Forty.....
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We are right smack dab in the middle of reading about Moses. Moses, one of my favorite people in the Bible.
I think about Moses constantly, even when I am not reading about him.
He inspires me to trust God, despite my obvious lack of ability. He inspires me to listen to His Voice, even when others may not get it or think I have lost my ever-lovin' mind. He reminds me to trust God's timing, even when it seems impossible that the land of milk and honey will come after such a long journey.
But, today, I am not writing about Moses. No, not today.
I am writing about Jesus.
As Lent begins, for the next 40 days, I still find myself in a state of mourning over the state of our world.
I cannot shake the images of 21 men losing their lives because of their belief in Christ.
We are those men.
We are those men.
The only difference is, we are still on Earth, and they are united with the Father in Heaven.
I cannot stop praying over our world.
Two night ago, I woke up covered in sweat. I was awakened by a voice telling me to "Pray for Church 213".
Church 213 is a local church that was just burned to the ground over the weekend. As far as I know, I do not know anyone at this church, yet, I am mourning for this church.
Even in my dreams, God reminds me to pray for Church 213.
However, I think I get why God is asking me to pray for Church 213.
We are Church 213.
We are being burned to the ground. All over the world.
"You are dust, and to dust you shall return" Ecclesiastes 3:20
Our faith is being tested, by the sword. Literally.
Yet, I am consumed by my own needs. My own comfort. My own desires.
Myself makes me sick at times.
Who do I love more? Myself or Christ?
I really want the answer to be Christ.
For the next 40 days, I want to rid myself of self. Fill myself with Christ.
Will you join me in prayer?
Will you participate in Lent with me?
When Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days without food, He lost Himself to the Call of His Father. To minister to us. To pray for us. To save us.
It was all for us.
I want to starve myself from the food that my flesh feeds on for the next 40 days.
The things that separate me from Christ. Fear, Pride, Self-loathing, Self-love, Approval of others, the desire to be comfortable...the list goes on.
"He must become greater, I must become less." John 3:30
In order to point others to Christ, we must take the spotlight off of self.
Instead of a 24 hour prayer challenge, how about a 40 days of prayer challenge.
We need it. The church needs it. Our world needs it.
Desperately.
40 days of Him,
jill
Want to receive SHINE by email? Go here.
We are right smack dab in the middle of reading about Moses. Moses, one of my favorite people in the Bible.
I think about Moses constantly, even when I am not reading about him.
He inspires me to trust God, despite my obvious lack of ability. He inspires me to listen to His Voice, even when others may not get it or think I have lost my ever-lovin' mind. He reminds me to trust God's timing, even when it seems impossible that the land of milk and honey will come after such a long journey.
But, today, I am not writing about Moses. No, not today.
I am writing about Jesus.
As Lent begins, for the next 40 days, I still find myself in a state of mourning over the state of our world.
I cannot shake the images of 21 men losing their lives because of their belief in Christ.
We are those men.
We are those men.
The only difference is, we are still on Earth, and they are united with the Father in Heaven.
I cannot stop praying over our world.
Two night ago, I woke up covered in sweat. I was awakened by a voice telling me to "Pray for Church 213".
Church 213 is a local church that was just burned to the ground over the weekend. As far as I know, I do not know anyone at this church, yet, I am mourning for this church.
Even in my dreams, God reminds me to pray for Church 213.
However, I think I get why God is asking me to pray for Church 213.
We are Church 213.
We are being burned to the ground. All over the world.
"You are dust, and to dust you shall return" Ecclesiastes 3:20
Our faith is being tested, by the sword. Literally.
Yet, I am consumed by my own needs. My own comfort. My own desires.
Myself makes me sick at times.
Who do I love more? Myself or Christ?
I really want the answer to be Christ.
For the next 40 days, I want to rid myself of self. Fill myself with Christ.
Will you join me in prayer?
Will you participate in Lent with me?
When Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days without food, He lost Himself to the Call of His Father. To minister to us. To pray for us. To save us.
It was all for us.
I want to starve myself from the food that my flesh feeds on for the next 40 days.
The things that separate me from Christ. Fear, Pride, Self-loathing, Self-love, Approval of others, the desire to be comfortable...the list goes on.
"He must become greater, I must become less." John 3:30
In order to point others to Christ, we must take the spotlight off of self.
Instead of a 24 hour prayer challenge, how about a 40 days of prayer challenge.
We need it. The church needs it. Our world needs it.
Desperately.
40 days of Him,
jill
