April 19, 2024

CHRISTLife — An Intentional Quiet Time (Part 2)

February 15, 2014 by

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Each Saturday for the next few weeks, we will look in-depth at a few of the most important aspects of having a quiet time—or as some folks call it—a devotional time.  Last week we talked about one aspect of a quiet time—reading the Bible. This week we will focus on recognizing how vital it is to include singing praises to God as part of our quiet time.

If you are like me, you have found that singing and praising through song is so uplifting; don’t you think?  Almighty God is the point…He is the focus…keeping my mind and heart set toward Him is my aim.  He is the reason why I sing praises to Him!

Psalms 147:1, 7
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God,
for He is gracious and lovely; praise is becoming and appropriate.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
sing praises with the harp or the lyre to our God!

There are more reasons to praise our God than we have words enough to do so!  Here are just a few of His attributes:
• He is full of glory (Psalm 138:5)
• He is great (Psalm 145:3)
• He is wise and powerful (Daniel 2:20)
• He is good (Psalm 107:8)
• He is merciful (Psalm 89:1)
• He is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9)

And just some of His wonderful works:
• He is the One who saves us (Psalm 18:46)
• He keeps His promises (1 Kings 8:56)
• He pardons sin (Psalm 103:1-3)
• He gives us our daily food (Psalm 136:25)

There is a day coming when all will praise God by bowing to Jesus the King!

Philippians 2:10-11
That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Almighty God is oh-so-worthy to be praised!  Psalm 107 would be a great place to look to be encouraged with reminders of what God has done for His children! Throughout this particular psalm are listed proof after proof of God’s goodness.

Psalms 107:8, 15, 21, 31
Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness
and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

The Book of Psalms has been called the ‘Praise Book’ of the Bible.  In it are literally hundreds of examples of praises and reasons why praise is oh-so-very important. Did you know that every single one of the 150 psalms included in the Book of Psalms is an actual song?  Steve Pearson, a wonderful singer and songwriter, has written and recorded many songs using the words of the Psalms and his own inspired musical accompaniment. To my knowledge, he has now written and recorded a melody to each of the 150 psalms!  Here is a link to his website  www.psalmistry.com  Check it out!  Click on a song you have chosen to listen to…this will give you the particular songs words.  then click on “mp3 or midi” (I usually choose midi and listen to a piano rendition of the song). Also you can choose to view (and print!) the sheet music for the song.  I would love to hear how these wonderful songs and website have been a blessing to you!

As I read the Scriptures, one thing is clear: singing our praises is a good thing!

Join Miss Amy Grant as she sings Sing Your Praise to the Lord!

Psalm 92:1
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High…

Psalm 138:1-5
I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart;
before the gods will I sing praises to You.
I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name
for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness;
for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word
and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!
In the day when I called, You answered me;
and You strengthened me with strength
(might and inflexibility to temptation) in my inner self.
All the kings of the land shall give You credit and praise You, O Lord,
for they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].
Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord
and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.

Keep worshipping Him and enjoying your quiet time with your Lord!  As you seek Him, He will be found…He promises!

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CHRISTLife — TwentyFive: Filled

February 14, 2014 by

cl filled

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly
than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

To me—THIS—is the epitome of being “filled.” For oh-so-many reasons…let’s take this passage apart—attribute by attribute—and look at each of these ways in which we are filled. Not only here in Ephesians chapter 3 but also in other Scriptures are these images of how God sees us reiterated. Remember: I AM who God says I am!

I am strengthened with power through His Spirit in my inner being (verse 16)
Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength

I have Christ dwelling in my heart through faith (verse 17)
John 14:23
If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;
and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

I am rooted and grounded in love (verse 17)
Colossians 2:7
Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

I can comprehend the breadth, length, height, depth the love of Christ (verse 18)
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I can experientially know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (verse 19)
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced
that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves
but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

It is God’s desire to fill us with the fullness of Himself.  Through the passage above (Ephesians chapter 3) we see how He works that through the Christ in us.  Through the indwelling Spirit, we can begin to understand these things that ‘surpass’ our knowledge.  And because He is able to do ”far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us!“

In and through Christ Jesus, we have been filled!  Filled with all of this…and more! Here are more truths about who we are in Christ!  Please feel free to add more below in the comments!

As for me, however, I am filled with power
by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage,
Micah 3:8

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak
the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.
Acts 4:31

….And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19

…Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:11

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.
Colossians 2:9 and 10

Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness,
amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge and
competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.
Romans 15:14

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

These beautiful Scriptures are my prayer for you (and me, too)…
The God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 1:9

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11

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CHRISTLife — TwentyFour: One With Him In Spirit

February 13, 2014 by

cl one with him in spirit

These are big, huge, incredible, awesome TRUE statements Mrs. Myers makes as we read through Chapter 24!  And as incredible as they are, we (you and me!) must hold them in our minds, remembering they are Jesus’ words.  And ask for help in believing them.

I was so encouraged and built up by the Truth regarding God living in me, the Holy Spirit living in me, and, Christ living in me!  Of course, this is not a revelation to me but somehow, someway (hmmm, perhaps the Holy Spirit working as my Helper?) today, these truths came alive for me.  Has that ever happened to you?

Listen to this:

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in them and they in God.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
1 John 4:15 and 16

And this:

And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!
Galatians 4:6 AMP

And listen to Paul’s joy as he wrote that he was to

…make God’s message fully known—the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:26 and 27

Looking at just these 3 passages, our hearts can be built up in the Truth knowing that God lives in you (me, too!) because you choose to live in love, and that your Father—Abba!—has sent the Holy Spirt to live in your heart, and that the mystery hidden throughout the ages is now made known—it is Christ living in y.o.u., the hope of glory!

In a side note on page 101, Mrs. Myers writes,

“Take God at His word.  Accept it as true that you are indwelt with the fullness of God Himself, that His Spirit has His home within you and you belong to Him….”

I am setting my mind to do this, friends.  And I don’t want to just assent to it…I want to believe it with all of my heart!  Seeking God’s grace and blessing, and the help of the Comforter!  How about you? <3

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

And here are Kim’s thoughts and her beautiful inner identity album page for this week; she writes:

“To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Christ. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ. Therefore, if I am filled with the Spirit, I am abiding in Christ. I am walking in the light as He is the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse and keep on cleansing me from all unrighteousness. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit to guide me on my path in Wisdom’s way.”

CLiiakimweek5

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17 ESV

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CHRISTLife — TwentyThree: United With Christ

February 12, 2014 by

cl united with christUnited with Christ.  A one piece life for Him—that’s how we should live.  Every aspect of our lives should reflect Him.  But…do they?  Are you the same person at your work, or school, or mommy’s group, or bridge group, or Junior League?  Do you wear Jesus everywhere you go?  I know, that’s a lot of questions for a Wednesday but they are important ones.

When you became a believer, a follower of Christ, He came to live inside you.  He and you became one.  You have God’s Son living inside you and you have the same power in you that raised Jesus from the dead!  Can I get an “Amen“?

Let’s look at John 14:20 together and let it sink in.

You will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Now, let’s do a little exercise together. You will need 3 envelopes: one small, one medium and one large.  You will also need one index card.  On the index card I want you to write ‘Jesus.’  On the large envelope I want you to write ‘God,’ on the medium envelope write ‘Jesus’ and on the small one write your own name.  Now, place the index card in the small envelope that has your name on it.  Next, place the small envelope into the medium envelope and, lastly, place the medium envelope into the large envelope.  What do you see?  I see that anything that comes to you has to come through God, then Jesus, then you—and you have Jesus in you!!!  Pretty cool, huh? See, this demonstrates John 14:20… you have Jesus in you, you are in Jesus, Jesus is in the Father, and we all live together, in peace and joy and harmony. Nothing can separate us from Him, once He is in us.

Do you see things differently now?  He is not only in your life but He is your life. Our lives should be like the garment Jesus wore—one piece.  Oh I used to live a five piece life at least.  I was so busy trying to fit in this world that I forgot that I am to be set apart, made for greater things like eternity and leading others to Jesus.  If this is you, too, it’s so much easier to not try so hard and to just empty yourself of yourself and let Jesus fill you with what He wants for your life.  Yes, it’s that simple.  Every morning when your eyes open, just ask Him,”Empty me and fill me.”  He will direct your paths and guide you in the way you should go.  Every decision will be made by Him and you will live your life just like Jesus would.

His word is our guide as to how we are to live.  Start each day with Scripture.  Let His speak to you and through you.  Here are a few verses I found that go along with this chapter we just read:

Either way, Christ’s love controls us.  Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.   He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves.  Instead, they will live for Christ, Who died and was raised for them.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.  I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:10-11

 

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.  If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.  And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He has promised us.

1 John 2:24-25

I leave you with this invitation:  “From now on you must grow stronger through union with the Lord and through His mighty power…” (Ephesians 6:10 ).

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Now let us pray: God, we thank You for Your Truth. Your Word is Truth and dwells here among us.  You are our Father and You want so much for us, blessings upon blessings to be poured out over us.  Keep us pure and holy, Lord.  Help us to do only that which is pleasing in Your sight.  Remind us often that You gave us Your Son to live in us, to live through us, and to fill us with joy, peace, strength , courage, and anything that we so desire in His name.  Thank You for so readily forgiving us for the many wrongs we do.  For always being patient and loving toward us, Your children. Empty us of ourselves and fill us fully with only You, and Your Spirit.                                                                                                                                                                               We love You, we thank You. It’s in Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

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CHRISTLife — TwentyTwo: A Liberating Separation

February 11, 2014 by

cl a liberating separation

See what it says right there?  Yup, right above in the graphic!  “…dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”  You (me, too!) are separated from sin…now and forever!  And that is SUCH a liberating separation!

If you would, please read through Romans chapter 6…and take note of six questions (and the answers, too!) that Paul asks.  Just click right here…come back when you are done!

Now THAT was encouraging, yes?  There is so much communicated throughout this chapter that would fill up our inner identity album pages.  But also of note are 6 direct questions.  These questions, to me, are equally confrontational and encouraging!  Perhaps, at first glance, you might even consider them rhetorical questions, i.e., questions which seem to need no answer. But, rather these are questions we really do need to stop and answer!  Let’s take a look at them….

  • What shall we say then…are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

The answer—’May it never be!’ or ‘Certainly not!’ is supplied.  And, of course, we never want to take God’s grace for granted!  In fact, in the verses immediately preceding (verses 20 and 21) we are told “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” However, we recognize the Truth that we are dead to sin and do our best to NOT sin.

  • How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Endeavoring to always be mindfully aware of all that Jesus accomplished, we put forth our greatest effort to NOT still live in it.

  • Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

This ‘baptism’ is not speaking of water baptism.  Rather, as Galatians 3:27 tells us “For many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” we have surrendered or given up all that we had or have.   Since we are a new creation in Christ, our own will and desires and hopes are buried. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

  • What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

May it never be! As verse 13 proclaims “…and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

  • Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Oh what a beautiful picture—a slave to God obeying and having the result of righteous living before Him! Verse 14 reminds us, “…sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”  Oh yes!

  • What benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed?

The ‘things we are ashamed of’ were our sinful behaviors and lifestyle.  We are dead to those things, no longer slaves to anything but the One Whom we obey—our heavenly Father!

I hope that my answers to these 6 questions are just the beginning of this discussion. I would love to hear your answers either below in the comments, or over on our group study page!

Oh, one more thing…Mrs. Myers entitled this chapter ‘A Liberating Separation.” And that is a FACT and it IS the Truth.  However, it is our responsibility (yours and mine) to maintain the separation that our Lord accomplished for us.  We must consider ourselves dead to sin and keep ourselves separated.  It is a lifelong reckoning. Let’s not forget that.

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CHRISTLife — TwentyOne: Dead To Sin

February 10, 2014 by

cl dead to sinTherefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our Life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Colossians 3:3-5

As incredible as these truths are…they ARE the Truth!  God said so!  So, if God says, “You have been raised up with Christ; keep seeking the things above…”  then that is what we must do!  And we must remember that this IS possible!  This is <now> the real y.o.u. (and me, too)!

We have been working for awhile now on changing the images we hold in our hearts and our minds.  No longer always thinking of ourselves with the negative connotations and names that we did before, but confessing, “I AM who God says I am!”  And so I am:

  • dead to sin
  • alive to God
  • righteous
  • no longer a slave to sin
  • risen to God
  • resurrected with a new life

Mrs. Myers writes, “This new, Christ-centered view of who we are (which is unquestionably true, for God cannot lie) provides the basis for living a righteous, obedient life.  The more we see who we are in Christ, the more the idea of flirting with sin becomes inconceivable…” (page 90).  Consider this in a practical way:

Since I am alive with Christ in me, I can live as righteously as He and be obedient to God the Father.  How ludicrous then is any consideration of sin (or “flirting with sin, as Mrs. Myers puts it). Would Jesus have?  No;  He never sinned.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:14 and 15

He is always available to help us, to encourage us.  We have to remember that we are dead to sin…and ourselves, like our Lord, not give in to the temptation.  We CAN do this; God says so.  Remember “I AM who God says I am”—I AM dead to sin.  This means we don’t have to live with “sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, greed, covetousness (or any other sinful desire that you might struggle with—depression, addictions, self-pity, selfishness, ________, ________ (fill in the blank!).   Philippians 4:13 (AMP) says we have strength for all things in Christ, we’re ready for anything, and we are self-sufficient in His sufficiency.

And you He made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked, following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
following the desires of body and mind,
and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:1-5

The Amplified Bible translates verses 4 and 5 like this, listen:

But God—so rich is He in His mercy!
Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love
with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings
and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself,
the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace
(His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

Isn’t that beautiful?!!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Let’s pray the words of this anointed prayer together:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;  that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,  that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.  Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen.

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CHRISTLife — Week Five

February 9, 2014 by

CHRISTLifepart2coverpic

As we move into Week Five, we are more than halfway through our study of CHRISTLife: Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Here are a few highlights of our week to come:

● Dead To Sin

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14

Mrs. Myers makes such the good point: “It is not simply gritting our teeth, and repeating, ‘I’m dead to sin..I’m dead to sin…I insist I am dead to sin!’ (page 89)”  Now the Truth is—we ARE dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus!  It’s a fact.

● A Liberating Separation

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11

 Our new nature, given to us at our new birth, reflects Jesus’ accomplishments on the Cross and afford us the reality of this new nature. The real y.o.u., Christ in you, yearns to be conformed to His image. It’s available…so step up, embrace all you are in Christ!

● United With Christ

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

How equally humbling and exhilarating is it to proclaim, “My life IS Christ!” (If it wasn’t the Truth…we’d be foolish to think it; but IT IS!)

● One With Him In Spirit

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

With this new life in us, all the attributes and qualities that are true of Christ are equally true of you (and me, too!)  What He could do and did…I can also because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

● Filled

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

What more could we need? In the fullness of God we have everything that is needed given to us by grace and due to mercy and in love!

Here we are right smack dab in the middle of our study, isn’t that amazing?!!?  As we move forward, ladies, let’s not loosen our grasp on the Truth we have received.  We have learned of–and BELIEVE—the images of ourselves that are communicated to us throughout the Scriptures.  We are learning to replace the negative lies we have held onto with the positive images—the Truth—of how God sees us. “I am who God says I am’ is not simply a cute expression…it is the absolute Truth!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8 and 9

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CHRISTLife — An Intentional Quiet Time (part 1)

February 8, 2014 by

IMG_1391Each Saturday for the next four weeks, we will look in-depth at a few of the most important aspects of having a quiet time—or as some folks call it—a devotional time.  What comes to mind when I use those words “quiet time or devotional time”?  (I would love to hear your responses below in the comments section!)

Awhile ago, I had talked with a few friends about their own quiet time.  Gathering from their experiences, there seem to be a few basic components which include:

Bible Reading
Prayer
Praise Songs
Meditation
Seeking the Lord

This week  we will focus on one of the most important components of a devotional time—spending time reading the Bible.  If we are to come to know God, we must begin to seek Him where He has made Himself known…and that is in His written Word, the Bible.

I would venture to say that almost every single one of us owns a Bible (at least one).  Did you know that the Bible continues to be the best-selling book in the world?*  One reason the Bible is so popular is that it is God’s Rule Book.  He reveals Himself within the pages of the Bible.  In the words of His written Word, we find that:

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Psalms 19:7-11

So, we learn in this passage that the Bible—which contains the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments—is to be desired!  The Scriptures can be to us, as the Psalmist wrote, more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey!  And, in keeping (obeying) the words of the Bible (the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments) there is great reward!  Such encouragement there is then to spend time reading the Bible, wouldn’t you agree?

One of my oh-so-very favorite Scripture passages is Psalm 119.  (And, yes, it directly correlates to the psalm we just read—Psalm 19!  You noticed that, hmmm? Watch, you’ll see!)  Psalm 119 is the longest chapter contained in any of the 66 books of the Bible;  it totals 176 verses.  Each of these 176 verses communicates a different truth about the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments along with His ways, statues, and ordinances.  I find it so amazing (our Lord IS so amazing!) that every single verse tells us something new and different!  Reading and considering and meditating upon the dynamic truths contained in this ONE chapter could be a continuing study for your quiet time.  Perhaps these three verses would be a good place to start:

With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:10-12

Our heart’s desire—is to seek God!  He is what we yearn for…just to be with Him!  And these three verses express that desire so simply.

Here is a link to a cd that I think you will find a useful tool for your devotional time.  It is called Psalm 119 in Song by Susie Kimbrough,  a compilation of the 22 songs from Psalm 119 all of which are original musical compositions.  Listen to each of the selections and meditate on the Scriptures being sung.

Every day, perhaps every morning, set aside a dedicated time to spend simply reading the Bible.  My own experience has taught me that unless I determine to intentionally pursue spending time each morning reading…it just escapes me through the busyness of the day.  And, yes, during most seasons of life that means setting my alarm a bit earlier than I would prefer.  But it is so worth it!  And maybe you simply start off with 10-15 minutes; could you squeeze that in?  Some people like to read through chronologically.  Some prefer to read a particular book through, and then move on to another.  There are many different Bible reading plans/schedules out there.  You can even choose one through an app and then, automatically, every day you will be sent a portion of the Scriptures to read…how handy is that?!?

Keep seeking for and desiring Him…your heavenly Father has MUCH to show you about Himself through His Word, the Bible!  Enjoy your quiet time with Him.  As you do, He will keep you from wandering, help you not to sin, and will teach you His statutes (Psalms 119:10-12).  Praying for each of you!  I know that the Lord will answer your heart’s cry as you seek Him with all your heart!  (Know how I can make that absolute statement?  The Bible tells me so!)

The Bible is the best-selling book in the world:

http://www.booksellerworld.com/bestselling-booksever.htm

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/1/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction

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CHRISTLife — Twenty: Alive With His Life

February 7, 2014 by

cl alive with his life

When you were born again in Christ, did you sense that your innermost being was passing from death into life?  Ephesians 2:1 and 2 says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air.  But….”  (read on, dear sister!)

But God—so rich is He in His mercy!
Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful
and intense love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead (slain)
by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses,
He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life
with which He quickened Him, for]
it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve)
that you are saved (delivered from judgment
and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).
Ephesians 2:4 and 5 AMP

To satisfy His intense love for us, God through Christ made us alive in union with Him.  He gave us the same life He gave Jesus Christ so we could be saved!  Oh, what mercy and grace!

“Alive” what does that mean to you?  To get a good perspective, I looked up the definition of “alive.”  Some definitions that struck me were—’not just living but alert…active…vital…and energetic’.  Romans 6:11 NLT, “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive [alert, TLB] to God through Christ Jesus.

Then I found this quote from Adolf Deissman, a professor of theology in two major universities in Germany from 1897 to 1935.

“Just as all men live in the air, and cannot live without air,
so the Christian lives in Christ…To be in Christ is to live a life
in which Christ is the atmosphere which we breathe.”

Christ is the very atmosphere in which I “live and move and have my being” (Acts 17:28 NIV).  As Michael W. Smith’s song, “Breathe” states,

I’m desperate for You, I’m lost without You. You are the very air I breathe!

This union with Christ has given us full access to “the life-giving God” (1 Timothy 6:13 Message). Even Jesus refers over and over to God as His/our source of life:

…I (Jesus) live because of the Father…
John 6:57

For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.
John 5:26

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.
Luke 20:38

John 17:20-26 records Jesus’ prayer for all future people who would become believers (that includes us).

I pray also for those who will believe in Me
through their (the disciples’) message,
that all of them may be one, Father,
just as You are in Me and I am in You.
May they also be in Us
so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
I have given them the glory that You gave Me,
that they may be one as We are one—
I in them and You in Me—
so that they may be brought to complete unity.
Then the world will know that You sent Me
and have loved them even as You have loved Me.

Do you see that, ladies?  Jesus asked His Father to spiritually unite us as He and the Father are united.  The only way that is possible is for each of us to have the same Spirit—“I in them and You in Me.”  Our spiritual aliveness is from the life of Jesus Christ Himself, “The very Source, the Author of life” (Acts 3:15 AMP), and our unity is because of that oneness in Christ.

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He was determined that we would remain in Him—to be alive, alert, vital, and active—so He gave us the wonderful gift of His Holy Spirit to help us.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another Advocate, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth…
you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:16-17 NLT

It is the Spirit who gives life…
John 6:63 NASB

How do we continue to grow in this aliveness?  We need to renew our minds (Romans 12:2 KJV).  We do that by daily feeding on “The True Bread of God… anyone who feeds on Me will live because of Me” John 6:33 and 57 NLT.  This is Jesus’ promise to us.  The world would like us to think that if we satisfy our own cravings and lust that we will really live.  Oh, they are so misled (1 John 2:15-17)!  Those things will never satisfy the hunger that was placed in us when we were created.  It can only be satisfied by Christ, Himself.

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life…”
John 14:6

…the man/woman who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17

As I learn and grow by spending time in His Word, I know Christ better.  As I know Him better, I fall more in love with Him.  In that love, I am alive, alert, active, and vital for Him.

“You are the God who preserves alive all living things (1 Timothy 6:13 AMP).
I acknowledge that all of my life—physical and spiritual—
is in Your hands and under Your control.”
—Ruth Myers, page 87

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, thank You for desiring us to be alive in You.  We are desperate for more of You.  You ARE the very air we breathe.  Help us to renew our minds and satisfy our hunger by feeding on Your Word daily.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who sustains, comforts, and guides us in our aliveness in You.  In the Name of our Living Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray.  Amen.

 

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CHRISTLife — Nineteen: Clean and More

February 6, 2014 by

cl clean and more

Hi there…it’s me, Coleen!  It is snowing here in upstate New York.  As I peeked outside in the early, early morning, I thought, “Oh, yes! It’s all clean again!”  All of the yucky, dirty, gross frozen slush and discolored ice and snow piles blanketed with grime kicked up by road traffic was—clean.  Sparkling, glistening, pure white clean. And then when I looked out again later, after some shoveling and plowing and snowblowing had been done, it was schmutzy again!  And more snow was wafting down…and the yuckiness was covered up again.  And I realized that really the snow hadn’t made the dirty and gross any cleaner…it just got dirty again.  Such is NOT how our hearts and minds are cleaned by Jesus’ blood.  ALL is clean…we are new again.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar
and His Word is not in us.
1 John 1:7-10

We are justified—just as if we had never sinned (that is CLEAN, I tell you)!  We are redeemed.  We are rescued.  We are made whole.  We are purified.  We are sanctified.   We are forgiven.

However…remember this: none of this is of our own doing.  We could never do enough, try hard enough, be good enough to have made ourselves clean.  We were dead in our trespasses and unholiness, our unrighteousness.

This uncleanness has always been an issue.  God knew it…and He purposed and made a way for the only answer for it.  King David knew of his immense need for cleansing and saving from his own sin. Here in Psalm 51 he cries out to God…knowing that only God could help.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercy
and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt
and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!
For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight,
so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.
Psalms 51:1-4

BUT God has always had this plan to redeem mankind.  To provide the way—Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the Cross, the spilling of His perfect blood—to atone and redeem us back to Himself!  There was only one way…thank God that it already has been accomplished!  This cleansing and purifying is yours to receive!  Have you received it?  If not, will You?  This IS God’s will—His plan, His desire—for you.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

And now…check out another page from Kim’s inner identity album, along with some thoughts she has to share on this subject, too!

CLiiakim020614

This picture is such a great reminder of where I once was—from a deep pit of despair with no hope…to a Redeemed woman with Hope and a future. I absolutely love the Scripture Mrs. Meyers uses in this chapter.

He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12 NLT

I praise You, Father, that my rebellious acts are as far away as the east is from the west; I am oh so thankful! And I thank You, Father, for this powerful truth for which I am thankful…

I have swept away your sins like the morning mists.
I have scattered your offenses like the clouds.
Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.
Isaiah 44:22 NIV

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Would you pray along with us these inspired words as we praise the God Who purposed all this?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Ephesians 1:3-7

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