An Indian coworker of mine was very excited to go experience the wild life of the French Quarter. The Indian arrived at the French Quarter amazed at the steeply discounted price he was given by the hotel in the midst of the debauchery of Mardi gras.
He was loaded with strings of beads to toss to women who would expose their breast for a string of beads and was willing to pull down his pants for beads as well. The only problem was that he arrived on Wednesday – or ash Wednesday. The day after the mardi-gras ended. He thought he had gotten a steal of a price but he missed out. He thought the party would go on every night but all parties end at some time.
The story of the 10 virgins who 5 were ready and had extra oil got to go into the Marriage (Mt25:1-13) and the 5 who were not ready did not go in and the Lord said ‘I do not know you’.
This Mardi gras is a time to let loose because one is going to give up something for 40 days for Lent leading up to Easter. Jesus and the Apostles never fasted before Easter. Jesus and the Apostles never threw beads to have women lift up their shirts to expose their breasts or buttocks. Jesus nor the Apostles ever exposed their genitals for beads. Jesus spent his last days and hours on earth praying so intensely that his sweet became blood as his capillaries burst from the intensity of his prayers (Lk22:44).
Jesus fasted 40 days after he was baptized (Mt4:2). Moses fasted 40 days (Ex24:18, 34:28) twice when he was on the mount receiving the commandments.
The Lord showed Ezekiel in Ezekiel 8:14 women weeping for Tammuz. This weeping according to other non-biblical books was a 40 day period before the spring equinox. The bible was showing Israel following the pagan sun worshiping beliefs – all of which the Lord hated.
If you give up something for Jesus, denying pleasure then that is similar to what many of the prophets in the bible did but don’t go wild and live like a heathen for Mardi gras so that you can be ‘Godly’ for only 40 days. That is like a Christian with one foot in the world and one foot in heaven. You can’t serve 2 masters (Mt16:13) and God’s Holy Spirit will flee from you if you try to be a luke warm Christian.
Be on fire for Jesus and resist the devil. If you embrace the devil and mardi gras then why would he flee from you?
Regards,
Called/Chosen + Hear + Believe + Repent + Confess + Baptize + Abide = Salvation -> Proclaim Mt22:14 + Lk11:28 + Jn3:16 + Mk6:12 +Rm10:9 +Acts2:38 + Heb10:26 = 1 Pt 3:21 -> Mt28:19-20