Someone asked me specifically about what kind of clothes line I am using. Mine is what I would describe as an umbrella style line. It stands on a single pole and opens like an umbrella and has 30 parallel lines along it, so you can hang an immense amount of laundry in a small space. The whole thing stands in a plastic sleeve place in the ground, so you can lift it out, fold it up and stowed if need be. I placed it and a similar line like it in the Practical Disciple Resource Center for those interested in seeing what I use or purchasing one. When you enter the resource center click on the "Other Resources" link. I also got a cloth bag that hangs from the line to hold clothes pens. Very handy. Of course you can always just string a line, but I really love being able to hang a couple of loads in one small space. I also take some clothes and hang them on hangers on the support poles on the end which is extremely convenient. Once again--love it, am saving energy using it and experiencing all the other benefits noted in my previous post. Hope you will give it a try.
Happy Laundry Days to you from the Practical Disciple
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Sharing God-Incidents with Children
In my prior post, Responding to God-incidents, I noted the need for us to tell others about what God has done. Recently, as I was reseaching this topic biblically I was not surprised to see that repeatedly, particularly in the Psalms, scriptures speaks of telling or singing about God's mighty deeds. I was surprised to find though that frequently we are encouraged to do so with a specific audience--the next generation. For example, Psalm 78:3-4 says, "What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done."
When I recognized this instruction I was reminded of a study I read a number of years ago. I read a study focused on finding what made the difference between children who continued to be active in their faith as adults versus those who did not. The study concluded that a key factor in the lives of children who remained active was that God was spoken about conversationally in the home. As pastors we spend a lot of time talking about God in our home already, nevertheless I am consciously working to just periodically say things like, "You know we are really blessed. God has..." or "What a beautiful day God has given us." We tell lots of God-incident stories in our home but I really want to begin acknowledging the goodness of God to my children even more.
How are you speaking of God's praiseworthy deeds to the next generation? Even if you do not have children, who could you speak to? What is God doing in your life that needs acknowledgement? Pray about it. Think it. Set a goal for it. Do it.
Peace from the Practical Disciple
When I recognized this instruction I was reminded of a study I read a number of years ago. I read a study focused on finding what made the difference between children who continued to be active in their faith as adults versus those who did not. The study concluded that a key factor in the lives of children who remained active was that God was spoken about conversationally in the home. As pastors we spend a lot of time talking about God in our home already, nevertheless I am consciously working to just periodically say things like, "You know we are really blessed. God has..." or "What a beautiful day God has given us." We tell lots of God-incident stories in our home but I really want to begin acknowledging the goodness of God to my children even more.
How are you speaking of God's praiseworthy deeds to the next generation? Even if you do not have children, who could you speak to? What is God doing in your life that needs acknowledgement? Pray about it. Think it. Set a goal for it. Do it.
Peace from the Practical Disciple
Friday, June 27, 2008
Back to Basics--my solar and wind powered dryer
I recently read "Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action" by J. Matthew Seeth. Seeth has practical wisdom regarding stewardship of resources. I found myself both challenged and informed about taking some steps to reduce. One thing that stood out in my mind was the irony inherit in our desire to limit labor in our lives. We pursue labor saving devices to the point that we become sedentary and unhealthy. Then we have to build physical activity into our lives like running or going to the gym. We have to work more to earn the money to pay for the labor saving devices and gym memberships. Only to find ourselves then lacking time. Way an insane cycles.
In response I have made a couple simple steps. First, I went through and eliminated nearly all our incandescent bulbs and replaced them with energy efficient compact flourescent bulbs. More significantly, I installed a solar and wind powered clothes dryer commonly known as a clothes line. I am finding that I absolutely love the clothes line. As I am out hanging clothes, I frequently pray. I find myself slowing down externally and internally. It brings a certain does of peace to me.
My clothes line is also reacclimating my awareness to other rhythms of life. I look, listen, feel and sense what's happening in nature during the time I am out there. I am monitoring birds, sun, breezes and other natural activity. I find myself more sharply attuned to nuances in the weather, lest my laundry get a second rinse cycle. My little laundry line has become a tiny window back into the world that I tend to rush by. Lastly, there isn't a fragrance ball or fabric softener that can even come close to the chemical free fresh scent of line dried clothing. I can't encourage someone enough to install one. All these little blessings and I am saving energy at the same time. Who would of thought?
Lastly, my current recommended resource is Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action
by J. Michael Seeth. It is available in the Practical Disciple Resource Center. Or go green and buy the Kindle version from the resource center. Unfamiliar with an Amazon Kindle, check it out as well in the resource center.
Blessings from the Practical Disciple
In response I have made a couple simple steps. First, I went through and eliminated nearly all our incandescent bulbs and replaced them with energy efficient compact flourescent bulbs. More significantly, I installed a solar and wind powered clothes dryer commonly known as a clothes line. I am finding that I absolutely love the clothes line. As I am out hanging clothes, I frequently pray. I find myself slowing down externally and internally. It brings a certain does of peace to me.
My clothes line is also reacclimating my awareness to other rhythms of life. I look, listen, feel and sense what's happening in nature during the time I am out there. I am monitoring birds, sun, breezes and other natural activity. I find myself more sharply attuned to nuances in the weather, lest my laundry get a second rinse cycle. My little laundry line has become a tiny window back into the world that I tend to rush by. Lastly, there isn't a fragrance ball or fabric softener that can even come close to the chemical free fresh scent of line dried clothing. I can't encourage someone enough to install one. All these little blessings and I am saving energy at the same time. Who would of thought?
Lastly, my current recommended resource is Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action
by J. Michael Seeth. It is available in the Practical Disciple Resource Center. Or go green and buy the Kindle version from the resource center. Unfamiliar with an Amazon Kindle, check it out as well in the resource center.Blessings from the Practical Disciple
Monday, June 23, 2008
Limiting Distraction--Unfinished Business
Some times we struggle to hear God's voice because we have failed to do something that He has told us. We don't hear God because He is not giving us anymore direction until we act on what has already been given. I am reminded of the story of the pastor who came to a congregation and his first sermon was wonderful. The only problem was that he just continued to preach the same sermon over and over, week after week. Eventually, the Elders of the church came to him and said, "We love your preaching, but when are you going to preach something new?" He replied, "When you start doing this one, I will give you another."
I have found that God seems strangely silent sometimes because I have been given direction but I am dragging my feet on following it. These are great learning moments. When we fail to heed God's direction or resist, we have a wonderful opportunity to examine what we are placing in higher priority to God--maybe fear, comfort, convenience, immediate gratification or a host of other motivators.
What unfinshed business do you have right now that may be causing a gap in your relationship with God? Is there anything you feel lead to do, but are resisting? It may help to identify whatever the block is, but regardless of whether or not you identify the obstacle, move. The most basic movement often times is all we need. Peace from the Practical Disciple.
I have found that God seems strangely silent sometimes because I have been given direction but I am dragging my feet on following it. These are great learning moments. When we fail to heed God's direction or resist, we have a wonderful opportunity to examine what we are placing in higher priority to God--maybe fear, comfort, convenience, immediate gratification or a host of other motivators.
What unfinshed business do you have right now that may be causing a gap in your relationship with God? Is there anything you feel lead to do, but are resisting? It may help to identify whatever the block is, but regardless of whether or not you identify the obstacle, move. The most basic movement often times is all we need. Peace from the Practical Disciple.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Limiting Distractions--clutter
So much of hearing God's voice is just slowing down which for most of us involves simplifying our lives. One way to isolate God's voice is just to limit the many other voices speaking to us. Two years ago during Lent I decided that I want to work on simplicity. I did so by ruthlessly attacking clutter and excess in my life. Specifically, I set aside 40 grocery sacks in my closet and every day for 40 days, I filled and got rid of a sack. Many sacks went to the thrift shop in our church, some went to people I knew, and a surprising number were just trash.
I learned a host of discipleship lessons during this discipline. One of the most profound was that everything we own, owns a little bit of us. Each item is calling to us in some way--"Keep me, store me, use me, clean me, etc." Perhaps, that's why Jesus told the disciples to bring so little with them on missionary journeys. Every item you have can be a demanding distraction. So, one simple way to begin to clear the air to hear God's voice is to simply purge junk in your life.
I encourage you to reflect on just how often you find yourself pondering what you need to do with stuff in your life. How much time and space in your life is consumed by stuff? How and what could you realistically eliminate? Blessings from The Practical Disciple
I learned a host of discipleship lessons during this discipline. One of the most profound was that everything we own, owns a little bit of us. Each item is calling to us in some way--"Keep me, store me, use me, clean me, etc." Perhaps, that's why Jesus told the disciples to bring so little with them on missionary journeys. Every item you have can be a demanding distraction. So, one simple way to begin to clear the air to hear God's voice is to simply purge junk in your life.
I encourage you to reflect on just how often you find yourself pondering what you need to do with stuff in your life. How much time and space in your life is consumed by stuff? How and what could you realistically eliminate? Blessings from The Practical Disciple
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Isolating God's Voice
I had in a prior post written about having a basic daily devotional time with God. There is a lot of value in doing this in terms of honing your awareness of God's voice in your daily life. When I say voice, I mean it in a broad sense of God expressing Himself through any number of ways. This could be a synchronicity, a person sharing a right word at a right time, a hymn or song on the radio, a strong intuition, a dream, vision, or insight through the Word, etc.
What I have noticed is that when we step apart from our daily activity and seek to observe God's activity in our life, then we learn to discern God's activity from other activity. Imagine if I were to bring you to a symphony and asked you to tell me when you heard the French Horn. If you didn't have much classical instrument background you might be able to rightly pick it's voice out here and there. But lets pretend that I send you home with a couple of cd's of French Horn parts to listen to. You sit down each evening for a few minutes listening. The next time I bring you to the symphony, not only do you hear the French Horn, but you can track it with a high degree of success throughout the symphony. A daily devotional time, particularly with time in the Word, serves as that experience of isolating the 'voice'. It develops your ear so that you can hear God's voice in the clamoring noise of other voices.
Learning to be still before God through a similar practice of quieting your mind and sitting with a passage from scripture can also really help you hear God's voice. If nothing else it helps you filter out unwanted verbage of the world.
Blessings from The Practical Disciple
What I have noticed is that when we step apart from our daily activity and seek to observe God's activity in our life, then we learn to discern God's activity from other activity. Imagine if I were to bring you to a symphony and asked you to tell me when you heard the French Horn. If you didn't have much classical instrument background you might be able to rightly pick it's voice out here and there. But lets pretend that I send you home with a couple of cd's of French Horn parts to listen to. You sit down each evening for a few minutes listening. The next time I bring you to the symphony, not only do you hear the French Horn, but you can track it with a high degree of success throughout the symphony. A daily devotional time, particularly with time in the Word, serves as that experience of isolating the 'voice'. It develops your ear so that you can hear God's voice in the clamoring noise of other voices.
Learning to be still before God through a similar practice of quieting your mind and sitting with a passage from scripture can also really help you hear God's voice. If nothing else it helps you filter out unwanted verbage of the world.
Blessings from The Practical Disciple
More on God-incidents
My most recent post drew a couple of comments and a few direct contacts regarding God-incidents. It obviously struck a chord with some folks, so it seems worthy of more attention. My prior post was about responding to God-incidents. I feel the need to back up and address recognizing God incidents.
When I say God incident I am referring to those revelatory moments when we recognize what could be considered random events as actually God's activity in our lives. We can actively hone our awareness of these moments. The first step in recognizing something is knowing what you are looking for specifically. That may sound simplistic, but how often do we put things before God that are so broad and generic that even if God responds, we may not be able to recognize the answer. We say something like "God what do you want me to do with my life?" or "God help me find a spouse?" Learning to be more specific in our conversation with God is one helpful key in moving toward greater discernment. Get more specific with questions like, "God could you give me some indication of whether or not I need to stay in my current job?" or even, "God indicate or open some doors for me to move through, if it is your desire for me to shift away from what I am doing now."
A second key to this whole discernment process is being very open to whatever response God may give you. I call this holding a pray in an open hand. What I mean by an open hand is that you don't cling to an expected response. You lift upto God your desire or question, but you don't cling to some fore drawn conclusion. When we lift up very specific requests, I find that some times we already know what we want as God's response, so we are only looking for our expectation. God seems to frequently exceed my expectation or at least respond in some oblique way I never anticipated. Trust is necessary. To me the perfect biblical example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethesemane. He comes before God with a very specific request--"Let this cup pass from me." But he holds it in a open hand, "Not my will be done, but thine."
Third, we actively intentional look for God's response. How many times have you prayed for God's guidance, but not bothered to then just sit and listen for a response from God? I must confess that too often I will ask for guidance and then just move right on to the next things in my prayer list. Learn to pause and listen. By listen I mean let go of other thoughts tugging at you. Pay attention to the images, memories, events, and/or people that come to mind as you quietly set with God and the concern of your heart. Do those things seem significant to your prayer. If so, how are they significant. Also, learn to look back on a day or week and say, "How do I think God has responded to my prayer?"
These are invaluable skills to help hone your awareness. I will share more in my next blog post so stayed tuned. Thank you, The Practical Disciple, John Arnold
When I say God incident I am referring to those revelatory moments when we recognize what could be considered random events as actually God's activity in our lives. We can actively hone our awareness of these moments. The first step in recognizing something is knowing what you are looking for specifically. That may sound simplistic, but how often do we put things before God that are so broad and generic that even if God responds, we may not be able to recognize the answer. We say something like "God what do you want me to do with my life?" or "God help me find a spouse?" Learning to be more specific in our conversation with God is one helpful key in moving toward greater discernment. Get more specific with questions like, "God could you give me some indication of whether or not I need to stay in my current job?" or even, "God indicate or open some doors for me to move through, if it is your desire for me to shift away from what I am doing now."
A second key to this whole discernment process is being very open to whatever response God may give you. I call this holding a pray in an open hand. What I mean by an open hand is that you don't cling to an expected response. You lift upto God your desire or question, but you don't cling to some fore drawn conclusion. When we lift up very specific requests, I find that some times we already know what we want as God's response, so we are only looking for our expectation. God seems to frequently exceed my expectation or at least respond in some oblique way I never anticipated. Trust is necessary. To me the perfect biblical example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethesemane. He comes before God with a very specific request--"Let this cup pass from me." But he holds it in a open hand, "Not my will be done, but thine."
Third, we actively intentional look for God's response. How many times have you prayed for God's guidance, but not bothered to then just sit and listen for a response from God? I must confess that too often I will ask for guidance and then just move right on to the next things in my prayer list. Learn to pause and listen. By listen I mean let go of other thoughts tugging at you. Pay attention to the images, memories, events, and/or people that come to mind as you quietly set with God and the concern of your heart. Do those things seem significant to your prayer. If so, how are they significant. Also, learn to look back on a day or week and say, "How do I think God has responded to my prayer?"
These are invaluable skills to help hone your awareness. I will share more in my next blog post so stayed tuned. Thank you, The Practical Disciple, John Arnold
Monday, June 16, 2008
Responding to God-Incidence
Some events occur and the coincidence of it is so unbelievable that it takes greater faith to consider it a coincidence than it does to believe that it is a God incident. I once was trying to find someone's apartment who had an emergency need. My prayer was to find this person quickly and without a conflict with his father who was drunk and in the home. I had never been to his apartment. When a friend of mine and I went to retrieve our friend who was in trouble, we could not find the apartment number he had given us. I began to feel that perhaps my prayers were unheard. I rapidly decided that we shouldn't waste time looking for the apartment. We should just ask someone where it was. My friend who was driving ran upto a random apartment. He came out with our friend. We had coincidentally gone to an apartment he had fled to. The apartment number we had written down did not exist. Coincidence? I don't think so.
How should we respond when a God-incidence occurs?--A chance phone call or acquaintance comes at just the right time of our need, our funds run dry and a check for just the right amount appears unanticipated, etc. I often think of Romans 1:21 "Though they knew God, they neither honored God or gave thanks so he gave them over to futile thinking and the darkness of their minds." I have learned that my immediate response to a God-incidence needs to be to recognize it as a gift from God and give thanks. Give credit where credit is due.
The second thing that I seek to do is to honor God for the gift. We honor God by being obedient. Often times within the event there is some calling. There is a need for us to act. I find that when we are either thankful and/or obedient with what is given, then God seems to unfold the gift even further.
We also can honor a gift by telling others the story of what God has done. Share your story. In the process you may bless someone else. You may become an inspiring God-incident for another person.
Blessings to you as you seek to appreciate and honor all that God does in your life.
How should we respond when a God-incidence occurs?--A chance phone call or acquaintance comes at just the right time of our need, our funds run dry and a check for just the right amount appears unanticipated, etc. I often think of Romans 1:21 "Though they knew God, they neither honored God or gave thanks so he gave them over to futile thinking and the darkness of their minds." I have learned that my immediate response to a God-incidence needs to be to recognize it as a gift from God and give thanks. Give credit where credit is due.
The second thing that I seek to do is to honor God for the gift. We honor God by being obedient. Often times within the event there is some calling. There is a need for us to act. I find that when we are either thankful and/or obedient with what is given, then God seems to unfold the gift even further.
We also can honor a gift by telling others the story of what God has done. Share your story. In the process you may bless someone else. You may become an inspiring God-incident for another person.
Blessings to you as you seek to appreciate and honor all that God does in your life.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Daily Check-up
Before I talk about the value of a "daily check-up", I just want to mention that I will be making podcasts of select sermons available in the next week or so. I have a couple of technical gliches to work out and then I should be good to go. So, stay tuned and check back-in for podcast.
Now regarding daily check-ups--One way to enhance our discipleship progress is by daily evaluating our progress. The key is having a clear criteria for evaluating and allowing a few minutes during a quiet time at the end of the day for reflection. For example, if you are working on being more mindful of God, then reflect daily (preferably journaling briefly) on specifically what that would mean. Such as, how many times can I recall when I specifically paused to think about God or prayer? What God-incidents (synconcities) occurred today that seemed like divine interventions? At what times today do I wish I had been mindful of God? How and when do I hope to be mindful of God tomorrow?
As simple as this may seem, few of us take the time to just be intentional about focusing in on progress in one simple aspect of discipleship. Focused daily reflection like this, with specific criteria or questions for evaluating our efforts, can yield amazing shifts in our faith.
So how do you rate your relationship with God right now on a scale of 1 to 10? What would make it a ten? What specific area of growth would be a step toward ten? How could you work on and daily evaluate your progress in that way?
Start with something small and doable. Build upon the success. God will help you, but you need to be very intentional.
Peace from The Practical Disciple
Now regarding daily check-ups--One way to enhance our discipleship progress is by daily evaluating our progress. The key is having a clear criteria for evaluating and allowing a few minutes during a quiet time at the end of the day for reflection. For example, if you are working on being more mindful of God, then reflect daily (preferably journaling briefly) on specifically what that would mean. Such as, how many times can I recall when I specifically paused to think about God or prayer? What God-incidents (synconcities) occurred today that seemed like divine interventions? At what times today do I wish I had been mindful of God? How and when do I hope to be mindful of God tomorrow?
As simple as this may seem, few of us take the time to just be intentional about focusing in on progress in one simple aspect of discipleship. Focused daily reflection like this, with specific criteria or questions for evaluating our efforts, can yield amazing shifts in our faith.
So how do you rate your relationship with God right now on a scale of 1 to 10? What would make it a ten? What specific area of growth would be a step toward ten? How could you work on and daily evaluate your progress in that way?
Start with something small and doable. Build upon the success. God will help you, but you need to be very intentional.
Peace from The Practical Disciple
Thursday, June 12, 2008
7 ways to ingest God's Word
1) Listen to it
2) Read it
3) Study it
4) Meditate on it
5) Memorize it
6) Journal it
7) Act on it
How many of these seven are a part of your life right now? Which one could you add right now? Each one enhances our discipleship and our relationship with God in a slightly different way. I would encourage you to experiment. These are not the only ways to take in God's Word. Recently, I was a part of a workshop in which we all created art out of the experience of listening to the creation story both read and sung. Paraphrasing the passage through art really helped me slow down and internalize the text in a whole new way and with a depth I didn't anticipate.
Be creative in your approaches. I had a friend who memorize scripture by laminating verses and hanging them in his shower.
2) Read it
3) Study it
4) Meditate on it
5) Memorize it
6) Journal it
7) Act on it
How many of these seven are a part of your life right now? Which one could you add right now? Each one enhances our discipleship and our relationship with God in a slightly different way. I would encourage you to experiment. These are not the only ways to take in God's Word. Recently, I was a part of a workshop in which we all created art out of the experience of listening to the creation story both read and sung. Paraphrasing the passage through art really helped me slow down and internalize the text in a whole new way and with a depth I didn't anticipate.
Be creative in your approaches. I had a friend who memorize scripture by laminating verses and hanging them in his shower.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Doing the Do.
One time I was standing in what I would call the "spiritual self-help" section of a seminary bookstore looking for yet another 'how-to prayer' book. As I browsed the numerous options the thought came to me, 'If I applied even ten percent of all of the other books I already have on prayer, then I could probably write my own book. I realized in that moment that I was substituting reading about prayer for praying. I immediately set down whatever book was in my hand and headed for the seminary prayer room. I had a phenomena encounter with God. I realized then how easy it is to talk about God, instead of to God, or to read about prayer, instead of praying.
I am addressing this today because I have added a 'This Week's Recommended Resource' and I now have The Practical Disciple Resource Center as an opportunity for you to purchase resources on spiritual growth. The danger in such resources is that you substitute studying an activity for doing the activity. Little or no growth happens when that is the case. I would encourage you to examine how much you are applying what you learn. Make sure that you are 'doing the do' of whatever area of discipleship you are studying.
So much more learning happens in the doing. Jesus wrapped up the sermon on the mount with a parable that emphasized the need to apply what his listeners heard. He said--
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the stream rose, and the wind blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation upon a rock. But everyone who hears these words of m ine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand, the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)
A nature mentor I know likes to put it this way, "The knowing is in the doing." So be very conscientious about applying what you learn, even if your application occurs in extremely small increments. With that said, what are you going to do our apply once you log off of this blog? What is one important lesson or life principle you have learned recently and how have you applied it? Blessings to you from The Practical Disciple
I am addressing this today because I have added a 'This Week's Recommended Resource' and I now have The Practical Disciple Resource Center as an opportunity for you to purchase resources on spiritual growth. The danger in such resources is that you substitute studying an activity for doing the activity. Little or no growth happens when that is the case. I would encourage you to examine how much you are applying what you learn. Make sure that you are 'doing the do' of whatever area of discipleship you are studying.
So much more learning happens in the doing. Jesus wrapped up the sermon on the mount with a parable that emphasized the need to apply what his listeners heard. He said--
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the stream rose, and the wind blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation upon a rock. But everyone who hears these words of m ine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand, the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)
A nature mentor I know likes to put it this way, "The knowing is in the doing." So be very conscientious about applying what you learn, even if your application occurs in extremely small increments. With that said, what are you going to do our apply once you log off of this blog? What is one important lesson or life principle you have learned recently and how have you applied it? Blessings to you from The Practical Disciple
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Scripture Journaling
Yesterday I shared two approaches to scripture reading--formational and informational reading. To insure a healthy blend of each consider journaling. I have used the following journal model for many years now and it has yielded a constant forward momentum in my discipleship journey. A sample journal based upon the model following that is in bold and italics may look like this---
Date: 6/2/08 Passage: Mark 12:1-12
First Obervation/keywords: vinyard, Son. God goes to any length to care for us, but we don't accept it easily.
Main Idea/meaning: Jesus was explaining to the multitude how great God's love is and how they have rejected it time and time again. Jesus' death is foreshadowed.
This passage make me feel: a need to examine my own life to make sure that I am recognizing Jesus. The multitude rejected him even when they had him physically in their presence and saw many miracles. I wonder how often I push Jesus away.
I don't understand or a question I have is... How we can be so selfish in the face of such overwhelming love.
Right now I believe God wants me to...Be a good steward of the gifts I have so that when his son returns, he will find hospitality and faithfulness rather than hostility and contempt.
Prayer: God, forgive me for the times when I forget that you are the master and I am the servant and that all I have is yours. May i bea great steward. May the Spirit keep me aware of your grace. Amen.
In retrospect, I have come to learn that the questions I have and the completion of the statement "right now I believe God wants me to..." have been the pieces that seem to yield the most fruit in my life. Getting to those pieces without studying or answering the other questions is very limiting.
Date: 6/2/08 Passage: Mark 12:1-12
First Obervation/keywords: vinyard, Son. God goes to any length to care for us, but we don't accept it easily.
Main Idea/meaning: Jesus was explaining to the multitude how great God's love is and how they have rejected it time and time again. Jesus' death is foreshadowed.
This passage make me feel: a need to examine my own life to make sure that I am recognizing Jesus. The multitude rejected him even when they had him physically in their presence and saw many miracles. I wonder how often I push Jesus away.
I don't understand or a question I have is... How we can be so selfish in the face of such overwhelming love.
Right now I believe God wants me to...Be a good steward of the gifts I have so that when his son returns, he will find hospitality and faithfulness rather than hostility and contempt.
Prayer: God, forgive me for the times when I forget that you are the master and I am the servant and that all I have is yours. May i bea great steward. May the Spirit keep me aware of your grace. Amen.
In retrospect, I have come to learn that the questions I have and the completion of the statement "right now I believe God wants me to..." have been the pieces that seem to yield the most fruit in my life. Getting to those pieces without studying or answering the other questions is very limiting.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Getting Started with Studying Scripture
Most approaches to reading scripture can be broadly categorized into essentially two categories, either,"informational" or "formational" reading. You need a healthy mix of both.
When you read scripture "informationally" you are getting to know the text. You are exploring questions like: "What is the story here? Who are the people involved? When and why was it written? Who was the author and what was his concern? Who was the audience? You may dig into historcial questions like "What is a tabernacle?" "What kind offerings did these people do?" "Where is Phillipi?" "What is a samaritan?" Basically, informational reading involves studying the text to get at the story or content. If you have done a good job of informational reading you should be able to confidently put the passage into your own word, share its basic story and structure, and may be answer a few questions about it.
Entering the Bible can be daunting. It can be a bit like visiting a foreign country in which you really don't get the customs. There is a two thousand year gap of history and traditions to overcome as well as cultural differences for most of us. A few guides can be immensely helpful. If you have no study resources, then I highly recommend that the first thing you get after a good Bible is a good Bible dictionary. Two that I use regularly and can recommend without reservation are The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible edited by Henry Snyder Gehman and The Oxford Companion to the Bible, edited by Bruce Metzger and Michael Coogan. Getting into a Bible Study at a church can also be a very helpful way to engage in informational study.
Formational reading addresses the meaning of the text for your life today. When you are formationally reading you meditate or reflect on God's Word to instruct your daily living. "Informational" reading primarily fills you mind with information about the text; whereas, "Formational" reading shapes or forms who you are as a disciple. These types of reading feed one another and are both crucial. You can see a reflection of formational reading in the Psalmist's words "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers for I meditate on your statutes." (Psalm 119:97-99.)
Tune back in tomorrow and I will share with you an example of blending informational and formational reading through scripture journaling. Blessings to you from The Practical Disciple.
When you read scripture "informationally" you are getting to know the text. You are exploring questions like: "What is the story here? Who are the people involved? When and why was it written? Who was the author and what was his concern? Who was the audience? You may dig into historcial questions like "What is a tabernacle?" "What kind offerings did these people do?" "Where is Phillipi?" "What is a samaritan?" Basically, informational reading involves studying the text to get at the story or content. If you have done a good job of informational reading you should be able to confidently put the passage into your own word, share its basic story and structure, and may be answer a few questions about it.
Entering the Bible can be daunting. It can be a bit like visiting a foreign country in which you really don't get the customs. There is a two thousand year gap of history and traditions to overcome as well as cultural differences for most of us. A few guides can be immensely helpful. If you have no study resources, then I highly recommend that the first thing you get after a good Bible is a good Bible dictionary. Two that I use regularly and can recommend without reservation are The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible edited by Henry Snyder Gehman and The Oxford Companion to the Bible, edited by Bruce Metzger and Michael Coogan. Getting into a Bible Study at a church can also be a very helpful way to engage in informational study.
Formational reading addresses the meaning of the text for your life today. When you are formationally reading you meditate or reflect on God's Word to instruct your daily living. "Informational" reading primarily fills you mind with information about the text; whereas, "Formational" reading shapes or forms who you are as a disciple. These types of reading feed one another and are both crucial. You can see a reflection of formational reading in the Psalmist's words "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers for I meditate on your statutes." (Psalm 119:97-99.)
Tune back in tomorrow and I will share with you an example of blending informational and formational reading through scripture journaling. Blessings to you from The Practical Disciple.
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