Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, like Lent, is not mentioned in the Bible.  However, Ash Wednesday is set aside as the beginning of the Lenten season.  Lent is a time of reflection and repentance, a time of turning our hearts back to God, and a time of preparation for the resurrection of the King. 

Joel 2:12-13 says this, “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”

Ashes were of significant importance in the Old Testament.  Ashes are a symbol of sacrifice and of mourning.  Esther 4:3 tells us of a time when the Jews were to be killed, and says, “And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.”  The mourner puts ashes on his or her head.  In the case of Esther, the Jewish race was about to be destroyed.  Her nation showed intense grief and distress.

When God appointed Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh that God was going to destroy them for their wickedness, Jonah 3:5-7 tells us of how they responded:  “And the people of Nineveh believed God.  They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles:  Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything.  Let them not feed or drink water.”

When you think of these two instances, how do you feel?  I feel ashamed.  I feel ashamed because when I face trouble or I face my sins, I’m not mournful.  I’m not mournful for the sins of the world around me.  I’m not mournful when disasters happen.  I’m not mournful when terrible things happen.  Are you?  Be honest with yourself. 

True mournfulness is when we express true grief, woe.  That is what Ash Wednesday and Lent are all about.  It is about a time of realization that we are not mournful of the things going on around us, nor for the sin in our own lives and for the lack of recognition of sin in our lives.  It’s a time to ask God for forgiveness and to turn from those sinful attitudes.  When we do this, God will bless us for it.  Turn back to him.  Create in me a clean heart, O Lord!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from They presence;

Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;

And renew a right spirit within me.”

Let There Be Light

Can you believe it?  Only 25 days until CHRISTMAS!!!  It's hard to imagine.  Time seems to go by so quickly.  Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent.  We notice this normally by the Hanging of the Greens.  Churches opt to decorate for this Sunday.  But, what does "Advent" mean?  Well, it means "coming".  It refers to the coming of Jesus.  That's what, or rather, who this whole blog is about.  Jesus.  Name above all names.  He brings joy to the whole world.  

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  What is important about this verse is that Jesus was there in the beginning.  John 1:1-2 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."  Jesus was right there with God the Father when the world was created.  

But then, in Genesis 1:3, God says, "Let there be light..."  Without light the world would have remained dark.  What kind of world would that be?  Can you imagine living in a world of darkness.  If you think about it, our life is nothing but darkness until we receive Jesus in our life.  Without God, our life doesn't have purpose.  It's just dark and without meaning.  When we give ourselves to Christ, we find our purpose, to Glorify Him.  

Have you ever heard the Christmas song "Let There Be Light".  If you haven't, take a listen.  And, if you have, listen to it again.  This season, Let There Be Light in your life.  

Let There Be Light by Point of Grace

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Times of Trouble

Well, it’s time for me to get back into the groove.  I’ve been absent from the blog long enough.  This just seems to be the busiest time of year, not just for me, but for everyone.  So, without further ado, let’s get immersed in God’s Word by taking a look at Psalm 3.

Notice, this Psalm is titled “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.”  If you’ve ever read 2 Samuel 15, it tells us of a time when Absalom, David’s son, wanted to be king, and he would stop at nothing to attain that goal.  So, Absalom plotted to have David killed.  His own son plotted his death, just so that he could become king.  Powerful is the temptation of power itself.  David finds himself fleeing Jerusalem to protect himself.  Now, put yourself in David’s position.  How would you feel if you own son was trying to kill you for a position of power?

David could have done what we all think about.  He could have taken matters into his own hands.  But, his faith allowed him to call out to God for help.  Do we call out to God in our times of trouble?  Sometimes the answer to that question is no.  But, David provides us a simple prayer that we can sing out to God when we are facing troubles in life.  Prayer begins when we realize that we cannot help ourselves.  This Psalm can be broken down into four sections.  Let’s look at each one.

The first section of this Psalm says,

“¹O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
² many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God"

David is saying that his situation is so bad that his companions think that he is beyond God’s help.  They didn’t feel that God was able to help him.  Have you ever felt that your situation is so dire that God cannot help you?  Or, that because of past sin, that you deserve this trouble?  Do your friends fell like you are just getting what you deserve?

Now look at the second part of the Psalm:

“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cried aloud to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy hill.."

Faith.  That is what David had.  He felt that his situation could and would be handled by God alone.  David says that God is his shield.  Like in war, if you’re under attack, you need a shield.  It is your first line of defense.  Notice, David isn’t asking God to be his shield.  This is a statement of fact, that God is David’s shield.  The image of God being out shield is mentioned several times in the Psalms.  David goes on and says that he is the “lifter of my head.”  David was recognizing that God is more than just his protection.  God is the one that shows him glory.  What do you find your glory in?  Fame?  Power?  Prestige?  Possessions?  Beauty?  Position?  Achievements?  David found his glory in the Lord.  David cried out to the Lord.  Charles Spurgeon said this, “Surely, silent prayers are heard.  Yes, but good men often find that, even in secret, they pray better aloud than they do when they utter no vocal sound.”  Do you cry aloud to God?  Sometimes I have a hard time saying my prayers aloud.  What if what I say doesn’t make sense to others?  I know God hears my heart rather than what comes out of my mouth when I pray to him.  But sometimes, I just find it difficult. 

The third part of this Psalm says,

“⁵ I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶ I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around."

David says that because God is able to sustain him, he is able to rest.  David was under a lot of pressure.  When you’re under pressure, you have a tendency of not being able to sleep, to toss and turn.  David also points out that he was able to wake.  When you’ve got a son out there trying to kill you, waking up is a blessing indeed.  God is also makes it possible for David to be unafraid even when ten thousand people surround him.  God makes it possible to stand against any foe or trouble that we may face.  God will deliver us in our times of trouble if we turn to Him.

The last section of this Psalm says this,

“⁷ Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked..
⁸ Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!”

David’s faith was on what God had done in the past, this gave him the confidence of what God was going to do in the future.  David isn’t looking for just protection, but victory as well.  He knew that the victory was his if he relied on God to see him through.  When you face a threat, who do you rely on? 

What kind of trouble are you facing right now?  Use this Psalm to help you pray to God for help in your troubled time.  Place your trust in God to deliver you from your trouble.  God is the source of salvation and blessing to His people.

Prayer:  "Heavenly Father, you are a shield in times of trouble.  Thank you for providing protection to me when I face trials and temptations.  I ask that you continue your protection, even when I know I don't deserve it.  As the Psalm says, "Salvation" belongs to you alone.  Thank you for salvation from my enemies, from my troubles, and especially, thank you for your Salvation that was offered through your son, Jesus Christ.  Give us, O Lord, strength to stand against the enemy.  In Jesus name I do pray, Amen.

Worship

What does it mean to worship?  Well worship is defined as "the reverent LOVE and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object."  God wants us to worship Him.  We worship God out of fear (not being afraid, but of awe), devotion, reverence.  How do we do that?  We can sing, shout, cry out.

Why do we worship?
For starters, we worship because of the blessings that He gives.  Second, we worship in spite of difficult circumstances.  And also, because of His grace and mercy.

Psalm 66:18 says, "If I had cherished iniquity (sin) in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."

What kind of worshiper does God want me (and you) to be?  He tells us in Psalm 1:12:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." 

Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty penned the song "In Christ Alone".  You may have heard portions of it from the Newsboys in a song by the same name.  It says these profound words:

"In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; this Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm."

Psalm 34 tells us how to praise and worship and the promise that comes from that action. 

Let's look at those verses:

Action                                                       Promise
(v.1)    extol (praise)                                always speak His name
(v.2)    boast                                              rejoice who God is
(v.3)    magnify                                         exalt His name forever
(v.4)    seek                                                deliver from fears
(v.5)    look to Him                                  never be ashamed
(v.6)    cry                                                  save from troubles
(v.9-10) fear                                              not lack good things

My final thoughts I will close with Psalm 103:1, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"