Philippians Chapter 2: Paragraph 5 & 6
Posted on 12. Sep, 2009 by Jeremy in Meditation
14-16 Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.
17-18 Even if I am executed here and now, I’ll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ’s altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout’s fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don’t feel sorry for me. Philippians 2
Suggested Time:
Lectio- (word) 10 minutes
Meditatio- (application) 10 minutes
Oratio- (prayer) 5 minutes
Contemplatio- (stillness) 5 minutes
ps. It helps if you don’t read the comments or study blog before you do the exercise in the Featured Posts :)
sandra
Sep 13th, 2009
Lectio-A breath of fresh air,
Meditatio-I am the air that your breath, I am all around moving I go in every direction around you, I am fresh, clean with no spoils of this world, God moves with me, I smell the wind as a sweet frangrance, and it is calm.
Oratio-I pray Lord that as i move in this world, I will follow you as the wind, and bring a freshness of you to all I come in contact with. You bring Life, help me to also flow as the wind that is you, to be calm in the spoils of the world and not be shaken, to live for you alone.
Contemplatio-God is everywhere, and everything, I must look! see and hear always.
Dianne
Sep 13th, 2009
Lectio: Living Proof
Meditatio: I believe that God is challenging me to be a bright and exuberant “light” starting in my own home and aslo at school. We need to be the salt and light of this dark world.
Oratio: Lord, please help me be that shining everywhere I go. At home help my dad see that I’m no longer the same b/c You are changing me and at school, let me stand out within my circle of friends, help me be different than everybody else. Father I want to be contagious for You.
Contemplatio: still feeling ‘unfocused’ for some reason
Sara
Sep 13th, 2009
Lectio- second-guessing
Meditatio- We all experience our distance season and I’ve come to that part where trusting is hard, very hard. I have to guide myself onto a track where I either stay on and go through the situation I’m going through or give up everything I’ve worked an entire year on- finding out who I am in God. I must understand that blowing off prayer and God while I’m not “feeling” Him will not make me any stronger. It’s time to drop everything and share more about Him and to listen to his constant talking and whispering no matter what season I’m in- Goodbye selfish, welcome selfless.
Oratio- God, you know whats been up lately and I trust you I really do trust you. Help me to be strong and pass through fear. Guide me in a direction where I’m able to understand that no matter what i feel I understand you’re always on Your throne, forever. My feelings mean nothing and are worthless when it comes to thinking you aren’t here, but God you’re everywhere no matter what, speak through me and live in me, I need you- who can function without you? nobody. I know you desire to heal and to comfort and to answer our prayers, humble me as I follow your divine plan for my life.
Contemplatio- serene
kim
Sep 14th, 2009
Lectio: second guessing
Occasionally, I wonder if the obvious missteps I’ve taken have greatly forestalled God’s purposes for my life… Those “What could have been?” questions march across my mind. I have recently made contact with some of my brothers/sisters in Christ from the first days..the days you (edge kids) are living together now in God. The ones who saw God with me and saw me see God. The ones to whom I am forever forged.
Those with whom I first experienced God are everywhere around this globe, doing phenomenal things in God. I know of none who have wandered away, none who have settled for surbanism, none who have been shipwrecked or long lost. I am here, in what I sense is the most prepared state I have ever been for the most prepared place, most prepared people I have ever come across. But at times I wonder…
Comparisons are odious. They yield no good thing. But they come… and I wonder…It has been a very twisted, turning path to this place…there probably was a shorter, more direct way to death…but alas, some of us die hard.
I cannot give much thought or care to second guessing… it’s a selfish, arrogant pursuit. I would do some things differently. But I have the same amount of time I’ve always had: NOW. It is always NOW in the KIngdom of God- God’s watch always shows NOW. And so I gratefully give my NOW.
Oratio: God show me the power of NOW. How to live fully in Your NOW. How to let none of it escape me.
Contemplatio: quiet
andrew
Sep 14th, 2009
Lectio- no bickering
Meditatio- I feel like god is trying to use this phrase to prepare me for this year ahead. I feel like he is going to ask of me more than i am willing to give at times, but he says to me, “Just let Me be God. I know what I’m doing and where I am taking you. Don’t bicker or question Me. Trust Me, Andrew.”
Oratio- Father, I give all I have to You. Please help me to fulfill that commitment. Use the upcoming months to build in me a deeper level of faith in You. I want to know that, when You ask something of me, I will not hesitate, but i will trust only in You to bring me through. Build in me a stronger foundation of faith that i won’t bicker or question Your motives even if that means tearing me down and starting from scratch.
Contemplatio- slight unrest (it was very hard to concentrate on only God’s peace.)
Madi
Sep 14th, 2009
Lectio: Rejoicing
Meditatio: I have so much to rejoice about in my life. But I just haven’t been in a rejoicing mood lately, I feel like God has left my side. It’s not the best feeling, but I’ve still got to praise him no matter what emotions I am feeling.
Oratio: God, help me rejoice in everything that you have given to me. Help me know your still by my side even though I don’t feel you. Give me a peace about this season of my life spiritually.
Amen.
Oratio: Lonely
Nicole
Sep 14th, 2009
Lectio-Message
Mediatatio- With all things I have been through I beleive you have given me a message, one love of compassion and even joy, even when my circumstances don’t seem to joyful. You give me strength. You are showing me how to overcome and how be a light in a dark world. How to reach the hopeless and the hurting. How to use my pain and to help others. Thats my message, to give back to others for all that you have given and done for me.
Oratio-Lord I give you all that I am and I that I am not and I want to be used by you. Help me to carry your message to others. Help me to share my courage, strength, and hope with others and bring healing, restoration, and deliverance in their lives. Help me to be real Lord, and help me to lay it all down before you. I want to have purpose and meaning Lord. Empty me and fill me with your spirit. In Jesus name, Amen!
Contemplatio-peaceful
Allison
Sep 15th, 2009
Lectio: Second Guessing
Meditatio: We all have times in our life when we do not understand why something is happening in our life. I need to stop second guessing God and trust that this is all apart of His plan.
Oratio: God, help me to trust you in all thee seasons of my life. Give me peace. Hide all things that would make me question who You really are.
t-money
Sep 15th, 2009
Lectio: second-guessing
Meditatio: The devil often tries to lie to me and get me to second guess things. i have found this will not happen if you tell him to be gone or to cast him away. yet a lot of the time he gets through at your weakest point and that is his strategy for everything he does. Its even referenced in the bible when he temps jesus and he prevails with eve in the garden of eden. I need to get in a habit of listening to you god and using your power you gifted me to stop this lie straight from hell. I think what happens is he tricks you in to thinking and then he put the lie in to our head and some times it happens. when i was little things like this happened all the time. The devil was very prominent in this time of my life I cursed and barely believed in god I went to church but i didnt care for it at all. now I am confident in my power to cast away the demons from the pits of hell. things that use to bother me dont anymore. i feel rejuvenated in god.
Oratio: Dear God, fill this place with a relaxing spirit. calm my soul to listen. let me not be scared in the night. i still pray for a encounter with you god.help me not to forget your power in jesus name.
Amen
contemplatio: powerful
kenz
Sep 15th, 2009
Lectio:Calling.
Meditatio: For me, Its hard to hear God’s voice. I’ve had trouble hearing it from all the chaos in my mind. My life has been very busy and I’m having trouble hearing what his will is for me at the moment. For example, I’m having trouble righting this because I don’t feel a connection to his voice lately.
Oratio: God, show me your peaceful voice. You’re voice is what I need. Help me organize my life so I could have all the time I need to have my douse of the day of you. You’re voice is my strength, reveal it to me in the most clearest way possible so I know that voice is you.
Amen.
Oratio:desperate ears.
Carol
Sep 15th, 2009
Lectio: Just do it..
Meditatio: dont compromise,always be the same person all the time..dont try and “fit” into your surrounding to please the world..Gods not interested in how you act in church….but how you act in the world…. dont get “religious” but learn from your mistakes…Lord I want more of your heart and know what to do with it when I get it…
Oratio: Lord help me to lead by example..more of you Lord less of me
Contemplatio: Honored to be used by you Lord
Luke
Sep 16th, 2009
Lectio- good living
Meditatio- Good living. This phrase sums up these two paragraphs. Not only does living a life of faith and servant hood matter to our personal lives, it’s important for people around us to see these in us as well. I don’t know if this verse meant literally everything we do in life do it cheerfully, but that’s what I’m taking from it. Everyday we are required to do something that we don’t enjoy, like at our job or school, but this world pouts and whines about it while we should do it with a smile on our face. It’s not being a fake person by doing this, it’s showing the servant hearted aspect of Jesus’ love. In the first paragraph it says “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society.” We are to be that fresh air. No we are not perfect and yes we ARE corrupted to a point, but the impact we have on this world is still do able. The attitude we have in our everyday life is a gauge of how much we have allowed Jesus’ love to impact our lives.
Oratio- Jesus, your love is something that goes beyond reason at times. Your life speaks to every part of my own. Effect my life so that I in turn will be effective for you. Let me show this world “Good Living.”
Contemplatio- Deep and personal.