March 2016
As we begin Lent, a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which began on Ash Wednesday February 10th, I challenged you to pick up a prayer booklet and begin to pray daily for five people in our congregation through the Lenten Season. As you have progressed through this prayer booklet I hope you are receiving a blessing by praying for others. Moreover, you are learning by praying for others that GOD can do a work in each of us too.
Meanwhile by doing this I would also ask you to continue in the spirit of Lent with a time of self-reflection/evaluation in preparation of the Passion Week and the arrival of Easter. It is traditional for Lent you choose something to give up. We could choose to fast (which could be as simple as skipping a meal or two and spending that time we would have taken to eat, we spend with the Lord in His Word or prayer). As we choose to take time to fast and pray we can ask God to reveal within us the things He finds to be drawing us away from HIM. So as you seek God through these means I pray the Lord will use the following scripture Psalms 51 to help you draw closer to the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Psalm 51 A Prayer of Repentance
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight- That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart- These, O God, You will not despise.
I do ask God to use this scripture to help each of us to find within us the very thing(s) He may not like in us to be exposed to our spirit man. As we recognize this we would lay it down at the feet of JESUS. And ask the LORD to renew in us a right spirit and create in us a clean heart. As we prepare for Easter may God do a wondrous work in each of us to make this church better than it has been in quite some time? Remember it begins with you! Happy Easter! And May God honor what you are doing for HIM!
n Christ Jesus,
Bro. Tony Antonelli, 2 Tim. 2:15