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Finding A Quiet Place

Withdrawing To A Quiet Place For Prayer

Do you have a place where you can get away from everything for a few moments to be alone for the purpose of prayer? If not, you need to find a spot.

Finding A Quiet Place

Several times through the Gospels, we read of Jesus heading out to a solitary spot for the purpose of prayer. This was a very regular occurrence for Jesus, and it should be for us as well.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place… – Luke 4:42a

I have found such a spot not too far from my home. It’s far enough that I can’t just go there any time I want, because it’s about an hour away, but it is near Springfield, where I find myself frequently for ministry errands, hospital calls, and personal stuff. So every now and then I stop by and sit for a while.

It provides a great place to pray and reflect on what God is doing in my life, and in the lives of my wife and kids. It provides a nice location to seek his presence in my life, which can be busy and full to the point that I can’t really hear the still, small voice of God. It provides an atmosphere that is calm and peaceful, which can help my stress levels to lower, and my hurried nature to slow down and breath deep of the love of God.

Arizona Sunset at AICM

It seems as if this summer has flown by! It was just a few short weeks ago that I headed out to Arizona with my daughter for her internship at American Indian Christian Mission. Her summer has been full and life-changing, and I cannot wait to see how she has grown from it.

Yesterday, my son and I flew to Arizona, and for the next few days, we will be making our way home to Missouri, stopping to see some sights along the way. First of all, we will go see Four Corners, where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado meet. And from there, we will head to Mesa Verde. After that, who knows? We may drive straight home, or we may find something else to capture our attention along the way.

Because of our travels, my regularly scheduled posts will not appear this week. And with a weekend of vacation later in the month, August will probably be a bit sparse around JeffRandleman.com. Hang with me; things will return to normal shortly, and I hope to share a lot of great stuff with you this fall.

This photo was a sunset I watched behind the gym at AICM while I was there early in the summer. I’m looking forward to seeing some more grand and beautiful scenery on this trip as well.

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Bethlehem And Magi

Matthew 2:1-6

The second chapter of Matthew is a continuation of the birth narrative of Jesus Christ, and the first few verses focus on the place of his birth, foretold in the Old Testament, and confirmed by the magi.

Bethlehem And Magi - Matthew 2:1-6

While the beginning of Matthew contains several significant details concerning the birth of Jesus, it is not exhaustive. As you read this, you should also read Luke 2, which adds more to the story, details not given by Matthew, and the one recorded incident in Jesus’ life between his birth and his baptism – the visit to Jerusalem at the age of twelve.

But here in Matthew 2, we see that the Kingdom is not yet ready for the King, and the only celebration of his birth, outside of his immediate family, comes from foreign magi, who travel for months to visit and pay him honor. The birth of Jesus was predicted in the Old Testament, but few people in the nation of Israel noticed. As you read this chapter, take note of the phrases “It has been written (or spoken) by the prophet” and “that it might be fulfilled.” These point to the many different passages that predict the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament… passages that most missed when they came to pass.

The second chapter of Matthew begins with the place of Jesus’ birth. This is one of those details that were given long before, in this case from the prophet Micah, in 5:2. Bethlehem was the home of Boaz and Ruth, of Jesse and King David. It is five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Even though the current home of Joseph and Mary was Nazareth, the prophecy clearly stated that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. God coordinated the details of this event by using the Roman Emperor to conduct a census. This caused Mary and Joseph to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, “to register for the census, each to his own city” (Luke 2:3).

Bethlehem is one of the oldest places in the land of Judea, with a rich and full history. It had been in existence at least 1500 years before the birth of Christ, and was home to many significant events and people, including King David. The tag, “of Judea” was added to distinguish it from another location named Bethlehem found in the territory of Zebulon, according to Joshua 19:15. The name Bethlehem means “house of bread.”

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Coffee Break – 07.30.2018

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1729, the city of Baltimore was founded in Maryland. In 1956, the phrase “In God We Trust” was adopted as the U.S. national motto. And in 2003, the last of 21,529,464 classic Volkswagen Beetles built since World War II rolls off the production line at Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico.

Coffee Break

Today Is National Cheesecake Day!
You know what to do, and invite a friend to join you!

The Evidence Suggesting Coffee Defies Deadly Diseases Keeps Piling Up – This article is from last summer, but the point is perhaps even more clear now, a year later.

How To Stop Wasting Money On Clothing – I have too many articles of clothing in my closet that serve no real purpose. Antonio’s advice here is solid. Take a look.

A Five-Minute Guide To Better Typography – I can really nerd out over this kind of stuff…

What A Dollar Gets You Around The World – While the text bubbles in this video have numerous grammatical mistakes, the information is intriguing.

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Memorize Scripture: Psalm 119:77-80

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

The tenth stanza of Psalm 119 contains some interesting insights into the nature of suffering and affliction. We began to see in the first half where such things come from. In this passage, we continue that thought. Take a look at this passage in Psalm 119:77-80:

Psalm 119:77-80

This stanza is the tenth part of Psalm 119, and focuses on the source of our suffering and affliction. The psalmist expresses his desire to learn from such times, and specifically mentions four things that he has come to understand. Two of these we looked at in last week’s passage, the remaining two are our focus for today.

In the first half of the stanza, the psalmist expressed his understanding and his belief that, first of all, God is faithful in all things, even in – especially in – affliction and suffering. Second, he shared the insight that God’s love is unfailing, and it brings comfort during such times. We can rest assured that God is focused on what is best for us, and draw comfort in the fact of his love.