LINGERING AT LAKE JUNALUSKA!

My daughter's well-planned day just for the two of us. 

A time of lingering by the lake where I went to a Methodist Camp in 1963.

"Be still and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10)

So many memories teenage memories. Ann Ryder Randolph from Princeton, Ky. Donald Davis, who worked in the bookstore at the camp and later became a nationally known storyteller. He's still telling stories and comes to Memphis every other year. MS Carolyn Meacham, later to marry hubby's dear friend Hal, & I were in the group picture under the cross but I never met her until years later after we were both married and discovered our shared adventure.

A time of quiet beauty: Giving glory to God and grace for me physically and spiritually....

Lingering in the labyrinth & Meditating in the Memorial Chapel. 

Praying in the chapel when 3 young men came in and went to the front and began quietly playing their guitars.

Recording my prayers for family, Wednesdays folks &, special needs to be prayed for by others in the in LJ prayer ministry.

An AMEN Time to a "Wonderful Wednesday."

SILENT RETREAT!

Silent Retreat.

Enough said.

Actually N0THING said aloud....for approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Not sure specifically because I never looked at my watch!

Those who really know me will find that hard to belief.

In quietness and trust is my strength. (Isaiah 3:15)

MY ONE WORD

The choice is made---my one word for focus, pondering, meditating on & taking thought of in 2018 has been decided.

I have to admit that MISERY was a word that came to mind often over these last 2 weeks of being in bed.

But God......as I was praying for friends, Sam & Suzie on the mission field in Uganda and 3 sweet friends who deal everyday with chronic pain, had me considering true sacrifice and real pain. Staying "abed" pales in comparison to their situations.

CONSIDER---that's my word. Can't wait to see where God will take me in this meditation.

How about this for a start.

Joy is the path I need to "consider."

May the Lord use my momentary affliction as a reminder to fervently pray for others.

MY ONE WORD

Here I go again. Simplify. Focus.

Pare to one word for meditation if that helps.

Just like last year, I thought in January that I knew my one word for 2017. 

I had thought it would be one of two words. Trust or Joy. I was not even close.

Once again, I've spent the month of January focusing on what I thought would be my one word. 

Now here I am the first day of February re-"considering."

I'll keep you posted.

CHOOSE: MVP

Last night the Houston Astro’s became the World Series champs for the first time! What an uplifting moment for that Texas city which has endured so much hardship since hurricane Harvey. Hubby even came to bed late because he wanted to see who won the MVP. In the baseball world a World Series MVP is pretty important! Of course, can I even remember the name of the person who was awarded MVP last night? No.

But God reminded me how important “MVP” is in one’s spiritual life, especially concerning Scripture meditation.

I know, because  my Joshua 1:8 marginalia showed Robert Morgan‘s three necessary steps in Bible study from that one verse.
1) Read it. 2) Keep on reading God's Word aloud. 3) Don't stop reading and repeating it.

Reading, reading aloud and meditation are all on-going.
Meditate on it day and night. As Morgan states in All to Jesus, “Meditation is the missing link in getting the words from the page of the Bible into her bloodstream.” (Day 302)

The Bill Gothard seminar (1975) emphasized the MVP method of meditation; Memorizing, Visualizing and Personalizing. 

 It’s when one personalizes scripture that they bring in obedience that leads to applying truth to their own lives.  Just knowing more scripture is worthless unless it is applied to one's spiritual walk. 

Memorizing and visualizing are both good but personalizing is key.
When you choose MVP, choose the whole package. 

Meditation" Mine or Thine: a Q and A

Randolph Walker stated in yesterday's (7/7/15) Commercial Appeal "Letters to the Editor," that "classic Judeo-Christian meditation is not about blanking out the mind." I concur. For many folks a blank mind easily turns to thoughts of SELF. Then, meditation easily becomes all about me.
My thoughts, (self-centered) not Thy thoughts. (other centered)
I practice meditation with God's word available---usually my Bible is open on my lap. Mr. Walker sees meditation as a "practice of reflecting on God's goodness."
Scripture at my fingertips helps me do just that.

Though prayer and meditation are different, they are not antithetical. Both are reminders of God's goodness. Meditation often serves as a springboard for prayer in a complementary way.

So.....does one meditate with the idea of discovering thoughts that are "all mine and will help me out" or does meditation help one focus on "Thine" as thoughts from Him with His help to direct those thoughts?

Rick Warren says it well in his first sentence on the first page of his book, The Purpose Driven Life. "It isn't all about you."

That pretty much sums it up.

The question, "Who is meditation about?"

The answer is, "Thee, not me"----especially in meditation.

God's Creation: A Pictorial Meditation

9-2-13 Psalm 19--a meditation from the Carnival cruise ship's Gideon Bible. Pix from balcony of 6297.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

    The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known.

They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. 

MONDAY MORSEL

5/6/13 Gospel truth. Is that just an idiom that flies around small towns in Kentucky? I certainly heard it a lot during my growing-up years. Kids said it to parents to give credence to their denials or excuses. Students would even say it to their teachers if trying to give validation to their statement.

Gospel truth. Figuratively, it's an unquestionably true statement.

There's also the truth of the good news of the gospel. (Romans 4:25)

Alistair Begg quote in 5/5/13 First Evan Bulletin said it very succinctly:
   Here's the gospel in a phrase: Christ died in my place. That's the gospel.

Simple enough.
That, readers, is the gospel truth of the gospel message. Undeniable.

A morsel for your Monday meditation.

In pursuit of God's voice...one MUST meditate on His Word.

4/1/13 Pursuing God' voice is no April Fool's endeavor, it's serious business. Who better to turn to, other than the Bible, but the godly and scholarly Blackabys. Hearing God's Voice is not exactly a "quick read" but God has already shown me some "well written" (easy to Google translate) info. 

Two "how tos of hearing God's voice" already addressed in this blog are:

• God does speak so we need to learn how to listen...
• And God speaks through His Word. 

Conclusion is we need to be reading and meditating on God's Word. Blackaby refers to meditation as the "nourishing of the inner man." (p. 108)

Three of Blackaby's points for savoring scripture are:

• Take your time---can't meditate in a hurry.
•  Choose a reasonable amount of scripture so you can give full attention to every word. 
• Choose verses as God leads, maybe from passages you are regularly studying or He might draw you to verses that have a particular relevance to your current circumstances.

This meditation Monday, I am lead to Psalm 95, as I continue to "camp out" in the Psalms this year---especially in my intercessory prayer times. I focused on verses 6-8 because that's where God stopped me for further "consideration."

Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you would hear His voice,Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 

What is God saying to me in in this passage? Briefly, He reminds me that as my guiding, protecting Shepherd, He is worthy of my worship. "If" in verse 8 is a word I will look up because "IF" is often rendered "since"---either way, obedience seems to go with that hearing---so action needs to take place otherwise my heart will be hardened as it was for the Israelites at Meribah. Did they just not hear or did they hear and choose not to obey. Is hearing with the intention of obeying the complete package of "listening to His voice?" Hearing requires a response. A heeding that leads to a behavioral change.

Those are my meditation reflections, what are yours?

WOW Factor in Meditation

3/25/13 Just finished Anne Lamott's, Help, Thanks, Wow--the three essentials of prayers and though I don't always agree with her "theology," that gal has a way with words. Pastor Cole alluded to her book title in yesterday's Palm Sunday message during our "Festival of Praise." He concludes that "praise" is the "wow" of prayer. He quoted C.S. Lewis, definition of praise. Praise is inner health made audible.
So.....this week's meditation will be on "praise" verses. Verses which for me are easy to find in my "old" Bible because they are marked in purple, per Kay Arthur's instruction in the first Bible Study I ever attended.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 150:6, KJV)

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:1-5, NIV)

In KJV, word "bless," translation is used---but as applied to God, bless means to praise, implying a strong love & affection for him as well as a sense of gratitude. It's the chosen translation for "10,000 Reasons" song (Matt Redman) so naturally I love that version too!

A Mom and her special needs son join in the WOW of worship

Sing to the Lord a new song,.....for he has done marvelous things; Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. (Psalm 98:1 & 4, KJV)

The entire service was full of the WOW of praise---from scripture readings to songs. A "wow" factor that has me continuing to meditate praise worthy scriptures.

Purpose of Meditation

3/18/13 Putting God's words in my mind is the purpose of meditation for me. When I have His words  at the forefront of my "thinking," spiritual understanding begins to not only take root but begins to dispel those other thoughts. The inappropriate ones.

In my January BSF notes I had jotted down Charlie Brown's resolution, 'to only "dread"one day at a time.' I can relate to good ole Charlie Brown, because throughout my life, I have had to fight that ugly monster of dread. It used to rear its ugly head way too often. Being retired has helped me as retirement has provided more time for meditation. In the book of Joshua (verse 8) "meditating day and night" on the book of the law is encouraged. That is not without reason. Meditation helps quell the "dread."----at least for me it does. 

Discouragement can be a seedbed for dread. Thus, this weeks verse is a reminder for my thoughts not to linger there. I don't want any new "dread" popping up.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(Joshua 1:9)

That's my purpose for this week's meditation. What's yours?

Knowing God: think on that

 1/14/12 This past week, Ephesian 3:19 my choice verse for meditation this year had me considering "know the love of Christ" and "filled up to all the fulness of God"

Friend & prayer warrior, Wynellen prayed it for me though she went back to verse 17 which reminded me of "being rooted and grounded in love."

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV)

To me knowing God begins in that love----to know that love fills me with all the fulness of God. These past weeks I have desired such prayers as I desperately needed to fully know His love. To know Him better. To experience the joy of knowing Him."There is no greater joy" and yet, I was struggling in the "joy" category. Circumstances, both physical and emotional. were weighing me down. To those closest to me, my life was NOT showing the great value of knowing Him.

I know this because as the pastor quoted Jim Elliot, I felt God tugging at my heart strings.

"Lord, make my way prosperous not that I achieve high station, but that my life be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.” (Jim Elliot, missionary)

That's my prayer. "Lord, may my life exhibit the incomparable value of knowing You!"

VERSE 2013

1/7/12 My first "Meditation Monday" verse for 2013 is the "verse" I hope to hang my hat on throughout the year.  A verse I will seek to ingest as a part of my discipline of "Scripture Intake." The verse I will pray for others. The verse I hope others will pray for me. Ephesians 3:19 is the scripture with the version citation following the verse. Different translations are listed to offer food for thought and to increase one's "appetite" for meditation!

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (NLT)

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV)

And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. (The Message, MSG)

Last Minute Meditation

12/31/12 Meditation. It's a matter of spiritual nutrition. Have you been feasting with me this year? Have you found His words and eaten them and allowed them to become the joy and delight of your life? Have you tasted His word enough to "see" that He is good?
Tonight as hubby read  the last entry in Tony Dungy's Uncommon Life to me, I was reminded that though I pick and choose bits of scripture for meditation, I often pick verses that "speak" to me, yet, I must always remember, as Dungy says, that the Bible, in its entirety, is God's love story to His creation.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true, and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)

Those are my last minute thoughts as these last minutes of 2012 wind down.

True Meditation

11/19/12 Returning from the mission trip to India, Hickman E. said that MANY in India worship in spirit but NOT in truth. There are many gods, hundreds, if not thousands, of personal gods in the faiths of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. The sacred cow came to my mind.

Christianity calls one to worship One True God and to worship in "Spirit and in Truth."

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."(John 4:24)

So how does one find truth. John 14: 6 gives that answer. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  Meditate on that "truth."

Meditating to Hear from God

11/12/12 I so-o-o agree with a recent post of Cole Huffman about what makes a great Bible teacher. In describing a great teacher, Cole says, “When I think of John Hannah (DTS prof) in particular, I’m drawn to want more of God — the best thing that can be said of any teacher. Listening to him pray before each class was a clinic in how to step into Heaven.”

This weekend I heard great Bible teaching from Anne Graham Lotz---she even went to preaching! Her daddy, Billy Graham, describes her as the BEST teacher in the family. Her goal for the weekend was for each participant to discover an intensely personal relationship with the God who is wholeheartedly pursuing more of you.

Friday night’s session, “My Heart’s Cry for MORE of HIS Voice in My Ear,” was taken from John 10:1-10

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech,but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

As you meditate on this ask yourself: 

• Who are the sheep? 
• Who are the thieves and robbers? 
• Who is the Shepherd? 
• What is the sheep pen? 
• Who is the gatekeeper/watchman? 
• What is the door? 
• What is a full life and who gives it?

We, as His sheep, want to “hear” from God. How will we know when the voice is authentic? What do we do once we hear?

My Jottings that stood out: 

• An authentic voice is Biblical, personal and powerful. 
• When I hear His voice, I need to heed His voice. 
• LISTEN for God’s voice with your eyes on the page of your Bible. 
• It is from Him that I have life in abunDANCE! 
• A life of abunDANCE is both life-saving & life changing because it comes from my Good Shepherd.

By Cole's definition, Anne Graham Lotz (for me) is a great teacher because I’m drawn to want more of God when I sit under hear instructions from God's Word.

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

LIQUID GOLD

10/15/12 --Retrieving my postal package of "My Cup of Tea" samples, I felt like I had just opened liquid gold. I sensed the renewal and replenishment my weary body would receive from a "cuppa" of any one of these shiny, delightful gifts. A cuppa that went along with my Bible study meditation verse---Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29) ....Say only what helps, each word a gift. (MSG)

While sipping and savoring, my mind went back to childhood days and Mother. Mother, who served us all hot tea. Mother who kept a "spic and span" house. Mother who used a particular brand of furniture polish----Liquid Gold. It's claim was to restore, enhance and replenish. She liked it for the shine it left on her the wood furniture and bannisters.

Mother and Christine, our across the street neighbor, who shared housekeeping tips through lots of years. Christine, who gave me a book called Apples of Gold. What a fitting book that was for me, at age 14, as I entered high school and needed guidance on relationships during that transition period. What I could give others, that would refresh their lives or replenish their drained emotions, as they too, walked those scary halls as freshman, came from that little gold covered book. Words. Fitting Words. Apples of Gold. Words that can leave a shine, not a scar.

 

Memories that had me thinking----are my words to others gifts? A Liquid Gold of encouragment?

An apt word to give a lift? What gift of words can I give that would bring a shine to someone else? 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)

A "cuppa" with a proverb to match---a double dose of liquid gold.

MEDITATION “MUSTS”

9/17/12 “Life is at its richest when we are living in close communion with God and loving our neighbors at the same time.” (Loritts, p. 10) A-men!

In his book, a CROSS-SHAPED Gospel, Bryan Loritts states so well the “musings” of my own heart. The vertical relationship with the Lord is all about loving and serving Him---with prayer, Bible study and intimate times in His presence. Yet, the horizontal relationship with others occurs as love for the Lord overflows into love and service for others---neighbors here, in Ukraine or wherever God gives a sphere of influence. Focusing on one aspect to the exclusion of the other is an "off kilter" message of good news. It takes both to have that complete God-centered relationship.

So…..today’s meditation will be on 2 verses to allow for the complete truth to “sink in.”

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

2 “Musts” for meditation that MUST not be overlooked or missed.

CHRISTIAN WALK

9/10/12 Walk, in the noun form, denotes a course of life for a Christian. Our plumb line for such a lifestyle is the Bible. A plumb line, that simple tool which determines if something is perfectly vertical/upright. How’s your vertical relationship with the Lord? If it’s perfect, then your walk will be one of uprightness.

We align our lives, and thus our walk, by that biblical plumb line. Pastor Cole suggests that “walk” defines the lives of faithful ones from Genesis throughout all of Scripture. 

Ephesians 4:1, Paul calls us to “walk worthy….” and then in the next two verses He describes how that “upright” and worthy walk looks.

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

As you think on these worthy walk traits this week, ask yourself, “Am I making strides in my Christian walk?

Musing Job 13:5

8/27/12 Sometimes I gain insight as I muse scripture interrogatively. 

A t-shirt worn by a friend had me asking myself several questions. What verse is that? What was happening in Job’s life to precipitate this question? Is this relevant today as seemingly“wise” counsel might only be someone’s opinion? Just their view and not God’s. How is this scripture, Job 13:5, speaking to me?

If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom. (NIV)

If only you could be silent! That's the wisest thing you could do. (ESV)

O that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom! (NASB)

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. (KJV)

Regardless of the version, I see this as a truth, which I, more often than I like, don’t exercise in my life.

After musing interrogatively, with lots of different questions, I wrote out my own version.

You (Dotsy) would be wise to keep your mouth shut. (DAL)

It’s the gift that I need to give hubby more often than I do.

That’s my musing. What’s yours?