Altrusa Hosts Lenten Luncheon

Janet Morales

Ash Wednesday has come to Moberly and with it the annual Lenten Luncheons sponsored by the Moberly Altrusa Club. Janie Riley, Altrusa member, told those assembled that the group has hosted the event for 55 years.

The first speaker for the 2010 series was Rev. David Reese, pastor of First Assembly of God in Moberly. Reese came to Moberly in 1999. He and his wife Tammy have four children. His focus is on missions – evangelism and he has taken the Word to such places as El Salvador and Kenya.

“Coming to Moberly is like coming home again,” said the North Dakota native.

Reese took his Lenten talk from the Message Bible with a paraphrase of Isaiah 58. Lent is often thought of as a time for fasting, for giving something up to honor God. Isaiah 58 addresses the peoples’ concerns of what they considered unanswered prayer and God’s reasons why their “prayers won’t get off the ground”.

Isaiah 58 (The Message)... They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ and love having me on their side.
But they also complain, ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
3-5″Well, here’s why: “The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like?

6-9″This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say,

‘Here I am.’

Rev. Reese explained the importance of putting faith and works together to glorify God. James 2:14 states what gooid is it fi a man has faith and does not have deeds? Deeds are important to show obedience to God and to show the evidence of our faith, said Reese. But he was quick to point out that deeds are not what save us.

“We’re not saved by our good works but we are saved for good works,” said Reese. “Some churches just preach faith, some churches just preach deeds. We need to get these two things together.”

During this time of Lent, said Reese, we should look in our hearts and see what God wants us to change. It is a time of sorrow, knowing we have sinned. But sorrow leads to conviction, conviction leads to conviction and conviction leads to repentance and that leads to salvation.

“Repentance is a 180 degree turnaround, to do an about face, go the other way, towards God,” said Reese. “It is turning your back on the old way, the wrong way. There’s no turning back.”

Reese said some people are afraid of making a life change for God.

“It is beginning a new life of obedience to Christ,” said Reese. “It is a new life of joy. There is nothing to lose, everything to gain. Jesus takes the penalty for our sins, forgives them then says ‘you’re my sons and daughters’.”

Next week’s speaker will be Rev. Zane Whorton from Jacksonville/Cairo Unity Church. Contact Dora May Cravens at 269-8405 for reservations