40 Days of Lent

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

Good morning on this brand new week of Freedom Fighters. I want to thank you again for joining us Monday through Friday as we walk through this thing called life.

I really should have written this devotional for last week, but I didn’t. Wednesday was the beginning of the Lenten season, and once again this year, I am taking these 40 days to dive a little deeper as I prepare my heart for Good Friday and Easter.

I have shared with you before that I did not grow up in a church that observed Lent, but over the past several years, more and more of my evangelical friends have introduced this concept to me and it has been so beneficial to my walk with the Lord.

In addition to reading the Word and devotionals, many choose to give up something during Lent to help them focus more clearly on the Lord. I plan to do that again this year, and at this point, I will probably wait until the end of the 40 days to share what I choose to fast from.

This year I am reading several devotionals along with targeted Scriptures. I want to encourage you to do something out of your normal routine, and if you don’t have a routine, then this is a good time to start one.

 

YouVersion has a number of plans available if you use their app.

Biblegateway has a number of plans.

This year I am reading a devotional written by our friend, Dr. Ray Pritchard. It’s called Faces Around the Cross. You can download it for free for your Kindle.

I am also reading Truly, Truly, I Say to You – Meditations on the Words of Jesus from the Gospel of John.

 

To give you a taste – here are two powerful quotes from the book:

“What are you seeking? Let me tell you what you are seeking, whether you know it or not. You are seeking for rest for your heart, a home for your spirits; you are seeking for perfect truth for your understandings, perfect beauty for your affections, perfect goodness for your conscience. You are seeking for all these three, gathered into one white beam of light, and you are seeking for it all in a Person. Many of you do not know this, and so you go hunting in all manner of impossible places for that which you can only find in one. To the question, ‘What seek ye?’ the deepest of all answers, the only real answer, is, ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.’ If you know that, you know where to look for what you need!” – Scottish Baptist Minister Alexander MacClaren

“What is it that you seek?’ … He puts the same question to you this morning-‘What seek you?’ Are you seeking pardon? You shall find it in Me. Are you seeking peace? I will give you rest. Are you seeking purity? I will take away your sin, a new heart will I give you and a right spirit will I put within you. What are you seeking? Some solid resting place for your soul upon earth, and a glorious hope for yourself in heaven? Whatever you seek, it is here. O my dear friend, if you would but come and see Christ, if by humble earnest prayer you would give your heart up to Him, and then trust in Him implicitly to be your guide, you would never lament the decision. ” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 

Those hit me right between the eyes. Very thought provoking!!!

So, I encourage you to take this next 40 days to focus on the Cross. I’d love to hear what you are learning.

Anchored to the Rock,

Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Bill would love to hear from you at bwelte@americaskeswick.org.

 

Written by Bill Welte: President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night…” Psalm 92:1-2