"Are You Exhausted Spiritually?"

The everlasting God . . . neither faints nor is weary —Isaiah 40:28

February 8, 2009 "The Cost of Sanctification"

"Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us?" O.C.

February 6, 2009Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering? (2)

"If you don’t deal with God on the level of your will first, the result will be only to arouse sympathy for yourself." O.C.

What should we cook for Tuesday?

We are cooking for 25 people.

Let me know if you are going!

Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering?

If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all —Philippians 2:17

Saturday, January 31st "Do You See Your Calling?"

"If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes."

Thursday January 29th "How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!"

We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— "I delight to do Your will, O my God . . ." (Psalm 40:8).

God wants us to be happy.

Wednesday January 28th "How Could Someone So Persecute Jesus!"

"Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach?" Chambers

Tuesday, January 27 "Look Again and Think"

"Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing-our relationship to Him. But our common sense shouts loudly and says, "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, and I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not."

Monday January 26th "Look Again and Consecrate"

" If God so Clothe the grass of the field...shall He not much more clothe you?"


I think about our situation with our nation and the economy and everything.....and makes me wonder if we have been "rightly related to Him."

Sunday January 25th "Leave Room For God"

"Expect Him to come, but do not expect Him only in a certain way."

Friday January 23 "Transformed By Insight"

College is a time and place in our lives where a lot of change takes place. In this scripture change is taking place, but this change is mirroring the image of Christ. Monitoring the change in our lives is important to make sure it is always for the Lord.

Wednesday January 21 "Recall What God Remembers"

What time and where were you when you read today?

Recall What God Remembers

"Godly Sorrow"

2 Corinthians 7:10 (American Standard Version)

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

I think about the word sorrow and what it evokes cuts deep into my core. When I add the notion of that sorrow being "godly" . . . it flushes my heart, soul and mind exponentially so. . .there are no words.

I think this absence of being able to describe "godly sorrow" may just be the place each of us must be. . .silenced before the "holy". So that the only thing that might be able to give us voice is His Grace, which compels us to go a different direction than we came.

"Are You Fresh for Everything?"

I’ll be putting up the date and title of each devotion. I will make a short comment and try to get the conversation started each day. You guys will have to bear with me because bloging is new to me. If you got question and suggestion let us know. So, with that said here we go!

Today’s reading made me think about the things I depend on. Do I depend on things like a good devotion, church, worship, conversation, etc...? OR Do I depend on God through those things and activities?

I think some times I take for granted “conversation”. Sometimes Ill have an up lifting and renewing conversations with friends and sometimes with strangers. When reflecting on them afterwards I think I give credit to the person rather than God working through that person. I think for me relation and being in conversation is one of the many things I depend on and I don’t always give credit to the Lord for that.

What are your thoughts?

Instructions and Curriculum

If you need any of the materials we looked at Monday here they are.

And if you need them sent as an attachment to your email, let me know.

Instructions for leading.

During the week you will meet with your partner to prepare the message for, Coffee, Tea and Jesus.” Choose your favorite devotion from the week that you want to focus on. Together read the given scripture and the passages surrounding it, to figure out the context. Then prepare the outline and assign jobs. This is a team effort, so before bringing the message, make sure you guys are on the same page and have equal presentation time. The outline on the back and the following instructions are sequenced together for you convenience.

“Read aloud” the devotion to the group.
“Title” Discuss the title. Why is it titled what it is? What is being emphasized?
“Context” Establish the context. What is basically going on in the scripture? (who, what, when and where)
“Themes” Find particular phrases or develop your own short statements, that emphasize ideas or concepts pointed out in the devotion.
“Life examples” In this section discuss examples from your life or from the world around you to help clarify the themes, ideas or concepts. Use metaphors, songs, stories, experiences and etc.
What “Insights and Challenges” did you find or come to know? In relation to the particular themes, how is God working in your life? In what ways do you or other people struggle with these particular themes? What advice you do have? What are some hopes and prayers you have?
“Ask three questions.” Think of how people may respond to the questions. These questions can be rhetorical or they can just have simple answers.
“Sending forth” In a short statement sum up the over all thought of the devotion. What actions do we need to take? What thoughts do we need to make more conscious? What mind set do we need to have?

Instructions for personal study.

First of all, read your devotions each day (they really only take a couple of minutes), try reading once in the morning and then again at another convenient time. Focus on the scripture, and prayerfully meditate on your thoughts. READ and reread!

1. Read each day. It’s important to read at least once in the morning.
2. Remember the title and scripture; this will help you meditate on the over all message through out the day.
3. Always reread. Repetition will help you digest more information.
4. Discover the scripture context (use your bible).
5. Last and most important; develop your own schedule. It’s important to develop routines and habits to incorporate spiritual disciplines into your daily life.




Other questions to consider as you read and study throughout “Coffee, Tea and Jesus.”

How and in what ways is God speaking to me?
Through scripture, relationships, discussions, music, etc…

What is the nature of God found in the scriptures or in the text from “My Utmost for His Highest?”
Characteristics (humble, just, loving, powerful, beautiful, holy, perfect, etc…

What commitments have I made or hope to make?

What blessing has God revealed in my life? What convictions has God revealed to my life?

Through scripture, relationships, discussions, music, etc…..

How can I love and disciple the people around me with the knowledge I have from studying and reading the scriptures.

In what ways am I thankful for the joy I get from God’s many blessings?

How can I use what I know now to further the kingdom of God?

What questions do I still have?











Outline for leading/studying
Read aloud the devotion (1).
Title(2):______________________________________________________________________

Context of the scripture (3): Scripture verse:___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Themes:(4)___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Life examples:(5)______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your insights and challenges: (6)_________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Three questions. (7)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Sending forth: (8) _____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please sign your name to the date you wish to lead devotional.
Monday:
January 19, 2009 ____________________________ and __________________________

January 26, 2009 ____________________________ and __________________________

February 02, 2009 ____________________________ and __________________________

February 09, 2009 ____________________________ and __________________________

February 16, 2009 ____________________________ and __________________________

February 23, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

March 02, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

March 09, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

March 16, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

March 23, 2009-----Spring break!! Continue devotions over the break.

March 30, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

April 06, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

April 13, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

April 20, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

April 27, 2009 ____________________________ and ___________________________

May 04, 2009---Test---special evening! Last meeting for the year.