"Tychicus will tell you everything." Ephesians 6:21

Archive for the ‘Biblical Meditation’ Category

September 18th, 2015 by Dennis Fuqua

A week of teaching

This week has been especially encouraging for this teacher.  I have many different responsibilities I fulfill, but none more fulfilling then sharing with others some things that matter to me.

Two different 5751women’s Bible Studies in Clark Couty are using Living Prayer as their fall Bilie study.  The studies will last 10-11 weeks.  They both asked if I could help them get it started off right.

So, on Wednesday morning I shared with a small group of women in Ridgefiled, WA.
Then on Thursday morning I did a similar thing with a larger group for a church in Vancouver.

I was delighted to be with each group.  They were hungry for a deeper relationshi20150917_105843p with Jesus, and really prepped to pursue His clear instrucitons on prayer.  They asked some great questions.  I am confident that Jesus will have better prayer-disiples as these weeks pass.

Then, this weekend, I get to return to Everett, WA.  and share with the saints at Bethel Baptist again.  Then, Sunday night and Monday night, I get to present the “Written on Our Hearts” seminar based upon Experiencing Life and Power through Biblical Mediation. for their congregation and others who join us through the Awakenings Prayer Institute.

In addition to these times, several people have initiated a conversation with me  and told me (rather enthusiastically) how one of my books has impacted their lives.  I mention these things so you can “rejoice with those who rejoice,” but also so you can pray for the ongoing impact of these events and comments.

Thank you, Tychicus

(See Eph 6:21)

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July 20th, 2015 by Dennis Fuqua

Special Gift

So, when I present the seminar on Biblical mediation, the format is that I preach in the weekend service(s) and present the seminar in the evening.

A little over a year ago, I preached a message on Biblical meditation at a congregation in Clark County, WA.  Then this past weekend I preached a related message in the same congregation and presented the seminar in the evening.  Mediation Banner

After the morning service a women came up to me and presented me with a very special gift.  Here is a picture.

This sweet woman heard me share on this topic last year.  When she knew I would be back she made this wall hanging.  She even changed her plans to be back in town.

Here is a little explanation.

The Scripture verse across the top is Luke 24:45.  It describes how Jesus did and can open our minds to understand the Scriptures.  The hand represents 5 ways we can interact with Scripture.  We can (from weakest to strongest) hear it, read it, study it, memorize it, and (best of all) meditate upon it.  If you notice the middle of the hand, the scar is there on purpose.  Finally, the three words across the bottom are the three steps to Biblical mediation.  We start by pondering, move to personalizing and finally to praying.

This will reside in my office as a reminder not only of the message, but also that the message was heard and embraced.

Thank you, Tychicus

(See Eph 6:21)

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July 17th, 2015 by Dennis Fuqua

Biblical Mediation Seminar in Clark County

We know interaction with Scripture is essential if we are going to grow in our relationship with Jesus.  But do we know the most important way we can interact with Scripture?  We should listen to people who talk about the Scriptures.  We should read it and study it ourselves.  We should memorize it.  All these are good ways to interact with Scripture, but they are not the best way.  The best way is to meditate upon Scripture.

This SuCover - Front-page-001nday, July 19th, I get to preach at Hockinson Community Church on the topic of Biblical Mediation, and that evening I get to present a seminar on it.

If you are a “foreigner” to Clark County, please pray.

If you are in the Clark County area, join us!

Sunday, July 19th – 5:30-8:00pm.  At Hockinson Community Church – 15918 NE 182nd Ave, Brush Prairie, WA

Just $10 for the evening seminar – and that includes a copy of this book I’ve written on the topic.  It normally sells for $12.99 so it’s a pretty good deal!  We will receive an offering at the conclusion of the evening so you can help “pay it forward” if you’d like.  More information is available here.

Thank you, Tychicus

(See Eph 6:21)

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March 17th, 2015 by Dennis Fuqua

Give ’em the Gold $$$

Solomon recently turned 7.  He’s one of my 7 (and soon to be 10! – but that’s another story) grandchildren.  The day before he turned 7 he came up to me and told me he had learned “All 6 verses of Psalm 23!”  So, I took him into the quiet room (Marilyn’s office – where we talk about stuff that really matters) and we went through our little ritual.

  • Me: Sol, do you have some verses to tell me?
  • Sol: Uh huh…
  • Me: What’s the name of these verses?
  • Sol: Psalm (being very careful not to put an “s” on the end!) 23:1-6!
  • Me: Well, Sol, what does Psalm 23 say?
  • Sol quotes it perfectly!  While I am smiling…
  • Me:  Good job, Sol!  Way to go!  Now, let’s pray.  [We pray through the verses making them personal.]
  • Me: Now, do you want 6 gold dollars or a five dollar bill and one gold dollar?
  • Sol: The five dollar bill and one gold dollar.
  • I give him the money and we go out of the room rejoicing.

I “bribe” my grandkids to learn verses of Scripture by telling them I will give them a gold dollar for every verse they memorize and tell me.  They have to 1) know the reference, 2) say it word for word,Psalm 119105 and 3) say it to me at least one day after they learned it.  So far, I have given out a little less than $100.  I have told each kid and their parents that I will do this, “Up to 1,000 verses!”

We are not rich people, but I do have a few dollars here and there, and I can’t think of a better way to invest $1,000 than to get 1,000 verses of Scripture into the lives of those grandkids!

His Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path!  May it be true for them too.

Thank you, Tychicus

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December 14th, 2014 by Dennis Fuqua

Behold He is Coming

Christmas Carols are wonderful tools to help us “Worship Christ, the Newborn King.”  Generally there is greater depth to them then many other songs.  This morning as I was spending some time praying, I thought and  prayed through some of my favorites.  I did the same with a new one a friend of mine wrote.  Gary Parrett has been a friend for about 40 years.  Along the way he earned his Doctorate at Columbia University and taught at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, one of the most respected schools in the nation.  He has also written scores of song.  Most of them are modern hymns. Below is his explanation and the lyrics to this “new favorite” Christmas Carol of mine.  I encourage you to ponder it a bit and worship with it.

Thank you, Tychicus

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Behold, He is coming!

Text: Gary A. Parrett (2002)

Tune: ADESTE FIDELES

This hymn was written for the Advent season. The tune, ADESTE FIDELES is, of course, familiar to us in the carol, “O Come, All ye Faithful.” The tune provides a tie-in with the theme of coming, but the emphasis is quite different. Instead of us coming to adore the infant King, this Advent hymn is a prayer that Jesus will come soon— as conquering King. The season of Advent ties together our hope for the second coming with our confidence based on the reality of the first coming. Using this tune is a reminder of that connection.

The key biblical texts that I had in mind as I wrote are Colossians 3:3-4 and Revelation 22:17. But I also had in mind multiple themes and promises related to the second coming—justice and comfort and deliverance and transformation. Romans 8:18ff is the key passage for verse 3.  Verse 4 is a paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer. Instead of, “Give us this day our daily bread,” I have “Grant us a foretaste of our feast in glory.” Some scholars have argued that this is the real meaning of that petition. In any case, the Lord’s Prayer is clearly eschatological in tone and thus very appropriate for Advent.

 Behold, He is coming—Christ, the King of glory.

Amen, as He once came, He shall come again!

Then in great meekness; soon in pow’r and splendor.

(women): The Spirit and the Bride say,

(men): the saints in all the earth say,

(all): we all, in one accord, say,

“Come, Lord! Amen.”

 

Come and establish justice for the peoples.

All of your judgments, Lord, are righteous and true.

Come and deliver ev’ry slave from bondage. . . .

[Chorus]

 

Come and transform us into your own likeness.

All of creation groans, awaiting the Day.

Our lives, now hid, shall be revealed in glory. . . .

[Chorus]

 

Thy kingdom, come, Lord. May thy will be done, Lord

here on the earth as in heaven above.

Grant us a foretaste of our feast in glory.

[Chorus]

 

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December 7th, 2014 by Dennis Fuqua

Here it is…

Cover - Front-page-001

All during the time I pastored, one of the most fulfilling things I was privileged to do was to spend much time in God’s Word.  After all, “It was my job!”  It was a joy to regularly share God’s Word with God’s people.  Over the years of my preaching, I noticed a change.  Toward the beginning, I preached what I studied.  Later I preached what I had meditated upon.  This was not an intentional change for me.  I noticed in as I looked backward.  Meditation is how God’s Spirit writes God’s Word on the hearts of God’s people.

In May of this year (2014) as I was preaching on the topic of Biblical meditation, I spontaneously said something like, “This is not a message I just prepared last week.  This is something that has been in my life for about 45 years.”  As soon as I said that, I felt that prompt from the Lord that said, “Yes, and it’s time you write about it.”

So, my “Summer project” – that lasted well into the Fall – was to write something to help others dive into Biblical meditation.  The end result is Experiencing Life and Power through Biblical Meditation.  I encourage you to take a look at it.  You can read some samples of it here.  The regular list price is only $12.99.  But the special INTRODUCTORY PRICE is just $10!  And we will pay the shipping anywhere in the U.S.A.

Thank you, Tychicus

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October 30th, 2014 by Dennis Fuqua

Getting there!

Early this summer I began writing a third book.  I have never seen myself as “an author.”  That is what Max Lucado and Randy Alcorn are.  🙂  But I have felt that there are things in me that would be helpful to others if I communicated them in written form.  And in May I felt a clear prompting from the Lord to write about something that has been part of my life for about 45 years – Biblical Mediation.

So, on several occasions over the last few months I have “hibernated” for a couple days and tried to get what was in me (on this topic) into digital form.  The result is that we are pretty close to getting this book published.

Cover - Front-page-001

The initial draft is complete.  It is being read by a few folks now.  We are still making some changes, based upon their input.  Yesterday I was with Dan Mayhew and we came up with this preliminary concept for the cover.

There is still more work to do, but we are getting there.

When it is ready – hopefully in time for Christmas – I will let you know.  Between now and then, I would really appreciate your prayers for the final process, the production, as well as the promotion of this project.

Thank you, Tychicus

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