listening, contemplation

You Will Benefit From Contemplation

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Contemplation is simply gazing on something in order to absorb it, not to analyze it or figure it out. Other words that describe contemplation are attentiveness and watching. We could also call it quiet receptivity. An example of contemplation that many of us do is watching a sunset. Usually, when we watch a sunset we just gaze and enjoy. We don’t need to analyze the physics of a sunset or really think about anything; we are just observing and absorbing. You benefit from contemplation through experiencing whatever you contemplate. Contemplative prayer is simply contemplation directed at God. It is not meditation, which is ruminating over something and trying to gain understanding. Meditation is good but it is different from contemplation. In contemplation we simply become attentive to God or whatever we sense God might be doing inside us. In the Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition people sometimes use the phrase “being in God’s Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Sees Your Hidden Good Deeds

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“The good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.” I Tim 5:25b (NLT) Paul makes this statement right after mentioning the coming judgment of all lives. So the encouragement in this passage is that God sees your hidden good deeds and will reward them! This truth, along with our love for God, is why we practice always living our lives in the presence of God. Is not the true test of our godliness the way we live when no one else is around? So we can rejoice in doing unseen good because we are walking with God at that time and He values what we do. And it greatly pleases us that we can do things that make the God of love smile. No matter who has authority over us, we are to do our duties first to the Lord, which should be a blessing to those over Continue Reading →

listening and understanding

Try To Understand Unbelievers

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It’s not reasonable to expect unbelievers to act like believers. Therefore, it is not appropriate to have an accusatory attitude toward them or express forms of accusation to them. We are in this world as lights, not as adversaries to the world. We love our enemies as well those who are not our enemies (which I think covers everyone.) If we should reach the point of discussing the way of salvation with them, then we need to say words to convict them of sin. Until then, we should try to understand unbelievers and convey God’s goodness and blessings for them. If we change our expectations, we won’t be so discouraged when our culture is destructive. In America, our dominant culture has become narcissistic and hedonistic. Self-rightousness abounds, reminding us of the Pharisees that Jesus faced; but American Pharisees are secular activists who condemn anyone who does not follow their preferred Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

We Will Be Rewarded For Our Godliness – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” I Tim. 4:7-8 ESV “Godliness” is another word for Christlikeness, which is God’s top priority in our lives. This passage encourages us that all the effort we put into becoming godly, or Christlike, is more than worth it. Why? Because God promises that in eternity we will be rewarded for our godliness! In the New Creation God will give us blessings for our godliness, and these will be blessings that will be valuable to us in eternity. This is why we “toil and strive” (I Tim. 4:10) now. We are not passive, we do not only receive. Rather, we make efforts, we apply our willpower which has been born again, and we always depend on the Spirit. Continue Reading →

darkness dark night

The Benefits Of Desolation

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Most of us will face seasons in our lives when we cannot sense God anymore. We’ll feel like He left us, or maybe doesn’t even exist. This often happens after we have overcome most of our major external sins. But in spite of our progress, we still can’t connect with God. We think back to times when we felt God’s presence or could clearly see His activity in our lives. We remember the pleasure we had with God, especially during worship, or reading scripture, or prayer. But suddenly our spiritual life seems dry or even dark. We don’t feel the enthusiasm for God we had before. Now we can gain the benefits of desolation. This stage of the Christian life has been experienced and written about by many of the great Christian teachers since the earliest centuries. Some have called it “desolation”; in the 16th century John of the Cross Continue Reading →