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Lent and why is it important?

Each year Christians embark on spiritual journeys that culminate with Easter celebrations. Easter is preceded by a period of six weeks that begins on Ash Wednesday in Western churches and ends the Thursday before Easter Sunday. In Eastern churches only, Lent begins on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and ends on the Friday nine days before Easter. During Lent, Christians participate in fasting, repentance, self-denial, spiritual discipline, and other preparations for Easter. According to the resource Learn Religions, the Lenten season was established to serve as a time for ...

Spiritual advisers offering final comfort in execution rooms

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For decades, Missouri executions played out in similar fashion: An inmate was strapped to a gurney in a drab room, alone except for the eyes of witnesses staring through thick, soundproof glass as unidentified executioners administered the lethal chemical from behind a cinderblock wall. But in November, convicted killer Kevin Johnson spent his final moments speaking softly with a pastor, praying, being assured of forgiveness. When Amber McLaughlin was executed in the same room weeks later, her pastor stroked her hand, providing comfort even as McLaughlin expressed ...

Scout’s project could inspire others

REEDSVILLE — Daniel Dupuis is hoping to use his spiritual beliefs and some hard work to help inspire people with a fire pit project. A senior at Mifflin County High School, Dupuis was looking for an idea for his Eagle Scout project. He decided to combine two thoughts and create the fire ...

Considering ‘whoever believes in Him’

John 3:16 — XII For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him — John 3:16 For our study this week, we are considering the words, whoever believes in Him. Who is this group of people who believe in the Son? We can definitely say they are children of God, the elect, the chosen, the church, or the bride of Christ. They are also the ones whose names have been written in the Lambs Book of Life, Revelation 21:27. John 6:39 says, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing.” And John ...

A new creature?

II Cor. 5:17 says if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. There is a danger in over-emphasizing the fact that we have been justified by God to the point that we think salvation is simply a declaration and not a transformation. We are not just declared righteous, we are a new creature. Old things have passed away, new things have come. It is important to realize that salvation involves transformation. If you are wondering if you are a Christian, you don’t simply look back at some point in time where you prayed the sinner’s prayer, you also have to look at your life to ...

Are you thirsty?

Revelation 22:17 Have you noticed that our concept of aging is changing? Remember when seventy was old? Jack LaLanne, the well-known TV exercise coach who hosted a fitness program from 1951-1985, celebrated his seventieth birthday in 1984 by towing 70 boats containing 70 people for a mile across Long Beach Harbor. Amazing! And he did it by holding the rope in his teeth. He was handcuffed and wearing leg shackles! How do you celebrate your birthday? Paul Harvey once spoke about a woman who was 103. When asked her formula for living such a healthy, active life, Eva Reitzel responded in ...