Online Bible Study

Online Bible Study

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

LENT 2014

Lent 2014 begins on
Wednesday, March 5
and ends on
Thursday, April 17

Today is Tuesday, the 25th of February.  The season of Lent is FAST approaching and, once again, I am compelled to DIVE IN!  I hadn’t thought about Lent in years, until I started following the ministry of an amazing Church in Washington, DC by the name of National Community Church (NCC) (http://theaterchurch.com/).  The Senior Pastor of NCC is an amazing Pastor/leader/author by the name of Mark Batterson.  (An example of his leadership – this statement sums it up:  "It’s not about the name over the door, it’s about the name preached inside." @MarkBatterson#ilikegiving)  AMEN!

As a child, I was raised in the Catholic Church by an amazing Christian Mother who led my sister and I in the Celebration of Lent.  Wikipedia defines Lent as:  “The preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the Bible beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  NCC celebrates Lent and they motivate ME to want to celebrate Lent. 

I remember “giving up” ice cream (or chocolate) for Lent as a child; the “giving up” of something I loved in Jesus’ name (the self-denial part).  But it wasn’t until I got older that I started to understand what I believe to be the Spiritual significance of Lent.  A time of intense prayer, repentance and study of His Word; creating an unfathomable bond with the God of the Universe.

I am ashamed to admit I have joined NCC in the Celebration of Lent the past couple of years, but didn’t complete the journey.  I start off STRONG, COMMITTED, ON FIRE FOR GOD! and slowly, but surely, give up.  I want this year to be different.  I want to stay committed for the entire journey!  I want follow Lent through to completion! 

I am going to join Margaret Feinberg – committing to read the entire New Testament during the 40 days of Lent.  Would you like to join me (and hold me accountable)?  You can read all about it here:  Margaret’s blog link: http://margaretfeinberg.com/lentchallenge-read-new-testament-40-days/

I KNOW if WE do this, we will be CHANGED FOREVER!

Grab a copy of the Reading Guide here:  http://mar.cta.gs/09s
Margaret will be sharing what God is teaching on her blog #LentChallenge


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