“We aren’t just reading words; we are seeking the Word thru words.”
You can't have prayer without Scripture and you can't have Scripture without prayer. In this week's message, Part 4 in Building Blocks: A Life of Prayer, we talked about the "office" in our house of prayer: PRAYING THROUGH SCRIPTURE.
We talked about what it means to meditate on Scripture and how we can begin practicing this essential aspect in our lives.
Read MoreOnly two weeks left in our FINDING YOUR FLAVOR journey and this week we looked at the two spiritual flavors that I know quite a bit about.
ENTHUSIASTS: connecting with God through expectancy (that's me)
CONTEMPLATIVES: connecting with God through adoration (that's my wife)
Christianity is all about a relationship with a supernatural God and so therefore we shouldn't be surprised if that God works in supernatural ways. Enthusiasts and Contemplatives are all about connecting with God through mystery and wonder.
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For unto us a Child is born Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
As I prepare for Advent this year, I’ve been meditating on this verse. I cannot seem to get away from it; it’s like a meal that I am savouring. I am lingering at the table, inhaling the fragrant scent, the fullness of flavours on my taste buds, enjoying the vivid sights this passage provokes.
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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Ok, so, have you ever read this passage... prayed this passage... meditated on it... wrote it out and stuck it to your bedroom mirror... and STILL FELT ANXIOUS? Anyone???
I think God showed me a little secret a few years ago and He’s highlighted it again this year. Bear with me a little, please, while I get to the point.
Read MoreWhat's the difference between READING the Bible vs STUDYING the Bible? It's the difference between chugging a bottle of water vs sipping a glass of wine. The objectives are different (quantity vs quality) and therefore the methodology needs to be different as well.
This week's message in the You Are What You Eat series is titled THE ART OF STUDYING THE BIBLE. In it, I talk about the method I use to help me go deeper into God's Word and find depth there. It's not as complicated as you think. Like everything in life, you just need a good system to help you achieve your desired results.
Reading for distance is good; but studying for depth is where the richness of the Bible is found.
“We aren’t just reading words; but we are seeking the Word thru words.”
You can't speak about prayer without speaking about the Scriptures - aka, the Word of God. If the goal of prayer is a conversation with God, then true prayer requires time spent prayerfully in the Bible.
That was the topic of Week 5 of the Extreme Makeover: PRAYER Edition series - PRAYING THROUGH SCRIPTURE. Take a look at the video and find out what it means to pray through Scripture, why we need to do it and most importantly, HOW it can be done.
And if anything stands out to you and you think it's worth sharing, be sure to use the hashtag #PrayerMakeover when you share it.
We kicked off a new series yesterday - one that I am super excited about, called "SPIRITUAL SWEAT: Exercise Yourself Toward Godliness".
In it we're talking about 7 spiritual disciplines that were given to us from the earliest days of Christianity and how practicing these disciplines will help us "get into shape" spiritually. If you are serious about your spiritual life in 2013, you will love this series! Here's the first week on the discipline of MEDITATION.
