Ash Wednesday 2014

It's 2014 and are you really any different than you were this time last year?  If not, why not?

Change  is hard work and you have to be very intentional about it.  The changes that I would most like to see in my life are NOT ones that I can create on my own.  They require the intervention of the Holy Spirit in my life.

This Lenten season I am going to practice change but not in chunks of 40 days , a week or even 24 hours...no I am going to practice change in increments of 10 minutes.  Keeping a commitment for only 10 minutes at a time seems manageable.  It's something that is occasionally, humanly possible.  It will drive me to prayer regularly throughout the day and keep me focused on the meaning of this season!

I am no so much giving something up but taking on a characteristic of Christ (giving up negative talk, whining and complaining-I may not talk for the next 40 days!)  For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks! Luke 6:45

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart  is full of.

I will focus on Philippians 4:8 so my heart will be filled with right things

     Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever      is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if          anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

So this Lent...

Spend time in Prayerful meditation about what God wants from you this season

Ask the Holy Spirit to be more active in your life

Admit you can't do it on your own

Spend time in the Word

Confess to other believers and ask them to hold you accountable

Leave a comment so I can pray for you!

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Come Lord Jesus!

Change your people

Ignite your spirit in our lives so the World may see it's fruits in us

Amen!

20 things to give up for Lent

20 things to give up for Lent

•Guilt – I am loved by Jesus and he has forgiven my sins. Today is a new day and the past is behind.

•Fear – God is on my side. In him I am more than a conqueror. (see Romans 8)

•The need to please everyone – I can’t please everyone anyways. There is only one I need to strive to please.

•Envy – I am blessed. My value is not found in my possessions, but in my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

•Impatience – God’s timing is the perfect timing.

•Sense of entitlement – The world does not owe me anything. God does not owe me anything. I live in humility and grace.

•Bitterness and Resentment – The only person I am hurting by holding on to these is myself.

•Blame – I am not going to pass the buck. I will take responsibility for my actions.

•Gossip and Negativity – I will put the best construction on everything when it comes to other people. I will also minimize my contact with people who are negative and toxic bringing other people down.

•Comparison – I have my own unique contribution to make and there is no one else like me.

•Fear of failure – You don’t succeed without experiencing failure. Just make sure you fail forward.

•A spirit of poverty – Believe with God that there is always more than enough and never a lack

•Feelings of unworthiness – You are fearfully and wonderfully made by your creator. (see Psalm 139)

•Doubt – Believe God has a plan for you that is beyond anything you could imagine. The future is brighter than you could ever realize.

•Self-pity – God comforts us in our sorrow so that we can comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

•Retirement – As long as you are still breathing, you are here for a reason. You have a purpose to influence others for Christ. That does not come to an end until the day we die.

•Excuses – A wise man once said, if you need an excuse, any excuse will do.

•Lack of counsel – Wise decisions are rarely made in a vacuum.

•Pride – Blessed are the humble.

•Worry – God is in control and worrying will not help.



"Borrowed" from Micki's facebook post 3-3-2014