Christmas

"With vivid flashes of life and truth His words invade our darkness, rousing us with sharp strings of light to will our awaking, to arise from the dead and cry for the light which He can give, not in the lightning of words only, but in indwelling presence and power." George MacDonald


Merry Christmas!

Verse

"For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who seperates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult Me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself. And I will set my face against that man..." Ezekiel 14:7-8


This was a strong reminder for me to seek the Lord first. The Holy Spirit is our counselor and should be the first person we turn to for advice and comfort.

Challenge

So here's a bit of a challenge for this week. I am again rereading Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. If you have not yet read this book I highly suggest you do it is amazing. Anyways, for this week I am reading the section on meditation, which I must admit being more of an intellectual myself is probably my most neglected spiritual discipline.

I was reminded "True contemplation is not a psychological trick but a theological grace." -Thomas Merton

I was also reminded that the famous verse "I stand at the door and knock..." -Rev. 3:20 was written for believers not unbelievers.

So my challenge for you is meditate every day this week.
Here are some ideas from the book.
~Meditate on scripture. "...the meditation of scripture
centers on internalizing and personalizing the passage."
-Richard Foster
~Practice "palms down, palms up" as Foster calls it. Sit with your palms down and give God all you anxities and frustrations. Then sit with your palms up and recieve from the Lord.
~Meditate on creation. i.e. sit outside and find wonder
in a tree or the light in the sky or the ocean and
ponder God's majesty.
~"meditate upon the events of our time and to seek to perceive their significance." -Foster

Don't forget like any discipline meditation is a grace and be sure to pray for a grace and desire to meditate and don't try to do it on your own.

Verse

"At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
~2 Timothy 4:16-18

Battle Notes

"One day in His courts is worth a thousand in battle." Quoted from Praying God's Word by Beth Moore

Just a reminder the battle is SO SO SO worth it!

Admonishment

"There is a great urgency because of the swiftly gathering darkness; yes, this is even the hour of which it is written that none shall be able freely to do My work." Quoted from Come Away my Beloved by Francis J. Roberts

This quote really stood out to me as i labor in the fields of full time ministry. These times are hard and it is increasingly difficult to sow seeds for God. This is why we are called to ONE body. We are called to exhort each other daily as Paul wrote so many years ago. I pray for all my fellow laborers that we would be of one mind and one heart. In every work and time of rest united and refreshed in Christ. Please make sure to admonish each other.

Quote

"He is not only mighty to save from sin, but He is mighty to save from despair, from sorrow, from disappointment, from regret, from remorse, from self-castignation, and from the hot, blinding tears of rebellion against fateful circumstance." Quoted from Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts

Sometimes we all need to be reminded of just how BIG our God is.