I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
New M&M's starting September 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Discussion, please!
One of the teachers of the law...asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
As we walk alongside our M's, we are to encourage one another to love the LORD our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself.
The Greek word for love in this passage is a verb - Agapao. You recall from your middle school studies that verbs require action. The definition of Agapao is:
1. of persons - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
2. of things - to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing
What are some practical applications that you use to actively love the LORD your God with all your heart? With all your soul? With all your mind? With all your strength? To love your neighbor as yourself?
As we walk alongside our M's, we are to encourage one another to love the LORD our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself.
The Greek word for love in this passage is a verb - Agapao. You recall from your middle school studies that verbs require action. The definition of Agapao is:
1. of persons - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
2. of things - to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing
What are some practical applications that you use to actively love the LORD your God with all your heart? With all your soul? With all your mind? With all your strength? To love your neighbor as yourself?
Please share your thoughts with others by using the Comments feature!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Spiritual Disciplines
Most of this post is paraphrased or directly quoted from chapter 12 of Jan Winebrenner's book, Intimate Faith, referenced in the section on Great M-ing books!
We are the bride of Christ. But since we cannot see Christ in the flesh at this point, our challenge as believers is to learn to live in the reality of the invisible. The writer of Hebrews said, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1). Aid Paul said, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)
But HOW do we do that? How do we fix our eyes on something we can't see?
It is through the exercise of spiritual disciplines that the invisible realities become real to us. God often allows us to make a connection between the spiritual disciplines and something tangible - preparation for running a marathon, for example. Or preparation for a CPA exam or passing the BAR. He often uses something we enjoy - or something that will bring satisfaction once completed - to give us a picture of discipleship and an understanding of the function of spiritual disciplines in a context we can relate to.
God's disciplnes are spiritual activities undertaken with the physical body and used by God to lovingly lead us into the comfort and joy of knowing Him.
As we wrestle with our inadequacies, God often teaches us that it is not important that we perform the disciplines perfectly at all times, but that "a naked intent toward God, the desire for Him alone, is enough." (Johnston, The Cloud of Unknowing, p 56). How different is this from our thoughts as young Christians - that we just desire to live a good life and do good things. We often desire approval and acceptance before God and our peers. But desiring God himself, alone, above everything is what He wants.
For every Christian, there must come a time when we realize that, for all our knowing about God, we don't really know Him at all. We begin to feel a thirst that we can't quench by simply reading a verse or two in the Bible. A quick prayer at mealtime doesn't satisfy a gnawing hunger in our spirits that lingers long after we leave the table.
If we are fortunate, we have contact with one or two Christians whose lives resonate with the presence of Christ (mentors?!), and we are, quite frankly, baffled by them. Then, as though gently shaken from a light sleep, we become aware that, for all our doing right, we haven't gotten it right at all. What God wants is for us to know him, like one lover knows another. We must seek Him alone. Learn to love Him above all.
The spiritual disciplines mark the route we take as we run after God. They lead us along the path that takes us into intimacy. They become our compass and chart into the invisible realities of the kingdom of God. The spiritual disciplines train us who are flawed and finite to know God, who is holy and infinite. They lead us into ever-deepening levels of intimacy with him, where we discover new canyons of grace and love. They train us to live in the reality of the invisible.
I don't know about you, but I'm ready to sign up for spiritual discipline boot camp! Bring it on that I may know HIM - the author and perfecor of my faith - deeply, intimately, with all my heart, soul, mind and strength!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Blessing for M&M's
May the Lord reward you for your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge. (Ruth 2:12)
You're familiar with the story of Ruth and Naomi. What a beautiful illustration of an older woman mentoring a younger woman. Ruth committed to following Naomi, her mother-in-law, out of her home country of Moab and into new territory. Ruth literally sat at Naomi's feet and learned from her about Naomi's people. Naomi's God. Naomi's ways. And Naomi willingly embraced Ruth's desire to learn.
Boaz, the owner of the field in which Ruth gleaned, and a close relative of Naomi, was well aware of their situation. He had heard about this Moabitess woman - Ruth - who had so honored her mother-in-law that she left her homeland and all that was familiar. He noticed that Ruth was working diligently in the field - in probably hot, dirty, and physically demanding labor - and that she was literally providing food for Naomi through this labor.
Our mentees and our mentors are laboring "in the field" - the mentees yearning to learn from their mentors, and the mentors willingly setting aside time, energy and resources to teach their mentees.
Boaz's blessing to Ruth is so appropriate for you all. Take it with you today and meditate on God's blessing for you.
You're familiar with the story of Ruth and Naomi. What a beautiful illustration of an older woman mentoring a younger woman. Ruth committed to following Naomi, her mother-in-law, out of her home country of Moab and into new territory. Ruth literally sat at Naomi's feet and learned from her about Naomi's people. Naomi's God. Naomi's ways. And Naomi willingly embraced Ruth's desire to learn.
Boaz, the owner of the field in which Ruth gleaned, and a close relative of Naomi, was well aware of their situation. He had heard about this Moabitess woman - Ruth - who had so honored her mother-in-law that she left her homeland and all that was familiar. He noticed that Ruth was working diligently in the field - in probably hot, dirty, and physically demanding labor - and that she was literally providing food for Naomi through this labor.
Our mentees and our mentors are laboring "in the field" - the mentees yearning to learn from their mentors, and the mentors willingly setting aside time, energy and resources to teach their mentees.
Boaz's blessing to Ruth is so appropriate for you all. Take it with you today and meditate on God's blessing for you.
May the Lord reward you for your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge. (Ruth 2:12)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Biblical Example: 2 Kings 2:1-15
The Women's Devotional Bible has a wonderful devotional reading on this passage (p 441). It reads:
Where have all the mentors gone? Where are the older, wiser women who once taught younger women to bake bread, sew clothing and keep their kitchens spotless? Where are the women who once gathered in homes for coffee and encouragement? They haven't disappeared. They can be found in the church, in homes, offices, neighborhoods, and schools. Their focus may have changed, but they are still there for the yonger women who have much to learn from them.
Some of today's mentors are much like Elijah, who was faithful carrying on in his role as God's prophet when he saw Elisha working in his father's fields. He saw the potential in this young man, so he threw his mantle on Elisha's shoulders, symbolically passing the leadership to the net generation. Elisha then said good-bye to his old life and moved forward, following Elijah and learning from the older man.
Elisha steadfastly stayed with his mentor Elijah. Even with Elijah commanded Elisha to remain at Bethel, Elisha refused, saying he would never leave the older prophet's side. Thus, Elisha expressed his love and faithfulness not only to Elijah, but also to God. Elisha vowed never to leave Elijah, and he didn't until he had gleaned everythiing he needed to know from this godly man, until he received the blessing of his mentor, until he watched his mentor vanish in a heavenly whirlwind.
We all need mentors like Elijah: women who have faced struggles and overcome; women who have grown through struggle and perseverance; women who have seen God perform miracles; women who have gone through hard times and experienced God's presence with them. These are the women who can pass on the news that God's Word is still active and dynamic among s. These are the ones who can place the mantle on our shoulders and confirm that we're rady to move on to greater tasks.
Who are the godly women walking long the roads in your life, willng to pass on the knowledge they've gained? Who has watched you as you've worked in your Bible study, your volunteer position or at your job? Who has seen your gifts and your potential? Try being like Elisha. Follow her and glean from her knowledge of the living God concerning how to best serve him.
Where have all the mentors gone? Where are the older, wiser women who once taught younger women to bake bread, sew clothing and keep their kitchens spotless? Where are the women who once gathered in homes for coffee and encouragement? They haven't disappeared. They can be found in the church, in homes, offices, neighborhoods, and schools. Their focus may have changed, but they are still there for the yonger women who have much to learn from them.
Some of today's mentors are much like Elijah, who was faithful carrying on in his role as God's prophet when he saw Elisha working in his father's fields. He saw the potential in this young man, so he threw his mantle on Elisha's shoulders, symbolically passing the leadership to the net generation. Elisha then said good-bye to his old life and moved forward, following Elijah and learning from the older man.
Elisha steadfastly stayed with his mentor Elijah. Even with Elijah commanded Elisha to remain at Bethel, Elisha refused, saying he would never leave the older prophet's side. Thus, Elisha expressed his love and faithfulness not only to Elijah, but also to God. Elisha vowed never to leave Elijah, and he didn't until he had gleaned everythiing he needed to know from this godly man, until he received the blessing of his mentor, until he watched his mentor vanish in a heavenly whirlwind.
We all need mentors like Elijah: women who have faced struggles and overcome; women who have grown through struggle and perseverance; women who have seen God perform miracles; women who have gone through hard times and experienced God's presence with them. These are the women who can pass on the news that God's Word is still active and dynamic among s. These are the ones who can place the mantle on our shoulders and confirm that we're rady to move on to greater tasks.
Who are the godly women walking long the roads in your life, willng to pass on the knowledge they've gained? Who has watched you as you've worked in your Bible study, your volunteer position or at your job? Who has seen your gifts and your potential? Try being like Elisha. Follow her and glean from her knowledge of the living God concerning how to best serve him.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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