What to write about? Our clothes washer breaking down? Dealing with a balky home warranty program to try to replace it? Being at dad's (following two MD appointments yesterday) to do our laundry? Finally going to prayer meeting for the past few weeks--after getting a ride at last? Or do i just tell you about the undercurrent of pain that sometimes breaks through consciousness and takes the place of preeminence --being all i know and all i am aware of and helpless to change that? About my pending oral surgery in one more week? Or do I tell you about the undercurrent of God's grace and provision in the midst of all of this? The innumerable number of prayers He has answered? The list I need to present to Him for His wise response? ...The prayers and needs I have which just seems so overwhelmingly BIG and maybe unlikely....but God specializes in the unlikely, doesn't He?
This year (2018), I had great plans for my "quiet time" or as I call it: "Penuel" (which means "the face of God). I was cruising along in a book by Fenelon and through another one which was selections of writings found in CS Lewis's library. But then the Fenelon book disappeared (probably under or behind my desk) and rather than making a concerted effort to rescue it, I just kind of.....ceased.
I still am reading and sometimes memorizing and always meditating on the God-Box.* Plus reading the daily Scriptures arriving in my email daily including a devotion by Rev. John Piper.
So I'm not completely cut off...but allow me to say that my prayer time has been lacking. Last week there were four of us at the prayer meeting....normally I have no qualms about praying aloud. But every time I opened my mouth to pray aloud, I felt a firm check in my spirit....So instead, I put my energies and focus on praying silently. And let me tell you --it was miraculous. My prayers were coherent and focused in a way I have recently been unable to match. I know that God heard these pleas from my heart for myself, my family and my church and friends. More importantly prayers for God to have His way in me and in the world as a whole. So it was kind of an odd--no: supernatural--prayer meeting. No one spoke a word but the air was weighty with prayer.
I plan this week to: 1) Find the Fenelon book and 2) to come up with some sort of reading plan....even if it means to go back to the "Bible in a Year" plan I have at home, and jump in midstream, like I did last year. While my life is full of Scripture I feel like I need more....more to attain the effect of the "Washing of the Word". **
It is my belief that Scripture is powerful and essential to break through the habits of world and sin. I have been unable to cleanse my speech --to halt and desist from bad language, by will power alone---but when I am reading a good chunk of Scripture daily and meditating on it...those "bad words" I want to eliminate from my speech and mind, just seem to evaporate. And in this process of washing, if there is any evil way in me or my life, be sure, God's Word will point it out to me and will help me to repent of it.***
I challenge you: if you need God's spotlight in your life, if you need power to conquer sin, if you need daily wisdom and strength, if you need God's love to shine through you to others,....spend time in God's Word. Choose a book and read a chapter in a day. Ask God to go to work...This is what He has been waiting to hear from you: a desire to please Him, for greater holiness, and for you to be a vessel of His love.
* The "God Box" is a decorative acrylic box I have that is filled with Scripture cards...I got one for me and one for my friend, Stephanie...and it was she who first called it the "God-Box"...(https://www.christianbook.com/gods-gifts-promise-box/pd/9652X?product_redirect=1&Ntt=9652X&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP) The reason I love it is that the Scriptures it holds are NOT familiar, trite, overworked verses...they are lesser known and so often are PERFECT for my needs of that day.
** Ephesians 5:25-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
***2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
This year (2018), I had great plans for my "quiet time" or as I call it: "Penuel" (which means "the face of God). I was cruising along in a book by Fenelon and through another one which was selections of writings found in CS Lewis's library. But then the Fenelon book disappeared (probably under or behind my desk) and rather than making a concerted effort to rescue it, I just kind of.....ceased.
I still am reading and sometimes memorizing and always meditating on the God-Box.* Plus reading the daily Scriptures arriving in my email daily including a devotion by Rev. John Piper.
So I'm not completely cut off...but allow me to say that my prayer time has been lacking. Last week there were four of us at the prayer meeting....normally I have no qualms about praying aloud. But every time I opened my mouth to pray aloud, I felt a firm check in my spirit....So instead, I put my energies and focus on praying silently. And let me tell you --it was miraculous. My prayers were coherent and focused in a way I have recently been unable to match. I know that God heard these pleas from my heart for myself, my family and my church and friends. More importantly prayers for God to have His way in me and in the world as a whole. So it was kind of an odd--no: supernatural--prayer meeting. No one spoke a word but the air was weighty with prayer.
I plan this week to: 1) Find the Fenelon book and 2) to come up with some sort of reading plan....even if it means to go back to the "Bible in a Year" plan I have at home, and jump in midstream, like I did last year. While my life is full of Scripture I feel like I need more....more to attain the effect of the "Washing of the Word". **
It is my belief that Scripture is powerful and essential to break through the habits of world and sin. I have been unable to cleanse my speech --to halt and desist from bad language, by will power alone---but when I am reading a good chunk of Scripture daily and meditating on it...those "bad words" I want to eliminate from my speech and mind, just seem to evaporate. And in this process of washing, if there is any evil way in me or my life, be sure, God's Word will point it out to me and will help me to repent of it.***
I challenge you: if you need God's spotlight in your life, if you need power to conquer sin, if you need daily wisdom and strength, if you need God's love to shine through you to others,....spend time in God's Word. Choose a book and read a chapter in a day. Ask God to go to work...This is what He has been waiting to hear from you: a desire to please Him, for greater holiness, and for you to be a vessel of His love.
* The "God Box" is a decorative acrylic box I have that is filled with Scripture cards...I got one for me and one for my friend, Stephanie...and it was she who first called it the "God-Box"...(https://www.christianbook.com/gods-gifts-promise-box/pd/9652X?product_redirect=1&Ntt=9652X&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP) The reason I love it is that the Scriptures it holds are NOT familiar, trite, overworked verses...they are lesser known and so often are PERFECT for my needs of that day.
** Ephesians 5:25-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
***2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
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