today's Meditation

Meditation

James Devotional Faith/Works

Hearer / Doer

True belief causes Christians to live out their faith according to God’s Word. We don’t passively hear the Word. Rather, action should always follow genuine heart change. The one who merely hears the word and has a lifestyle that is characteristically against doing what he hears has not truly received the gospel.

Many scholars have called the Book of James a commentary on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. They mean James uses similar language and images to describe a life of true faith. The Sermon on the Mount concludes with a famous parable about building a house. This is the heart of James’s letter: hearing and doing, faith expressed in our works.

James left no room in his letter for the idea of hearing the truth and not doing what it says. He didn’t want his readers to deceive themselves into thinking they could be Christians merely by believing the right things about Jesus. Following Jesus requires action. As a disciple, you not only have to believe that Christ is worth following, but you also have to take steps of faith to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him daily (see Luke 9:23).

Being a doer has two components: putting away filthiness and seeking pure religion. If the word religion gets you bent out of shape, set aside your personal interpretation of what that means. James was talking about a devoted life that’s pleasing to God. 

Citizen Of Heaven

The meditation on the Abide App for today 

This is so funny this is what the message was at Harvest Church yesterday.

What Christianity is.....

He Will Wipe Away Every Tear.

Last night I went on to Zoom to watch Hazel share her story. And Ian was talking about The Word From Today. 

So I looked up the message for the 5th of September and it helped me share,when it was my turn. Here is the message.

An honest question

Saturday 5th September 2020

'How long will you hide your face from me?' Psalm 13:1 NIV

When Kelly James and two climbing buddies died on Oregon's Mount Hood in the USA, his brother Frank, a professor of theology, admitted: 'It's one thing to talk about death in the abstract. It's another to cope with the death of someone you love...Death is ugly. We can't - and shouldn't - try to make it palatable with pious platitudes...One question haunts me, "Where was God when Kelly was freezing to death?" For me not to ask would be a failure to take God seriously...I'm not suggesting mere mortals stand in judgment of God...God doesn't report to me. But an honest question from a broken heart is a good and righteous thing.'

David wasn't afraid to ask God, 'How long will you hide your face' (Psalm 13:1 NIV)? But then he declared, 'But I trust in your unfailing love' (Psalm 13:5 NIV).

Frank James continues: 'Amid all the spiritual consternation God manifested himself in my grief. Somehow he's found in the disappointment, confusion and raw emotions. This doesn't exactly make sense to me, and I don't like it. But my concept of faith has become Abrahamic...I must trust God even when I don't understand...as Christians have confessed for centuries, "We look for the resurrection of the dead" (see 1 Corinthians 15:42)...Amid enough tears to fill an ocean...we've had to bury loved ones. But we bury them with this promise, "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV). It doesn't indemnify us against grief...It does, however, take faith to depths where hope begins to poke through the heartache, like a sunbeam piercing a cloudy sky.'

Then this morning Meditation from Abide App was

He Will Wipe Every Tears From Your Eyes Meditation.

Declaration

Daily Declaration for Guidance & Direction

I declare that I am led and guided by the Holy Spirit. I seek first the kingdom of God and everything else is added unto me. I trust God with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding

In all my ways acknowledge Him, and He directs my steps. He is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. If God is for me whom shall I fear. I will not fear what man can do to me

 I wait upon the Lord God and shall mount up with wings like eagles; I will run and not be weary; I shall walk and not faint.

I can say with confidence the Lord is my Salvation. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

I am one with God, mind, body, and spirit. My life is ordered by the Lord. This is my declaration.

Octopus Message

Octopus Animal Totem Symbolism

The octopus is a strange-looking creature that gracefully and almost eerily moves throughout the sea. The odd physical composition as well as its unique behavior have earned this creature an endless list of spiritual attributes that we can call upon in our daily lives.

Like other water-dwelling creatures, the octopus animal totem symbolizes purity, emotional, psychic and creativity. The octopus spirit guide is also known to be symbolic of a keen spiritual psyche and inspires others to channel theirs.

Fittingly, this creature also symbolizes the flexibility that is necessary to our lives. Its physical characteristics play a large role in how we interpret their spiritual significance. As invertebrates, they are not limited by a spinal column, allowing them to move with much more agility than humans. Their movements symbolize grace and flexibility as they peruse the sea floor skillfully and without strain, just like flowing water.

The water that houses the octopus also denotes flexibility in that it takes the shape of whatever vessel is containing it. It implores us to exercise such flexibility and adaptability in our own lives. As a spiritual totem, this creature wants us to loosen up and relax sometimes, keeping our eyes on the end goal while moving along our path in a more natural way.

Just as the octopus lives in an environment that is in constant motion, so, too, do humans. Our world is shifting and ever-changing and we must act accordingly to move along with it while remaining on our desired path.

Octopus Associated Traits

Adaptable, Flexible, Emotional, Creative, Psychic, Focus, Logic, Intelligent, Potential

Symbolic Meaning Of Octopus Air Totem

As a spiritual guide, the octopus acts as a symbol of more things than most. In addition to the above mentioned traits, it has a lengthy list of attributes to help guide our hearts and minds: free will, focus, strategy, potential, logic and reason, defense, insatiability, knowing, complexity, and unnerving unpredictability, just to name a few. They are highly intelligent, strategic beings who utilize their secrecy to survive and thrive.

Spiritually, octopus meanings symbolize great energetic depths and offer a plethora of lessons to those willing to learn. They are born and live at the sea floor, symbolizing the necessity of being grounded in our lives. Although we each possess special gifts, we cannot allow ourselves to become aloof. Furthermore, the octopus animal totem reminds us to remember our foundations as we continue to move about and explore the world

The octopus is a regenerative creature, meaning that it can detach an appendage if need be. This defensive tactic allows them to escape predators and other potentially harmful situations. For us, this serves as a reminder to cut excess baggage loose. Maybe there is a person in your life who is leeching off of you, but you are too kind or too nervous to send them off.

The octopus spirit guide reminds us that we must take care of ourselves and not allow people to take advantage of us or bring us down. This applies not only to people but to situations and tasks, too. If something is distressing to you and not helping you to achieve your goals, you must have the strength and will power to set it free. This can be a scary process, especially if you are releasing something that has previously been fundamental to your life.

The regenerative properties of the octopus remind us that all is never lost. Things that should or need to grow back will do so naturally. Letting go is an exercise in acceptance and forgiveness, albeit one of the most difficult ones. In this way, the octopus is particularly helpful to us during dark and desperate times of need, such as with addiction or abuse. If we allow ourselves to be guided by the principle of regeneration, our journey through difficulty will seem less intimidating.

The octopus symbolism is also known to facilitate very emotional dreams. In these states, the dreamer may experience a roller coaster of ups and downs, but the octopus is there to assist in healing. By working through these difficult feelings, you are cleansing yourself and enabling unadulterated happiness and peace of mind.