THE LORD OUR EVER PRESENT SHEPHERD!

Our ever Present Shepherd = ALWAYS WITH!

For Thou art with me.....

That's FAITHFULNESS!

We are never alone spiritually even if we are alone physically.

Think constancy. Faithful and dependable. 

Walking by faith not sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Our Shepherd is faithful even when it hurts. During life's unstable seasons, God's faithfulness is consistent and steadfast.

An ever present One! WITH ME!

TRUE STARS!

Whether physical or spiritual, increasing the maturity level of a real champion requires much exercise. (1 Peter 5:3)

Weights or Bible---Lift both.  

Listen to others, whether a coach or a pastor.

Daily choose the combo way of exercise and faith. (Psalm 119:30)

 Your life might be the only way, others see Jesus, as you show love to others. (John 13:35)

A true star walks the talk! (Matthew 5:16)

Let's start our week this way! (Ephesians 5:1-2)

BUT GOD!

Yesterday, our "Pulpit" Pastor, Wayne Smith Jr., mentioned "The Gospel Message in Two Words" as his sermon title. Immediately, "But God" came to mind. Those 2 words have gripped me time and time again.

But God....(Ephesians 2:4) in His love and mercy keeps us from being Deceived, Depraved and Doomed.

Smith encouraged use to remember that God works "in us," "for us" and "through us" as we serve Him.

How do we serve Him? 

By Identifying our passions, our experiences and our gifting, and using them to share God's love, mercy and truth with others.

Apart from Him we could not do that.

But God, in His love and rich mercy has made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5) and that's all we need!

MEDITATIVE MEANDERINGS!

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof....(Psalm 24:1) 

See how the flowers of the field grow. (Matthew 6:28)

Carolina Snailseed found in Texas

Trumpet bush/Yellow Bells

Common Sunflower---to bright to be labeled common

Goldenrod--so familiar to Kentucky folks

Creation is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our/my eyes. (Psalm 118:23) 

🎶For the wonder of each hour

of the day and of the night,

hill and vale and tree and flower

sun and moon and stars of light. {Refrain}

Christ, our Lord, to you we raise,

this our hymn of grateful praise.🎶

Words of Scripture and lyrics from hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth" have enhanced this meditative Monday.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY!

"Cultivating Community" communicates relational identity that requires deposits from participants. Plural. Think reciprocity.

A continual devotion to apostles' teaching and fellowship of believers.

Cultivating Community in no way negates getting alone to spend time in prayer or meditating on God's Word.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that the "Lord has placed eternity in our hearts." Embedded in each of us is a sense of something more..... a longing.

Two needs of life resonate with each of us....to belong and to matter. Fellowship supports those truths. Longing for belonging.

Long to belong--a bedrock for Christian fellowship

Theology of Togetherness. Made to be known. Knowing we matter to God. 

NO "I"-dentity.

"We"-dentity. In Christ together.

Sounds like fellowship at its best.....aligned with awe and one purpose.

Single-mindedness in worship; yet, unity in diversity. Practicing/preserving that diversity without slamming another's politics or opinions on social media. Do unto others....for their benefit. (John 13:34)

You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. (John Bunyan)

A community coming together to know Him and make Him known not in words alone but in our actions. 

Cultivation that bears fruit of awe and purpose that blesses community.

PATIENT PONDERING!

It's Monday! Meditating Monday for me. At least it was yesterday when I neglected to select "publish."

Henri Nouwen, author of Spiritual Formation, dubs it "ruminating, masticating, and digesting."

However one defines meditation, it's a spiritual action that takes the word of God from the mind to the heart. An inward journey.

Your Words were found, and I ate them and 

your words became to me a joy

 and the delight of my heart....(Jeremiah 15:16a)

Patiently ponder Jeremiah's 21 words. Take them to heart and let them change you!

MUSINGS ON MEDITATION MONDAY!

"To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting." (Edmund Burke)
According to Psalm 1:1-2, the man who meditates on God's Word is blessed.

Donald Whitney in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life writes, "The tree of your spiritual life thrives best with meditation...(p. 49) 

This has certainly proved true for me as, "Thy words were found and I ate them and they became for me the joy and delight of my life...." (Jeremiah 15:16a)

SNIT, TWIT, OR WRONG SIDE OF THE BED

Have you ever started a day feeling off-kilter. At 2211, in my early years, Mother would say, "Looks like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Lysa TerKeurest said, "I woke up one morning in a twit." Embraced devotional (p. 259)  I, too, as Terkheurst says, am not even sure what a twit is unless one adds a "ter" to it. These day everyone knows what twitter is. 

TerKhurst describes a twit as "all twisted up with irritation sprinkled on top."

To me, that's a snit. I can wake up in a snit. Even a slight traffic delay, computer snafu or 45 minute hold on the phone can throw me into one. 

Regardless of the word choice for irritation/agitation, there's a real "choice" to be made! 

Choose to focus on God and not the "bum circumstance." Pause--inhale, exhale! Then choose.

 

His presence can unleash peace--enough peace for any snit, twit or wrong side of the bed! (Philippians 4:7)

FOUR WORD TRUTHS

Simple.

Straight forward.
4 words of truth.

Four words for focus.

1. I live in you. (Galatians 2:20)
2. I give you strength. (Isaiah 40:29 & Psalm 59:16)
3. I am with you. (Joshua 1:9)
4. You are My Beloved. (Song of Solomon 2:16)

Beloved, we are God's. Therefore, we will benefit when we focus on these  4-word truths as we start our Monday with meditation!

ANCHORED BY HOPE

I just love it that our newest grandson's nursery decor is both nautical and spiritual.

In fact, it's as if those aspects are intertwined.

Adoption can be tedious as we've learned with our newest grandchild. 
An up and down roller coaster of sorts. 

Exhilarating but risky!

But God, in His love and mercy is keeping us anchored in hope by the prayers of friends!!

Friends who are warriors for us in the spiritual realm!

How grateful we are for each of you.

CHOOSE RANSACKING

I default to ransacking pretty often....but it's not often a joyful choice. It's usually necessary to "find" lost or misplaced items and requires much "hunting" which leaves a ransacked type trail.

This morning I ransacked my pantry in pursuit of some Werther's Caramel Chews.

No where to be found----I had to settle for the "original" hard candies for my sweet tooth.

Persistance paid as ransacking continued after blogging.
Note two twisty caramel chews between book and Werther's bag.

But God....through John Piper's meditation book on Savoring the Supremacy of God in All Your Life, (#55) I saw that ransacking the Bible for truth does indeed bring joy. Plus, it was such a follow-up for yesterdays "Meditating Monday" blog entry. Piper's points sound like meditation to me. (my THOTS below.)

1. Pray and Read. Read the Word. What a privilege. What an obligation. What a potential for seeing God. (p. 166)
2. Pray and Study. Must pray or we'll not see in the Word, the one thing esp. THE Book, needful---'the glory of God in the Face of Christ.' (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6) On knees and in books, a great combo. (p.167)
3. Pray and Ransack. Ransacking is the way to seek God in the Bible. Think Dotsy and her caramel search. (p.167)
4. Pray and think. (2 Timothy 2:7) Consider what I say for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (KJV) Reflect on... (NIV) Think about...( NLT) Think over (ESV) Mark well...(WNT) Combine the eye-opening work of the Spirit with the mind-informing work of the Word. (Psalm 119:18) (p, 168)

I should choose ransacking to satisfy my sweet soul rather than  my sweet tooth.

CHOOSE JOY IN MEDITATING

It's "meditating" Monday and there's joy because of a cleared agenda.

No agenda gives space without hurry.

A time not just to" taste and see"  the goodness of the Lord but to savor it. (Psalm 34:8)

A time to interweave prayers from the heart with the scripture that prompted them.

It's not an "either-or" but a both-and" of meditation and prayer. 

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, (Ephesians 3:4, Paul to the church in Ephesus) 

R + P = M 

Reading and Praying = Meditation.

When you read scripture as you pray it brings revelation and that brings great joy. 

Meditating Monday

1/26/09

I am choosing NOT to meditate on my tumor today---Big MAC attack is to be set aside so that I can fully focus on God's goodness:

Banana puddin' for breakfast---I'm actually trying to gain back recently lost pounds---my friends are "bashing" me about this new found "eat more" opportunity.

Allowing me to pray for others.

Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)----even in the dark times---make that especially in the dark times. Make mine a BRT---Belief, Rest and TRUST---I have the belief, I'm getting the rest so I'm slathering on the Trust---so it covers this whole Big MAC.

God's goodness is SO evident to me ----He has sent Michele into my life for such a time as this with words of encouragement---because she has stood where I am standing.

Words from her could encourage us all--"-I'm praying for peace and for an eternal perspective as you face the days and weeks ahead. I am praying for miracles too, whether they come through your surgeon's scalpel or through the Lord's all-knowing hand. "Prayer is the slender thread that moves the hand of God." (Corrie Ten Boom) His hand is moving even as I write..."