A Cure for Spiritual Sleep
This topic is so important that it bears repeating. Most of us are SLOPPY when it comes to discipleship. No military commander would let such sloppy discipline be established by his troops. We neglect it and fall flat on our faces. Even so, we must get up and work at discipline, PRACTICE IT, repenting for putting our sleep, our comfort before our disciplined worship towards The LORD. Let us ARISE AND GO FORWARD! The LORD LOVES discipline.
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How do you "cure" the condition of spiritual sleep ? [Assuming you love the LORD and have entered into the Covenant through Holy Baptism and Communion, you are then able to put this into practice.]
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Spiritual discipline awakens the soul. It becomes watchful, on a spiritual level.
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The first step is to submit the physical body to a spiritual life.
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Flesh must become
subject to the Spirit.
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If you don't rule over the flesh,
your flesh will rule over you.
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Thus, you must put into practice those things which will bring your flesh into submission:
>>> Make the flesh a wee bit uncomfortable. Walk in the cold or rain or snow, if you must, while you pray or recite Psalms or Scriptures. Do something.
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>>> Pray outloud. Clean the atmosphere around you, as it were. Find a room... attic, cellar, or other place where your eye will not be tempted to think of temporal duties or things.
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>>> Change physical position. Get on your knees with nothing to lean on. Stand. Walk. Make the sign of the cross as you mention HIS+ Name in your prayers. Raise your hands, your arms. Kneel as the knights did, on one knee, with their arm and fist across their body and heart, pledging their fidelity to their king.
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>>> Pray the Scriptures. Chant the Psalms with an easy one or two-note chant of your own making.
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.>>> Keep the 9, noon, and 3 o'clock prayer stations. Set an alarm to remind you. If you have children, call them into order at that time: stop your and their activities for a 5-minute prayer station.
It will teach them to honor The LORD, that HE+ comes before temporal activities... a valuable training! When they are old, they will not forsake your training.
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The Prayer Stations: Recall the time of HIS+ crucifixion, for us. Recall how the world was darkened at the noontime hour. Recall HIS+ Words at 3 p.m.: FATHER, forgive them for they know not what they do. Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks... and repent of any sins The LORD brings to mind.
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[ Email me if you would like copies of the prayer stations we use here. They are Scriptural in nature, recalling what happened at those 3 hours. We also have worship Scriptures from Revelation. To do these stations takes less than 5 minutes, but they become anchors for your day, recalling you to CHRIST'S side every 3 hours. ]
It will teach them to honor The LORD, that HE+ comes before temporal activities... a valuable training! When they are old, they will not forsake your training.
.
The Prayer Stations: Recall the time of HIS+ crucifixion, for us. Recall how the world was darkened at the noontime hour. Recall HIS+ Words at 3 p.m.: FATHER, forgive them for they know not what they do. Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks... and repent of any sins The LORD brings to mind.
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[ Email me if you would like copies of the prayer stations we use here. They are Scriptural in nature, recalling what happened at those 3 hours. We also have worship Scriptures from Revelation. To do these stations takes less than 5 minutes, but they become anchors for your day, recalling you to CHRIST'S side every 3 hours. ]
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>>> Set aside the 6 p.m. hour for prayer and meditation with HIM+.
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>>>> Relate to all through CHRIST JESUS our LORD. Do not allow carnal nor simply "natural" interactions with others. Be pleasant, but redeem the time with your attitudes and words. Pray even as you interact with them.
>>> Do what you can and HE+ will meet you there.
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Awake, Sleeper!
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Practice discipline.
Practice discipleship.
Practice putting your priorities in order to please The LORD.
Remember: The LORD LOVES DISCIPLINE.
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