"Ready or Not - Here I Am" = Setting Priorities
"accept MY sandals and walk with ME"
Reading and discussion: "Ready or Not - Here I AM"
Introduction:
1. No time = we are just simply too busy < ToC >
some of it is self imposed
do we really need what we have or want?
1. St. Wolfhard 1:1 you read: "And now abideth - love, hope and
busyness => but the greatest of them is busyness."
Carl Jung - "...Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil..."
2. I don't need Him right now - I have everything
3. No interest
4. "The materialistic base of our age has become so pervasive that it has given people
grave doubts about their ability to reach beyond the physical world." fos 2
5. "We simply do not know how to go about exploring the inward life." fos 3
6. "One of the biggest stumbling blocks of maintaining a regular devotional time is the
difficulty on moving from an over stimulating environment into the calm
stillness necessary for prayer and devotion." klu 20
7. "Eroding of confidence in God." klu 24
8. "The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem." Fos p1
"There is no mechanics for coming into the reality of the spiritual life." fos 3
9. "Superficiality is the curse of our age." fos 1
10. "The life that is pleasing to God is not a series of religious duties.
We have only one thing to do, namely, to experience a life of
relationship and intimacy with God." fos 4
11. "Going through the motion, but still being empty, and running on fume."
a. Which three items below are most important to you [ = idols ]:
Making money
Having a solid family
Having a good reputation
Developing talents
Being popular
Living healthily
Being a Christian
Having a girlfriend or a boyfriend
Getting good grades
Driving a hot car
Wearing the right clothes
Partying
Making new friends
Being in love
Being attractive
Others: ___________________
b. How do you know when something is a high priority?
Check the actions below that
apply to each of the three items you chose from the list above:
Is the world any different today?
d. Now check out Matthew 6:21. What would the treasure in your life be?
e. What can you learn about priorities and worship from Exodus 20:3-4 and Matthew 22:37?
Which parts of these verses stand out to you the most and why?
"Take time. Give God time to reveal Himself to you. Give yourself time to be silent and quiet
before Him, waiting to receive, through the Spirit, the assurance of His presence with you,
His power working in you." klu 73
Our almost 200.000 troops on duty = the toilet
Cathie in China = also the toilet - Bible text there
3. Is there a correct posture
Sitting and with feet on the ground may be most comfortable position?!
4. What about certain behavior?
Cellular phones - PMC
Chewing gum
5. Make a commitment
By the grace of God, and my desire to know you more, I purpose to spend time for
devotion every day for the next thirty days.
Purpose = casting a vision
I am willing to walk with God
What can I sacrifice today?
Adding value to others
6. Be consistent
How do you feel about this situation?
What is the main issue in this situation?
What should be done about this situation?
Scripture Guide: Matthew 26:41; Romans 8:24-27; Ephesians 6:18;
Hebrews 4:16; James 1:5-8
Choose a plan
Recreating silence ==> it is time to become still fos 30
Reading a passage
Listening to a piece of music
Being creative => doing calligraphy, sculpturing (PMC), making a painting
Reading about the writer and/or composer of a hymn
Singing hymns (Pastor Skip MacCarty)
2. Integrate other activities
Keeping a journal = "Keeping a spiritual journal...can increase our awareness to
God's leading and action in our lives."
"You're on the journal road to spiritual growth" klu 98
"I gain a great sense of peace by sitting down with my journal in the presence of
God and sorting out my life and regaining my perspective" klu 21
Praying about and making important decisions
Writing notes of thanks and encouragement
Memorizing Scriptures
"Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" 2 Peter 3:18
Which benefits or blessing can I derive from the Word of God?
Here are a few from Psalm 119
v 11 = I have stored up your word in my heart, that I may not sin
v 24 = Your testimonies are my ... counselors
v 28 = My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word
v 103 = I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.
2. Our Lord's Desire
Our Savior wants to lead us into "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"
[ Rom. 14:17 ]
Jesus found joy in communion with His Father
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him and he with me" Rev. 3:20
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them... Ex. 25:8
3. My Responds to God
Create in me the desire to make time for worship => resetting my priorities
Create in me the desire, a longing for a deeper friendship with Jesus
O Lord, motivate me for seeking a richer knowledge of God the Father
I am opening the door!!! Rev.3:20
I invite you into my presence - to begin a friendship with You
Help me to create the emotional and spiritual space to allow
You to construct an inner sanctuary in my heart fos 20
In "Eastern meditation is an attempt to empty the mind; Christian meditation is an
attempt to fill the mind..." fos 20
Ann Morrow Lindbergh prayed: "God, let me be conscious of it [ to help me to
nourish the 'gift of awareness' and make me more receptive to it ]!
Let me conscious of what is happening while it is happening.
Let me realize it and feel vividly. Let not the consciousness of the event,
as happens so often, come to me tardily [ moving slowly, sluggish ], so that I
miss half the experience. Let me be conscious if it!"
Next week's topic: "Intimacy with God = On Learning to Listen - Hearing His Voice"
A few Hymns
"O Worship the Lord" #6
"God Himself Is With Us" #3
"O Thou in Whose Presence" #36
Wolfhard Touchard, M. L. S. - Retired Reference & Database Librarian Andrews University - February, 2011 |