Saints,

Let us experience our community, the Body of Christ, in a new and startling way, beginning in deep reflections through prayer and fasting that encourages us to put off the things of earth and flesh. At the same time looking for and experiencing Jesus in the needy or neglected that we can help. Knowing that we have the hope that the world is dying for, shall we not offer it?

The Lent season begins tomorrow on Wednesday. We will try and post daily or bi-daily on this thread.

This is a wonderful season of 40 days to ask God for special grace to overcome in areas, add spiritual disciplines to your life and then anticipate and celebrate afresh the death and resurrection of Christ.

Feel free to share your daily blessings and thoughts on this Lent.

May it be a meaningful season for you dear brothers and sisters as we put our gaze on the Living Christ who we are called to be intimate relationship with daily.

here is also a recommended free booklet by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, titled “The Seasons of Lent.” signup here to receive it: https://www.gfa.org/lent/subscribe/

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 6 - Ash Wednesday

In the tradition of most of the Church today people go to Church and receive a sign of the cross in ash on their forehead symbolizing repentance and that you identify with Christ's suffering and death which we will celebrate in 40 days from now.

This is the time of preparation now. A special time to fast, pray, and start a new spiritual disciple for this 40 days. Perhaps praying on your knees if you do not, or praying extra times each day. Or perhaps it is giving up something that distracts from your spiritual life. Spend these 40 days also not just introspecting yourself but look outside yourself to others, see the needy, poor, hurting, be Jesus to them.



Holiness, I discovered, is not a state of being, but a continuing process.
excerpt from Road to Reality
by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan


PRAY

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


READING

Psalm 51:1-17
Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgement.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

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.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt–offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.


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Note: We have featured a new sermon on the brevity of our life, as dust we have come and to dust we return. Our life is like a vapor. Leonard Ravenhill expands on this and calls for surrender and service to Christ, to give our short life away to the Lord for others. This is an excellent call for us at lent season.

What is your Life? by Leonard Ravenhill
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=6704&commentView=itemComments

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_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

Here is a devotional message by K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan on Lent Season that will be helpful for us to read as we begin this journey for the next 40 days:

---


Tomorrow marks the first day of Lent. It is one of the oldest holy days on the Christian calendar. As Christians, we have many holidays that we celebrate throughout the year such as Christmas, Palm Sunday and Easter. Lent is a special time like those when we can stop and remember what our lives here on earth are about.

Without even realizing it, we so easily become like the world around us. Lent is a time when believers can step back and remember that we are not of this world. It is an opportunity to choose to deliberately turn our gaze to Christ and provide an environment for accelerated spiritual growth for ourselves by making deliberate choices—choices that refocus our walk with Christ by giving up something, adding spiritual disciplines into our lives and giving to others. It is all in preparation to remember what Christ has done for us and His Resurrection on Easter.

A.W. Tozer in Of God and Men says: “But the spiritual climate into which many modern Christians are born does not make for vigorous spiritual growth. Indeed, the whole evangelical world is to a large extent unfavorable to healthy Christianity.” We’ll never know what it means to touch the living God and enter into the incredible presence of God, without us deciding to take the time to kneel down and spend that extra half hour with God in order to grow in our relationship with Him.

But do you think our flesh likes it? Absolutely not. Everything within our soulish life, our mental faculty, our will, our emotion, absolutely fights to make us stop it. As a matter of fact, any serious spiritual exercise you want to do will be met with immediate counter-attack. We have to choose to embrace the Cross and accept the inconveniences.

As believers, we are called to be separate, to be God’s. The things of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are constantly before us as temptations that can distance us from God. Our lives are constantly preoccupied, thinking from morning until we go to bed all about us—our children, our homes, our clothes. Our prayer time can be taken over by our needs and concerns, our wishes and fears, instead of seeing beyond our world to the others whom God also sees and is concerned about. God’s heart weeps, and He aches, and He wants to share that with us.

As the body of Christ, we are called to live in this world but not of it. Think about Colossians 3:1-4: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Lent gives believers the opportunity to choose to embrace an invitation to draw closer to the Lord and meditate on Him, to pull away from the day-to-day norm to reflect, repent and pray in the light of God’s Word and the life of Jesus Christ our Savior.

As we look toward the anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection, may our lives be renewed with hunger and passion for the Lord and recognize how we’ve allowed ourselves to drift away from Him by letting others and other things take His place in our hearts.

Lord, let this be a season of deep joy as we meditate upon Your mercy and once again experience the wonder of Your life and death and resurrection. You did it for us. We determine to follow after You.

Your holy presence

my spirit longs for

but my flesh rebels

Kyrie-Eleison.*

Memories of duties neglected

prompting of Your Spirit

ignored and disobeyed

Kyrie-Eleison.

When the poor and needy

knocked at my door

now I know it was You

Kyrie-Eleison.

Thank You for grace

mercy and forgiveness

Here I am on my knees

Kyrie-Eleison.

*Greek: Lord, have mercy.

from: https://www.bec.org/devotionals/gods-heart-aches-and-he-wants-to-share-that-with-us

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 7

PRAYER

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favour, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


READING

Psalm 37:1-17
Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land,
and delight in abundant prosperity.

The wicked plot against the righteous,
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to kill those who walk uprightly;
their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.

Better is a little that the righteous person has
than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 8

PRAYER

Support us, O Lord, with your gracious favour through the fast we have begun; that as we observe it by bodily self-denial, so we may fulfill it with inner sincerity of heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


READING

Psalm 31
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.

In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.

You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.

I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror to my neighbours,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord,
for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
Let the lying lips be stilled
that speak insolently against the righteous
with pride and contempt.

O how abundant is your goodness
that you have laid up for those who fear you,
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of everyone!
In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
from contentious tongues.

Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was beset as a city under siege.
I had said in my alarm,
‘I am driven far from your sight.’
But you heard my supplications
when I cried out to you for help.

Love the Lord, all you his saints.
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord.




QUOTE

Fasting is like medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless, and even harmful, in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use.
I have said these things, not that we may disparage fasting, but that we may honour fasting. For the honour of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstaining from meat is one especially who disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. By what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honour, do not be jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman, pass her by. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.
Saint John Chrysostom

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

First Sunday in Lent

PRAYER

Thematic Prayer

God of wilderness and water,
your Son was baptized and tempted as we are.
Guide us through this season,
that we may not avoid struggle,
but open ourselves to blessing,
through the cleansing depths of repentance
and the heaven-rending words of the Spirit. Amen.

Intercessory Prayer

Beloved friends, in this season of repentance and healing,
we accept God's invitation to be ever-mindful of the needs of others,
offering our prayers on behalf of God's community in the church and the world.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:

Fill us with your strength
to resist the seductions of our foolish desires
and the tempter's vain delights,
that we may walk in obedience and righteousness,
rejoicing in you with an upright heart. Amen.

Scripture Prayer

God of deliverance and freedom,
you taught the people of Israel
to acknowledge that all things
come from your bountiful hand.
Deepen our faith
so that we may resist temptation
and, in the midst of trial,
proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,
now and for ever. Amen.


READING


Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Assurance of God’s Protection

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.’

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling-place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honour them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 11 - Monday

“The measure to which I will manifest the life of Christ is the same measure to which I am willing to put my “self” to death.”
excerpt from Road to Reality
by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan


PRAYER

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully increase in us your gifts of holy discipline, in almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; that our lives may be directed to the fulfilling of your most gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

READING

Psalm 41
Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

Happy are those who consider the poor;
the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
they are called happy in the land.
You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
My enemies wonder in malice
when I will die, and my name perish.
And when they come to see me, they utter empty words,
while their hearts gather mischief;
when they go out, they tell it abroad.
All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.

They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,
that I will not rise again from where I lie.
Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,
who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.
But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them.

By this I know that you are pleased with me;
because my enemy has not triumphed over me.
But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence for ever.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.


QUOTE


“Fasting ends lust, roots out bad thoughts, frees one from evil dreams. Fasting makes for purity of prayer, an enlightened soul, a watchful mind, a deliverance from blindness. Fasting is the door of compunction, humble sighing, joyful contrition, an end to chatter, an occasion for silence, a custodian of obedience, a lightening of sleep, health of the body an agent of dispassion, a remission of sins, the gate, indeed the delight of Paradise."
St. John Climacus

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 12 - Tuesday

“Until we’ve learned to go to the cross and speak death to our ego-drives that lust against the Spirit, there can be no reality in the Christian life.”
excerpt from Road to Reality
by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan


PRAYER

Grant to your people, Lord, grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only true God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


READING

Psalm 45
Ode for a Royal Wedding

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song.

My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

You are the most handsome of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you for ever.
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your glory and majesty.

In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.

Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
the people of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
the richest of the people with all kinds of wealth.

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold–woven robes;
in many–coloured robes she is led to the king;
behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.

In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

March 13 - Wednesday


Silent prayers become loud knocks at the door of mercy during Lent Season; therefore, let us pray without ceasing. - K.P. Yohannan


PRAYER

Bless us, O God, in this holy season, in which our hearts seek your help and healing; and so purify us by your discipline that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


READING

Psalm 119:49-72
Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my distress,
that your promise gives me life.
The arrogant utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law.
When I think of your ordinances from of old,
I take comfort, O Lord.
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
those who forsake your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
wherever I make my home.
I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
and keep your law.
This blessing has fallen to me,
for I have kept your precepts.

The Lord is my portion;
I promise to keep your words.
I implore your favour with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
When I think of your ways,
I turn my feet to your decrees;
I hurry and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous ordinances.
I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
teach me your statutes.

You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.
Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was humbled I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.
The arrogant smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.
Their hearts are fat and gross,
but I delight in your law.
It is good for me that I was humbled,
so that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.



QUOTE

This is the mark of Christianity: however much a man toils, and however many righteous deeds he performs, to feel that he has done nothing, and in fasting to say, “This is not fasting,” and in praying, “This is not prayer,” and in perseverance at prayer, “I have shown no perseverance; I am only just beginning to practice and to take pains”; and even if he is righteous before God, he should say, “I am not righteous, not I; I do not take pains, but only make a beginning every day.”
St. Macarius of Egypt (c. 300–391)

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon