To be honest, I am not sure where I learned this, but the theory is solid. Paul was the only one who mentioned the word "watchings" saying that he had a lot of them. When Jesus told his disciples to watch with him in the garden, he was using an entirely different word with an slightly different meaning. However, both seem to be pretty much the same thing.
As I learned it, "watchings" are times when one spends hours into the night praying. This may be planned, but may also be unplanned and spontaneous. Here's how it works...you are praying at night, or you feel compelled to pray; and while you're praying the prayers don't want to quit. You just want to keep on praying, but its getting late, and you have to work the next day. No matter how much you tell yourself its time to go to bed, something inside is compelling you to continue praying.
This might go on for 20 minutes, it may go on an hour, it may go on for several hours, or rarely you may pray all night.
Jesus prayed all night before he called the Apostles and he prayed into the night on the night he was betrayed.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Fasting
Fasting is possibly the strongest form of prayer there is.
WHAT IS FASTING?
The Bible mentions at least 4 different types of fasting:
1. No food or water for a certain period of time.
2. No food (but water is permitted) for a period of time.
3. No pleasant food for a period of time (in Daniel, this meant going vegetarian for 21 days).
4. No sex for certain amounts of time and agreed on by both parties (this was for the married people in Corinth).
HOW LONG DID PEOPLE FAST?
1. Daniel fasted 21 days.
2. Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasted 40 days.
3. The entire city of Nineveh fasted 3 days.
WHY DID PEOPLE FAST?
1. Jesus fasted before he began his ministry.
2. Moses fasted before receiving the Law.
3. Daniel fasted for his people.
4. The Antioch church fasted before sending out Paul and Barnabus as missionaries.
MODERN DAY FASTING
When I was young I fasted a lot; days at a time. Sometimes I struggled through the fasts, and sometimes I blew through the days without struggle. I am thankful for the times I fasted and sought the Lord. During those days, I learned from experience that fasting was a powerful form of prayer, and that after several days of fasting I usually felt very "clean" spiritually. Actually the feeling was a natural reaction of the body being without food for several days.
As my kids grew up I suggested fasting for certain issues that they dealt with. Their reaction caught me off guard...they told me that fasting would ruin their metabolism. I'm afraid I have to admit that the books that I read were not based on modern scientific research; so not really knowing what the latest studies were about fasting and health, I suggested a different way to fast. I suggested that they fast caffeine, or processed sugar, or t.v. or whatever.
Through my own experience I knew that this has been effective as well, so I encouraged this form of fasting.
DO I NEED TO GET SPIRITUAL?
This is a weird question, but I have talked to a lot of people who think that if they fast they have to spend the entire day praying and reading the Bible. NO! It would be nice to get a bit more time set aside for devotions, but don't get too weird about it. When you place such pious and unrealistic demands upon yourself, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Having said this, there may be some who are called to this, but I do not encourage this from anyone.
BEWARE OF PRIDE
Some people fast longer than or more intensely than necessary, thinking that if they fast longer they will become a spiritual giant like Moses or Jesus. This is spiritual pride and is not good. Sometimes it is more humble and spiritual to accept that you are not a spiritual giant, and do not need to fast 40 days to prove that you are as spiritual as people in the Bible.
LIQUIDS
-Do not try to fast without water. People die after 3 days without water.
-If you are going to fast caffeine at all, get off of it slowly beforehand if you drink a lot of it. Headaches can be horrible.
MY SUGGESTION FOR FASTING
When you need to pray for something important and regular prayer just doesn't seem to be enough, plan a day or two or three of fasting. If you are diabetic, don't even think about not eating.
Here are some other possibilities:
-21 days with no caffeine or processed sugar.
-3 days with only vegetables.
-31 days without t.v.
EXPECT AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
In my experience, most fasts accomplish something positive. I may or may not get an answer to whatever I am praying about, but there is a higher percentage of answered prayer than usual.
WHAT IF I CAN'T MAKE IT?
Sometimes I will quit fasts early - better to quit early than not fast at all.
PREPARATION
Finally, while you fast, put away all pornography or any other sin that you may struggle with. You can put it away for the period of time you need to. Try to keep yourself committed to God as much as you can during this time. Even bad kings and normal people won God's heart by fasting and seeking him, putting away their sins during their time of seeking God.
WHAT IS FASTING?
The Bible mentions at least 4 different types of fasting:
1. No food or water for a certain period of time.
2. No food (but water is permitted) for a period of time.
3. No pleasant food for a period of time (in Daniel, this meant going vegetarian for 21 days).
4. No sex for certain amounts of time and agreed on by both parties (this was for the married people in Corinth).
HOW LONG DID PEOPLE FAST?
1. Daniel fasted 21 days.
2. Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasted 40 days.
3. The entire city of Nineveh fasted 3 days.
WHY DID PEOPLE FAST?
1. Jesus fasted before he began his ministry.
2. Moses fasted before receiving the Law.
3. Daniel fasted for his people.
4. The Antioch church fasted before sending out Paul and Barnabus as missionaries.
MODERN DAY FASTING
When I was young I fasted a lot; days at a time. Sometimes I struggled through the fasts, and sometimes I blew through the days without struggle. I am thankful for the times I fasted and sought the Lord. During those days, I learned from experience that fasting was a powerful form of prayer, and that after several days of fasting I usually felt very "clean" spiritually. Actually the feeling was a natural reaction of the body being without food for several days.
As my kids grew up I suggested fasting for certain issues that they dealt with. Their reaction caught me off guard...they told me that fasting would ruin their metabolism. I'm afraid I have to admit that the books that I read were not based on modern scientific research; so not really knowing what the latest studies were about fasting and health, I suggested a different way to fast. I suggested that they fast caffeine, or processed sugar, or t.v. or whatever.
Through my own experience I knew that this has been effective as well, so I encouraged this form of fasting.
DO I NEED TO GET SPIRITUAL?
This is a weird question, but I have talked to a lot of people who think that if they fast they have to spend the entire day praying and reading the Bible. NO! It would be nice to get a bit more time set aside for devotions, but don't get too weird about it. When you place such pious and unrealistic demands upon yourself, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Having said this, there may be some who are called to this, but I do not encourage this from anyone.
BEWARE OF PRIDE
Some people fast longer than or more intensely than necessary, thinking that if they fast longer they will become a spiritual giant like Moses or Jesus. This is spiritual pride and is not good. Sometimes it is more humble and spiritual to accept that you are not a spiritual giant, and do not need to fast 40 days to prove that you are as spiritual as people in the Bible.
LIQUIDS
-Do not try to fast without water. People die after 3 days without water.
-If you are going to fast caffeine at all, get off of it slowly beforehand if you drink a lot of it. Headaches can be horrible.
MY SUGGESTION FOR FASTING
When you need to pray for something important and regular prayer just doesn't seem to be enough, plan a day or two or three of fasting. If you are diabetic, don't even think about not eating.
Here are some other possibilities:
-21 days with no caffeine or processed sugar.
-3 days with only vegetables.
-31 days without t.v.
EXPECT AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
In my experience, most fasts accomplish something positive. I may or may not get an answer to whatever I am praying about, but there is a higher percentage of answered prayer than usual.
WHAT IF I CAN'T MAKE IT?
Sometimes I will quit fasts early - better to quit early than not fast at all.
PREPARATION
Finally, while you fast, put away all pornography or any other sin that you may struggle with. You can put it away for the period of time you need to. Try to keep yourself committed to God as much as you can during this time. Even bad kings and normal people won God's heart by fasting and seeking him, putting away their sins during their time of seeking God.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
How to Get Rid of Worry
My stomach use to ache with pain because I worried so much and there was nothing that I knew of that helped me. That was back in 1972.
I was in Miami when I saw a small building with the sign "Jews for Jesus". Not knowing what to expect, I went in and sat down for the meeting. I don't remember the service and I don't remember the message exept that the leader of the service preached about worry. He said it was a sin (because when we worry we don't trust God), and we should treat it like sin. That night I confessed my sin of worry and asked God for forgiveness. I then went back to the ship I lived on and didn't even think about it until 3 months later.
3 months later I was in Miami and decided to visit Jews for Jesus again. I don't remember anything from that night (neither the service nor the message). I just remember sitting in a chair realizing that since I had been there before, my worry had slowly but most certainly dissappeared. I didn't even notice when it had gone away...it just did.
THE PURPOSE OF WORRY
I believe worry is a natural and needed part of survival. It warns us that things are not adding up and could go wrong. Being warned we can take the right precautions and avoid disaster.
THE PROBLEM OF WORRY
Worry gets out of hand and floods us with possible problems that could happen to us. Furthermore, being warned that impending doom is near, worry offers us no solutions because the doom is not real.
THE SOLUTION TO WORRY
Don't try to make it go away, instead, confess it as a sin. Whenever my stomach aches I know that I am worrying too much again, so I confess it and move on with my life. The pain always goes away as worry is brought down to a minimum.
By the way, a little worry is probably good. You just don't want it running your life and giving you ulcer like pain.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6).
I was in Miami when I saw a small building with the sign "Jews for Jesus". Not knowing what to expect, I went in and sat down for the meeting. I don't remember the service and I don't remember the message exept that the leader of the service preached about worry. He said it was a sin (because when we worry we don't trust God), and we should treat it like sin. That night I confessed my sin of worry and asked God for forgiveness. I then went back to the ship I lived on and didn't even think about it until 3 months later.
3 months later I was in Miami and decided to visit Jews for Jesus again. I don't remember anything from that night (neither the service nor the message). I just remember sitting in a chair realizing that since I had been there before, my worry had slowly but most certainly dissappeared. I didn't even notice when it had gone away...it just did.
THE PURPOSE OF WORRY
I believe worry is a natural and needed part of survival. It warns us that things are not adding up and could go wrong. Being warned we can take the right precautions and avoid disaster.
THE PROBLEM OF WORRY
Worry gets out of hand and floods us with possible problems that could happen to us. Furthermore, being warned that impending doom is near, worry offers us no solutions because the doom is not real.
THE SOLUTION TO WORRY
Don't try to make it go away, instead, confess it as a sin. Whenever my stomach aches I know that I am worrying too much again, so I confess it and move on with my life. The pain always goes away as worry is brought down to a minimum.
By the way, a little worry is probably good. You just don't want it running your life and giving you ulcer like pain.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6).
Monday, June 20, 2011
Grudges
WHAT IS A GRUDGE?
Somebody did something bad to you and it hurt you. In fact, it hurt so much that you have never let it go.
HOW DOES A GRUDGE HANG ON SO LONG?
The main purpose of a grudge is to protect you from the person who hurt you.
Grudges don't want to leave; they want to hang around forever.
Grudges convince you that they are there for justice, and to let them go would be unfair.
The grudge convinces you that it is there to even the score with the person who hurt you, and to let it go would is not right.
WHAT DOES A GRUDGE DO?
A grudge reminds you over and over that you were hurt.
A grudge protects you from getting close to the one who hurt you. For all the negative that a grudge does to you, this is the one thing that may be positive, because sometimes you need to keep away from somebody who can't be trusted. When forgiveness is preached, people usually think it means leaving oneself vulnerable for being hurt again; this is not right.
A grudge can easily eat away at you.
A grudge can be the reason you do something bad to somebody else. Acting on a grudge can make you the jerk/mean person and the original jerk/mean person the victim.
A grudge can also make you a not-so-nice person to be around.
WHAT ARE HIDDEN GRUDGES?
Sometimes we don't realize we have grudges even though they are there. Here are some examples of thoughts we use to cover over our grudges:
I love God and it wouldn't be right if I am angry at Him.
I would never be angry at my parents.
I am not the type of person that holds grudges.
These are the most common masks that cover up real grudges. A lot of us do not like the thought that we hold a grudge or grudges.
WHY SHOULD I WANT TO GET RID OF MY GRUDGE?
Being so negative, grudges eat away at you happiness, contentment and well being.
Usually the other person involved is not affected by your grudge and could care less, so you are only punishing yourself.
Grudges separate you from others (sometimes this is needed, sometimes not).
The Bible says that if we want forgiveness from God we need to forgive.
HOW DO I GET RID OF A GRUDGE?
I offer here, the way that has worked for me. It is not the only way, but it has worked for every grudge that has ever hit me.
1. Face it, admit it, confess it. Just look at it and accept that you got one.
2. Confess it to God.
3. This next one may take some time. Generally speaking, the harder you were hurt, the harder it will be to let go of the grudge and the longer it will take. Ask God for forgiveness. You may need to start this step out by simply telling God that you know you should forgive but cannot right now. Ask Him to help you find a way to do so.
4. This is the hardest to do - tell God you forgive the person who hurt you. Again this may take some time before you can do this, but do it and don't worry about your feelings. You may not feel like you want to forgive the person, but tell God anyway. Tell God what the person did to you; tell Him how you hurt; tell him that you don't want to carry bitterness around, but cannot let it go. Be open and honest with God - you won't surprise or shock God. And then, tell God you forgive the person who hurt you.
5. Keep this ongoing - Every time you think about your hurt or what was done to you, say "I forgive whoever." Eventually it turns your heart around.
6. As you tell God you forgive this person, ask God to forgive that person too.
7. Sometimes if someone knows that they hurt you, you may need to go to that person and tell them that you forgive them.
8 Finally, be careful. Forgiving somone does not mean you have to open yourself up to new abuse. You may need to avoid the person who hurt you. For example, if that person continues to hurt you or if going to that person will place you in a bad situation or a bad relationship.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12).
Somebody did something bad to you and it hurt you. In fact, it hurt so much that you have never let it go.
HOW DOES A GRUDGE HANG ON SO LONG?
The main purpose of a grudge is to protect you from the person who hurt you.
Grudges don't want to leave; they want to hang around forever.
Grudges convince you that they are there for justice, and to let them go would be unfair.
The grudge convinces you that it is there to even the score with the person who hurt you, and to let it go would is not right.
WHAT DOES A GRUDGE DO?
A grudge reminds you over and over that you were hurt.
A grudge protects you from getting close to the one who hurt you. For all the negative that a grudge does to you, this is the one thing that may be positive, because sometimes you need to keep away from somebody who can't be trusted. When forgiveness is preached, people usually think it means leaving oneself vulnerable for being hurt again; this is not right.
A grudge can easily eat away at you.
A grudge can be the reason you do something bad to somebody else. Acting on a grudge can make you the jerk/mean person and the original jerk/mean person the victim.
A grudge can also make you a not-so-nice person to be around.
WHAT ARE HIDDEN GRUDGES?
Sometimes we don't realize we have grudges even though they are there. Here are some examples of thoughts we use to cover over our grudges:
I love God and it wouldn't be right if I am angry at Him.
I would never be angry at my parents.
I am not the type of person that holds grudges.
These are the most common masks that cover up real grudges. A lot of us do not like the thought that we hold a grudge or grudges.
WHY SHOULD I WANT TO GET RID OF MY GRUDGE?
Being so negative, grudges eat away at you happiness, contentment and well being.
Usually the other person involved is not affected by your grudge and could care less, so you are only punishing yourself.
Grudges separate you from others (sometimes this is needed, sometimes not).
The Bible says that if we want forgiveness from God we need to forgive.
HOW DO I GET RID OF A GRUDGE?
I offer here, the way that has worked for me. It is not the only way, but it has worked for every grudge that has ever hit me.
1. Face it, admit it, confess it. Just look at it and accept that you got one.
2. Confess it to God.
3. This next one may take some time. Generally speaking, the harder you were hurt, the harder it will be to let go of the grudge and the longer it will take. Ask God for forgiveness. You may need to start this step out by simply telling God that you know you should forgive but cannot right now. Ask Him to help you find a way to do so.
4. This is the hardest to do - tell God you forgive the person who hurt you. Again this may take some time before you can do this, but do it and don't worry about your feelings. You may not feel like you want to forgive the person, but tell God anyway. Tell God what the person did to you; tell Him how you hurt; tell him that you don't want to carry bitterness around, but cannot let it go. Be open and honest with God - you won't surprise or shock God. And then, tell God you forgive the person who hurt you.
5. Keep this ongoing - Every time you think about your hurt or what was done to you, say "I forgive whoever." Eventually it turns your heart around.
6. As you tell God you forgive this person, ask God to forgive that person too.
7. Sometimes if someone knows that they hurt you, you may need to go to that person and tell them that you forgive them.
8 Finally, be careful. Forgiving somone does not mean you have to open yourself up to new abuse. You may need to avoid the person who hurt you. For example, if that person continues to hurt you or if going to that person will place you in a bad situation or a bad relationship.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12).
Saturday, June 18, 2011
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
When I was much younger I found that I had trouble sleeping at night it didn't seem normal. I tried to sleep and tried, but for some reason I was wide awake. While I struggled to go to sleep I kept thinking that I hadn't been reading the Bible lately, so I promised God I would the next day. Still I couldn't sleep and still I kept thinking that I should read the Bible. I thought, I have to go to work in 6 hours and I can't get up for devotions, so I turned over and tried even harder to go to sleep.
This went on for about a half an hour, until I finally caved in and got up. I took my Bible and angrily put it on my desk and told God, "I hope you're happy." As I read for the next hour I felt a very real presence of God. I felt blessed...like God was happy.
For years afterward, if I neglected my devotions for one day I couldn't sleep that night until I got up and finished reading my Bible or praying or both. I confess, I have never liked getting up when I wanted to sleep, but it has been the best thing for me.
Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
This went on for about a half an hour, until I finally caved in and got up. I took my Bible and angrily put it on my desk and told God, "I hope you're happy." As I read for the next hour I felt a very real presence of God. I felt blessed...like God was happy.
For years afterward, if I neglected my devotions for one day I couldn't sleep that night until I got up and finished reading my Bible or praying or both. I confess, I have never liked getting up when I wanted to sleep, but it has been the best thing for me.
Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
Be Thankful
Occasionally in life I focus too much on things that are not going right. When this happens my prayer life centers around those things going wrong and I find myself praying for all the bad stuff to go away. As a result a cloud of negativity hovers around me, even though I tend to be and still act very upbeat.
When the negativity hangs around a bit too much I begin realizing that I have been focusing too much on what is going wrong. And when this happens I know that I need to start being more thankful for what I do have.
In these funky moods I am usually not too keen on looking for things to be thankful about. My feelings want me to hang out with the negativity, with the things that aren't going well, because after all, just being thankful for other things does not solve my problems.
Even though my emotions want to hang out with the negative feelings, I do find it necessary to redirect my thoughts and look for things I am thankful about. My emotions don't follow me on this, so my thankfulness starts out hollow. But as I find more and more events and people and stuff to be thankful for, the cloud of negativity lifts and even though my problems don't disappear, they don't seem so scary anymore.
So when you pray, follow me on this. From time to time - maybe once a week or so, don't ask God for anything for at least 20 minutes. Instead, thank Him for things.
SCRIPTURE FOR THOUGHT
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6).
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts... And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15).
When the negativity hangs around a bit too much I begin realizing that I have been focusing too much on what is going wrong. And when this happens I know that I need to start being more thankful for what I do have.
In these funky moods I am usually not too keen on looking for things to be thankful about. My feelings want me to hang out with the negativity, with the things that aren't going well, because after all, just being thankful for other things does not solve my problems.
Even though my emotions want to hang out with the negative feelings, I do find it necessary to redirect my thoughts and look for things I am thankful about. My emotions don't follow me on this, so my thankfulness starts out hollow. But as I find more and more events and people and stuff to be thankful for, the cloud of negativity lifts and even though my problems don't disappear, they don't seem so scary anymore.
So when you pray, follow me on this. From time to time - maybe once a week or so, don't ask God for anything for at least 20 minutes. Instead, thank Him for things.
SCRIPTURE FOR THOUGHT
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6).
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts... And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15).
Reading the Bible
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO READ THE BIBLE?
Try different methods like memorizing, reading, in depth studying, outlining the sentences or the books, etc. Try everything you think of and go with whatever works for you.
WHICH BIBLE SHOULD I USE?
Try different versions and find the one you like. For a good variety, try out blb.org.
ARE THERE ANY GOOD WEBSITES TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
Blb.org (also known as blueletterbible.org) is unbeatable. It takes a little time to learn the site, but it is worth all the time you put into it.
WHAT IF THE BIBLE IS CONFUSING?
The Bible was written 2,000 to 3,000 years ago and it was written in a different culture. It can be at times confusing because there are several obstacles to hurdle. Nevertheless, there is enough in the Bible that you will understand to keep you busy. If you don't understand what you're reading, then make a note somewhere about it and move on. The more you read the Bible the more the confusion disappears. When you go back to those confusing parts on another day perhaps months later, you will find that many of them are no longer confusing. Why? Because the more you read the Bible the more it makes sense and the better you understand the world in which it was written.
WHAT ABOUT DEVOTIONS?
There are many devotions that are very helpful, but should not replace reading the Bible entirely. Some may spend 10 minutes in a devotion and 10 minutes reading the Bible. That works.
HOW TO READ?
This may seem like a dumb question, but many if not most people do not read the Bible properly. The Bible is a book of smaller books and letters all gathered together into one binding. To understand it the best read an entire book, not just verses or chapters. For example, everybody knows John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." But do people know the rest of the book of John? No.
John 3:16 has a context, an entire book that was written by the Apostle for the purpose of bringing people to faith through telling the story of Jesus.
Every verse has a context, passages surrounding them and those all within a book or a letter written with a purpose.
Try different methods like memorizing, reading, in depth studying, outlining the sentences or the books, etc. Try everything you think of and go with whatever works for you.
WHICH BIBLE SHOULD I USE?
Try different versions and find the one you like. For a good variety, try out blb.org.
ARE THERE ANY GOOD WEBSITES TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
Blb.org (also known as blueletterbible.org) is unbeatable. It takes a little time to learn the site, but it is worth all the time you put into it.
WHAT IF THE BIBLE IS CONFUSING?
The Bible was written 2,000 to 3,000 years ago and it was written in a different culture. It can be at times confusing because there are several obstacles to hurdle. Nevertheless, there is enough in the Bible that you will understand to keep you busy. If you don't understand what you're reading, then make a note somewhere about it and move on. The more you read the Bible the more the confusion disappears. When you go back to those confusing parts on another day perhaps months later, you will find that many of them are no longer confusing. Why? Because the more you read the Bible the more it makes sense and the better you understand the world in which it was written.
WHAT ABOUT DEVOTIONS?
There are many devotions that are very helpful, but should not replace reading the Bible entirely. Some may spend 10 minutes in a devotion and 10 minutes reading the Bible. That works.
HOW TO READ?
This may seem like a dumb question, but many if not most people do not read the Bible properly. The Bible is a book of smaller books and letters all gathered together into one binding. To understand it the best read an entire book, not just verses or chapters. For example, everybody knows John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." But do people know the rest of the book of John? No.
John 3:16 has a context, an entire book that was written by the Apostle for the purpose of bringing people to faith through telling the story of Jesus.
Every verse has a context, passages surrounding them and those all within a book or a letter written with a purpose.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
More About Devotions
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR DEVOTIONS?
How much time you spend with God each day in devotions depends upon you and your schedule. Some people like the mornings, some like the nights - whatever time best fits into your schedule is the best time.
HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD BE SPENT IN DEVOTIONS?
Everybody's different. I think 15 to 20 minutes a day is a good amount of time to spend in devotions each day, however, this should be the very minimum. Some people have several hours of devotions a day.
WHAT IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE DEVOTIONS TODAY?
Devotions are like exercise - just because you don't feel like it for the day, it is best to put in your time even when you are not in the mood because it keeps you fit. Besides, learning and growing in the faith isn't about what you feel. Sometimes I don't feel like exercise, but I go to the gym anyway because I my body needs to exercise whether I feel it or not. As a result, I stay fit. The same is true with devotions. Do not let your emotions guide your devotions.
CAN THERE BE TOO MUCH TIME SPENT IN DEVOTIONS?
Just as it is possible to overexercise, it is very possible to spend too much time in devotions. I will admit it is extremely rare, but it does happen. I think the main reason most people spend too much time in devotions is because of spiritual pride. Some of us think we are more spiritual than most or better than most, so we push ourselves to become more spiritual than most by spending hours and hours in devotions.
But this is not only unhealthy, it is carnal (Ie: it is not from God but from our own pride, our own self-interest, our own self and not from God).
My suggestion is this: If you feel like you would like to spend a lot of time with God, start out with an hour a day of Bible reading and an hour a day in prayer. See how it goes. If you get worn down more and more cut back by 15 minutes each. But if you feel compelled to go further, pray, check your reasons for doing so and add 15minutes each.
When I was younger I started with a few minutes, built up to 2 hours and then eventually to about 3 to 4 hours a day. Eventually, when I began to feel stressed and worn down because of it, I allowed myself to taper down. As I get older I still taper down, but still keep a fair amount of time for devotions - usually about an hour to an hour and a half a day.
How much time you spend with God each day in devotions depends upon you and your schedule. Some people like the mornings, some like the nights - whatever time best fits into your schedule is the best time.
HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD BE SPENT IN DEVOTIONS?
Everybody's different. I think 15 to 20 minutes a day is a good amount of time to spend in devotions each day, however, this should be the very minimum. Some people have several hours of devotions a day.
WHAT IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE DEVOTIONS TODAY?
Devotions are like exercise - just because you don't feel like it for the day, it is best to put in your time even when you are not in the mood because it keeps you fit. Besides, learning and growing in the faith isn't about what you feel. Sometimes I don't feel like exercise, but I go to the gym anyway because I my body needs to exercise whether I feel it or not. As a result, I stay fit. The same is true with devotions. Do not let your emotions guide your devotions.
CAN THERE BE TOO MUCH TIME SPENT IN DEVOTIONS?
Just as it is possible to overexercise, it is very possible to spend too much time in devotions. I will admit it is extremely rare, but it does happen. I think the main reason most people spend too much time in devotions is because of spiritual pride. Some of us think we are more spiritual than most or better than most, so we push ourselves to become more spiritual than most by spending hours and hours in devotions.
But this is not only unhealthy, it is carnal (Ie: it is not from God but from our own pride, our own self-interest, our own self and not from God).
My suggestion is this: If you feel like you would like to spend a lot of time with God, start out with an hour a day of Bible reading and an hour a day in prayer. See how it goes. If you get worn down more and more cut back by 15 minutes each. But if you feel compelled to go further, pray, check your reasons for doing so and add 15minutes each.
When I was younger I started with a few minutes, built up to 2 hours and then eventually to about 3 to 4 hours a day. Eventually, when I began to feel stressed and worn down because of it, I allowed myself to taper down. As I get older I still taper down, but still keep a fair amount of time for devotions - usually about an hour to an hour and a half a day.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Devotion Time - Reading the New Testament
The best place to start reading the Bible is in the New Testament. This is how the New Testament breaks down:
- Matthew through John = Also called the Gospels, are different accounts of Jesus' short ministry, his death, and his resurrection. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because they share a lot of the same material.
- Acts = A history of the beginning of the early church.
- Romans to Philemon = Letters that the Apostle Paul the Apostle wrote to some of the churches he started and some of the pastors he worked with.
- Hebrews = A letter from an unknown Christian.
- James = A letter from James who was the brother of Jesus.
- 1 Peter and 2 Peter = Letters written from the Apostle Peter.
- 1 John, 2 John and 3 John = Short letters from the Apostle John.
- Jude = Short letter from Jude who was the brother of James and Jesus.
- Revelation = A long letter written by John. The form of this letter is called Apocapytic which was very popular in the 1st Century. Apocalyptic letters had a lot of symbolism very much like dreams from our sleep.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO START READING THE BIBLE?
When I began my life in Christ a fellow Christian told me to start reading the Bible in the book of John. It was a good place to start for me and I guess I would suggest that to you as well. After the book of John you may want to pick other books to read after the book of John most of which are called "the Letters" or "the Epistles."
- Matthew through John = Also called the Gospels, are different accounts of Jesus' short ministry, his death, and his resurrection. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because they share a lot of the same material.
- Acts = A history of the beginning of the early church.
- Romans to Philemon = Letters that the Apostle Paul the Apostle wrote to some of the churches he started and some of the pastors he worked with.
- Hebrews = A letter from an unknown Christian.
- James = A letter from James who was the brother of Jesus.
- 1 Peter and 2 Peter = Letters written from the Apostle Peter.
- 1 John, 2 John and 3 John = Short letters from the Apostle John.
- Jude = Short letter from Jude who was the brother of James and Jesus.
- Revelation = A long letter written by John. The form of this letter is called Apocapytic which was very popular in the 1st Century. Apocalyptic letters had a lot of symbolism very much like dreams from our sleep.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO START READING THE BIBLE?
When I began my life in Christ a fellow Christian told me to start reading the Bible in the book of John. It was a good place to start for me and I guess I would suggest that to you as well. After the book of John you may want to pick other books to read after the book of John most of which are called "the Letters" or "the Epistles."
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Devotion Time - Reading the Old Testament
Everybody's devotional time is a little different so I can only give you some general ideas of what to do during devotional time.
Ultimately the best devotions will have you spend time with God by reading or listening to God's Word (the Bible) and praying.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is divided into 2 sections - the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament can be best understood if one knows the history behind it. Briefly the history of the Old Testament can be summarized as follows (Some of the earlier dates are not exact):
GENESIS
?? - Creation and fall of humanity
1800 - Israel's beginning - the story of Abraham and his family
EXODUS - DEUTERONOMY
1300 - Israel is freed from slavery and travels in the desert for 40 years
1220 - God gives the Law to Moses
JOSHUA - 2 SAMUEL
1180 - Israel takes land as 12 different tribes
Israel is led by warriors who are called Judges
1 KINGS - MALACHI
1000 - Israel is led by 1st two kings as all 12 tribes unite to become one country
900 - Israel divides into North kingdom (called Israel) and South kingdom (called Judah)
800 - Prophets warn the North and South of impending judgment mostly due to idolatry and economic injustice
721 - Israel (the South Kingdom) falls to the hands of the Assyrians
586 - Judah (the North Kingdom) falls to the hands of the Babylonians
Babylon takes the people to Babylon
536 - Judah returns from Babylon and rebuilds Jerusalem
The Old Testament recounts the story of Israel becoming a nation, receiving its Laws, battles with other countries from without, battles between the North and the South, and battles with God.
The battles with outsiders were battles for survival, keeping their land or taking other people's land. Their fights were against surrounding countries such as Egypt, Assyria, Canaan, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and Babylon.
The battles with God were mostly about idolatry and economic injustice. It was the prophets who fought with Israel in keeping one true God and who pointed out the economic injustices.
The rich got richer by taking advantage of the opportunities the poor offered them. For example, the rich lent out money to the poor and charged huge amounts of interest (like the credit card companies). But there was no bankrupcy, so when the poor got too poor, they lost their land and when they still could not pay their debts, they had to sell their children to slavery, and when they ran out of money again, they became slaves themselves or became beggers.
The Old Testament's solution to this problem was simple - every 49 or 50 years all debts were suppose to be erased, and all land was suppose to be returned to the original owner, but apart from one or two exeptions (shortly after the return from Babylon) that Law was probably ignored throughout Israel's history.
Ultimately the best devotions will have you spend time with God by reading or listening to God's Word (the Bible) and praying.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is divided into 2 sections - the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament can be best understood if one knows the history behind it. Briefly the history of the Old Testament can be summarized as follows (Some of the earlier dates are not exact):
GENESIS
?? - Creation and fall of humanity
1800 - Israel's beginning - the story of Abraham and his family
EXODUS - DEUTERONOMY
1300 - Israel is freed from slavery and travels in the desert for 40 years
1220 - God gives the Law to Moses
JOSHUA - 2 SAMUEL
1180 - Israel takes land as 12 different tribes
Israel is led by warriors who are called Judges
1 KINGS - MALACHI
1000 - Israel is led by 1st two kings as all 12 tribes unite to become one country
900 - Israel divides into North kingdom (called Israel) and South kingdom (called Judah)
800 - Prophets warn the North and South of impending judgment mostly due to idolatry and economic injustice
721 - Israel (the South Kingdom) falls to the hands of the Assyrians
586 - Judah (the North Kingdom) falls to the hands of the Babylonians
Babylon takes the people to Babylon
536 - Judah returns from Babylon and rebuilds Jerusalem
The Old Testament recounts the story of Israel becoming a nation, receiving its Laws, battles with other countries from without, battles between the North and the South, and battles with God.
The battles with outsiders were battles for survival, keeping their land or taking other people's land. Their fights were against surrounding countries such as Egypt, Assyria, Canaan, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and Babylon.
The battles with God were mostly about idolatry and economic injustice. It was the prophets who fought with Israel in keeping one true God and who pointed out the economic injustices.
The rich got richer by taking advantage of the opportunities the poor offered them. For example, the rich lent out money to the poor and charged huge amounts of interest (like the credit card companies). But there was no bankrupcy, so when the poor got too poor, they lost their land and when they still could not pay their debts, they had to sell their children to slavery, and when they ran out of money again, they became slaves themselves or became beggers.
The Old Testament's solution to this problem was simple - every 49 or 50 years all debts were suppose to be erased, and all land was suppose to be returned to the original owner, but apart from one or two exeptions (shortly after the return from Babylon) that Law was probably ignored throughout Israel's history.
The Purpose of Having Devotions
More than anything else, Christians need devotional time each day -that is, time alone with God for a designated period of time. Devotions fill us up with needed strength to live a life for God that is somewhat unnatural for us.
Let me explain: By nature we do not live the way God wants us to, and what God wants can be and is usually unnatural. So when God calls us to love others as we love ourselves, we do need extra strength to do it or else we burn out, we give up trying, and revert to what is most natural to us. Devotions help give us the strength we need.
Devotions also teach us more about God. S. Freud believed that God was simply our own creation designed to meet the needs of our own wishes and needs. Even though I do not believe this to be completely true, it is true in this respect...
God exists, but He exists apart from us. He is not discovered by our own feelings and opinions about Him. He is ultimately discoverable only as He reveals Himself to us through different ways, especially through the Bible. So until we learn about who He is through the Bible we do tend to create our own conclusions about Him.
Let me explain further...I believe that even the best Bible scholars still have a mixture of what they have learned from God (in His Word) and what they have made up in themselves in a Freudian type of way.
OUR GOAL IS TO PUT ASIDE OUR OWN PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE DOES AND TO LET GOD REVEAL HIMSELF TO US THROUGH THE BIBLE AND THROUGH HEARING THE WORD OF GOD. As God reveals Himself to us we need to put aside our own preconceived notions about Him.
Let me summarize what I have been saying about devotions - Devotions renews our faith and gives us needed strength, and devotions provide the opportunity to learn about who God is.
There are other reasons, but for now this is a good start. In my next blog I will talk about what should be involved in devotions and then another blog about scheduling time for devotions.
Let me explain: By nature we do not live the way God wants us to, and what God wants can be and is usually unnatural. So when God calls us to love others as we love ourselves, we do need extra strength to do it or else we burn out, we give up trying, and revert to what is most natural to us. Devotions help give us the strength we need.
Devotions also teach us more about God. S. Freud believed that God was simply our own creation designed to meet the needs of our own wishes and needs. Even though I do not believe this to be completely true, it is true in this respect...
God exists, but He exists apart from us. He is not discovered by our own feelings and opinions about Him. He is ultimately discoverable only as He reveals Himself to us through different ways, especially through the Bible. So until we learn about who He is through the Bible we do tend to create our own conclusions about Him.
Let me explain further...I believe that even the best Bible scholars still have a mixture of what they have learned from God (in His Word) and what they have made up in themselves in a Freudian type of way.
OUR GOAL IS TO PUT ASIDE OUR OWN PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE DOES AND TO LET GOD REVEAL HIMSELF TO US THROUGH THE BIBLE AND THROUGH HEARING THE WORD OF GOD. As God reveals Himself to us we need to put aside our own preconceived notions about Him.
Let me summarize what I have been saying about devotions - Devotions renews our faith and gives us needed strength, and devotions provide the opportunity to learn about who God is.
There are other reasons, but for now this is a good start. In my next blog I will talk about what should be involved in devotions and then another blog about scheduling time for devotions.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Holy Spirit
There are quite a few different teachings about receiving the Holy Spirit and your faith. Some churches say that when you become Christian you are filled with all you need of the Holy Spirit. Others say that after you become a Christian there is another experience you should seek and that experience is a greather filling of the Holy Spirit. Some call this that Bapism of the Holy Spirit others call it the Filling of the Holy Spirit. Whatever your church says about it, there is one thing that is for sure - we all need to pray to be filled regularly with the Holy Spirit.
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The best way that I can describe it is this: The Holy Spirit is that part of God that guides us, comforts us, gives us strength, and teaches us. The Holy Spirit gives us deeper understanding into the things of God and what God wants from us. The Holy Spirit also helps us to talk to others about our faith by working with the person/people we are talking to and helps us to say the right things to the people we talk to.
Let me give you an example: Years ago my friend and I were talking to a guy who was struggling with his faith. He felt like something was seriously wrong and because something was so wrong, he couldn't get his life where it should be with God.
After my friend tried counseling him in different ways, the guy still felt like something was not right with God and it was affecting his entire life. I remembered a book I had been reading and mentioned that it was important to be able to forgive yourself.
2 things happened at the same time. First of all, he had a "That's it!" moment. At the same time something deep within me seemed to say, "Don't correct him." He said, "That's it, there are these guys I haven't forgiven." I thought, "No, no, I said forgive yourself," but the Holy Spirit was pointing to something different - his issue of holding a grudge against some people.
So let's look at this further. The Holy Spirit put on my heart the idea of forgiving oneself, so I shared that with the person. At the same time the Holy Spirit let me know that I should not clarify what I had said even though the person I talked to did not hear me right. And as for the other guy, the Holy Spirit had been helping him know that things weren't right, then when he heard the word "forgive" the Holy Spirit helped him to know that forgiveness was the issue.
All of this was possible only because the Holy Spirit had been working in the both of us. The Holy Spirit is important to your life, so the next step in your Christianity is to pray that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit. Not just once, but every day pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
When Jesus talked to his disciples about prayer he told them that God would never give them something evil if they asked for something good. He also told them that God would never substitute something counterfeit for the real thing. In that context Jesus told his disciples to pray for the Holy Spirit: "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13)."
Before Jesus allowed the disciples to begin the Christian church, he told them to wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit because as Jesus explained, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)."
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The best way that I can describe it is this: The Holy Spirit is that part of God that guides us, comforts us, gives us strength, and teaches us. The Holy Spirit gives us deeper understanding into the things of God and what God wants from us. The Holy Spirit also helps us to talk to others about our faith by working with the person/people we are talking to and helps us to say the right things to the people we talk to.
Let me give you an example: Years ago my friend and I were talking to a guy who was struggling with his faith. He felt like something was seriously wrong and because something was so wrong, he couldn't get his life where it should be with God.
After my friend tried counseling him in different ways, the guy still felt like something was not right with God and it was affecting his entire life. I remembered a book I had been reading and mentioned that it was important to be able to forgive yourself.
2 things happened at the same time. First of all, he had a "That's it!" moment. At the same time something deep within me seemed to say, "Don't correct him." He said, "That's it, there are these guys I haven't forgiven." I thought, "No, no, I said forgive yourself," but the Holy Spirit was pointing to something different - his issue of holding a grudge against some people.
So let's look at this further. The Holy Spirit put on my heart the idea of forgiving oneself, so I shared that with the person. At the same time the Holy Spirit let me know that I should not clarify what I had said even though the person I talked to did not hear me right. And as for the other guy, the Holy Spirit had been helping him know that things weren't right, then when he heard the word "forgive" the Holy Spirit helped him to know that forgiveness was the issue.
All of this was possible only because the Holy Spirit had been working in the both of us. The Holy Spirit is important to your life, so the next step in your Christianity is to pray that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit. Not just once, but every day pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
When Jesus talked to his disciples about prayer he told them that God would never give them something evil if they asked for something good. He also told them that God would never substitute something counterfeit for the real thing. In that context Jesus told his disciples to pray for the Holy Spirit: "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13)."
Before Jesus allowed the disciples to begin the Christian church, he told them to wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit because as Jesus explained, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)