Transforming Together: Authentic Spiritual Mentoring

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Time

Books are written about it; seminars are attended to maximize it: TIME.

A gift from God to humans.

The Living Word says "Teach us to number our days, to apply our hearts to wisdom." in Psalm 90:12

You see, to grow old is not an option; it happens to all living beings.  It is part of the process of life, of growing, of aging.

However, to grow WISE IS an option!!

Now, THAT'S something to think about!!

There is nothing quite as sad as to see a person with age still coping with life the same way they did when young.  The body grew older but the person did not grow wiser.  Jesus offers us an option: To APPLY OUR HEARTS TO WISDOM.

What does that mean?

It means that we are in the Living Word daily.
It means that we are asking the Holy Spirit to teach us Truth.
It means that we live out the Living Word.
It means that we grow in Him!
We BECOME wise.

A choice.

How about you?  Is it about TIME that you apply YOUR  heart to wisdom?
Jesus invites you to do so.

Applying my heart,  Ele

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Spiritual feeding. Something to which we nod our heads, silently indicating that we know the importance of it.  But do we actually do it?

In the physical realm, we know when someone is not eating, don't we?
How:
* Their appearance
* Their performance
* Their bodily function (or lack of)
* How they invest their time.....

The same is true in the spiritual realm:
We know someone (ourself?) is not spiritually eating, taking in nourishment, when...
* We appear spiritually weak, thin, undernourished
* Our spiritual performance is lacking, dulled, non-existent
* Our spiritual function is no intake, no outgo
* We invest our time in other types of "feedings"...activities, entertainment,sleep....

I was listening to someone the other day who was "so done" with organized religion here in the U.S.
(No argument there!) However, when asked what this person did to spiritually feed themselves, the response was equally disappointing: Basically nothing.  A little "thinking the good thoughts" (whatever that means!), a little talking to God.....spiritual feeding?  I think not.

Friend, Jesus invites us to "come and dine" with Him! How?  By being IN the Living Word SO THAT the Living Word can BE in us!  It's just that simple, that profound, that direct.  I would encourage you to open the Living Word to John, to "the beginning" if this concept is new to you.  Take it slow.  There are no "brownie points" for whipping through chapter upon chapter.  That's just silly. Superficial. A show.
Just like when you sit down to nourish your physical body, you must TAKE A BITE. CHEW on that bite. SWALLOW that bite.  And, without any purposed help from you, your body assimilates the nutrition from that bite.  Then, you repeat the process.

The same is true in the spiritual realm.
Sit down, asking the Holy Spirit to teach you!
Take a bite. (Perhaps four or five word!)
Chew on that bite (think about it!)
Swallow that bite (internalize it)
Allow your spirit, the eternal part of you, to assimilate the nutrition from that bite.
Repeat.

Begin. Continue to grow.....spiritually grow.

Growing w/ you,
Ele

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Baby Birth

The call came at 2:45 a.m.......of course!!!! (Are there ANY babies born during the day?!)
 "Ellen is in labor! We're going to the hospital! Can you meet us there?"  Grandpa Don and I couldn't get ourselves dressed fast enough.  We were across town, passing several Starbucks w/o stopping BTW, to get to where the birth would be.

New life. Possibilities. Freshness. Another chance.

It's good to pause and think about birth.
 It only happens to babies. Obvious, I know. But important.
Birth is natural and needful for a baby.  The baby HAS to pass from where she is to where she needs to be.
The baby does nothing to be born. That is done for the baby by others.
It is a process, not a moment.  The "crowning" moment is full of anticipation; but each moment prior to and after that is just as important to ensure a safe delivery.
There is great joy at the safe arrival of the baby.
There is great grief when that safe arrival doesn't occur.

Do we see spiritual implications here?

New spiritual life.  Possibilities. Freshness. Another chance.

Spiritual birth is needful as well.  We MUST pass from who we are to who Jesus would have us be.
We do nothing to be born spiritually. That is done for us by Jesus.
Spiritual birth is also a process, not a moment.  The "crowning" moment truly is full of anticipation; but each moment prior to and after that is just as important!
There is great joy at the spiritual birth of a human, stepping from Death into LIFE.
There is indescribable grief when that spiritual birth doesn't occur as the one chooses to remain in Death.

These are some of the musings this Nona is having as I await the birth of our sixth grandchild.  My heart is FULL OF LOVE for little Micah BEFORE seeing him, before holding him, before......

.....just as God's heart is FULL OF LOVE for you....HIS child.

Grateful to be born again,
        Ele

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Angels

We know of angels, don't we? They were there in the beginning, are here now, and will share eternity with us.

Angels.

Movies have been made about them; books have been written about them; why, even t.v. has had programs about them.  Humans are basically fascinated with angels....their wings, the glow about them, their ability to appear at just the right moments.....

We need to be careful to base our understanding of angels on the written Living Word of God and nothing else, don't we? How quickly we are swept away in fantasy, allowing the stroke of a director's hand to dictate our theology on these beings.

The little that is shared in the Living Word is intriguing:
* Angels surround the Throne of the Living Holy God proclaiming continual praises
* Angels stand guard at the once entrance to the Garden of Eden
* Angels have various positions and responsibilities in the heavenlies
* Angels interact w/ humans as directed by God
* Angels can strike fear in the human heart, give timely messages or lead to safety
* Angels war against demons as directed by the Living Holy God
* Angels observe humans as they interact with their God

May we appreciate these other beings. May our focus remain on Jesus alone, the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith. May we join the angelic host of heaven in bowing down before and worshipping the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Bowing and worshipping Jesus,
  Ele

(If you would like to know more about Jesus, please, ask someone you know who knows Jesus or I would also be very open to dialoging with you about Him.)