What is a simple, still, silent faith? 

It's one that consists of intentionally (that's the doing) being with God (which is the being). 

Intentionality requires purpose and drive. It requires focus and effort all day and night long. 

This simple, still, silent faith consists of being with God and in His Word, the Bible. It's hanging out and being in the presence of. It's enjoying the company of God and His Word.

There are two spiritual disciplines we are to do at all times as we live a simple, still, silent faith. It's being in the Word of God and in prayer. To keep a simple, still, silent faith, combine them both in one. Pray the Word. That's it. Pray the Word night and day. Keep bringing your attention to God and His Word. 

Moreover, this simple, still, silent faith listens far more to God than it ever speaks to Him.  This is the silence part.

The still part is every day at one point or another, we still ourselves and spend a longer time of just being with God and not doing something else. However, we can also still the chaos in our lives, as we are busy, by focusing on God and bringing Him and His Word to our attention throughout the day and night.

All of that sounds quite complicated, if you ask me. But, it isn't. Notice, not one program was mentioned previously. There is nothing to do and no checklist to follow.  This simple, still, silent faith is just about being with God intentionally all day and night through focusing your thoughts on Him and His Word as you carry on with life as normal. 

Human beings are made to do think about more than one thing and do more than one thing at once. We can focus on God as we work, drive, wait, talk with others, clean the house, exercise, plan, read, and so on. Everything we do in life, we can do as we focus on God and on His Word. 

That's it.

This is a simple, still, silent faith. 

Would you care to join me in learning how to apply this to our lives? 

Would you like to simplify your life over the next year? 

More to the point, would you like to learn how to live a simple, still, silent faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

It is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am.

I know I have eternal life. Do I take it for granted? I try not to do so, but it happens. 

I am a sinner and deserve death, but Jesus died so I can have eternal life. Jesus died so the sins I make now are forgiven. I do everything I can to avoid sin, but it occurs. When I realize it, I do everything I can to turn and not repeat it again. I also do what I can to avoid temptation. A simple faith keeps this in mind at all times and lives this as truth. 

This is why I say a simple faith is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am. It really is that simple. 

Good Morning, Lord, Prayer and Galatians 5:16-18

Good Morning, Lord, Prayer and Galatians 5:16-18

Lord, here are three different versions of this passage I want to pray and meditate (ponder, contemplate, chew on, think on, grapple with) today, all day long, throughout the day: 

1 

Galatians 5:16-18 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  

-- HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

2

Galatians 5:16-18 / Expanded Bible (EXB)

16 So I tell you: ·Live [Walk] ·by following [guided by; in the power of; L by] the Spirit. Then you will not do what your ·sinful self [sinful nature; T flesh] ·wants [desires; craves]. 17 Our ·sinful self [sinful nature; T flesh] ·wants [desires] what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit ·wants [desires] what is against our ·sinful self [sinful nature;T flesh]. [L For] The two are ·against [opposed to; or hostile toward] each other, so you cannot do just what you ·please [want]. 18 But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the law. 

-- EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

3 

Galatians 5:16 / The Message (MSG)

16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?  
-- MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. 

Lord, help me to remember that my life is Yours, not mine. Everything I am and do is because of You and is for the purpose of bringing You pleasure and glory. It's not about me. It's all about You. 

(Photo/Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 2009-2014.) 

Verse of the Day on BibleGateway.com: Verse to Pray, Ponder, and Memorize

Verse of the Day on BibleGateway.com

Galatians 5:16 / The Message (MSG)

16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?  

-- MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images online 2008-2014.)

Is my faith simple, still, silent enough I can hear You, Abba?

Is my faith simple, still, silent enough I can hear You, Abba? 

Is my faith simple enough I can hear You, Lord? 

Is my faith still enough I can hear You, God? 

Is my faith silent enough I can hear You, Father?

Is my faith simple, still, silent enough I can hear You, my Rock? 

Day 27: Colossians 3 and Worldly Versus Godly Living, Part 6

SOC: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING AND COLOSSIANS 3:23-25

Re-read Colossians 3:23-25 once again. These verses talk about our relationships with others.

Now, do a SOC about Colossians 3:23-25. Take ten minutes to do so.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

What jumps out at you? Why does it jump out at you?

What questions do you have?

How does this inspire and motivate you?

What does this mean to you and your life?

What do you need to stop in your life, regarding Colossians 3 and your prayer journaling?

What do you need to do more of in your life, according to Colossians 3?

How can you apply this to your life—starting today? Write out an action plan to apply this to your life.

Why is this important to me to remember?

What am I saying to God?

What is God saying to me?

Take your time and be through as you re-read and prayer journal.

COLOSSIANS 3:23 NLT

We have discussed this font in the past, but it’s important enough to make sure we cement it in our hearts and minds.

²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

-- NLT: Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS ABOUT COLOSSIANS 3:23

1 What does this mean?

2 How do you fail to live this verse in your life? Be thorough and specific.

3 How do you live this verse in your life? Be thorough and specific.

4 How will you start to apply this to everything you do?

MEMORY VERSES

Don’t forget your yearly Bible verse or your memory verses. Pray them back to God at this time, whether by memory or by looking at them. They are: Philippians 4:4-8; Psalm 90:12; 1 Samuel 2:1; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 5:1-2; Colossians 3:10.

Cover Changes

Here is the new cover. 

It Just Isn't Working and I'm Missing Something

It Just Isn't Working and I'm Missing Something

What I'm doing isn't working regarding my spiritual life. I just feel like something is missing. that being said, I feel like I'm standing on the precipice of something big. Maybe it's a spiritual awakening in my life. I'm not sure. 

So, what isn't working?

I realize that no matter how much I try to deny it, I keep living a check-mark, checklist faith. Bible in a year. Check. Praying all day long. Check. Studying the Word. Check. Fellowship with believers. Check. Prayer journaling. Check. Helping others become and be disciples. Check. 

Blah, blah, blah. (Rolling eyes and shaking head.) How boring! No wonder why it isn't working. 

I know all of that is wrong, but I fell into it's trap and spell yet again. Ugh! I know better than this. I'm bored with myself, along with my faith. So, what am I missing? 

How am I missing the mark?  What am I not getting? Understanding? Grasping? I know I am not because I wouldn't feel this way and wouldn't be doing the things I do if I did.

What else do I do? I allow my mind to wander. I get side-tracked. I fall off the path. No. I don't fall. I jump off of it. I start to follow the pretty butterfly along the walk and forget where I am and where I am headed until it's too late. 

SPECIFIC PRAYER: Lord, how can I stop this? How can I find the path and stay on it? What am I missing? Please guide me and help me to hear You when You do. Also, help me to respond immediately when You do give me instruction.

Good Morning, Prayer

Good morning, Lord. I come before You and thank You for yesterday and last night. I also thank You for the opportunity of this new day. Lord, help me to make it Your day, not mine. I want to draw forever closer to You. I want more of You, less of me in my life. Help me to live this way today. Teach me how to do so. 

Lord, keep my mind from wandering. Help me to stay focused on You. I realize I need to train my mind to do so. Please teach me how. 

You are my everything. 

Help me to ponder the things of You and Your Word, not the senselessness of this crazy, sinful, self-centered, material focused world. Help me not fall into that trap. 

You are God. No one is more important in my life. Help my day today reflect this truth. 

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease. Backyard. 2013-2014)

Previous blog posts

I'm going through and am putting previous blog posts from my different blogs on this blog, if they apply to this one, of course. Do, you will see some from well before this blog started. So, make sure to check the archives on this blog. The archives are on the right hand side of the blog and toward the bottom.

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease.)

Works and belief: Be still

Works and belief: Be still 

It isn't about what we do or don't do that matters most in our lives of faith. Now is it about what we want or need. Rather, it's about this pure and simple: Our belief is the only thing that really matters. It's believing in God, that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Bible. That's it. 

It really is that simple. 

Read all of Romans 4, please, at this time to see what I mean. Then, read ahead to the next paragraph in this reading. 

Now, read Romans 4:4-6 in particular. 

Now, read Romans 4:18-25. 

What saves us? Answer: Belief does. 

Maybe we've put too much pressure on ourselves of what we think the 'shoulds' are in our lives regarding our faith. Maybe we've made ourselves too busy in our faith. Maybe we've missed the entire point. It isn't about doing. It's about being. Being in the most basic and is the most important thing we can do. 

After all, God could care less if we read our Bible 24 hours a day and if we pray for 24--if we are getting nothing out of it but are earning a check in a box of our TO DO LIST. He would rather us just curl up and hang out with Him. That's it. 

God and His Word are to be the center of our lives, but it's far better to focus on one verse the rest of our lives, if we get something deep out of it every day,apply it to our lives, and learn from the one verse every single day, all day long, than if we read the entire Bible cover to cover a thousand times and got nothing out of it except a check in a To Do List box. 

If you're feeling stressed, busyness is not the answer. If you're searching for answers, busyness will only make things worse. It's always best to stop, rest, reflect, be quiet, and listen to God first and foremost. If you are looking for answers, this approach also is best. If you're dealing with a life challenge, this approach is best. If you are living today, the best response is to stop, rest, be silent, and listen. This is always the case. And, isn't it usually the last one we do? 

So, let's stop.

Let's be still, be quiet, and listen--in solitude with the Lord and His Word. 

For, if we do this, we are acting a life of belief--not of works. This is where the sweetness of life, and our spiritual lives, begins, continues, and ends. This is the best of the spiritual life. It's not what we do, but what and who we believe. That's it. 

Day 26: Colossians 3 and Worldly Versus Godly Living, Part 5

SOC: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING AND COLOSSIANS 3:12-22

Re-read Colossians 3:12-22 once again. These verses talk about our relationships with others.

Now, do a SOC about Colossians 3:12-22. Take ten minutes to do so.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

What jumps out at you? Why does it jump out at you?

What questions do you have?

How does this inspire and motivate you?

What does this mean to you and your life?

What do you need to stop in your life, regarding Colossians 3 and your prayer journaling?

What do you need to do more of in your life, according to Colossians 3?

How can you apply this to your life—starting today? Write out an action plan to apply this to your life.

Why is this important to me to remember?

What am I saying to God?

What is God saying to me?

Take your time and be through as you re-read and prayer journal.

MEMORY VERSES

Don’t forget your yearly Bible verse or your memory verses. Pray them back to God at this time, whether by memory or by looking at them. They are: Philippians 4:4-8; Psalm 90:12; 1 Samuel 2:1; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 5:1-2; Colossians 3:10. 

Thought to Ponder

We will never have more time. So, the question is, what are we going to do with our time with God today?

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2014. Taken along the Colonial Parkway.) 

Morning Prayer 14 January 2014

Morning Prayer 14 January 2014

Good morning, Lord. 

Thank You for the opportunity of this day. It gives me the chance to live another day of loving You, worshiping You, living the purpose You have for my life, and to bring You glory. 

This is the day You have made, Lord. You created it, and have allowed me to wake up this morning for a purpose. Lord, help me to live that purpose and bring You glory. Help me to know the purpose and to live it today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this quarter, this year, over the next decade, and for the rest of my life. 

This is Your day, not mine. Help me to remember this and grasp it. 

I love You, Father and Daddy. 

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2014.)

Verses to pray, ponder, and memorize: 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 * New Living Translation (NLT)

13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 14 And do everything with love.

-- NLT: Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

(Image credit: Miscrosoft images online 2009-2013.)

Be alone with God.

AN INTRODUCTION: A FRESH AND VIBRANT FAITH

AN INTRODUCTION: A FRESH AND VIBRANT FAITH

I’m I am desperate for a fresh faith.

As a matter of fact, I need it desperately.

I feel like I keep spinning my wheels and like I'm stuck in the mud and muck and can't get out of the mess. I am content, sure. I am quite content actually. I can be no matter where I am, for the most part. But, I know I am missing something and Someone being stuck here where I am.

I know I am missing a vibrant faith.

I am well aware there is far more to the Christian faith than this. I am missing the mark.

How about you?

I am going through the motions, and am doing a great job thereof, but it isn’t enough. My prayer life and Bible reading and study is lackluster at best. I might be doing them, but am producing fruit? Some. Not as much as I could, I am sure. I know it’s God who grows the fruit and produces my fruit, but I also know I am to cooperate with Him in the process. Have I? I doubt it.

I doubt it because I keep jumping around all over the place with my writing. I need to commit to writing one way. Period. No other way. This ambivalence shows how I am missing the mark and do not have the fresh and vibrant faith I could.

Am I bringing God as much glory as I could or should? No. I know I am not.

I’m also not getting as much out of my prayer life as I could, nor my devotional Bible study… My faith isn’t fresh and it’s dull rather than vibrant.

So, what’s the answer?

I think I need to listen to God more and spend more intentional one-on-one time with Him where He has my UNDIVIDED attention. I think this is the answer. I need to practice the spiritual disciplines of solitude and silence.

Hence, I am writing this new blog post series and book.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

What are your thoughts so far?

So, how about you? Have you ever been here in this place? 

Day 25: Colossians 3 and Worldly Versus Godly Living, Part 4

Good day to you, my friend. Welcome to the second day of breaking Colossians 3 down verse by verse. Today, let’s focus on Colossians 3:5-11.

Why don’t you read through those verses in your favorite version of the Bible? Then, do what it says after this sentence.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

1 What causes you to stumble in your faith?

2 What sins have you committed in the last week?

3 What temptations have you had in the next week, but didn’t follow-through, so they didn’t become sin in your life?

4 What sin(s) have you committed lately that is one you continually repeat?

SOC: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING AND COLOSSIANS 3:5-11

Re-read Colossians 3:5-11 once again.

Now, do a SOC about Colossians 3:5-11. Take ten minutes to do so.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

What jumps out at you? Why does it jump out at you?

What questions do you have?

How does this inspire and motivate you?

What does this mean to you and your life?

What do you need to stop in your life, regarding Colossians 3 and your prayer journaling?

What do you need to do more of in your life, according to Colossians 3?

How can you apply this to your life—starting today? Write out an action plan to apply this to your life.

Why is this important to me to remember?

What am I saying to God?

What is God saying to me?

Take your time and be through as you re-read and prayer journal.

MEMORY VERSES

Don’t forget your yearly Bible verse or your memory verses. Pray them back to God at this time, whether by memory or by looking at them. They are: Philippians 4:4-8; Psalm 90:12; 1 Samuel 2:1; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 5:1-2.

Now, let’s add this verse to our memory verses: Colossians 3:10. 

What to expect this week

There will be another new series started this week on this blog, as we continue the 40 Day New Year and New Beginning Parable.

Stay tuned.

-- Stacy Duplease
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
http://agodlyvision.blogspot.com

(Image credit: Microsoft images online 2009-2013.) 

Day 24: Colossians 3 and Worldly Versus Godly Living, Part 3

On Days 22 to 23, we read all the way through the text of Colossians 3 and looked at the text as a whole. Today, we’re going to start to break it down verse by verse, bit by bit. Does this sound good to you?

WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

Prayer Journaling and Contemplation Question: What do you think about and focus on?

If you put Philippians 4:4-8 down, good for you. You should.

If you said God, prayer, His Word, that’s also good.

Colossians 3:-12 also answers this question.

So does reciting memory verses.

However, let’s be honest. Where do our minds wander to before we think of these verses and these things to do to keep our mind on what we should and who we should? Answer that question now in your prayer journal. Jot down a quick answer.

SOC: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING AND WHERE OUR THOUGHTS WANDER

Now, let’s go for a longer exercise here and try to go deep. Let’s try a Stream of Consciousness writing, which I call SOC for short:

Where does your mind wander? Take ten minutes more to answer that question. Set a timer and have it go off when ten minutes are up. Write a list, or in whatever format you would like. Keep writing. Don’t stop. Keep writing. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind. Be thorough. If you can’t think of something to write, then write the question: Where does my mind wander? Make sure to not stop writing for more than two seconds. Keep writing. As silly as your answer might be, get it down on the page.

SOC: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING AND COLOSSIANS 3:2

Now, do a SOC about Colossians 3:2. Take ten minutes to do so.

PRAYER JOURNALING AND CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS

What jumps out at you? Why does it jump out at you?

What questions do you have?

How does this inspire and motivate you?

What does this mean to you and your life?

What do you need to stop in your life, regarding Colossians 3 and your prayer journaling?

What do you need to do more of in your life, according to Colossians 3?

How can you apply this to your life—starting today? Write out an action plan to apply this to your life.

Why is this important to me to remember?

What am I saying to God?

What is God saying to me?

Take your time and be through as you re-read and prayer journal.

MEMORY VERSES

Don’t forget your yearly Bible verse or your memory verses. Pray them back to God at this time, whether by memory or by looking at them. They are: Philippians 4:4-8; Psalm 90:12; 1 Samuel 2:1; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 5:1-2.