• 

  Water company cites reconnections

  The May 22 tornado has caused a dramatic drop in water usage for the Missouri American Water Co., but things are starting to turn around — one reconnection at a time.

Worship

Search Results

Close Previous Now showing: of Next

Previous Next Close

Related Photos

• 

Discussion

March 19, 2010

Rich Brown: Number 40 significant in Bible

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Fri Mar 19, 2010, 05:56 PM CDT

Under the umbrella of Christianity, there is nothing more meaningful than Easter and the 40 days preceding it, Lent.

When I think of Easter and the awesome resurrection of Christ, I never fail to ponder the importance of those 40 days leading up to it, which is a time to search one’s soul, reflect, take stock and, yes, repent.

Last month I wrote a column about a youth group from Grace Episcopal Church in Carthage who epitomizes the importance of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, these youngsters began a 40-day fast, which continues today and runs through April 3, the day before Easter. Their goal is to give up so much in their lives to raise money for people with so little left in theirs. In this case, it happens to be the people of Haiti in light of the horrendous earthquake that left their land devastated.

As I thought about the sacrifices these teens from Carthage are making, I realized that what they are doing is not just for a few days, or perhaps a week, but 40 days. Then I was reminded of the significance of this number 40 throughout the Bible.

Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai with God, as recorded in Exodus 24:18.

God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights in the days of Noah (Genesis 7:4).

The Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, traveling to the promised land (Numbers 14:33).

Jonah, in his prophecy of judgment, gave the city of Nineveh 40 days in which to repent (Jonah 3:4).

Elijah walked 40 days and nights to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 9:18).

Goliath came out and challenged the Israelite army for 40 days before being killed by David (1 Samuel: 17:16).

Jesus retreated into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and was tempted by the devil (Matthew: 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2).

The traditional belief is that Jesus lay for 40 hours in the tomb, which led to the 40 hours of total fast that preceded the Easter celebration in the early church.

The 40 days of Lent, marked by fasting from both food and festivities, as well as other acts of penance, often include a time for people to give up a vice of theirs, add something that will bring them closer to God and give the time or money spent doing that to charitable causes.

Some have called Lent a season of grief that necessarily ends with the great celebration of Easter. In fact, those from the Eastern Orthodox world have labeled it the season of “Bright Sadness.”

This 40-day period of fasting skips Sundays, which commemorate the resurrection.

Coming next in the current Lent observance will be Palm Sunday (March 28), Passover (March 30) and Good Friday (April 2).

Address correspondence to Rich Brown, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802 or email rbrown@joplinglobe.com.

Text Only

Worship

• 85-year-old pastor stepping down after 40 years in ministry

  When Harry Givens draws the curtain on four decades as a pastor Sunday, he can rest assured that, with God’s help, he made a difference in people‘s lives.

  February 6, 2012 1 Photo

• Superstar T.D. Jakes makes a confession

  Now, this legendary preacher -- often listed as one of America’s most powerful evangelicals -- has taken a big step toward convincing critics that he is, in fact, an evangelical. Jakes has, after years of rumors about private assurances, publicly affirmed that he believes in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

  February 6, 2012

• Craig Tally, columnist: 'Proof texting' the Bible a common practice

  Upon entering the home of a friend, I discovered some friendly sparring in process about America’s space program.  My friend was in the midst of his “the Bible says so” argument just as I entered the room.

  January 30, 2012

• Crosslines holding 17th annual Souper Bowl of Caring

  Crosslines Churches of the Joplin Area marks its 30th anniversary in March, and more than half of those years have been devoted to the Souper Bowl of Caring.

  January 30, 2012 1 Photo

• Terry Mattingly: Change happens slowly within church

  In the fall of 1979, a cluster of Episcopalians made another trip to Rome seeking a haven for Anglo-Catholic believers anxious to exit their increasingly divided church.

  January 23, 2012

• Stephen ministers helping people get back on track

  The fury of last year’s Joplin tornado may have subsided and the stress of the holidays passed, but demands on the Stephen Ministry are stronger than ever.

  January 23, 2012 1 Photo

• Craig Tally: End zone not the best place for prayer

  Some say that the kneeling/prayer in the end zone is about honoring God and being grateful for one’s talent and opportunity, not about God helping the score. If so, then why do we not see a receiver bow in prayer following a dropped pass? Or, why do we not see a running back point heavenward following a fumble?

  January 16, 2012

• Forest Park’s Mission Joplin getting big boost from Carthage campus

  Since last May, Forest Park Baptist Church has provided relief to tornado victims through Mission Joplin, an outreach that continues to provide help to needy families today and will get an added boost later this year when the church’s remote campus in Carthage relocates to a much larger building.

  January 16, 2012 1 Photo

• Terry Mattingly: Significant assassinations didn’t make group’s list

  In terms of giant headlines and spilled ink, there is no question that the lightning strike by U.S. special forces that killed Osama bin Laden was the year’s most spectacular news event featuring a deadly brew of religion, politics and violence.

  January 9, 2012

• Banner year: New addition gives boost to country church near Goodman

  Deep in the southwest corner of Missouri, about an hour from Joplin, a pastor and his congregation are giving new meaning to country church.

  January 9, 2012 1 Photo

• More Worship Headlines

© 2012 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. · CNHI Classified Advertising Network · CNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2012. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope. Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
Privacy Policy | AP News Registry privacy policy
Terms and Conditions
Advertiser Index

Events by eviesays.com

The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO 117 E. Fourth Street Joplin, Missouri 64801