Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today marks the first day of Lent, so are you ready to endure your season of sacrifice, renewal, and evaluation? Growing up, I don't ever remember recognizing the Lent season at my church, so I thought it was more for the Catholic Church, but now that I know what it symbolizes, I'm going to take it more seriously. I wanted to share this quote that I found: Today we begin a 46–day journey (forty days not counting Sundays) to Easter, but the destination is meaningless to those who do not make the trip. (~Dr. Craddock) We have to make it a point to seek ye first the Kingdom of God every day of the year, but it doesn't hurt to participate in something this special, with other members of the church, because there's always strength in numbers. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be sure to encourage someone. Today's Black History Month Quote is: "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." (~Booker T. Washington) Be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about burnt offering, and the significance of its ashes. Today we're commemorating Ash Wednesday, which is “a day of repentance”, and it marks the beginning of Lent. According to a few Christianity websites, the ashes are produced from old Palm leaf Crosses leftover from last years Palm Sunday. The Palms are blessed, anointed with oil, and in some cases scented with incense, then burned. In most Church ceremonies the ashes (or paste) is used to draw a cross on the believer’s forehead, by the Minister, who recites: Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Gen 3:19), "Repent, and believe the Gospel," or "Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel." (Mark 1:15) From the beginning of time a blood sacrifice was required to forgive sin (Gen 3:21). God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (the Divine Law), and He also gave Him the laws to be forgiven of sin. Sin could only be forgiven through offerings, and the instructions are found in the book of Leviticus. Chapter four explains the process of "Sin Offering. In a condensed version, a blemish free animal had to be sacrificed on the Alter of the Temple, and after the blood was poured, and the animal or part of the animal was burnt on the Alter. It's written that the animal was then carried out to a clean place and the ashes poured out and burned on wood with fire. The ashes remind us that we're all created from dust. The fire represents the purification of the unclean thing. Could you imagine going through all of that? I thank God for having mercy on us, and paying our sin debt in full. He so loved us that He gave us only begotten Son to die for us. Jesus became our sacrificial Lamb, and wiped away the penalties of sin once and for all. He surrendered because that was what God called Him to do, so He hung, bleed, and died on the cross for our transgressions. Before He went through this horrible ordeal John the Baptist baptized Him in water. After He went under the water and came back up the Heavens opened up and a voice said, "You are My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:9-11). It's written: Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. (Mark 1:12-13) Jesus had to take some time away from everything and everyone to center Himself with God, so that He could be prepared for what he was going to face. So far we’ve learned the process of sacrifices and why they had to be made. We know that we're born into a weak and sinful flesh, which is nothing but dust. We also know that we each are special, and our Spirit will live on through all eternity. The ashes remind us of our mortality, the fact that this life will end sooner or later, and that there is something bigger than earthly wealth and pleasure. God is righteous and clean, and only deals with clean things, so we have to make sure that we're striving for righteousness daily through Christ. Today we must go to God and repent of our sins, letting Him know that we're weak and we need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We're to acknowledge our weaknesses, and the things that have a tight hold on us. Everyday we face reproach for Jesus' sakes. We're ridiculed and mocked by unbelievers, and tempted by the devil. When you've decided what or how you're fasting today, remember that it has to be a true sacrifice; something that you seemingly can't do without. Each time you feel like giving into temptation remember the ashes of our "Burnt Offering" Jesus Christ. He sacrificed His entire life for us, so we could sacrifice a few things for Him, for at least forty days. It's said that it only takes twenty-one days to form a new habit, so by Easter Sunday, you should have grown tremendously. Think of life beyond Lent, and how much you need to build a stronger relationship with God. An Imitation of Christ is what we're called to be, but "WE" are the only person who could take that step to get there. Salvation is free to all who believe that Jesus is the "only begotten Son of God", died on the Cross to atone for our sins, was resurrected on the third day, and now sits on a throne in Heaven at the right hand of God. If you believe these things, all you need to do now is confess that you're a sinner, ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior, and accept Him. The next and most necessary step is to be baptized by water, to cleansed and renewed by Faith and obedience. Remember that prayer is a conversation with God. Talk to Him often, and about everything, and He's faithful and just to answer all of your prayers. A strong prayer life is necessary to get through the lent season, and life in general. My favorite verse today is: Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455245&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547

I love you!