Scripture –
…in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.
Daniel 9:2-3
…en el año primero de su reinado, yo, Daniel, pude entender en los libros el número de los años en que, por palabra del SEÑOR que fue revelada al profeta Jeremías, debían cumplirse las desolaciones de Jerusalén: setenta años.
Volví mi rostro a Dios el Señor para buscarle en oración y súplicas, en ayuno, cilicio y ceniza.
Daniel 9:2-3
Reading - Slowly read the Scripture passage several times
Meditation - Take some time to reflect on the words and phrases in the text. Which words, phrases or images speak to you most?
Prayer - Offer the internalized passage back to God in the form of a personalized prayer of adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, or thanksgiving.
Contemplation - What word or image captures the spirit of the passage for you?
Showing posts with label fasting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fasting. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Sunday (March 16) Living Water
Scripture-
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(A selection of verses from Matthew 6. Jesus is still speaking. Which we began when we looked at Matthew 5)
Reading - Slowly read the Scripture passage several times
Meditation - Take some time to reflect on the words and phrases in the text. Which words, phrases or images speak to you most?
Prayer - Offer the internalized passage back to God in the form of a personalized prayer of adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, or thanksgiving.
Contemplation - What word or image captures the spirit of the passage for you?
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(A selection of verses from Matthew 6. Jesus is still speaking. Which we began when we looked at Matthew 5)
Reading - Slowly read the Scripture passage several times
Meditation - Take some time to reflect on the words and phrases in the text. Which words, phrases or images speak to you most?
Prayer - Offer the internalized passage back to God in the form of a personalized prayer of adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, or thanksgiving.
Contemplation - What word or image captures the spirit of the passage for you?
Thursday, January 10, 2008
It is Thursday already! Over the half way point in the week. How has your week been? Have you had a chance to begin to Lectio Divina or to slow down and chew on God's Word? His Word! It is incredible, it is always there to teach if we just give it the time. Yes, there has been much to absorb this last week. For some it is all new, for others it is a refresher. May we continue to have teachable hearts and a passion to discover His Truths! These entries make reference to what we are learning in His word. You might ask, "But we haven't done that yet!" You are right but the time is coming to apply these lessons so please hang on! Pastor John will be introducing another spiritual discipline with this entry so let's begin!
"I rejoice in your word like one who finds a great treasure. . . Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble." (Psalm 119:162, 165)
I pray that you are rejoicing in what God is teaching you in His Word. A 'great treasure'. . . what if that was our attitude every single time that we opened the Bible, 'Wow, I'm about to discover a great treasure! I'm gonna be rich!!'
I hope that you also enjoyed the Ignatian method of devotional reading.
Today I want to add to our disciplines.
Fasting
One of the most powerful ways to enhance our 'spiritual hearing' is through the discipline of fasting. Fasting, like solitude, is one of the ways that we clear our minds of distraction seeking to focus on hearing and experiencing God.
John Wesley said: "First, let fasting be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven." (Foster, p.55)
In a dry season not too long ago I was meditating on fasting and I wrote this: "Lord, you are showing me how undisciplined my life is - like an athlete who rarely trains but eats a lot of pizza and stays up late watching TV. And not that discipline draws me near to You, but it clears the path of those distractions that keep me from you." Can you relate?
Fasting helps us to pull ourselves from that which we physically depend on the most - and to attach ourselves to Jesus. Thomas a Kempis said: "Unless a person be disengaged from all creatures, he cannot with freedom of mind attend divine things. For that is the cause why there are so few contemplative persons to be found, for that few can wholly withdraw themselves from things created and perishing . . . And unless a man be elevated in spirit, and freed from all creatures, and wholly united to God, whatever he knoweth, and whatever he hath, is of no great importance."
Many times when it comes to fasting we get too caught up in what we are missing, or following the precise 'fasting rules and regulations.' Fasting is simply giving up something that we depend on for the purpose of giving ourselves more completely to God.
Fasting food can be done for a meal, or a day, or 3 days (please be wise and begin with a couple of meals before trying to fast for a more lengthy period). It can be giving up something you will really miss or something you depend on. [I highly recommend the Optional Training this week as Foster does a great job talking more about the details of fasting.]
I'll be honest. Nobody I know, including myself, 'enjoys' fasting from a physical perspective. It's hard. But remember the ultimate goal of fasting is to make us more attentive to Jesus and give Him glory. That makes it all worth it!
"I rejoice in your word like one who finds a great treasure. . . Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble." (Psalm 119:162, 165)
I pray that you are rejoicing in what God is teaching you in His Word. A 'great treasure'. . . what if that was our attitude every single time that we opened the Bible, 'Wow, I'm about to discover a great treasure! I'm gonna be rich!!'
I hope that you also enjoyed the Ignatian method of devotional reading.
Today I want to add to our disciplines.
Fasting
One of the most powerful ways to enhance our 'spiritual hearing' is through the discipline of fasting. Fasting, like solitude, is one of the ways that we clear our minds of distraction seeking to focus on hearing and experiencing God.
John Wesley said: "First, let fasting be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven." (Foster, p.55)
In a dry season not too long ago I was meditating on fasting and I wrote this: "Lord, you are showing me how undisciplined my life is - like an athlete who rarely trains but eats a lot of pizza and stays up late watching TV. And not that discipline draws me near to You, but it clears the path of those distractions that keep me from you." Can you relate?
Fasting helps us to pull ourselves from that which we physically depend on the most - and to attach ourselves to Jesus. Thomas a Kempis said: "Unless a person be disengaged from all creatures, he cannot with freedom of mind attend divine things. For that is the cause why there are so few contemplative persons to be found, for that few can wholly withdraw themselves from things created and perishing . . . And unless a man be elevated in spirit, and freed from all creatures, and wholly united to God, whatever he knoweth, and whatever he hath, is of no great importance."
Many times when it comes to fasting we get too caught up in what we are missing, or following the precise 'fasting rules and regulations.' Fasting is simply giving up something that we depend on for the purpose of giving ourselves more completely to God.
Fasting food can be done for a meal, or a day, or 3 days (please be wise and begin with a couple of meals before trying to fast for a more lengthy period). It can be giving up something you will really miss or something you depend on. [I highly recommend the Optional Training this week as Foster does a great job talking more about the details of fasting.]
I'll be honest. Nobody I know, including myself, 'enjoys' fasting from a physical perspective. It's hard. But remember the ultimate goal of fasting is to make us more attentive to Jesus and give Him glory. That makes it all worth it!
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