Day 26... Bear One Another's Burdens
Bible verse:
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord, " they replied. Jesus wept. John 11:33-35
How powerful do you find verse 35.... "Jesus wept" ? When I read that I feel it in my very core, in my soul and am comforted to know that He was as human as the rest of us. I thank God for that understanding.
In today's lesson, Moore reflects back on his friends Kevin and Janell's story of suffering when Kevin had a brain tumor not once but twice and how their small group from Church rallied around them and shared their burden. They stepped in when Janell had to work and wasn't able to take her husband to follow-up doctor appointments and such. Not only did their small group do these things, but they took on the ordinary chores of taking care of their home, making meals and other ways of supporting this couple in their time of suffering. This is what it means to share each others burdens.
Sometimes the suffering isn't so obvious, sometimes it is emotional because of many different reasons, such as a financial burden that comes along unexpectedly, or our children rebel, or find themselves on a bad road that leads them to draw away from us, the loss of a job, or the unexpected responsibility of having to raise grandchildren or take care of an elderly parent. Even though these stories all fall into unique categories, each is a type of suffering and can lead people to find comfort through chemical abuse, such as drugs and alcohol or worse, depression.
Thank God, Christian believers have something better than any of that, they have each other!! So remember to take time to quietly pay attention to your friends, co-workers, strangers whom you encounter because sometimes their suffering shows up when they least expect it. Sometimes, they are angry for what we think is nothing at all, but underneath there is a storm brewing and it happens to show it's ugly face. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever seen this happen? I have and I'm sure if you think about it you have also. When someone you know unexpectedly "bites" and it is not like them or maybe it is not so unexpected, maybe they act like that all the time. Have you ever asked yourself why? Try it sometime, you might be surprised to find out that they are suffering too.
Remember: We as Christians have the privilege of suffering together with members of our small groups, but not everyone has this privilege, so offer it up, again you may be surprised at the blessing you receive.
God Bless!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Day 25... With Open Arms
Day 25.. With Open Arms
Bible verse:
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
This was one of the very first Bible verses I attempted to remember. I wrote it out and placed it on my computer screen at work so I could see it everyday. Did I practice it everyday, no but after reading today's lesson I believe that God has worked this verse into my life and I practice more and more. The second verse that I attempted to learn was the one about God being "slow to anger" but we'll talk about that one another day.
Today's lesson explains what hospitality is all about, what it should be all about and what it is not. Hospitality is giving of oneself, of one's time, one's resources and not expecting anything in return. It's not about keeping score, it's about sharing what we have in the presence of God.
Moore says, "The presence of Christ communes with the hearts of His followers when they get together."
I had never thought about how the act of hospitality creates a safe environment for others (Moore, 2007). This is so true when you think about it. For example when you ask friends over for a meal, you want them to feel comfortable, and at ease and the only way to do that is to act hospitable, and create a safe place for them to feel that way. Very cool!
Also, the meaning of the hospitality was interesting in that it combines "friendliness to guests" and "house of healing".... Christian hospitality provides a welcoming place for people to come and heal (Moore, 2007).
I can see what Moore means when he talks about how this is so important in our small groups. Reaching out to others in hospitality offers us another avenue to sense the presence of Christ as we minister in His name.
Remember: Loving others as ourselves includes reaching out to them in Christian hospitality.
God Bless!
Bible verse:
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
This was one of the very first Bible verses I attempted to remember. I wrote it out and placed it on my computer screen at work so I could see it everyday. Did I practice it everyday, no but after reading today's lesson I believe that God has worked this verse into my life and I practice more and more. The second verse that I attempted to learn was the one about God being "slow to anger" but we'll talk about that one another day.
Today's lesson explains what hospitality is all about, what it should be all about and what it is not. Hospitality is giving of oneself, of one's time, one's resources and not expecting anything in return. It's not about keeping score, it's about sharing what we have in the presence of God.
Moore says, "The presence of Christ communes with the hearts of His followers when they get together."
I had never thought about how the act of hospitality creates a safe environment for others (Moore, 2007). This is so true when you think about it. For example when you ask friends over for a meal, you want them to feel comfortable, and at ease and the only way to do that is to act hospitable, and create a safe place for them to feel that way. Very cool!
Also, the meaning of the hospitality was interesting in that it combines "friendliness to guests" and "house of healing".... Christian hospitality provides a welcoming place for people to come and heal (Moore, 2007).
I can see what Moore means when he talks about how this is so important in our small groups. Reaching out to others in hospitality offers us another avenue to sense the presence of Christ as we minister in His name.
Remember: Loving others as ourselves includes reaching out to them in Christian hospitality.
God Bless!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Day.... In Between
Day... In Between
It's been several days since my last post, and I want to apologize, but I'm not sure to whom I am apologizing to. Mostly I guess, to God because He is the one I thought I was doing this for. I'm discouraged and disappointed, mostly in myself for not sticking to this.
These would be my excuses;
This has proved to me that being around other Christians and trusting them with what we are going through is very important.
Today I pray that God will show me that I have the strength and fortitude to continue on with Him.
Have a blessed day and I pray to continue tomorrow with our Rendezvous.
God Bless!
Wendy
It's been several days since my last post, and I want to apologize, but I'm not sure to whom I am apologizing to. Mostly I guess, to God because He is the one I thought I was doing this for. I'm discouraged and disappointed, mostly in myself for not sticking to this.
These would be my excuses;
- I'm tired
- Work has been very busy and draining
- My Aunt was very sick, and she passed away
- I'm too weak to turn off the television
- I have to make dinner
- I stayed up too late
- I visited with a friend
- No one is reading it anyway
This has proved to me that being around other Christians and trusting them with what we are going through is very important.
Today I pray that God will show me that I have the strength and fortitude to continue on with Him.
Have a blessed day and I pray to continue tomorrow with our Rendezvous.
God Bless!
Wendy
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Day 24... Shall we Gather at the Party
Day 24... Shall we Gather at the Party
Bible verse:
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. John 2:1-2
In today's less Moore (2007) discusses his Sunday School class and how they just love to get together and eat! They celebrate every recognized holiday here, and he wouldn't put it past them to celebrate other country's holidays too, if it meant that they could get together with one another and share some fellowship and a meal.
It's true, in this culture, food is used as a one of the main reasons to get together with friends, family and neighbors. My mother was the cafeteria manager at the local high school I and my siblings attended. She was also one of seven children. Several events were centered around holiday dinners, or what we used to call and still do, "wing dings". They were made up of our family and my mother's family of 6 other brothers and sisters and their families. We are quite a group when we get together. Also, my mother was very active in her church, she coordinated the annual Thanksgiving Dinner held at the church, she always invited her cafeteria friends/staff over for parties, her Red Hat group, and her special friends. She took special care to have the right foods, the right tableware, decorations and everything. It was quite a site. She even made it special for us, her children around the holidays when we would all get together before she headed to sunny Florida for the Winter. I remember the laughs, smiles, tears, all of it.
It doesn't matter what the reason is that we get together, we need to make sure that we surround ourselves with other Christians so that we can encourage one another, be accountable to one another, laugh, and cry with one another and know that it is a safe place to be.
There are several times in the bible when Jesus is sharing a meal with others, not only the one mentioned in today's bible verse, but others. One of the most important was before His crucifixion. These examples, among others, remind us that Jesus made an important place for Christian fellowship (Moore, 2007).
What happens when we fellowship together in our small groups;
Remember: Christian fellowship provides us with a great opportunity to enjoy life with other Christians and sense the Lord's presence at the same time.
God Bless!
Bible verse:
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. John 2:1-2
In today's less Moore (2007) discusses his Sunday School class and how they just love to get together and eat! They celebrate every recognized holiday here, and he wouldn't put it past them to celebrate other country's holidays too, if it meant that they could get together with one another and share some fellowship and a meal.
It's true, in this culture, food is used as a one of the main reasons to get together with friends, family and neighbors. My mother was the cafeteria manager at the local high school I and my siblings attended. She was also one of seven children. Several events were centered around holiday dinners, or what we used to call and still do, "wing dings". They were made up of our family and my mother's family of 6 other brothers and sisters and their families. We are quite a group when we get together. Also, my mother was very active in her church, she coordinated the annual Thanksgiving Dinner held at the church, she always invited her cafeteria friends/staff over for parties, her Red Hat group, and her special friends. She took special care to have the right foods, the right tableware, decorations and everything. It was quite a site. She even made it special for us, her children around the holidays when we would all get together before she headed to sunny Florida for the Winter. I remember the laughs, smiles, tears, all of it.
It doesn't matter what the reason is that we get together, we need to make sure that we surround ourselves with other Christians so that we can encourage one another, be accountable to one another, laugh, and cry with one another and know that it is a safe place to be.
There are several times in the bible when Jesus is sharing a meal with others, not only the one mentioned in today's bible verse, but others. One of the most important was before His crucifixion. These examples, among others, remind us that Jesus made an important place for Christian fellowship (Moore, 2007).
What happens when we fellowship together in our small groups;
- We see the Christian life lived out
- We offer an opportunity to invite new Christians into the fold
- We encourage one another, by laughing, praying, talking
- We are able to relax in a place away from the craziness of the world, be ourselves
- It provides a place of accountability
- Shows us that others love us as we love them
- Bonds begin to form and grow between the memebers
Remember: Christian fellowship provides us with a great opportunity to enjoy life with other Christians and sense the Lord's presence at the same time.
God Bless!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Day 23.... A Mountaintop Experience
Day 23... A Mountaintop Experience
Bible verse:
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took, Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Luke 9:28-29
Simply, today's lesson expresses how important it is to include worship in our small group meetings. Moore (2007) says true worship is not a matter of a certain style of music, a certain set of musical instruments, a certain type of prayer, or any certain activity. Rather, true worship flows from
Worship involves putting that belief and trust into action so our faith can come to life (p.114)
When the six on the mountaintop had finished worshiping, God appeared in the cloud and was with them, surrounding them, that is what we are trying to achieve in our groups..... communion with God!
Be sure that when you are together in your small groups that you are attentive to its purpose, which should be worshiping God at some point with the elements listed above. Why? Because Jesus said "For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I with them"
Remember: Time together in a small group with other Christian believers can always be a great time for worship.
God Bless!
Bible verse:
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took, Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Luke 9:28-29
Simply, today's lesson expresses how important it is to include worship in our small group meetings. Moore (2007) says true worship is not a matter of a certain style of music, a certain set of musical instruments, a certain type of prayer, or any certain activity. Rather, true worship flows from
- Loving God and valuing Him more than all else in life
- Seeking God's kingdom first
- Obeying God and glorifying Him with our lives
- Praising, adoring, and delighting in God
- Thinking about the mystery and wonder of God
- Sitting silently in the presence of God
- Focusing on God and seeking to know Him better
Worship involves putting that belief and trust into action so our faith can come to life (p.114)
When the six on the mountaintop had finished worshiping, God appeared in the cloud and was with them, surrounding them, that is what we are trying to achieve in our groups..... communion with God!
Be sure that when you are together in your small groups that you are attentive to its purpose, which should be worshiping God at some point with the elements listed above. Why? Because Jesus said "For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I with them"
Remember: Time together in a small group with other Christian believers can always be a great time for worship.
God Bless!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Day 22...All the More to see you With
Day 22... All the More to see you With
Bible verse:
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" Luke 9-23-24.
In today's lesson Moore discusses global positioning systems (GPS) and how they are built for all different types of vehicles and even bikers and hikers, to help them find their way. To give direction. We all need direction some days don't we? We don't always ask for it, but find that when we ask the right question to the correct person, we generally get the answer we need. Not necessarily the answer we want, but the one we need. Right?
"Today we want to explore the way God's Spirit instructs us through members of our small group" (Moore, 2007).
Now, we all have friends we hang around with, meet for dinner, do Bible study with, or meet with for Sunday school, just to name a few. When we have a problem and we discuss it with these friends, they all seem to have the solution to our problem. They sincerely want to help, but sometimes their solutions just aren't what we need. We need to "lift our sights higher" (2007). We need to look to God for direction, and when our Christian small groups are tuned into God, then He can speak through them. Moore (2007) points out that if God can speak through a burning bush or a donkey, He surely can speak through us to offer spiritual instruction and direction to fellow travelers on the Christian way.
How can small groups accomplish being spiritual directors with God's help? Well they can assist us in
As the group turns its mind to what God wants and His direction then they (and we) can help one another stay on the right spiritual path. It is through the spiritual exercises discussed on Days 6-12; quiet conversations, quiet listening, quiet reading, quiet thinking, quiet writing, quiet simplicity, and quiet examination that group members grow and develop spiritually.
I am comforted that the author states that spiritual maturity does not equal perfection. However, as we continue our spiritual exercises we will continue to grow, in spite of our idiosyncrasies.
While we are on this journey, and we learn to share our concerns, joys, problems with our small Christian groups, listen for God, know that He is with us, even though we probably won't get our answers immediately, we must learn to be patient and wait on the Lord. It is His timing that is most important.
Open yourself this week to the spiritual direction of your group. Let God instruct you in new ways as He speaks to you through group members. You'll be amazed at how God can communicate to you through trusted friends. In doing so you will once again encounter Christ in a unique way (Moore, 2007).
Remember: God often offers spiritual direction for your life through your small group. Listen carefully!
God Bless!
Bible verse:
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" Luke 9-23-24.
In today's lesson Moore discusses global positioning systems (GPS) and how they are built for all different types of vehicles and even bikers and hikers, to help them find their way. To give direction. We all need direction some days don't we? We don't always ask for it, but find that when we ask the right question to the correct person, we generally get the answer we need. Not necessarily the answer we want, but the one we need. Right?
"Today we want to explore the way God's Spirit instructs us through members of our small group" (Moore, 2007).
Now, we all have friends we hang around with, meet for dinner, do Bible study with, or meet with for Sunday school, just to name a few. When we have a problem and we discuss it with these friends, they all seem to have the solution to our problem. They sincerely want to help, but sometimes their solutions just aren't what we need. We need to "lift our sights higher" (2007). We need to look to God for direction, and when our Christian small groups are tuned into God, then He can speak through them. Moore (2007) points out that if God can speak through a burning bush or a donkey, He surely can speak through us to offer spiritual instruction and direction to fellow travelers on the Christian way.
How can small groups accomplish being spiritual directors with God's help? Well they can assist us in
- Discerning the work of God in our lives
- Listening for God's voice
- Recognizing the presence of God in our current situation
- Seeing our blind spots
- Living a life true to God's call
As the group turns its mind to what God wants and His direction then they (and we) can help one another stay on the right spiritual path. It is through the spiritual exercises discussed on Days 6-12; quiet conversations, quiet listening, quiet reading, quiet thinking, quiet writing, quiet simplicity, and quiet examination that group members grow and develop spiritually.
I am comforted that the author states that spiritual maturity does not equal perfection. However, as we continue our spiritual exercises we will continue to grow, in spite of our idiosyncrasies.
While we are on this journey, and we learn to share our concerns, joys, problems with our small Christian groups, listen for God, know that He is with us, even though we probably won't get our answers immediately, we must learn to be patient and wait on the Lord. It is His timing that is most important.
Open yourself this week to the spiritual direction of your group. Let God instruct you in new ways as He speaks to you through group members. You'll be amazed at how God can communicate to you through trusted friends. In doing so you will once again encounter Christ in a unique way (Moore, 2007).
Remember: God often offers spiritual direction for your life through your small group. Listen carefully!
God Bless!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Day 21... You Really Belong
Day 21... You Really Belong
Bible verse:
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Matthew 14:22-24
Honestly I'm still working on how this Bible verse connects with today's lesson except that the disciples were a group and they were in the boat.
Today Moore (2007) talks about being a part of a group. He grew up on a farm with his brothers and a sister. They did everything together, eating, playing, exploring and yes even fighting. He says the only times they were extra nice to one another was if they wanted something. Sounds like my family. I have four brothers and one sister. The things I remember all of us doing in a group were working in the garden, as I mentioned before, cleaning up after dinner; one would clear the table, one would wash, one would rinse, one would dry, one would put away and one of us had the night off. Sometimes when we were cleaning up, we would toss the dishes across the kitchen (making sure mom and dad didn't see) to the person who was putting them away in the cupboards. That was always fun! We also went on several canoe trips when I was a child as a family. Ask me sometime about our trip across Blue Mountain Lake up in the Adirondacks, that was a scary/fun time.
Anyway, it is as a group that we form memories and learn to trust one another. We fail and make mistakes too, but hopefully the bond is strong enough to keep it from breaking the relationship all together.
Jesus and his disciples lived together much like my family, and Moore's family did. The good, the bad and the ugly. It is through reading about Jesus and his disciples that reminds us of the many spiritual benefits we enjoy together with members of our small groups (Moore, 2007).
As we discussed earlier about the spiritual practices of prayer, Bible study, thinking, examination and service/ministry on our own, lets look at how the dynamic changes when we practice these in a group.
Prayer. Prayer is powerful, and we know that He hears us when we pray alone and with others Doesn't it make you feel better when you can ask others to pray for you? Especially because you know they will. So, when you have a special need, ask your small group to pray for you too.
Bible study. Bible study with a group is amazing. I'm learning so much right now in the Bible study group I am in. We started right from the beginning and I am in awe of how much bigger In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 is. If I wasn't in this class learning from the group leader and the others in there, I would have never know. It is amazing, and I know I said that before but it's true.!! So studying the Bible with others, give a whole new perspective, things we never even would have thought of, or maybe did but the group gives it support. Find a small group and ask questions of one another, even if you think they aren't right, because that is what it is all about, learning. Think about it, if we already knew everything then we wouldn't need anyone, right?
Thinking. Being in a group leads to opening our minds to think about other possibilities, and as we think about these we can share them with the others. Specifically about a Bible verse that is being studied, and not only do we think about it there and how it ties into life today, we continue to think about it later when we are alone or with others. God will clear your mind to knew understanding so that we can hear what He says.
Examination. As we discussed earlier about self examination about our spiritual journey and then sharing what we discovered with an accountability partner, in a group this also holds true. We are held accountable for our attendance and commitment to the group. As group members we must learn to;
Service/ministry. Think how much more can be done with a group of Christians in this area! Sometimes we are called to service or ministry alone, and when we are open to this we can do great things in the name of Jesus, for His honor and glory!! Several people in our church have done this and what an impact it has had on their lives. They can share it with us, but we can't really know how it felt to experience it. But, if we do service and ministry as a group, then it forms a stronger bond between group members, because we all experienced it. For instance in our church we do a Go-Weekend where anyone who wants to comes to the church to volunteer for the day. Some of us go to the Park and clean up, others go to someone's house and do whatever needs to be done. When we are done we are closer for it, and have shared in being the hands and feet of Jesus. Very cool!
So as you go out today think about the groups you are in, are they feeding you on your spiritual journey? What ways can your groups make a difference in Jesus name? There are more than these five ways to grow in your spiritual group, so think of how you can make a difference.
Remember: Christ meets you in new ways when you participate in a Christian group.
God Bless!
Bible verse:
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Matthew 14:22-24
Honestly I'm still working on how this Bible verse connects with today's lesson except that the disciples were a group and they were in the boat.
Today Moore (2007) talks about being a part of a group. He grew up on a farm with his brothers and a sister. They did everything together, eating, playing, exploring and yes even fighting. He says the only times they were extra nice to one another was if they wanted something. Sounds like my family. I have four brothers and one sister. The things I remember all of us doing in a group were working in the garden, as I mentioned before, cleaning up after dinner; one would clear the table, one would wash, one would rinse, one would dry, one would put away and one of us had the night off. Sometimes when we were cleaning up, we would toss the dishes across the kitchen (making sure mom and dad didn't see) to the person who was putting them away in the cupboards. That was always fun! We also went on several canoe trips when I was a child as a family. Ask me sometime about our trip across Blue Mountain Lake up in the Adirondacks, that was a scary/fun time.
Anyway, it is as a group that we form memories and learn to trust one another. We fail and make mistakes too, but hopefully the bond is strong enough to keep it from breaking the relationship all together.
Jesus and his disciples lived together much like my family, and Moore's family did. The good, the bad and the ugly. It is through reading about Jesus and his disciples that reminds us of the many spiritual benefits we enjoy together with members of our small groups (Moore, 2007).
As we discussed earlier about the spiritual practices of prayer, Bible study, thinking, examination and service/ministry on our own, lets look at how the dynamic changes when we practice these in a group.
Prayer. Prayer is powerful, and we know that He hears us when we pray alone and with others Doesn't it make you feel better when you can ask others to pray for you? Especially because you know they will. So, when you have a special need, ask your small group to pray for you too.
Bible study. Bible study with a group is amazing. I'm learning so much right now in the Bible study group I am in. We started right from the beginning and I am in awe of how much bigger In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 is. If I wasn't in this class learning from the group leader and the others in there, I would have never know. It is amazing, and I know I said that before but it's true.!! So studying the Bible with others, give a whole new perspective, things we never even would have thought of, or maybe did but the group gives it support. Find a small group and ask questions of one another, even if you think they aren't right, because that is what it is all about, learning. Think about it, if we already knew everything then we wouldn't need anyone, right?
Thinking. Being in a group leads to opening our minds to think about other possibilities, and as we think about these we can share them with the others. Specifically about a Bible verse that is being studied, and not only do we think about it there and how it ties into life today, we continue to think about it later when we are alone or with others. God will clear your mind to knew understanding so that we can hear what He says.
Examination. As we discussed earlier about self examination about our spiritual journey and then sharing what we discovered with an accountability partner, in a group this also holds true. We are held accountable for our attendance and commitment to the group. As group members we must learn to;
- Be committed to the group for an extended period of time
- Trust one another
- Submit to one another
- Be open and honest with each other
- Maintain confidentiality with what members share
Service/ministry. Think how much more can be done with a group of Christians in this area! Sometimes we are called to service or ministry alone, and when we are open to this we can do great things in the name of Jesus, for His honor and glory!! Several people in our church have done this and what an impact it has had on their lives. They can share it with us, but we can't really know how it felt to experience it. But, if we do service and ministry as a group, then it forms a stronger bond between group members, because we all experienced it. For instance in our church we do a Go-Weekend where anyone who wants to comes to the church to volunteer for the day. Some of us go to the Park and clean up, others go to someone's house and do whatever needs to be done. When we are done we are closer for it, and have shared in being the hands and feet of Jesus. Very cool!
So as you go out today think about the groups you are in, are they feeding you on your spiritual journey? What ways can your groups make a difference in Jesus name? There are more than these five ways to grow in your spiritual group, so think of how you can make a difference.
Remember: Christ meets you in new ways when you participate in a Christian group.
God Bless!
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