Day 2 - Tuesday, October 13th
LIFE Journal
This Week's Memory Verse
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23
Devotional
You may have never heard of the term spiritual disciplines before, but you’ve surely heard of the two we are going to give the most attention to: prayer and fasting. Whether you grew up in church or not, you’ve probably got a baseline idea of what these two entail, but just to be sure we are on the same page, let’s define our terms:
“Prayer is personal communication with God...What we call “prayer†includes prayers of requests for ourselves or for others, confession of sin, adoration, praise, and thanksgiving, and also God communicating to us indications of his response.†-Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Most of us want to move straight into the nitty, gritty 'how to' after we determine what it is exactly we are talking about, but before we get there, let’s take a minute to think about the why behind these two power punch moves when it comes to strengthening our spiritual muscles. In our culture, where the demands are high, but time is limited, why even take the opportunity to engage in these seemingly ancient practices? Surely God knows exactly what we have to do and what we need Him to do in order to get it all done. Part of the why is simple: because Jesus told us to. Four times Christ utters the words, “When you pray...†and twice, he says, “When you fast...†It wasn’t just an option for the “more advanced†followers. And it wasn’t another checklist to do item placed on the shoulders of already overextended disciples, either. Instead, it is a gift: a way for believers to interact with the Creator of the universe in a personal and intimate way.
Prayer and fasting were always intended to be an invitation to experience relationship with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, tangibly. At the heart of getting into the habit of prayer and fasting is to first look at our desires. If we don't desire to grow and to see a true renovation in our hearts, minds, and lives, then we can never get past knowing and into becoming prayerful people who engage in such disciplines as fasting. We have to take some time to look at our hearts and see if we truly have the desire. It’s changing our have to in to our want to.
Think On This Verse:
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:35-36 NIV
Ask and Answer:
Take a real look at your heart right now. When it comes to your desires, the things that motivate you most to do the things you do, which ones can often keep you from prayer, fasting and other spiritual habits? How does knowing that Jesus used the word when instead of if in terms of prayer and fasting open your eyes to the important role these two vehicles have in making us more like Him? What “worthless things†do you need God to help you turn your eyes from in order to reorient your heart’s desires?
“Prayer is personal communication with God...What we call “prayer†includes prayers of requests for ourselves or for others, confession of sin, adoration, praise, and thanksgiving, and also God communicating to us indications of his response.†-Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Most of us want to move straight into the nitty, gritty 'how to' after we determine what it is exactly we are talking about, but before we get there, let’s take a minute to think about the why behind these two power punch moves when it comes to strengthening our spiritual muscles. In our culture, where the demands are high, but time is limited, why even take the opportunity to engage in these seemingly ancient practices? Surely God knows exactly what we have to do and what we need Him to do in order to get it all done. Part of the why is simple: because Jesus told us to. Four times Christ utters the words, “When you pray...†and twice, he says, “When you fast...†It wasn’t just an option for the “more advanced†followers. And it wasn’t another checklist to do item placed on the shoulders of already overextended disciples, either. Instead, it is a gift: a way for believers to interact with the Creator of the universe in a personal and intimate way.
Prayer and fasting were always intended to be an invitation to experience relationship with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, tangibly. At the heart of getting into the habit of prayer and fasting is to first look at our desires. If we don't desire to grow and to see a true renovation in our hearts, minds, and lives, then we can never get past knowing and into becoming prayerful people who engage in such disciplines as fasting. We have to take some time to look at our hearts and see if we truly have the desire. It’s changing our have to in to our want to.
Think On This Verse:
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:35-36 NIV
Ask and Answer:
Take a real look at your heart right now. When it comes to your desires, the things that motivate you most to do the things you do, which ones can often keep you from prayer, fasting and other spiritual habits? How does knowing that Jesus used the word when instead of if in terms of prayer and fasting open your eyes to the important role these two vehicles have in making us more like Him? What “worthless things†do you need God to help you turn your eyes from in order to reorient your heart’s desires?
Prayer
Father, prayer and fasting is important to you and therefore, it should be important to me. Lord, you know what distracts me the most when it comes to doing the things you say to do in order to know you more. Reveal those to me through the next few days and show me how I can make my desires align with yours. Amen.