Pamela Christian's Blog, page 11

March 18-19, 2019 – Is Jesus the Only Way?

Many people take exception to the claim “Jesus is the only way to relate with God”preferring the idea that all religions are equally valid—all roads lead to the same God and heaven, and the religions can therefore be synchronized. Yet, as stated in a previous post, simply claiming a matter doesn’t make it so.

Hinduism is the oldest religious faith that exists. Hindus use the Upanishads as their religious book of authority, with many other written documents also considered sacred. The Hindu faith is a polytheistic faith, with countless number of deities.

Judaism is the next oldest faith utilizing the Tenakh as their written authority. The 24 books of the Tenakh are the same as the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, except in a different order. Judaism worships the same God as Christians and is a monotheistic faith.

Buddhism is third in order of origin. Buddhists rely on the Lotus Sutra—central scripture that reveres the life and teachings of the Buddha Gautama (the individual who founded the religious philosophy) and also the Tripitaka. Buddhists do not believe in any deity.

Christianity was established some 2020 years ago as an extension of the Jewish faith, when people recognized Jesus as the Son of God and Promised Deliverer/Redeemer. (Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Redeemer/Deliverer). Christians believe in the same God as Judaism and is therefore a monotheistic faith. Christianity’s document of authority is the Bible, both the Old and New Testament.

Islam is the next inline chronologically, having been established in the 7th Century, based on the life of Muhammad about 600 years after Christianity. The sacred book for Islam is known as the Quran or Koran. Islam is also a monotheistic faith, however identifying a God much different than the Jewish/Christian God.

Atheism or Secular Humanism’s origin is nearly impossible to determine because it has been accepted through all the ages in various forms and sects. New Age is a modern day off-shoot. The New Age movement spread through the occult and metaphysical religious communities in the 1970s and ʾ80s. However, not all self-professed atheists follow New Age practices. Atheists use the Humanist Manifesto as a guide, whereas New Agers uses the text, A Course In Miracles by Helen Schucman. Atheists deny the existence of God, whereas New Agers claim humans are their own God.

Within the categories above faiths there is a myriad of other religious beliefs (denominations or sects), each with their own distinctions. If all established religions/religious beliefs have their own document of authority and specific beliefs, how is syncretism possible? In two words, it’s not—not unless there was some serious compromises, and which religious faiths would be willing to compromise?

Rather than embarking in a quest to find the “right religion,” I strongly suggest people search to find truth. People should ask: Which religious faith has the most objective, verifiable, evidence in support of its validity?

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) In response, many claim Christianity is therefore exclusive. However, since Christianity is open to anyone who is willing to place their faith in Jesus, in reality, Christianity is all inclusive.

In this Season of Lent, seek to add to your knowledge so your confidence in Christ can be extended with a deeper and more sure foundation.

Christ stated He came not to abolish the Law but fulfill it. We’ll explore what this means with the next post.

For March 18-19, 2019 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 1:20

In my book Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies , I address the claim of all religions being equally valid.

Scroll down below to access earlier posts in this series. To view the entire list of planned devotions, see the Introduction.

For author bio and schedule of posts for The Advent of Easter click here.

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Published on March 18, 2019 02:03

March 16-17, 2019 – Is Truth Relative or Absolute?

Many people have asked the question “What is truth?” In essence, it’s the very question the enemy of God beguiled the first woman to ponder. Is truth what God said to us, or is truth something else? By getting the woman to question what God said, he managed to get her to question who God is—Is God who He says He is, looking out for our good, or is He withholding from us something better? Once the enemy had the woman question God, he was then able to make a claim entirely contrary to what God said, enticing the woman to act on her thoughts, and disobey God.

The enemy uses the same tactics to this very day to deceive people away from truth and away from God.

Clearly, we live in a pluralistic society which is a diverse one, where people believe all kinds of different things to be “truth” and tolerate each other’s beliefs even when they don’t match their own. In order to have a pluralistic society, truth must be considered relative.

It’s very popular in our culture to believe truth is relative. People claim, “What you believe is true for you, but not necessarily true for everyone.” When people believe they have the ability to determine what is truth, they open the door to decide what is right and what is wrong. In other words, to claim truth is relative is to make ourselves our own god, determining not only truth, but morality.

We can’t know if we are deceived unless we know truth. If we are not clear on truth, we can easily be deceived. Let’s further consider the claim that truth is relative. Another way of making the claim is to say, “There is no such thing as absolute truth.” However, this claim relies on the law of absolutes—the claim itself is an absolute statement. You can’t have it both ways.

There are three laws of truth that must exist at the same time to be confident a matter is true: The laws are: 1) truth always lines up with reality; 2) only one thing can be true with all opposing matters false, and; 3) truth is universal (the truth is the same anywhere in the world.)

In this Season of Lent, we must examine ourselves to recognize any matter in thought or deed that are contrary to truth. Gratefully, God is rich in mercy and delights when we recognize and confess our sin. God is who He says He is and His only desire for us is entirely for our good. No one wants to live their life on the basis of lies. So, let’s be diligent about discovering truth.

It is also popular to believe all roads lead to the same God and Heaven. Is this true? We’ll explore this in the next post.

For March 16-17, 2019 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

Genesis 3; Psalm 119:160; John 8:31-32; John 17:17; Ephesians 4:21; Titus 1:1-2

Scroll down below to access earlier posts in this series. To view the entire list of planned devotions, see the Introduction.

Note: Hosting this blog site and the other ministry work I do have expenses that must be covered. If this work is blessing you, please show your support through prayer, sharing with others, and financially. Donate HERE . If I can be of further help to you through prayer or answering questions, please email me at info@PamelaChristianMinistries.com

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Published on March 16, 2019 02:05

March 14-15, 2019 – We are Created From and For Love

While Christians celebrate the Lenten Season reflecting on our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, there are tremendous numbers of people who reject Jesus and the existence of any God. These people, identified as atheists, consider humanity the highest order of being and therefore supreme. Another group of people known as agnostics believe that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God. Some agnostics acknowledge there may be a God, however He cannot be personally known. He is a distant, far-off God of the universe.

Both these positions are false—they are borne out of the continued efforts of the enemy to deceive humanity and prevent us from knowing the One True God.

Deception is rampant in our culture and what makes this particularly aggreges is that those who are deceived are unaware of their condition. It is the nature of deception that the victim is unaware.

Each of us believes we live our life on the basis of truth—no one in the world would willingly live their life on the basis of a lie. However, unless we examine what we believe and why we believe as we do, we could easily be deceived and not know we are. Discovering truth is a process—it is not a once and done matter. It’s important for each of us to intentionally be open to new truth discovery and courageously contrast what we learn with what we’ve believed.

The superiority of the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) in contrast to all other documents of religious authority for religions outside Judaism and Christianity, has been objectively verified. I reveal this in my first book in the Faith to Live By series, Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies. Confident the Bible is in fact the inspired written Word of the One True God, we learn God reveals Himself in a tremendous number of ways, because He wants us to know Him. He wants us to experience His love. He wants us to know we have been created from His love and we have a glorious purpose in God’s plan. The Bible plainly declares the very essence of God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Those who believe man is the supreme being, are essentially claiming themselves to be their own god. Without a God, man can determine what is right and wrong or good and evil. Such a belief system produces a view of no particular purpose for humanity. No meaningful origin to life, and no life after death. It also produces a self-serving culture where truth is relative and personal—a matter of one’s own preferences.

Consider our culture today noting the chaos, corruption, and the penchant to bring about death and destruction. This is what life without the love of God produces.

In reality, all humanity is created by God, from His love, with His every intention that we would experience and dwell in His love. In your time of reflection, honestly examine what you know about God and His love. Understanding the love of God should be our eternal pursuit. To help people get some understanding I wrote, Revive Your Life! Rest for Your Anxious Heart, which is the third book in my Faith to Live By series.

Having a proper understanding about truth is essential to avoid being deceived. Is truth relative or absolute, is the topic of the next post.

For March 14-15, 2019 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

Matthew 12:30-31; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4:7-21

Scroll down below to access earlier posts in this series. To view the entire list of planned devotions, see the Introduction.

Note: All the books in the award-winning Faith to Live By series are written to help people discover and live in life-giving truth. Visit the Author Page to learn more about the different books. When you purchase any of my products, you are helping support the ministry and spread the gospel of Jesus.

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Published on March 14, 2019 02:30

You May Believe God, But Do You Know How to Receive from God?

In today’s Word for Wednesday, I want to help you receive all God wants you to have.

For most of us, the believing God part seems to be understood. The receiving part, not so much. How many of you in your prayer time express frustration with your situation? How many of you pray essentially pleading, begging or bartering with God? How many of you are faithful in your giving? How many of you are proper stewards with what God has already entrusted to you? How many of you seek wise counsel when it comes to the stewardship of your personal money or the money that’s received by your church or ministry?

When I owned my property management company, one of our services was to manage the money for the Homeowner’s Associations we managed. We collected the HOA assessments from the members and paid their bills. To do this the law required we establish bank accounts under my company name, In Trust For, the name of the HOA. We managed the money in trust for the Homeowners Association. That’s how we are to manage any assets the Lord gives us with an understanding it all belongs to Him. I can’t tell you the number of churches who’ve collected donations and gifts from their members, who trusted their leadership to properly manage the money, only to discover hundreds of thousands of dollars were wasted or lost through bad business decisions. Rev. Samuel Rodriguquez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference addresses the need for the Church to better steward finances in his article “Why the Church Must Get It’s Financial House in Order.” (Charisma Magazine, March 2019).

We need to position ourselves to be blessed by being proper stewards with what we have, and we need to know how to secure what God has already promised us. If you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called you to the ministry, then when you experience opposition, it ought to anger you. It ought to fill you with outrage that the enemy of God would have the audacity to oppose God’s will. It ought to raise you up to fight the fight to win! the Promised Land wasn’t handed over to the Israelite–they had to subdue it.

John Burton, a well-respected leader in Christian ministry (John Burton Ministries) shared he was in a position of frustration because things were not trending the way he needed and how he believed God intended.1 He says, “I was crying out for needs to be met. I was banging on the doors of Heaven in passionate prayer for finances, among other things. “God, oh God, please grow the church! Let the finances increase! Please God!” That was when, as clear as a bell, I heard God say, ‘Stop! You’re praying wrong!’ What? How could that be? I was praying so hard. As I walked around the 1,000 square feet of sanctuary space in the early days of Revolution Church, I really felt like I was doing well. Didn’t God want the church to grow? Then, I heard the voice of God deep within my spirit ‘Stop! Your prayer is hindering you. You are praying as if I’m resisting you. Don’t you realize I put those desires in your heart? Why are you begging Me for a desire that I initiated? I gave you the desire in the first place! There is one who IS resisting you though. The enemy doesn’t want these desires I placed in your heart to come to pass. It is the enemy whom you must fight. Without faith it is impossible to please Me. Doubt in prayer will ensure that prayer goes unanswered.'”

John admits to feeling perplexed and alone in that moment because God told him to stop praying, yet he still had unresolved issues that demanded a miracle.

John writes, “So, I launched into a new dimension of faith-filled and violent prayer! I felt impressed that God wanted me to practice this new revelation He gave me. He told me He wanted me to have more time to pray and initiate revival in the city. He wanted me to quit my job at the call center. I had captured the heart of God and I knew it was my turn to enforce His will. The enemy must move! I then said, ‘In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, I command you, devil, to release! Get off of my schedule! I declare the heart of God is for me to quit my job and to advance His Kingdom full-time in Manitou Springs! How dare you touch the plans of God!’ I prayed according to God’s will. He wanted me to work full-time in the ministry. One week later, as a church of about 35 people, we received a check in the Sunday offering for $50,000. The following week we received $25,000. I was working full-time two weeks later. That money was more than enough. We also used it to move into a 27,000 square foot building. God wanted us to have that all along. The enemy didn’t. I was praying wrong. I was praying as if the provision had to be coaxed away from God. In reality, God had already released it and I just had to go get it—and blast through the enemy’s resistance on the way.”

As an Apostle—a messenger—for the Church, I want the Church to get herself ready. I want you to get your faith in order and I want you to get your finances in order so you can receive all the provisions God knows you need. Let’s stop asking God for what He’s already provided, and use our authority in Christ to cause the enemy to release what is rightfully ours.

John Burton, “‘God Said, ‘Stop! You’re Praying Wrong!'”

All of my books, messages, blogs and broadcasts are geared to come along side the Church. My most recent book, Prepare for the Harvest Confidence in God’s End-Time Promises is written to help the Church prepare for the great numbers of people who are prophesied to come to Christ in these last days. If even just a hundred or fifty new believers came to your church, would you and your team be able to disciple them? It’s one thing to get excited and believe about a prophesied move of God, it’s another thing to be prepared to receive. If you like what you’ve heard from me today, I invite you to subscribe to my bi-monthly Enewsletter, and learn of the books in my “Faith to Live By” series.

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Published on March 13, 2019 17:32

March 12-13, 2019 – God’s Love Demands Justice

The concepts of right and wrong, suffering and justice, good and evil, are universal. That’s not to say everyone agrees with what is right or wrong, suffering or justice, and good or evil. However, the fact is, all of humanity operates on the basis of some moral standards.

Most people would agree lying, murder, steeling, harming the innocent, and such are wrong. This is evidence that we innately possess a moral compass—universally we know there are matters that are right and wrong, or good and evil. When we see or experience a suffering or wrong, we attribute such to evil and we want justice brought to bear.

Have you ever heard the cry, “If God is a loving God, why is He permitting evil and suffering to continue?” This is an understandable question, that must be answered from God’s perfect perspective, not man’s skewed understanding.

In order to understand His love, we need to understand His justice. Millard Erickson wrote:

Justice means that love must always be shown, whether or not a situation of immediate need presents itself in pressing and vivid fashion. Love in the biblical sense, then, is not merely to indulge someone near at hand. Rather, it inherently involves justice as well. This means there will be a concern for the ultimate welfare of all humanity, a passion to do what is right, and enforcement of appropriate consequences for wrong action. Actually, love and justice have worked together in God’s dealing with the human race. God’s justice requires that there be payment of the penalty for sin. God’s love, however, desires humans to be restored to fellowship with him. The offer of Jesus Christ as the atonement for sin means that both the justice and the love of God have been maintained.1

When love and justice are properly applied, each attribute is harmonious. They do not compete with each other, but stand side-by-side in complete harmony.

During this Lenten Season, reflect on the long-suffering love of God for humanity—for you. Consider your ways before our Holy God and His gracious dealings with us. Consider His love expressed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—the Second Person of the Trinity—God incarnate.

Receiving and experiencing God’s love is the topic for the next post.

For March 12-13, 2019 read and meditate on the following Article:

https://www.allaboutgod.com/gods-love-and-justice-faq.htm

For author bio and schedule of posts for The Advent of Easter click here.

Footnote:

1 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology, (Chicago: Moody Press), 324 https://www.allaboutgod.com/gods-love-and-justice-faq.htm

Scroll down below to access earlier posts in this series. To view the entire list of planned devotions, see the Introduction.

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Published on March 12, 2019 02:00

March 10-11, 2019 – The Purpose of Free-will

God created humanity with the power to choose for ourselves all matters of life, including death. This power is known as free-will, human-will and it is entirely voluntary. God has not pre-programmed humanity in any degree. All choices are entirely our own, as are the consequences of our choices. God, lays before us the choice of life or death, and He’s gone to great lengths to appeal to our intellect and ability to reason, to help us choose life.*

Had God created humanity to be pre-programmed to love Him and accept and obey His ways, the value of our love and obedience would be meaningless. In the Garden of Eden, the first man, Adam, and woman, Eve, exercised their free-will and rejected God and all He offered. Instead, tempted by the enemy of God disguised as serpent, they succumbed to the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh—and they did so while they were still holy creatures. It was not the thoughts that motivated them to act that condemned them, it was the act of disobedience that condemned them. Understand, God forewarned Adam and Eve what would happen if they rejected God and His ways.

By willingly disobeying and taking from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they forfeited their pure and undefiled state, and were instantly transformed into an unholy, sinful condition. Understand, God has established all of creation with specific laws, both spiritual and natural, in His infinite wisdom. While God is unquestionably All Powerful, He has chosen to limit Himself in some matters, such as free-will and never violating His own Word. When God’s laws are violated, the prescribed consequences follow.

God had declared the benefits and consequences of taking of the fruit of the different trees in the Garden. To prevent Adam and Eve from also eating of the tree of life, God removed them from the Garden. If in their fallen state they were to also take from the tree of life, there would be no recourse for God or hope for humanity.

In this season of Lent, let us truly connect and reflect on the long-suffering love of God and how at every opportunity He demonstrates His desire for our eternal good, even when we utterly reject Him. Scripture reveals we are all born sinners—we have inherited the same spiritual dead-condition that the first man and woman caused. Even so, Romans 5:8 declares, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (ESV)

In response to the actions of the enemy of God known as Satan, God cursed Satan. In response to Adam and Eve, God pronounced heavy burdens they would now have to bear as would all humanity after them. However, God also promised a Redeemer, who came in the person of Jesus—the One we celebrate in a special manner, during these weeks leading up to Easter.

To understand more about God’s love, we must know He is also just, which we’ll consider with the next post.

For March 10-11, 2019 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

Genesis 3:22-24; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; John 1:23-13; Acts 3:19; Romans 1:20-21; 1 John3:23.

* All calls to repent is a call to choose, or to exercise our free will.

Note: Hosting this blog site and the other ministry work I do have expenses that must be covered. If this work is blessing you, please show your support through prayer, sharing with others, and financially. Donate HERE. If I can be of further help to you through prayer or answering questions, please email me at info@PamelaChristianMinistries.com

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Published on March 10, 2019 01:30

March 8-9, 2019 – Rejection and Redemption

Imagine holy God looking upon His beloved created humanity, whom He fashioned to be in holy relationship with Him, and seeing humanity had utterly rejected Him.

Genesis chapters 2 and 3 reveal God made it clear to the first man Adam, and the first woman Eve in the Garden of Eden, what would be in their eternal best interest, and what would be to their eternal detriment. However, enticed by the enemy of God, the fallen angel, Lucifer, disguised as a serpent, the first man and woman willfully rejected God. This rejection is known as sin and this sin caused the death of their spirits separating them from unhindered relationship with God. This rejection separated them from God and brought curse and judgment upon all creation. From this one act of the human will, all of humanity has inherited this same dead-spirit condition, while creation groans under the judgment.

Even so, God’s love for each one of His created beings, was and is so tremendous, that His only choice was to provide us a way of redemption. At the very same time God pronounced the curse and judgment sin deserves. God’s love demands justice, while God’s mercy provides a way of escape—a way of redemption—which would appear on earth at the perfect appointed time, in the unique person, Jesus.

Those who received God’s promise proclaimed in the Garden of Eden, and believed it by faith looking forward to its fulfillment, found redemption. Those who witnessed the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and believed Him to be the Promised Redeemer, found eternal escape. Those who look back on the Promise of God manifest in the person of Jesus, also find redemption.

God has provided each of us the power to choose—the power of our free-will, which is the topic of the next installment.

For March 8-9 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

Genesis chapters 2 and 3, Psalm 51:7-10, John 3:6-7, and Romans 5:6-8

Note: All the books in the award-winning Faith to Live By series are written to help people discover and live in life-giving truth. Visit the Author Page to learn more about the different books. When you purchase any of my products, you are helping support the ministry and spread the gospel of Jesus.

View more on Pamela Christian's website »

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Published on March 07, 2019 14:24

Are You Operating According to the Power of Your Authority?

In today’s Word for Wednesday post, I want to consider the untapped power that’s rendering Christians no different from the world of unbelievers.

First, for us not to utilize all that Christ died to give us is an offense to the Cross. To reverse this offense, we need to learn the truth then act on the knowledge of truth. Without acting on truth, we have mere head knowledge which is useless as it benefits no one.

If I learn God loves me, but I never act on that knowledge, it’s no different than a reservoir of water without any outlet. In the natural, such a reservoir becomes stagnant and an incubator for many kinds of bacteria and parasites. In the spiritual, stagnant Christians can be a reservoir the enemy of God infiltrates. While a truly born-again Christian cannot be possessed by the enemy, a Christian can be a source of attachment for the enemy. The enemy is subtle, seeking to infiltrate Believers and the Church with lies and deceptions rendering us in effective as individual Christians and as the Church. The lies of the enemy are carefully crafted with enough truth or reason to make them believable, then deception is in place. When a person is deceived, they don’t know they are because the very nature of deception means the victim is unaware. Could this be you?

In addition to deception, ignorance is another source of impotency for Christians and the Church. I am amazed at the numbers of people, Christians included, who have many questions about what they believe, who don’t make the effort to find the answers to their questions. They are content to live in ignorance–such contentment can also be the works of the devil. No one would consciously choose to live their life on the basis of a known lie, or willingly remain ignorant. Again, where do you stand in light of these thoughts?

If your prayers are consistent with God’s revealed will, and they continue to go unanswered, I propose it’s because you are not properly aware of who you are in Christ. Jesus made it clear, He had all authority which He imputed to Believers. Christians have access to all of Christ’s authority. But if we are not fully convinced of this truth, and/or we don’t wield the authority properly, we are ineffective and look no different from the world of unbelievers. Considering the condition of our culture today, I sadly believe the majority of Christians are ineffective. This is a matter I’ve been intentionally seeking to more fully grasp so I can be more effective, and to help others do likewise.

One of the lessons that has helped me is understanding we are in a battle–a very real, ruthless, and diabolical battle. The enemy is a cut-throat, violent combatant. While he cannot kill the new eternal life Christians have by faith in Christ, he can kill the impact we have for our own lives and the world at large. We need to understand we are in a fight for the lives of our earthly influence and experience. God wants us to use all the authority of Christ to have His Kingdom will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In response to the enemy, this means we have to become violent in our decrees and declarations, speaking what God has revealed with all the authority of Christ. When we get angry enough (full aware of the scope of the battle), we will stand in utter authority and see our payers answered.

Read and meditate on 1 John 5:14-15, along with the truth of this post, and fan the barely burning embers of owning the authority Christ has given you into a roaring fire. Take hold of your authority in Christ, and do the works for the Kingdom He’s asking you to do. Jesus’ first earthly disciples were mostly uneducated, simple men of meager means, who through learning and applying what they learned became prominent leaders of the faith. You may be called to a public ministry, or a private life of intercession. Either way, you have authority for your prayers consistent with God’s will to be answered, and to help others learn and apply God’s truth to their lives. When we see more Christians operating in the authority Christ’s given us, we will see major cultural shifts for the benefit of many, and all for the glory of God, Amen.

Word for Wednesdays is a new feature of Pamela Christian Ministries. If you like what you read here, you will likely enjoy my other works. Speaking and teaching in person is my favorite aspect of this ministry. Consider contacting me to inquire about me coming to your community. I am also pleased to offer my Faith to Live By book series, which has received several awards. Check out the books in this series here.

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Published on March 06, 2019 10:31

March 6-7, 2019 – Overview of the Lenten Season

Lent is a 40-day period before Easter Sunday representing the 40 days Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (not counting the Sundays). Lent this year begins March 6, 2019

(Ash Wednesday) and ends on Holy Thursday, which is April 18, 2019. Lent is a season to repent, fast, reflect, and celebrate.

Christians understand Jesus was and is God’s promised Redeemer—the Second Person of the God-head who willingly took on human form to pay the debt of sin we owe, but cannot pay. Christians also understand God is three Persons in One: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is equal in power and authority, each fulfilling a particular role. The Trinity is not a concept we can easily understand, but one we must acknowledge as we seek to learn more about God, His character, will, and intentions for humanity. (Scriptures identifying the Three Persons of God provided below.)

The Son of God, temporarily gave up His deity in order to live on earth solely in His humanity. Jesus’ mission and purpose formally began when He was baptized by John the Baptist. Immediately after this event, Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights in the Judaean Desert. During this time, the enemy of God, known as Satan who is the fallen angel named Lucifer, appeared to Jesus and tempted Him to reject His earthly mission. Depending on God the Father entirely as a human, Jesus successfully resisted every temptation—He never once sinned. Thus, He became the only human capable of paying the debt of sin for all humanity, which He accomplished through His death on the cross.

Observers of Lent often receive the symbol of the cross of Jesus the Christ (Anointed One) deposited from ashes, upon their foreheads from the finger of the Priest or Pastor at a church service. The mood is solemn and often include long periods of silence. Worshipers will often leave the service in personal, reflective silence.

The ashes represent the dust from which man was made and the dust to which he will return. The ashes also represent death and repentance from the old man, with all hope for the new man Jesus Christ has made possible for those who believe. The ashes are often derived from burning palm branches commemorating Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Passover and Easter) when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

This Lenten Season, let’s determine to purposefully reflect, repent, fast, and pray about our personal relationship with God, through faith in Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray these posts intended to focus us on the magnificence of this high holy season, will both enlighten and transform you by the power of the truth of God’s Word.

The reason for Jesus’ earthly mission is explored in the next post.

Note: The reliability and authority of the Bible is a matter that’s come under critical scrutiny in recent decades with many claiming the Bible to be irrelevant for today. I address this claim and more in my first book in the Faith to Live By series, Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies.

For March 6-7, 2019 read and meditate on the following Scriptures:

Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; Acts 2:33; Romans 3:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-16; 2 Peter 1:1;

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Published on March 06, 2019 07:32

March 6, 2019 – Overview of the Lenten Season