Tag: Lent

How Do We Pray for Others during Lent?

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On this first Sunday of Lent, let your hearts and minds focus on prayer. Lent is a good time to reflect on what Christ has done for you and for you to lift up others before Him. There are many examples of how to pray for others in the Bible. Today let’s start with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in Ephesians 1:15-17 to start. “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers; 17 [I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son].” AMP version

Paul is giving thanks in his prayer: ** for their faith, their love of people, that their wisdom would increase, that their insight into the things of God and God himself would be increased.

Who can you pray these things for today? Do you know someone who is floundering in their faith and needs a good dose of assurance? Do you know people who genuinely love people and show it in their words and actions? If so thank God for them and their witness in the world as their deeds and actions show Jesus to them. Do you know someone who could benefit from a Bible Study or Home group to help them dig deeper into His Word? Praying for insightful growth is significant and needed by all Christians- pray for those the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

May this first Sunday of Lent give you a new perspective and appreciation for your brothers and sisters in Christ and how they serve the Lord Jesus. May your thanks abound today. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can always bring our needs and those of others to Jesus.

Linda

Beginning Lent with LOVE!

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I love this Valentine and see it as a fitting way to begin our Lenten Journey. We received this love gift from God our Father. Our response to His love is partly what Lent is about. How grateful are we for His extreme sacrifice to send His only Son to save us? 

Shouldn’t we pause our day, more than once, to say I love you to the ones we care about? We could all use a valentine, to be loved and cherished by someone. We are very fortunate that we all have our heavenly Father who loves us beyond measure and expressed his great love by sending Jesus. Jesus explained God’s love in John 3:16-17.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that who ever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For He did not sent his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”  John 3:16-17  

How much more love could God show towards us than sacrificing His only Son on our behalf?  He loved us that much.   He sent Him so that through faith in Jesus we could be saved and not condemned.  Only sinless Jesus could erase our sin and present us whole and perfectly clean before our Holy God.

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When you say ‘thank you’ today for a Valentine gift you receive, a card, note, flowers or someone simply saying ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’, think about thanking God too.  Thank Him for sending Jesus.  Thank Him for making a way for your salvation and eternal life with Him.   That is the best Valentine I can think of that is filled with all of God’s love for now throughout eternity.

Blessings on this Valentine’s Day.

Linda

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have an eternal Valentine in Jesus. Praise God for His abundant and abounding LOVE!

Getting Ready for Lent 2024

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I love the Lenten Season as it causes me to focus on the great price Jesus paid for my freedom. The access I have to the Father and the relationship I have with Him was restored by Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Jesus conquered death so I can live. The debt I owe Jesus can never be paid in full, but the marvelous thing is He gives it to me as a gift. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—” Praise God!!

This year I will be blogging daily using passages from the Psalms. As I was reading through the Bible last year, I made note of psalms that spoke to me. When I looked at the list, I saw a perfect list of reflection to use during Lent. I hope you will join me for the daily focus on who Jesus is and what His death and resurrection means to me- right now, right today!

Lent begins on Wednesday- Valentine’s Day and I will begin with a perfect Valentine for you and me.

Join me daily during Lent. Wednesday February 14 to Easter Sunday March 31.

Linda

Getting Ready for Lent 2023, Come join me on a journey into Isaiah

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As I approach the Lenten Season and prepare my heart, I have been in prayer about what direction God has for my writing. In the past I have done short books in the New Testament, Psalm passages, Attributes of God, provisions I have in Christ, etc. This year God has laid on my heart to dive into the book of Isaiah. I have loved the poetic nature of Isaiah since first studying it with Bible Study Fellowship in about 2005. A lot of it seems very difficult to understand and filled with judgement, yet it remains one of my favorites as it constantly reminds me of God’s power, might and love. There are promises to claim from this wonderful book and you gain a glimpse of God not seen elsewhere in regard to God’s person and His Son. It is filled with prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ when he was on earth and more looking towards His future return. It is a book of hope that can and does speak to us today.

Here are some fun facts I learned recently:

The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 Chapters.

Isaiah is easily divided into 2 sections like the Old and New Testaments. Chapters 1-39 are about the coming judgement for sin and the anticipation of the hope that is coming in Christ (like the Old Testament message) and 40-66 tells us of the coming Christ and his kingdom (like the New Testament). The first section has 39 chapters like the Old Testament has 39 books and the second section has 27 chapters like the 27 books of the New Testament.

The book of Isaiah is often referred to as the gospel of the Old Testament as its message shows us the coming gospel message and its messenger, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1:18-20 gives us a glimpse into God’s heart and His provision of hope. He desires that we come to Him for cleansing and renewal. He then warns us that without intervention from the Holy One of Israel, God Almighty, we will be perish. Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save us.

“Come now, let’s settle this,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
    I will make them as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey me,
    you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
    you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Isn’t that what Lent is all about? It is a time for humbling ourselves before Almighty, Holy God with a repentant heart. Seeking Him and what He has for us, redemption, and cleansing which we cannot obtain on our own.

As we look towards Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season may you anticipate a message from God for your heart from Isaiah.

Linda

Lent…Our Lenten journey will begin on Ash Wednesday (Hey, that is tomorrow!)

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Are you ready to begin your 6 week journey towards the cross? Here are some suggestions by Pope Francis that I found thought provoking and challenging. I have posted his words before and find them so right for this moment on the eve of Lent. I’ll begin my blog posts of my Lenten journey called “Put it on me Please, Lord Jesus” tomorrow. Let Pope Francis’ words motivate you as you seek to prepare your heart and mind for this time of reflection, repentance and thanksgiving.

Be prepared- pray and think about fasting from one of the above during this Lenten season. I will challenge you even more on the first day of Lent.

Linda

Lent 2021 Are you ready to begin?

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Are you ready to begin your 6 week journey towards the cross? Here are some suggestions by Pope Francis that I found thought provoking and challenging. I’ll begin my blog posts with my journey through Colossians tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, but I thought these ideas might spark your thinking and help you prepare your heart and mind.

Be prepared- pray and think about fasting from one of the above during this Lenten season.

Linda

A Little Heart Check before Lent-join me!

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February is a month that retailers, florists and card makers would like us to focus on love. Valentine’s Day is big business. They capitalize on the desire of people to find ways to express their love and friendship towards one another. God desires that we have a right heart before Him and attitudes, feelings and joys of the heart are of importance to Him. Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Our devotion and love for God is to be paramount in our daily walk with Him. As we move towards the Lenten season which begins on Ash Wednesday, the 17 of February this year, I want to spend a few weeks talking about our hearts and seeing that they are realigned to Him before Lent begins. Join me on this brief look at the heart and be sure yours is in line with God and His desires for you.

What is the true nature of the heart?  Scripture teaches the hard truth of what our hearts are like because of sin.  Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;  who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart  and test the mind,  to give every man according to his ways,  according to the fruit of his deeds.”  God knows the true nature of our hearts and is the only one who can transform a sin sick heart.  He searches our heart, tests our mind and will evaluate us according to our deeds.  This does not mean we have to earn our salvation.  It means there will be a day of accounting where God looks at our actions.  We are clean and purified by the blood of Christ, so He will not be looking at sin, but at our heart for Him.   What causes you to do good or hard things for God?  Is it love, devotion, thankfulness, or zeal for the gospel?  

I totally identify with David’s plea to God in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.”  By nature our hearts are filled with sin but God can create a clean heart within us.  Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can be transformed by faith in Him.  Jesus is our pathway to cleansing, restoration and hope.  Just like David, we have to desire it and ask God for it.  He promises to renew our hearts and make them pure, and committed to Him.

Will you ask Him today to create a clean heart within you?  It will be a new beginning and a step that pleases God, renews and revitalizes life, and brings hope and restoration.  Ask Him today.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, I believe you have the power to transform my heart and make me clean and pure.  Root out the sin that plagues me and bring me into a vibrant relationship with you.  Create in me a clean heart that will be devoted and steadfast in loving you.  Create in me a new life with new desires and new hopes that are firmly placed in you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Linda

Travel with me to Ephesus this Lent

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IMG_3519
Ancient forum and roadway where Paul would have walked and preached.

Walk with me during Lent through the book of Ephesians as we meditatively think about all that we have and are in Christ.   Let’s look at the unity of the body of believers growing there as Paul preached and taught for 2 years.  Later John also came to Ephesus and lived among the believers.  We will see the aspects of who we are in Christ, what place the body of believers called the church is to God and finish with the wonderful words about the armor available to us in Christ.  Each day we will see the amazing provisions and position we have because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead.

As we begin this Ash Wednesday, let’s look at Ephesians 1:1-2.  Paul introduces himself in the letter, tells who he’s writing to and pronounces a preliminary greeting that is typical of his writing.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Put yourself in Ephesus and become one of the believers who received this letter from the Apostle Paul.  He is addressing you as a saint, a faithful believer and he is sending greetings of grace and peace from God.  Do you think of yourself as a saint?  The New Testament repeatedly refers to believers as ‘saints’.  He also attributes faithfulness to their walk of faith.  How would you describe your daily walk with Jesus?  Are you faithful?  Paul also sends you grace,  which is God’s unmerited favor,  and His peace.  What precious gifts these are.  How will you use or experience God’s favor today?  Will you rest in His peace?   As Ephesians opens we see that because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can be His saints and faithfully, walk in His grace and experiencing His peace.  Praise God!

Walk with me towards the cross, contemplating our sinfulness and His blameless character.  Join me in daily meditation and prayer for these coming 40 days of repentance and focus on who God desires us to be because of Jesus and His sacrifice.

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Paul would have stood on the library steps surrounded by enormous stone work, telling of the might and power of Jesus.

Let’s journey towards the cross together.

Linda

Join me for an Ephesians Filled Lent- prepare your hearts as Lent begins tomorrow!

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Each year I blog daily during the Lenten Season.   Writing for 40 days causes me to be committed and focused on my Savior, and it is not so easily accomplished that I can fake my way through it.  I need to rely upon Jesus to see me through the 40 days.

As Lent approaches each year, I pray about what message God wants me to focus on as I look to ephesiansfindingidentitythe cross.  This year He has led me to the book of Ephesians.  It has 6 chapters and I plan to look at selected verses during the 6 weeks of Lent.  As a whole Ephesians is a book filled with encouragement for Christian living and unity that God desires to be present in the church.  I am looking forward to this journey beginning tomorrow on Ash Wednesday February 26.

Plan to join me!

Linda

Mercy is ours. Thank you Jesus.

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Because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, I have received mercy.  What mercy have I received?  By definition, mercy is kindness or compassionate treatment; relief from suffering.  Before I knew Jesus as my Savior, I was a condemned person.  Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all sinners before a holy God.  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”  Romans 6:23 tells us that sin has to be atoned or paid for and Jesus paid the price for my sin and treated me mercifully.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  I did nothing to deserve His act of mercy towards me.  Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  

1 Peter 1:9-10 explains this state of mercy I received because of Jesus in a beautiful way. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  How glorious it is to be the recipient of God’s mercy.  He treats me with His loving kindness and rescued me from eternal condemnation.  

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for giving and treating me with your eternal mercy and loving kindness. Open my eyes today to receive your marvelous light and treat others as you have treated me.  Amen.

Linda

popefrancis1Suggestion:  Try to grab hold of God’s mercy today in a new way.  Pray for an opportunity to do a random act of kindness or mercy towards someone.  That means look for ways to act with kindness/mercy when it would be unexpected,  like going out of your way to help someone without them even asking for help.  Be open to giving out mercy in God’s name today.