Meditation
Ephesians 4:20-24
(We are studying the "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. The numbers you see below (x) are the page numbers from the book where the quote is found.)
10 Big Questions about Meditation:
1. What are Spiritual Disciplines?
God gives us the Disciplines so that we can place ourselves in His presence so He can transform us (8)
2. Why do we need them?
You cannot will yourself to be good - you must become good and then you will act good. The Disciplines lead you to this inner transformation.
3. Who can do them?
Anyone - it's not for spiritual giants.
4. What is meditation?
"Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey His Word" (17)
5. To whom does God speak?
Those who are willing to listen.
6. What is meditation not?
"Eastern meditation is an attempt to empty the mind. Christian meditation is an attempt to fill the mind with Christ!" (20)
7. What happens in meditation?
We make emotional and spiritual space by pushing aside all our concerns to create room for Christ to fill us more. We stop and put our ways aside - we meditate and ask Him for His guidance.
8. What does meditation do?
"Meditation sends us into our ordinary world with greater perspective and balance." (22)
9. How does meditation work; how do I do it?
Through our imagination or imagery.
He will give you a picture of how things could be - and as you meditate, you realize what your role is supposed to look like.
Practical ideas:
i. Pray for the desire to meditate
ii. Set aside the same time each day
iii. Consider your posture
iv. Palms up/palms down
10. On what do I meditate?
Meditate on creation
Meditate on scripture; interact with it through your senses
This is the difference between our will that makes us have peace and His power that grants us peace.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Bible Reading: December 3rd - December 16th!
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength! --Philippians 4:13
Wow! What a great night we had last night. The above is our memory verse for the next two weeks. I have put our Bible Reading below too! Remember to take time to "Meditate" as you go through your day!
Thursday, 12/3 Psalm 19:14
Meditate on desiring to meditate. Meditate on Whom you are talking to - your Rock and your Redeemer!
Friday, 12/4 Psalm 139:1-18
Meditate on verse 14 - praising Him and truly receiving deep in your soul that you are a precious work of God.
Saturday, 12/5 Psalm 1:1-3
Meditate on wanting to be a Christian that people want to be like. This Psalm shows us the benefit of meditating - we prosper.
Sunday, 12/6 Psalm 104:33-35
On this Sunday, celebrate God by meditating on the joy you feel when you are in His house. Meditate on praying for the lost and asking God how He can use you to reach them.
Monday, 12/7 Psalm 73:21-26
Meditate on what you are like when you are not walking closely with God (vs. 21-22) Then meditate on the amazing truth that God is always with you!! (vs. 23-26)
Tuesday, 12/8 Psalm 139:23-24
Meditate on coming clean before God. What is bothering you? What do you need to confess to God? Allow yourself to be completely honest with Him and then just listen...just listen.
Wednesday, 12/9 Psalm 143:5-6
Meditate on what God has already done for you in your life. Think about how He has already been there for you. Open your hands upward and receive His strength in your soul.
Thursday, 12/10 Psalm 119:105-112
Meditate on how amazing the Bible - God's Word - is.
Friday, 12/11 Psalm 119:41-48
Meditate on God's unfailing love and the fact that you have salvation!! Out of gratitude, we want to follow His laws and precepts.
Saturday, 12/12 Psalm 119:73-80
Look again at vs. 78. Meditate on God's justice. We need to focus on living the way God wants us to - and let Him handle justice for those who will not follow Him.
Sunday, 12/13 Joshua 1:7-9
Look at how important God thinks His Word is through the words He speaks to His leader, Joshua. Meditate on the power of the words in the Bible and asking God to let them transform you.
Monday, 12/14 Psalm 4
Meditate about allowing speaking to God to replace speaking to others in anger.
Tuesday, 12/15 John 14:27
Meditate on this peace that Jesus wants to give you. Make room in your spirit and soul to receive this peace by meditating on Him.
Wednesday, 12/16 Philippians 4:8
This is a great list of things to meditate on. Nothing on this list would lead to stressful thinking!
See you tonight at GEMS!!
Love y'all!
Wow! What a great night we had last night. The above is our memory verse for the next two weeks. I have put our Bible Reading below too! Remember to take time to "Meditate" as you go through your day!
Thursday, 12/3 Psalm 19:14
Meditate on desiring to meditate. Meditate on Whom you are talking to - your Rock and your Redeemer!
Friday, 12/4 Psalm 139:1-18
Meditate on verse 14 - praising Him and truly receiving deep in your soul that you are a precious work of God.
Saturday, 12/5 Psalm 1:1-3
Meditate on wanting to be a Christian that people want to be like. This Psalm shows us the benefit of meditating - we prosper.
Sunday, 12/6 Psalm 104:33-35
On this Sunday, celebrate God by meditating on the joy you feel when you are in His house. Meditate on praying for the lost and asking God how He can use you to reach them.
Monday, 12/7 Psalm 73:21-26
Meditate on what you are like when you are not walking closely with God (vs. 21-22) Then meditate on the amazing truth that God is always with you!! (vs. 23-26)
Tuesday, 12/8 Psalm 139:23-24
Meditate on coming clean before God. What is bothering you? What do you need to confess to God? Allow yourself to be completely honest with Him and then just listen...just listen.
Wednesday, 12/9 Psalm 143:5-6
Meditate on what God has already done for you in your life. Think about how He has already been there for you. Open your hands upward and receive His strength in your soul.
Thursday, 12/10 Psalm 119:105-112
Meditate on how amazing the Bible - God's Word - is.
Friday, 12/11 Psalm 119:41-48
Meditate on God's unfailing love and the fact that you have salvation!! Out of gratitude, we want to follow His laws and precepts.
Saturday, 12/12 Psalm 119:73-80
Look again at vs. 78. Meditate on God's justice. We need to focus on living the way God wants us to - and let Him handle justice for those who will not follow Him.
Sunday, 12/13 Joshua 1:7-9
Look at how important God thinks His Word is through the words He speaks to His leader, Joshua. Meditate on the power of the words in the Bible and asking God to let them transform you.
Monday, 12/14 Psalm 4
Meditate about allowing speaking to God to replace speaking to others in anger.
Tuesday, 12/15 John 14:27
Meditate on this peace that Jesus wants to give you. Make room in your spirit and soul to receive this peace by meditating on Him.
Wednesday, 12/16 Philippians 4:8
This is a great list of things to meditate on. Nothing on this list would lead to stressful thinking!
See you tonight at GEMS!!
Love y'all!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A "special" Advent Calendar.....
Hey Fellow GEMS!
Lisa sent me a note today and had a suggestion for an Advent Calendar. I have seen many different styles, but I like the idea of this one that Lisa designed. She went back to the prophesy of Isaiah and Malachi and started with the prediction of John and Jesus. You could use it in different ways:
* make a copy for each child, cut up the days and make your own calendar
* use the sheet or readings as a daily family devotional
* use the devotional as a dinner time conversation
We will explain a little more tomorrow night. I haven't decided how we are going to use it, but we are going to in some way.
I haven't been able to attach the document link and so I will do some research and see what I can do. Hopefully I will have it solved by tomorrow.
Have a great evening and I will see you tomorrow night!
Love y'all!
Cheri Lynn
Lisa sent me a note today and had a suggestion for an Advent Calendar. I have seen many different styles, but I like the idea of this one that Lisa designed. She went back to the prophesy of Isaiah and Malachi and started with the prediction of John and Jesus. You could use it in different ways:
* make a copy for each child, cut up the days and make your own calendar
* use the sheet or readings as a daily family devotional
* use the devotional as a dinner time conversation
We will explain a little more tomorrow night. I haven't decided how we are going to use it, but we are going to in some way.
I haven't been able to attach the document link and so I will do some research and see what I can do. Hopefully I will have it solved by tomorrow.
Have a great evening and I will see you tomorrow night!
Love y'all!
Cheri Lynn
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