This is our contribution to the Lenten season, we are starting late because Lent officially started this year on Valentines Day and we were in a series already. So we are picking up on the 1st day of March, leading up to Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday. This will be a special 7 day a week series. This series was inspired by Dr. Billy Graham
The Give-Up Season series
Start Today!
Lent is the preparation time we as Christian use to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the greatest sacrifice given to man, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, the Son of God. The act of fasting is generally a period of time we set aside to devote to fine tuning our minds and bodies to hearing and considering God through His Holy Spirit (for more about fasting-Google it ;). Typically, we give up something for the fast to help us focus on how to deny ourselves. Most of our problems come from selfish desires, things we want, things we don’t want to let go of, and the list goes on. The prophet Joel outlines several things that we can meditate on for this devotional and this liturgical season. Can you give up something important to you? May you will catch the bus to work instead of driving? Can you give up that case of soda that is so much a part of your diet even though you are diabetic? Giving up something that you like for the cause of Christ is one of the most rewarding things that you can experience, even if it’s for 40-30 days. To enjoy Christ make Him first! Start today.
Joel 2:12-14
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?
The strong, Creator God (Genesis 1:1, 2), we look to You for direction and wisdom and for this we say thank You. We tear our hearts and not our garment because it's our hearts that need to be torn from selfish desires and for this we praise You. We decree and declare blessings for You are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and great of kindness, we look for Your return, so that the life that we live in this flesh we show forth Your Glory for the everlasting Kingdom. For the Kingdom we pray, with an anointing in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.
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