Here's another great contribution from Scott Savage in regards to spiritual burn-out. Scott has a lecture that goes along with the picture below. Just do a quick Google search for Scott Savage and subscribe to his e-mail mailing list. Great stuff! To enlarge the picture, just click on it!
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
Just a quick post: I found an outstanding app called Pause, by John Eldredge. I got it from Scott Savage, one of the author's on Bible.com. I think it's excellent and I highly recommend it, especially if you are a 'busy and on-the-go' type person, who needs a bit of a break and 'pause' from time to time. I've high-lighted it above for Apple users; for other hardware just do a quick Google search. Enjoy~!
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
As I've hopefully mentioned in an introduction post somewhere, I'm quite new to Christianity. I've been reading quite a bit on Bible.com in regards to Holy Week. It's the first time I've ever read any of this material, nor have I any acquaintance with this information. Sure, I've heard some of the stories of Holy Week, but never in much detail, and never very accurate. I must admit, this is quite fascinating! (I don't mean this in a morbid way; leading up to Christ's crucifixion.) It's just fascinating to finally read the Bible and get the correct information. I'm still processing most of this information, so I don't have any significant or ignorant comments to make at this time. So, I'll post a couple prayers from Bible.com.
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
I haven't been posting this past week due to full knee replacement surgery on March 23rd. It's been an entertaining time during all the prep work and now post-op work, but I'm getting along okay. The Good Lord has been by my side and the pain, discomfort and lack of sleep hasn't been all that bad. My wife and I also adopted a new puppy dog we have named Abby. She's an eight month old Italian Greyhound. Active little girl, she is! She's also a blessing to my heart, as I look at her and my heart just melts. Especially in the mornings when she is full of energy and happy to see us again after a (hopefully!) long night of rest! There is nothing like lying in bed with the one you love while playing with a puppy. Talk about relaxing stress relief! Below are a couple of pictures; one of my knee in stocking and the other of Abby.
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| Sabbath and Rest |
““Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!
“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 10:16-33 NLT - From Bible.com
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.10.16-33.NLT
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
There’s a battle happening all around you—a battle for your heart, your mind, and your soul. A battle that’s not only physical, but also spiritual. A battle with literal enemies who impact the seen and unseen world.
John wrote:
“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
1 John 4:4 NLT
Yes, we are in a real battle.
Yes, we have a real enemy.
Yes, the kingdom of darkness is constantly fighting against the kingdom of light.
But for those who are trusting in the finished work of Christ, greater is the One living inside of us than the one who is living in this world.
We have a real Savior.
This story isn’t close to over.
The kingdom of darkness will never prevail against the kingdom of light.
Our enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. To pervert, manipulate, and confuse; to distract, divide, and disable.
But God is greater than the doubts that clutter your mind, the enemies that frustrate your plans, the heart-wrenching and even soul-crushing situation that’s currently consuming your thoughts.
You can fight from a place of victory because the battle has already been won.
Jesus has already conquered death. And now, while we wait for others to come to salvation and for God to bring all things to completion under Christ’s authority, we can fight with a confident hope.
There’s a battle happening all around you—a battle for your heart, for your mind, for your soul. But greater is the One living inside of you than the one who is living in this world.
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalms 23:1-6 NLT
A Psalm of David - https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.23.1-6.NLT
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with them. In every circumstance or situation, let’s go to God with everything, and trust Him with everything.
When we do that, we keep our eyes on Jesus, and He helps us endure every situation we face.
So what are you facing right now? Take a moment to pray to God and tell Him all you’re going through. Then, reflect on the good things happening in your life and remember to thank God.
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
Romans 12:9-21 NLT
This has been the best plan, by far, that I've completed on Bible.com. These five posts are great 'self-help' tools for life. Again, highly recommended! Here is a link to Scott Savage's work: Stop Cleaning Cobwebs: Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedom by Scott Savage. Also, here is a link to Scott's own personal website, which also has excellent information and courses: Scott Savage Live. Enjoy~!
.png "Stop Cleaning Cobwebs by Scott Savage")
I’m so proud of you for completing each day of this plan. It would have been easier for you to stop this plan. However, I pray that God has used this plan to show you that discomfort can lead to freedom.
Many years ago, I experienced the power of an uncomfortable conversation. My boss had systematically lied to me, which meant that many of my decisions and the way I treated people were based on those lies. I was angry, bitter, and wounded. Everything within me wanted to get even.
I made it my mission to ensure that everything my former boss did to succeed would fail. Whatever this person said, I did my best to discredit it. Whatever this person wanted to accomplish, I tried to sabotage it.
Fortunately, I had a close friend named Taylor. We met every week for coffee, prayed together, and studied Scripture. Taylor had complete permission to speak truth into my life.
One day, he said, "Scott, you must deal with this. You are so bitter and angry that you've become toxic. It's not just affecting you; it's affecting all these people around you. You're mad at one person, but you're taking it out on people who don't even know him. I'll be honest: it's tough to be your friend right now. You've got to deal with the pain and learn how to let go."
That conversation changed my life. Taylor cared more about my freedom than my comfort. He was willing to risk our friendship to help me, and he embodied the words of Proverbs 27:6 NIV: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted.”
As we conclude this plan, like Taylor, I urge you to address the issues that this plan has brought to the surface for you. Stop cleaning the cobwebs!
Here are three practical next steps to help you move from cleaning cobwebs to addressing the real issues:
Step 1: Spend this week identifying your cobwebs. Ask yourself these three questions:
What are the struggles I can't seem to break free from?
What do I turn to when I want to feel better about my feelings or thoughts?
Where have I settled because I began to doubt anything else was possible?
Step 2: Invite someone who needs this kind of freedom to join you. If you're thinking of someone who needs this message, share this plan with them and invite them to join you on the journey. Sometimes the best way to solidify what you're learning is to help someone else understand it too.
Step 3: Begin praying every day for victory. You will likely encounter resistance and spiritual opposition. If you could do this in your strength, you would already be free! Start praying now for God to work in your heart and give you the courage to go deeper than surface solutions. Remember what 1 John 4:4 says - “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (NIV)
Don’t settle for cleaning cobwebs when God has the power to kill spiders. According to Matthew 19:26, what seems impossible in your strength is possible with God’s.
Are you ready to move beyond quick fixes to the real freedom He offers? Your journey to freedom begins with acknowledging that surface-level solutions are ineffective. Surrender today to God's power and allow Him to address the root issues in your life.
I’d love to continue to encourage you. Click here to learn about upcoming plans about spiders and cobwebs, along with how you can get complimentary access to my guide, Five Prayers for Difficult Seasons.
JoJo the Mystical Monk - JJtMM
Stop Cleaning Cobwebs: Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedom by Scott Savage - Also, Scott's own personal website with excellent information: Scott Savage Live
Uni and Cecilia Wessels lived in Alberta, Canada. On a seemingly normal Saturday morning, Uni was outside mowing the lawn when their 9-year-old daughter saw something and ran inside to tell her mom. Cecilia came outside and started yelling at her husband to get inside.
He didn't listen. He kept mowing.
Cecilia was yelling because Uni was mowing his lawn while a tornado was approaching! When she couldn't get his attention, she grabbed her phone, took a picture, and posted it on social media. The image went viral: a man calmly mowing his lawn with a massive tornado in the background.
When interviewed later, Uni said, "I was keeping an eye on it. I see the tornado over there, but I'm just going to keep mowing my lawn."
I wonder - do you approach the problems in your life like Uni approached that tornado? You see the issue over there—the addiction, the unhealthy relationship patterns, the anger that's destroying your family—and you think, "I'm keeping an eye on it. I'll just keep living my normal life."
But ignoring something dangerous doesn't make it go away. It just gives it more time to grow stronger.
Before I preached a series inspired by Carlos’s book Kill the Spider, I began experiencing opposition I hadn't felt in years. I had technical difficulties, distractions, and even physical symptoms that seemed designed to prevent me from bringing this message.
One Friday night, I went to sleep and began shivering, though I had no fever. I was up for hours, and eventually I started praying because this felt like a spiritual attack. I even asked God to awaken a person who knew about the opposition I was facing, so they could pray for me.
The next morning, after a couple of hours of sleep, I texted that person about something else and mentioned what had happened. That person replied, "That's strange, Scott. Last night I had a dream about you. You were preaching, and you passed out. I woke up and started praying for you at the same time you asked God to wake me up."
We serve a mighty God!
If you start going after the real issues in your life—the spiders, not just the cobwebs—you're going to experience resistance. You're going to face opposition. Things are going to get uncomfortable before they get better.
Your enemy doesn't want you to break free. He's invested in keeping you stuck, struggling, and settling for less than what God intended for your life.
But, the God we serve cares more about your freedom than your comfort. He wants you to break free from the places where you've been settling and struggling. Don't forget - breaking free is uncomfortable!
Psalm 90 reminds us that our lives are brief, and they pass quickly. David's prayer was, "Teach us to number our days carefully, so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." (Psalm 90:12 CSB)
There's an expiration date on the opportunities before you. You don't have forever to address these issues.
Tomorrow, we'll look at practical steps you can take to start identifying your own cobwebs and the spiders behind them.
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
Here is part 3 of Stop Cleaning Cobwebs on Bible.com by Scott Savage. Highly recommended read!
Here is the second piece of a most excellent 'plan' on Bible.com, by Scott Savage. This is truly worth reading! Enjoy, and here's the link to his work: Stop Cleaning Cobwebs - Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedom by Scott Savage on Bible.com.
.png "Stop Cleaning Cobwebs by Scott Savage")
This is an excellent 'plan' on the app, Bible.com. I hope it's okay to post it...I'll include a link to their site to at least promote them a little big. I am seriously impressed with their app! Here is a link to the actual site: Stop Cleaning Cobwebs: Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedom by Scott Savage.
Here we go...
When we come across Proverbs 31 and begin reading about a wife of noble character, it sounds like we’ve met a superhero. This woman is described as persistent, hard-working, prepared, helpful, thrifty, wise, and God-fearing. Everything she does seems flawless, and it might seem hard to imagine living up to this expectation.
No one but Jesus has lived a perfect life, and Proverbs 31 isn’t trying to suggest that anyone should be performing at superhero levels. Although it is describing a wife, this chapter gives everyone a description of what it looks like to apply wisdom to our lives. Here are four ways anyone can embody the characteristics described in Proverbs 31.
WORK HARD:
“She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.” Proverbs 31:13 ESV
We can’t work for or earn our salvation. It is a gift from God that we can accept or reject. But hard work is a natural response of gratitude and thanks for all that God has done for us. We work hard to do what He has created us to do so that we can glorify God.
BE GENEROUS:
“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20 NIV
A wise person is able to notice the needs of others and tend to them. He or she will intentionally reach out and offer assistance to those in need. We can be generous with our time, resources, and God-given gifts because it's all been given to us by God.
BE PREPARED:
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:25-26 NIV
When we steward our resources well and trust God with the results, we can approach the future with confidence and joy, and share what we’ve learned with others.
FEAR THE LORD:
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” Proverbs 31:30 NLT
Fear can have negative meanings connected to it. But in the Old Testament, fear is often associated with setting aside your will to follow God’s commands. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and a wise person seeks to obey God in all they do.
God doesn’t expect us to be more than human. He understands our limitations and has grace for our weaknesses. But He hopes that we will seek and apply wisdom to our lives so that we can know Him more intimately. And when each of us commit to seeking God’s wisdom, we will begin to exhibit the traits found in Proverbs 31.
Today, take some time to ask God to reveal where you can grow in wisdom. Allow Him to transform your character and be glorified through your life.
JoJoTheMystical Monk - JJtMM
This rings very true for me. I need to get my act together and forgive others as well. Forgiving others is a real challenge or 'opportunity' I have, as I'm not one to 'turn the other cheek.' You do me wrong, and I'm going for revenge! Wrong attitude and action. Sigh...
“So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:5-15 NLT
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
I worry to much, so I'm reading a short 'plan' on Bible.com about overcoming worry. Here are a few comments from that 'plan'. Please note that I'm just copying and pasting here, so these comments and quotes are in no particular order.
“So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 NLT
“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9 NLT
““That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25 NLT
Don’t worry!
Jesus taught us how to be content in this life. He said: " Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"(Matthew 6:25 NKJV).
Lord Jesus told us to be content with what we have and not to worry. Why do we worry?
Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:9 NKJV: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition”
That is why Solomon, the richest man who ever lived said, “For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 NKJV).
When humans were created by God He gave us the ability to have satisfaction. His hope is that we would find satisfaction in Him. We must believe that God provides everything we need for our satisfaction so that we can fulfill His plans on earth.
Our mind is our battlefield!
Your brain is an extraordinary gift from God that must be put to good use. Everything that we think or do begins in our minds. Because of this we need to rely on God, as our understanding and thoughts are very limited, while God is unlimited.
God is the Architect of all architects who can see from the beginning to the end. He knows the processes and sequences. He also has ways beyond our understanding, ways to deal with difficulties and solve problems that might never cross our minds.
There is a truth in Colossians 3:2 NIV that can encourages us to have the mind of Christ. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." We can choose to always think about God.
This requires us to process through our prayers, words, worship, and ministry—all we do.
Our perspectives and thoughts determine who we are, our decisions, and the direction our life will take. We can have the mind and perspective of Christ.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9 NLT
JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM
This is a crack in the wood of our living room ceiling. I thought it made for a right fine cross!
From Google:
In Christianity, the cross symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, representing God's love, sacrifice, and redemption of humanity from sin. It transforms a historical instrument of death into a symbol of victory, hope, and eternal life. It also signifies faith, obedience, and the call to take up one's own cross.
Key symbolic meanings of the cross include:
Sacrifice and Redemption: It represents Jesus willingly dying to pay for humanity's sins, offering salvation to believers.
God’s Love and Grace: It is the ultimate demonstration of God's love, bridging the gap between God and humanity
Victory over Death: It symbolizes Christ's triumph over sin, darkness, and death through his resurrection.
Christian Identity and Faith: It serves as the primary emblem of the Christian faith, representing the believer's commitment and devotion.
Discipleship and Self-denial: It reminds believers to live humbly and follow Jesus, often referred to as "taking up your cross".
The cross is used in various ways, including in churches, on jewelry, and in the "sign of the cross" gesture, which represents a prayer, blessing, or profession of faith.
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| The Cross In Christianity |
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| The Cross In Christianity |
JJtMM - JoJo The Mystical Monk
Hey! Hey! I've once again changed the name of this blog...from exploring awareness, to crack between the worlds, to self-healed madman, to now, JoJo The Mystical Monk. Why?
It's time for a new topic to study, and as I've never looked at Christianity before, now is the time! So, I will be posting mostly quotes from a bible app I have on the iPad. I will probably add some comments on WHY I chose a particular quote, unless I'm busy. I'm also converting all other signatures and comments, posts, etc., to this new topic. This will take some time, so stick with me~
JJtMM
