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talkndheal · 10 days ago

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16 Sanskars in Hinduism – A Sacred Journey of the Soul

Presented by Talkndheal

Hinduism is not just a religion but a complete way of life, guiding a person from birth to death with values, duties, and spiritual practices. One of the most unique aspects of Hindu philosophy is the concept of "16 Sanskars" (Shodasha Sanskaras) – sixteen rituals or sacraments that sanctify different stages of life. These sacred rites are meant to purify the body, mind, and soul, and align the individual with dharma (righteousness).

Let’s explore these 16 Sanskars in Hinduism and understand their significance.

1. Garbhaadhan Sanskar (Conception Ritual)

This is the first sanskar, performed to invoke divine blessings for a virtuous child. It marks the spiritual beginning of life.

2. Punsavan Sanskar (Fetal Protection Ritual)

Performed during the third month of pregnancy, it is meant to ensure the well-being of the fetus and promote physical and mental development.

3. Seemantonnayan Sanskar (Baby Shower)

Held in the seventh month of pregnancy, it provides emotional support to the expecting mother and is similar to the modern-day baby shower.

4. Jatakarma Sanskar (Birth Ritual)

This ritual is performed immediately after the child is born, welcoming the soul into the world with sacred chants and mantras.

5. Naamkaran Sanskar (Naming Ceremony)

Held on the 11th or 12th day after birth, the baby is given a meaningful name that resonates with their astrological chart.

🔮 Curious to know your baby's name based on your birth chart? Visit our Horoscope page to explore personalized astrology.

6. Nishkraman Sanskar (First Outing)

The child is taken outside the home for the first time, usually in the fourth month, to connect with the world and nature.

7. Annaprashan Sanskar (First Solid Food)

Usually done in the sixth month, the baby is fed solid food for the first time, typically rice or kheer.

8. Chudakarana Sanskar (First Haircut)

This ritual involves shaving the baby’s head to purify the body and promote healthy hair growth.

9. Karnavedha Sanskar (Ear Piercing)

Piercing the ears is said to stimulate energy points and is also a traditional symbol of culture.

10. Vidyarambh Sanskar (Beginning of Education)

Performed at the age of five, this marks the child’s formal entry into education with the worship of Saraswati Devi.

11. Upanayan Sanskar (Sacred Thread Ceremony)

This is a major milestone in a boy’s life, marking his acceptance into the spiritual and educational journey of a Brahmachari.

12. Vedarambh Sanskar (Beginning of Vedic Study)

This sanskar starts the study of Vedas and scriptures, usually after Upanayan Sanskar.

13. Samavartan Sanskar (Completion of Education)

After completing studies, the student returns home as a learned individual, ready to enter worldly life.

14. Vivah Sanskar (Marriage Ritual)

Marriage is considered a sacred bond in Hinduism, not just between two individuals but two souls. It��s a key milestone in grihastha (householder) life.

15. Vanaprastha Sanskar (Retirement Stage)

This stage is about detaching from worldly duties and preparing for spiritual progress.

16. Antyeshti Sanskar (Last Rites)

The final sanskar, performed after death, helps the soul transition peacefully and merge with the divine.

Final Thoughts

The 16 sanskars represent the spiritual blueprint of a Hindu's life. From the moment of conception to the soul’s final journey, each ritual is a step towards higher consciousness, balance, and harmony with the universe.

Whether you're exploring your roots or seeking spiritual meaning, understanding these sanskars can deeply enrich your life.

✨ For personalized astrology guidance, don’t forget to check your Horoscope on Talkndheal today.

#16 Sanskars in Hinduism #16 Sanskars

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tomthomasblog · 4 months ago

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Time to Shine

Have you ever thought about what kind of legacy you want to leave behind? Your Christian legacy can shape not only your life but also the lives of others. It’s about what you put into the world, how you treat those around you, and how you grow spiritually. In this article, we’ll explore why managing your time wisely is essential, how to define a meaningful legacy, and practical steps to inspire kindness and servant leadership.

Let’s start with the value of time. Imagine you were given a large sum of money and told you could only spend it for a limited time. You wouldn’t waste it on trivial things; you would use it to invest in your future. Time is a precious resource, much like that money. You have a limited amount of time to grow spiritually and help others, so it's vital to make every moment count. When you prioritize spiritual growth, you not only benefit yourself but also become a beacon of hope and kindness to those around you.

Now, what exactly does a Christian legacy mean? Unlike what many believe, a true legacy isn't about how much money you have or how famous you become. It's about the love and kindness you share with others. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, contributes to a legacy that reflects your faith and commitment. Look to both scripture and real-life examples for inspiration. Think about how people like Mother Teresa dedicated their lives to serving others. Her actions continue to inspire many to this day, showing that true legacy is built on love and service.

So, what makes someone a successful disciple? There are three key traits you should develop: a positive mental attitude, goal-directedness, and self-motivation. A positive mental attitude helps you see the good in situations, even when times are tough. Being goal-directed gives you purpose; it’s essential for working toward your spiritual and personal growth. Lastly, self-motivation drives you to take action, even when no one is watching. These characteristics are basic but invaluable in building a legacy that will last.

Now let’s dive into some practical ways you can leave a lasting legacy. First, engage in activities that uplift others. Join community programs or volunteer at local charities; every little bit helps. Secondly, don't underestimate the power of encouragement. When you see someone struggling, take a moment to offer them support and comfort. Your kind words can make a huge difference.

Next, consider developing the Fruit of the Spirit. These traits—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—can mark your legacy in powerful ways. When you embody these qualities, you not only enrich your life but also influence others positively.

Lastly, think about serving as a servant leader. This means following the example set by those who truly care for others. Look for opportunities to serve, whether it's helping a neighbor or participating in church activities. Leadership isn't just about being in charge; it's about uplifting others along the way.

In conclusion, building a Christian legacy requires thoughtful choices about how you spend your time and how you treat those around you. This legacy isn’t just for you; it’s a ripple effect that can influence many lives. Challenge yourself today: think about what legacy you want to leave and take steps to make it a reality. How will you spend your time? What acts of kindness can you share? The world needs your light—let it shine brightly!

=======================

The Scripture Collection Playlist A compilation of 20 uplifting music videos inspired by a different Bible scripture. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoBTz-QtgDhox4diwLqHBjD4W-CtzM-8v

Christian legacy, time management, acts of kindness, spiritual growth, servant leadership, discipleship, community service

#youtube

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dfroza · 8 months ago

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A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures

for the 9th of november 2024 with a paired chapter from each Testament (the First & the New Covenant) of the Bible

[The Book of Luke, Chapter 4 • The Book of 1st Samuel, Chapter 16]

along with Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms with Proverbs 9 and Psalm 9 coinciding with the day of the month, accompanied by Psalm 49 for the 49th day of Astronomical Autumn, and Psalm 14 for day 314 of the year (with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 3rd revolution this year)

A post by John Parsons:

Heeding the Call...

I had mentioned that "lekh-lekha" (לך־לך) can be understood as a command to "come to yourself," that is, to turn and reconnect to your spiritual essence, though it can also be understood as a command to "go out of yourself," that is, to escape from the bondage of your carnal ego... This corresponds to teaching in the New Testament where we are commanded to both "put on" our new spiritual identity as God’s beloved, and to “put off" the old self by being revived in our minds (Eph. 4:22-24). Both “movements” are the heart are necessary: we must turn to the Lord and receive his blessing (inward), and we must turn away from what has previously defined us (outward). We die to ourselves and come back to life; we cross out the old and walk into the new...

The Jewish philosopher Emanuel Levinas said that the reason it is hard to "go out of yourself" has to do with an overwhelming sense of inertia that collapses into passivity of the soul. We get “comfortably numb” and resist waking up. When the heart miraculously becomes "elected," however, as when Abraham heard and believed God's promise, it comes alive before the Divine Presence, and by extension, it is empowered to go out of itself in blessing others. The process of sanctification puts away the old self that is lost within itself by consciously turning to spiritual reality and truth.

There has to be a starting point, however, a "conversion" of the heart that marks the transition from old to new. Abraham is our model. He did not simply make a journey away from home that eventually circled back to what he knew before - the security and history that had defined him. No, his break from his former life was radical and changed his direction forever. It was a "crossing over" into newness of life. Beyond the dimension of the physical world, Abraham's journey was one of inner transformation, and therefore it was a journey into the unknown. He was made a "stranger" and a sojourner in this world. Unlike the Aristotelian view that sees an "end" or telos (purpose) embedded within natural processes, God revealed to Abraham the glory of the transcendental world, incalculable in its beauty, depth, goodness, and holiness. Being "elected" or "chosen" by God is to bear witness of the sanctity of life by "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead," striving to attain the high calling of God in the Messiah.

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Psalm 4:3 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/psalm4-3-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/psalm4-3-lesson.pdf

11.8.24 • Facebook

from Today’s email by Israel365

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

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johnhardinsawyer · 1 year ago

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All Songs Considered

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

6 / 2 / 24 – Second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 4)

Mark 2:23-3:6[1]

“All Songs Considered”

(Singing With Grace)

There is this great practice in church music – going back centuries. If you know what you are doing, the lyrics and tunes to congregational songs can be interchangeable. One of the most famous examples of this is singing the words, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,” to this tune:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, ‘twas blind, but now I see.[2]

This past week, as I was preparing for today’s service, I was turning through this old book. . . Songs for the Sanctuary is a hymnal that was first printed in 1867. For many years, this was the hymnal that was used here at Bedford Presbyterian Church. And, while there are some familiar tunes in the book, a lot of the lyrics are decidedly unfamiliar – or, might seem rather dated or might not sync very well with some of our 21st century sensibilities. For example, one hymn that I found in Songs for the Sanctuary has a familiar tune – DUNDEE – which we sing from time to time in our church. [. . . sing tune. . . ]. It’s a lovely tune from Scotland. The lyrics to this particular hymn, though, begin with the words:

Great God! How infinite art thou! What worthless worms are we! Let the whole race of creatures bow, And pay their praise to thee.[3]

There have been times in my life as a pastor when someone comes to me and says they want to sing some “old hymns,” to which I am tempted to reply, “Well, be careful what you ask for.” “. . . What worthless worms are we!”

Sometimes, it can be very meaningful to sing an old song. But sometimes, the ways that things were expressed in the past don’t necessarily translate well in the present. Or, perhaps, the intent of the original lyricist – while being faithful to God and well-intentioned – doesn’t share the same theological focus or vision of the present-day. It’s hard to write a classic that transcends time. And, while there are plenty of churches out there who may still sing a hymn or two about being “worthless worms” or how “there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins,”[4] this is not necessarily who we are anymore. Thankfully, the motto of the Reformed Tradition – going back 500 years – the tradition of which we, as Presbyterians, are part is “The Church Reformed, Always Reforming.” We might sing some old songs, here, but we are always trying to listen for the Holy Spirit, who grants us new ways to express ancient truths. Besides, in the Book of Psalms, we are encouraged – multiple times – to “sing a new song to the Lord.”[5]

In today’s scripture reading, Jesus encounters some faithful, well-intentioned, people who are singing an old song, of sorts. The Pharisees are sharing a particular point of view of what the Sabbath day is supposed to look like but their version of Sabbath rings hollow with Jesus. It just doesn’t reflect the reality or the needs of the present moment.

So, in today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus’ disciples are hungry and pluck some grain on the Sabbath to eat and Jesus then heals a man in the local synagogue on the Sabbath, it doesn’t just raise some eyebrows, it actually causes the Pharisees and some others to start plotting Jesus’ death.

When Jesus is accused of the crime of Sabbath-breaking, he has several curious responses. First, he counters the Pharisees’ scriptural argument[6] about plucking grain on the Sabbath with a story from scripture. “Do you remember our ancestor David when he was on the run from King Saul?” Jesus asks. “David was very hungry and the only bread that was available was designated as holy bread. He should not have eaten it,[7] but he did. If David was excused out of necessity[8] because he was hungry, then why are my friends in trouble for plucking grain and eating it?”[9] “The Sabbath was made for humankind,” Jesus says, “and not humankind for the Sabbath.” In other words, “The Sabbath was made to be a gift for us. we aren’t supposed to be slaves to the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees are clearly not delighted with Jesus’ words. He’s messing with their old song, and they get really riled up by what he does next. There is a man in the local synagogue who had a withered hand. In the original language, the hand is “dried up, damaged,” and possibly “paralyzed.”[10] We don’t know if the man had been born like this or if it had happened to him along the way. All that we know is that, for the Pharisees, it was important that people who were blind or lame, or had deformities and other handicaps were not allowed to draw close to God to make offerings.[11] They were not whole people, religiously speaking, and therefore were considered to be less-than by everyone else. . . maybe just a little better than the worthless worms of society.

The Pharisees had reasons for feeling the way they did. They had the ancient laws of Moses backing them up. But anyone can use scripture to back up just about any side of an argument. Besides, it is good to follow the rules, but, according to Jesus, it is also good to be merciful. And if the rules (or the people enforcing the rules) aren’t merciful or just, then maybe we need some new rules or a different type of moral framework from which we make decisions. Jesus provides such a framework. In today’s story, Jesus calls the man with the withered hand to come closer and he asks the Pharisees,

“What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?” No one [says] a word. Jesus [looks] them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion.[12]

We don’t have to wonder about whether Jesus ever got angry, or not. The Bible tells us of the time when he angrily runs the money-changers out of the Temple – people who are dishonestly enriching themselves, robbing faithful folks of their hard-earned money.[13] And, in today’s story, Jesus gets angry when faithful people are hard-hearted and not merciful or hospitable to someone who is clearly in need of mercy and hospitality.

Of course, Jesus heals the man, making the withered hand as good as new, doing the work of grace – even on the Sabbath. Because if the Sabbath is about anything at all, it is about grace – resting in God’s grace, remembering God’s grace, giving thanks for God’s grace, dwelling in God’s grace, sharing God’s grace. The Sabbath is supposed to be a day of healing and wholeness, a day of restoration, a day of peace, a day of joy. And, for Jesus, if a little work has to be done on the Sabbath to make these things a reality, not just for himself, but for everyone, then maybe that’s okay. For Jesus – and for those of us who seek to follow him – mercy and grace cannot wait a day. And there are those in need of kindness and welcome and healing and wholeness and human decency who have been waiting and waiting for just a glimpse of empathy and acceptance and there is no time like the present to offer this grace – especially here at church. When it comes to God’s grace, no one should be turned away.

This is one of the reasons why we gather around this Table – to share God’s grace and be strengthened to share grace in all times and places with all people – and it is one of the reasons why we proclaim that all are welcome here. Putting God’s welcome into practice is a wonderful way of practicing Sabbath. Scripture reminds us that it is for everyone. As the ancient words of the Ten Commandments read, the Sabbath is for, “. . .you, your son [and] your daughter, your male [and] female slave, your livestock, the alien resident in your town. . .”[14] Many people work so hard during the week and it is good to be reminded to rest – and to rest.

It is important to remember, though, that Jesus did not work his Sabbath miracle alone, in a vacuum. He did it in public – in community with others. He did it by acknowledging the needs of people – their need to be fed, their need to be healed, their need for some kind of wholeness. Regular public worship reminds us of this and gets us in the rhythm of practicing Sabbath. If Sabbath rest can ready us to meet those needs and share God’s grace, then this is good. And, when those needs arise and we can meet them – even on the Sabbath – then it is good to follow the example of Jesus.

There was this time in college when I got to know a “feller” named Stacy Lee Wade. To look at him and talk with him, it was clear that Stacy had been hearing and singing some old songs his whole life. He was from a small voting district in White County, Georgia, and professed to be a “Primitive Baptist with Calvinistic leanings,” and was “old timey” in his dress and speech and mindset – like a living-breathing Southern time capsule from the 1800’s. I remember sitting with Stacy one evening when he said, “We need to pray. . .” and he hitched up his overalls and knelt down on the floor. He began his prayer by saying something like, “O God, we are but worthless worms, crawling through the mud and muck of this life. . .”

I had never prayed a prayer like this, but I imagine that Stacy – who was, at the time, silently wrestling with how God could possibly love him, and how he could possibly love himself, and have others love him as a deeply closeted gay man – sure did feel like a worthless worm. If only I could have offered a word of grace in the moment – sung a new song of grace to overwrite the old song of judgment and condemnation that was written on Stacy’s heart – a heart that was hardened against himself. He was not a worthless worm! He was God's beloved child. All these years later, I trust that Stacy has glimpsed – and hopefully rested in – this grace, but I know it hasn’t been easy.

Being able to receive God’s grace and share God’s grace is a challenge and a gift – each and every day. But the good news is that God never stops sharing this grace with us.

Thanks be to God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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[1] Portions of today’s sermon have been adapted from a previous sermon, written and preached by John Sawyer in June of 2018.

[2] Sung to the tune “The Theme from Gilligan’s Island.”

[3] Charles S. Robinson, ed. Songs for the Sanctuary (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1867) No. 233, p. 69.

[4] Charles S. Robinson, ed. Songs for the Sanctuary (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1867) No. 453, p. 132.

[5] See Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1.

[6] See Exodus 34:21.

[7] See Exodus 29:33.

[8] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Vol. XVI.ii (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009) 48.

[9] Mark 2:25-26, paraphrased JHS.

[10] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) 548.

[11] See Leviticus 21:19 ff.

[12] Eugene Peterson, The Message (Colorado Springs: NAV Press, 2002) 1379-1380. Mark 3:4-5.

[13] See Matthew 21:12 and John 2:15.

[14] See Exodus 20:8-11.

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garyjhalltx · 5 years ago

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What is the Seventh-Day Sabbath?

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done” (Genesis 2:1-3, NIV). At Greater Phoenix Church of God, we believe in the celebration of the seventh-day Sabbath, and rejoice in the Sabbath as God’s gift to us. Let’s take an in-depth look at the Sabbath, and examine the facts about what day is the Sabbath according to God’s word.

What is the Sabbath?

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. According to the Scripture from Genesis above, the gracious Creator rested on the seventh day after six days of Creation, and designated the seventh day as a holy day, resting on it, blessing it, and sanctifying it. It was the actual day that was blessed and made holy, so the Sabbath is not something apart from the day; it is the day itself.

As written in Exodus 20, verses 8-11 as the fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God … For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The word of God requires the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest and worship, a time for restoration of our connection to God and others. Furthermore, the Sabbath is also a day for ministry in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the very same creator of the Christian faith and the Sabbath, the one who brought the world into existence in six days.

What Day is the Sabbath day?

Saturday is the Sabbath day, observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Many are convinced that Sunday, the first day of the week, is the Biblical Sabbath, but the word of God is clear on this. Others simply reject the seventh-day Sabbath, choosing instead to follow the traditions of man, rather than the word of the Creator. The Sabbath cannot be just any day of the week, because the seventh day is the Sabbath, and the Sabbath is the seventh day.

True, many calendars vary as to what day is the start of the week. Some consider the start of their week to be Monday, the first day of the work week, while some calendars from around the world begin on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. But there is only one word of God, and we believe that God’s word is the source for doctrine and instruction in righteousness, and cannot be exchanged for the commandments and traditions of men. Who does the Bible say made the seventh day holy? Who did Jesus say the Sabbath was made for? According to Mark 2:27-28, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” A point to ponder: Do you believe God sanctified the seventh day just as much as you believe He made the heavens and earth and all that is in them?

Consider the word of the commandments, written by His own hand in stone. No line in God’s word is ambiguous or up for interpretation; every word is purposeful and meaningful. The very words “seventh day” from Genesis and Exodus alike cannot be disputed, and sinners and Christians, educated and uneducated, cannot confuse the Sabbath commandment. Furthermore, in over 100 languages from around the world, it is found that the “Sabbath” is translated as the seventh day of the week, and no language contains a correlation between “Sabbath” and the first day of the week. All languages, literally every single language, designate the rest day as the seventh day of the week, confirming the fact that observation of the Sabbath is not open to interpretation.

The Sabbath is a day of freedom; it was made for men to rest. A day to rejoice with our Creator, and taste the rest salvation brings to all men who align themselves with their creator. So, if God created a seventh day Sabbath, why the change to Sunday? Did the calendar change? Did Jesus change what his Father put in place? What day did he keep? A couple verses to ponder: “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read.” (Luke 4:16), “As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.” (Acts 17:2). Each Christian in these verses is keeping the Sabbath, why should man today be different?

The truth is, to discover how the Sabbath was disregarded and changed from Saturday to Sunday, you’d have to look at post-Biblical sources. Nowhere in the Bible is a Christian told to stop keeping the Sabbath or that the Sabbath was done away with. It wasn’t until 300 years after Jesus lived on the earth was it changed by man, and now current mainstream Christianity has come to ultimately disregard any observance of the Sabbath. Man does not have the authority to change times or Laws and yet he has the freedom of choice. The Sabbath was made for Man; nothing has changed. Jesus kept it, and the Apostles kept it even after the death of Jesus and as Hebrews says, it remains. What began on the seventh day was for man; time for us to step out and to draw close to our creator and enjoy the creation He made just for us

Greater Phoenix Church of God Celebrates the Seventh-Day Sabbath

We are a community church, casual and welcoming to all. Please join us Saturdays at 10:30am for our live Sermons, as we rejoice in the Sabbath as God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Come join us in the fellowship afforded us by the grace of Jesus and the love of the Father.

source https://greaterphoenixcog.org/what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath source https://greaterphoenixcog.tumblr.com/post/626287666456150016

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clorabmoore88 · 5 years ago

Text

What is the Seventh-Day Sabbath?

What is the Sabbath?

As written in Exodus 20, verses 8-11 as the fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God . . . For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The word of God requires the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest and worship, a time for restoration of our connection to God and others. Furthermore, the Sabbath is also a day for ministry in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the very same creator of the Christian faith and the Sabbath, the one who brought the world into existence in six days.

What Day is the Sabbath day?

Greater Phoenix Church of God Celebrates the Seventh-Day Sabbath

from https://greaterphoenixcog.org/what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath

source https://greaterphoenixcog.weebly.com/blog/what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath

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greaterphoenixcog · 5 years ago

Text

What is the Seventh-Day Sabbath?

What is the Sabbath?

As written in Exodus 20, verses 8-11 as the fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God . . . For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The word of God requires the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest and worship, a time for restoration of our connection to God and others. Furthermore, the Sabbath is also a day for ministry in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the very same creator of the Christian faith and the Sabbath, the one who brought the world into existence in six days.

What Day is the Sabbath day?

Greater Phoenix Church of God Celebrates the Seventh-Day Sabbath

source https://greaterphoenixcog.org/what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-the-seventh-day-sabbath

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nerdygaymormon · 6 years ago

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I’m having a really hard time with Institute this semester talking about the eternal family because my current family and my sexuality and don’t know what to do.

Institute anon. To elaborate on my previous ask, my parents are sealed but getting a divorce (not a temple divorce I think?) and I’m ace but don’t really want to get married very much and talking about being queer in the Church is hard no matter what your identity is, I think, especially since so much doctrine revolves around the family and marriage, and it hurts and I don’t want to be there. But I don’t want to lose the Spirit. But I also don’t feel the Spirit when I’m hurting so much.

Still Institute anon 😅 That was like. An overview of what’s so difficult but there are also a lot of more nuanced things in our individual lessons and it’s HARD.

———————————————————————

I’m sorry you’re having a rough time.

I imagine these are some of the things you’re learning in Institute:

* It is not good for man (humans) to be alone.

* Sex drive is a gift from God.

* Law of Chastity is to have no sexual relations except with a person you’re legally married to

* The greatest happiness in life comes from having a spouse, a companion for your life

* This earthly life is when we start an eternal family

* The covenant path is the way to be exalted & live with God

–UNLESS you’re queer, then none of this applies to you. We’re in a class apart. The greatest blessings aren’t for us.

To exclude queer people is to violate the idea that God doesn’t play favorites, that all are alike to God.

I think about Mark 2:27 when Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.”I think it’s fair to say “Marriage was made for people, not people for marriage.”

Over the millenia, what marriage looks like and the rules & laws that govern it have changed many times. Even just in our modern era, I’ve observed big difference between the marriages of my grandparents, my parents & my siblings as expectations and roles have shifted.

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Given that you’re ace, check out 1 Corinthians 7. It’s a very different lesson about marriage than the one you’ll get in Institute. Being single is the preferred option and marriage is for those who aren’t strong enough to go without sex.

Paul is not into sex & romance. If he were alive today he might describe himself as ace/aro. Paul wishes more people were like him because they’d be free to give more energy and service to God.

But for the people who aren’t blessed with the gift of celibacy, for those people who have sexual desires & needs, Paul encourages marriage. He speaks of it as a secondary choice.

I think it’s interesting in this chapter he never mentions having children as the purpose for sex. Rather sex is something that will bring two people together as they make sure their partner’s needs are met.

Also in this chapter, Paul is adamant that celibacy should NOT be forced on people. To not allow marriage, to require celibacy of people is to drive most of them to fornication (aka, sex outside of marriage). Is there a better argument than Paul’s for why Christians should accept and celebrate same-sex marriage?

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Oh, one more scriptural lesson for ace people.

Jesus’ ministry took place when he was ages 30-33. He was not married. We have no indication He sought romantic relationships. He had very close relationships with men & women. This is the example the Savior set for us.

And when asked about divorce, Jesus gave a lesson on marriage that our modern-day church sets aside.

1) It’s good for a man and a woman to marry

2) An exception to this would be if this person is divorced, in that case they shouldn’t marry (unless they got divorce because their spouse was having sex with someone else). If they marry, they are adulterers and so is the person who marries them.

3) Another exception to this rule about a man marrying a woman–eunuchs. Jesus describes different types of “eunuchs,” and He doesn’t limit it to men who have been castrated, He includes people who choose to not have sex. With that in mind, it very much sounds like Jesus is including gay people and ace/aro folks in His “eunuch” exception to a man-should-marry-a-woman statement

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Even if not explicitly stated, I find that what gets said about marriage & families often has a negative side to it.

For example, on Father’s Day a speaker said that God sends his spirit children to people he trusts the most. While it’s a nice sentiment and made that dad feel good about himself, the message it sends me is, “God doesn’t trust you enough. There’s a lot of idiots out there who have kids, and God trusts them all more than you.”

I know the speaker didn’t consider what his words meant to people who aren’t like him. This happens a lot at church, especially around the topics of marriage & family. Wonderful things are said about people who fit a certain mold, which queer people do not, and so the negative implications of those messages apparently belongs to us.

One thing I’ve learned is to push back against those negative messages. If you’re in a position to raise your hand and vocalize it, great. If you’re not, then at least tell yourself positive messages to replace the ones you’re hearing.

You are not less worthy than others. You’re not wrong or lesser. You are a child of God who is loved dearly and your Heavenly Parents are rooting for you. They trust you and will help you craft a life that is meaningful and full of blessings.

President Nelson recently said that You may know for yourself what is true and what is not. If you’re not feeling the Spirit at Institute when those lessons are presented, that’s a sign. Try asking about your path. If you’re getting an education or working, you can pray for confirmation you’re on the right path.

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Your parents getting divorced really puts a big crack in the “families can be forever” ideal. I often wonder about the Primary kids we have sing about having a mother & father and an eternal family, but they are in a single-parent home, or part-member family. There’s a dissonance there that people who fit the mold don’t stop to think about.

I recognize the church has it’s principles and ideals, and I’m not saying it shouldn’t teach those things, but what about the rest of us who don’t fit into the Family Proclamation?

In the April 2019 General Conference, Elder Anderson recognized there are a LOT of us who don’t “fit neatly inside the Proclamation.” His answer was that perhaps he doesn’t understand their situations, but the Savior does, to turn to Jesus.

The Savior knows you and your situation and offers you love.

Elder Anderson promised that “He (Jesus) will bless you and lift the burdens too heavy to bear alone. He will give you eternal friends and opportunities to serve. More important, He will fill you with the powerful Spirit of the Holy Ghost and shine His heavenly approval upon you.”

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dailyaudiobible · 5 years ago

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03/07/2019 DAB Tranbscript

Numbers 8:1-9:23, Mark 13:14-37, Psalms 50:1-23, Proverbs 10:29-30

Today is the 7th day of March, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it's great to be here with you today like it is every day no matter what part of the week it is. But it's the end of another of our weeks together and they just…they just keep going by and then just keep going by until we complete our journey. So, it's is wonderful to be here around this Global Campfire bringing to a conclusion another of the weeks that we get to share together, and we’ll take the next step forward in the Scriptures. And we’ve been reading from the English Standard Version this week. And today numbers chapters 8 and 9.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for another week in Your word and we just keep marking the weeks and You just keep taking us deeper and we take to heart the words of the gospel of Mark today, “stay awake.” This seems to be the theme screaming out of the Gospels, “have eyes to see, stay away.” And we confess the slumber…the slumber of our lives, the way that we get so focused on whatever it is that's happening to make us uncomfortable. If we could just open our eyes, if we could just wake up and see the vastness of Your goodness and the eternal nature, the never ending-ness of it all and that we are in the middle of it, but that our vision is so narrowly focused that we can see, that we are just under the haze of life. We’re slumbering. Awaken us God that we might see You at work in this world in and among us, through us and all around us. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, its where you find out what’s going on around here. So, certainly stay tuned and stay connected in any way that you can.

Check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop. It is stocked with resources that are for this journey, including our…our journal, including all of the writing…like the journaling stuff. Yeah, if you've come this far in the Scriptures and don't have a journal you might…you might want to grab one somewhere. Every time that the Lord speaks something to you that's meaningful for your life it's such a helpful thing to just kind of document that, to write that down so that you don't forget so that you can go back and be reminded. So, that…those…those resources are available in the Shop.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There's a link on the homepage and I thank you with all of my heart profoundly for your partnership. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or if, you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, the little red button at the top or you can just dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi beautiful family this is Susan Schultz I’ve been a listener since 2012 but I don’t call in much but I have been the airport liaison for the More conference for seven years and I love you all so much and I pray for you all the time, especially the pilgrims and I love all my More ladies. Hi, I love you. Hope to see you all soon. But I just wanted to call to rejoice with Harold. I have learned through More conference and I even have a jacket that says it, “I can do hard things.” I started running at the ripe old age of 57 two…two summers ago and I have made it my goal to run a half marathon by my 60th birthday which is six 6/6/60. Hey Nora Lee, my other six 6/6/60 DABber. I know that what God has taught me through running is that I can do hard things and when I did my very first...the longest run I’ve ever done since my training started, I was listening to the DAB. It was an 11-mile run and I made it the whole way, but in the middle, I was rejoicing because Harold called in and said that he was saved, and I…I just couldn’t believe it. I mean it’s…we’ve been praying for him since January and I was so excited because my training started in January and he was training and I just…he’s been on my heart ever since. And, so, I just thank you all and love you all. And, so, thank you Jesus…

[singing starts] Have Your way Lord. Have Your way. Have Your way Lord. Have Your way. Have Your way Lord. Have your way. Have your way. Have your way. Someone needs you Lord now today. Someone needs you Lord now today. Someone needs you Lord now today. Have your way. Have your way. Someone’s crying Lord have your way. Someone’s crying Lord have your way. Someone’s crying Lord have your way. Have your way. Have your way [singing stops]. I’d like to ask for prayer for the family and friends of Caleb Mekins a 31-year-old minister who passed away in Ethiopia. This is Blessings Flow in Pennsylvania.

Hello Daily Audio Bible community this is Abiding in His Love from New York. It’s February 29th. This is my first-time calling in. I’ve been listening to the Daily Audio Bible on and off. Today I’m calling in…I actually struggle with calling in. I’ve been trying to call in but every time I put it off and I just want to reach out to the community to pray for myself as a parent for spiritual guidance in helping my daughter. She’s 12 years old and lately she’s been going through some tough times and struggle with self-defeating thoughts. Most days…her days are mostly overshadowed by just feeling oppressed. I know that’s not typical, that’s not of God and the Bible say that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. And I’m praying that over my daughter, that whatever spirit of oppression, depression or sadness or self-defeating thoughts, that those will be gone in the name of Jesus and for other parents who are struggling with adolescent children that may be going through the same thing, I pray dear God that we will use our weapon of praying to destroy whatever plans the devil has to destroy our children. So, I ask you guys to keep us in your prayer, to uplift us. My daughter is Kay. I thank you. God bless you.

Proud witness right here in this place it’s the light of God’s love all over my face all those who see me they ask me what’s up it’s the presence of God that’s filling my cup love overflowing in rivers and streams causing reflections visions and dreams dreams of the future reflections of the past visions and fulfillment of all that I’ve asked it could be a gesture a word or touch something so small can accomplish so much because it comes from you Father up in heaven above filling me with mercy wisdom and love helping me to be a blessing today to all those my Father whom you’ve sent my way someone who’s hurting someone in need yet all are desiring to somehow be freed so help us keep patient and do things your way help me dear Lord to have the right words to say someone’s confused about what they heard longing for the truth that comes only from your word there’s a powerful witness right here in this place it’s the light of your love all over my face

[email protected]. Like to give a shout out to Brian, Jill, Max, China, China, Ezekiel and Christian, you know, the whole Hardin family. Thank you so much for this wonderful podcast for God’s Holy Spirit to flow. Keep it flowing y’all. And it was so nice hearing Jill’s voice again. I haven’t heard you in a long time. Sounds good.

Hello DAB listeners my name is Janice and I’m in Illinois. I’m here to report that I’m not just a DABber nor double DABber. I am a triple DABber. Because of a difficult trial I am going through right now I have many sleepless nights. So, instead of laying in my bed worrying and stewing over my troubles I listen to DABC and DAB for Kids and I let God’s words wash over me. I’ve been listening to Brian since the end of the first year of broadcasting DAB. China I was listening the year that you went to India with your dad. As a second-grade teacher in a Christian school I would use those DAB for Kids in my classroom. You were 11 years old. This year they are replaying that first year of DAB for kids. DABber’s, what a blessing it is to hear China and her dad teaching the Bible together. Then I listen to China, the grown-up. Oh my, what an incredible wisdom God has granted you China. So, I am a triple DABber and God’s word is carrying me through this, the most difficult time I’ve ever gone through. Thank, you China for obeying the Lord’s calling on your life. Thank you, Brian and Jill for bringing your children up at the feet of Jesus.

Hi this is Asia from Chicago it’s March 1st and I just heard Tony the Narrator or Tony the Narrator if you say it like him. Hey man. I’m so glad that you called in such a vulnerable spot. I just was really moved and heartbroken to hear you speaking and crying about your ex-wife and her boyfriend and it’s just so…I just can’t…I just…I can’t even fathom how hard marriage, loss, and divorce and marriage breakup could be. I…just this week had just a guy that he and I were talking and then we had a conversation and decided that we were gonna just be friends and it was so hard for me it was really sad. And I just can’t even imagine, I mean a hundredfold the anguish that you must be enduring right now, and I just want you to know that it’s okay to lament, it’s okay to grieve. It’s so hard. It’s not what we want. It’s never what we want, right? And we can do everything we can to distract ourselves. But I’m so proud of you for being brave and strong, for calling it like it is instead of, you know, putting a fake, a pseudo-silver lining over it. “Oh, it’s going to be fine, I’m good, Jesus is good.” Like those are all true things and it is good but brother, kudos to you for being strong and admitting when you are weak. And I’m here for you and I’m praying for you and I love you. This is Asia from Chicago.

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jdgo51 · 3 years ago

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR OCTOBER 7, 2022

Personal Relationships

By John Keeports (Pennsylvania, USA)

READ MARK 1:40-45

"Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean."

MARK 1:42 (NRSV)

"During a mission trip to Jamaica, my high-school group ran sports camps and youth groups all day, shared testimonies in front of large gatherings, and did manual labor. But what I most looked forward to each day was visiting patients at a rural infirmary. Seeing the suffering of the patients and the poor condition of the building initially made my heart sink. But there was one man I got to sit with and talk to each day. Eyes lighting up, he would eagerly tell me stories, read me scripture, and encourage me and then allow me to do the same for him. Of all the work we were doing in the area, this relationship became the most meaningful for me.

It is easy to forget the importance of nurturing individual relationships. Jesus shows us a better way at the end of Mark 1 when he takes a break from addressing the crowds to heal and interact with one man. The Savior, God incarnate, came to save the world. He fed the multitudes, but he also healed the man with leprosy and the man with the withered hand. If Jesus had time and found value in connecting with the seemingly forgotten individuals around him, we can do the same." Establishing lasting relationships will benefit you throughout your life. Often when people that are not in the limelight are giving of themselves and making a difference; no one is watching. But getting to know some of those folks will benefit both of you. You will learn many things that may not have been shared publicly before. These ideas often are game changers. And your investment of time with this relationship will make all the difference. Quite often in times of ministering, you will find yourself being ministered to as well. God has a way of using everyone and all their talents to better the situations people find themselves in. Explore the opportunities for sure.

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Dear Lord, open our eyes to the lives of people around us. Give us the courage to reach out to people on a personal level. Amen."

Mark 1:40-45

"'40 A man with a skin disease approached Jesus, fell to his knees, and begged, “If you want, you can make me clean.” 41 Incensed, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean.” 42 Instantly, the skin disease left him, and he was clean. 43 Sternly, Jesus sent him away, 44 saying, “Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice for your cleansing that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them.” 45 Instead, he went out and started talking freely and spreading the news so that Jesus wasn’t able to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, but people came to him from everywhere."' God's miracles through Jesus were key in that earthly ministry. The obvious faith of different people was the catalyst for their healing. The man healed of the skin disease could not keep his mouth shut and proclaimed the miracle openly. Jesus had hoped to enter the city quietly and continue to minister. Instead it kept Him outside the city where camp was set up. Even then, the people came to Him and were helped with their problems. He will wait for us wherever needed to be able to help us out. Get involved and become familiar with everyone in your life. So many great things can come from the relationship. Be blessed! Joe

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firstumcschenectady · 8 years ago

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“The Healing Earth” based on Psalm 8 (& James Weldon Johnson's “The Creation”)

A few years ago I was informed that Sky Lake was a prime example of “Celtic Christianity/Spirituality.” I had no idea what that meant. So I looked it up, and discovered that it was true, AND that there is a name for my spirituality. Isn't it wonderful when we find names for things we've known without having words? Looking up Celtic Spirituality reveals a description that starts with “Love of the Natural World.” It is explained this way:

“The prayers of the Celtic Saints are filled with experiences of God's presence in creation, simplicity of living in harmony with creation, and awareness of the sacredness of all things. The Psalms are full of praise for God's handiwork in nature, and Celtic Christianity followed in that tradition, reflected in prayers and poems which spoke of the Sacred soul in everything. As it says in the first chapter of Genesis, all things originate in the Divine Source, and so all things are sacred. The Presence permeates all of nature, and speaks to us of the 'Original/Essential Goodness' of everything. To enter into this Presence is a sacramental experience so that when we walk in nature everything is a visible reminder of the Invisible presence.”1

One of their saints, “Columbanus said – 'If you want to know the Creator, first get to know the creation.' If there is any one word that would sum up the essence of Celtic Spirituality, it's the word 'PRESENCE.' Awareness of the Sacred Presence at every moment of life, in all places.”2The other defining factors of Celtic Spirituality are community, hospitality, soul-friends, art and music, pilgrimage.

I suspect that for some of you, Celtic Spirituality is a part of your connection to God. For some, maybe it isn't. In any case, it is helpful to remember that within Christianity itself there are many developed roads and paths to God, and the ones that fit you best may have road signs and maps, if you want to find them. There are multiple spiritual paths, even within Christianity, because humans connect differently. For today, I'm going to continue to explore within a Celtic vein, but please remember this is one among many.

At this time of year I'm mesmerized by how many shades of green there are, and how many I can see in one glance at the world around us. Each tree and plant offer several shades, with the grass itself adding more. For me, this is a feast. I love seeing the verdant, vibrant, living world, and my soul is satisfied watching the wind blow through the various leaves. The Presence of God seems especially visible.

This is a colorful time of year, even beyond the green. Flowers are plentiful and many trees are still covered in flowers or leaves of other colors! It is a time of visual abundance, as richly and vibrantly beautiful as a snow covered winter day is beautiful in its unbroken stillness and grace.

This time of year I am most receptive to the creation narratives of the Bible, perhaps because spring seems to speak them all by itself, and the words of the narratives add to the story the world is telling! James Weldon Johnson's poem is one of the most famous re-tellings of Genesis, and Psalm 8 is one of the most glorious reflections on creation in the text. They remind us that God's fingerprints are found all over the world, and when we look for them, we can find them.

The natural world is the source of all the things we need for life, as well as being a source of deep wisdom. It is a reflection of God, as are all of God's creatures. One of my seminary professors offered us a way of praying that opens us to the wisdom of creation, by simply paying attention to one little aspect of the whole. He instructed us this way:

1. Go to a place where God’s creation meets you: ask for God’s presence with you.

2. Attend to the works of creation around you. Does one thing seem to invite you, strike you, impress you, or somehow attract you?

3. Come to a sense of quiet rest in the presence of God and in this piece of God’s handiwork.

4. Simply gaze upon this part of creation for an extended time – a time of wonder, amazement, openness, receiving.

5. Eventually, engage God in conversation about this thing you have noticed. You may want to ask God questions such as: Where has it been? Who has touched, held, seen it? What does God value it? How is it related to what is around it? How is it related to me? – to the rest of creation? What does it tell me of myself?

And finally… How is God present to me through this piece of creation? What does it tell me of God? What is God saying to me, offering me?

6. Remain for a time in the experience of whatever follows these questions.

7. Offer God thanks for this time and for the wonders of creation.3

This prayer form seems to derive particularly from Celtic Christianity, and the wisdom of the natural world and our capacity to hear it! The prayer, trusts creation and those listening to it.

This sounds a bit like the Psalmist, who spoke of star-gazing as source of wisdom. I'd like you to hear the Psalm anew, this version written by Barbara J. Monda. Her version focuses on the nurturing aspects of creation and our response to it. She refers to God as “Shekkinah” which according to Google means, “the glory of the divine presence, conventionally represented as light or interpreted symbolically (in Kabbalism as a divine feminine aspect).” Here is her version:

Shekkinah,4 how glorious is this world that everywhere bears the mark of your touch!

I sit among the mountains and am in awe of your beauty.

Babies in their mother's arms remind me of how you care for and know our every need.

We are safe in the cover of your clothes.

You hold at bay those who want to harm and take vengeance.

Your steadfastness is all around us and your love makes our hearts jump.

When I look up to the moon I see you there.

When I see the stars I know they are jewels worn by you, signaling your presence.

You have made us just less than yourself.

You have given us the caretaking of all the earth

and the creatures on it as our companions.

Birds sent by you to sing cheer my day.

Fish swim at my feet and the fox and deer bring joy to my life.

The work of your fingers is everywhere my eyes turn.

The sun warms us from above and the rocks hold us from below.

The rhythms of the oceans and the passing of the moon are all ours too,

woven in us so we will be fruitful as you are.

Shekkinah, I feel greatness of you in my bones.

How can I properly thank you for all you have done for me?

My soul reflects your love and my heart holds what you have made.

I will be the cup from which others may drink of you and we will all sing of your wonders.5

Another seminary professor, Marvin Sweeney, told us that the ancient Hebrew Temple was themed on creation. He said that indicated that creation was the primary miracle of ancient Judaism, and everything else was derived from it. Similarly, creation is a theme throughout scripture, likely because the natural world has been a source of wisdom about God for all of humanity's history. Some are more in tune with it than others. The poets, the Psalmist, and Monda, and Weldon Johnson are particularly in tune. They each speak of humanity as connected to God, thus given special responsibility for caring for creation. Christian theology sometimes speaks of us as “stewards of God's earth.” That means that the earth and all that is in it is God's, but God trusts us to take care of it on God's own behalf. That is good, and meaningful work. However, given the impact of humanity on Global Climate Change and extinctions, we certainly have plenty of ways we could do that work better!

While the self-descibed defining factors of Celtic Spirituality were love of the natural world, community, hospitality, soul-friends, art and music, pilgrimage; I think the biggest difference I see is a focus on goodness: Goodness of God, Goodness of Creation, Goodness of Humanity. So much of Christianity has chosen to focus everything BUT the goodness. There is plenty in life that draws our attention that is not good. But, there is also much goodness, and when our souls are hungry, they hunger for goodness.

In Weldon Johnson's poem, creation begins as a response to God's SMILE.

Then God smiled,

And the light broke,6

And that image, which is itself a blessing, feels like the essence of Celtic Spirituality itself. God Smiled, light broke, creation began, and it was good....

And it is good still. Thanks be to God. Amen

1 http://celtic-spirituality.net/what-is-christian-celtic-spirituality/ accessed 5/27/17

2http://celtic-spirituality.net/what-is-christian-celtic-spirituality/ accessed 5/27/17

4Google dictionary.

5Barbara J. Monda, Rejoice, Beloved Women! The Psalms Revisioned (Notre Dame: Indiana, Sorin Books), 22.

6James Weldon Johnson, The Creation: A Negro Sermon

Rev. Sara E. Baron

First United Methodist Church of Schenectady

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305

Pronouns: she/her/hers

http://fumcschenectady.org/

https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

#FUMCSchenectady #Schenectady #UMC #Thinking Church #Progressive Christianity #Celtic Spirituality #James Weldon Johnson #Creation #Creator #Thanks CST!

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tomthomasblog · 8 months ago

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From Ritual to Relationship: The Revolutionary Concept in Romans 12:1

When the apostle Paul penned the words of Romans 12:1, he introduced a revolutionary concept that would change how believers approached their relationship with God. This verse, which calls us to present our bodies as a "living sacrifice," marked a significant shift from the Old Testament system of animal sacrifices to a new, dynamic way of worshiping God. Let's explore how this verse transforms our understanding of worship and daily walk with God.

"I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." These words invite us into a new realm of spiritual experience, where every moment of our lives can become an act of worship.

The idea of sacrifice was not new to Paul's readers. The Old Testament contains detailed instructions for animal sacrifices. These rituals were meant to atone for sin and demonstrate devotion to God. However, they were temporary and had to be repeated regularly. In contrast, Paul introduces the concept of a "living sacrifice"—an ongoing, daily offering of oneself to God.

This new understanding transforms worship from a series of rituals to a lifestyle. It's no longer about what happens in the temple or on special occasions but about how we live every day. Our bodies—how we act, what we say, and where we go—become the means of our worship.

The sacrifice Paul describes is "holy and acceptable to God." Holiness, in this context, doesn't mean perfection. Instead, it refers to being set apart for God's purposes. When we offer our lives to God, we choose to live differently from the world around us. We say, "God, I want my life to be used for Your purposes, not just my own."

Interestingly, Paul calls this our "reasonable service" or "spiritual worship." The word "reasonable" here suggests that this dedication makes sense when considering all God has done for us. It's a logical response to His love and mercy. This shifts our perspective on sacrifice from a burdensome duty to a joyful response.

Living as a sacrifice changes how we approach every aspect of our lives. Our jobs become more than just ways to earn money; they become opportunities to serve God and others. Our relationships become channels through which we can demonstrate God's love. Even mundane tasks like cleaning the house or running errands can become acts of worship when done with a heart of gratitude and service to God.

This concept also transforms our understanding of church and community. While gathering with other believers is crucial, worship isn't confined to a building or a service. Every interaction with others becomes an opportunity for prayer as we seek to honor God in how we treat people and represent Christ to the world.

However, living as a sacrifice isn't always easy. It requires daily choices to put God first, often in the face of competing desires or worldly pressures. It's a process of growth and sometimes involves struggle. But as we persist in offering ourselves to God, we find that this way of living brings deep fulfillment and purpose.

As we conclude, I would like you to reflect on how you can live out Romans 12:1 daily. What would it look like to offer your body – your actions, words, and choices – as a living sacrifice to God today? Start by identifying one area of your life that you can consciously offer to God. Remember, this isn't about perfection but a willing heart that seeks to honor God in all things.

Living as a sacrifice is more than a religious duty; it invites a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. It's a way of saying "thank you" for all He's done for us. As you embrace this concept, may you discover the joy and purpose that comes from a life fully dedicated to God.

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The Scripture Collection A compilation of 20 uplifting music videos inspired by a different Bible scripture. First Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv1XEZzrCvE Second Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucV8yJIEsvc

=======================

Website: https://bwpub.net/

I've created the song "Living Sacrifice" in three different genres from Romans 12:1.

alt-country surf rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cWrtMUujjQ bubblegum bass symphonic metal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XDaibWcWaY dark alternative rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spa6C1EoU5s

#Living Sacrifice #Daily Worship #Spiritual Transformation #Romans 12:1 #Christian Living #Practical Faith #Relationship With God #Lifestyle Worship

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dfroza · 4 years ago

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“Was it from heaven or from people? Answer me now.”

A question mark asked about a sign given to point someone to believe that is seen in Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament book of Mark:

[Chapter 11]

Now, as they were approaching Jerusalem, they arrived at the place of the stables near Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead and said to them, “As soon as you enter the village ahead, you will find a donkey’s colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. And if anyone asks, ‘Why are you taking it?’ tell them, ‘The master needs it and will send it back to you soon.’ ”

So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied to a gate. When they started to untie it, some people standing there said to them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

They answered just as Jesus had told them: “The master needs it, and he will send it back to you soon.” So the bystanders let them go.

The disciples brought the colt to Jesus and piled their cloaks and prayer shawls on the young donkey, and Jesus rode upon it. Many people carpeted the road in front of him with their cloaks and prayer shawls, while others gathered palm branches and spread them before him. Jesus rode in the center of the procession, with crowds going before him and behind him. They all shouted in celebration, “Bring the victory! We welcome the one coming with blessings sent from the Lord Yahweh! Blessings rest on this kingdom he ushers in—the kingdom of our father David! Bring us the victory in the highest realms of heaven!”

Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem and up to the temple. After looking around at everything, he left for Bethany with the Twelve to spend the night, for it was already late in the day.

The next day, as he left Bethany, Jesus was feeling hungry. He noticed a leafy fig tree in the distance, so he walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was none—only leaves (for it wasn’t yet the season for bearing figs). Jesus spoke to the fig tree, saying, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And the disciples overheard him.

When they came into Jerusalem, Jesus went directly into the temple area and overturned all the tables and benches of the merchants who were doing business there. One by one he drove them all out of the temple courts, and they scattered away, including the money changers and those selling doves. And he would not allow them to use the temple courts as a thoroughfare for carrying their merchandise and their furniture.

Then he began to teach the people, saying, “Does not the Scripture say, ‘My house will be a house of prayer for all the world to share’? But you have made it a hangout of thieves!”

When the chief priests and religious scholars heard this, they began to hatch a plot as to how they could eliminate Jesus. But they feared him and his influence, because the entire crowd was totally captivated by his teaching. So he and his disciples spent the nights outside the city.

In the morning, they passed by the fig tree that Jesus spoke to and it was completely withered from the roots up. Peter remembered and said to him, “Teacher, look! That’s the fig tree you cursed. It’s now all shriveled up and dead.”

Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! Listen to the truth I speak to you: Whoever says to this mountain with great faith and does not doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—be convinced that you have received it and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults. But if you will not release forgiveness, don’t expect your Father in heaven to release you from your misdeeds.”

They came again into Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the Jewish rulers—the chief priest, certain religious scholars, and the elders—approached him. They came up to him and asked, “What right do you have to say and do these things? Who gave you the authority to do all this?”

Jesus replied, “I too have a question to ask you. If you can answer this question, then I will tell you by what power I do all these things. Where did John’s authority to immerse come from? Was it from heaven or from people? Answer me now.”

They stepped away and debated among themselves, saying, “How should we answer this? If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you respond to John and believe what he said?’ But if we say, ‘from the people,’ we fear the crowds, for they’re convinced that John was God’s prophet.”

So they finally answered, “We don’t know.”

“Then neither will I tell you where my power comes from to do these things,” Jesus replied.

The Book of Mark, Chapter 11 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 3rd chapter of the book of Job where Job complains of his suffering:

[Job Cries Out]

What’s the Point of Life?

Then Job broke the silence. He spoke up and cursed his fate:

“Obliterate the day I was born.

Blank out the night I was conceived!

Let it be a black hole in space.

May God above forget it ever happened.

Erase it from the books!

May the day of my birth be buried in deep darkness,

shrouded by the fog,

swallowed by the night.

And the night of my conception—the devil take it!

Rip the date off the calendar,

delete it from the almanac.

Oh, turn that night into pure nothingness—

no sounds of pleasure from that night, ever!

May those who are good at cursing curse that day.

Unleash the sea beast, Leviathan, on it.

May its morning stars turn to black cinders,

waiting for a daylight that never comes,

never once seeing the first light of dawn.

And why? Because it released me from my mother’s womb

into a life with so much trouble.

“Why didn’t I die at birth,

my first breath out of the womb my last?

Why were there arms to rock me,

and breasts for me to drink from?

I could be resting in peace right now,

asleep forever, feeling no pain,

In the company of kings and statesmen

in their royal ruins,

Or with princes resplendent

in their gold and silver tombs.

Why wasn’t I stillborn and buried

with all the babies who never saw light,

Where the wicked no longer trouble anyone

and bone-weary people get a long-deserved rest?

Prisoners sleep undisturbed,

never again to wake up to the bark of the guards.

The small and the great are equals in that place,

and slaves are free from their masters.

“Why does God bother giving light to the miserable,

why bother keeping bitter people alive,

Those who want in the worst way to die, and can’t,

who can’t imagine anything better than death,

Who count the day of their death and burial

the happiest day of their life?

What’s the point of life when it doesn’t make sense,

when God blocks all the roads to meaning?

“Instead of bread I get groans for my supper,

then leave the table and vomit my anguish.

The worst of my fears has come true,

what I’ve dreaded most has happened.

My repose is shattered, my peace destroyed.

No rest for me, ever—death has invaded life.”

The Book of Job, Chapter 3 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Saturday, April 10 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons about the “sufferings” of this life:

Sometimes suffering comes not from any lack of faith, but in the midst of faith, or even because of faith, since the LORD often uses affliction as the means of upbuilding the soul and developing spiritual resilience and maturity (Prov. 3:1-2). In light of God’s sovereign power over all things, and God’s great love for you, regard your suffering a blessing from your heavenly Father to help you grow (Job 5:17; Psalm 94:12; 119:71). Persevering in the midst of your struggle develops patience and humility, teaching you to know your own nothingness and to utterly rely upon the goodness and mercy of God. Over time, suffering strips away your illusions, so that nothing remains except the naked heart and the treasures of faith. Only then does the heart find its blessing in God alone.

People tend to believe whatever they want to believe until they are faced with reality, and therefore God orchestrates tests and challenges to awaken people from their illusions and to help them realize their need for deliverance. Such afflictions are sometimes called the "troubles of love" (יִסּוּרֵי אַהֲבָה). Thus we read in the Torah how the people groaned because of their slavery and then cried out to heaven for help: "And God heard their groaning; he remembered his covenant ... and God saw the people of Israel, and God knew" (Exod. 2:24-25). God knows our profound need for Him. Affliction teaches us that wishful thinking is unable to sustain the weight of reality, and only God Himself can truly save us...

I am amazed that pagans cling to the idea that their lives have real value despite their rejection of transcendent worth and beauty and goodness as revealed in the Jewish Scriptures. Their everyday assumptions are lifted from the Judeo-Christian tradition, yet their underlying logical and semantic foundation is quite simply an illusion…. I’d like to listen to them justify the reason for getting out of bed in the morning using just the language that is entailed by their metaphysical assumptions. If seriously questioned, especially in light of the traction of their own personal heartache and disappointments, it is doubtless that they, like Nietzsche, would find themselves going insane as they attempt to (re)define the most meaningful aspects of life....

Where it is written, “The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses” (Psalm 25:17), we understand that it is God who hems us in and limits us (the word “troubles” (צָרוֹת) derives from a root (צַר) that means to limit or constrict), for the purpose of “bringing us out" of our distresses, just as God brought our ancestors out of “Egypt” (i.e., from mitzrayim: -מ, "from," and צַר, "narrow places") so they could experience freedom and newness of life.. The first step of lasting deliverance (יְשׁוּעָה) is to believe the revelation: “I AM the Lord your God,” which begins the healing (Exod. 20:2). We are then set free from our bonds to surface appearances as we trust in God’s Presence, since we now understand everything in relationship with the sacred Ground and Source of all life (Acts 17:28).

Regarding the cry of the heart: "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily" (Psalm 13:2), the sages remark that just as long as we take counsel in our own soul there will be despair, since only after we realize that no further counsel can help us do we give up and confess our need for God's salvation. Therefore deliverance comes as we trust in the LORD with all our heart, and do not rely on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5). [Hebrew for Christians]

4.9.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

April 10, 2021

Privileged Suffering

“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29)

Paul wrote in the previous verses that we are to conduct ourselves as though our only citizenship was worthy of the gospel message that we proclaim, and that in doing so we should be committed to a mindset held together by the Holy Spirit. Then, he encouraged us not to be “terrified by your adversaries” (Philippians 1:28).

Such adversaries—from the devil himself (1 Peter 5:8) to business (Matthew 5:25) and family problems (Luke 12:13)—are part and parcel to those who would “live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). We should not be surprised when such challenges come; rather, we should be alarmed if all men “speak well of you” (Luke 6:26).

Curiously, Paul wrote that we are “gifted” (Greek verb charizomai, same idea as the related noun charis) with this privilege, in the interests of our Lord Jesus, to “suffer for his sake.” The apostles understood this paradox as they left the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).

Peter wrote that we should follow the example set for us by the Lord Jesus, “who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). In fact, we should “rejoice” when asked to share in the same kind of sufferings that our Lord endured, and whenever we are “reproached for the name of Christ” we should be happy, “for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).

Privileged suffering indeed! James wrote that we should “count it all joy” (James 1:2) when we are tested. Those times increase our faith and allow us to demonstrate our allegiance to Christ. HMM III

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romancatholicreflections · 8 years ago

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8th January >> Daily Reflection on Today's Mass Readings for Roman Catholics on the Solemnity of the Epiphany Of Our Lord.

Commentaries on Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12 WE CELEBRATE TODAY the second of four great manifestations of God in our midst. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from Greek and it means a ‘showing’ or ‘manifestation’. We call today’s feast the Epiphany of our Lord but the term could equally well be applied to the other two. The first of these four manifestations we already celebrated on December 25, when God revealed, manifested himself to us in the form of a helpless, newly-born infant. He is presented as born homeless and in poverty and surrounded by the poor and outcasts (that is what the shepherds represented). This manifestation fits in very well with the theme of Luke’s Gospel and it is he who tells this story. In today’s feast, we see the same recently born baby in similar circumstances but the material and social surroundings are hardly touched on. The emphasis here, as we shall see, is different. Here are strangers, foreigners, total outsiders coming to give royal homage to this tiny child. This will be the theme of Matthew’s Gospel. “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations.” The third manifestation we will celebrate next Sunday and it closes the Christmas celebration of the Incarnation. Jesus, now an adult of 30 years or so, is seen standing in a river together with a multitude of penitents. He is solemnly endorsed by the voice of God as the Son of God. “This is my dear Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This event is recorded by all the evangelists. The fourth ‘revelation’ is found only in John’s gospel. It is not part of the Christmas liturgy but we read it on the Second Sunday of the Year in the Year C, immediately after the Christmas season. This revelation occurs during a wedding banquet (symbolising the Kingdom of love, justice and peace which is to be established through Jesus). Water (symbolising the Old Covenant) is changed into new wine (symbolising the New Covenant to be signed and sealed on the cross of Calvary). Mary (representing the Church, God’s people) is seen as the intermediary through whose request this is brought about. It is the first of seven ‘signs’ by which Jesus reveals his true identity in John’s gospel. Story or history? Coming back to today’s feast, we may ask is the story of the “wise men” a factual report or is it just that – a story? Primarily, it is a story. A report is concerned with hard facts – the temperature dropped to 10 degrees last night or there were 10 millimetres of rain yesterday. But a story, especially a biblical story, is concerned much more with meaning. In reading any Scripture story, including Gospel stories, we should not be asking, “Did it really happen like that?” Instead, we should be asking, “What does it mean? What is it saying to us?” The truth of the story is in its meaning and not in the related facts. Epiphany Certainly in this story the facts are extremely vague and not at all sufficient for a newspaper or TV news report. The standard questions a newspaper reporter is expected to be able to answer are: Who? What? Why? When? Where? How? In this story it is difficult to give satisfactory answers to these questions. Although Jesus is still an infant and still in Bethlehem, we do not know how long after his birth, this incident is supposed to have taken place. We are not told because it does not matter; it is not relevant to the meaning of the story. (Compared to Mark, Matthew is normally notoriously short on details.) Magi Who were these “wise men” and where did they come from? In the Greek text they are called magoi (magoi) which is usually rendered in English as “Magi”. Magi were a group or caste of scholars who were associated with the interpretation of dreams, Zoroastrianism, astrology and magic (hence the name ‘Magi’). In later Christian tradition they were called kings (“We three kings of Orient are…”) under the influence of Psalm 72:10 (“May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!”), Isaiah 49:7 (“Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves”) and Isaiah 60:10 (“Their kings shall minister to you”). We are not told what their names were or how many of them there were. Tradition settled on three, presumably because there were three kinds of gifts. And they were also given names – Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. Caspar was represented as black and thus they were understood to represent the whole non-Jewish, Gentile world which came to Christ. We are told, too, that they came “from the east”. This could be Persia, East Syria or Arabia – or indeed any distant place. The Asian theologian, Fr Aloysius Pieris, points out the significance for Asians that it was wise men from the East and not the local wise men who recognised the light that led to Jesus*. A star in the east There is talk of following a star. Was there indeed at this time a comet or supernova or some significant conjunction of planets which would be particularly meaningful to these men? Even so, how does one follow a star? Have you ever tried? How do you know when a star is “over the place” you are looking for? You could travel several hundred miles and the star could still be “over” you. Probably, we are wasting our time looking for some significant stellar happening. The star is rather to be seen as a symbol: a light representing Jesus as the Light of the whole world. There really is not much point in trying to pinpoint facts here. We are dealing here with meaning and the meaning is very clear from the general context of Matthew’s Gospel. God, in the person of Jesus, is reaching out to the whole world. More than that, the religious leaders of his own people – the chief priests and experts in the scriptures, although clearly aware of where the Messiah would be born, made no effort whatever to investigate. Yet Bethlehem was “just down the road”, so to speak, from Jerusalem. King Herod, an ambitious and ruthless man (that is a fact of history), was prepared to go but only to wipe out even the remotest threat to his own position. These pagan foreigners, on the other hand, went to great lengths to find the “King of the Jews” and “do him homage”. As part of that homage they offered their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gifts seem inspired by Isaiah 60:6 quoted in today’s First Reading, “They shall bring gold and frankincense”. In later tradition, the gold came to symbolise the kingship of Christ, the incense his divine nature, and the myrrh his redemptive suffering and death. They also came to signify virtue, prayer and suffering. No outsiders All in all, today’s feast is telling us that for God there are no foreigners, no outsiders. From his point of view, all are equally his beloved children. We all, whatever external physical or cultural differences there may be between us, belong to one single family which has one Father, “our” Father. It means that every one of us is a brother and sister to everyone else. There is no room for discrimination of any kind based on nationality, race, religion, class or occupation. There cannot be a single exception to this position. The facts of today’s story may be vague but the message is loud and clear. We thank God today that there is no “Chosen People” whether they be Jews or Christians (or even Catholics). Let us try to understand more deeply God’s closeness to us which is also a reason for us to be close to each other. There are no outsiders. All are called – be it the Mother of Jesus, the rich and the poor, the privileged and the lonely, the healthy and the sick, the saints and the sinners. Yet, we can become outsiders. We do that every time we make someone else an outsider, whether we do that individually, as a family, a community, or an ethnic grouping. To make even a single other person an outsider, that is, to deny them the love and respect which belongs equally to all, is to make an outsider of oneself. It is to join the ranks of the Pharisees, the chief priests and every other practitioner of bigotry. Where are the stars? Finally, we might ask ourselves, What are the stars in my life? The wise men saw the star and followed it. The people in Jerusalem did not. How and to what is God calling me at this time? Where does he want me to find him, to serve and follow him? Some have their priorities already fixed and so have stopped or have never even started to look for the real priorities, the God-sent stars in their lives. That is like first making a right turn at a crossroads and then wondering where you should be going. Saint Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises speaks of people who get married first and then ask, “What does God want me to do? This very day, let us stop in our tracks. Obviously, at this stage there are many things which, for better or worse, we cannot change, some decisions, right or wrong, which cannot now be undone. But it is not too late to look for our star and begin following it from where we are now. The wise men did not know where the star would lead them. They just followed it until it brought them to Bethlehem – and to Jesus. They never, I am sure, regretted their decision. If we can only have the courage and the trust to follow their example, I doubt if we will have regrets either. If we have not already done so, today is the day to make that start.

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cpdevos · 5 years ago

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1/13/20 Receiving Rest Series Pt. 5

Hey All!

READ TO THE END for a quote and analogy by yours truly: Grace Koo!

Hope you have had a blessed start to 2020 so far! Let's start this decade right by setting time aside for Jesus and being alone with God now. Rest up before the daily grind!

Today, I'll finish the Receiving Rest series by covering part 5: Receiving Rest through Prayer. Since this is the final part of the series about rest, I want you to put it into practice right now. If you have time to read this email, then you have time to stop and be alone with God. So, enter a place of worship and humility before our Lord, and begin with the steps below:

How to Start:

Stop and take 10 deep breaths. (10 breaths is a lot longer than you think!)Take some time to slow down right now and completely block out and push aside everything you are worried about or thinking of doing or the tasks you need to finish. Then, pray to begin and ask that God's Spirit will guide you to properly understand the text in this passage and that His words are filling your mind. Lastly, listen to a song of worship or a song of praise as you go through this devo. I'd recommend this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI-nkc4xqHM

Or this instrumental:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnXPyqC17Y

Mark 1:35 New King James Version (NKJV)Preaching in Galilee

35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Following Christ's Example:

In the first chapter of Mark alone, the author covers the vast part of Jesus' ministry and His teachings. We see that Jesus gets baptized (vv.9-11), Jesus faces Satan in the wilderness (vv. 12-13), Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee (vv. 14-15), He calls the first few disciples (vv. 16-20), and that He goes to teach in synagogues, cast out unclean spirits, and heals many (vv. 21- 34). Jesus was gaining popularity and many were intrigued at who this man, with such authority, was. Now, to the verse that I'd like to examine today, we see that Jesus gives us an example of how we can enter a place of rest. Let's dissect this word by word and phrase by phrase: First, Jesus rises very early in the morning while it was still dark out and daylight had not shown. We see that He has made it a point and a discipline to get up early enough to find a space and time alone with God. Second, Jesus departs and finds a solitary place. We see that Jesus is intentionally finding a place that is quiet, and in some other versions, they read "...and went out to a desolate place..." Third, Jesus prays. It's as simple as that. After fame surrounding Jesus and His miracles were spreading all throughout Galilee, Jesus took time to go to the heavenly Father to pray. It's amazing that even in such a short verse, God can teach us, as disciples of Christ, how to rest effectively through multiple steps. Our lives move so fast and at such a rapid pace that we often rush everything we do: including our relationship with God. But Jesus shows us here that in the midst of His intensely growing ministry and in the thick of this great mission that He set out to accomplish on earth, He found time to reflect, be alone, and pray to the Father. If we want to grow as Christians and experience God in the midst of our storms or in the midst of our challenges (and in the good times too), we absolutely and imperatively, need to soak in all that God offers in the time that He offers too.

To do this, let's copy Jesus by imitating HIS three steps: find a time, find a place, and pray intentionally in that place and time to our Heavenly Father.

Rest is Beautiful:

I hope and pray that as disciples of Christ and as God's chosen people that we are continually giving every effort to enjoy and saturate ourselves in His word and in His presence. To wrap this whole series up, I just want to remind you all of the beauty in finding meaningful and intentional rest in Christ. In part 1 I wrote about Matthew 11:28-30 and it tells us that Jesus is the only hope and comfort we need and that in trusting and putting our faith in Him, we are yoked in His mission as well. In part 2 I wrote about Romans 15:4 and it teaches us that through the Holy Word that God offers to us in the Bible, we may find comfort and hope in the midst of all the trials and difficulties we enter in life. In part 3 I wrote about Romans 12:2 which commands us as followers of Jesus to continue to renew our minds according to His will and His word and His mind. We can do this by journaling and reflecting on the Scriptures we read. In part 4, I examined Hebrews 12:1-2 and that passage teaches us to lay aside and throw out all the distractions so that we can properly run the race God calls us to run, including indulging in the rest that He gives. Today, I will offer some tips on effectively praying especially when you're intentionally resting in the Lord.

Pray Physically: Get into a posture of prayer. Literally, get into a physical posture of prayer. I like to get on my knees by the bedside sometimes to pray or just kneel someplace where I'm alone and just be in a physical posture of adoration towards God and reverence towards Him. Sometimes we like to just walk and pray or drive and pray, which is totally fine, I do that myself occasionally, but I find that I really tend to get distracted or rush my prayers. Be alone. Be in the moment. Seek God's presence. And do it with a proper posture of worship and in an appropriate space.

Pray With Intention and Faith: Sometimes we like to mull over our prayers with very masked words or feelings. Maybe you feel ashamed to bring God a situation or a struggle or are scared to even ask for help because you feel as if God won't listen. It's in these moments that you may truly experience the grace of God. God always provides what we need, even if we may not know it at the moment. Whether God answers yes or no to our prayers, He promises that when we seek His will first and seek to honor Him with our lives, He will work out things for our good, even when it's hard to see.

Pray Scriptures: Don't have the words to pray? Don't even know what to say in the moment? Going through a time where you literally can't think up of the words and requests to ask God to help you through? GO TO THE BIBLE!! Sometimes reading a Psalm or reflecting on a passage of God's goodness and faithfulness teaches us more than we can ever know...never underestimate the power of just praying and praising God through the storm with words from His Holy Bible!

Pray Together and in the Moment: Asked someone how their week went and they responded with a testimony of struggle or hopelessness? Did they ask for you to pray for them? Maybe don't just say, "I'll definitely pray for you this week!" but actually ask and see if they don't mind praying with you at that moment! Stop and take time to be with a fellow brother or sister in Christ and just pour out your lives together in prayer. If you are in need of prayer, ask for others to pray with you in the moment as well. Go to a private space or find somewhere quiet and just be in God's presence. This not only helps us rest in God, but allows us to strengthen and edify each other as a body of Christ!

There are many different ways to pray and strategies to build a strong prayer life, but here are just some that I would recommend when you need to find rest in the Lord. I always encourage people to pray the ACTS prayer model and try to focus on the adoration and thanksgiving parts, but sometimes we just need time to ask God of things. God knows we have needs. God knows we struggle. Jesus experienced the hardest temptations and the worst pains we could ever feel. In these moments, let's be reminded of how loving God is that He would invite us to pray to Him and lay ourselves down. So, be bold and revel at the mercy of God and His glorious presence. Not only of that, let's be reminded of our dependence on God! In it, we recognize our hopelessness and enjoy the beauty of Christ's redemption through the cross!

----------------

To end this devotional series on receiving rest, here's one last thing I wanted to share about why we need to STOP and take time to rest in the Lord. Shoutout to my big sis G. Koo for stating this in a talk she had at a Cru meeting: "We can't skip the steps for God to change us and for the process to actually happen to get to the point He has us (or wants us to be in)." She said this in part of a larger message about how we as Christ's disciples need to be TOTALLY and COMPLETELY saturated in Jesus and in His word and constantly abiding IN Him SO THAT, we may ultimately bear the fruit that He intends to bear in and through us (John 15:1-4) and for His glory and purposes. Grace used this gripping analogy of Christians as tea bags and the water that is being changed by the tea leaves as the state of our souls. When we drink tea, many of us like to slightly dip the tea bags in and out, over and over again but never fully letting it sit. In and out, in and out. Just like our spiritual lives, we go to conferences, big worship nights, big Christian events and only get "spiritual highs" and only ever so slightly taste the great character of God. We like to do it when it's convenient and only soak in God's word occasionally. We like to complain and say we have spiritual highs and lows and tend to focus on the worldly things around us. In reality, however, God calls us in John 15 to abide in Christ. Simply put, strap your life onto Him and soak in every moment you can to be able to learn more of God's character and love. This doesn't mean we won't face those times of failure and low spiritual moments, but by God's grace, we can pick ourselves up again and ask God to help us journey on in our relationship with Him. Abide in His faithfulness and He will bear the fruit He wants to bear in you.

Stop. Be in the moment. Be in God's presence. Rest meaningfully.

Pray to end,

Moses

#momo #moses

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