What is Lent?

What is Lent?

 

 My Crown of thorns plant that was started from a clipping from my Mom's plant and is now at least 3 feet tall.  It blossoms continually.  The thorns represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red blossoms, His drops of blood.  I love this plant as a daily reminder of our Lord.

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• Lent is the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter
• Sunday, during which Christians purify themselves
• by praying, fasting, repenting of their sins, and
• making changes and sacrifices in their lives. 
• The final week of Lent is called Holy Week; during
• this period, observant Christians reflect specifically
• on the last days of Jesus Christ's life.
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• It is a good thing to repent of sinful activities, but that’s something Christians should do every day, not just during Lent. It’s a good thing to clearly identify oneself as a Christian, but, again, this should be an everyday identification. And it is good to remember that no ritual can make one’s heart right with God.
  
  LENT. The word "Lent" is derived from Old English lencten, meaning 'spring', the lengthening of days after winter is over. This was a period of spring fasting known in Old English as Lencten-Fasten, or in its abbreviated form, as Lencten or Lent. The ecclesiastical name for this once mandatory period of fasting is the Quadragesimal Fast, or the fast of the Forty Days, in imitation of the forty days of fasting performed by Jesus in the wilderness.

Yoder, Don. "Lent." Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 25 Feb. 2013<http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

My hubby used to tease me by saying he was giving

up stewed hummingbird wings for lent.  It is pledge to

yourself and to the Lord that you are giving something up for 40 days in His name and is a very good discipline for our mind and bodies.  

Many years ago, I was a light smoker and knew I 

should stop.  I quit for 3 yrs. twice but then went 

back to it again when stressed.  Well on the third try, 

I promised God I would not smoke any longer and you 

cannot go back on a promise to God.  I was 

successful and do not smoke to this day,giving it up 

at least 30 years ago.  I am grateful that Lent gave me 

the choice of giving up something that was not good 

for me.

   Making a small sacrifice for our Lord is easy to do

and very gratifying.  It is insignificant in comparison

to what Jesus gave for us, but large in a show of our

faith.

   I will not share what I have given up for this Lenten

season as the Bible instructs us not to wear our

fasting as a burden, to be cheerful.

  Thank you for coming and I hope you have been

blessed today.

My Christian heart to yours...

The Great Commission

Today I am thinking about the Lord's Great Commission.  Do you know what that is?  I hope so but many do not know.  Before our Lord came to earth as a man and flesh, the Jews were taught that they were God's chosen people and that God and the Messiah, if and when he came, was only to be shared with their own people. And they were God's chosen people but they did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

Matthew 28:16-20

New International Version (NIV)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

But After the Son came, we were taught that the gospel should be preached to ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD, even the Gentiles (persons of non-Jewish heritage and beliefs).

Luke 24:46-48  "And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day; and that this message of salvation should be taken from Jerusalem to all the nations: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.  You have seen these prophesies come true."

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
  There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust Him to save them.  But those who do not trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God."

When I did my 2 year Bible Teacher's course back in the early 1980's, I had trouble memorizing the important points, (there are so many!) in John as there was so much material to cover.  So I made up a song of the concepts:

I cannot write music so you will have to wonder at the tune to this-ha!

♫The Word was made flesh
    I am the bread of life
    I am the Light of the World
    I came so that they might have life.
    I am the good shep-herd.
    Washing the disciples feet
    Love one another as I have loved you

   The Spirit will guide you into all truth,
   The high priestly prayer. ♫

The chapter of John is often called the "I Am" Chapter because it tells exactly what Jesus is.  What a blessing!  Read John and see how many of the concepts in my little song you can find.

So much in this gospel touches my heart!  Bread of Life-Jesus sustains us and nourishes us.  Light of the world-we do not have to dwell in the darkness of sin, we can walk in His light that shines everywhere!  I came so that they might have life- Jesus came not to punish but to guide us to eternal life with the Father in Heaven.  I am the good Shepherd- Jesus watches over us just as the shepherd watches over his flock, night and day, and searches for a lost lamb until he finds him and returns him to the fold.

Washing the disciples feet--I love this one.  Jesus in the role of the Servant.  He is showing the great love he has for the disciples, that he serves them because he loves them by the act of washing their feet even though He is the Son of God!  It was a custom in bible times to wash a visitor's feet when they came into the house after walking a long distance on dusty roads.  It was a humbling experience.  I used to wash my husband's feet sometimes at Easter time and he was both surprised and humbled by the experience as I felt filled with the Spirit performing such a simple act and taking the role of a servant for a few moments.....

As we approach the Lenten season, I hope you take something away from my blog today, food for thought, an inspiration, a yearning for the Word, the desire to be closer to Jesus and the Father.

Praying for you all and please write if you have special needs for prayer. God Bless and love, 

My Christian heart to yours...

Babies are miracles...

Sofiah was born Monday 1/28/2013, my first Great Granddaughter!  What a miracle, a perfect little girl.  Her parents, granddaughter Jessica and Christopher are proud as punch and enjoying their little bundle from heaven.  I am so thankful for this new life.

God performs miracles every day and if we look, listen and learn, we will find them.  Counting my blessings today:
I survived a year without my Sweet Bill.
My first Great Granddaughter arrived.
I am thankful for all of my children and grandchildren.
I have learned 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus ♫
The beautiful sunshine and a Merganser duck couple          swimming in the little lake behind my home.

For all of my friends and family.

For my little Chi, Lilly who helps with my loneliness.

For blog friends...

And for our Lord and savior Jesus ♥

Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently for God to help me; then he listened and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God."

Psalm 34:17,19 "Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of his troubles-he has them too.  But the Lord helps him in each and every one."

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and he will give you peace and comfort.

My Christian heart to yours...