Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:57-66 – Elizabeth Gives Birth To John

Luke 1:57-66 – Elizabeth Gives Birth To John

LK1:57 Now Elizabeth’s time came to fulfillment for her to give birth, and so she bore a son. LK1:58 Now her neighbors and relatives heard that YHWH[1] had shown His mercy to her and they rejoiced together with her. LK1:59 Then the time arrived on the eighth day that they went to circumcise the child. They all wanted to name him Zechariah. LK1:60 But, his mother answered and said: “No! He will be called ‘John’!” LK1:61 Then they all said to Elizabeth: “No one among your relatives is called by that name.” LK1:62 So they motioned to the baby’s father and asked him what he wanted to name the boy. LK1:63 Then Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote – “John is his name.” And everyone was astonished. LK1:64 Instantly his mouth and tongue were opened and he began to speak praising The God. LK1:65 Now all those living in his neighborhood became frightened, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea everyone began talking about these matters. LK1:66 Everybody who heard about it continued to wonder inwardly about all of this, saying: “Who will this child become? For surely YHWH’s hand[2] was with him.”

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[1] YHWH: The article is missing and may suggest the Tetragram once occurred here.

[2] YHWH’s hand: The Greek is KYRIOS without the article.

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Preceding

Luke – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Introduction to the Third Gospel

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:1-4 – A Factual and Logical Statement

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:5-7 – Zechariah and Elizabeth

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:8-17 – An Angel Appears to a Priest

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:18-22 – Struck Dumb For Disbelief

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:23-25 – Elizabeth Pregnant

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:26-38 – Gabriel’s Appearance to Mary

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:39-45 – Mary Visits Elizabeth

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:46-56 – Mary Magnifies God

Celebrating the evening of 15 April 2022 as a festival to Jehovah God

Tomorrow Friday, April the 15th of the year 2022 we remember what happened in the month Jehovah demanded it to be the first month of the year for the people of God.

“1  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” (Ex 12:1-2 NIV)

Jehovah had spoken about a “Passover to God”, where He was going to go through the land of Egypt on that specific night and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, whether human or animal, and was going to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt, because they should come to know that He, Jehovah is The God. And that day should be remembered year after year as a lasting ordinance, meaning a ritual practice “for ever”.

“13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Ex 12:13 NIV)

Tomorrow evening will be the beginning of a memorial day for us, where even not with many, because of the Corona limitations, we will celebrate the evening as a festival to Jehovah God, like it is already done from one generation to the next generation.

14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.” (Ex 12:14 NIV)

“10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. ” (Ex 13:10 NIV)

But the evening shall be more than just keeping a “Festival of Unraised Bread” like the Jews do.

For us, it is an extra special night, where we recognise that God has provided an other “lamb” for our families which was slaughtered as the Passover lamb.

As the Jews had to keep that word and ordinance that God had given, Jesus too, with his disciples kept to the law, and at that night also asked his disciples to remember that night. The reason Jesus was coming together in the upper room in Jerusalem was that they had to bring the Passover sacrifice to God who passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt when He hit Egypt with death but rescued them.

“26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshipped.” (Ex 12:26-27 NIV)

It is our task to tell our children why we are gathering tomorrow night. that they come to learn how God rescued His people the first time, by deliberating them from the Egyptian slavery.

“that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.”” (Ex 10:2 NIV)

“On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’” (Ex 13:8 NIV)

“14 “In days to come when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’” (Ex 13:14-15 NIV)

Even when there are already centuries past, it is still necessary to tell our children how God’s Hand was with His People and how He still wants to be with us and saving us from any bondage.

“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” (De 32:7 NIV)

The Israelites had lived in Egypt 430 years and at the end of the 430 years, to the very day, God’s entire army left Egypt whilst God kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as He brought them out of Egypt.

Because Jehovah the God of gods, kept watch, all Israel for all generations will honour God by keeping watch this night — a watchnight.

“41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honour the LORD for the generations to come.” (Ex 12:41-42 NIV)

People may find it strange that we keep the participation of the bread and wine only for baptised members. But as it was not up to foreigners to eat of the Passover meal, so it is still today.

“43  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: “No foreigner is to eat of it. 44 Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, 45 but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.” (Ex 12:43-45 NIV)

In addition to the deliverance of God’s People from Egypt, we remember that special ‘lamb‘ that God provided for all people in the world. It is the Nazarene Jew Jeshua ben Josef (Jesus Christ) who had prepared himself to do fully the will of his heavenly Father and therefore offered himself as a ransom sacrifice. It is thanks to Jesus’ sacrificial act that deliverance has now come to all who are willing to accept that sacrifice.

We celebrate it in community, even when not all in the same house of place, we consider us to be united by the bond of our baptism.

In the past we allowed visitors, friends and interested people to see how we remembered that day. But this year, like last year, the places in our ecclesiae are limited, and therefore our memorial service shall only be open to members of our community.

(Sorry folks. Next time, when Covid may belong to the past, you all shall be welcome again.)

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Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Het vieren van de avond van 15 april 2022 als een feest voor Jehovah God

Preceding

Fellowship over meals

Coming together for a meal to remember a special lamb

Another year of 14 Nisan with restricted access

Those who Jesus can call friends

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

When Belonging to the escaped ones gathering in Jesus name

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Additional reading

1. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
2. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
3. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
4. Trust in the blood of the Lamb God provides
5. The Last Supper was a Passover meal
6. Objects of God’s final wrath
7. An unblemished and spotless lamb foreknown
8. Trust in the blood of the Lamb God provides
9. Redemption #4 The Passover Lamb
10. Redemption #5 The perfect sacrifice
11. Ransom for all
12. Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan
13. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
14. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
15. Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal
16. A meal as a mitzvah so that every generation would remember
17. Partakers and sons of the Realm
18. The Most special weekend of the year 2018
19. Soon it shall be Erev Pesach and Passover 2019
20. A special weekend for Jews, Messianics, Jeshuaists and Christians
21. Able to celebrate the Passover in all of its prophetic fulfilment

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Related

1. A Simple Easter Passover Lesson for Kids
2. Pesaj / Pesach
3. PassoverPassover Circa 33 AD; Hallel
   A Passover Gift
4. Pascha – Death is not the end
5. The Week of Passover, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
6. The Stronghold of Passover – Blood of the Lamb
7. Passover: The Sacrificial Lamb
8. The Lamb of God
9. Blood Poured Out
10. Lamb of God
11. Nisan 14 — Good Thursday

Vox populi anything but Vox Dei

When Jesus went around speaking and doing miracles many gathered around him and his disciples. Some wanted to be part of those around Jesus and where happy to chant for him that he was praised.

Some or perhaps many of those who chanted at the gates of Jerusalem

Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.

a few days later were perhaps crying with others to have him impaled.

They had expressed their delight and expectation.

Alas! how soon this gleam of sunlight gave place to black darkness. The day of palms was closely followed by the day of crucifixion. Thus fickle are the sons of men. “Vox populi” is anything but “Vox Dei.” {Spurgeon}

In the olden times, the Israelites were accustomed to use this cry,

“Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,”

when their heroes returned victorious from the battlefield. When they went up to the temple to give thanks publicly to God for victories over their enemies, they were met by the people, with this exclamation of joy,

“Blessed, is he that cometh in Jehovah’s name.”

Very unlike to the cries of other nations! Some nations only extolled the heroes, but the people of God see the hand of God, and they mark that the hero only comes in the name of the Lord, and while they give him blessings and wish him every good thing for what he has done, yet the praise is ascribed to the Master in whose name he comes — even Jehovah. {Spurgeon}

Now the people could see the Nazarene master teacher coming to the capital. He was looked at as a hero, even as a king. They seemed to be aware that this one who always claimed to be a sent one from God, was the

“Blessed … that cometh in the name of Jehovah.”

In a few days time the people present in Jerusalem for Passover had changed their mind and expressed their dislike for the one who had spoken about a coming Kingdom of God.

Also today we can find lots of people who do not want to accept Jesus for whom he is. They do not accept the words God Himself said about this man

“… “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”” (Lu 3:22 NIV)

They refuse to accept Jesus as the son of God and have made him into their god, telling others he is “god the son”. Many made Jesus into their idol or “god son” instead of accepting that he is the sent one from god, they claim he would be God having come down to earth. They seem to ignore the writing in the Holy Scriptures

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,” (Ga 4:4 NIV)

Instead of thanking God for sending his son, they worship that Nazarene man who always asked not to adore him but to worship his heavenly Father. Jesus even taught them how to pray (the Lord’s prayer).

God had given the people the time to get to know His sent one, who came to declare God’s Word and to bring the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. He allowed Jesus to have an entry in His City as a king as an ‘advance mirroring’ or mirror image of the one who was going to return and to enter the capital of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is that king spoken of in the many prophecies.

But the majority of people want to adhere to people’s theories and stick to human traditions and festivals instead of keeping to the festival days God gave mankind. Like in Jesus time when lots of people wanted to please the Pharisees and wished to lick the feet of the Jerusalem administration, today lots of people prefer licking the feet of their religious institution. Most often they do everything to show others they are part of the “Vox populi”. Many are literally afraid to be looked at someone of the “Vox Dei,” the People of Jehovah. Several even go so far to become anti-Jehovah people.
One could consider them belonging to the many who like to shout with others, but do not dare to bring out their personal voice in public when they stand alone.

Let us make it clear we belong to Vox Dei, Jehovah’s people, and be real followers of the real Jesus Christ, the Messiah or anointed, the son of God, who gave his life for us all.

Let us not be deaf and blind like there were so many in Jesus time. In that day the moment of no excuse had come. Before that day if could be said that the day was coming when God would sent His son. Now the time has come we should know that this sent one shall restore the nation of Israel. It is him they could see entering Jerusalem. We too should come to recognise that sent one who is to bring peace and salvation and to set up his Kingdom on earth. We should be thankful to God for that sent one who is going our king and act as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. and invited us to be part of his body.

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Preceding

Israel, Fitting the Plan when people allow it

Matthew 21:1-3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Ahead for a Donkey

Matthew 21:4-5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Your King Is Coming upon a Donkey

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

God’s Face shining on His servant

Multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David

10 Nisan An entrance for a king

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Additional reading

1. Entrance of a king to question our position #1 Coming in the Name of the Lord
2. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be

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Related

1. Exodus 33-34: Reflections of Glory
2. January 22, 2019 – Grafted In, by Faith, the Gift of God- Romans 10:13-24
3. More meanings from the margins
4. 54. A Time to Regain our Identity
5. Verse of the Month: February 2019
6. A Lesson Unlearned
7. God’s Holy People On Display
8. Sermon Recording- Persecuted People (Acts 5.12-42)

Summer time to spend some more time at the growing process of your faith

Most of the time of the year people have an excuse that they have no time because they have to do this or that for work. Work often gets the first place and next comes the time to do the shopping for the household-duties and cooking. After a full day of work, cooking and eating there is ample good family time and most of it is used to relax. Not so much time is made free to read and study the Bible.

In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

July and August are the moths lots of people do have some time for themselves. It is that free time which is also ideal to pick up your Bible and do some reading in it. The Summertime is ideal to take some time off and to think about more important matters than money and work to get the money in the till.

These Summer-months are also the good time to cultivate your personal devotional time. Throughout the year we spend enough time for making sure enough money shall come in to be able to live relaxed or in a good way. For some people the relaxing bit does not seem to come any more because work has taken them up so much that it burns them up. Today we see many people with a burn out, not happy any more, but so frustrated it seems to eat them up. They do not seem to find a source to renew their energy any more. Though they should know there is A Source available for all people to recharge and also to come out stronger. Lots of people do not want to know about that Source, but it is ‘set apart’ or ‘holy’ source. It is a Living Water provided by an unending Source of Life. It comes from the Divine Creator Who is the eternal Spirit God. He is the source of all spiritual development, Which cannot be neglected by man. Without that Source man cannot grow and can not become mature. Transformation begins with time in His Word and prayer. And now is an ideal time to take time for it.

Man’s goal is to become more independent and self-sufficient as we age. But in the spiritual realm, the opposite is true. Those who are mature in Christ and in his heavenly Father recognize their own inadequacy and rely on the Holy Spirit within them. They know Jesus could not do much without That Only One God. Jesus was very well aware that all he did was only possible because God allowed him to do so and because God wanted him to give the Power to do so. We too need power in our life. We, like Jesus, do need the Strong Hand of the heavenly Father to guide us and to pull us over our difficulties, the many gorges and ravines. In Him we should trust and feel secure.

Now the Sun-rays heats the earth around us, we can feel her warmth also as a source of energy. Forgetting all about work we can stroll in the God given nature and see all the beauties of it, where when at work we do not have much time for.

So let yourself go, take time of, and enjoy the beauties of nature. But do not forget Who is the Source of it and give also some spare time to Him. Now when off from work it is time to make time for God and to read His Words, the Bible. Now it is time to take on our other life job, giving ourself to God so that He can do His job to transform our character and empower us to accomplish everything He calls us to do.

Getting older doesn’t mean maturity in God’s eyes. By digging into Scripture and developing righteous habits, we can use our years to grow stronger in the Lord instead of wasting time with passivity. No one accidentally becomes mature. Spiritual growth requires a diligent pursuit of God.

Do not waste your time, give some precious time to your Creator and allow yourself being modelled by Him.

Photograph taken from Unwind & De Stress

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Additional reading

1. Allow yourself a chill-out day
2. Time to Unwind
3. Holiday making and dreaming
4. Give your worries to God
5. Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel
6. Shabbat Mevarchim opening to the Summer-holiday period
7. 2016 Summer holiday
8. Home-stayers and their to do list
9. Holiday time reading time
10. Summerholiday season time to read the Bible
11. Of the many books Only the Bible can transform
12. Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share
13. Counting sands and stars
14. Happy August!
15. An uncovering book to explore
16. Psst! Spread The Good Word!
17. Character transformed by the influence of our fellowships
18. Christ entered our world to transform our lives

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Further reading

1. Humans choose to live in a world full of hate, war, and disharmony
2. Feel like you’ve been through the wringer?
3. Feeling Down…
4. Burn-out
5. Know the signs to combat workplace stres
6. Can You Choose Well-being over Burn-out
7. Setting Boundaries
8. Prayers for Burn Out
9. The Best Of The Season – haiku by Dennis Allen Lange
10. The Good Summer Vibes You Need Today
11. My summer of changes
12. Don’t Work
13. Priority
14. Everyone takes leaps of faith
15. A stargazer’s thought
16. Of everything celestial and a tiny speck; You. 
17. The Perfect Plan
18. Summertime
19. Summertime by Kelly F. Barr
20. July Family Vacation and More
21. July 2017’s 6 Grateful Things List
22. The Fleeting Days of Summer..
23. Early August
24. Happy August!
25. Life Lately: The Best Things About Summer
26. A Lot of “Lately”
27. Summer Memories Relived at Santa’s Village 
28. Hope and Faith
29. Lord’s True Love
30. Today, I Will Trust God To . . . .
31. Do What You Can do First? Wrong!
32. You Must be in the Dark to See the Light
33. You Can Overcome Your Fears and Challenges. Yes, You Can!
34. Knowing Your Purpose
35. God Doesn’t Ask Us To Try
36. You are Invited
37. God’s Pruning Instrument
38. His Word always produces fruit
39. Pour Out Your Hearts
40. “Live Redeemed”
41. Trust God!
42. Trust God (by the pup studio)
    Forever O Lord..

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• His art is a way of ‘meeting with the divine,’ iconographer says
• You may not understand His plans, but the results will prove that His way is right
• “May the Road Rise Up to Meet You” the story behind the traditional Irish blessing
• Why is it so difficult to trust God?
• A Particular Type of Heartsickness
• Holy Spirit Church
• Get ready for God’s restoration
• Lord Carey’s son attacks Church over lack of ‘sadness and sympathy’ for his father over abuse inquiry
• See Striking Portraits of Summer Nostalgia
• The Christian president of Hobby Lobby is building a $500 million ‘Museum of the Bible’ – here’s everything we know

Praying is surrendering in all circumstances

Patience and self-control

It takes patience and self-control to trudge through difficult times, and it requires from us some faith in that what is promised to us in the very old days.

With praying we can ask but also say thank you and give praise. When everything goes right it is easy to forget God or it may also be easy to say thanks to God for times of health and prosperity. But when things go wrong or we do have a lot of problems it might be more difficult to say thanks to God. Though it is not so easy to thank God for our times of trials, storms, and adversity, we are called to give thanks in All circumstances.

Praying to God is also giving Him our heart and showing Him that we do have faith in His intentions and purpose.

Growing closer by surrendering

In our faith life we do have to grow closer to the Most High Elohim. We can do that by regular intensive study of His Word. In the Bible we can find lots of prayers which we can see as examples but which we also can use as prayers to Jehovah. In good but also in bad times we should decide to praise Him in the midst of happy moments, our bad moments, our pains and sorrows. We should not see it as a sacrifice of praise but as a gift of surrender to the One Who we do love and Who offered us the Grace of Salvation.

In this world where not many do love God it might well be that we do need some courage to show our gratitude and love for God. When we do surrender to the Divine Creator, The Elohim Hashem Jehovah this will give our heavenly Father much joy and probably cause the enemy much discomfort. Our relationship and our conversation with God will also serve as a quiet witness to those all around us.

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune:
if it is good, because it is good,
if bad, because it works in us patience,
humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
~C.S. Lewis        

When we surrender to Christ and to his heavenly Father the peace of Christ will always greet us if we lift up our needs in prayer, like Jesus did also to his heavenly Father. God loves us so much that he gave His only begotten son, who showed so much love for the world that he gave his body. Jesus restored the relationship between God and His creation so that we now all can come up to Him as His children. When we are prepared to give ourself in His Hands than peace that transcends all understanding shall be available for us as for every child of God. It is never withheld or out of reach. This peace comes when we surrender our challenges and submit to God’s plan, trusting Him to equip us for every obstacle.

Intimacy with God

When we pray we are prepared to want to experience intimacy with God. To be able to do that we do have to free our mind of our daily  ‘besognes” or worries. Our mind which is so often too preoccupied with all that is going on around us we do have to liberate from those problems and thoughts that haunt us.

When we purposely draw near to God with the hopes of Him drawing near to and speaking to us, we have to remember the primary way God speaks to us. He primarily speaks to us through His Word. That Word was brought to us by men of God, His prophets of which Jesus is the most important prophet and Master Teacher. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread…” He was not teaching them to pray for food or provision. He was teaching them to meditate on the scriptures — the Word of his heavenly Father, the Only One God, to Whom Jesus gave all honour, prayed and learned us to pray to.

Chose to associate with who

To be able to come closer to God we do have to be careful with whom we do want to associate. The people who surround us shall influence us. They also shall cause that we take on a certain attitude, therefore it is important which friends we choose. Avoiding bad people who can influence us in a bad way we can show our good sides to others and be an example for God to attract other lovers of God. Together we can unite to take time to talk about God and His Word and to praise Him in unity.
When you try to go on the right path to come in a good relationship with the Most High, try to clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Leaving the past

In case in the past we did do a lot of bad things we should regret them but not linger with them any more. Leave what happened in the past for what it was. Try to change for the good wherever you can, but that what not can be changed any more or turned back, have pity for it, but continue your way in the good sense. Try to put it away by talking with God about it and demanding pardon. For that what you regret god is willing to give forgiveness. It is not just running away from the past like nothing happened, but it is taking on the right attitude to take on, continue your way in a better direction.

Loving God you should make an end to your old life and build up a new life. By trying to set your self apart from the world, i.e. becoming a saint the first on the list of your concerns should be sharing the love Christ had for you with others. As love is patient you should show patience for yourself and for others, forgiving others for what they did wrong to you and praying for them, showing God you forgive them and you feel with them. when you take on the right attitude to others who wrong you, you shall be able to cure more sins than by wanting to bring condemnation. When you are angry or even mad at some one try to take a moment with God, asking Him for advice, giving Him the ability to help you to do the right thing. You may be angry but do not sin. Always remember that your struggles develop your strengths. We also should always remember that the words we use and the tone in which we use are going to define our but also other’s life. They will speak life or death to ourself but also to our children and their children. Therefore it is important that we balance our thoughts and choose our words rightly. Do not be afraid to ask help to God to find the right words to use. God can give us grace even when we are stressed and overwhelmed, that our children never take the below from our words.

Habits, attitude, action and reaction

Mary Magdalene, in a dramatic 19th-century popular image of penitence painted by Ary Scheffer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We should know that we as creatures of habit, we continually return to what we know. For lots of people the unknown frightens them. Though that we do know is not always the safe place. Sometimes, that is a place of discomfort or sadness or frustration. Sometimes, it is the easy place to be, or the one that keeps us financially stable or under the radar. Sometimes it is not that a situation can’t be changed; it is more that we lack the courage to make change happen. There is risk involved.

Often we can see what is happening but do not dare to react. Often we are afraid for reactions of others. As Christians we should know what is good and what is bad and should dare to speak for what is going wrong. But the way we are going to react is very important and for this we can counsel God first in prayer. Though perhaps there can be lots of things outside ourselves which we can not control, but our inner self, our own being we should be able to control and let it to be guided by God’s Wisdom.

Taking on Christ’s attitude

Always remember that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands when everything goes all right and when you feel comfortable. It is when problems arise that mostly the character of a person comes into the light. In times of problems, challenge and controversy, you have to have self-control and be a worthy follower of Christ, willing to take on his attitude in such circumstances. If you feel you can not tackle it on your own, than is the time ripe to take up prayer. Inner conflict are often the termites of disobedience, so than it is high time to show obedience to God and show your love to His other creatures, not sowing bad things but good things of which you later shall have no regret.

Giving time to the Most Important One

Spending time with God is special whether if “feels” intimate or not and whether I get goosebumps or not. It’s simply great to spend time with the Most High Lord of the lord of lords! In your prayers God always should be your hope.

You can spend time with God with your actions as well with your words.

Switching off your autopilot you can be with your mind with God from the moment you are awake. When standing up, washing yourself, you can take a moment to stop in your mind for a second, while your autopilot does the daily actions, you let your spirit wander into the Hands of God. When you eat your meal, you can savour it, thinking about the taste, texture even temperature, and take time to enjoy that what God gives you daily. On your route to work/school you can look up at the sky, feel the sun, the wind on your face, take time as it were to smell the flowers (metaphorically or in reality if at all possible).

Also at work you can take moments of meditation or prayer. At your desk, take a few deep breaths, then try and notice a few (e.g.five) things you can hear, see and touch and five body sensations you are experiencing. This is one perfect way to de-stress.

Moments for you and God

Several times in the day you should take a moment for yourself and to stretch in a quite space, taking note on how it makes your body feel, where the tension is in your body which you can focus on and breathe into.

Perhaps you think you will loose a lot of precious time that way. But it isn’t. You shall be able to recharge. These moments of meditation and prayer aren’t meant to last a long time,

30 seconds can sometimes be all it takes. Of course if you want to spend a bit longer doing it, by all means do so! {6 Ways to be More Mindful}

You shall not always be able to succeed to have a good meditation or a good chat with the Higher Being. Taking time for yourself and in that time daring to put yourself away from the busy world is not easy. when you feel not happy with your previous meditation session or prayer time, do not find an excuse than to have further delays. Take it as

when you have blown your planned diet or abandoned your exercise routine; when you have ventured down a path that feels like a waste of your time, energy, and talents; when you feel you have betrayed yourself in some way by not following through on your higher intentions; whenever you veer off course or are derailed by some setback, rather than mercilessly beat yourself up about it, rather than bludgeon yourself with self-criticism that only leaves you depressed and demoralized, you can recognize the fact that you’ve wandered from your desired path, identify what happened (and what you might do differently the next time, if it’s yours to do), and then take the opportunity to gently and lovingly collect yourself, redirect yourself, and…

Begin again. {Begin Again}

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Preceding articles:

1. Our openness to being approachable
2. Natural inclinations and Praying and asking
3. Always rejoicing Praying constantly Giving thanks for everything
4. Psalm 66 HRV
5. Psalm 66 OJB
6. Praying and acts of meditation without ceasing

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Additional reading:

1. The business of this life
2. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
3. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
4. God should be your hope
5. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him
6. Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up
7. Philosophy hand in hand with spirituality
8. Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42
9. Getting fate in your change to positiveness
10. A Story of the Soldier and a Spider
11. Running away from the past
12. Walking alone?
13. Preaching to an unbelieving world
14. Control your destiny or somebody else will
15. Malefactors becoming your master
16. Control and change
17. Know Who goes with us and don’t try to control life
18. Wednesday Talk: Favorite Scripture: Rejoice always
19. Tapping into God’s Strength by Waiting on Him
20. God is the strength of my heart
21. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
22. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
23. A man who cannot forgive others
24. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
25. Patience is the ability to count down before blasting off
26. Your struggles develop your strengths
27. Be ye angry and sin not
28. He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger
29. Unconditional love
30. Love will cure more sins than condemnation
31. Careful what you sow, it might grow
32. Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness
33. Angry but not sinning
34. Kindness
35. Be kinder than necessary
36. A treasure which can give me everything I need
37. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
38. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
39. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
40. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #9 Prayer #7 Reason to pray
41. God is my refuge and my fortress in Him I will trust

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Find also to read:

1. Serenity. Courage. Wisdom.
2. Do you want your direction to be more clear?
3. 6 Ways to be More Mindful
4. Benefits of Meditation ☮
5. In Search of the Winter Sun
6. Work with Thoughts
7. It Sounds Very Simple!
8. Begin Again
9. Inside My Head
10. The Understanding of Dee and Meditation
11. The Spiritual Treatment of Anxiety
12. A Prayer for Starting Over
13. A Prayer for New Beginnings
14. Self Discipline

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Related articles

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