LOOK TOWARDS JESUS
The true message of Lent is simple: look towards Jesus, and follow His example.
Jesus trained His Spirit to ultimate strength. In order to do this, He listened to God.
He went to a quiet place to talk with God and seek guidance about His Life. [1]
Jesus trained His Body to be subordinate to His Spirit. This He did by fasting. [2]
He read and meditated upon the Scriptures. [3] Jesus humbly accepted trials. [4]
Jesus resisted the temptation to be impressed by money, buildings and fame. [5]
He chose instead to live as witness to God, instead of pursuing the passing glory of this earth.
Jesus helped the poor, the sick, those in need. He advocated almsgiving, praising those who give - even very little. [6]
HOW DO WE BECOME LIKE JESUS?
We train ourselves to respond to situations in the same way that Jesus would have.
This way of life does not come overnight. Each of us has a journey to travel to become our holy self.
Each of us has personal decisions to make about how we treat our body, the people around us, the world in which we live.
Let us develop holy habits
Do we treat our body as the temple of God? Or do we subject our body to the dangers of promiscuity, addictive substances which harm?
Do we treat others with respect and human decency, or do we use them for our own advancement in life without thought of the damage we may be causing in their lives?
Do we treat the world and the animals within with respect and decency, or do we misuse resources and ill-treat the vulnerable?
Do we train our spirits so we are the master of ourselves? Do we make use of the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to strengthen our inner selves?
There are many ways in which we, as humans, can act in a Christ-like compassionate way.
There are also many ways in which we, as humans, can fail to live up to the noble dignity of the humanity within us.
Lent is a gold time, an opportunity for us to do - as it were - a quality check on our spiritual life.
Remember, we will leave this world with our soul. Our soul is our eternal wealth.
If we do not care for our inner spirit but spend all our efforts on our human body, on housing, estates and paper and metal money, we will not have looked forward to our eternal future.
During Lent we can make fresh decisions - a spiritual New Year's resolution - to leave behind the mistakes of the past, beg God's forgiveness for where we have failed, and steadfastly begin again on our path to authentic discipleship.
One year our Lent will be our last. Let it be our best.
POINTS TO PONDER
1. Make Lent a time of renewed prayer
2. Realise personal points of failure - sin - and repent of them
3. Change your life
4. Practise prayer - even ten minutes a day is a good start. Ten minutes is better than nothing. Once you develop a life of prayer, it become like water for your soul - indispensable and infinitely comforting
5. Practice almsgiving - give a sensible tithe to those in need. If your family is the most in need, and there is very little - or no - income, well then, charity begins at home. Almsgiving can also include a kind word, a gentle smile, a helpful deed, neighbourly support
6. Practise fasting - fasting means to be disciplined in eating and drinking habits. It does not mean going without to the point of anorexia. It also does not mean fasting from food alone. It is helpful to be moderate in eating habits, as well as fasting from a spiteful word, harmful gossip, a false accusation, an action which leads to the breakup of a marriage
4. Make resolutions to become more like Jesus
5. Read the life of Jesus and imitate His wonder and beauty
6. If you have never before followed Jesus, why not accept Jesus into your life?
HOW TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR
Close your eyes, calm your breathing, and recite the following prayer dedicating yourself to the Son of God Who gave His Life for you.
"Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, that You died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father.
I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please You.
I choose You.
I give myself to you.
I receive Your forgiveness and ask You to take Your rightful place in my life as my Saviour and Lord.
Come and reign as King in my heart.
Fill me with Your Love and Your Life.
Help me to become a person like You - a person who is truly loving, respectful of life and obedient to the Commandments of God the Father.
Restore me, Jesus.
Live in me.
Love through me.
Thank You, God.
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen."
Now pray Christ's own prayer;
Pray the following words as Jesus taught us:
"Our Father,
Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
One earth as it is in Heavne.
Give us this day
Our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
Take time to pray
Prayer is easy; just talk silently within yourself to Jesus. Tell Him your fears. Tell Him your tears.
Tell Him your worries, your sins, your hopes, your joys.
He wants to be your Friend. The One Who always supports you, whether anyone else does or not.
The One Who always love you, whether those who should love you do or not.
The One Who wipes away every tear, calms every fear, and unerringly leads us to Heaven.
Now seek Baptism
Now find a good and trustworthy priest, seek baptism, and be baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
[1] But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed [Luke Chapter 5: verse 16]
[2] Matthew Chapter 4: verse 2
[3] Luke Chapter 4: verses 17 to 21
[4] Luke Chapter 22: verse 42
[5] Matthew Chapter 4: verses 8 to 10
[6] Luke Chapter 21: verses 1 to 4
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