ASH Wednesday

ASH Wednesday is the first day of the Lent season and was this week.  As Protestants, we Baptists rarely do much with Lent; but it does not mean it should remain that way.  Lent is a time to change our focus from ourselves onto the Lord in preparation for the Easter event.  During Lent many people will do a modified fast from such things as sweets, colas, fast-food, TV, etc. to draw themselves closer to God as Easter approaches.  Many will also go to a church service specifically for Ash Wednesday where the priest or pastor will place burnt ashes, usually burnt palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service, on their foreheads.  These ashes signify the people’s humility towards God and repentance for their sins.

However, people also have a tendency to fast for the wrong reasons and simply go through the motions when it comes to church attendance.  The prophet Isaiah expresses this better than I can in Isaiah 58:1-14 that I hope you will read today before going to bed.  Isaiah says some mighty strong words in this chapter such as the following: “Yet they act so pious!”  “Do you really think this will please the Lord?”  “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.”

Last year I gave up chocolate for Lent, and found it very difficult.  However, every time I wanted chocolate it reminded me of the Lord and drawing closer to him.  May we be reminded today of who God is and what he has done in such a way to bring us to true repentance from our sins with humility before the Lord.  Choose to draw closer to God with right ways and right motives.  Ask God some or all of these following questions.  However, when you ask them, be prepared to honestly listen to what God says back to you through the reading of his word.  Know that the Bible says knowledge puffs up.  To have knowledge of what is right and wrong is not the final destination on our journey we call life.  Proper action on the knowledge we get from God’s word is what will be most pleasing to the Lord.

Here are a few questions to use to start your conversation with the Lord today.  What am I doing externally that has the appearance of being good, but internally I have the wrong motivations?  Show me how to better seek you and your ways with a pure mind and a pure heart.  Lord, what would you have me fast from over this season of Lent?  Lord I want to draw closer to you, what in my life is stopping this from happening.

In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,

Chad

Senior Pastor, HGBC

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Fear

There are all kinds of things out there that make people afraid.  Some of those things are dogs, mice, snakes, heights, the unknown, the dark, taxes, and that thing you are thinking about that I did not mention.  Those things scare us because we envision them hurting us.  We steer clear of them at all cost.  We even feel anxious at the mere mentioning of their names.

Fear, however, is not always about being afraid, about something hurting you, or about total avoidance of that thing.  I remember when I was a little boy living next door to my grandmother and this yardstick she kept over the door facing.  I cannot remember even one time her raising her voice at me; much less her ever whipping me with that yard stick.  I do remember her looking above her door facing a few times at that yardstick.  That look meant a lot, even though I don’t remember her ever using it.  Did I fear my grandmother?  YEP!  But I was never afraid that she was out to hurt me nor did I ever try to avoid her even when I was in trouble.  

 

She demonstrated love for me in such a manner that it made me respect her.  Her love and presence made me want to please her and do the right things in my life so she would be proud of me.  Did I ever get in trouble at her house?  I am sure I did, but the thing I remember the most is her love; and her bread pudding, of course.

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

 Try this definition of fear on for size when you think about God.  FEAR of the LORD: “I RESPECT God so much that I want to always do what is RIGHT and PLEASING in His sight.  It draws me NEARER to Him!”

What causes you to be afraid?  Many people avoid church out of fear of the unknown.  Many people have never really given God a chance in their lives.  They are afraid of what will happen or what they will have to change.  The question is do you have a proper fear of God?  How is that fear being rightly demonstrated?  What areas of life do you need to fear God more?  What areas of life do you need to relinquish control over to the heavenly Father who loves you more than you can ever imagine?

In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,

Chad Hensley, (Senior Pastor; HGBC)