First Sunday Of Lent 2018

First Sunday of Lent –
If you are doing the Lenten Cross – light all of the candles – because, the light is still in the world.


If just candles – here’s another view:

Lenten Cross Instructions

Lent Week One

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Songs
Whiter Than Snow – Joslin Grove Choral Society
White as Snow/Nothing But the Blood -Maranatha Vocal Band

Scripture

Luke 23:34 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
[34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”][a] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.

Devotion
Picture this, Jesus has been beaten, pommeled, actually, nailed to a cross, and he’s dying a horrible, painful, slow tortuous death. What’s the first words out of his mouth?

“Father Forgive them, for they know not what they do!”

In my Itty Bitty Bible Study on Obadiah, I talked about the fact that God DOES judge those that do things against his chosen…even when they are messing up! Jesus hadn’t messed up.

Psalm 105:15 says that we are to not touch the Lord’s annointed.
JESUS IS GOD’S UBER ANOINTED ONE!

Christian Apologetic explains why David did not take too kindly to the Amalekite finishing off Saul!

2 Samuel 1:13-16 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?”
“I’m the son of a foreigner,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”
14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died.
16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

Saul was David’s bitter enemy! David took killing the Lord’s anointed seriously.

HOW MUCH SO THE GOD OF CREATION WOULD TAKE SERIOUSLY CREATION KILLING HIS OWN SON???
I put out there, that if Jesus had NOT asked God to forgive us, God would have wiped out the whole bunch. There are examples where God did just this! Elijah, Noah, and others. God’s enemies even killed themselves. Jesus was praying for mercy upon those that were playing their part in His death, burial and resurrection.

He was also giving us an amazing lesson in forgiveness!(1 Peter 2:20-23)

Love your enemies

Matthew 5:44-45 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
44 But I tell you, love your enemies[a] and pray for those who[b] persecute you, 45 so that you may be[c] sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Bless them

Luke 6:27-28 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Love Your Enemies
27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (also Romans 12:14)

Forgive them!

Matthew 6:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

The Lord’s prayer…it is a double edged sword….

Matthew 6:14-15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
14 “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing,[a] your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive people,[b] your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.[c]

Luke gets a bit more specific:

Luke 6:37 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)Do Not Judge
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Jesus expalined it even moreso with the parable of the unforgiving servant.

Matthew 18:21-35

When Jesus said “Father Forgive them” – He asked for mercy upon all of those of us that were his enemy at that time.
He loved us, while we were yet sinners – enemies of God! (Romans 5:6-8)
He blessed us with redemption – while we were enemies to God!
He Forgave us!
Jesus prevented another flood, like in Noah’s day, by transferring his right to revenge into forgiveness!
To Be Like Jesus is to Forgive, Love and Bless, even our enemies.

Do you need to confess your sins? I do!
Psalm 51

Last year, I was confronted with How Long Bitter! I just re-read that. It fits here as well!

And, WHY did Jesus go to the cross? ME! YOU! – Our sins sent him to the cross. He declares us forgiven! Let’s NEVER forget that!

For worshipful meditation:
Forgiveness – Matthew West(and check out the story behind this on youtube!)
Forgiven – David Crowder
Forgive Us – For King and Country
That’s How you Forgive – Shane and Shane
More than Drops in the Ocean – Hawk Nelson

Tomorrow starts Lent Week Two
 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
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