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
