Crisis Part 2- The Bible Experiment
Posted on 10. Oct, 2009 by Jeremy in Bible Experiment, Meditation
1-2 At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down.
3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them well.” They used brick for stone and tar for mortar.
4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let’s make ourselves famous so we won’t be scattered here and there across the Earth.”
5 God came down to look over the city and the tower those people had built.
6-9 God took one look and said, “One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they’ll come up with next—they’ll stop at nothing! Come, we’ll go down and garble their speech so they won’t understand each other.” Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That’s how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into “babble.” From there God scattered them all over the world. Genesis 11
Lectio: 10 minutes
Meditatio: 10 minutes
Oratio: 5 minutes
Contemplatio: 5 minutes
Lauren W
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: scattered
Meditatio: Right now a lot of things in my life are scattered. Im having trouble prioritizing whats important and what isn’t and how to manage my time well. I feel like a lot of my thoughts have been scattered as well lately and i have been having trouble staying focused on where God is leading me.
Oratio: God, right now there are so many things going on around me. I pray that you will just help me prioritize and lead me in the right direction. Help me gain back focus and get back on track as i grow in my walk with you, Lord. Amen.
Contemplatio: overbearing
Dianne
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: Scattered
Meditatio: In this passage God scattered the people all over the world so they couldn’t finish building. I believe You “highlighted” this particular word for a different reason. You have “scattered” your children w/ in schools, communities, and within our friends so that we can take your word to others. We can’t just stay in one single place enjoying Your perfect will, it would be selfish of us, so You have scattered us in order to reach out and invite other people into Your kingdom.
Oratio: Father, help me to be contageous for You where ever I go and use me to make Yourself know.
Contemplatio: calm..
Landon
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: garble
Meditiatio: “Confuse”
I need to have faith in God to know that he does have a destiny for me. I need to stop being confused with what the world has thrusted upon with all the lies. For your plan is the only plan for me. He has a destiny for each and everyone of us.
Oratio: Dear God, help me not to be so confused. Help me know that the destiny you have given me is the only destiny for me and that no one could ever change that. Amen
Contemplatio: relieved
tommy
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: settled down
Medidtatio: I have to settle down and stop worrying so much about stupid stuff. i have to get back to being consistent in my reading and prayer. i have to stay focused on whats important.
Oratio: “Lord help me to get back to being consistent. Help me to stay focused on you.”
Contemplatio: calm
melissa
Oct 10th, 2009
Word(s)- “One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they’ll come up with next”
Meditatio – Our society has become like that of these people. We have become a self-centered nation just like they were. I think that God is going to judge America, like he judged them. Not in the same way, but i believe judgement is coming.
Sara
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: built
Meditatio: I’m still in shock and in disbelief about how I’m where I am now… I’ve finally captured the true meaning of love. Over a year ago I thought God was just a made up fairytale that people used so they could feel “safe” and to me they were an imbecile but my first encounter changed everything and I have been built over the year that He does love and He did break my chains and He sees things in me I’ve never seen before! I’m so undeserving but thankful of His compassion and love and the people that were brought into my life that love, fight, wrestle, care and grow in God. Recently I had a vision of me climbing a never ending mountain and I’ve come to decide that that mountain is my relationship with God, I never looked down while climbing, that truly excites me… our relationship is being built right this second. I love God, what can I say- I’m Daddy’s little princess!
Oratio: Father, I don’t understand why you’re so good to me. You seem to never look back on my past failures and you see accomplishments in the future. My trust is growing rapidly, I’ve noticed. From the core of who i am I just have this feeling of how much i dont deserve you and over the week as you talked to me about blessings I can’t help but cry in thankfulness. God you’ve seen somethings that has been going on lately and I just want to let you know for the first time that I actually mean it, I DO trust you… I’m not so sure why it’s been so hard to admit and believe that i do, but God, as we’re growing and our relationship is building I cant help but trust you, you’re my everything! You’re amazing and indescribable! Father, I love you with this deep love that I can’t exactly comprehend but it’s there and it sure is real.
Contemplatio: indescribable.
Millie
Oct 10th, 2009
lectio: quit
Meditatio: Sometimes I find myself in a place of deep discouragement. I feel like I am fighting so hard and I am not seeing any results. I know that a huge part of this is prayer, and with some things, I may pray about for years before I see anything happen. But, I have still been feeling discouraged lately. It’s just getting tough.
I keep hearing, “Don’t quit.” No matter how hard, it gets, no matter what happens, God is in control and thats a whole lot better than me being in control. God has bigger things for us than we can see at the moment. He has a victory waiting for us on the other side if we will just hold on and trust him.
But on the other hand, I am also hearing “Quit.” Quit being scared, quit doubting. And start having faith, start trusting.
Oratio: God, I need you so badly. There is not a minute that goes by when I don’t desperately need you. You are so good, and I love you. Thank you that you are faithful, that you always have the victory. Father, please help me to stop being scared and to stop doubting your power and your plan. I have just been so scared lately. Please take out that spirit of fear and replace it with hope, and peace, and strength, and encouragement. Help me to push through these hard times, knowing that you won’t let it end here. What is happening now is outside of the kingdom. Help me to remember that you are going to win. You are always victorious. Sometimes I forget that. Help me to remember that you are in control. Thank you for all that you are and for all that you are showing me.
Comtemplatio: not awesome
Jesse
Oct 10th, 2009
Lectio: Same Language
Meditatio: Language is such a powerful instrument so moving and invting and so very much mysterious.. language connects us as humans to better understanding of each other particulary to me personally it’s appears almost spiritual because of how powerful it is, it’s so deep but we take it for granted. body language, verbal and spiritual; those are all ways that God allows us to tap into his heart and to hear him speak. The downside is we dont speak the same language, we speak in different voices, we cannot learn all of the problems of the world and we wont, we cant completely understand why one country has been completely comsumed with poverty, diseases, famine. That constantly sticks to my mind, why does the country that I grew up in have to be filled with such poverty, such restlessness, starvation, deaths.. I get very frustrated every time i think of that. are they not humans, do those kids not deserve to live past three? why do they have to see their parents get killed right before their eyes, how do they not have enough food? Does God not hear the cries of his precious children? do people not care for people who are not of the “same language?”
Oratio: Dear God i pray for a new generation to rise for you father allow people to become spiritually transparent and you to speak through them, let these generational curses to be completely removed and destroyed start anew God let these people follow you shamelessly, you bring hope to the hopeless and life to those in the darkness you give peace to the restless and joy to homes that are broken. allow everysingle one of us to speak the same language, the language of love, and hope lead us God lead this generation worldly not just in our own little box dont allow us to get comfortble prepare us for a mission.
Meditatio: faithful and hopeful
Faith
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio-famous
Meditatio-Too much do we as people focus on becoming known in one another’s eyes.I can be so self-absorbed at times.Running from what seems right and settling for my own answers at times as well.He deserves so much more than that.
Oratio-Dear Father,forgive me my sin against You.Lord clean my heart and make it new.Lord,please give me more of a heart to make You the famous one.Instead of myself or even another person.Lord thankyou for how good You are to me.Please constantly change me and remind me who I am living for.In Jesus Name,Amen.
Contemplatio
Jeremy
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: Look
Meditatio: God sees. There is nothing hidden from him. There is no brokenness, sin, inadequacy, weakness or manipulation that goes unnoticed. He sees beyond action to motive and beyond motive to the inner man. Jesus in Revelation 1 is described with eyes that blaze like fire. Jesus sees. His gaze burns through the masquerade and sees the real me. It’s not that the masquerade is always a purposefully fake me. Sometimes, it’s just me not being true to who I was created to be. I can lose that even with good intentions if I disconnect from his gaze. It’s in the gaze that I find my purpose and meaning. Destiny and Mission are found in the eyes of God. He sees the real me. He sees the broken world. It’s in his gaze that those two connect. God sees.
Oratio: Father, help me to stay connected to your gaze. It’s there that all things in me that are false are burned away. It’s also there that I connect with the brokenness of what you see. Burn away the false me. Connect me to the true me. Keep me in your gaze.
Contemplatio: stirred
chelsea Wright
Oct 11th, 2009
lectio- first step
Meditatio- i think God wants me to press forward to a greater and bigger level of this love for us. i think that i take most of the stuff he gives me for granted. In many ways, God definitely knows what is happening in my life and knows what i need in my life. I just need to give everything to him and to honor his glory.
Oratio- God i pray that you could move me in unspeakable ways. Father change me into being in the creation of your son. God place things in my heart that will be fruitful in my life.
Complatio- private
Kenzie
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio- famous
Mediatio- I find it weird that these people couldnt focus on the fact that they were trying to build at tower to reach HEAVEN. But they cared more about what the response would be than the ending result.
Sometimes we still do the same thing to give us glory. To make us feel Almighty just as God.
Is that honestly what our Relationship with God has come to? Is our faith come to “look at me! look at me world! Im a Christian so therefore im awesome.” Because if it has, we need to snap back into reality and realize that if we do something to get closer to God or to bring people closer to God, it should be ALL ABOUT GOD. Because fame shouldnt matter. Who cares if your on Good Morning America being interviewed because you saved the most people ever. In Gods word it says not to boast or be prideful, so i suppose that pertains to us! It shouldnt matter what the response from the “outside world”( unsaved people) is, because the only people that will remember you for who you are what you did is the person who you affected.
Oratio-Father. Lord God sometimes i feel miss guided. Like i cant quite find what im looking for. God i have such a pain for our world. a agonizing pain that seises to leave the pit of my stomach. I know that im young and sometimes feel weak and defenseless. Like i cant fight. Because im not strong enough. But Lord i kno you wouldnt put a feeling inside of me unless you honestly want to me do go after something. Lord im eager to please you. I will please you. For your my God and i live for nothing more than you. God awake the peoples heart and soul. Make them thirsty and hungry for your love and peace. God make me thirsty for your love and peace. Im so thankful Lord that i live in America. I can be free to worship you in any way. But Lord, i dont want our country worshiping in ANYWAY. I want them worshipping for You. for you are the only one that matters. ever.
Contemplatio- awakened
trent
Oct 11th, 2009
letio:whole earthh
meditatio: God made the whole earth speak in touges i think its amazing that god can just change the world that easy. it make me wonder why he doesnt change us in to better people sometimes. i pray for change in my life and for others lifes all the the time but what about a huge scale change a miracle i know people have the potential to do this its just matter of time i think a group like edge is getting a few steps closer everyday. what abut the rest of the world the world thats poor a some have not ever heard his name. i believe that through groups like edge they will learn and absorb him. its so awsome that we can have the same powers god had in healing and miracles. its all in us we just need to harness it
oratio: god we as edge are but one group one brotherhood for you god. but let our prayers and our lifes be involed in changing others and changing our world.help seth and his family god connfort them with a blanket of your love
privite:(cant spell it)
god help us in edge to grasp touges and not to be blocked from them
amen
contemplatio:indescribable
kim
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: famous
Meditatio: “famous” means notable for something…maybe some important or visiable act, maybe some recognizable attribute. It doesn’t imply responsiblity or character…just a knowness…something shared by many, or the culture.
I was at the fair the other day. I stood waiting for the kids as they rode some crazy ride, I can’t watch or I throw up. So I was scanning the crowd. Not far away stood a young woman. She was dressed as threateningly as her counteneance – actualy gentle- would allow, without her appearing clownish. She was not particularly beautiful by Barbie Doll standards, but as I spoke to her, I discovered that she was kind and endearing. Just a few small outward changes and she would have been as physicaly atractive as most women. I liked her. My heart hurt around her…for her and so many others who believe that shock registered is so much better than a potential passover.
Man is a namer. We like people to know our name. If that’s not flying too well, we’ll identify with a name that is known. Even Satan’s. It seems any spark of recognition …in shock or mimicry …is better than not being recognized.
Oratio: God, it looks to me like fame cultivates an outward expression, a shell and appearance, not a person. It atacks everybody…the little girl at the fair, Lindsay Lohan, me. Thinking about those two little girls…I see why You so hate it. Fame is a trap. A gilded deadly trap. Please God, warn me of its wooing, shout at me, drag me away, frustrate all I do in search of it. Expose and embarass me when I entertain it at my table.
Contemplatio: a little disturbed, rightly so.
Haleigh
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: Spoken
Meditatio: I have a hard time listening or hearing sometimes. I have a million things going all all around me and swirling around in my mind, but that shouldnt be an excuse. One thing that i have known, but have definately been reminded alot lately, is God speaks. And i need to hear Him. I want to hear Him. But not only does God speak, He has spoken. And i wonder what He has tried to say, and we were all just so busy with what we have going on, and what were thinking about that we probably missed a key part in saving our world.
Oratio: God, help me hear you. God when you speak, let me be aware of it. Dont let us miss out on saving our world because we were too busy with the misprioritized parts of our lives, to really hear from You.
Comtemplatio: ready
Patrick
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: Mortar
Meditatio: Mortar is used to hold bricks together without the Mortar the building falls
oratio: We are bricks and the holy spirit is the Mortar is the holy spirit. we can be used to do great things together but without the holy spirit holding us together we surly will fall.
Contemplatio: Peaceful
Madi
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: Understand
Meditatio: personal
Oratio: God help me understand you in a clearer way. Help me understand that you do have a plan for my life. Let my dependence be on you and only you, I don’t want to depend on friends anymore. God, I need peace with the things in my life that are hard to understand. God, I want our relationship to begin getting deeper and deeper.Amen.
Contemplatio: Peace
melanie
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio: moved
Meditatio: i have been so caught up with my inner circle lately, my group of friends at school. i know that with my friends i can be who i am and talk about what i believe and just feel at home. God is telling me that it’s time that i move out from my crowd, my safety zone. that i need to find the ones that actually need me to be there… because my friends already have Him. i need to break out of this shell i have fallen into and reach out. once i am “moved” from my circle, i will take with me the love for God that i have, and the love He has for them, because how can we be heard if we don’t say a word?
Oratio: Father, thank you for this challenge. please help me to break away from my comfort zone and have no fear inside me. reveal to me the broken. the lost, those who need You. i pray You will point them out to me, and i believe they will be people at my school i would have never imagined. God i want your light to shine through me. this generation has been sleeping in death and it just hurts me inside. with You in me and You through me God i pray for a change. that that those who follow you won’t be held tightly in their concentrated areas, their comfort zone. i pray we will all be moved, and put forth and scattered to share the hope we have received. Father, thank you for giving us the courage. we couldn’t do this without you.
Contemplatio: hopeful
Ashley
Oct 11th, 2009
Lectio:look
Meditatio: God is saying look what is happenining here In this story how everyone is speaking the same language and wants fame we have that in society. No one can be happy with what we have and its turning into pride and selfishness and arogance and and God wants us to look at what is happening so when we see it we can change the things that we see that are not what God says..
Oratio: Father God help me to look at the things around me that may be leading me to be prideful and arrogant and let me get rid of that and tear it down I dont want to be all about me and want what I want and if I am letting the world get at me please let me look at what I am doing and let me give it to you and to let you take it and get rid of it. In Jesus name I pray Amen.
Contemplatio: Look
kacey
Oct 12th, 2009
Lectio : Speech
Meditatio : personal
Oratio : Lord, help me communicate better with everyone around me and with your self. I can’t do everything by my self.
Contemplatio : be outgoing
diesel
Oct 12th, 2009
Lectio: babble
Meditatio: The people of Babel had no clue what they were saying once they were separated. This makes me think of when sometimes Christians and nonchristians are having conversations, and the non-Christians are confused. The Christians try to help the non-Christians understand it, but its simply just babble. Its like… you have to want to understand it. Its not just simply a gift. You have to want and want and want it. You have to work for it. If everything was just given to us, then what would be the point. You pretty much have to earn your reputation. That is, your reputation to God and your peers. If you go to church on Sundays, and then party and do bad stuff the rest of the week, every week, you kind of put yourself into the position of a hypocrite. One day a week you say to do all the good stuff, how to honor God. Then the next Friday night you do the exact opposite. People at church might see you as a great, devout Christian. They see you worshipping the Lord and praying, but they dont know you–outside of church. Thats the difference between people and God. No matter how good people think you are, God knows the real you. He knows everything you do. What you hide from the people at church, you cant hide from God.
Oratio: God, I pray that you will help me and all of my fellow Christians to not be hypocrites, and to live life as you want us to live it. Let us honor you, and satisfy your will. Don’t let us say one thing and do another. I pray for everyone who’s hurting right now, that you will lay your healing hand on them and their family. In Your name I pray,
Amen.
Contemplatio: Don’t be a hypocrite.
Lauren
Oct 24th, 2009
lectio- scattered
meditatio- private
oratio-private
Alex
Oct 24th, 2009
Lectio: one
Meditatio: in the passage it says “lets make bricks and fire them well” meaning, lets make bricks and make them sturdy to use them for the tower, no undercooked or soft bricks in our tower to heaven, we wish to be one with our God, even if is not time yet, God sees that this is not his plan and thatthis must be stopped, although they wanted to be one with him, it had to be stopped.
Oration: God, help me not to rush things, to let things happen in your timing and not mine, give me patience and calmness, help me not force things that shouldnt be, help me line these things up in my life with your timeline so that one day I can be one with you.
Contemplatio: ready for the wait
coach honolulu
Nov 20th, 2009
Man there’s alot of comments on here! This is a really good message. It is very true. I enjoyed reading this one.