Dust you are and to dust you will return.
(Genesis 3:19)

Repent and believe the good news!
(Mark 1:15)

Today Christians all over the world are observing Ash Wednesday.

What Exactly Is Ash Wednesday?

Traditionally, Ash Wednesday is a day of intense repentance and reflection that kicks off the Lent Season. Many gather in churches to receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads in ashes (typically from palm leaves burned after the prior year’s Palm Sunday service).

Ashes represent sorrow for sinning — or “missing the mark” on how God wants His people to live.

What Exactly Is Lent?

Lent is a 40-day period (Sundays aren’t counted) often marked by repentance, fasting and spiritual discipline leading up to Easter Sunday. Some Christians observe it. Some don’t. Some give up certain luxuries (like meat). Some don’t.

Either way, the basic message of Lent is this: God is God and we’re not. Whether or not you formally celebrate Lent, that’s always a good message to keep in mind.

What Exactly Does the Bible Say?

Neither Ash Wednesday nor Lent is specifically mentioned in the Bible.

However, the practice of repenting and mourning in ashes appears in many places in the Old Testament. See 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1, Job 2:8 and Daniel 9:3, just to name a few.

In the New Testament, both John the Baptist and Jesus kicked off their ministries with this proclamation: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17)

Jesus also mentioned repenting in ashes when he said: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Matthew 11:21)

Why 40 Days?

The number 40 is all over the Bible. God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights as Noah floated around in the ark (Genesis 7). Moses repented and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights after the Israelites’ debacle with the golden calf (Exodus 34). The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years as a consequence of their sins (Numbers 32). Elijah traveled for 40 days and 40 nights to meet with God on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19). And Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the desert and being tempted by Satan before starting His ministry (Matthew 4).

Will Observing Lent Earn Me All Kinds of Heaven Points and Guarantee Me Eternal Life?

Nope. You can put all the ashes you want on your forehead, fast for 40 years and even give up Taco Bell for Lent (I actually did that during college thinking I was making the supreme sacrifice) but God is after something muuuuuuuch deeper than external rituals. He wants our minds. He wants our hearts. He wants our souls.

Christianity isn’t about observing religious rules religiously. It’s about relationships. And the most important one is your relationship with God.

That’s what we’re going to focus on for the next 40 days here on GUWG.

In the meantime, here’s an awesome little prayer to pray as you repent and reflect today (and every day). It was written by David, who was called “a man after God’s own heart” despite the fact that he was an adulterer and a murderer. Pray through it with all your mind, heart and soul, rejoicing in the fact that you are 100% forgiven through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

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.

[SPECIFY YOUR SINS HERE]

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.

Amen!

(Psalm 51:1-4a, 10-12)

 

Unfortunately, many live as if every day is Fat Tuesday — spiritually speaking. They pack as much stuff and pleasure and luxury and comfort into their lives as they possibly can. Then they die.

God has some rather direct words for those who choose that path:

Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
(Philippians 3:19)

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
(Proverbs 23:20-21)

Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
(Romans 13:14)

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
(Galatians 5:16-17)

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
(1 Corinthians 6:19)

LIVE GOD’S WAY
NOT THE WORLD’S

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection.
(George Washington)

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.
My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day.
(Abraham Lincoln)

What better way to celebrate Presidents’ Day than by praying for the President and his leadership of this country? It’s biblical. George did it. Abe did it. And so should we.

Don’t know what to pray? Here’s a link to an organization called the Presidential Prayer Team. It formed in the wake of 9/11 and is dedicated to bringing people together to pray for our leaders on a daily basis.

So no matter your particular political persuasion …

PRAY FOR THE PRESIDENT

Be like Jesus. Get alone with your Heavenly Father right now and pray.

Here’s today’s prayer suggestion — one the world certainly needs right now. Pray through it with all your heart, soul and mind.

LORD,

Make me an instrument of Your
PEACE.

Where there is hatred, let me sow
LOVE.

Where there is injury,
PARDON.

Where there is doubt,
FAITH.

Where is despair,
HOPE.

Where there is darkness,
LIGHT.

Where there is sadness,
JOY.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled
as to console,
to be understood
as to understand,
to be loved
as to love.
For it is in giving
that we receive;
It is in pardoning
that we are pardoned;
It is in dying
that we are born to eternal life.

AMEN

(Adapted from a prayer
by St. Francis of Assisi)

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Every time a bad thought pops into my head, I take it captive to Jesus and then it’s gone — BING!”

Those are the words of a wonderful elderly gentleman who attended a Sunday School class I used to teach. He was mostly quiet but each week you could count on him BING!-ing in at least once with the above words of wisdom. They’ve been BING!-ing around in my head ever since.

Try it today. Every time a bad thought pops into your head, BING! it to Jesus.

Bad sexual thoughts while you’re watching TV? BING! ‘em to Jesus.

Hateful thoughts about that annoying guy the next cube over at work? BING! ‘em to Jesus.

Envious thoughts about someone who’s got something you don’t? BING! ‘em to Jesus.

The verse immediately preceding the one quoted above says:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
(2 Corinthians 10:4)

Use all the weapons at your disposal. Bad actions often start with bad thoughts. Ask Jesus to demolish your bad thoughts before they grow into something worse.

BING!

You have your choice between two rides:

• The first features 1 second of awesomeness followed by 999,999,999 gazillion years of pain.
• The second offers 1 second of pain followed by 999,999,999 gazillion years of awesomeness.

Which would you choose?

It sounds crazy, but the first ride is basically what gazillions of humans choose. They live as if the here and now is all there is. They choose the momentary sinful pleasures of this world and ignore the eternal consequences of pain and separation from God.

Here’s what the Bible says:

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
(James 4:14)

Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
(2 Corinthians 4:17)

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
(Ephesians 5:16)

God’s message is clear.

Life on this planet is short. Eternity is long. Live like it.

What exactly is a “Christian” anyway?

That term gets tossed around rather loosely in the world today (and sometimes not all that nicely). I thought it might be useful to see how God defines it.

Here’s just a partial list straight outta the Bible. Pray through each precious word.

CHRISTIANS ARE …

ONE
FREE
SAVED
CHOSEN
ACCEPTED
FORGIVEN
VICTORIOUS
BORN AGAIN
FISHERS OF MEN
NEW CREATIONS
BODY OF CHRIST
POWERED BY GOD
CHILDREN OF GOD
ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
SALT OF THE EARTH
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
CHILDREN OF PROMISE
CLOTHED WITH CHRIST
BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST
GOOD SOLDIERS OF CHRIST
TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
MINISTERS OF RECONCILIATION
SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD

THAT’S WHO WE ARE
LET’S LIVE LIKE IT

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
(Matthew 3:2, 4:17)

John the Baptist started his ministry with those words. So did Jesus. In my book, that means we should probably pay attention.

What exactly does “repent” mean? Basically, it’s turning away from our sins and back toward God.

Here’s how it works in my life …

God gives me pretty clear directions on where He’d like me to go. But sometimes when His way gets a bit narrow or rough I toss His directions aside and take a detour.

Usually, the road starts off nice and wide and inviting. So, I step on the gas. God posts warning signs approximately every fifteen feet, but I ignore ‘em. Red lights start flashing all over the dashboard and the car starts wheezing and shaking and smoking, but that just makes me stomp on the gas harder.

Suddenly, I realize that what once looked like a fabulous destination is actually the edge of a steep cliff. But just as I’m about to plunge into the abyss, God jams my foot onto the brake and we skid to a stop.

He then asks one simple question: “Ready to turn around?”

I take one last look into the pit, gulp and say “yes.” He places His hands next to mine on the steering wheel and together we execute a perfect U-turn and head back toward His narrow path.

Unfortunately, I find that I have to repeat that little lesson waaaaaay too often. But each time I learn that if I truly confess and turn away from my sins, God’s always there to forgive me and steer me back in the right direction.

Are you following God’s road map for your life? If not, repent NOW. Confess your sins, turn around and head back down God’s narrow path. His Kingdom’s a whole lot better than any other destination.

REPENT!

GOD’S ADVICE FOR RELATIONSHIPS

Someone shared the following verses with my wife and me at a point in our marriage when we were about .03 milliseconds away from seeking a divorce:

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything …

Yes! I remember thinking. If only she would do everything I say, our lives would be a whole lot better. But, unfortunately, there was more.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy …

Wait a minute, I thought, didn’t Jesus die for the church? Isn’t that a little extreme? I kept reading.

[H]usbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Then I read the kicker:

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
(Ephesians 5:21-25, 28)

As counter-intuitive as it may sound, that simple concept of mutual submission changed everything. Before we applied these verses and let God run our marriage, we were constantly battling to get our own way. It was like two rulers on separate thrones trying to run a kingdom that was rapidly crumbling all around them.

But once we put God on the throne and started putting the other person first, something beautiful happened. Conversations that used to end with anger and tears suddenly began to end with hugs and prayer. We got peace. We got joy. We got LOVE.

Want great relationships?  It’s simple:

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

1.  Love …
a. Is patient and kind
b. Does not envy
c. Is not rude
d. Is not self-seeking
e. All of the above

2. God is …
a. Too big and busy to care
b. Unknowable
c. Whatever we want Him to be
d. Love

3. Love comes from …
a. Hallmark
b. Hollywood
c. Listening to Celine Dion songs
d. God

4. What’s the greatest commandment?
a. Live long and prosper
b. Thou shalt not eat trans fats
c. Love God with all your ♥, soul & mind
d. Don’t make that face or it’ll stay that way

5. How do we love God?
a. Buy Him a gift card at a Christian bookstore
b. Go to church
c. We can’t
d. Obey Him

Answers:  e, d, d, c, d

Anyone can read a bunch of Bible verses. Here’s the REAL LOVE TEST: Are you putting what God says into practice and actually loving the people He has put in your life? The Bible puts it bluntly:

If anyone says, “I love God,”
yet hates his brother, he is a liar.
For anyone who does not love his brother,
whom he has seen,
cannot love God,
whom he has not seen.
(1 John 4:20)

Just in case you missed the point, here’s a handy summary of everything we covered this past week:

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!