Dear Friends,
Time and time again I feel drawn to send out 'thoughts' on prayer. That's because we can never know enough about it, or be reminded enough to engage in it. There are so many benefits that come to the person who will set aside the time to pray. Today's selection comes from a book by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz entitled: "God is in the Small Stuff - And It All Matters." It has to do with giving God time. Though I trust many (or most) of you already pray, there is still a place for going back to reconsider the basics. Enjoy.
Giving God Time
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act."
Psalm 37:7
"If there is one thing we need in the midst of our busy, loud, and nervous lives, it's the inner peace and quiet and assurance that only God can give. It's the only way to see God's purposes for us, let alone keep our sanity. The thing is, God doesn't yell and say, 'Hey, you're neglecting me. Sit still for a moment so you can hear me.' Oh, He is fully capable of getting our attention when we really need it, but you don't want to make a habit of giving God a reason to chase you down (and He will). Rather than waiting for God to whack you over the head with a spiritual two-by-four, wouldn't it be far better to give God some time each day to quietly speak to you?
Actually, this is God's preference: 'Be silent and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10 NLT). Being still may be the hardest thing you will ever do, but it may be the most important. Look at it this way. When you give God time, you show Him respect. In effect you are saying, 'God, you are important enough to me to set aside time each day. I want You to teach me, and I want to learn.'
Will God talk to you if you let Him? Most definitely. Not in an audible voice, but through your thoughts, conscience and emotions. God also talks through His Word, the Bible. Remember, the Bible is God's voice for us. The only way to hear it is to read it. The doorway to letting God into the details of your life -- into your concerns and dreams -- is time. We know this won't be easy. Many other voices call out for your time and attention, and many of them are worthwhile. But if you want to hear the one Voice who will make all the difference in your life, you will need to let God in ...quietly. Ask God to give you the desire to set aside a place and time for Him. The details of your life will wait. More than that, they'll take on more meaning when you give them over to God.
In the Small Stuff...
* Make an appointment with God every day and then keep it as if you were meeting with the most important person in the world.
* Set aside a designated period of time each day, each week, each month, and each year to focus on God.
* The advantage of meeting God at the same time each day is that you don't have to decide when you are going to do it.
* Sometime in the next month try giving the Lord a day of your life. An entire day.
* Make moments of stillness, quiet, and solitude part of your daily routine.
* Rising early to meet the Lord gives you a jump on the day. Meeting God at night enables you to reflect on the day. Either option is good.
* Buy a book of blank pages and keep a journal. Even if you only write a few words. Record your spiritual and personal thoughts and feelings as you give God time each day.
* Time cannot be controlled. You can only control yourself.
* Depending on your spiritual condition, being alone with God will either be unnerving or invigorating.
* The time to find moments of stillness and quiet is when it's most difficult to do so.
Establishing habits in our prayer lives is essential to their flourishing and becoming impactful. We know this when it comes to other helpful practices (such as times for working out or physical exercise), but it is also helpful in relation to prayer. Prayer is sometimes like fasting: we struggle at times to want to do it, but the benefits come by doing it, whether we initially wanted to or not. Before one can develop the fruit of a prayerful spirit, it is necessary to make it a priority, and discipline ourselves to do it, until over time going to the Lord in prayer becomes second nature -- something we miss terribly if we fail to engage in it. It develops a reliance upon God, creates a hunger for God, enables a loving familiarity with God, and sustains and strengthens the soul. Time spent with God is it's own precious reward.
In His Grace, Pastor Jeff
Time and time again I feel drawn to send out 'thoughts' on prayer. That's because we can never know enough about it, or be reminded enough to engage in it. There are so many benefits that come to the person who will set aside the time to pray. Today's selection comes from a book by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz entitled: "God is in the Small Stuff - And It All Matters." It has to do with giving God time. Though I trust many (or most) of you already pray, there is still a place for going back to reconsider the basics. Enjoy.
Giving God Time
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act."
Psalm 37:7
"If there is one thing we need in the midst of our busy, loud, and nervous lives, it's the inner peace and quiet and assurance that only God can give. It's the only way to see God's purposes for us, let alone keep our sanity. The thing is, God doesn't yell and say, 'Hey, you're neglecting me. Sit still for a moment so you can hear me.' Oh, He is fully capable of getting our attention when we really need it, but you don't want to make a habit of giving God a reason to chase you down (and He will). Rather than waiting for God to whack you over the head with a spiritual two-by-four, wouldn't it be far better to give God some time each day to quietly speak to you?
Actually, this is God's preference: 'Be silent and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10 NLT). Being still may be the hardest thing you will ever do, but it may be the most important. Look at it this way. When you give God time, you show Him respect. In effect you are saying, 'God, you are important enough to me to set aside time each day. I want You to teach me, and I want to learn.'
Will God talk to you if you let Him? Most definitely. Not in an audible voice, but through your thoughts, conscience and emotions. God also talks through His Word, the Bible. Remember, the Bible is God's voice for us. The only way to hear it is to read it. The doorway to letting God into the details of your life -- into your concerns and dreams -- is time. We know this won't be easy. Many other voices call out for your time and attention, and many of them are worthwhile. But if you want to hear the one Voice who will make all the difference in your life, you will need to let God in ...quietly. Ask God to give you the desire to set aside a place and time for Him. The details of your life will wait. More than that, they'll take on more meaning when you give them over to God.
In the Small Stuff...
* Make an appointment with God every day and then keep it as if you were meeting with the most important person in the world.
* Set aside a designated period of time each day, each week, each month, and each year to focus on God.
* The advantage of meeting God at the same time each day is that you don't have to decide when you are going to do it.
* Sometime in the next month try giving the Lord a day of your life. An entire day.
* Make moments of stillness, quiet, and solitude part of your daily routine.
* Rising early to meet the Lord gives you a jump on the day. Meeting God at night enables you to reflect on the day. Either option is good.
* Buy a book of blank pages and keep a journal. Even if you only write a few words. Record your spiritual and personal thoughts and feelings as you give God time each day.
* Time cannot be controlled. You can only control yourself.
* Depending on your spiritual condition, being alone with God will either be unnerving or invigorating.
* The time to find moments of stillness and quiet is when it's most difficult to do so.
Establishing habits in our prayer lives is essential to their flourishing and becoming impactful. We know this when it comes to other helpful practices (such as times for working out or physical exercise), but it is also helpful in relation to prayer. Prayer is sometimes like fasting: we struggle at times to want to do it, but the benefits come by doing it, whether we initially wanted to or not. Before one can develop the fruit of a prayerful spirit, it is necessary to make it a priority, and discipline ourselves to do it, until over time going to the Lord in prayer becomes second nature -- something we miss terribly if we fail to engage in it. It develops a reliance upon God, creates a hunger for God, enables a loving familiarity with God, and sustains and strengthens the soul. Time spent with God is it's own precious reward.
In His Grace, Pastor Jeff
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