Month: August 2024

solitude prayer

More Benefits Of Solitude

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At first, solitude may feel monotonous or like a heavy burden. If you patiently practice it, in time you will know the benefits of solitude; it will be close friend. Then your soul has developed an important spiritual affection. If we don’t persevere in solitude until it becomes natural for us then it will always feel like an unpleasant task. One of the important benefits of solitude is that we learn to take our sins seriously and view them as God does. If we tend to overlook our sins, solitude gives us time to feel the proper remorse. Every sin is a sin against a relationship. Should God grant us spiritual sweetness if we are not remorseful about our sins? In solitude we remember that the distractions of the world will all turn to dust. In solitude we have time to fully absorb God’s word. Solitude and the word equip Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

God Loves The Poor – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?” James 2:5 (NLT) James 2 warns churches against favoritism, especially against favoring the rich, who often oppressed the poor. Then he gives this tremendous encouragement to believers who are poor; God loves the poor and will bless them. God chooses the poor to be rich in faith, and though they are poor now, in eternity they will gain far more than anyone on earth ever had. They will inherit the Kingdom of God! Thus, there is no shame in being poor because God loves the poor. Those who are poor are often more willing to admit their neediness which is the kind of humility that God likes to reward. And the reward is a treasure of faith in God, which is Continue Reading →

solitude prayer

Why Be In Solitude?

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Authentic relationship with God grows in community, but it also requires solitude. We need time to shut everything else off and just be with God in Christ. In solitude we can focus on giving to God and receiving from him. In solitude we can meditate on Jesus and on scripture which produces deep change in us. In our meditation we should frequently remember all that God has given us. In meditation we also open up to the sins and weaknesses God wants to purify. It is hard to find time for prayer and meditation in solitude, but if you cut out trivial conversations and activities then you will find enough time. Then you must determine a way to find solitude, just as Jesus did early in the morning. Find a time and place where you can escape. It is in solitude that our relationship with God grows deep and strong. Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

Christ Shares His Blessings To Us – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“We have come to share in Christ” Heb. 3:14a (ESV). The Greek word for “share” in this verse means participate, or be a partner. We actually participate in Jesus. Think how incredible this is! We love Jesus for his unsurpassed life on earth. We love his wisdom and love and compassion. He is the one we worship. And in spite of our faults, Christ shares his blessings with us. This is yet another biblical mystery we can’t fully understand, but we continually grow in the reality of it. We participate in Christ’s righteousness, in his power, in his love and in his light. We see something similar to this idea in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (ESV) When we stay true to Continue Reading →

exercise

How To Gain More Willpower For God

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Do you find that you lack willpower to make the godly choices you want to make? Do you find yourself repeating the same fault over and over? If you want more willpower perhaps it needs some exercise. When God gave us a new birth this included a new will because it was created in God’s image. Ephesians 4:24 says, “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (ESV). So, just as our new mind and new affections should grow spiritually stronger so too should our new will. We should have more willpower to do good. Every part of us should grow more Christlike. If we sharpen our resolve to overcome the Enemy and to control our destructive desires, then we will soon find victory over temptations to our flesh. In this battle it is helpful to avoid wasteful activities and instead make Continue Reading →