Costumes, parades, fattened calves, masks and of course, beads. They are all connected with Mardi Gras. For the unfamiliar it is a gigantic party in New Orleans each year, but to the familiar it is a whole lot more.
Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, and has become known as a season of celebration. It officially starts 12 days after Christmas and goes until midnight on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
Some historians say the origin goes back to the Roman Empire in the second century. Over time the Roman Catholic Church tried to Christianize the pagan event which has become a mixture of religious and pagan rituals and traditions.
Today Mardi Gras celebrations are found in cities across the United States and at least 12 nations. There are millions of people that participate. New Orleans is the face of Mardi Gras, which routinely has over 600,000 people gather each year on Fat Tuesday.
From the Roman Empire to the French Quarters, the days of Mardi Gras are well known as days of self-indulgence of every sort, and that is the point. There is a sense of freedom to engage in whatever your heart desires. Open drunkenness, sexual immorality, and vulgarity of every kind are found – until the stroke of midnight on Fat Tuesday. Then from Ash Wednesday through the 40 days of Lent people are to confess their sins and prepare themselves for Easter Sunday.
Have you ever seen the commercial, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” That slogan represents the culture of Mardi Gras. Indulge now, confess later and all will be well. That is a dangerous belief. If you plan to do something wrong, but it is legal and fun, and afterwards you intend to confess your foolishness does that mean it is okay? The mindset that we can do whatever we want, offer a half-hearted confession and think that God’s love will cover our sin is a huge misunderstanding.
How foolish to think we can deceive the Most High God. He knows our motives and the sincerity of our hearts. God will not grant forgiveness to a pre-planned, unremorseful confession that is simply based on a religious ritual after a season of wide-eyed and highhanded sin, which you anticipate doing again anyway. There is no mercy for such souls, only the judgment of God. Scripture says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31)
Jesus blood was not shed to give our guilty conscience a brief and shallow season of peace while we continue in a sinful lifestyle. Rather, His blood was shed to make us whole and holy. His precious gift of forgiveness came at a tremendous cost. It requires a genuine confession of sin with a truly repentant heart and life. As we enter this time of Lent may our hearts be humble and holy before the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Receive His gift of forgiveness and hope for today.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
HOPE FOR TODAY: What if our Religion has it all Wrong?
“You . . . will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets’ . . . but he will say ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (Luke 13:26-27) Jesus was speaking to a large crowd telling them that one day many of them might be surprised to find they had it all wrong.
In the United States today there are many different religions. The big ones people identify themselves with, according to a Pew Forum on Religion & Public survey, are Protestant Christians (51.3%), Catholics (23.9%), Mormons (1.7%), Jews (1.7%), Atheists (1.6%) and Muslims (.6%). Clearly, the majority of U.S. citizens are religious, even the atheists. They are their own god.
Why are so many of us religious? Maybe we were born with an inclination to worship just like we were born with a desire to eat and drink. In our house of worship we may enjoy the feeling of community, helping others and learning. Our religious exercises may bring a sense of hope, a peace and security. Perhaps we even find some ease with the guilt we bear and helpful counsel for the challenges of our life. This appears good, but is that the overall purpose of our chosen religion or respective form of worship?
What if we got it all wrong? What happens if five minutes after we die the self-professed Christian, Catholic, Mormon, Jew, Atheist and Muslim all go “Oops!” Obviously, it is too late then. Now is the time to begin questioning our faith so we face our future with confidence and not fear or doubt.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Well, what is the will or desire of the God of heaven? It is to love Him and love others. How do you love God? You love Him by obeying His commandments and believing in His only Son, Jesus. Through God and His mission for us do we find who we were created to worship.
Do not be among that number who will be eternally disillusioned five minutes after their last breath. Turn from your attempts at being religious. Discover what it means to know God personally through Jesus. Go beyond rituals to a relationship. Go beyond good deeds to a life transformed and on mission with God. Go beyond knowing about God to walking with Him moment by moment. Before it is too late, lay the title deed to your life down at the feet of the one who made you. Follow Him and embrace His hope for you today.
In the United States today there are many different religions. The big ones people identify themselves with, according to a Pew Forum on Religion & Public survey, are Protestant Christians (51.3%), Catholics (23.9%), Mormons (1.7%), Jews (1.7%), Atheists (1.6%) and Muslims (.6%). Clearly, the majority of U.S. citizens are religious, even the atheists. They are their own god.
Why are so many of us religious? Maybe we were born with an inclination to worship just like we were born with a desire to eat and drink. In our house of worship we may enjoy the feeling of community, helping others and learning. Our religious exercises may bring a sense of hope, a peace and security. Perhaps we even find some ease with the guilt we bear and helpful counsel for the challenges of our life. This appears good, but is that the overall purpose of our chosen religion or respective form of worship?
What if we got it all wrong? What happens if five minutes after we die the self-professed Christian, Catholic, Mormon, Jew, Atheist and Muslim all go “Oops!” Obviously, it is too late then. Now is the time to begin questioning our faith so we face our future with confidence and not fear or doubt.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Well, what is the will or desire of the God of heaven? It is to love Him and love others. How do you love God? You love Him by obeying His commandments and believing in His only Son, Jesus. Through God and His mission for us do we find who we were created to worship.
Do not be among that number who will be eternally disillusioned five minutes after their last breath. Turn from your attempts at being religious. Discover what it means to know God personally through Jesus. Go beyond rituals to a relationship. Go beyond good deeds to a life transformed and on mission with God. Go beyond knowing about God to walking with Him moment by moment. Before it is too late, lay the title deed to your life down at the feet of the one who made you. Follow Him and embrace His hope for you today.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
HOPE FOR TODAY: A Resolution for Real Happiness
This year an estimated 139 million Americans will do some type of New Year’s resolution. That is about 45% of our population. By June, 92% will have failed to follow through while only 8% will make it to the finish line.
A resolution is a determination to make a change. It is a statement of purpose backed up with a sense of resolve and firmness, like “I make a resolution to lose 25 pounds this year.” Some of those changes are related to health, education, career, finances, relationships and habits.
What is the underlying reason for our resolutions? Likely, it is something deeper than just making changes. For some it could be because they are not happy with how things are going in their lives? Someone might have thought, “If I can just get this mountain of debt paid off I can be at peace with myself.”
With that in mind, consider this statement from author and motivational speaker, Stephen Shapiro. After reviewing the data from a major research project he said, “People who achieve their resolutions every year are NO happier than those who do not set resolutions or who are unsuccessful in achieving them.”
Personally, I found that surprising when I read it. However, after some further thought, it made sense to me. We can work hard at changing the outward circumstances of our lives thinking it will affect our inward restlessness. Yet, after some time has passed, no matter whether we were successful or not, that lack of happiness is still there.
Through sheer determination, self-will and a positive attitude we cannot control everything in our lives or world. We are not gods. We may be able to produce for ourselves happiness for a moment or a brief season of time, but we cannot produce anything that is for a lifetime that continues despite our circumstances from day to day.
There is only one God and He created us that we may know Him personally. Only through His Son, Jesus, can we find answers to the deep things of the heart and soul. In Him, we will discover that He is whom we have really needed all along. He once said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). When we come to Jesus and walk with Him in faithful obedience, we will find His indwelling presence always there providing all we need no matter the situation in our lives.
You will only find temporary happiness in your resolutions, but you will find lasting peace through Jesus. In Him is your hope for today.
A resolution is a determination to make a change. It is a statement of purpose backed up with a sense of resolve and firmness, like “I make a resolution to lose 25 pounds this year.” Some of those changes are related to health, education, career, finances, relationships and habits.
What is the underlying reason for our resolutions? Likely, it is something deeper than just making changes. For some it could be because they are not happy with how things are going in their lives? Someone might have thought, “If I can just get this mountain of debt paid off I can be at peace with myself.”
With that in mind, consider this statement from author and motivational speaker, Stephen Shapiro. After reviewing the data from a major research project he said, “People who achieve their resolutions every year are NO happier than those who do not set resolutions or who are unsuccessful in achieving them.”
Personally, I found that surprising when I read it. However, after some further thought, it made sense to me. We can work hard at changing the outward circumstances of our lives thinking it will affect our inward restlessness. Yet, after some time has passed, no matter whether we were successful or not, that lack of happiness is still there.
Through sheer determination, self-will and a positive attitude we cannot control everything in our lives or world. We are not gods. We may be able to produce for ourselves happiness for a moment or a brief season of time, but we cannot produce anything that is for a lifetime that continues despite our circumstances from day to day.
There is only one God and He created us that we may know Him personally. Only through His Son, Jesus, can we find answers to the deep things of the heart and soul. In Him, we will discover that He is whom we have really needed all along. He once said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). When we come to Jesus and walk with Him in faithful obedience, we will find His indwelling presence always there providing all we need no matter the situation in our lives.
You will only find temporary happiness in your resolutions, but you will find lasting peace through Jesus. In Him is your hope for today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)