Spiritual Direction nyc

February 19, 2018

Lent Day 6: His Light Illuminates the World

LeapofFaith_DailyReadings_Horizontal

PREPARE

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your devotional time.

READ

John 3:1-21

REFLECT AND PRAY

1) In verses 1-15, imagine yourself sitting and observing Jesus speaking to Nicodemus about spirit and being born again. What images or phrases hold your attention? Do you have any questions for Jesus, as Nicodemus did, about what it means to be born again?

2) We often focus solely on John 3:16, learning about eternal life but losing sight of what is said right after in verse 17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God loves us so much that not only did he give his Son but he did it in a spirit of wanting to save us, not condemn us. Are there any ways in which you feel condemned and would like to trade that for a feeling of being saved?

OBEY

In verses 16-21, Jesus speaks about how his light illuminates the world but many hide from it for fear of being exposed. Prayerfully examine if there are any areas of your life that you would like to invite Jesus to illuminate today.

Guest Writer: Erin Brehm

“Leap of Faith” is a devotional series on the Gospel of John for the Lent season. All readings are available on the Vineyard One NYC app, along with additional resources for Bible reading, worship, and prayer (IPhone app here; Google Play app here).

February 18, 2018

Lent Day 5: Water to Wine

LeapofFaith_DailyReadings_Horizontal

Each Sunday in Lent will focus on one of Jesus’ miraculous signs in the Gospel of John.

PREPARE

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your devotional time. Before you read, meditate on John’s words about his Gospel:

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name – John 20:31.

READ

John 2:1-11

REFLECT AND PRAY

1) By his actions, Jesus reveals himself as abundantly loving, generous, compassionate, humble, and kind. Are there any other characteristics of Jesus that stand out to you from this story? Which do you find the most meaningful and why?

2) In turning water to wine at a wedding party, Jesus foreshadows the magnificent feast that will take place when the church is united with Christ as his bride (Revelation 19:6-9). But Jesus also foreshadows the suffering he will endure on the cross in order to bring about this final, joyous union. In what ways have you experienced a taste of Jesus’ wedding feast and/or miraculous provision? In what ways have you experienced his suffering?

OBEY

As you read and reflect, how do you sense Jesus speaking to you? Are there any ways he invites you to share in his suffering this week? In his joy?

You are also invited to hear a sermon on this passage. It will be streamed on the Vineyard One NYC Facebook page beginning at 10:30 am Eastern Standard Time. (Previous sermon audio files are available at vineyardone.nyc.)

February 17, 2018

Lent Day 4: The Blessings of the Week

LeapofFaith_DailyReadings_Horizontal

PREPARE

This is a day to review the graces, or gifts and blessings, of the week. Find a place where you can welcome God’s presence, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you think back over the previous week. What relationships, events, or things have you been grateful for? How has Jesus been present to you in your daily life?

REVIEW OPTION 1

Review one or more Bible passages and devotionals from the previous days (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3). Is there anything in particular that stands out to you? What has Jesus been saying to you so far in the Lent Season?

REVIEW OPTION 2

If you need something simpler, you may choose to meditate and pray on one or more of these questions from the week:

How can you “clear the way” for Jesus’ coming? What actions might you take in order to prepare someone know and serve Jesus?
Jesus calls each one of us to “come” and follow, to know him more and to be more deeply in love with him. Where do you sense this invitation in your life?
Are there any specific ways in which Jesus is asking for your obedience?

PRAY

Based on how you have heard Jesus speak to you, respond with a prayer of commitment, repentance, or petition, or however you feel led.

Close with a prayer of gratitude.

February 16, 2018

Lent Day 3: “Do What He Tells You To Do”

LeapofFaith_DailyReadings_Horizontal

PREPARE

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your devotional time. Read the assigned passage, then proceed through the “Reflect and Pray” and “Obey” sections.

READ

John 2

REFLECT AND PRAY

1) Verses 13-16 tell us that the temple is a dwelling place for God. What is the temple used for in this story? What is it supposed to be like?

2) “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days’” (v. 19).

What does “this temple” mean to Jesus and to you? Now that Jesus is risen and has left his Holy Spirit with us, the believer’s body is also a temple. Knowing this, how do you feel about your body? How should you treat it?

OBEY

Mary: They have no more wine.

Jesus: Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.

Mary (to the servants): Do whatever he tells you to do.

In this dialogue, it seems like Jesus is refusing Mary’s request. His response is not very encouraging. We all have faced circumstances where the outcome seems uncertain. Mary’s response is something to which we all can aspire: obedience and trust in Jesus to handle the situation with his wisdom.

Are you facing a discouraging situation? Ask Jesus how he wants to handle the situation. Do whatever he tells you to do.

Guest Writer: Mimi Otani, crazy4jazz

February 15, 2018

Lent Day 2: Jesus Calls You to “Come”

PREPARE

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your devotional time. Read the assigned passage, then proceed through the “Reflect and Pray” and “Obey” sections.

READ

John 1:35-51

REFLECT AND PRAY

The arrival of Jesus stands out to in this passage. He comes on the scene without advertising or fanfare. God, Jesus’ father, gave witness of him by descending the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove to reveal his identity. Two of John’s disciples heard John the Baptist declare, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” Without hesitation, they followed Jesus. They were ready and had been waiting to receive and follow the Messiah. This portion of scripture invites us not to fear or hesitate in continuing to welcome Jesus into our daily life and activities and to follow the leading of the disciples as they heeded the word “Come.”

1) In what ways are you invited to welcome Jesus into your daily life?

2) Jesus also calls you to “Come.” Is there anything in your life he is asking you to leave behind for his sake? (Keep in mind sometimes the things that hold us back can be very good things in and of themselves. John’s disciples left behind John in order to follow Jesus; they left something good and true because something better had been revealed to them. In the same way, Jesus might be inviting you to move away from something good because he has a better, deeper calling in mind. Ask him for wisdom and discernment to hear the specifics of his call.)

OBEY

Give thanks that the Holy Spirit has revealed Jesus to you. Thank Jesus for inviting you to follow, and choose to answer his call to “Come.” Let him bring his life, hope, and healing into your everyday life and activities.

Guest writer: Mercy Perez

February 14, 2018

Lent Day 1: “Clear the Way for His Coming”

LeapofFaith_DailyReadings_Horizontal

PREPARE

On this Ash Wednesday, welcome God’s presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your devotional time.

READ

John 1: 1-34

REFLECT AND PRAY

1) From verses 1-18, what phrase or image about Jesus stands out to you? Why do you think it speaks to you at this moment of your life?

2) John refers to Jesus as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world . . . the Messiah . . . the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit . . . the Chosen One of God” (v. 29, 33, 34). Which of these names for Jesus means the most to you right now. Why? Tell Jesus who he is to you right now, giving him thanks.

OBEY

John says that he is someone who “clears the way for the Lord’s coming” (v. 23). How do you think you are called to prepare others to know and serve Jesus? Ask Jesus to show you one concrete step you can take that will help “clear the way” for the Lord’s coming.

January 22, 2018

God’s Voice Within: Ignatian Discernment for Beginners (Book Review)

God’s Voice Within, by Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, is an extremely practical book on Ignatian discernment. Meant to both simplify and elucidate the process of decision making, it’s filled with helpful anecdotes about discernment done well (like responding to genuine vocational calling) and discernment gone off the deep end (like dropping out of college without consulting anyone because of a poorly understood emotional crisis).

Although the book is accessible to those unfamiliar with St. Ignatius and the Jesuits, Thibodeaux does rely on a few terms that are essential to Ignatian discernment, as well as to Ignatian spirituality generally, beginning with desolation and consolation. At its most basic, consolation is the movement of your spirit towards God, evidenced by an increase of faith, hope, love, peace, and a sense of God’s closeness, while desolation is the movement of your spirit away from God, evidenced by fear, secrecy, anxiety, boredom, or apathy. However, these are tricky concepts because not only do you have actual consolation and desolation, you can also experience false consolation (an apparent increase of faith, hope, love, and peace that is actually disguising desolation) as well as deep suffering and distress that feel like desolation, but, because they cause you to turn towards God, actually produce consolation. Also, depending on where you are in your spiritual journey, consolation and desolation can take on different forms.

Although whole books have been written about desolation and consolation, true and false, God’s Voice Within helpfully offers charts and checklists that help you determine which one you are feeling, and how to respond once you know. Simply put: When in consolation, store up in your memory what consolation feels like and the practices that are sustaining you. When in desolation, buckle down and do the same things that came naturally to you while in consolation, no matter how much more difficult they are now. In fact, do them with even more determination, deliberately turning towards God even though your emotions and experiences are telling you to do the opposite. Perhaps most importantly, desolation is not a time to make any major decisions, particularly if doing so would reverse a decision made while in consolation.

Once he’s explained desolation and consolation, also known as the movement of the spirits, Thibodeaux reminds us that the basis for all discernment is the Principle and Foundation, a “mission statement” that Ignatius formulated to remind us of the essential truth of who we are, why we are, and what we are doing: “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul . . . [Therefore,] Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.” Our purpose and goal are greater and truer love and service towards God, which, in Ignatian thought, goes hand in hand with more fully becoming the person God designed us to be.

From the Principle and Foundation, Thibodeaux derives a helpful question to answer at the start of a discernment process: “What are you looking for at this time of your life?” In other words, what are the goals and purposes that drive you? Thibodeaux recommends writing your own version of the Foundation and Principle, using a process that includes remembering what it was like to first answer the call of Jesus, naming your gifts and which you are most grateful for, and naming each of your vocational callings.

Once you’ve clarified your own Foundation and Principle, discernment can proceed through its four phases: Get Quiet (cultivating a habit of regular and concrete prayer), Gather Data (about yourself and about the choices before you), Dream the Dreams (get in touch with your deep desires), and Ponder the Dreams (test the response of your spirit to your choices, or what Thibodeaux calls “praydreaming”). These four phases are folllowed by tentative decision making, seeking confirmation, and final decision making, and Thibodeaux provides helpful guidelines for knowing when confirmation, or disconfirmation, has come.

But what about when confirmation doesn’t come, despite your best intentions and efforts? Almost as much as I valued the process outlined in God’s Voice Within, I appreciated its tips on making a decision when confirmation doesn’t come: the acknowledgement that in the end, sometimes we simply make our way through the twilight as best as we can, trusting God has been and will be with us no matter where we choose to go.

December 22, 2017

Advent Reflection – “The Eternal God is Your Refuge”

656b8228-6f39-443c-82fd-0c3f0771c483

Each week of Advent, I’ll be posting two reflections on a different name of Jesus as given in Isaiah 9:6. This week’s name is “Everlasting Father.”

Guest writer: Mimi Otani, crazy4jazz.com

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6.

READ

Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
he cries out, ‘Destroy them!

REFLECT & PRAY

Another comforting characteristic of God is that he is eternal and everlasting. When we are facing adversaries, it feels like our struggles will last for eternity. But God’s everlasting arms are longer and greater than those of our enemies, and he will bring the victory to those who love him. He commands us to “Destroy them!”, which suggests that he is inviting us to take part in his victory with our actions.

Indeed, in many battles described in the Old Testament, the LORD says “I will give so-on-so into your hands,” and yet the Israelites still had to go and fight. If the enemy is already defeated, then why go and fight instead of doing nothing? Perhaps we are to take part in God’s mission.

Through our God we shall do valiantly; it is he who treads down our enemies. (Ps 108:13). And yet, we take part in the “treading down” and share in God’s victory. While we are battling, we may get hurt. However, he has promised us that we can take refuge in him. He enfolds us like an eagle trying to protect its eaglets.

I hope these images give you an idea of what it is like to be under his wings. They protect us forever.

OBEY

Are there any areas in your life where you feel like you are facing adversaries, whether physical (an individual or organization, an illness or injury) or spiritual (temptations, addictions, distractions)?

Spend some time over the next few days asking your Father to make you aware of his everlasting arms surrounding you, protecting and fighting for you. Ask God if there is any way he is inviting you to participate as he fights on your behalf.

December 16, 2017

Advent Reflection: “This Foolish Plan of God”

Each week of Advent, I’ll be posting two reflections on a different name of Jesus as given in Isaiah 9:6. This week’s name is “Counselor.”

Guest writer: Abraham Aldama

READ

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

REFLECT & PRAY

The message of the gospel makes no sense. Think about it! Jesus Christ, who is God himself, took human form so he could die in our stead to give us life and reestablish the communion He once had with us. In human terms that is absolute madness! Why would the Almighty God want a relationship with us mortals? Why would He want to be in communion with sinners?

It’s because He cannot help but love us. He cannot deny his essence. He is love (1 John 4:8). Why is love His essence? I do not know.

The message of the cross is not for those for whom everything has to make sense. It is not for those who think they have it all figured out and think that they are in control of their lives. It is not for those who trust in their own strength, social status, wealth, education, and connections more than they trust God. It is not for those who do not love Jesus in return.

Jesus came for the poor, the sick, and the lame to show that it is not our earthly belongings or status that matter. He came for those whose power, accomplishments, and money are garbage compared to their desire to know Jesus (Philippians 3:8). I am not saying that success, fame, and wealth are bad in and of themselves. Paul himself was pretty successful in human terms before his calling. However, when we truly want to have a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus because we love Him, our dependence on other things will diminish to the point where they stop mattering at all. We will have nothing left to boast about but about Jesus.

In your prayer time today, ask God to examine your heart and show you if you have been depending on and boasting about things that are not Him. Do you depend on your own job? Your connections? Your family? Maybe even your ministry? Do you boast about your accomplishments? About your own righteousness?

On the contrary, do you feel unworthy because of your sins and failures? Do not despair but rejoice. The Lord has come for you!

RESPOND

Ask Jesus to be your counselor, your guide through life. Ask, as the worship song* goes, that His voice may be louder and clearer than all the others. If you hear Him speaking (however this might come for you), answer with Samuel’s words, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” and follow His voice.

Ask Jesus to increase your dependence on Him. Ask Jesus to be your wisdom: your righteousness, your holiness, and your redemption.

Finally, be mindful of when you are tempted to boast about your belongings, your accomplishments, your skills, your righteousness, or anything other than Jesus. Ask Him to help you overcome those temptations when you feel that they are creeping up.

*Full Attention, Jeremy Riddle

December 12, 2017

Advent Reflection: God’s Plan to Heal the World

656b8228-6f39-443c-82fd-0c3f0771c483

This morning, as I was thinking and praying about my next Advent reflection, the news was coming in about the bombing in the subway tunnels of Midtown Manhattan. Thankfully, there were only a few minor injuries and the bomber was caught.

In light of the attack this morning, here are my thoughts on the name “Mighty God.” I will post the missing reflection on “Counselor” later this week.

READ

Jeremiah 23:5-6

“For the time is coming,”
says the Lord,
“when I will raise up a righteous descendant
from King David’s line.
He will be a King who rules with wisdom.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
And this will be his name:
‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’
In that day Judah will be saved,
and Israel will live in safety.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Living between the resurrection of Jesus and the final coming together of all things in heaven and earth means celebrating God’s healing of the world, not his abandoning of it” – N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope

This morning, a bomb exploded in a subway station in Midtown Manhattan. It did very little harm, and the would-be suicide bomber has been captured. But we know there are more people like him bent on violence of one kind of another, all over the world. Everywhere we turn, there are “wars and rumors of wars.”

Screenshot 2017-12-11 at 6.54.05 PM
It seems only fair to wonder: Where is God and why isn’t he doing anything about all of this?

Centuries ago, God gave the prophet Jeremiah a glimpse into his plan. He told Jeremiah he would send a King unlike any other – a perfect ruler who would bring wisdom, justice, and security. He would bring his divided people back together, back from war and exile. The new King would give his people his righteousness. He would restore their ability to live in a rich, intimate relationship with God.

God’s promise, given through Jeremiah, brought much-needed hope at a time when his people were caught in political turmoil, fear, and heartache. And it brings hope to us today.

Jesus, our Mighty God, came to be King not just of Israel but to all of us. When Jesus defeated death and evil at the cross, he began his reign. He began extending his rule over everyone and everything, a process of healing and restoration that will only be complete when he returns to earth again. In that day, he will bring lasting peace, prosperity, and joy to all of creation. As N.T. Wright explains, God hasn’t abandoned the world; he is healing it.
hands-holding-world
More than ever, we need Jesus to come and bring his promised peace. While we wait, we have the incredible privilege of working alongside Jesus, to bring healing and hope in our own spheres of influence. Sometimes that might not feel like much, but empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can work and pray, with faith, towards that time when Jesus’ reign is complete.

OBEY

Speak to Jesus about your hopes and fears for today and for the future. Ask him to give you a vision for his “healing of the world” and how you can play a part in it. Pray for the courage and faith to follow your calling.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a person in need of encouragement. Ask Jesus what words of hope he has for that person. Contact that person and pass on Jesus’ words.