When Life Shows Up: A Spiritual Disciplines Development Devotional

By Rev. Dr. Charles B. Mayson and Victoria Mastrovito

Life is tough and for sure bad things do happen to good people. God's Word tells us we are to expect the lost world to rise up against us. Knowing that, it is best to be prepared and how better than to develop and practice spiritual disciplines.

So this devotional talks about seven spiritual disciplines. These disciplines can b

• Language: English
• Publisher: GoldTouch Press, LLC
• Release date: Dec 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781953791634

Rev. Dr. Charles B. Mayson

Dr. Charlie Mayson is an ordained pastor with a Doctorate from Gardner-Webb University, a Masters of Divinity from South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a B. S. from The Citadel. He was an Army Helicopter pilot, Corporate Transportation Manager, and a small business owner. He has pastored several churches and is the author of several other books. Behind the Glass, When Life Shows UP, (the companion book to this devotional), I Don't Want to God! No Regrets, (written with his late sister-in-law) and Labels.

Book preview

When Life Shows Up

A Spiritual Disciplines Development Devotional

Rev. Dr. Charles B. Mayson

and

Victoria Mastrovito

Copyright © 2020 by Rev. Dr. Charles B. Mayson and Victoria Mastrovito.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2020923019

HARDBACK:    978-1-953791-62-7

Paperback:    978-1-953791-61-0

eBook:            978-1-953791-63-4

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Ordering Information:

For orders and inquiries, please contact:

1-888-404-1388

www.goldtouchpress.com

[e-mail]

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgement

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Worship

Bible Reading

Prayer

Meditation

Physical Wellness

Fellowship

Service

Introduction

In 2010 I published a book titled When Life Shows Up. The gist of the book was that as Christians we are not immune from the struggles of this world. In fact, in God’s Word He tells us we are to expect the lost world to rise up against us. Knowing that, it is best to be prepared and how better than to develop and practice spiritual disciplines.

So the book talks about seven spiritual disciplines. These disciplines can be practiced anywhere by anyone without any special equipment. No deep theological understanding is needed.

This devotional is a companion volume to that earlier book. You do not have to read the book to get full meaning and value from this devotional. It is certainly a standalone volume.

My sister is the co-author of this devotional – neat, right? We alternated writing each week of the fifty-two week project. I’m excited about how our work reads so differently yet gives the same message – God’s input obviously!

So the devotional works like this. Each day you will be exposed to a spiritual discipline. At the end of the week you will have covered seven spiritual disciplines. At the end of the year you will have been exposed to each of the disciplines fifty-two times.

It is our prayer that after this devotional period you will have formed some great habits as it relates to these seven disciplines, incorporating them into your daily lives seamlessly and productively.

Lastly, at the end of each daily reading there is some room for Reflection. Some days have lots of room, some not so much. Part of the discipline process is to Reflect, even briefly, about what comes to mind after each daily reading. This practice will help firm up for God’s future use, in your life, the thoughts for each day.

Hold on for a wonderful journey this year as God has led Victoria and me to be your tour guide through His Word for the purpose of developing solid spiritual disciplines.

God bless and Amen!

Acknowledgement

I need to take a second to thank most emphatically my friend Sara and her sister Jeanne (pronounced Zhahn) for editing this project. A 364 day devotional has a lot of words. Words make sentences and paragraphs that even with correction prompts from Microsoft Word, have to be checked. I am a terrible editor of my own work or anyone else’s for that matter. So it is with great admiration and humility that I thank my friends and applaud their unique skill set. God bless you both.

Worship

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Week One Day One

…God created…!! God created! This simple phrase is full of wonder and awe. God created the earth and the sky. God created the animals, the birds, the breeze blowing through the trees. God created me! What else can I do but worship the Creator? What else can I do but sing God’s praises? When we gather together and see the wonder of God’s creation in the others around us, I can do no less than sing for joy. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God.

Reflections

Bible Reading

Psalms 119:160a

The sum of Your Word is truth…

Week One Day Two

In a world where the truth is hard to find and more often than not spun to articulate the message or agenda of the speaker, what are we to do? On the other hand, we are led to believe that those with money, prestige, fame and influence have a market on the truth because they happen to have a platform to speak on. What are we to believe? Whose words are we to take for truth?

God’s Word is what we take for truth. A daily dose of His Word will enable us to sort through, correctly, the clutter we are confronted with each day. The Psalmist wrote, the sum of Thy Word is truth, and he was exactly right. God’s Word is truth and will never be anything less. The world and its media has an agenda, whatever that may be, but God has only the desire to have us accept and follow Him.

Reflections

Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:17

… pray without ceasing...

Week One Day Three

There was a pilgrim who decided to repeat a certain prayer thousands of times a day as he walked the countryside. He tells how at some point in his repetition, the prayer became like breathing and he could not stop. He no longer had to make a decision every day; it was part of his nature, as automatic as breathing. This is where we start. A daily conscious decision to pray will bring us into deeper relationship with God and soon we can do nothing less.

They say that it takes about 30 days to form a habit. Commit yourself to 30 days of deliberate prayer with God. All throughout your day, stop and praise Him or thank Him or ask for forgiveness or just chat with Him. Set an alarm; decide that every time you get a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom (or refrigerator or for a walk) you pray. It really doesn’t matter-spend as much time as you can with God. Before you know it, it will become apart of your nature, as automatic as breathing. And your relationship with the Father will deepen.

Reflections

Meditation

Psalms 19:14

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Week One Day Four

I need God to guide me in meditation. My mind is so busy, flitting from one thought to another. Left to my own devices I will follow each thought as it enters my mind. My thoughts are distractions in meditation, so I humbly ask God to guide me as I ponder His Word. I don’t have to latch on to each stray thought. Instead I can rest in the assurance that God is guiding my meditation and return my thoughts to Him. I may have to do this many times, but each time I do I know that God is smiling at me as I return to Him.

Reflections

Physical Wellness

Matthew 3:10b

…therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Week One Day Five

Spiritual, physical and mental fitness needs to be a balanced effort as we grow. As kids we were always encouraged to develop physically by getting involved with activities at school and in the neighborhood. We were led to give our best in school so mentally we would develop. And if you were like me you were dragged to church to build a spiritual foundation.

Matthew, in his Gospel, wants us to know that it is important that our ‘whole being’ be recognized as people of God. In Matthew 3:10, he tells us that therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. If our overall physical wellness is not providing fruit, then we are not exhibiting the character traits necessary to influence those around us. This is so important that Matthew says if we call ourselves Christians and are not setting an overall holistic example, we are out of God’s will and need to be redirected.

Reflections

Fellowship

Galatians 2:9

"And recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised."

Week One Day Six

Fellowship is particularly hard for me since I tend to isolate and avoid people in general. But I also understand and have realized the benefits of fellowship. One of the many facets of fellowship that I particularly appreciated is accountability. Christian fellowship is, in part, allowing others to hold you accountable. I want the people in my life that I trust and respect to call me on my stuff. If I’m behaving in a way that would cause someone else to sin or in a way not pleasing to God, I need my peeps to say, Hey, what’s up with that?

In todays scripture, Peter, apparently, has been treating the Gentile Christians differently than the Jewish Christians when other people are around. Paul calls Peter on his stuff. He lets Peter know that he was being inconsistent with the two groups. This is a perfect example of how Christian fellowship is about accountability.

Reflections

Service

Isaiah 32:17

"And the work of righteousness will be peace,

and the service of righteousness,

quietness and confidence forever."

Week One Day Seven

One of the most important lessons the Holy Spirit has taught me come from service work. I have learned that opportunities to serve others – for and through Christ – has little to do with the other people involved. It’s all about me?? Service opportunities are simply tools and methods God uses to further His cause and draw me closer to Him. Sure, the people on the receiving end of my work benefit but answering the call of service is all about me and my relationship with God and how He uses me to further His will.

And God certainly gives us freewill to turn down the opportunities. The Bible is full of examples of people who have declined an assignment from God. It is never pretty for the refuser. However, the task always gets done – God always, always, always finds someone who love their neighbor as themselves (Matt 22:39). God always, always, always finds someone who is obedient.

Reflections

Worship

Psalms 2:11

Worship the Lord with reverence.

Week Two Day One

If we want to move forward as Christians there is only one way to do so and that is to worship God. He created us to worship Him and that is what we must do. David, in this Psalm, cautions us to worship with reverence. We wonder why our spiritual journey gets bogged down; it may be that we are not approaching God in the correct posture.

He is worthy of our praise. If we approach Him like He is a genie we want wishes from or Santa Claus we give our list of wants to, then we are wrong. He is not a kindly old Granddad we can just approach as we see fit. We must approach Him regularly, with humility and the knowledge of our brokenness.

The good news is that if we approach God like David instructs, look at Psalms 2: 12, …How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! God does not expect us to be perfect, He just wants us to see Him for who He is.

Reflections

Bible Reading

Revelation 19:13

"He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood;

and His name is called The Word of God."

Week Two Day Two

As Protestant Christians we believe that Jesus will return and reign on earth for one thousand years before He closes out human history. The Book of Revelation tells of His return and His coming as a conqueror this time, not as a servant like before. This event has been foretold throughout the Bible and for believers it is no surprise.

The disciple John writes in the Book of Revelation that when Jesus returns, He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. So, aligned with God and His Word, Jesus is considered the truth that has been prophesied for all time. Jesus’ actions from the beginning of time reflect the truth that God has established in His Word. Jesus’ presence in the close of human history therefore can be counted as truth! God’s Word, the Bible, is the truth He has given us so we can know for sure how to interact with Him.

God does not want His requirements for us to be a mystery. He wants us to know exactly what His purpose for our life is. He has provided a manual of sorts for that purpose. Our problem is that we do not like reading the instructions, we just want to start putting the project together on our own. I’m just saying!

Reflections

Prayer

Luke 11:1

"And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place…one of His disciples said to Him,

Lord teach us to pray…"

Week Two Day Three

One of the greatest examples for our need to pray is that Jesus did so. Jesus, throughout His ministry, was always taking time to pray. In fact, He used a lot of common sense in His timing. He knew the day would be busy so He got up early in the morning and got it done.

As a Pastor I took heed to Jesus’ timing. As soon as it was sociably appropriate to start calling, my phone would begin to ring. I knew this would happen and so I rose early in the morning, exercised and did my daily Bible reading and devotional work.

In my book, the chapter on prayer was one that really stretched me. I am not poetic or a guy who can pray with ease. I had to learn to discipline myself to practice this important way of communicating with God. We need not pray for answers, we just need to pray to make contact, says Oswald Chambers.

Reflections

Meditation

Deuteronomy 6:6

"And these words, which I command you today,

shall be on your heart"

Week Two Day Four

The Jews practiced this commandment later by wearing phylacteries. These were small boxes or bags with the Shema scripture in it. They would fasten it to their foreheads. They do this as a way of keeping God’s Word close to them.

It is largely symbolic and reminds them of how important God’s Word is. We read it in our daily devotional time, set it down and go about our day. At times we recall our lessons from our devotional time, but life gets busy. I am so guilty of engaging God in prayer, then letting my day keep me from seeing His application of our talk.

I always try to write a little something after each devotional reading to try to reflect, even if briefly, on what I just read. It is now in my mind and God can bring it back to my memory when I need it. Like a primed pump, the information is there and God draws it out at the correct time. He can use a dry pump and will but He wants us to do what we can to be ready. Prime the pump, folks!

Reflections

Physical Wellness

Genesis 6:3

The Lord said My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh…

Week Two Day Five

God created us as perfect human specimens and we were designed to live forever. Adam and Eve messed that up, sin entered the world and our human forms now would die. Nevertheless, God still loves us and even in this passage was giving Noah time to build an Ark to save his family and two of every kind of animal.

Because we are in a constant state of decay it is important to work to maintain ourselves physically because God has a job for us to do. We cannot be part of His solution if we are broken down. We cannot be helpful to others if we do not practice self-care.

God’s Spirit abides in us, it is an honor to be His host. Would we invite company into our messy house or workspace? Why would we allow our Holy God to reside in anything less than the best we can provide? God is not looking for glamorous lodgings, He just wants us to be creating an environment He can work with. He can make the stones get up and talk or a donkey for that matter, yet He expects us to be responsible for our house.

Reflections

Fellowship

Philippians 3:10

"That I may know Him and the power of

His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering,

becoming conformed to His death."

Week Two Day Six

Paul is talking about the prize of the Christian life. In this life we were never designed to go it alone. As we develop this discipline, we will see that we will share with other Christians the ups and downs of life. Paul says here we will be conformed to His death. We may not all be crucified like Jesus but we will certainly pass from this life to the life He offers in heaven.

In a Twelve Step program I am involved in, we say a problem shared is a problem halved. God wants us to walk with others during this journey on earth. He knows by ourselves we will burn out and die, much like a hot coal separated from the rest of the fire.

This is not easy for some of us overachievers but it is a discipline we can get better at. We are herd animals not meant to be alone. We need others to help hold us accountable. We need others to help hold us up at times. Mostly we need others to share the joy of Christian fellowship with. The world is not going to participate with us in that.

Reflections

Service

Ruth 1:16

"Ruth said, do not urge me to leave you

or turn back from following you…"

Week Two Day Seven

One of my most favorite books of the Bible is the Book of Ruth. This lady is a Moabite woman who thought so much of her Jewish mother-in-law she decided to dedicate her life to serving her. What? In this passage Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, has urged Ruth to go back to her own people, marry and have a family.

When we allow God to lead us in our daily walk with Him, He is going to want us to do for others. He spreads His blessing this way. He gives to some, who are to distribute to the rest of His people. It seems inefficient but it’s the way He chose to disseminate His Word and blessings. He said the poor will always be with us. Why? Because He wants us to serve them with the blessings He has given us.

Ruth’s life was a struggle for a while but because of her desire to serve she was included in the lineage of King David and then Jesus. A foreign woman was blessed to serve and then be part of the greatest birth in history.

Reflections

Worship

Psalms 2:11b

Worship the Lord with reverence…

Week Three Day One

In some passages of the Bible glory is translated as PRESENCE. We are always in God’s presence. Coming to believe that this is true may take a while, but when we do, we can receive great calm and joy, and be moved to the need to call out in thanksgiving to God for God!

Psalms 139 says whither can I go from Thy presence? The answer is-nowhere! Wherever I go, whatever I am doing, God is there with me. Again Psalms 139, such knowledge is too wonderful for me. Our response to this knowledge of the constant presence of God is to worship God, giving thanks for God’s Presence, Light and Love.

Reflections

Bible Reading

Genesis 1:3

God said, ‘Let there be...’

Week Three Day Two

Today the beliefs about how the world came into being are numerous. There are so called experts that would like for us to believe that our wonderfully balanced planet came forth from an accident. Others would like for us to believe that some cosmic collision of matter formed over millions of years the world we live in. I could go on but just because these folks talk loud and often does not mean it is the truth, it just