Category Archives: Contemplation, Devotional, Inspirational, Meditation, Prayer, Spirituality

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THE LIVING: The Third Stage of Spiritual Life

SPIRITUAL LIVING

1. THE KNOWING

TIER 1 GROWTH IS FOUNDATIONAL  ↓↑

Knowing is the caterpillar stage. This is where you start your spiritual life and is foundational for the rest of your life. Knowing is about knowing Christ, believing in Christ as your Lord and Savior, developing your spiritual life with prayer, bible study, interaction with other Christian believers, and becoming grounded in your faith. You are knowing in your faith and you are being known by God.

The key words for Stage 1 are belief and knowledge.   KNOWING review Link

2. THE LOVING

TIER 2 GROWTH IS TRANSFORMATIONAL  ( )

Loving is the cocoon stage. Loving is when we start growing beyond what we know and believe. This is a silent area of seeking God to know Him, of praying prayers that worship God. This is when one begins to listen for the Shepherd’s voice. Loving is when healing and change influences transformation. You love God for Who He Is, not for what you know about God but because you literally love Him, His Presence, and you are getting to intimately know Him. You are being loved by God in ways you feel and you are loving God in the heart. To know God is to love God. You are letting God help Himself to your life as He shows you what needs cleansing and healing. This is both painful and freeing.

The key words in Stage 2 are trust and surrender.   LOVING review link

3. THE LIVING

TIER 3 GROWTH IS ALIVE, FLUID  ∞

Living is the butterfly stage. Knowing then loving, now we come to living. Living is a wellspring of aliveness that originates in the Spirit of the living God. It can’t be faked, though many fakers imitate the routine.

You will know those living in intimate relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit by their humble love, spiritual wisdom, and human reactions. They act differently because they are intimately tied to the source.

Their lives are spiritually centered. God is on the throne; He comes first. So what does it look like? The believer centered in their faith is kind, loving, helpful and generous.

The key words in Stage 3 are freedom and grace.

Knowing and loving provide the foundation for living that is then nurtured and continually growing. When Christ came into their life at their request, a holy transaction took place.

They became new, forgiven, released from bondage. Peace became their experience. One can live the spiritual life naturally when they know what it is in their understanding and in their experience.

Because God is love, they quite naturally take on love in their soul and being. This love lives in and out.

YOU CAN FLY FREE

The living is a natural by-product that just happens as a result of what God has put into their lives. A heart, mind, and soul intimately living under God’s divine influence is more easily led by the Spirit rather than the flesh.

This also means, when troubles come or major depressive hurts, losses, and disappointments are experienced, they recognize when their spiritual relationship is suffering. Because God is their best friend they won’t want to stay in misery, sad, bitter, or resentful.

They miss the closeness of intimate relationship with their Father God and want to restore that relationship even if it takes a few months to get over whatever happened. God helps us.

Lastly, how do you get there?

  • You seek God with your heart, mind, and soul.
  • You don’t hold anything back.
  • You spend time alone with God.
  • You let God be on the throne of your life.
  • You listen to His quiet voice (you will discern it in time).
  • And you trust God for the journey.

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HOME PAGE: SPIRITUAL STAGES

Let me know how it’s going. I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment here or email me at nlbrumbaugh@gmail.com. God bless you, Norma

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Sacred Space on Saturday Morning

MY SACRED SATURDAY MORNINGS

Our lives reveal what matters to us. They also show some of our history, the culmination of our experiences, how we processed them, and our conclusions about them. This is true about our spiritual lives as well. A stiff, stale, scripted spiritual walk lacks life. On the other hand, spiritual life that is growing demonstrates its liveliness. Are we growing as Christians? We might assess where in our inner selves we see change and deeper understanding of God’s truths and ways. The other day I was thinking along such lines when I asked myself what has been most important in changing up my spiritual life. The answer: My Saturday mornings.

My Saturday routine became essential to my spiritual development seventeen years ago. My life was busy as a teacher and farmer and single mom of five kiddos. It was necessary to block out the morning for extra meaningful without interruption time for serious spiritual contemplation. I’d make a cup of coffee, grab my bible, journal, pen, devotional or books, feed the wood stove, and start reading. About an hour into it, I’d take a break to make from scratch pancakes or waffles and maple syrup for the kids.

Once the kids were fed and the chores for the day dispensed, I’d dive into what I liked best. I’d spend the bulk of the morning in my sacred space on the corner of the couch. Like a starving soul, I soaked it up. Two to three hours or for as long as possible I read in my Bible, prayed, meditated on His word, and wrote a multitude of thoughts in my journal. It was hallowed time. O how I cherished those times of spiritual refreshment, rejuvenation, and renewal. I grew and grew and grew. God wrought changes in me as I sought Him as my teacher, healer, friend, and Lord.

Every week I looked forward to my time alone with God. As I look back on the many components to my healing, growing, and transformation, it is clear to me that my devotion to God came as a result of my seeking to know Him. I truly believe during that block of time for the deeper walk is part of why I grew in my faith journey. Open, honest, willing heart-felt communication with my heavenly Father made this ‘conversation’ authentic. The hours seemed like minutes, they flew by.

True, at the onset I hurt emotionally and that’s what caused me to seek heaven’s door. I knew I didn’t want the same old thing. I wanted to know God without a formulaic approach. I desired open, honest, straight talk. I asked God to penetrate the layers of my self-stuff, which He did over the months, bit by bit. That’s when my spiritual life became real, lively, and authentic; the pretense was confronted and then removed. Since then it has become a way of life with me. I hunger for the silences, my alone times with God, the place where relational intimacy develops and thrives. I’m retired from teaching which means I can pick any day of the week to have my sacred time alone with God. I’m thankful for this.

You don’t need to do it the way I did. Let God lead you ‘beside the still waters.’ Fill yourself with Him. Soak in His presence. Ask Him to be alive in you. Allow Him to cleanse you of your impurities to make you anew. Rest in His love. Hope in His peace. Let His beauty be seen in you. Let go and let God. Be blessed.