One of the blessings of praying Acts 29 this time is sharing my experiences with other pray-ors. I am blessed to have several persons working with me with whom I can share each day. Thank God for the support of others. In reading another chapter of "Introduction to the Devout Life" today the topic is "The need of a guide for those who would enter upon and advance in the Devout Life". How true this is for me! I must have someone to share my devotional experiences with for confirmation or discussion.
Are you sharing your insights with others? Do you have a spiritual guide to help instruct you in the Christian walk?
I trust that you are keeping the insights written down so we can discuss them together on September 14.
Here is Chapter 4:
CHAPTER IV. The Need of a Guide for those who would enter upon and advance in the Devout Life.
WHEN Tobias was bidden to go to Rages, he was willing to obey his father, but he objected that he knew not the way;--to which Tobit answered, "Seek thee a man which may go with thee:" [10] and even so, daughter, I say to you, If you would really tread the paths of the devout life, seek some holy man to guide and conduct you. This is the precept of precepts, says the devout Avila,--seek as you will you can never so surely discover God's Will as through the channel of humble obedience so universally taught and practised by all the Saints of olden time.
When the blessed Teresa read of the great penances performed by Catherine of Cordova, she desired exceedingly to imitate them, contrary to the mind of her Confessor, who forbade her to do the like, and she was tempted to disobey him therein. Then God spoke to Teresa, saying, "My child, thou art on a good and safe road:--true, thou seest all this penance, but verily I esteem thy obedience as a yet greater virtue:"--and thenceforth S. Teresa so greatly loved the virtue of obedience, that in addition to that due to her superiors, she took a vow of special obedience to a pious ecclesiastic, pledging herself to follow his direction and guidance, which proved an inexpressible help to her. And even so before and after her many pious souls have subjected their will to God's ministers in order the better to submit themselves to Him, a practice much commended by S. Catherine of Sienna in her Dialogues.
The devout Princess S. Elisabeth gave an unlimited obedience to the venerable Conrad; and one of the parting counsels given by S. Louis to his son ere he died was, "Confess thyself often,--choose a single-minded, worthy confessor, who is able wisely to teach thee how to do that which is needful for thee." [11]
"A faithful friend," we are told in Holy Scripture, "is a strong defence, and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure;" [12] and again: "A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him." [13] These sacred words have chiefly reference, as you see, to the immortal life, with a view to which we specially need a faithful friend, who will guide us by his counsel and advice, thereby guarding us against the deceits and snares of the Evil One:--he will be as a storehouse of wisdom to us in our sorrows, trials and falls; he will be as a healing balm to stay and soothe our heart in the time of spiritual sickness,--he will shield us from evil, and confirm that which is good in us, and when we fall through infirmity, he will avert the deadly nature of the evil, and raise us up again.
But who can find such a friend? The Wise Man answers:--"He that feareth the Lord:" [14] that is to say, the truly humble soul which earnestly desires to advance in the spiritual life. So, daughter, inasmuch as it concerns you so closely to set forth on this devout journey under good guidance, do you pray most earnestly to God to supply you with a guide after His Own Heart, and never doubt but that He will grant you one who is wise and faithful, even should He send you an angel from Heaven, as He sent to Tobias.
In truth, your spiritual guide should always be as a heaven-sent angel to you;--by which I mean that when you have found him, you are not to look upon him, or trust in him or his wisdom as an ordinary man; but you must look to God, Who will help you and speak to you through this man, putting into his heart and mouth that which is needful to you; so that you ought to hearken as though he were an angel come down from Heaven to lead you thither. Deal with him in all sincerity and faithfulness, and with open heart; manifesting alike your good and your evil, without pretence or dissimulation. Thus your good will be examined and confirmed, and your evil corrected and remedied;--you will be soothed and strengthened in trouble, moderated and regulated in prosperity.
Give your guide a hearty confidence mingled with sacred reverence, so that reverence in no way shall hinder your confidence, and confidence nowise lessen your reverence: trust him with the respect of a daughter for her father; respect him with the confidence of a son in his mother.
In a word, such a friendship should be strong and sweet; altogether holy, sacred, divine and spiritual. And with such an aim, choose one among a thousand, Avila says;--and I say among ten thousand, for there are fewer than one would think capable of this office. He must needs be full of love, of wisdom and of discretion; for if either of these three be wanting there is danger. But once more I say, ask such help of God, and when you have found it, bless His Holy Name; be stedfast, seek no more, but go on simply, humbly and trustfully, for you are safe to make a prosperous journey.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Waiting, praying and praising!!
I was reminded this third time around that praise is a powerful weapon against Satan. I found great encouragement in Ruth Myers' book, 31 Days of Praise. In it Ruth emphasizes that any praise thwarts Satan. She suggests that combining praise with God's Word, especially with verses that magnify Jesus as Victor; praise for the blood of Christ;the victory won on the Cross; and the triumph of the Resurrection, lifting up His name in triumphant faith, will send him cowaring away! This is nothing new to any of us, it is just that we get distracted with all the stuff going on that the enemy sends our direction and we so easily forget to stop, pray, and PRAISE!!
As we continue in this prayer effort, we have all experienced attacks. I could certainly add several to Jerry's list--things that have tried to irritate, grab my attention, and frustrate life on a daily basis. Ruth Myers quotes someone who said, "It's a serious mistake to underestimate the power of Satan; it's a tragedy to overestimate it"--and she adds that it is also a mistake to be overly occupied with it.
So we have two more cycles to go and I sense that the Lord is ready to speak if we are listening and in an attitude of worship.
As we continue in this prayer effort, we have all experienced attacks. I could certainly add several to Jerry's list--things that have tried to irritate, grab my attention, and frustrate life on a daily basis. Ruth Myers quotes someone who said, "It's a serious mistake to underestimate the power of Satan; it's a tragedy to overestimate it"--and she adds that it is also a mistake to be overly occupied with it.
So we have two more cycles to go and I sense that the Lord is ready to speak if we are listening and in an attitude of worship.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Day Twenty-Five: Midway
What an interesting trip this is becoming! There have been all types of mechanical difficulties at our house, some I handled well, others I lost it over. Beth and I have decided that these things are attempts by the enemy to steal our joy, especially during our time of prayer for the church. I praise God for the church, Celebrate Recovery and my sponsor at times like this.
Things are stirring, I feel it and I trust that you are as well. Thanks for praying and post your insights as they arise.
We are half-way through the journey. Watch and see what happens next!
Things are stirring, I feel it and I trust that you are as well. Thanks for praying and post your insights as they arise.
We are half-way through the journey. Watch and see what happens next!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Day Eighteen: Be Devoted Where You Are!
As the days continue in prayer, I see the lack of devotion in my life, primarily focused on the issue of time. God is faithful to me, and has presented several prayer options during this time that have impacted my life in wonderful ways. One is to practice regular times of prayer during the day, focusing on adoration to God and praise to him. I've found that short times of prayer, offered several times a day, add up to extensive prayer time, and help me maintain a devotion that offers strength in my troubles. Phyllis Tickle's book "The Divine Hours" is an excellent guide to practicing constant prayer.
Here is another chapter from Francis de Sales "Introduction to the Devotional Life"
CHAPTER III. Devotion is suitable to every Vocation and Profession.
WHEN God created the world He commanded each tree to bear fruit after its kind; [8] and even so He bids Christians,--the living trees of His Church,--to bring forth fruits of devotion, each one according to his kind and vocation. A different exercise of devotion is required of each--the noble, the artisan, the servant, the prince, the maiden and the wife; and furthermore such practice must be modified according to the strength, the calling, and the duties of each individual.
I ask you, my child, would it be fitting that a Bishop should seek to lead the solitary life of a Carthusian? And if the father of a family were as regardless in making provision for the future as a Capucin, if the artisan spent the day in church like a Religious, if the Religious involved himself in all manner of business on his neighbour's behalf as a Bishop is called upon to do, would not such a devotion be ridiculous, ill-regulated, and intolerable? Nevertheless such a mistake is often made, and the world, which cannot or will not discriminate between real devotion and the indiscretion of those who fancy themselves devout, grumbles and finds fault with devotion, which is really nowise concerned in these errors.
No indeed, my child, the devotion which is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; and that which runs counter to the rightful vocation of any one is, you may be sure, a spurious devotion. Aristotle says that the bee sucks honey from flowers without damaging them, leaving them as whole and fresh as it found them;--but true devotion does better still, for it not only hinders no manner of vocation or duty, but, contrariwise, it adorns and beautifies all. Throw precious stones into honey, and each will grow more brilliant according to its several colour:--and in like manner everybody fulfils his special calling better when subject to the influence of devotion:--family duties are lighter, married love truer, service to our King more faithful, every kind of occupation more acceptable and better performed where that is the guide.
It is an error, nay more, a very heresy, to seek to banish the devout life from the soldier's guardroom, the mechanic's workshop, the prince's court, or the domestic hearth. Of course a purely contemplative devotion, such as is specially proper to the religious and monastic life, cannot be practised in these outer vocations, but there are various other kinds of devotion well-suited to lead those whose calling is secular, along the paths of perfection. The Old Testament furnishes us examples in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, Job, Tobias, Sarah, Rebecca and Judith; and in the New Testament we read of St. Joseph, Lydia and Crispus, who led a perfectly devout life in their trades:--we have S. Anne, Martha, S. Monica, Aquila and Priscilla, as examples of household devotion, Cornelius, S. Sebastian, and S. Maurice among soldiers;--Constantine, S. Helena, S. Louis, the Blessed Amadaeus, [9] and S. Edward on the throne. And we even find instances of some who fell away in solitude,--usually so helpful to perfection,--some who had led a higher life in the world, which seems so antagonistic to it. S. Gregory dwells on how Lot, who had kept himself pure in the city, fell in his mountain solitude. Be sure that wheresoever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life. __________________________________________________________________ [8] Gen. i. 12. [9] It is probable that S. Francis here means to indicate Amadeo IX., Duke of Savoy, who died 1472.
Here is another chapter from Francis de Sales "Introduction to the Devotional Life"
CHAPTER III. Devotion is suitable to every Vocation and Profession.
WHEN God created the world He commanded each tree to bear fruit after its kind; [8] and even so He bids Christians,--the living trees of His Church,--to bring forth fruits of devotion, each one according to his kind and vocation. A different exercise of devotion is required of each--the noble, the artisan, the servant, the prince, the maiden and the wife; and furthermore such practice must be modified according to the strength, the calling, and the duties of each individual.
I ask you, my child, would it be fitting that a Bishop should seek to lead the solitary life of a Carthusian? And if the father of a family were as regardless in making provision for the future as a Capucin, if the artisan spent the day in church like a Religious, if the Religious involved himself in all manner of business on his neighbour's behalf as a Bishop is called upon to do, would not such a devotion be ridiculous, ill-regulated, and intolerable? Nevertheless such a mistake is often made, and the world, which cannot or will not discriminate between real devotion and the indiscretion of those who fancy themselves devout, grumbles and finds fault with devotion, which is really nowise concerned in these errors.
No indeed, my child, the devotion which is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; and that which runs counter to the rightful vocation of any one is, you may be sure, a spurious devotion. Aristotle says that the bee sucks honey from flowers without damaging them, leaving them as whole and fresh as it found them;--but true devotion does better still, for it not only hinders no manner of vocation or duty, but, contrariwise, it adorns and beautifies all. Throw precious stones into honey, and each will grow more brilliant according to its several colour:--and in like manner everybody fulfils his special calling better when subject to the influence of devotion:--family duties are lighter, married love truer, service to our King more faithful, every kind of occupation more acceptable and better performed where that is the guide.
It is an error, nay more, a very heresy, to seek to banish the devout life from the soldier's guardroom, the mechanic's workshop, the prince's court, or the domestic hearth. Of course a purely contemplative devotion, such as is specially proper to the religious and monastic life, cannot be practised in these outer vocations, but there are various other kinds of devotion well-suited to lead those whose calling is secular, along the paths of perfection. The Old Testament furnishes us examples in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, Job, Tobias, Sarah, Rebecca and Judith; and in the New Testament we read of St. Joseph, Lydia and Crispus, who led a perfectly devout life in their trades:--we have S. Anne, Martha, S. Monica, Aquila and Priscilla, as examples of household devotion, Cornelius, S. Sebastian, and S. Maurice among soldiers;--Constantine, S. Helena, S. Louis, the Blessed Amadaeus, [9] and S. Edward on the throne. And we even find instances of some who fell away in solitude,--usually so helpful to perfection,--some who had led a higher life in the world, which seems so antagonistic to it. S. Gregory dwells on how Lot, who had kept himself pure in the city, fell in his mountain solitude. Be sure that wheresoever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life. __________________________________________________________________ [8] Gen. i. 12. [9] It is probable that S. Francis here means to indicate Amadeo IX., Duke of Savoy, who died 1472.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Settled
"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" Acts 10:15... Thank you Father for opening our eyes to you... to enable us to see you and those that you place before us. Protect our prayers, Father help us to listen for your quiet voice, give us clarity on how to pray... remind us that we are not and do not have to be a judge... that is your responsibility not ours. Provide to us faith, sufficient faith to understand you have hands and a heart that are more than capable to handle, in your time, anything that we well give to you fully. Help us to make mighty warriors of our children and children's children... Convert the homes and families that are now walking with you into families that are walking IN YOU... Help me to introduce families that do not know you to your Holy Face... reveal to me how I am to increase the Kingdom this day and the next, for the remainder of the life you have given me. Keep me humble, keep me ever vigilant... keep my armor strong... help me feel your presences in Jesus... let your Spirit flow... AMEN
Thursday, August 7, 2008
How Much of God is in a Single Day?
I was reading John Eldredge's blog today and particularly liked this part:
For the past couple days, I’ve been aware (again) of how I hurl myself at life. My ethic is “Stay on top of things.” This I have known for sometime. But the newer revelations have to do with this nagging sense of “I’m blowing it” (this is the G rated version). I often feel that I’m blowing it. I wondered what this had to do with the anxiousness. What do I pray, Lord? “Ask my life to come in. My life.” Yes, it’s about the life of God. So laying there in bed, I’m praying for the life of God to come in.
Later, I am saying my morning prayers. And what is becoming clear to me is how in my youth, through my wounds, I came to believe life is up to me, and how I turned to self-preservation through striving and staying on top of things. I felt I needed to repent of that, right now. I knew how the Enemy gets a stronghold in our lives when we come to these deep resolutions toward self-preservation (they are godless, whatever form they take). I did not turn to God in my youth; I turned to myself. It created an awful burden, to stay on top of things. Now I am anxious. Is there any real wonder why? It felt like a continuation of the prayer time in bed. Jesus, forgive me. Come into this. Cleanse me, heal me.
What was so right on about God’s guidance to invite his life in is that when we live by the life of God, he the Vine and we the branches, then we are connected as we were meant to be, and life is not up to us. So I prayed for the Life of God to come into all these anxious places.
For the past couple days, I’ve been aware (again) of how I hurl myself at life. My ethic is “Stay on top of things.” This I have known for sometime. But the newer revelations have to do with this nagging sense of “I’m blowing it” (this is the G rated version). I often feel that I’m blowing it. I wondered what this had to do with the anxiousness. What do I pray, Lord? “Ask my life to come in. My life.” Yes, it’s about the life of God. So laying there in bed, I’m praying for the life of God to come in.
Later, I am saying my morning prayers. And what is becoming clear to me is how in my youth, through my wounds, I came to believe life is up to me, and how I turned to self-preservation through striving and staying on top of things. I felt I needed to repent of that, right now. I knew how the Enemy gets a stronghold in our lives when we come to these deep resolutions toward self-preservation (they are godless, whatever form they take). I did not turn to God in my youth; I turned to myself. It created an awful burden, to stay on top of things. Now I am anxious. Is there any real wonder why? It felt like a continuation of the prayer time in bed. Jesus, forgive me. Come into this. Cleanse me, heal me.
What was so right on about God’s guidance to invite his life in is that when we live by the life of God, he the Vine and we the branches, then we are connected as we were meant to be, and life is not up to us. So I prayed for the Life of God to come into all these anxious places.
Day Two Revisited
Now that we are in the second cycle of our prayer journey the Lord is convicting me of hypocrisy. As I have revisited old habits of performance, even in prayer and acts of devotion, I have been hungry and thirsty for that sweet fellowship and rest in God's presence, where the flow from His heart comes naturally and easily and seems to be reciprocal. Jerry's blog yesterday made me realize that even in devotion I can be a hypocrit, and how much more so as I consider deeds of kindness, mercy and compassion, but often do not act on them?
hypocrisy: assuming of false appearance of virtue.
Psalms 51 has been my prayer today:
(beginning in verse 6)
"Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.
God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You." (vs.13 end)
May our pulpit continually lift up the Name of Jesus, that the Gospel will be proclaimed, many come to repentance, and may we all learn discipleship without hypocrisy, but with fervency and purity of heart.
Carol (CR)
hypocrisy: assuming of false appearance of virtue.
Psalms 51 has been my prayer today:
(beginning in verse 6)
"Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.
God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You." (vs.13 end)
May our pulpit continually lift up the Name of Jesus, that the Gospel will be proclaimed, many come to repentance, and may we all learn discipleship without hypocrisy, but with fervency and purity of heart.
Carol (CR)
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