Lectio Divina -- Spiritual Bible ReadingWritten by Jeremy M. Hoover
Lectio divina is a very useful and practical discipline for spiritual growth. Rooted in ancient monasticism, practice is a fourfold cycle: Reading, Meditation, Prayer, and Contemplation. In fact, term itself means “sacred reading.”Reading. Lectio divina begins with a “text,” whether that is Bible, a spiritual classic, something in nature, or even another person. You must “take up and read.” But reading is not done to acquire knowledge or information, to master text. Reading is done slowly, focusing on words and connections. In lectio divina, we are seeking to let text master us. I read through Bible, a practice known as lectio continua, during my devotional times. I used to read for information, and to get through a certain amount (say, four chapters every day), but now I read slowly, taking at most a chapter each day. As I read, I listen for how Word of God is addressing me. Meditation. Meditation is focused thought. In lectio divina, we are neither letting our mind run wild with thoughts nor letting it empty of all thoughts. Instead, we concentrate our focus on words of text, thinking about each one. Let each word resonate within you. Think of meditation phase as though it were tea steeping. You are hot water, and tea bag is Bible. As tea bag steeps (reading), flavor is diffused throughout hot water. This is meditation. It is slow, simmering period where we digest text and gain insight. Prayer. The prayer phase takes fruit of our meditation and offers it back to God. Perhaps a text led us to joy because of gifts of God, or maybe a passage exposed sin in our lives and need for repentance. Prayer is when we offer these insights back to God.
| | How to Solve a Wonderful MysteryWritten by Paul Griffitts
The first issue we must recognize is way God uses word Gentile in His Word. The context will usually show you how words are meant to be used. In addition, scope of particular section of a book must be accounted for. Before and after Acts 28:28 there are Gentile believers spoken of in Bible some are called a wild olive branch while others are called The Church which is His Body, Why?The Apostle Paul's epistles usually use word Gentile meaning Gentile believers in many synagogues. The usage of Gentiles in Romans is especially of interest. Failing to discern this usage in Romans has caused much dismay over many years. It was Gentile believers, who attended synagogues, which were grafted into olive tree, olive tree being Israel. These were Gentiles Paul spoke to in his Acts ministry with possibly 3 exceptions. Taking a look at scope of Acts, we see that ministry to Gentiles was for benefit of Israel; God was not at that particular time interested in saving Gentiles. God told Israel, in Romans 10:19, “But, I say, did not Israel know?” First Moses said, “I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” Yes, Gentiles were blesses for Israel's sake. But after Acts Gentiles were blessed because there was no Israel. They became center of God's plan, even as Israel had been God's chosen people before now. The purpose of provoking Israel was not made known to them at first, either by Peter at Cornelius’ house, or by Paul at Antioch. Paul tells Jews in Acts 13:47 that they had been chosen to be a light unto Gentiles, but since they had rejected their King and His kingdom he turned to Gentiles. He did not say here that salvation of God was sent to Gentiles. Salvation was still for Jews (John 4:22), and had not yet been sent to Gentiles (Acts 28:28).
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