Ash Wednesday...

Ash Wednesday... What does it mean and what shall we do, if anything?

I will tell you for 20 years I celebrated Ash Wednesday / Lent and it has more effect on me today than it ever has. In life, sometimes we do things not really knowing why... Parents are at fault for that a lot of times. Churches are at fault for that a lot of times!
An Episcopal Priest (yes, he's a Christian and heterosexual) told me on Sunday that if 'we don't know why we do something, then we shouldn't do it!' He is very intentional with his congregation about the history of the church and why the church does what it does. I LOVE this...

'Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.'
1 Peter 5:6

'...then your heart becomes proud, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and the house of slavery.'
Deuteronomy 8:14

LENT (an old English word for SPRING) is the season each year in which we approach the crucifixion (Good Friday) and the resurrection (Easter Sunday) of Jesus Christ. It begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts forty (40) days, not counting Sunday because Sundays already commemorate Jesus' resurrection. Historically, as the Lenten season developed, 40 days was settled upon because Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness of fasting, prayer and solitude with His Father in preparation for His ministry on earth.

Lent is a time for sacrifice and self-examination, for increased self-awareness and God-awareness, for spiritual refocus and renewing of our conversion, for seeing our own need for Grace and for opening our hearts to be more captured by Jesus' love!

Some people 'give up' something or 'take on' something. For instance, my wife may say that she is abstaining from eating chocolate or something else that is normally a daily part of her life. This is a discipline intended to make us aware of how earthly things can have power over us and to remind us that our true pleasure is in following Jesus.

The decisions of 'giving up' or 'taking on' are unique and personal to you and are between you and God. For goodness sake, if they are not helpful or become too great a burden, please stop them with no guilt! Lent is meant to be enlivening and deepening, not another legalistic rule of proving to God your worth or affection for Him.

In the Ash Wednesday service, which begins Lent, ashes are placed on one's forehead as the words are spoken, 'Remember, man is dust and to dust you shall return.' It's purpose is to humble our hearts and remind us that life, and our life, passes away on earth. All of life is a gift from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). Putting ashes 'on' is an old sign of repentance and humility (see Job 42:6)

Humility is RIGHT! I remember going to Ash Wednesday services growing up and my parents making me 'wear' those ashes on my forehead out to dinner. Often times I would 'forget' that they were on my forehead and 'accidentally' wipe my forehead because it was 'itching.' I would happen to 'accidentally' wipe the ashes off my forehead before we went in to eat. I just didn't know. I was probably taught, but I never understood. Now I understand. Now I believe. My upbringing means much more to me now then it did back then.

Our Contemporary churches could learn a lot from our Liturgical churches in observing the tradition of Lent... But let's NOT forget WHY we do what we do!

I hope that you do 'give up' something or 'take on' something in your daily life that causes you to think about, rely on and trust Jesus more. Deny yourself...



If you desire to WATCH my sermon from 31 January, the video is now on the web! Pretty crazy how that happens... www.begrace.org/media.

A couple of things...

Two things that you need to be aware of...

In the past:
On January 31, I preached at my church and would love for you to listen to it!
Check out www.begrace.org/media. Scroll down to the above date which has my name (Johnny Russell) by it along with my sermon title 'Lepsog Retnuoc.'

Let me know what you think if you get a chance to listen to it.

Warning... Pack a lunch! The link has the entire service on there. I get up around 26 minutes from the beginning and go for about an HOUR!

Believe It.

In the future:
Central Texas Young Life is hosting our 1st Annual Run for your LIFE 5K on Saturday, March 27, at 8 a.m. at the Andy K. Wells Hike & Bike Trail in Killeen!

Here is the website while under construction, but check it out at the end of the week and prepared to be 'WOO'ed!' My brother David is doing it and he is a stinkin' NINJA when it comes to Websites...
http://www.centexrunforyourlife.com/

On another note, it is raining here big time! My yard is a very squishy... It's always nice to get some free water on my lawn.

Please pray for Young Life Club tonight at 7:59. Pray that lots of kids would come out to have an awesome time and be loved on by folks who care about their heart and soul.

Because High Schoolers are WORTH IT!