Lenten Devotional for Tuesday, February 26

Dr. Jim Denison's 2013 collection of Lenten devotionals is entitled, "If My People..." and comes at a time that he believes "a Fifth Great Awakening is sweeping the nations, as more people are coming to Christ than ever before in Christian history. How can you join this great movement of God's Spirit?" He goes on to write, "in this year's Lenten devotional guide, we will walk each day with King Solomon as he leads his nation into God's presence and glory. We will commit ourselves to our Father's purpose and experience his transforming power. And we will claim his promise: 'If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land' (2 Chronicles 7:14). 'If My People ...' is more than a Lenten guide - it is God's invitation to intimacy with him. Please join us on this joyous journey."

CLICK HERE for a free copy of Dr. Denison's 2013 Lenten Devotional (in a downloadable/printable Adobe .pdf file)

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Tuesday, February 26
Would you ask God to empower your worship?

When I was a preacher in college, I once conducted a youth revival. During the fellowship after the service, we heard the sounds of nearby fire engines. To our shock, they stopped at the church. Someone had left a lit candle in the sanctuary, which set off a smoke detector and alerted the firemen. People came running from around the neighborhood to see what was happening. I thought of evangelist Charles Finney's pronouncement, "If the church is on fire, people will come from miles around to watch it burn."

His words once came true, literally:

"When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord gfilled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).

When last did you encounter God in worship so powerfully that your life was changed? Would you pray for such "fiery" worship for your congregation and soul during these weeks of preparation for awakening?

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Prior to founding the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, James C. Denison, Ph.D., was pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, a 10,000-member congregation in Dallas, Texas. He also pastored churches in Midland and Mansfield, Texas, and in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion and Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Dallas Baptist University. He is also the the author of seven books.