January 4,2017
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
When I think about this question I find myself having the same answer I did last year and to be honest, probably the year before that.
PRAYER
Not just throwing up a prayer to God when I need something or remember, but living with an attitude of prayer at all times.
My verse for the year is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
It is that "pray without ceasing" part that always gets me. What does that look like for the Christian? What does that look like for me personally? For my children?
I have been reading a book that is all George Muller's works about personal devotions. He says that for 10 years he would wake up and pray. His prayers though had no real focus and he would often find himself distracted and even taking an hour before he really began praying in earnest. It was not until he changed his tactics that he really began to see a more vibrant devotion time. He continues this new way for 40 years.
His tactic - to pray the Bible. To read his Bible and that would always lead him to aa time of prayer.
"As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time, except we take food, and as this is one of the first things we do in the morning, so it should be with the inner man. We should take food for that, as every one must allow. Now what is the food for the inner man; not prayer, but the Word of God; and here again not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts...."
This was the secret to his personal devotions.
I found this to be true in my own life. When I just get up and resolve to pray, I find my mind wandering to every other thing but prayer. I worry about my day and what I need to do, what I will wear, what will we eat. I find that not much time is spent in true prayer.
I started reading about prayer a few years ago and started a prayer journal to help me have a more focused time of prayer. It is filled with quotes from famous, strong Christians and lots and lots of scripture.
When I use that journal my prayer time becomes focused and vibrant. I have a purpose and the time I spend with that journal leads me to - you guessed it - the word of God.
When I pray scripture I find that my devotional time is like nothing I have ever experienced. It is peaceful, guiltless, vibrant, and it leaves me wanting more and more. There are some mornings where I do not want to leave my War Room.
Do I prayer every day? No. I should, but I don't.
Is my prayer time always dynamic? No.
Do I get sidetracked? Yes. Like last night and this morning.
My goal for the New Year is to not make a new habit of praying every morning but to make it a lifestyle. To do it so much that it becomes like breathing. I want a radical relationship with Christ. I want to be transformed by him this year. That is why I have the Elisabeth Elliot quote on repeat this year. I need to hear it everyday. My verse is also on repeat this year.
I want and need this to be the year I "rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances."
I want this to be the year that I endeavor to obtain a "radically transformed, deeper, truer knowing of Christ as our All Sufficient One."
For me that begins with setting four alarms in the morning so I can wake up before my children. It begins with not reaching for my phone in the morning. It begins with preparing at night to go to bed on time so I get enough hours of sleep.
I know for some people it is hard to get up in the morning and spend time with the Lord. A lot of people do their devotions at night. That is fine. I have done that before. Some of my devotions now are at night. I read certain books at night as part of the time I spend with the Lord during the day.
It just seems like the more I read the Bible and the more I study strong Christian men and women, past and present, I find that getting up in the morning and starting the day with the Lord is the key to a successful relationship with Christ.
George Muller pointed out that the first thing we do in the morning is feed our physical bodies. How much more should we feed our spiritual bodies?
I say this not to make anyone feel guilty if the morning is not a good time to spend with the Lord. Each person is unique and God has gifted us with different abilities and talents. Some may work jobs that require them to work at night and the morning is not the time for them to spend with the Lord. Others may be at a time in life where they have lots of little ones who may not sleep through the night. I remember the days of sleeping in because a child did not go to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Naptimes became my devotion time. Some people may have sick loved ones to take care of be sick themselves and not be able to get up in the morning. I have spent too many years feeling guilty because my walk with God did not look exactly like so and so's.
Right now, at this season of life where the Lord has placed me I am able to get up early in the morning. Next year may be different. This is what God has called me right now. He calls us each to different things. I would love to hear different ways that the Lord has laid on people's heart to spend time with him. We are called to encourage and build each other up. Not tear one another down and make each other feel guilty.
My desire this year is to spend more time in prayer with the Lord and I pray that is yours too. Whether that is in the morning, like me, or in the watches of the night, or in a coffee shop between picking up children or jobs I pray that you will make this year one where we all pray more.
When I think about this question I find myself having the same answer I did last year and to be honest, probably the year before that.
PRAYER
Not just throwing up a prayer to God when I need something or remember, but living with an attitude of prayer at all times.
My verse for the year is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
It is that "pray without ceasing" part that always gets me. What does that look like for the Christian? What does that look like for me personally? For my children?
I have been reading a book that is all George Muller's works about personal devotions. He says that for 10 years he would wake up and pray. His prayers though had no real focus and he would often find himself distracted and even taking an hour before he really began praying in earnest. It was not until he changed his tactics that he really began to see a more vibrant devotion time. He continues this new way for 40 years.
His tactic - to pray the Bible. To read his Bible and that would always lead him to aa time of prayer.
"As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time, except we take food, and as this is one of the first things we do in the morning, so it should be with the inner man. We should take food for that, as every one must allow. Now what is the food for the inner man; not prayer, but the Word of God; and here again not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts...."
This was the secret to his personal devotions.
I found this to be true in my own life. When I just get up and resolve to pray, I find my mind wandering to every other thing but prayer. I worry about my day and what I need to do, what I will wear, what will we eat. I find that not much time is spent in true prayer.
I started reading about prayer a few years ago and started a prayer journal to help me have a more focused time of prayer. It is filled with quotes from famous, strong Christians and lots and lots of scripture.
When I use that journal my prayer time becomes focused and vibrant. I have a purpose and the time I spend with that journal leads me to - you guessed it - the word of God.
When I pray scripture I find that my devotional time is like nothing I have ever experienced. It is peaceful, guiltless, vibrant, and it leaves me wanting more and more. There are some mornings where I do not want to leave my War Room.
Do I prayer every day? No. I should, but I don't.
Is my prayer time always dynamic? No.
Do I get sidetracked? Yes. Like last night and this morning.
My goal for the New Year is to not make a new habit of praying every morning but to make it a lifestyle. To do it so much that it becomes like breathing. I want a radical relationship with Christ. I want to be transformed by him this year. That is why I have the Elisabeth Elliot quote on repeat this year. I need to hear it everyday. My verse is also on repeat this year.
I want and need this to be the year I "rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances."
I want this to be the year that I endeavor to obtain a "radically transformed, deeper, truer knowing of Christ as our All Sufficient One."
For me that begins with setting four alarms in the morning so I can wake up before my children. It begins with not reaching for my phone in the morning. It begins with preparing at night to go to bed on time so I get enough hours of sleep.
I know for some people it is hard to get up in the morning and spend time with the Lord. A lot of people do their devotions at night. That is fine. I have done that before. Some of my devotions now are at night. I read certain books at night as part of the time I spend with the Lord during the day.
It just seems like the more I read the Bible and the more I study strong Christian men and women, past and present, I find that getting up in the morning and starting the day with the Lord is the key to a successful relationship with Christ.
George Muller pointed out that the first thing we do in the morning is feed our physical bodies. How much more should we feed our spiritual bodies?
I say this not to make anyone feel guilty if the morning is not a good time to spend with the Lord. Each person is unique and God has gifted us with different abilities and talents. Some may work jobs that require them to work at night and the morning is not the time for them to spend with the Lord. Others may be at a time in life where they have lots of little ones who may not sleep through the night. I remember the days of sleeping in because a child did not go to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Naptimes became my devotion time. Some people may have sick loved ones to take care of be sick themselves and not be able to get up in the morning. I have spent too many years feeling guilty because my walk with God did not look exactly like so and so's.
Right now, at this season of life where the Lord has placed me I am able to get up early in the morning. Next year may be different. This is what God has called me right now. He calls us each to different things. I would love to hear different ways that the Lord has laid on people's heart to spend time with him. We are called to encourage and build each other up. Not tear one another down and make each other feel guilty.
My desire this year is to spend more time in prayer with the Lord and I pray that is yours too. Whether that is in the morning, like me, or in the watches of the night, or in a coffee shop between picking up children or jobs I pray that you will make this year one where we all pray more.
This was one of my favorite pictures last year. Six of us were involved in the production of Scrooge at Spiritual Twist Productions. There were 5 fathers who tried out and got roles. Every night before the performances they would gather up on the hallway and pray. What an amazing testimony for the teenagers to see. My sweetie is the one in the gray. He played Jacob Marley and did a fantastic job.
Here is the whole clan.
Nathan - Edward Rouge
Carl - Jacob Marley
Me - Mrs. Cratchit
Daniel - Boy Scrooge
Esther - chorus
William - Fred Hollywell
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