January 11th, 2017 - Thoughts for your Week
January 11th, 2017 - Thoughts for your Week
Scripture: Psalm 18:16-21
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
Being
silent before God
Silence gives us the opportunity to focus on our intimacy with Jesus, to separate ourselves from this world and become more aware of Him. This isn't a time of doing - it's a time of being. We bring our whole self to Jesus to be with Him. We give ourselves over to Him; to His timing, His words, His thoughts. The more we do this, the more we find inner peace and joy, and the more He becomes our refuge and stronghold. His ways will become our ways, and His thoughts our thoughts.
Do you spend time with Jesus every day? Do you want to give Him more of your time but you struggle with this? What is it that stops you? Fear? Lack of discipline? Anger towards God? Take some time now to consider this and bring it before Him. Be honest with your response and trust that He will meet you where you are. Ask Him to reveal evidence of His presence with you, invite Him to show you times when you moved away from Him. Ask Him if there are times when you grieved the Holy Spirit and seek His forgiveness.
"There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord." - Charles Spurgeon
“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”
Habakkuk 2:20
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15
“Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.”
Lamentations 3:28
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35
“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Luke 5:16
“For He is
found when He is sought, and when He is no longer sought, He escapes us.”
- Thomas
Merton
Being
silent before God
Silence gives us the opportunity to focus on our intimacy with Jesus, to separate ourselves from this world and become more aware of Him. This isn't a time of doing - it's a time of being. We bring our whole self to Jesus to be with Him. We give ourselves over to Him; to His timing, His words, His thoughts. The more we do this, the more we find inner peace and joy, and the more He becomes our refuge and stronghold. His ways will become our ways, and His thoughts our thoughts.
Do you spend time with Jesus every day? Do you want to give Him more of your time but you struggle with this? What is it that stops you? Fear? Lack of discipline? Anger towards God? Take some time now to consider this and bring it before Him. Be honest with your response and trust that He will meet you where you are. Ask Him to reveal evidence of His presence with you, invite Him to show you times when you moved away from Him. Ask Him if there are times when you grieved the Holy Spirit and seek His forgiveness.
"There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord." - Charles Spurgeon
“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”
Habakkuk 2:20
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15
“Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.”
Lamentations 3:28
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35
“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Luke 5:16
“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”
Habakkuk 2:20
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15
“Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.”
Lamentations 3:28
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35
“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Luke 5:16
“For He is
found when He is sought, and when He is no longer sought, He escapes us.”
- Thomas
Merton
