Includes...
Here is today's communion meditation.
A friend of mine used to lead a fairly large church and he would say that the key to knowing people and connecting with them are the 2 connector questions.
The connector questions are:
1) What energizes, motivates, excites them?
2) What pushes their buttons... gets them angry, frustrated, weighed down, etc?
When we know these two things about God, ourselves, and others it helps us connect on a new level.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the power of these 2 questions and turn this understanding into practical application.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm... make sure to keep the rhythm of consistent workouts. Even if it means you show up and do just a little.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The New Year is a reminder of a fresh start and a time to examine ourselves. God has given us purpose and grace in Christ Jesus before time ever began. He has a plan and purpose for our life, and sometimes our desires and motivations can give us a clue as to what God put us here to do. What do you really want to do or are excited to do? These can be clues as to the next steps on God's path, but those steps will usually require some courage to walk it out.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's plan for our life and we are asking him to help us understand the desires and motivations he put within us and how to use them to help guide our path.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Keeping the rhythm of consistent workouts is one of the most important parts. When I have clients who have to miss a workout, I always try to get them to do something, so they keep the rhythm and habit. If you can't get a full workout in ...
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we looked at the passage in Ephesians 1 that says Jesus is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named. Today we are looking at Ephesians 2:4-7 which says that we have also been raised up with Christ and seated in the heavenly realms with him.
Ephesians 2:4-7 - But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand what it means for us that we have been raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly realms. And we are asking God to help us convert that understanding into pr...
Here is today's communion meditation.
In Ephesians 1 is a prayer that is part of our Daily Prayer. In verses 20-21 it says... That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Several years ago, I had a vision of standing next to Jesus and we started to go up into the air. As we went up into the sky, we entered a very ugly place that was full of what looked like demons. It's hard to describe this area but it was evil and ugly. But as we kept going up, we broke through this area and kept going up and up and up and up. As we went higher and higher, I kept hearing the words from Ephesians 1 that say "Jesus is far above," This kept repeating over and over as we went infinitely higher than the ugly place. Again, it is ha...
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday I was reading in John 19 about the crucifixion of Jesus and there is a little detail that says in the place where he was crucified there was a garden(John 19:41). It's very interesting that the Bible starts in a garden with Adam and Eve and that in the place where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead there was also a garden.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the significance of the garden and what it means for us today.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our new workbook there is a place to do a weekly examination of ourselves. One of the questions on there is about ways we walked in the light or were connected to God. Physical exercise is often a trigger that better helps me connect with God.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day I was thinking about how John 1 tells us that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Not just grace and not just truth, but the combination of the two. These two must need to go together.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of the combination of grace and truth and to help us walk in a higher level of both grace and truth from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Remember to bring your best in your workout and to make it beautiful. The combination of these two things helps God's grace flow in our workouts.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day we talked about how the God's native language is the truth. While thinking about this I was reminded of a section in my book "The 8th Date," about how truth is progressive. Here is the passage:
God is orderly and sequential. Truth is no different. Truth is universally true no matter where you are, but truth must start as a seed and progress through levels. For example, God has planted truth in your heart, but it must progress into your mind, and then into your body, and then into the material world. Truth is progressive, or sequential—it must go through phases of growth. God always builds in layers. Think of the earth: It has layers with the inner core, crust, and more. Our skin, too, was built with multiple layers.
God has somewhere he wants to take us, and he must teach us in layers. If you’re teaching children how to read, they must first learn their alphabet and all of the letters. Then they must learn th...
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
This year our message is God Saved the Best Until Now.
As we get started with a new year remember to find joy in the process. Any new goals are going to require a process and finding joy in the process is our indicator that we are fully present. And presence is what I call the grace table turner that helps all the good things God put within us flow through us rather than staying bottled up on the inside.
Here is our filter for this week... Find Joy in the Process
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day I was reading in John 8 where Jesus says that the native language of the Devil is lies, and I began to think about the reciprocal of this which would be that the native language of God is truth. The Bible tells us that all things are possible for God, except one thing... It is impossible for God to lie.
Ephesians also tells us that we will be mature when we learn to speak the truth in love.
In today's communion we are thanking God that his native language is the truth. And we are asking him to help us speak the truth in love consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Flexibility is an important part of fitness. My favorite times to stretch are after workouts and before bed. There is something about stretching before bed that helps our bodies feel so much better in the morning.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently I was having a conversation with a friend about how some leaders have exceptionally high standards for excellence, but sometimes these high standards can come with a lot of pressure on themselves and others. Having high standards for excellence is a good thing but they must be balanced with a lot of grace to take the pressure off.
God is the perfect example of this. He has a standard that none of us can keep, and he won't change it for anyone, but he is also gentle, patient, and full of grace and truth.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us become more like him in setting higher standards for our lives and balancing it with a lot of grace so that the pressure is off.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Standards are important for our health and fitness. To reach new levels me must set higher standards while also giving ourselves grace.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Sign up to receive Yearly Cycle Updates delivered to your inbox.