Study

Study is a discipline which we need not only in our Spiritual walk, but also in our daily life.  We should always b learning something new.  To stretch our minds, exercise our brain.  Just as exercise for the body helps to keep us active and healthy, exercising the brain helps to keep it healthy.
There are four steps to study, those steps are:
1. Repetition
2. Concentration
3. Comprehension
4. Reflection

As we study the Scriptures, we should read the section of Scripture over and over.  Allow it it soak into our minds.  The next step concentration is where we really think about and ponder what the Scripture is saying to us, today at this stage in our life.  Then we are to comprehend the Scripture, are there any words we do not understand, use a dictionary for further research. Then reflection, to reflect o n what we have read is the final step - this is a very important part of the studying process.  As we reflect on the Scripture, this enables us to be able to recall that Scripture at a time when we most need it.

I have listed some Scriptures for you to study:
1. Deuteronomy 11:18
Impress these Words of mine on your hearts and souls, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads.


2. Psalm 119:11
I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.


3. John 8;31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in my Word, you really are my disciples.  You will know the truth and the truth will set you free."


4. Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God.


5. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.


6. 2 Peter 3:16
He (Paul) speaks about these things (salvation) in all his letters, in which there are some matters that are hard to understand.  The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.


I pray that you will study the Scriptures, repeat them to yourself, concentrate on them, comprehend them, then spend time reflecting on the Words of our Lord.

May God bless you this day
~Carrie~

Fasting

Fasting as a Spiritual Discipline has always been one of those disciplines that I only did at Lent.  I would give up chocolate or cokes or something along those lines and inevitably I wold have chocolate or drink a coke before the 40 days of Lent were over.  The Bible has a lot to say about fasting. Number 1 is that it is something Jesus talked about, Queen Ester fasted and saved her people from complete destruction.
There are several Scriptures about fasting.  I will not recite all of them here, but will give you a list of Scriptures that you can reference when you decide to have a Spiritual fast.  Fasting has become so intertwined with the world of dieting, going without food to cleanse your body, detox treatments and such. A Spiritual fast is a two sided event.  You give up something earthly (food, something you enjoy doing, etc.) and you replace that time spent in those activities with drawing closer to Christ.  Instead of having lunch, you would get in a quiet place and commune with Christ, either in a Bible study or a time of prayer. Spiritual fasting is NOT just going without something and complaining about your sacrifice.  Matthew 6: 16-18 gives directions on fasting:

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 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.

Notice this Scripture does not say "IF" you fast- it says "WHEN" you fast.  

My prayer for you is that you will draw closer to Christ and spend some time each day fasting as you give up a worldly time for a Spiritual time.

Other Scriptures regarding fasting include:

Leviticus 23:27

Psalm 35:13

Psalm 69:10

Daniel 10:3

Zechariah 7:5

Blessings,

Carrie

The Model Prayer

Matthew 6: 9-13   Therefore, you should pray like this:

Our father in heaven

Your name be honored as Holy

your Kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts

as we forgive our debtors

and do not bring us into temptation,

 but deliver us from the evil one.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen

Wow- everytime I pray this prayer, I have to make sure that I am in right standing with the Lord.  If we sincerely believe in this prayer and pray this prayer with meaning then -

We will always honor God and KNOW that HE is holy and that His name should not be used in common use, as with cursing.

When we ask for God's will to be done - do I (we) really want and desire God's will for our lives? 
We ask for our daily needs - not to have treasures stored up for yet another day- enough to sustain us for each day.  That one is difficult for many people, because I am always concerned about what will happen tomorrow.  God already knows our needs and if we are sincere when we pray this prayer there is no need for concern.

Ahh, forgiving - this one is also tough.  We are asking God to forgive us of our sins in teh SAME WAY we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.. Some folks like to hold onto those grudes and stroke them like prized possessions.  But, when we prayer this prayer we are asking God to treat us just as we treat others.

In this day and age, sin is and temptation are just around any corner.  Therefore, asking God to not bring us into temptation and keep us away from the evil one is important.  We should always be on guard for the attacks of the evil one.

This prayer ends prasing God and acknowledging that His is the Kingdom for which we long and He is powerful and all glory and honor belong to Him.

What a powerful prayer.  My prayer is that you will model your prayer life after the prayer that Christ taught his disciples to pray. Since Jesus taught this prayer then we should rest easy and know that it is a prayer that would please God.

may God richly bless and keep you

~Carrie~ 

More on Prayer

James 4:3 "You ask and don't receive because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your desires for pleasure.

This Scripture lets us know that there is a right way and a wrong way to pray.  God is not like a giant Santa Claus bestowing onto us all we "wish" for.  Whenever you talk to your friends do you constantly ask for things?  God wants us to come to Him and share our lives with Him.  God desires that we be in relationship with Him.  Praising God and giving Him thanks  for the blessings in our lives. He does care for us, He cared enough to send His Son to the cross to pay for our sins. 

Paws for a Cause

Tomorrow - Claudia (the Westie) and I will be running a 5 K together.  Cincy and Boston will be doing the 1 mile fun run with Samantha and Cameron. Wish us luck - this is Claudia's first race.

Prayer

Scriptures for todays reading are taken from the Christian Standard Bible (Holman Publication)

Psalm 63:1 God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.  I thirst for you; my body faints for you, in a land that is dry, desolate and without water.


Do I seek God with the same eagerness that I seek other things?  If I am honest with myself the answer would be no.  Seeking God eagerly means to search for Him in earnest, to be zealous in my search for Him, to be actively seeking HIM.  I miss the mark more often than I hit it.  Lord, please forgive me. I put so many things and people before God.

To thirst for God, is to need to be refreshed by His Spirit. A thirsty person needs only water to be satisfied, when I am Spiritually dry I need the cleansing and refreshing Living Water to fill me.  I can only get that Living Water as I seek Christ.

When we are physically faint, we need a place to sit down and rest.  We can rest in God as we seek Him.  It is through prayer that we are able to find Him, to seek Him, to have Him quench our souls with His Living Water as we find rest in His Word.  His Word speaks to our dry and desolate souls to refresh and replenish us.

Prayer is our communication line to God- He is never to busy to hear our praises, He is never to busy for us.

Seek God this evening and He will give you rest for your weary soul and quench your dry Spirit.

God Bless You
-Carrie-

Meditation

Scriptures for todays' reading are from "The Apologetics Study Bible".  (Holman Bible Publishing)

Genesis 24:63  "In the early evening, Isaac went out to walk in the field, and looking up, he saw camels coming."

At first glance this passage does not say anything about meditation - but if we look a little closer  - we can see Isaac as he is out after a hard days work, maybe surveying his fields.  After a hard days work, I often go out for a walk and although I do not have a field to survey, I reflect on the days work.  In a word, meditating on the days events.  Then Isaac looks up - he sees camels.  In his day, camels were a common sight, but if we read on in this passage we are told about changes that will come to Isaac's life.  When we take time to reflect, meditate on our days, then "look up" to God we could also see changes coming in our lives.  Take time each day to "look up" and see what God will do in your life.

Psalm 1:2  "When on my bed, I think of you, I meditate on you during the night watches."

Psalm 119:78  "Let the arrogant be put to shame for slandering me with lies; I will mediate on your precepts."

Psalm 119: 148 " I am awake through each watch of the night to meditate on your promises. 

I love these verses.  In the evenings, after the house is finally quiet - I find that I am able to simply meditate on God and think about the promises that He has made.  Promises to be with me, to guide me, to be my constant companion.  There are so many promises that Christ made- too many to post in this blog.  But, anytime I find myself discouraged, worrying, lonely, depressed, dissatisfied, when I am confused, tempted, angry and even feeling rebellious, I need only turn to my Bible to find the answers I need for each moment.

Mediation on Christ and His Word will bring us comfort. We need only turn to Him and He will be there.

God bless you as you make your life's journey.  May you journey with Christ.

Carrie

Spiritual Disciplines

Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Lately, I have been giving a lot of thought to Spiritual Disciplines.  So often, when I think of the Spiritual Disciplines, I think about prayer, worship and missions. However,  there are so many more and over the next few weeks I will be "blogging" my thoughts and perceptions of the Spiritual Disciplines and the verses that I have encountered on my journey.  I encourage you to send me your comments as we journey together to discover Spiritual Disciplines for our lives.