2 Chronicles 30:18-20

Most of the people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves, but they ate the Passover contrary to what was written.

But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, even though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

Encouraging Words

Before Christ, the new Covenant, the Jewish people followed the law that God gave to Moses. This law had some very rigorous rules for cleansing before the celebration of Passover. In this passage we find Hezekiah interceding for a group of people who were not able to do this cleansing but had a heart for God and desired to participate in the Passover. God heard Hezekiah’s petitions and provided healing. Jesus fulfilled these laws and has called everyone to join Him at His table. We must be careful to not allow our commitment to fasting during this time of Lent to come between us and our brothers and sisters. We are not to lord it over others because we think we are more pious and doing the fast better than them. We are not to be putting others down because we judge them and accuse them of not fasting properly or enough. As my dear friend, Archpriest Fr. Ted often taught, “I am to not look at my brothers plate.” Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy on us all!

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing will be impossible.

Encouraging Words

Once again, we have someone asking God how it can be that this impending event is going to happen. This time it is Elizabeth, the elderly aunt of Mary, asking God how she could be pregnant. She was well beyond the age of childbearing. And she gets this answer from the angel. Nothing is impossible with God. Glory be to God!

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord look over the whole earth and strengthen every heart that is loyal to Him. In this you did foolishly, and from now on you shall have wars.

Personal Challenge

This verse refers to King Asa and a bad decision that he made. Earlier in Chronicles, he was asked to join another king to go into a battle that was against all odds. He sought the counsel of God and was blessed in his endeavors. This time, when he was asked to join in another battle, he chose to not seek God’s advise and made his own decision. The results were not good. God wants us to be seeking Him out at all times so that He can lead us effectively through life’s labyrinth, because He knows and sees all. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Love, have mercy !

Mark 14:72

A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

Personal Challenge

Earlier in the ministry of Jesus, Peter had proclaimed that he would never forsake Jesus, that he would die for Him. Now, when the going gets tough, Peter denies Jesus, not once, but three times. Is it no wonder that he wept when he was called out for this? The personal challenge for me here is, do I weep when I have committed sin in my life? Am I grieved to the point of tears when I abandon my fist love and put myself, my desires, my passions, before Jesus, God, and others? Am I truly penitent when I ask for forgiveness? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

2 Chronicles 14:10 (2 Chronicles 14:11)

And Asa cried out to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, with You it is not impossible, whether with the many or with the few. Strengthen us, Lord our God, for we trust in You. And in Your name we go against this multitude. Lord our God, do not let man prevail against You!”

Encouraging Words

Life is very tough at times. When we strive to live godly lives for our Lord, things get even tougher because the world is at odds with God. Here we have king Asa getting ready to go into battle against his his enemy. Asa’s army is comprised of about 550,000 soldiers while they enemy’s army is over a million. That is when he makes this proclamation. This is how we must think and believe as we confront the challenges in this world and the temptations that come our way. With out God, all things are possible against all odds. Glory be to God!

Sirach 28:2-3

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Encouraging Words

Jesus is eternal. He has always been and always will be. In the Old Testament, He is encapsulated in the wisdom writings because He is the source of all wisdom. In the New Testament, He is proclaimed as the Living Word of God. His words are given both by speaking and by His actions. They have been recorded and are still being manifested and not recorded. His words, that which we can put our hope and trust in, will never pass away. Glory be to God!

2 Chronicles 7:14

if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will be merciful to their sins and heal their land.

Personal Challenge

Solomon had just finished building the spectacular temple for God. God visited Him and this verse is part of His conversation with Solomon. God will hear our prayers from heaven and He will be merciful to us in our sins and He will heal our land…IF. We must humble ourselves before Him and our neighbor. We must pray and seek His face. And we must turn from our evil ways. It is His people who must turn to Him. Is it no wonder that a people, a nation that calls themselves Christian, are not seeing His hand at work? Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Mark 12:29-31

Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Personal Challenge

The whole expectation of what God wants us to do is in these three verses. If one ever has a doubt or a concern about how to live a truly righteous and godly life, it is here. Jesus summed everything up in two commandments for us to live our lives by. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength. And we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is nothing in here about how many services we should attend, or how many theological books we should read, or how well we keep the fast. If we do not do those things, and everything else that we do, out of love for God and love of others, then it doesn’t matter. If we jeer at the person who returns from a hiatus from church, then we have failed. If we demand an explanation before we let them back in, then we have failed. If we engage in the gossip mill about another without reaching out to them with encouragement and love, then we have failed. If we pride ourselves on how “godly” our church is at the exclusion of those who disagree with us without focusing on reconciliation and unity then we have failed. Woe to us if we act pharisaical in our piety and not show love to one another. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!