Message of 3-3-10
Published: Thu, 02/25/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
But forgiveness is not an emotion... Forgiveness is an act of will,
and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the
heart.
- Corrie Ten Boom
(Where do you need to practice forgiveness in your life at this
time?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jer 18:18-20; Ps. 31:5-6, 14, 15-16; Mt 20:17-28
R. (17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
The prophet Isaiah had foretold that it was God's will that the
"Suffering Servant" make atonement for sins through his suffering
and death (Isaiah 53:5-12). Jesus paid the price for our redemption
with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to
be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid sets us
free from the worst tyranny possible - the tyranny of sin and the
fear of death. Jesus' victory did not end with death but triumphed
over the tomb. Jesus defeated the powers of death through his
resurrection. Do you want the greatest freedom possible, the
freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and
daughters?
"Lord Jesus, make me a servant of love for your kingdom, that I may
seek to serve rather than be served. Inflame my heart with love
that I may give generously and serve others joyfully for your sake."
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AT THE MASTER'S FEET
- by Sadhu Sundar Singh
1. My son, the inner state of every man I know well, and to each
heart in accordance with its needs I make Myself known; and for
bringing men into the way of righteousness there is no better means
than the manifestation of Myself. For man I became man that he
might know God, not as someone terrible and foreign, but as full of
love and like to himself, for he is like Him and made in His image.
Man also has a natural desire that he should see Him in whom he
believes and who loves him. But the Father cannot be seen, for He
is by nature incomprehensible, and he who would comprehend Him must
have the same nature. But man is a comprehensible creature, and
being so cannot see God. Since, however, God is Love and He has
given to man that same faculty of love, therefore, in order that
that craving for love might be satisfied, He adopted a form of
existence that man could comprehend. Thus He became man, and His
children with all the holy angels may see Him and enjoy Him (Col.
i.15, ii.9). Therefore I said that he that hath seen Me hath seen
the Father (John xiv.9-10). And although while in the form of man I
am called the Son, I am the eternal and everlasting Father (Isa.
ix.6).
- Section 2
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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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