today is Not the End of the Story | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Good Friday
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5
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