Category: Spiritual Formation

Posted on

January 1st

January 1st with its Rose Parade and football games grabbing for our attention. Chicken wings, nachos, or traditional meal spread out ready to satisfy our waiting appetites. January 1st when text messages, phone calls go out to those near and far wishing them a prosperous new year. January 1st, the first day of a new beginning, when we reflect about what did and did not happen last year. Thoughts about losing weight, getting better, going back to school, finishing the book, or taking the leap of faith intersect with New Year’s Day rituals and activities.  And yet January 1st is a gift – another chance “to become“. I would hasten to say with conviction, no other day on the calendar tends to move more people to ponder how to begin again.  It is our “In the beginning“, when the tug of divine fulfillment and purpose prompts many to make resolutions, set goals, and start on the path to becoming.  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (
Genesis 1:1), and during the process He created us in His image, to be stewards, caretakers, builders, worshippers, architects, and co-heirs.   January 1st is not just another day on the calendar.  It is a day of unification with the Creator, and not with a bowl game or bowl of chili.

Take a moment to unite with God, and seek your new beginning through Him this January 1st.  There’s still time.

Posted on

Are You Ready?

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”  Joshua 1:8

When led of the Spirit, the child of God must be ready to wait as to go, as prepared to be silent as to speak. Lewis Sperry Chafer

Lord, I want to be obedient to you in all things, to gain blessings not just for myself, but for others.  Help me Lord to faithfully serve you.  To go when you say go, and to pause and wait for your instructions.   Amen

 

Posted on

A Ode to Meekness

” O, you who search for the Heavenly life! Strive for meekness; increase your patience and mercy day by day; bid your tongue cease from all harsh words; withdraw your mind from selfish arguments, and refuse to brood upon your wrongs: so living, you shall carefully tend and cultivate the pure and delicate flower of meekness in your heart, until at last, its divine sweetness and purity and beauteous perfection shall be revealed to you, and you shall become gentle, joyful, and strong.

Repine not that you are surrounded by irritable and selfish people; but rather rejoice that you are so favored as to have your own imperfections revealed to you, and that you are so placed as to necessitate within you a constant struggle for self-mastery and attainment, of perfection.  The more there is of harshness and selfishness around you the greater is the need of your Meekness and love.  If others seek to wrong you, all the more is it needful that you should cease for all wrong, and live in love; if others preach Meekness, humility, and love and do not practice these, trouble not, nor be annoyed; but do, in the silence of your heart, and in your contact with others, practice these things, and they shall preach themselves.

And though you utter no melodramatic word, and stand before no gathered audience, you shall teach the whole world.  As you become meek, you shall learn the deepest secrets of the universe.  Nothing is hidden from him who overcomes himself.  Into the cause of causes shall you penetrate, and lifting, one after another, every veil of illusion, shall reach at last the inmost heart of being.

Canopied with gentleness [meekness], you shall bless where others curse; love where others hate; forgive where others condemn; yield where others strive; give up where other grasp; lose where others gain, and in their strength they shall be weak and your weakness you shall be strong; yes, you shall mightily prevail.”   James Allen

Psalm 37:11 “But the meek shall inherit the earth..” Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.”

1 Peter 3:4, “…rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle (meek) and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”

 

Posted on

Listening To God

Listening to God requires that we first listen for God, Robert Benson once said.  We have to be in a position to want to hear from God, by being still and knowing God is God.

“Has God trusted you with silence-a silence that is big with meaning?  God’s silences are His answers. Think of those days of absolute silence in the home of Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking for a visible answer? God will give you the blessings you ask if you will not go any further without them; but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into a marvelous understanding of Himself.” Oswald Chambers   Are you satisfied with the silence?  Make no mistake that silence is also God speaking.

We are to listen for Him, and not be concerned about the manner or method He chooses to speak to us. Remember that burning bush. God spoke to Moses on the backside of a mountain in a bush. Scripture is filled with different ways God spoke to His people.  Our responsibility is to be attentive when He speaks, and obey. His voice is unmistakable. It is like the dawning of the sun. It fills the soul and spirit with hope, joy, love and warms your heart.  He is probably speaking to you right now.  Telling you don’t worry about this day; He has everything under control.
St.Teresa of Avila said, “We should accept with simplicity whatever understanding the Lord gives us; and what He doesn’t we shouldn’t tire ourselves over. For one word of God’s will contain within itself a thousand mysteries.” The value of listening to God is that we will finally hear him as He is – God. All those questions are answered, we cease from struggling over the mundane and trivial.  We seek Him knowing all is well with our souls.  Peace, Power, Presence.  Are you listening to God?
Listening to God provides our way home.

Posted on

Lights in the World

A Classic Devotional from C.H. Spurgeon

We use lights to make manifest.  A Christian [man] should so shine in his life that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions.

Lights are intended for guidance.  We are to help those around us who are in the dark.  We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting place.  Men sometimes read their Bibles, and fail to understand them; we should be ready, like Philip, to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God’s Word, the way of salvation, and the life of godliness.

Lights are also used for warning. On our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected.  Christian [men] should know that there are many false lights shown everywhere in the world, and therefore the right light is needed.  The wreckers of Satan are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the name of pleasure; they hoist the wrong light, be it ours to put up the true light upon every dangerous rock, to point out every sin, and tell what it leads to, that so we may be clear of the blood of all men, shining as lights in the world.

Lights also have very cheering influence, and so have Christians.  A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him.

“In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”  Philippians 2:15

Posted on

Are you a passionate worshipper?

When was the last time you really worship? I mean experience God’s presence to the point you felt free.  Are you a passionate worshipper? Oftentimes, our culture conflicts with our inner desire to “enter into the Holy of holies.”   As one writer wrote, ” Passion for His presence will mark all that we are, and nothing will be more important than maintaining His presence in our midst.”   Feeling the blaze of the Lord, the oil of joy, and the beauty of His holiness transcends earthly pleasures.  It lifts us.   “Simply being with Him cleanses, refreshes, and satisfies.”

So much of our “worship experience” on Sunday is more performance than passion, more formal than informal, more staged than serene.   Now it has becomes an activity mainly marked by singing, clapping and perhaps dancing.   It lacks genuine connection with Him who is our all in all. Our worship experience with God should be so much more.  It should be like the sounds of heaven, where the angels and 24 elders continuously sing glory and praises to God and our Lord.  Passionate worship should make us one with the angelic chorus…our voices, our lives moving in harmony and rhythm to the great “I AM” in gratitude and thanksgiving for joy that besets our souls.

Are you a passionate worshipper?  Passionate worship should be daily, and not just relegated to a few short minutes on Sunday.  When was the last time you really worship God?  Can you recall it?  Where was it?  What were you doing?  How did it make you feel?  Does your life, your essence express glory to Him who is worthy of all our praise? Just like the 24 elders around the heavenly throne, we should worship Him each and every day.  We should never limit when to worship God.

How does one become a passionate worshipper?  God provided very clear and specific about what is biblical worship.

  1. Standing  – 2 Chronicles 9:7
  2. Lifting our hands – Psalm 28:2, 1 Timothy 2:8
  3. Clapping our hands  – Psalm 47:1
  4. Bowing – Psalm 95:6
  5. With all forms of instruments – Psalm 150
  6. Loudly, with crashing symbols – Psalm 150
  7. Dancing – Exodus 15:20; Psalm 30:11
  8. Leaping – Acts 3:8
  9. Shouting – Psalm 47:1

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord”, everyday.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise, daily.  Passionate worship; expressions of joy and thanksgiving transforms our spiritual walk.  It releases us to experience more of the abundant life.  We become healers, givers, providers, mighty men of valor,  virtuous women, builders of God’s kingdom, creators of beauty,  restorers of the breaches.  Passionate worship puts a finger in the oozing hole of guilt, pain, and suffering.

God wants us to worship to Him with all of our hearts, all of our hearts, and with all of our souls.    When we experience exuberant, intense, intimate, passionate worship, it releases “joy unspeakable.”

Passionate worship is loving God.  Are you a passionate worshipper?      

Posted on

Trust

“Seek the Lord, and find rest. Do what is good, and right in the sight of the Lord, and prosper. Remove and break the idols, the things binding you and become mighty. Trust in the lord, and prevail against an army.”

Though you may feel weak, and feeble, you possess the power of the universe.  One touch from the Master’s hand, and the weak become strong, the poor become rich, the oppressed are made free.   Trust in His mighty power.  Trust and believe that all things are possible to those who believe.  Trust that your problems are solved.  Trust that He will take care of you.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised);… Hebrews 10:23   God is not a man.  God can never lie.  He is faithful and just, and His word is true.  Trust in the light and love of Christ.  Trust in Him who never fails.  Trust the Lord of lords, and the King of kings today.

Posted on

Joy’s Fountain

A Classic Devotional from D.L. Moody

“Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition.  It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the hearts; a secret spring the world can’t see and doesn’t know anything about. The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.

Joy is love exalted peace; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school; and temperance is love in training.  The world does not understand theology or dogma, but it understands love and sympathy.”

God, thank you for the joy that transcends all situations, problems, conditions.  Help me this day Lord to walk more closely with you, and be a Joy foundation filling up all those empty vessels with Your everlasting joy.  Amen

Posted on

Worn Out

Feeling worn out?  Tired, exhausted, depleted?  Lots of time and effort goes into our ministries, communities activities, along all those personal and professional obligations.  We feel scattered from jumping from one thing to the next.  It seems like the more we have to do, the less we strength we have.  More is going out than is coming in, and we are enjoying our lives less.  Several friends have shared with me, they just want to sit down or lay down somewhere and sleep for days.  Hoping, of course that when they awake, they will be refreshed, ready to tackle the next items on the proverbial “things to do list”.

But take courage.  God is saying to us, don’t give up in doing well.  He knows you want to please him, and live in the fullness of His presence.  God knows you want to experience Him at higher heights.  He knows the enemy is trying to wear you down. But take courage.  Our God will never, ever forsake us.  You will be victorious. Seek Him during this time and be prepared for a miracle.

A new season is upon us.  On the Jewish Calendar it is Elul [August 19 – September, 16, 2012].  “As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is  traditionally a time of introspection and stocktaking—a time to review one’s  deeds and spiritual progress over the past year, and prepare for the upcoming “Days of Awe” of Rosh  Hashanah and Yom  Kippur.   As the month of divine  mercy and forgiveness, Elul is a most opportune time for teshuvah (“return” to God), prayer, charity, and increased ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew and [others]), in the quest for  self-improvement and coming closer to God.”

I encourage you to seek God with intentionality.  Draw strength from His inexhaustible power.  Lean on Him more for guidance and directions for all those things, you feel you must do.  Just as Jesus did, so should we.  Jesus went to the Father for strength, as well as rest as He went about His earthly ministry.  The source of power never diminished.  Jesus tapped into the Almighty Source, and was able to do all things exceedingly well.

So stop walking around drained, tired, exhausted, worn out.  Plug up your holes (mind, body and spirit) with the strength of the Holy Spirit.  No more being worn out, and you will experience His joy, His grace, His mercy and His strength.

Posted on

Wisdom

Wisdom is a precious jewel given to us by God.  Wisdom is a priceless gift that points the way to life – God’s life.  In our world, we don’t seek nor prize wisdom.  Our clamoring and searching for the brass ring leads us to the deep pits of despair.  But wisdom gives us light, and peace and even more than, that it provides us a way to a blessed life.

Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.”

James 1:5 , 6 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

Ecclesiastes 7:12 “For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.”

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/15-wisdom-quotes-from-the-bible/#ixzz23cSnsq80