Spiritual strength
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I reckon meditating on Romans 12;1-2 is great. For those who are running the race and wanting to participate in the process of sanctification, to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, refusing to conform to the patterns of this world and being transformed by the renewing of our minds will look very differently for each of us but if taken seriously the fruit is pretty amazing. Working out at the Lords Gym spiritually sweating. Asking God what gets in the way of you becoming more like Christ is also pretty cool, but dangerous as well as ;-).
One of the definitions of meditation is to think deeply about something. Its hard cause of how easily we are distracted. Great to talk about scripture with God but I thinks we could also benefit from sitting in silence..but not emptying our minds like your required to do with some philosophies or religions. Instead we can choose to fill our minds with kingdom stuff. That is a discipline and is super challenging to grow in. But a daily or weekly exercise worth investing some time in
A
Live life doesn't work for you? lol
Seriously, this is something like my day --
I have to get done X, Y, and Z today. I don't feel like it. WWJD? (In case you don't remember those bracelets, that means "What would Jesus Do?") Seek the Father's will. Yeah, but I have to get X, Y, and Z done today, so shouldn't I do that first? WWJD? Sigh. Yeah but... WWJD? Yeah, but... WWJD?
And then after getting over my needs, I do what Jesus would do, including X, Y, and Z, or I'd be huffy all day, because I'd rather WWLD? (What would Lynn do?) So I find every day, every moment an exercise in spiritual strength vs. my strength.
Speaking of which, it's time to start working on X. lol
Seriously, this is something like my day --
I have to get done X, Y, and Z today. I don't feel like it. WWJD? (In case you don't remember those bracelets, that means "What would Jesus Do?") Seek the Father's will. Yeah, but I have to get X, Y, and Z done today, so shouldn't I do that first? WWJD? Sigh. Yeah but... WWJD? Yeah, but... WWJD?
And then after getting over my needs, I do what Jesus would do, including X, Y, and Z, or I'd be huffy all day, because I'd rather WWLD? (What would Lynn do?) So I find every day, every moment an exercise in spiritual strength vs. my strength.
Speaking of which, it's time to start working on X. lol
The Holy Spirit's role in your life is to build spiritual strength in you and to conform you to the image of Christ (not bring out YOUR hidden love potential). It is having more of His potential in you.
Much of this spiritual strength will come as you go through trials with a heart that accepts them as strengthening your faith, and looking for how God wants to reveal Himself to you through them. It is for this reason that we are to "count it all joy" when trials come. It is showing your faith and patience by NOT complaining to others. It is "be still and know that I am God". It is training your heart to rest in His love for you. "Suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character."
Begin to pray the bible as you read it. Read it aloud so you "hear" it. And do what it says.
And ask yourself just what spiritual strength you want. The one who has the most spiritual strength is not the one who knows more scripture and has all knowledge. It is the one who is the most humble, serves others in secret with calling attention to self, and the one who completely trusts with a child's confidence that the Holy Spirit will complete His work in you.
Much of this spiritual strength will come as you go through trials with a heart that accepts them as strengthening your faith, and looking for how God wants to reveal Himself to you through them. It is for this reason that we are to "count it all joy" when trials come. It is showing your faith and patience by NOT complaining to others. It is "be still and know that I am God". It is training your heart to rest in His love for you. "Suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character."
Begin to pray the bible as you read it. Read it aloud so you "hear" it. And do what it says.
And ask yourself just what spiritual strength you want. The one who has the most spiritual strength is not the one who knows more scripture and has all knowledge. It is the one who is the most humble, serves others in secret with calling attention to self, and the one who completely trusts with a child's confidence that the Holy Spirit will complete His work in you.
I think he is talking about slowing ourselves down, and considering, not just some words on a page in a black book, but the very many ways that those words applied then... and now.
I personally hold a reserved opinion of people who call "meditating", memorizing. I have always felt that if you cannot take ANY Scripture into yourself, and when in daily life, the opportunity presents itself, repeat those sentiments back out in the everyday language you use in all the rest of your conversation, then you just may have almost totally missed the meaning of those original words.
I personally hold a reserved opinion of people who call "meditating", memorizing. I have always felt that if you cannot take ANY Scripture into yourself, and when in daily life, the opportunity presents itself, repeat those sentiments back out in the everyday language you use in all the rest of your conversation, then you just may have almost totally missed the meaning of those original words.
The word "meditate" as in Ps. 1 is HAGAH which in the Hebrew is NOT a mental activity but one where you give vocal repetition to the word. The Jews called it davening. They would say a phrase over and over aloud. Of course, the enemy knows the value of this and in the New Age movement began the idea of chanting. But never with the Word of God.
It brings many of your senses into play. Ears for hearing the Word - eyes for reading it - and most of all it becomes a part of your vocabulary and is easier to speak when you need to.
It brings many of your senses into play. Ears for hearing the Word - eyes for reading it - and most of all it becomes a part of your vocabulary and is easier to speak when you need to.
I'm only giving you what the Strong's Concordance tells you the word means. Ask God how to use it.
What I do is as I read through chapters and a phrase or verse grabs my heart, I do stop and say aloud that phrase a few times. Somehow it does sink into my spirit just a little deeper, and as I might say it 5 or 6 times, I see different facets of that word.
S
I gain strength by what I call S.O.Y.
Step Outside Yourself
When I am not going thru a trial of my own
I feel bad for others who have it worse than me
So I step into there shoes awhile
In prayer and concern
Feel what they go thru
It makes me stronger
Self absortion is nasty and unattractive
Lol..u all know what I mean
Wanna clear a room quicker than a polecat?
Walk in and brag how gorgeous you are all day long ugh
Id take a root canal lol
Step Outside Yourself
When I am not going thru a trial of my own
I feel bad for others who have it worse than me
So I step into there shoes awhile
In prayer and concern
Feel what they go thru
It makes me stronger
Self absortion is nasty and unattractive
Lol..u all know what I mean
Wanna clear a room quicker than a polecat?
Walk in and brag how gorgeous you are all day long ugh
Id take a root canal lol
I dunno. I was just reminded of Jesus' admonishment against getting into what He called "vain repetitions", as opposed to the examples He gave us for prayer and communication with God. I just somehow feel that was one of those things "we" made into worship, that Jesus did not want us dragging into the new Covenant.
J
Other than having a habit of reading the word of God with care, paying attention to His word, it's spiritual life in your heart that makes His word come alive. Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding, for the Holy Spirit to sharpen your eyes to truth, to, in all things, reveal Himself to you. The Holy Spirit is not just for understanding scripture, but He is your eyes and ears from God to aid in a proper understanding of everything in your life, spiritual awareness of things good and evil. So seeking the Lord in prayer is, I'd say, the most important thing we can do.
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
And don't be double minded, living as best your ability by His Spirit, a good Christian life, that you don't grieve the Holy Spirit and blot God from your mind, rather living in fellowship with the Lord. We can't get nearer to God, by walking away from Him.
Galatians 5:18-26 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
And don't be double minded, living as best your ability by His Spirit, a good Christian life, that you don't grieve the Holy Spirit and blot God from your mind, rather living in fellowship with the Lord. We can't get nearer to God, by walking away from Him.
Galatians 5:18-26 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.