Friday, March 7, 2014

Preparing for Easter

Easter is coming up on Sunday April 20th. This time right now is to be thinking about Jesus being in the desert tempted by satan got 40 days. A lot of Catholics during this time give up something. The point is not to give up something easy or that you don't even like. I would say you should give up something you prioritize or feel like you need. Something that you put ahead of God every day. Something that you might actually need to lean on Gods strength to last the whole time. It needs to be so something that you use frequently and really enjoy but realize that God is more important than that. Jesus died for us! I think we can give up something for 40 days. It's interesting to realize how much you came to need something and want it everyday. If we are without the bible for a day would we feel that way also. My prayer is that in the 40 days of having less or more of something we would yearn more for God. I decided to give up pop for this time and continue reading a chapter of Jeremiah a day. It doesn't necessarily have to be something you give up. It could be doing more of something also. Singing a song of worship a day or reading a chapter of the bible a day. 

Already it has been hard not to have pop and even though it's not a sin I want to say God you are better than this and I want to focus on You and needing You and not worldly things. For some people it might be to give up coffee or even use that money normally used to purchase coffee to donate to charity or the dollar a day things for kids. If there is someone that it is really hard for you to love you could try and pray for them each day or do something for them everyday. It's not impossible with God. Maybe it's giving up secular music. When you are craving that music you instead turn to God in prayer or take yourself out of that situation. 

Preparing for Easter it is important to remember what the cross means and I think important to think about how you have been saved. Why would God save us? Reading through Jeremiah, God is continually saddened by their evilness and idols. God had to destroy them before He could bring them back. He said He would exile them and in 70 years being them back. He also says that He will be making a new covenant with the people and their sins will be forgiven and forgotten. God had to put them through the fire before the light could lead them. I think that so often people have to have something horrible happen before they can really acknowledge how horrible and evil we are and how mighty God is and that He can make us stronger! I just want to remember all the temptation Christ went through and finally a death for us. It is really saddening how sinful we are and I have had time to realize that lately. But also how great and compassionate God IS!! He truly is amazing and loves us and knows everything about us. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted and He will help us and heal us. He is there for us! 
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, 26 NIV). 
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:10-12 NIV). 

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