For the week March 1-7

 

Meditate on these things this week and bring to your next group meeting to share together what is good or hard and what effect in you or what action you believe God wants you take.

Day One: These two Scriptures have come to my mind numerous times in the past weeks.

Psalm 37 Fret not… Trust in the Lord… dwell in the land, cultivate faithfulness... Delight in the Lord...Commit your way to the Lord... Be still and wait on the Lord... Hope in the Lord…

With these commands and conditions comes the promise 6x that you will inherit the land.

Mark 10:21 NASV

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

Mark 10:17-31 Read the encounter between Jesus and the man and what Jesus said to his disciples afterwards.

The rich young ruler had kept God’s commands but went away sorrowful because he was tied to his possessions.

(Jesus told his disciples it is impossible to save ourselves but, "Everything is possible with God.")

Ask God's help to identify deal with what hinders you from following Jesus with your whole heart?

Day Two:  Psalm 37 

1   Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2   for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3  Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4  Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5   Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
6   He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn…
7   Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
23  The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;

Mark 10:29-31 Jesus assured his disciples, "He who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property for my sake and for the Gospel will receive a hundredfold now along with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life.

(220 of our Christian brothers were just captured by ISIS to be beheaded, crucified and to suffer. It is hard for us to identify with such evil. Let your Lenten meditation and fasting bring us into union with God's heart as we pray for them and deal with what hinders us from making Christ known.)

Day Three:

Put these two seemingly unrelated passages together (Mk 10:17-31 and Psalm 37) and there are many connections:

1.  Note that Jesus looking on the rich young man loved him. Can you see his face upon you, loving you? The Psalm echoes the love and blessing of God on you.

2.  God’s promises of blessing are more than wealth and property and are for others through us not just for ourselves. Do I look on the interests of others as Christ?

3.  An inheritance is not for me but our children which also means new spiritual children

4.  Jesus’ command to come and follow him matches Psalm 37’s call to union with God.

5.  The Psalm’s contrast between the wicked and righteous is like the call and challenge of Christ to forsake hindrances in our hearts and lives, to love God with our whole heart. This is the way into union with God in divine love. Do I sense God at work freeing my heart from wickedness and anxiety so I can come more into union with his heart of love?

Day Four: Review the story of the rich man turning away sorrowfully in Mark 10:17-31 and Jesus conversation with his disciples.

Write some of your responses down to think about later and share in group.

1.     Imagine sights like people’s body language during the conversation, sounds like tone of voice, and how people in the story might feel. 

2.     With whom can I identify most? The man, a disciple or a bystander, etc…

3.     When the man leaves Jesus imagine being alone with Jesus.

What question would you ask him privately?  

What answer might He give to you?

Day Five:

From these first three weeks of meditation

1. What action am I being brought to or effect are my meditations having in my relationship to God or others?

2. Do I identify more with the promises of blessing in Psalm 37 and Mark 10 or the judgments on the unrighteous?

3. Do I have certain promises from God's Word that are helping me (like Mk 10:27 "Everything is possible with God.")?

“Father, grant us your Holy Spirit to know the depths and heights of your love. Open our eyes to the riches and treasure of your kingdom in contrast with the things of this world. Move us to repent and turn and follow You where You are at work in love for those in need.

You are bringing the blessings of your heavenly kingdom to the humble, hungry and broken. Grant us humility, spiritual hunger and a broken spirit, so that we being united in your loving heart will make You known to others.

-PD 

Meditation for Week 3: February 22-28

Continue to meditate on union with God - one mind - one spirit - one heart – one in loving action

Are we thinking, speaking and acting in union with Him who finds joy in another’s progress in change rather than criticizing, comparing or even causing discouragement or stumbling to those weak in faith or who are hurting? He is MERCY and LOVE. Find our union with Him and we will love one another into wholeness.

In Matthew 12:2-25 Jesus quoted this passage:

Isaiah 42 1 Behold my Servant, Whom I uphold, My chosen in Whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice and right and reveal truth to the nations. 2 He will not cry or shout aloud or cause His voice to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not quench; He will bring forth justice in truth.

4 He will not fail or become weak or be crushed and discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the islands and coastal regions shall wait hopefully for Him and expect His direction and law.

5 Thus says God the Lord—He Who created the heavens and stretched them forth, He Who spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it, He Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 I the Lord have called You [the Messiah] for a righteous purpose and in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and will keep You; I will give You for a covenant to the people [Israel], for a light to the nations [Gentiles], 7 To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison.

What stands out to you above in Isaiah and Matthew?

In our small group Wednesday night we did what this week’s meditation instructed and sat in silence long enough to hear some impression from God and share it. They heard and shared the following: “Heard the sound of a river-living water,” Heard the phrase, “Bathing in my love,” Heard the commands, “Be One,” “Be thankful for what is now.” 

We talked about how praying in the spirit is a huge help to grow in awareness of our union with God. What thinking do I need to change so I will pray in tongues more?

We talked about how to discern whether what I hear or feel is a good spirit or a bad spirit (how to line up the buoys of inner peace, the Scripture, spiritual authority, unity, confirmation, circumstances, spiritual gifts, and contrasting what the devil might say to me with what Holy Spirit would say - spiritual warfare). 

Our unity in CLC by doing these meditations together:

We also talked about not trying to read too much Scripture or books during Lent but use the weekly meditation guides our pastor gives us both individually and in our small groups. This way we as a church will be more unified. And we will keep our focus mostly on being with God and becoming more aware of Him throughout the day, than so many of us reading and going in many different directions.

By growing in awareness of our union together with Him each morning I can become more sensitive to how He is at work all day long (Practice the Presence)

Write a few notes about my “plan” for Lent…Example:

1. Will I pray morning and evening?

2. How many days a week will I meditate in the group assigned Scriptures and questions?

3. Will I fast or sacrifice something (like eating smaller and simpler for Breakfast and lunch on Friday and Monday, or give up Facebook or TV…)

4. In which small group will I participate?

5. Who meet with for coaching/accountability?

6. In what way will I share with the poor or work for the oppressed (Isaiah 58)

7. What sinful tendencies do I want to exchange for holy habits (impatience for slowing down, negative words/speech for encouragement, blame for confession, etc).

-PD