What Shall I Be?

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What Shall I Be?

Thursday, April 30, 2015
Jeff Lampl

Begin 

In silence, spend time thinking of your loved ones.   See them in your mind’s eye.   Ask God to give each one of them exactly what they need today, be it a blessing or a hard mercy.   Conclude your silence confident that God will do exactly that.  


Scripture

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”         1 John 3:2 (NKJV)


Reflect  

When my children were young, it had “not yet been revealed what they would be”.   Similarly it has not yet been revealed what each of us shall be.   But this we know.   When a believer meets Jesus face to face, all sin will be “burnt away” and what’s left of us, that part of us which had been given over to God in this life, will be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ  (see also 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).   In short there is a trajectory built into our lives by God.   To what degree does this trajectory direct your day to day life?   To what degree will that trajectory direct your today?


Question to Consider  

There is a “you”, created by God, waiting to be revealed, waiting to burst out into the light, into the real world which is at the moment obscured by darkness.   What is one aspect of the God-created-you, that you have allowed to be kept under wraps, unfree, afraid, but will one day be released, revealed and enjoyed?   What one thing can you do to set that God-given-you free for service in God’s Kingdom today?



Prayer

"Lord, right now I am thinking why not?  Why not allow the ultimate trajectory of what I will become alter what I become today?  Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow.  Forgive me for living fearfully, timidly and selfishly.  Set me free to be a bold and happy lover of you and lover of others.   Amen."



Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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Judgement Day

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Begin 

In silence, use your God given imagination to see God, Christ, present with you, both as a comforting fire and as a cleansing fire.  Imagine Him loving you and cleansing you of sin all at the same time.  

Scripture

“And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame”                 1 John 2:28 (NLT)


Reflect  

To think of Christ returning is to think of judgment.   At your judgment you will give account for how you have lived.   As a believer the moment of judgment should give you peace because the Cross applies to you.  At the same time judgment should make each of us think twice about the short term pleasures we have chosen because they will fade away.   It seems to me that meeting Christ face to face will be a mix of shame and immense relief, joy and amazement, all of which should cause us to reassess how we are living today.   Every decision, action and thought today is creating the experience we will have when we meet Jesus.   They matter.   John said it well.  Live so that you don’t fear “shrinking back from him in shame”.

Question to Consider

Spend a few moments imagining meeting Jesus face to face at your judgment.   How does that scene impact you?  If you feel fear because of your unworthiness, turn the recognition of your sin into grateful amazement that you, even you, have been judged worthy because Christ deems you worthy enough to die for.   If you feel fear because have not yet dealt with your sin and with God then deal with God now and let that change the entire trajectory of your life.

       

Prayer

 

"Lord, judgment is frightening and humbling.  I am humbled that I am judged sinless, and further humbled that I, chief among all sinners, should be counted among the forgiven, accepted and loved.  May that truth become ever more real today, tomorrow, and in the weeks, months and years to come.  Amen."

Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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Listening

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Monday, April 27, 2015
Jeff Lampl

Begin 
Silence and  Stillness  (2 minutes)  Think about the day ahead.  In your mind apply what you know about God to your day.  Play out how that might direct your attitude, decisions and your approach to others.

Scripture

“you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.  And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.  I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray.  But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie.  So, just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ”                 1 John 2:24-27 (NLT)


Reflect  

If you are a believer, you have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).   The Spirit will bring to your mind whatever Jesus wants you to know at any given moment (John 16:14)  

In today’s passage, John reminds us that in order to actually access what we need for today from Jesus we must “remain in fellowship with him”.  This means reorienting your day around God’s will, practice at listening to the various thoughts that come to you and sifting among them so as to discern which voice is God’s voice.   Often the best way to discern God’s leading from other leadings is simply to recall what you’ve read in the Bible and then trust it and then obey it.   Doing so is fundamental to the Sprit-led life.    

What’s John’s ultimate motive for this reminder?   He wants you not to miss eternal life which is available not just in the future but in the now.   Recall that obedience not only leads to abundance, but over time you’ll discover that obedience itself is abundance.

Question to Consider  

What will you face today or this week, big or “small”, for which you need the courage to obey the Spirit’s leading?        

Prayer

“Lord, I do need practice in discerning your voice.  But even more than that I need both the "want to" and the courage to obey the leadings I have already discerned.  I think you're waiting for me to take first steps before I can take next steps. thank you, Lord,  Amen"

Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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How will you spend the Sabbath tomorrow?

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Sunday, April 26, 2015
Jeff Lampl

“You have six days each week for your ordinary work,
but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest,
a holy day dedicated to the LORD.”
Exodus 35:2 (NLT)

Bible Reading.    

The World You Live Your Life In 
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
Antichrists
Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.  These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. 
But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.  So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies.  And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.  Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  
So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.  And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.  
I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray.  But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”        1 John 2:15-27 (NLT)

Reflect on the above passage   

           What questions does it raise?  What encouragement does it give?  What yearnings
           does it awaken? What might God be saying to you through it?  

Rest   Stop, slow down, practice doing nothing, counting all of God’s innumerable blessings,
           thanking Him for them

Have Fun Do something that you enjoy, is fun, and that includes laughter.  

Prayer “Forgive me, Lord, for times squandered.  Inspire me, Lord, with a vision of
            something joyful that I can embrace today.  And Lord, use today’s passage to give
            me something that I need for today  and this week.   In the wonderful Name of Jesus
            I pray.  Amen”

 
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If Anyone Says, "I Love God" Part 2

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Friday, April 24, 2015

Begin 
Silence and  Stillness  (2 minutes)  

Scripture   

¹² I am writing to you who are God’s children
    because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
¹³ I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
    because you have won your battle with the evil one.
¹⁴ I have written to you who are God’s children
    because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
    because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
    and you have won your battle with the evil one.    1 John 2:12-14

Reflect  

Because John (probably John the Elder) is probably quoting familiar, creed-like statements in 2:12-14, many translations like the one above, make this passage look like a quotation. Just as we might quote a hymn, creed or verse of Scripture to remind ourselves what we believe and to what we are committed, so here John quotes these lines to serve exactly that purpose.   They are lines of encouragement and reminder.  

John is taking his readers back to the beginning of their faith, and reminding them of what they have always believed. He has talked about the message that they have had from the beginning (1:1; 2:7), and now he summarizes its content at greater length. He wants his readers to remember who they are, what they have been given, and to remain strong in that.

Question to Consider 

Take a few minutes to reread today's passage.  Which one line encourages you the most?  Why?  What would it mean for you to "live out" the truth of that line as you go through your day today?

Prayer

 

"Lord, it is astonishing to think that I am actually your child, that you forgive the worst of my sins, that you have won the battle over evil because of which I am not a victim, rather I am through you a victor over sin and evil.  Help me today to breathe deep these truths, to stand tall today knowing that wherever I go, you have gone ahead of me and have prepared the way.  In Christ's name, Amen."
       

Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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For more:   follow on Twitter @jefflampl  

Pride

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Thursday, April 23, 2015
Jeff Lampl

Begin 

Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes)  


Scripture

“everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world”        1 John 2:16 (NIV2011)


Reflect          

According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through pride that the devil became the devil: pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind. . . . .it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.”¹

Lewis tells us that pride is “essentially competitive—is competitive by its very nature—while the other vices are only competitive, so to speak, by accident. Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only having more of it than the next man . . . . it is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest.”²

Because of its nature, pride eats away at our relationships. . . .  pride always means enmity—it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man but enmity to God . . . . as long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.”³

The remedy for our pride is humility. “If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited, indeed.”   (C.S.Lewis  Mere Christianity pp 109-111)

Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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If Anyone Says, "I Love God" . . . . . .

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Begin 
Silence and  Stillness  (2 minutes)  

Scripture

“Dear friends . . . . . If anyone claims, ' am living in the light,' but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.  Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.  But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.”       1 John 2:7-11 (NLT)


Reflect  

It’s just not possible.  

I have found it simply impossible to live in the light and freedom and “cleanness” and joy of God’s World when I’ve got someone angry with me or when I’m holding something against another person, especially when that person is another Christian.   God seems to have set up the world in such a way that life, abundant, free and joyful life, cannot be fully had when I’ve got a relationship gone bad.    Have you noticed this?    Holding something against another breeds bad things within me, things like avoidance, blame, self-justification, ill will, desire for punishment.    These things not only separate me from the other, not only hinder me from coming cleanly and honestly before God,  but they also become a stumbling block to the other person.  That person will be held by you in some way, shape or form in bondage to your condemnation of them.  That leaves two people stuck in a lingering darkness.

Question to Consider

 

Do you have something against a Christian brother or sister?  What does that do to you, to your relationship to God and to the other person?  What can/will you do to make things right?        

Prayer 

"Lord, give me the courage to make things right with those who hold something against me or with those whom I am the one holding the grudge.  Thank you for a clear path to reconciliation even if it is only one sided.  Amen"
 

Conclude with Silence   (2 minutes)

 
Comment    

For more:   follow on Twitter @jefflampl