Message of 1-20-10
Published: Thu, 01/14/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Christianity must be practical. Two children were afraid they would
be late for school. One said, "Let's kneel down and pray to God
that He may help us not to be late." The other child offered a more
practical solution: "No, let's run and pray at the same time."
- Anonymous
(How are you being called to both "run and pray" these days?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Ps. 144:1b, 2, 9-10; Mk 3:1-6
R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Thus David overcame the Philistine."
Like children everywhere, we love stories of the righteous little
guy's triumph over the powerful big guy. The powerful are after
Jesus, watching for any misstep. Jesus, grieved by their hardness
of heart and despite the danger, still heals on the Sabbath. We are
in the midst of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Such unity,
like world peace, seems an impossible dream. And yet a young boy
defeats the Philistine army and Jesus makes his way to Calvary,
only to rise to new life.
"For the impossible: for the unity of Christians and the success of
our common efforts for a peaceful world, we pray."
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AT THE MASTER'S FEET
- by Sadhu Sundar Singh
4. The true peace which is born of My presence in the hearts of
true believers they are unable to see, but, feeling its power, they
become happy in it. Nor can they see that happiness of mind or
heart through which they enjoy the peace of My presence. It is the
same with the tongue and sweetmeats. The faculty of taste which
resides in the tongue and the sweetness it perceives are both
invisible. Thus also I give My children life and joy by means of
the hidden manna, which the world with all its wisdom knows not nor
can know (Rev. ii.7).
- Chapter 1
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REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
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