This week’s scriptures are: Joel 2:1-18, Psalms 51:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10, Matthew 6:1-6,18-21
Please pray with me:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine. I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched. I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever. Amen and Amen.
Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today is Ash Wednesday. I know this message is being posted late in the day, but please bear with me. You see, I was at work today when I remembered the importance of today. I gave thoughts to just skipping this message, but I read the scriptures and knew that I must write.
Two portions of today's scriptures stand out to me. The first one is 2 Corinthians 5:20. From the New Jerusalem Bible: "So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were urging you through us, and in the name of Christ we appeal to you to be reconciled to God."
"In the name of Christ we urge you to be reconciled to God."
The other one that stands out to me is Psalm 51:10-12. From the New Revised Standard Version: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit."
In the name of Christ we urge you to be reconciled to God......Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit...........
As we travel through life, there are times of darkness. We're in a dark mood. No matter what we do, we just cannot shake the dark. Sometimes we blame it on others. We may blame it on the situations we find ourselves in.
Maybe we should look closely at our relationship with God during those times. Maybe, just maybe, we've pulled away from God. Maybe we've strayed and don't realize it.
Maybe we just need to be reconciled to God.
Have you ever noticed that when we are right with God it doesn't matter what bad things happen? We could lose our homes or a close family member and we can still praise God. Life may be sad, but it's not DARK.
But then go through even the slightest troubles when we're not right with God and it seems as if all of the light in the world couldn't lighten our day. We may be going through something as simple as not getting a payment in the mail in the morning. It still got mailed that same day, just not when we wanted it. The bills not late, the power is still going to be on tomorrow.
And yet, there is darkness in our heart. No light in sight. Reconcile to God......
For years one of my favorite tunes during church service was when we sang, "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me...." It was a simple melody, but the words were powerful.
Today when I read Psalm 51 and read these words, I knew that I had to write.
How can we be reconciled, if we don't have a clean heart? How we be reconciled without a right spirit? How can we be reconciled without a willing spirit?
If our heart is not clean, we will continue in our ways of sin. If we don't have a right spirit, we will continue in our ways of darkness. If we don't have a willing spirit, we will continue to struggle with our relationship with God.
Restore to me the JOY OF YOUR SALVATION. WOW! Remember the first time you realized that you do not need to fear Hell? You knew that God was your father and He was going to keep you safe? What joy!
You almost felt like you could take on the world and Satan himself! Of course, God was behind that excitement. God's salvation brought that joy to us.
If we're excited about our salvation, how can we possibly go through dark time? How can we struggle with earthly things?
We need to reconcile with God. Be excited about our salvation. Have a clean heart and a right and willing spirit.
So create in us clean hearts, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us. Do not cast us away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation, and sustain in us a willing spirit. Lord bring us reconciliation with you. Help us to walk with you the rest of our days.
Amen, Amen.
May the reading of this sermon bless you. May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.
Amen, Amen.
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