Throughout this past year I have been reading from the devotional book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I love this devotional and highly recommend it. It is great for a mom who does not have much time and this past year several of our MOPS moms went ahead and either received it as a gift from Mentor Moms or bought it. Highly recommend.
Anyway, the reading for July 11 - because I'm late like that - was this:
Worship Me Only. Idolatry has always been the downfall of My people. I make no secrets about being a jealous God. Current idols are more subtle that ancient ones, because today's false gods are often outside the field of religion. People, possessions, status, and self-aggrandizement are some of the popular deities today. Beware of bowing down before these things. False gods never satisfy; instead they stir up lust for more and more.
When you seek Me instead of the world's idols, you experience My Joy and Peace. These intangibles slake the thirst of your soul, providing deep satisfaction. The glitter of the world is tinny and temporal. The Light of My Presence is brilliant and everlasting. Walk in the Light with Me. Thus you become a beacon through whom others are drawn to Me.
Her Scripture references are Exodus 20:4-5 and 2 Samuel 22:29
Wow. Wow this hit me!!! I DO worship my God and King. I am a follower and lover of my Lord Jesus. BUT I worship things! People! Feelings!
For instance, we have been trying to do a few home improvements each year. I can not walk in a home improvement store - and really, into many peoples homes - without idolizing. Kitchens, bathrooms, "outdoor living rooms"...space!! This past year, we have been trying to make a dent on making over our yard. We had some pine trees taken out, the backyard really cleaned up and in the front added some river rock and actual grass. It hasn't grown in as lush as I was hoping, but what a difference from the treed dirt and sand patch we used to have! But guess what - Young's words "False gods never satisfy; instead they stir up lust for more and more..." whoa. I have been walking around the neighborhood and lusting over lush grass and beautiful landscaping...hydrangeas, japanese maples, nice fences! I want it all. So you see, I had something but wanted MORE. I was grateful for what I had, but I wasn't satisfied.
How many daydreams have I had filled with taller ceilings, granite counter tops and new cupboards, and let's not forget hardwood flooring. I could go on and on; I have written about my home lust before. What empty daydreams. I am not saying it is wrong to do home improvements, not at all. But when I lust over such things, and want more and more, that is worshipping things and not having my sight set on God.
It will be hard to tear myself away from backsplashes and moldings. It hurts a bit to write that, but it's true. I am going to consciously choose to think of different things, to think of things I know will bless me and my family. Spend more time in prayer, more time in gratitude for what I have. Instead of being in a friend's home and lovingly gazing at her ceiling high kitchen cupboards that aren't made out of particle board, I want to lovingly gaze at my friend. Enjoy my time in her home, and be thankful to return to mine. God has heaped blessings upon us in this house. In my kitchen I may have to balance a few drawers on my knee so they don't fall out, but by my leg I have 2 precious girls wanting to help me cook, and dancing with me to the music playing.
I have renewed focus today.
Thank you God, for showing me what my eyes were set upon. I want my eyes, my heart, my words, thoughts and my actions to be set on You, Lord God. I want to walk in your Light, and have others see Your Light through me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Showing posts with label Spirit Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spirit Sunday. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Spirit Sunday - the act of prayer using the ACTS method
Prayer is something I have done my whole life, but the way I pray now has completely changed from when I was young. And my prayer life is still an active work in progress.
When I was growing up, my family said grace before meals, and we prayed together in church on Sundays. I did know you can pray any other time and I think everyone in my family did, just privately. My prayers focused around the following -
*Apologies for what I did wrong, and asking for protection - like the time one of my neighbors heard me and my friend trying out curse words in the field behind her house. I was petrified she was going to tell my parents, although she never did. I didn't say the "F" word again for probably 10 years.
*Asking for something different than what I had - like, "God I want to be skinny like so-and-so and have long blond hair and live in her house."
*Asking for a sister. This was a big one, and didn't stop until my mom gently told me that ain't happening.
*And on a serious note, praying that my dad's temper would calm. I'll leave that there, because although I've cracked the lid open, I don't really want to open pandora's box, and I never want my thoughts on my dad misconstrued.
Anyway, it wasn't until college that I learned the ACTS system of praying. The following is taken from ehow.com -
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Read more: How to Pray the A.C.T.S. Prayer | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5301772_pray-acts-prayer.html#ixzz1JE0eUBhA
This is the method I am using to teach my children how to pray. There is no right or wrong way, God loves hearing our prayers, whether in thought, written or spoken word, song. But I feel like this method is easy to understand and helps you focus on the how of communicating with God in a way that is all-inclusive. Does that make sense?
Like I said, it's a work in progress, my prayerlife with God. Currently I am most concerned about the time I spend praying, which is not enough. Also I am working on meditating more on specific Scripture verses during my prayer time, which I rarely do even though I love it. Why don't I do more of what I love, when it always makes me feel "better" when I do it?
When I was growing up, my family said grace before meals, and we prayed together in church on Sundays. I did know you can pray any other time and I think everyone in my family did, just privately. My prayers focused around the following -
*Apologies for what I did wrong, and asking for protection - like the time one of my neighbors heard me and my friend trying out curse words in the field behind her house. I was petrified she was going to tell my parents, although she never did. I didn't say the "F" word again for probably 10 years.
*Asking for something different than what I had - like, "God I want to be skinny like so-and-so and have long blond hair and live in her house."
*Asking for a sister. This was a big one, and didn't stop until my mom gently told me that ain't happening.
*And on a serious note, praying that my dad's temper would calm. I'll leave that there, because although I've cracked the lid open, I don't really want to open pandora's box, and I never want my thoughts on my dad misconstrued.
Anyway, it wasn't until college that I learned the ACTS system of praying. The following is taken from ehow.com -
ADORATION: Begin the prayer by adoring God. Praise and worship HIM. This is a time for telling God what He means to you and how much you love Him. This is not the same as Thanksgiving where you thank God for all He has done, but a time to tell God how magnificent/holy/glorious He is, to focus solely on Him, to tell Him all the wondrous beautiful things about Him you love. King David was a great worshipper of god and a man God Himself stated was after His own heart, read Psalms for great examples of adoration. (Psalm 8: O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, who hast set Thy glory above the heavens! Heb 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name.)
CONFESSION: This is when we confess our all our sins to God. Unconfessed sin creates a barrier between you and God and can hinder your prayers. Begin by confessing your sin to Him with an apologetic and repentant heart (to repent is to stop and turn 180 degrees from). Ask God to bring to mind any sins you may not be aware of so that you may repent and confess. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness I John 1:8-9. Often times the feeling of a weight lifting will follow this step. Important: Nothing can separate you from the love of God. But we can separate ourselves from the love of God just as Adam and Eve ran and hid from the Presence of God after their sin in the Garden-Notice God called after them, He did not wait for them to come to Him
THANKSGIVING: This is where we count our blessings, thanking and praising God for all He has given us and done for us in life. You may begin with the basics such as family, friends, food, shelter, safety, jobs, health, healing. Thank Him for hearing your prayers and for forgiving your sins, for His all-consuming love for you. Thank Him for His promises, for the glory of His handiwork, for His promises to you (if you don't know them, start looking them up). Follow Paul's advice, Ephesians 5:20 ..giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
SUPPLICATION: This is also known as Intercession. This is the phase of prayer where we come to the Father asking God to supply needs for ourselves and others. Be specific in your prayers. For example, instead of asking for God to bless your family, ask Him to help your son focus in math class and to give his teacher the wisdom she needs to present the information in a way he can digest, etc. If you feel led to pray for a certain person but don't know exactly what that person needs, ask God to lead you in prayer. He will.
Remember, prayer is an act of communing with God. It is about communication. It is about relationship with the Father. Use these steps to help you obtain that but don't feel you must adhere to any rigid rules. Also don't forget that communication is a two way street, that means you have to listen as well. You may not hear at first but with practice you begin to feel God speaking to your heart.
Read more: How to Pray the A.C.T.S. Prayer | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5301772_pray-acts-prayer.html#ixzz1JE0eUBhA
This is the method I am using to teach my children how to pray. There is no right or wrong way, God loves hearing our prayers, whether in thought, written or spoken word, song. But I feel like this method is easy to understand and helps you focus on the how of communicating with God in a way that is all-inclusive. Does that make sense?
Like I said, it's a work in progress, my prayerlife with God. Currently I am most concerned about the time I spend praying, which is not enough. Also I am working on meditating more on specific Scripture verses during my prayer time, which I rarely do even though I love it. Why don't I do more of what I love, when it always makes me feel "better" when I do it?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Spirit Sunday
I'm going to be honest, because what's the point if I'm not.
I have been feeling very lazy in my relationship with God lately. I bailed out of the Bible study I had been attending, because it required a lot of thought and time. It made me feel a little dumb, and because I am pleasure-seeking, I started finding reasons to not go. Which then makes me feel worse. When I actually do sit and read the Bible or pray, I find my thoughts racing, my mind wandering...which again, makes me feel bad.
Just this morning I heard some terrible news about a family friend. It made me upset, and I did pray, Oh God, help them. But then it's like I couldn't pray anymore, I didn't want to sit down and pray...I felt like if I did, I'd just start crying and I had too much to do this morning to take the time to have a little meltdown. It's like I miss God, and I want God...but I am putting Him at arms length and I'm not sure why exactly.
I guess a relationship with God is like any relationship - it takes work, and time, and love. Priority. And that's what's missing on my end - making God a priority, putting out the work, and taking the time. I attend church, I pray with my children, I believe completely. Sometimes I have issues -- trust, for one. I go very back and forth with my trust in God.
I can't even maintain a thought. Well, I guess what I'm saying is I need to do some work. And perhaps you've been there once or twice?
I have been feeling very lazy in my relationship with God lately. I bailed out of the Bible study I had been attending, because it required a lot of thought and time. It made me feel a little dumb, and because I am pleasure-seeking, I started finding reasons to not go. Which then makes me feel worse. When I actually do sit and read the Bible or pray, I find my thoughts racing, my mind wandering...which again, makes me feel bad.
Just this morning I heard some terrible news about a family friend. It made me upset, and I did pray, Oh God, help them. But then it's like I couldn't pray anymore, I didn't want to sit down and pray...I felt like if I did, I'd just start crying and I had too much to do this morning to take the time to have a little meltdown. It's like I miss God, and I want God...but I am putting Him at arms length and I'm not sure why exactly.
I guess a relationship with God is like any relationship - it takes work, and time, and love. Priority. And that's what's missing on my end - making God a priority, putting out the work, and taking the time. I attend church, I pray with my children, I believe completely. Sometimes I have issues -- trust, for one. I go very back and forth with my trust in God.
I can't even maintain a thought. Well, I guess what I'm saying is I need to do some work. And perhaps you've been there once or twice?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Spirit Sunday
I didn't get a chance to go to church on Sunday, since B. was sick. Is sick. So I haven't had a chance to listen to the sermon on podcast either. So this week I can't steal Pastor Jeff's ideas...booo....
So I thought I'd tell you my favorite Scripture, and why. It is the Lord's Prayer. Growing up, I learned this prayer early on, and we recited it every week in our Presbyterian church. But I never dissected it, never meditated on it, never felt it.
When Bailey was a baby, as I have said before, I lived in fear of her CF rearing it's ugly head. I'd hold this precious, rosy cheeked, beautiful baby on my lap and wonder when she'd get sick. How old would she be when she needed to go to the hospital all the time, like the children I read about on the forums. Would she be able to keep up with her friends, would she stand out as the "sick kid." Worst was when I thought - for a second at a time, because it was too unbearable - what if I have to say goodbye to my child. The average life expectancy is in the 30's...and even though she was a young baby and that was years and years away, it filled me with a feeling I can only describe as the devil. It is the worst feeling I have felt to date -- and it wasn't even real.
That fear can still sneak up on me at times. I love reading the Lord's prayer because it reminds me of ONE DAY AT A TIME. "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY bread..." Isn't that interesting that Jesus uses day twice in one sentence? It must be important! The whole prayer itself gives me a sense of peace, but this in particular confirms that we are not supposed to get ahead of ourselves. I believe God wants us to prepare for the future yes, but I also believe He wants us to be "present" in THIS day. If we are worrying or too focused on the future, how can we live for Him today?
I was not honoring God by being so fearful about Bailey's future. I was not giving Him room to be glorified by how well she was doing TODAY. I was not praising Him for her health - I was pleading with Him to not take away her health. I am thankful that I am not that same young scared mommy I was when Bailey was little, I would hate for her to see me like that. Instead, I stand firm on God's promise to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future. (that's Jeremiah 29:11 - the verse I have hanging over Bailey's bed).
I encourage you to ask God to point you towards a verse that you can return to over and over again as a source of peace, guidance and love.
So I thought I'd tell you my favorite Scripture, and why. It is the Lord's Prayer. Growing up, I learned this prayer early on, and we recited it every week in our Presbyterian church. But I never dissected it, never meditated on it, never felt it.
When Bailey was a baby, as I have said before, I lived in fear of her CF rearing it's ugly head. I'd hold this precious, rosy cheeked, beautiful baby on my lap and wonder when she'd get sick. How old would she be when she needed to go to the hospital all the time, like the children I read about on the forums. Would she be able to keep up with her friends, would she stand out as the "sick kid." Worst was when I thought - for a second at a time, because it was too unbearable - what if I have to say goodbye to my child. The average life expectancy is in the 30's...and even though she was a young baby and that was years and years away, it filled me with a feeling I can only describe as the devil. It is the worst feeling I have felt to date -- and it wasn't even real.
That fear can still sneak up on me at times. I love reading the Lord's prayer because it reminds me of ONE DAY AT A TIME. "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY bread..." Isn't that interesting that Jesus uses day twice in one sentence? It must be important! The whole prayer itself gives me a sense of peace, but this in particular confirms that we are not supposed to get ahead of ourselves. I believe God wants us to prepare for the future yes, but I also believe He wants us to be "present" in THIS day. If we are worrying or too focused on the future, how can we live for Him today?
I was not honoring God by being so fearful about Bailey's future. I was not giving Him room to be glorified by how well she was doing TODAY. I was not praising Him for her health - I was pleading with Him to not take away her health. I am thankful that I am not that same young scared mommy I was when Bailey was little, I would hate for her to see me like that. Instead, I stand firm on God's promise to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future. (that's Jeremiah 29:11 - the verse I have hanging over Bailey's bed).
I encourage you to ask God to point you towards a verse that you can return to over and over again as a source of peace, guidance and love.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Spirit Sunday
At HOPE, Pastor Jeff is in the middle of a series on evangelizing. I love series!! Anyway, he referenced James 1:19 during his message -
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
Um....I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry. Especially with my family. This is to think about another time, but why are we sometimes much nicer to strangers than our own loved ones?!
So I keep thinking about this verse. When I think of the people I am attracted to, they embody this verse. Calm, patient, friendly, good-listening kind of people. I tend to be loud, talkative, and I can get pissed off rather easily. I don't want to be like that. When someone speaks to me, I don't want to interrupt and start chatting away...I want to listen completely, and say little especially if the person is sharing something stressful or hurtful. With my children - or Kevin - I don't want to fly off the handle when they do things like ignore my requests for them to clean up. I want to speak calmly, and enforce a discipline if necessary - not with Kevin :) - but not raise my voice. Oh if I could go one day without raising my voice!!
Anyway, I am going to be more mindful of my tongue. Yes, I know how to listen and sometimes I can be a "good listener." But not nearly enough. Especially if I am close to the person. And I want to really bite my tongue when it comes to yelling at my girls. I don't want them to grow up to be yellers, and I don't want them to have memories of Mommy screaming like a lunatic because they are fighting over who gets to be Cinderella. Again.
So far today so good -- but then again, Kevin has been out of the house since 6:30am, the girls and I slept in a bit bc of the time change and then Bailey left for school at 8:45. Tatie and I got along wonderfully and I have been around no one else. But still...I've been very pleasant. :)
I have about 9 hours left to my day...hoping I can keep it together and treat my family - and any friends I may talk to - like the lovies they are. And if they piss me off - which they very well might - I think I'll lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the fan to drown them out, and try to reflect on that verse. Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
Um....I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry. Especially with my family. This is to think about another time, but why are we sometimes much nicer to strangers than our own loved ones?!
So I keep thinking about this verse. When I think of the people I am attracted to, they embody this verse. Calm, patient, friendly, good-listening kind of people. I tend to be loud, talkative, and I can get pissed off rather easily. I don't want to be like that. When someone speaks to me, I don't want to interrupt and start chatting away...I want to listen completely, and say little especially if the person is sharing something stressful or hurtful. With my children - or Kevin - I don't want to fly off the handle when they do things like ignore my requests for them to clean up. I want to speak calmly, and enforce a discipline if necessary - not with Kevin :) - but not raise my voice. Oh if I could go one day without raising my voice!!
Anyway, I am going to be more mindful of my tongue. Yes, I know how to listen and sometimes I can be a "good listener." But not nearly enough. Especially if I am close to the person. And I want to really bite my tongue when it comes to yelling at my girls. I don't want them to grow up to be yellers, and I don't want them to have memories of Mommy screaming like a lunatic because they are fighting over who gets to be Cinderella. Again.
So far today so good -- but then again, Kevin has been out of the house since 6:30am, the girls and I slept in a bit bc of the time change and then Bailey left for school at 8:45. Tatie and I got along wonderfully and I have been around no one else. But still...I've been very pleasant. :)
I have about 9 hours left to my day...hoping I can keep it together and treat my family - and any friends I may talk to - like the lovies they are. And if they piss me off - which they very well might - I think I'll lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the fan to drown them out, and try to reflect on that verse. Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.
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