Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Ash Wednesday - 2.18.15

Some people customarily "give up" something for Lent.  This is a ritual that is neither commanded nor forbidden by scripture, so it should not be viewed as an act that either makes us a better Christian than others who choose not to OR makes us less of a Christian for not sacrificing something during that period.  It is, in simple terms, a matter of the heart.

Lent is a period that is "of the heart."  Where are our hearts as this season begins?  Where have our hearts been during the course of the year?  At Lent, we turn our hearts toward Christ and focus on the single act of his suffering, death, and resurrection in exchange for our sinful nature and our sins.

"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words... And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:7, 16) "And he called the people to him and said to them, 'Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person." (Matthew 15:10 - 11) 

Today we begin our journey to reflect and repent of our sins.  We being our focus of scripture passages that are particularly meaningful to us as we go through our daily walk.  These passages have helped us with matters of the heart, where we are at that point in our lives, our faith, our temptations, our strengths, our weaknesses.  We will focus on these passages and pray for our matters of the heart for that day.

Hope Men's Ministry

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