The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (Prov 4:18)
The Christian life is to be progressive. It is pictured as darkness being overtaken by dawn’s gentle intrusion breaking into full day. There is to be growth. Without growth, there has been no life exchange, only unknown stumbling in shades of darkness.
Our knowledge of and fellowship with God is to be progressive. We are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of out Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our intimacy with God is to be increasing, and as we are learning His ways, we should be increasingly living in such a way that pleases Him.
Our life is to be increasingly illuminated and effected by the Light. That Light dispels darkness, increasingly shows the path of righteous living, and either attracts or repels those around us.
Let’s walk in increasing light as God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 Jn 1:5)
The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker— travelers can't see a thing; they fall flat on their faces. (Prov 4:18-19 MSG)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Today
Today
Sometimes tomorrow seems to hold more promise than today
Or its worries creep in stealing the blessings and joy of nowEither way we are hindered from walking out the Way
Our tomorrow determined by what has slipped away
Sometimes yesterday seems brighter than today
Or its regrets and sorrows creep in stealing the blessings and joy of now
Either way we are hindered from walking out the Way
Our today determined by what has slipped away -JL
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps 118:24)
It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. -Oswald Chambers
Sometimes tomorrow seems to hold more promise than today
Or its worries creep in stealing the blessings and joy of nowEither way we are hindered from walking out the Way
Our tomorrow determined by what has slipped away
Sometimes yesterday seems brighter than today
Or its regrets and sorrows creep in stealing the blessings and joy of now
Either way we are hindered from walking out the Way
Our today determined by what has slipped away -JL
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps 118:24)
It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. -Oswald Chambers
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Early Morning
Scripture
O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. (Ps 5:1-3)
Meditation
Patience is a hard discipline. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict. Patience is not a waiting passivity until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later and somewhere else. Let’s be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand. -Henri Nouwen
Song
Miracle of the Moment
Steven Curtis Chapman
It's time for letting go
All of our if only's
'Cause we don't have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything
'Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss
the miracle of the moment
There's only One who knows
What's really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He's out there waiting
To Him the future's history
And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment
And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
Let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go
Let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go
And listen to your heartbeat
And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment
And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle
Of the moment
Verse For Thought
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. (Ps 5:3 MSG)
Friday, January 4, 2008
Think Upon
Think upon the following, taking time to savor their truth, and receive instruction, correction, and guidance.
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.(Ps 4:8)
Never run before God's guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt - don't. -Oswald Chambers
A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another’s wounds.
-Henri Nouwen
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (Prov 4:18)
Don’t stop with just reading what’s above. Think about each one separately, meditating upon it, rolling it over in your mind, letting God expand it, thereby giving you understanding.
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.(Ps 4:8)
Never run before God's guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt - don't. -Oswald Chambers
A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another’s wounds.
-Henri Nouwen
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (Prov 4:18)
Don’t stop with just reading what’s above. Think about each one separately, meditating upon it, rolling it over in your mind, letting God expand it, thereby giving you understanding.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Excitement Shows
I was reading Arthur’s New Puppy to my son last night when the following dialog caught my attention:
Arthur held Pal carefully, the way his puppy book showed.
“Look, he’s so excited,” said Arthur
“Look at your pants,” said DW. “You have excitement all over them.”
One thing I got out of this, besides a good laugh, was that excitement shows. People are going to know when we are excited and what we are excited about. Our excitement can be contagious, and will touch others. Therefore, what excites us is of importance, because it will effect others. Taking this thought a bit farther, those that are around us will be able to tell what it is that excites us most in life. May the great excitement of our lives be of great value.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Mt 13:45-46)
------------------------------------------------------------------
But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (Ps 3:3 ERV)
Father, no matter what today brings,
Be it things that are hard,
You are a shield about me.
Be it things that are good,
It is You who are my glory.
Be it things that take me down,
You are the lifter of my head.
Be it things that life me up,
You alone are the lifter of my head.
A Shield About Me
Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me,
Arthur held Pal carefully, the way his puppy book showed.
“Look, he’s so excited,” said Arthur
“Look at your pants,” said DW. “You have excitement all over them.”
One thing I got out of this, besides a good laugh, was that excitement shows. People are going to know when we are excited and what we are excited about. Our excitement can be contagious, and will touch others. Therefore, what excites us is of importance, because it will effect others. Taking this thought a bit farther, those that are around us will be able to tell what it is that excites us most in life. May the great excitement of our lives be of great value.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Mt 13:45-46)
------------------------------------------------------------------
But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (Ps 3:3 ERV)
Father, no matter what today brings,
Be it things that are hard,
You are a shield about me.
Be it things that are good,
It is You who are my glory.
Be it things that take me down,
You are the lifter of my head.
Be it things that life me up,
You alone are the lifter of my head.
A Shield About Me
Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me,
You're my glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me,
You're my glory and the lifter of my head
Hal-le-lu-jah, Hal-le-lu-jah,Hal-le-lu-jah,
Hal-le-lu-jah, Hal-le-lu-jah,Hal-le-lu-jah,
You're the lifter of my head
Hal-le-lu-jah, Hal-le-lu-jah,Hal-le-lu-jah,
You're the lifter of my head
©1980 Spoone Music. Words & Music by Donn Thomas and Charles Williams
©1980 Spoone Music. Words & Music by Donn Thomas and Charles Williams
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Expecting A Surprise
Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or joy. It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity. -Henri Nouwen
He went out, not knowing where he was going —Hebrews 11:8
Have you ever "gone out" in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?" You don’t know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to "go out" in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. -Oswald Chambers
Suddenly seems to be emphasized to me this morning. I looked at the passages that had “suddenly” in them. Matthew 28:9 seemed especially fresh, “Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Will we recognize Him when He suddenly shows up in the midst of our lives today? Will we worship Him when He surprises us with His activity?
Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son …
(Ps 2:11-12)
He went out, not knowing where he was going —Hebrews 11:8
Have you ever "gone out" in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?" You don’t know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to "go out" in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. -Oswald Chambers
Suddenly seems to be emphasized to me this morning. I looked at the passages that had “suddenly” in them. Matthew 28:9 seemed especially fresh, “Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Will we recognize Him when He suddenly shows up in the midst of our lives today? Will we worship Him when He surprises us with His activity?
Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son …
(Ps 2:11-12)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The Right Path
Wow … 2008 has come. May it truly be a year of new beginnings.
I liked the following entry found in its entirety at http://donteatalone.blogspot.com/2007/12/thanks-and-yes.html (Don’t Eat Alone). Following are some bits and pieces:
>… As this year rolls into the next, however arbitrary our calendars might be, we don’t know what’s coming and so we have choices to make about how we prepare for the uncertainty. What jumped first to my mind is one of my favorite borrowed prayers, by Dag Hammarskjöld, the former Secretary General of the United Nations:
For all that has been, thanks; for all that will be, yes.
How we choose to embrace what lies ahead is, in large part, determined by how we find meaning in what has already come and gone. Thanks comes before Yes.
In one of my favorite movies – also an Oscar winner, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are looking off the cliff into the water below as their pursuers are gaining ground. Sundance hesitates:
Sundance: I can't swim!
Butch: (laughs) Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you!
… The truth is the fall is going to kill us; we don’t get to hang out here forever. The truth is most of the stuff we think we have to have or do to make us matter isn’t going to be enough. Knowing that we’re going to die and come up short (not necessarily in that order), how can we choose to live in something other than a posture of fear and self-centeredness?
The answer for me is in saying, “Thanks.”Gratitude gives birth to courage and hope. Gratitude lifts my eyes up beyond my little life. Gratitude opens my heart to love.
The year ahead doesn’t promise to be any less harrowing or hopeless than the one we are completing. There is much in our world that is dangerous, difficult, and wrong. We are in desperate need of leaders who don’t appear to be stepping forward. We have set things in motion we don’t know how to control in many different arenas. And – and – none of that gets the last word.
For the harvests of the Spirit,thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit,thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.<
As I lay in bed last night entering into this new year, I had no great promises to promise, no great prayers to pray, no great abilities to dedicate to God’s cause, no great aspirations that I had faith for the accomplishing of, and no great ambitions that I would follow through with. I could only offer myself to God, knowing it would take Him to bring value and use, passion and purpose, and vision and vitality to what was offered.
The Right Path (Psalm 1:1-3)
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,Nor stand in the path of sinners,Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD,And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,Which yields its fruit in its seasonAnd its leaf does not wither;And in whatever he does, he prospers.
… Lord, may I not pay heed to or walk in ungodly counsel, travel sinful paths, nor be counted among mockers and scoffers. May my delight be in Your Word and my mind and heart captivated by it. May I be as a tree firmly planted by streams of water, yielding fruit for the weary and may I prosper in all I do as I journey on the right path with You. Thank You that blessings will follow me as I follow You …
Blessed is the man who takes his counsel from God’s Word
He will neither stand in the path of the sinner nor sit in the seat of the scoffer.
He will stand on the righteous path, walking in its way.
His delight will be in God and His Word,
And will be ever drinking from the wells of salvation.
He will release fruit to the weary and be marked by God’s presence.
May you be blessed and prosper in all you do as you follow God in 2008.
I liked the following entry found in its entirety at http://donteatalone.blogspot.com/2007/12/thanks-and-yes.html (Don’t Eat Alone). Following are some bits and pieces:
>… As this year rolls into the next, however arbitrary our calendars might be, we don’t know what’s coming and so we have choices to make about how we prepare for the uncertainty. What jumped first to my mind is one of my favorite borrowed prayers, by Dag Hammarskjöld, the former Secretary General of the United Nations:
For all that has been, thanks; for all that will be, yes.
How we choose to embrace what lies ahead is, in large part, determined by how we find meaning in what has already come and gone. Thanks comes before Yes.
In one of my favorite movies – also an Oscar winner, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are looking off the cliff into the water below as their pursuers are gaining ground. Sundance hesitates:
Sundance: I can't swim!
Butch: (laughs) Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you!
… The truth is the fall is going to kill us; we don’t get to hang out here forever. The truth is most of the stuff we think we have to have or do to make us matter isn’t going to be enough. Knowing that we’re going to die and come up short (not necessarily in that order), how can we choose to live in something other than a posture of fear and self-centeredness?
The answer for me is in saying, “Thanks.”Gratitude gives birth to courage and hope. Gratitude lifts my eyes up beyond my little life. Gratitude opens my heart to love.
The year ahead doesn’t promise to be any less harrowing or hopeless than the one we are completing. There is much in our world that is dangerous, difficult, and wrong. We are in desperate need of leaders who don’t appear to be stepping forward. We have set things in motion we don’t know how to control in many different arenas. And – and – none of that gets the last word.
For the harvests of the Spirit,thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit,thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.<
As I lay in bed last night entering into this new year, I had no great promises to promise, no great prayers to pray, no great abilities to dedicate to God’s cause, no great aspirations that I had faith for the accomplishing of, and no great ambitions that I would follow through with. I could only offer myself to God, knowing it would take Him to bring value and use, passion and purpose, and vision and vitality to what was offered.
The Right Path (Psalm 1:1-3)
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,Nor stand in the path of sinners,Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD,And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,Which yields its fruit in its seasonAnd its leaf does not wither;And in whatever he does, he prospers.
… Lord, may I not pay heed to or walk in ungodly counsel, travel sinful paths, nor be counted among mockers and scoffers. May my delight be in Your Word and my mind and heart captivated by it. May I be as a tree firmly planted by streams of water, yielding fruit for the weary and may I prosper in all I do as I journey on the right path with You. Thank You that blessings will follow me as I follow You …
Blessed is the man who takes his counsel from God’s Word
He will neither stand in the path of the sinner nor sit in the seat of the scoffer.
He will stand on the righteous path, walking in its way.
His delight will be in God and His Word,
And will be ever drinking from the wells of salvation.
He will release fruit to the weary and be marked by God’s presence.
May you be blessed and prosper in all you do as you follow God in 2008.
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