Lent 40 Days, a Personal Time for Reflection and Change
I Desire to Do Your Will, O My God; Your Law is Within My Heart!!!
First Edition for 2010
Living a New Life in Jesus Christ
This edition is dedicated to: Ash Wednesday (Celebrated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010)
Lent 40 Days, a Personal Time for Reflection and Change:
In the beginning of Lent they talked to us about a '‘Desert'" a time of spiritual searching, meditation, the reviving of our faith, learning to listen quietly, the renewing of our hearts and reading the Word of God, the Bible. What is the Bible telling us??? To know and better understand the Word we must make time alone with God through Jesus Christ to reflect on all that Jesus has done for us on the cross because of His great Love for us. We must ask God forgiveness for our sins, He whom we have so often offended. Ask forgiveness to all those we have offended and forgive all those who have offended us. Have faith, repent and turn away from all of your sins. Does my conduct reflect in me a true disciple of Jesus Christ ??? You must through Jesus Christ "Be Reborn again, Put on the New Man, get rid of your old evil nature and its wicked deeds!!!!!!!” God proposes a new alliance with humanity, Jesus Christ, providing new life and transforming us everyday. We are heading towards Easter and through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
we are being regenerated and given a new life. We need to remove the dust that blinds and leads us away from the eternal truth and give our souls a true and good springtime cleaning.
Be faithful in your rendez- vous with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord Put Within Us A New Heart and A New Spirit!!!!!!!
Change Our Hearts of Stone into Pure and Supple Hearts
Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.Lent, Forty Days of Preparation that Leads Us to Easter Sunday.
A time of reflection, a time of silence, being alone with God.A time of Fasting, giving Alms and Prayer.A time of Repentance, turning away from sins. A time of Confession, Penitence with Forgiveness of sins.
Render Your Heart
"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' “Joel 2:12-18
Be Reconciled to God Through Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior!!!
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Be Doers of Good Works, of Giving, of Prayers and of Fasting
"Be careful not to do 'good works' in front of others. Don't do them to be seen by others. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you. "When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. "When you give to the needy, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you. He sees what you do secretly. "When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. "When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can't be seen. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly. Matthew 6:1-6
"When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. "But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can't be seen, will know it. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly. Matthew 6:16-18
Reflection:
An example of excellence
Christ died for sins once and for all time. The One who did what is right died for those who don't do right. He died to bring you to God. His body was put to death. But the Holy Spirit brought him back to life. By means of the Spirit, Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison. Long ago they did not obey. God was patient while Noah was building the ark. He waited, but only a few people went into the ark. A total of eight were saved by means of water. The water of the flood is a picture of the baptism that now saves you also. The baptism I'm talking about has nothing to do with removing dirt from your body. Instead, it promises God that you will keep a clear sense of what is right and wrong. Jesus Christ has saved you by rising from the dead. He has gone into heaven. He is at God's right hand. Angels, authorities and powers are under his control. 1 Peter 3:18-22
The prodigal son
Just as the prodigal son returned to his father we should also return to our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ by imitating the prodigal son:
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
Reflect and make a real commitment to the service of God and neighbor and accept JESUS CHRIST as your LORD and SAVIOR.
Be Merciful, O Lord, for We have Sinned
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Conclusion:
Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 18:31 This Easter let us take this commitment together.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16
Jesus said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
The Good News is Jesus Christ
For He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John14:6
Keep on praying, this world is in great need of it. “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Let us all proclaim the Gospel to all our Brothers and Sisters in the entire world and be witnesses, ready to testify of our Faith in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior!!!!!!!
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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-2
Jesus Christ is Our Lord and Savior. Trust and have Faith in Him, today Amen, Alleluia!!!
Go and proclaim to the whole world the awesomeness and greatness of God!!!
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life!!!!!!!
Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.