Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:34:42 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Dec. 28); BP: Lk. 2:15-20; RBTTY: Rev. 19; Zech. 5-8
JUST A REMINDER:
Here's hoping you had a wonderful Christmas, Pilgrim, and are ready to help usher in a New Year--hopefully a year for an 11th hour Great Awakening in our nation and around the world. I also wanted to remind you of the mission trip to the Philippines on June 10-23, 2009 and the deadline for signing up on January 15, 2009. I have an information handout that lists what we'll be doing, the cost of the trip, etc., if you'd like to receive one. Just let me know and I'll be glad to send it to you as an e-mail attachment.
Also, there's still time for you to make a year-end, tax-deductible contribution to "Back to Bethel Ministries." Simply make your check out to "Back to Bethel Ministries" and send it to me at P.O. Box 582, Coushatta, LA 71019. Your letter must be postmarked by midnight, Dec. 31, 2008 to receive credit for this year's contributions. Thanks in advance for your support of this Ministry, from which your daily "Morning Manna" comes.
May 2009 be a year of growing deeper in the Lord for you and your family. God bless you.
In Jesus' Precious Love,
Bro. Tom
December 28 &n bsp; “Quiet Meditations”
“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19
Private ponderings on God’s Word and what He’s doing in our lives and world will help give depth of soul and clarity of vision.
Mary was likely a quiet person. Today’s Manna gives credence to that assessment because the combination of “kept all these things” and “pondered them in her heart” describes one who’s pensive—i.e., prone to “meditative musings”—not one who talks until he/she can think of something to say.
The Greek word “suntereo” is used for “kept” and also means “to keep closely together, to conserve from ruin, to remember and obey, preserve, etc.,” while “sumballo” is used for “pondered” and basically means “to combine, consult or dispute (mentally), to mull over, etc.” Thus, it’s clear that the combing of the two is a “chewing of the cud” or “righteous ruminations” over all she’d seen and heard from the time Gabriel had first appeared unto her (Lk. 1:26ff) through Jesus’ birth, the angels’ announcement (vv.8-14) and the shepherd’s arrival (vv.15-18). It’s also clear she continued to do that in the coming days (Lk. 2:51)—most likely, even until after the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
Could it be that we, like Mary, should spend more time in “spiritual introspection” and “consecrated contemplation” in our daily lives? With the average attention span now being less than eight seconds, this will definitely be a challenge for most of us. We’re much more visually oriented now than in past generations and, consequently, find it more difficult to sit down and read God’s Word. . .not to mention “meditating on it day-and-night” (Ps. 1:2).
Yes, ours is a “fast-food mentality” when it comes to “studying to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (II Tim. 2:15). We want it quick and in small, anecdotal doses. We want to be spoon-fed, forgetting what someone once said, “Sermonettes breed Christianettes.” So true, so true.
However, if we are to “grow in God’s Grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (II Pet. 3:18), we must “hide His Word in our hearts that we might not sin against God” (Ps. 119:11). This will not happen by spiritual osmosis; it will take doing what Phillip Brooke said by “getting alone in a nook by the brook with the Book.” Or, as Jesus said, “Entering into our closet and closing the door” (Mt. 6:6a), knowing that this special “secret time” with the Heavenly Father will yield great spiritual rewards (v.6b).
What beautiful truths has the Holy Spirit shown you lately, Pilgrim, as you feasted on His Word and then looked around you through His spiritual x-ray glasses? What changes has He led you to make in your attitude and actions that were hindering your being transformed into “the image of Christ” (Rom. 8:29; I Cor. 15:49; II Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10)?
Take some time today to “be still and know (anew) that he is God” (Ps. 46:10a). Then, “keep and ponder those things in your heart,” knowing the Lord will use them in your life, both for His glory and your/others’ good.
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