Don't become hollow...

Spring is just about over...in fact, as I sit and type this, I am enjoying the outdoors.  I love spring and summer!

I didn't finish my spring cleaning though...there is just too much to do!   I have to admit,  I do love it when it is all done!  I sit back and just enjoy the clean.

What about your personal life?  Inside.  Does that need a spring cleaning as well?  Mine does, and I am working through that too.   

Take this self-evaluation and see what God leads you to do...

1) Based on regularity of your personal devotional/prayer time, how would you rate the place of these activities in your life?

*  Very important

*  Somewhat important

*  Not that important

2)  Consider your giving time, spiritual gifts, money and other resources to the local church or other ministries, how would you rate the place of such giving in your life?

*  Very important

*  Somewhat important

*  Not that important

3)  When you do something wrong or hurt another person, how often do you make an apology and ask forgiveness?

*  Very Important

*  Somewhat important

*  Not that important

4)  When you are struggling with a sin issue in your life how often do you discuss/confess that sin with your spouse or another person?

*  Very important

*  Somewhat important

*  Not that important

5)  Based on how often you go before the Lord and engage in honest evaluation or soul-searching concerning the quality of your spiritual life, how often do you describe this activity?

*  Very Important

*  Somewhat important

*  Not that important

If you answered most of the questions with a "Very Important"--great!  Thank the Lord.  If you answered "Somewhat" or "Not That" spend some time with the Lord.  Ask His insite on your spiritual walk.

That's what I am doing now...I am spring cleaning the inside.  I may just do a spiritual retreat by myself!

1) Set aside a block of time--at least a couple of hours or up to 24 hours--and go to a place where you will not be distracted.  You may wish to fast as part of the preparation.  Take your Bible and notebook.  Feel free to go on a retreat yourself.  It's good to get away with God!

2)  Begin your retreat with an extended time of prayer and meditation on scripture.  Some scripture:

Ps. 46

Ps. 139

Ps. 51

I John 1:1-10

Romans 8:1-39.

Be still, wait on God.  Ask Him to reveal to you areas of sin that need your repentance.  List significant items on a piece of paper , which you may chose to destroy later.

3)  Pray through your "Repentance List".  Ask God for forgiveness of each item.  Claim His assurance of forgiveness (John 1:9) and thank Him for cleansing you of all unrighteousness.

4)  Take the sheet of paper listing sins you have confessed and write I John 1:9 across the paper.  Find a spot to bury or burn your paper.  If you struggle with guilt from confessed sin, consider cover the ashes from your paper with several rocks to form a landmark that will always remind you of God's forgiveness.

5)  In your journal, write down any actions you need to perform that will give evidence of your repentance.  For example, if you have wronged someone, you may need to make restitution.  You also may wish to share issues from which you repented with a friend who will hold you accountable in the future.

6)  If your repentance involve confessing a sensitive sin to another person, seek counsel from a godly individual who can guide you through the steps.

7)  Conclude your retreat in prayer, asking God to give you the strength to turn away from sin and evil and do what is right.  Ask Him to help you keep short accounts with Him so that you will confess and repent regularly rather than allow sin to build up and become a barrier between you and God.

8)  Share with your spouse or friend what you learned through this process.  Pray with each other.

Don't become hollow!

Become Sharper!

    

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Mental sharpness comes from being around good people.  And a meeting of minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights.  

Do you agree?  

Do you have friends like this in your life?  I pray that you do!  

Not everyone can be this kind of friend either.  It requires partners who challenge one another and stimulate thought: people who focus on their idea without involving their egos in the discussion: people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker.  

Are you this type of friend to others?  

It takes time to develop this type of friendship, but when you have it...you won't want to give it up nor lose it!  When you find these type of friends, hang on tight!  And share them with the rest of us too!

Because two or three friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper!

Spending Time with God is a Privilege...

Many Christians view the Christian life as a long list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” They haven’t yet discovered that spending time with God is a privilege that we get to do, not a chore or an obligation that we have to do. Getting started with a daily devotional simply takes a little bit of planning. There is no set standard of what a daily devotional time should look like. These steps will help you incorporate the basics elements of a solid devotional into the custom plan that's right for you.

Here's How:

Decide On a Time.

If you view your time spent alone with God as an appointment to be kept in your daily calendar, you will be less apt to miss or skip it. There is no “right” and “wrong” time of day. I prefer having my devotions first thing in the morning as this is the least likely time of day for an interruption. I seldom receive a call from a friend at 3:00 a.m. Whatever time of day you choose, let it be the best time of day for you. Perhaps a lunch break fits better into your agenda.

Decide On a Place.

Finding the right place is key to your success. If you try to spend quality time with God lying in bed with the lights off, failure is inevitable. I decided to make a place specifically for my devotions. I chose a comfortable sofa with a good reading light. Next to it I have a table with all of my "tools" - my Bible, pen, journal, devotional book and reading plan. When I get up in the morning, I simply go to my place and everything is ready.

Decide On a Time Frame.

Once again, there is no standard time frame for personal devotions. You have to decide how much time you can realistically commit to each day. Getting started with 15 minutes a day can quickly develop into more. Some people can commit to 30 minutes, others an hour or more a day. Start with a realistic goal that you feel you can meet. If you start with a plan of 2 hours a day, failure to meet the goal will quickly discourage you.

Decide on a General Structure.

Spend some thought on a general structure for your devotional and how much time you’ll spend on each element of your plan. This would be like an outline or agenda for your meeting, so you don’t wander about aimlessly in thought and end up accomplishing nothing. The following four steps will cover some of the typical elements you can include.

1) Choose a Bible Reading Plan or Bible Study.

This may take some time, but choosing a Bible reading plan or study guide will aid you in having a more focuses time of reading and study. If you just pick up your Bible and start reading randomly each day, you may have a difficult time understanding what you read, or applying it to your daily life.

2)  Plan to Spend Some Time in Prayer.

Prayer is simply two-way communication between you and God. Talking to Him, telling Him about your struggles and cares and then listening for His voice. Some Christians don’t realize prayer includes listening. Remember to give Him time to speak to you in His still small voice.  I Kings 19:12. Also, one of the loudest ways God speaks to us is through His Word. Spend some time meditating on what you read and letting God speak into your life.

3)  Consider Spending Some Time in Worship.

God has created us to praise Him. I Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people ... belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV)

You can express your praises silently or declare them in a loud voice. There is no right or wrong way. You may even want to sing a song of worship in your devotional time.

4)  Consider Spending Some Time Writing in a Journal.

Many Christians find that “journaling” helps them stay on track during their devotional time. You can journal your thoughts and prayers, providing a valuable record. Later you will be amazed and encouraged when you go back and note the progress you’ve made or see the evidence of answered prayers. Journaling is not for everyone. I suggest you give it a try and see if it’s right for you.

5)  Commit to Follow Your Daily Devotional Plan.

Keeping your commitment is probably the hardest part of getting started. Determine in your heart to keep it up, even when you fail or miss a day. Rather than beating yourself up when you mess up, just pray and ask God to help you. And, be sure to start over the next day. The rewards you will experience as you grow deeper in love with God will definitely be worth it!

6)  Be Flexible and Willing to Make Changes to Your Plan.

If you get stuck in a rut, try going back to step #1. Perhaps the plan you’ve chosen is not right for you. Change it up until you find the perfect fit.

Tips:

*  Keep working at your daily devotional plan for 21 days. By then it should become a habit.

*  Pray for God to give you the desire and the discipline to spend time with him each day.

*  Don’t give up. Eventually you will discover the joys and blessings of your obedience.

*  If you are married, consider developing a couple's devotional plan.

What You Need:

A Bible

A Pen or Pencil

A Notebook or Journal

A Bible Reading Plan

A Bible Study or Study Aid

A Quiet Place

That’s it!  We would love to hear additional tips that you have for your quite times with the Lord…please leave a comment…We would love to hear from you!

The Bigger Picture

Ever find yourself questioning, "Why me?"
Ever find yourself feeling like there is always another trial or another obstacle when all you're trying to do is serve God?
Ever feel totally out of the loop in the greater plan of God?
Ever feel totally insignificant?

Consider this:

An infant in the womb has no immediate need for most of the body parts and organs that develop during gestation. Arms, legs, lungs, fingernails, immune system, hair - they are virtually unnecessary in the safety of the mother's uterus. But the Maker knows that once that baby enters the world, she will have need of all of those tiny parts. The Maker sees the bigger picture and plans accordingly, giving what will be necessary to survive in the long run.

God has a much bigger plan, a far bigger picture that we may never see the completion of in our lifetime, and plans accordingly. Without going through the trials and tests of God, we would not be effective in the ministry field. Without God's corrections and discipline when we err, we would not learn to turn from our sin and strive for better in the future. Without any small, seemingly unnecessary part of our lives now, the greater picture that God is painting could not come to pass the way He wants it.

The Maker sees the bigger picture even when we don't. Trust Him to take care of the details.