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Showing posts from January, 2024

Looking Back

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And Jesus said to him, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). You have said "yes." You have accepted the job offer. Now is not the time to doubt. Now is not the time to be looking back. No job is perfect, and no job is really secure. Security is found only in God. Stop looking for it in the outside world. Doubts after decisions are devils trying to sabotage your new job, your new adventure. Put both hands to the plow and don't look back. It is too late to question, too late to second guess. Plow forward. Move ahead. It is good, sometimes, to close the book on a past chapter of your life. Indeed, we should be "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before" (Philippians 3:13).

Careful About One Thing Only

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“Be careful about one thing only,” says the Lord - “your relationship with Me.” - Oswald Chambers (cf. Matt 6:25) Stop getting distracted by a hundred and one nonessential things. Stay focused Jay. The only thing that really matters is your relationship with God. It doesn’t matter whether the Bible is inerrant, what matters is that God is inerrant. Stop buying books. Seriously, stop! The only thing you should be buying is a good Bible and books on prayer and solitude. And then read them. Pray them. Focus on living the Way instead of studying the Way. You learn in the doing. Again, all questions should come back to how this affects my relationship with God. If it interferes with my prayer time, my solitude, or my spirituality, it should be avoided. This includes family and friends. God must be first. But family is second. Their relationship with God should be the priority here. Sacrifice for their good. Spend quality time with them, but not at the expense of your prayer life. Remem

2024 The Year of Prayer

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"Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation" (Matt 26:41). I declare to myself that this year, 2024, shall be the year of prayer. I have never been a prayer warrior. Yes, I have studied the Bible, theology, and church history. Likewise, I have worshiped and praised. But prayer has always been a weak point for me. It is time to make prayer a priority. It must become a daily habit. No, even deeper. I must learn to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). I will study and practice the Jesus Prayer with the Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Furthermore, I will practice the prayers in the Common Book of Prayer. I will pray the prayers in Luther’s Small Catechism. And I will practice the prayer in the Catholic prayer book of St, Benedict. In all cases, I will learn how to pray from those who have been praying for ages. I will, of course, pair this with Bible reading and meditation. And I will not neglect silence, solitude, and simplicity. My desire is to grow in my relationsh

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About

Dr. Jay Forrest is a Christian Philosopher and independent researcher who holds a doctorate in religion. Dr. Forrest specializes in Buddhism, Gnosticism, and Christian mysticism. He is the author of The Deeper Life: Finding God on the Mystic Path.

Dr. Forrest is both interfaith and non-denominational, having ministered in Baptist, Methodist, Charismatic, Catholic, and Anglican churches throughout the United States. He has been ordained for over three decade and is certified to teach insight meditation.

Scripture Quotations

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the American King James version of the Bible by Michael Peter (Stone) Engelbrite. Placed in the Public Domain on November 8, 1999.

Scriptures marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.