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p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,744
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Is Ash Wednesday only for Catholics? Or do Protestant Churches celebrate it as well?




“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

These words from Mark 2:17 demonstrate for us again the genius of Jesus and serve as an introduction to Ash Wednesday, a somewhat mysterious date on the Christian calendar which marks the beginning of Lent. It evokes the past, encourages us to focus on the present, and points us toward an inspiring future.

In some parts of the country you could go about your business all day and never encounter a reminder that this is Ash Wednesday. Or you could look up from your work to find someone near you wearing ashes on her forehead in a mark that looks something like a cross.

Ash Wednesday is about preparation, and the beginning of preparation at that. All of the Lenten season is focused upon preparation for Easter. Ash Wednesday is about how we can begin those preparations. It is “to make a right beginning of repentance,” as the Book of Common Prayer puts it. We are reminded of “the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.”

Ash Wednesday is the day when the journey toward Easter begins. I would like to suggest that Ash Wednesday helps us begin our preparation for Easter in three ways: by teaching us to mourn the past, to examine the present, and to look forward toward an inspiring future.


(here)



What Is Ash Wednesday? - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,744
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“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)


(excerpt)


Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
6:10-18 Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our spiritual warfare and suffering. Those who would prove themselves to have true grace, must aim at all grace; and put on the whole armour of God, which he prepares and bestows. The Christian armour is made to be worn; and there is no putting off our armour till we have done our warfare, and finished our course. The combat is not against human enemies, nor against our own corrupt nature only; we have to do with an enemy who has a thousand ways of beguiling unstable souls. The devils assault us in the things that belong to our souls, and labour to deface the heavenly image in our hearts. We must resolve by God's grace, not to yield to Satan. Resist him, and he will flee. If we give way, he will get ground. If we distrust either our cause, or our Leader, or our armour, we give him advantage. The different parts of the armour of heavy-armed soldiers, who had to sustain the fiercest assaults of the enemy, are here described.

This is why it it is so very important to become sanctified believers. Those filled with the Holy Spirit! Our war is against spiritual assailants. To worship God, we must worship Him in spirit and truth. So it is no surprise that to battle against the evil we must do so "in spirit and Truth" IMO.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,744
6,913
113
risen.gif

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE
WITH A MIGHTY TRIUMPH 'OR HIS FOES
HE AROSE A VICTOR
'OR THE DARK DOMAIN
AND HE LIVES FOREVER
WITH THE SAINTS TO REIGN
HE AROSE; HE AROSE....


Some folks will argue that He was never crucified. Some will argue that He was drugged and really didn't die, but recovered while in the grave and moved to some distant land, married and all that, and lived a long life. Some will argue most anydarnthing IMO. Some argue which day He was crucified on. Some argue how many days He was in the grave before He rose,

Me? I believe Scripture.

Crucifixion:

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Luke 23:34 - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Isaiah 43:10 - Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Psalms 22:1-31 - (To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Read More...)

Acts 3:15 - And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Isaiah 53:9 - And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Matthew 27:35 - And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Resurrection:

Gospel of John, Chapter 2:

18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21But he spake of the temple of his body.

PRAISE GOD! HE AROSE AND NOW SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER AND IS OUR INTECESSOR, LORD, AND SAVIOR!
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
9,881
4,344
113
mywebsite.us
Some folks will argue that He was never crucified. Some will argue that He was drugged and really didn't die, but recovered while in the grave and moved to some distant land, married and all that, and lived a long life. Some will argue most anydarnthing IMO.
Some folks will find themselves in hell and the lake of fire for not believing... :(
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,924
9,673
113
I think these emoji's capture orange cats purrfectly!

My son has one and they have so much character and they are very clever! :)

I've had 2 orange tabby cats. Rusty died in 2001, and Tequila died in 2016. Google got it right with this version of the orange cat, then their next version looked more like a tiger than a cat. I didn't like that version at all, but the ones they're using now are cute. The one below is the current version:

Cherry Blossom.png