As we embark on a new year, I think it is a good time to make a fresh commitment to strengthen our prayer life.  I find that with most people it is a struggle to be consistent in this area.  Over the years and especially the last year I have discovered a devotional time that works for me.  Let me say that what works for me doesn’t always work for others, but we can learn from one another.

1.  I begin my prayer time with the reading of the Word of God.  I use Robert Murray McCheyne’s reading plan that I use to systematically go through the Bible.

2.  As I am reading through the various chapters I ask God to reveal to me His Word.  I look for Scriptures that “jump out” to me.

3.  When there is one that speaks to my heart, I generally highlight it and continue to read through the rest of the chapters.

4.  Once I have finished reading all the chapters, I go back to the texts that spoke to my heart most and begin to meditate on them.

5.  I ask 3 questions and then meditate on these: 1) What does this text mean? 2) What is God speaking to me?  3) What will I do with it? or What does God want me to do?

6.  I let this meditation begin my time of prayer as I ponder on God’s Word and what He is speaking to me. 

7.  I will then take time to pray.  After the meditation portion of prayer, I generally begin to thank God for His goodness, I confess my sins, pray for my family and church, and intercede for those who God brings to my heart.

8.  Many times after I finish my time of prayer, I will take the text that God has been speaking and I will study it a little more in depth.  I make notes in my notebook (note the picture) that I use only for devotional thoughts.  I will go back and read these notes again from time to time.

This is what works for me.  I have used many different “methods” for prayer, but this process seems to enrich my relationship with God and His Word more than any other form of prayer.

What works for you?

Yesterday morning, I shared about living regret free lives and that sometimes we have regrets about lost time.  Namely, not spending enough time with God.  It seems this is a regret of many people’s lives.  John Piper wrote a great article that looks at the struggles that great men of faith have had with this very thing.  Read the following and let it encourage you to know that you are not alone in this struggle.

Piper writes, “If you knew the struggles of the greatest of saints you might be heartened to press on in prayer in 2009.

John Newton (1725-1807)—slave trader, convert to Christ, author of “Amazing Grace,” pastor, fellow struggler—on a morning in April sometime between 1752 and 1756 wrote this:

Prayed over a part of the eighth of Romans in a way of paraphrase with some readiness. I greatly fail in the duty of meditation and am forced to use some artifice with myself to do it at all; thus sometimes I turn them into a prayer form, sometimes I suppose myself in imaginary conversation, sometimes that I am called upon to speak to a point.

Without something of this sort I am not able to engage myself to attend with any fixedness of thought, and with it, alas! how seldom, I would remember to pray for grace and direction in this matter that my delight may be in the Law of God to meditate therein day and night.”

In this new year seek to work on your prayer life and make an effort to grow in prayer and do not get discouraged if you falter.  As the old saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”  The only way to become effective in prayer is to practice prayer.

As I was reading in II Chronicles something caught my attention.  It is a description of the decision the people of Israel had made in serving God.  II Chronicles 31:18, “for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.”

Many people are faithful to church, tithing and many other religious practices, but does your faithfulness include holiness?  The Bible records here that in their faithfulness, they set themselves apart to be holy.  It is easier to do many of the religious practices, but it requires immense discipline to live a holy life.  To give up the entanglements of this world and be separate.  Evaluate your faithfulness and see if it leads to holiness.

For the first time in a long time we didn’t go anywhere for Christmas.  We had a lot of invites to spend Christmas with the church family but we stayed home.  You might say it was a lazy Christmas.  Hannah took a late nap, so it prevented us from going anywhere in the late afternoon.  Therefore we just hung out around the house and enjoyed each other’s company.  We watched some old movies, ate, talked, napped (or at least Hannah and me did) and later went to look at Christmas lights.

I believe looking at Christmas lights with Hannah was the highlight of the evening.  She was our commentator as we drove around. 

Some of her favorite phrases (remember she is only 2 yrs old):

“Holy Moly”
“Holy Cow”
“That’s pretty cool”
“Lookie here, guys”
‘”C’mon let’s look at more lights”
“Oh, pretty”

Those were only some of the phrases but overall it was an enjoyable, lazy Christmas.  Hope all of you had a wonderful day also.

Today we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The day when God became flesh and dwelt among us.  He became a man that He might identify with the plight of humanity and that He might be able to conquer all things.

Hebrews 4 :14-16, “14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Whatever you need this Christmas, Jesus has already provided it.  As the song says, “He came from Heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, the grave to the sky, Lord I lift your name on high.”

Christmas Eve Candlelight service was really good.  There is something about a service with the lights dim, candles lit with soft music and Scripture reading.  It really gives a great atmosphere.  We had an excellent crowd with alot of guests.

After service, we came home and let the kids open the rest of their presents.  It does my heart good to see my kids happy and receive gifts that they love.  I know Christmas is not about the presents but as parents we love to see our kids happy.

I have always wondered what turkeys must experience around the holidays.  Finally someone depicted the revenge of the turkey.

It is Christmas Eve here in Northwest Arkansas and I am excited for the evening.  The Cheney tradition is to go to candlelight service, then home for snacks and opening the presents.  Christmas eve service is my favorite for the year.  There is something special about a candlelight communion service in honor of Christ’s birth.  I have always been amazed at the crowds that come for this special service.  If you are not attending, please make sure you try to come.  It will be a very meaningful time.  Merry Christmas to all!