Your Daily Devotional for July 31, 2006

 

July 31, 2006

 

Developing the Mind of Christ

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

 

 

Philippians 2:5-8

 

 

Many children do not like the thought of going back to school, but many parents cannot wait for that day to come! Children see the long hours of sitting, writing, reading, and doing homework, while parents see it as freedom, peace, and quiet! We at Lancaster Baptist believe the goal of Christian education is to develop the mind of Christ. Jonathon Witherspoon, the first president of Princeton once stated, “Cursed be all learning that is not subservient to the cross of Christ.”

 

If we will become like Christ, we must “die to self.” This paves the way for yieldedness to the Holy Spirit. A man who has come to this place in his heart is ready to begin developing the mind of Christ. We must come to God every day and present ourselves on His altar of sacrifice. We must realize that if we do not submit to Him daily, our entire day will rest in our power instead of His and we cannot develop the mind of Christ on our own.

 

To develop the mind of Christ is to think spiritually. Romans 8:6-9 states, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

 

Many people believe that thinking spiritually means to not think about wicked things. While this is true, thinking like Christ goes much deeper. Developing the mind of Christ has to do with changing the motive of your heart. We need to have a heart that loves people and sees them as people who need a Saviour. Anyone can judge another person, but it takes a person with the mind of Christ to see that person’s need.

 

Not only should we have love for others but we are admonished to have a mind of lowliness and humility about us. That is not saying that we should think of ourselves as worthless people. We are to recognize that we are lowly sinners but that we have a Saviour who saved us and wants to use us! When we realize that God wants us to have a heart that loves others and that He wants to use us to reach others, we will willingly go and tell others of Christ. This is having the mind of Christ.

 

I would encourage you today to strive toward developing the mind of Christ. How can your own mind develop in Christ likeness?  What habits or way of thinking do you need to change today to take a step in becoming just a little more like Him? Are you so Christ-minded that you love others enough to tell them of God’s precious gift? Come to Christ every day and ask Him to develop within you the mind of Christ.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 20, 2006

 

July 20, 2006

 

It’s a Personal Matter

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”

 

James 4:8a

 

A soldier once told the story of his conversion. He had received a letter from his mother saying, “My boy, when you get this letter, won’t you go off behind a tree and pray to your mother’s God that you may be converted? Now, my son, won’t you become a Christian?” He said he put the letter in his pocket and expected to pay no more attention to it, as he thought he would get a good many more letters from her. A few days later, a dispatch was sent, saying his mother was dead. Then he took her advice, and went off behind a tree and cried to God; the prayer was answered, and he said: “This is the first time I have ever confessed Jesus Christ.”

 

In James, we are shown that we can personally talk with God. Even as the kings in the Old Testament were dedicated to the Lord’s work by the anointing of oil, our dedication to Him allows us to personally commune with Him. 

 

We can come to God in full assurance of faith knowing that He will answer us. Only after we are saved can we have that assurance of faith. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” This verse is telling us that whoever believes on Christ and receives Him as their Saviour can become a child of God. Isn’t that a wonderful promise?

 

Once we are a child of God, we can ask Him for anything at any time! As a loving Father, God wants to listen to our desires and needs and then provide for us. You don’t have to be the greatest speaker in order to have God listen to you. All you have to be is His child!

 

Charles Spurgeon once said, “There is no need for us to go beating about the bush, and not telling the Lord distinctly what it is that we crave at His hands. Nor will it be seemly for us to make any attempt to use fine language; but let us ask God in the simplest and most direct manner for just the things we want…I believe in business prayers. I mean prayers in which you take to God one of the many promises which He has given us in His Word, and expect it to be fulfilled as certain as we look for the money to be given to us when we go to the bank to cash a check. We should not think of going there, lolling over the counter, chattering with the clerks on every conceivable subject except the one thing for which we had gone to the bank, and then coming away without the coin we needed; but we should lay before the clerk the promise to pay the bearer a certain sum, tell him in what form we wish to take the amount, count the cash after him, and then go on our way to attend to other business. That is just an illustration of the method in which we should draw supplies from the Bank of Heaven”

 

God wants us to come to Him personally. He is our Father and our Friend and He wants to talk to us! Just as you wouldn’t use lofty language and informal words when speaking to your friend, so God doesn’t want you to feel that praying is a formal matter. It’s a personal matter! When was the last time you sat down and really had a heart-to-heart talk with God? He wants to talk to you right now! Take time today, if you haven’t already, and tell Him what’s on your mind. He already knows but He’s waiting for you to tell Him so He can help you.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 28, 2006

 

July 28, 2006

 

The Preparation of a Prayer Warrior

By Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

 

James 5:16

 

If I were headed for the battlefield, I would not enter the combat zone without the proper equipment. Imagine for a moment how inappropriate it would be if I came with my basketball shoes on and a boom box over my shoulder. I would be an easy target for the enemy!

 

We all know that battle requires certain uniforms, gear, and equipment, but we often forget that spiritual battle requires preparation also. How can we expect to defeat the enemy if we do not have the necessary essentials for combat?

 

First, we must prepare our lives to be a reflection of God’s righteousness. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” Before we can expect God to hear our prayers, we need to ask, “Lord, is there something in my life that is not a reflection of your presence in me?”

 

God also desires our lives to be obedient to His Word. We read in 1 John 3:22, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” God desires to grant our requests, but He first requires our obedience. For example, if my children are told to do a chore, and they refuse to comply, I am not going to feel obligated to buy them something at the store. I am not going to reward them for their disobedience.

 

John 15:7 states, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” God desires our lives to be in relationship with Him. When we are yielded and open to Christ, we will ask for those things that please Him, and He will receive glory and honor by granting our requests.

 

Friend, are you armed with the necessary essentials for spiritual combat today? Are you living a life that pleases God and makes Him want to grant your prayerful requests? Let’s purpose as we go about our day to be sensitive to God’s leading. Let’s remember that blessings come to those who have an obedient relationship with Him.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 25, 2006

 

July 25, 2006

 

Persistent in Encouragement

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.”

 

1 Samuel 14:6-7

 

In these verses, we see King Saul’s son Jonathan and his armor-bearer getting ready to attack the enemy. Jonathan had taken his armor-bearer and had sneaked over to the enemy’s camp at night to attack the camp. Jonathan believed that the Lord could help them defeat the enemy.

 

When Jonathan tells this young man his plan, his armor-bearer tells him that he would follow him wherever Jonathan’s heart led him. The armor-bearer knew that Jonathan was a godly man and that he was following the Lord’s leading so he had no problem following him.

 

What an encouragement he must have been to Jonathan! Have you ever felt discouraged and someone came alongside of you and encouraged you? Remember what it felt like to be encouraged in the Lord? Don’t you want to be an encouragement to someone else today?

 

Romans 12:10 says, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” We need to focus not on our own needs, but on the needs of those around us. Someone once said, “There is always someone else fighting a harder battle than you.” If you stop to think about it, that statement is so true! When we focus on our own problems, we miss the chance to help encourage someone else who is fighting a harder battle.

 

Can you think of someone you know that is going through a tough time? Maybe they lost their job, their car broke down, one of their loved ones died, or they are having health issues. You can be an encouragement to them! By simply writing a note, giving them a call, or baking them some cookies, you can lift their spirits and let them know that someone cares about them!

 

At sixteen years of age, Edward Steichen bought a camera and took fifty photos. Only one turned out—a portrait of his sister at the piano. Edward’s father thought that was a poor showing, but his mother insisted that the photograph of his sister was so beautiful that it more than compensated for forty-nine failures. Her encouragement convinced the youngster to stick with his new hobby. He stayed with it for the rest of his life and became one of the world’s most renowned photographers.

 

Friend, who do you know that needs encouragement? You don’t have to do something big, just take a little time to let someone know that you care. Maybe that one little note will make the difference to someone who was otherwise ready to give up!

 

Today, I want to leave you with some “homework.” Write at least one encouraging note to somebody who might be going through a battle. Lift their spirit by encouraging them with a verse or thought from God’s Word. This is your first step to being persistent in encouragement.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 24, 2006

 

July 24, 2006

 

Overcoming Evil

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

Romans 12:17-21

 

The world in which we live is getting more evil every day. We can all easily realize this fact just by looking around us. Everything from the movies on TV to the way that companies are advertising is progressively getting wicked. There is evil in every corner of society, and if you’re not careful you are going to be overcome with gloom.

 

Instead of complaining about all the wickedness, do something about it! Join a bus route, hand out more tracts, or teach a Sunday school class! The darker the night is, the brighter the light should be. As Dr. Lee Roberson used to say, “We need to punch some holes in the darkness and let the light of Christ’s love shine through!”

 

You might say, “But there’s a lot of cursing at my work.” Say some good things at work. “There are a lot of bad jokes where I work.” Then tell a clean one. “People are always talking bad about the boss.” Then say something good about that boss. Overcome evil with good.

 

People striving for good will experience rewarding joy in their life and in the life of their family. Friend, don’t be afraid by the world’s peer pressure. You can become peer pressure too! Pressure people to do what is right.

 

My grandfather helped to start a church in Moab, UT. Working as an ordinary bean farmer, he would tractor his land and then jump down from his tractor and study the Word of God. He went up to Moab, bought a piece of land, and built a church building. He used to invite me up there to preach when I was in college. Although I’m sure I stuttered a lot as a young preacher boy, he never missed an opportunity to point out something good that I did.

 

An encouraging word and that helping hand kept me going in life. Consider those around. What friend or coworker is slowly being overcome by evil? What situation in your life is influencing you towards evil?  Do you even notice it? We can’t always notice it, but God can. Next time the Holy Spirit prompts you in a certain direction, don’t just shrug Him off.  Listen to Him and He will guide you through evil so you are not overcome by it.

 

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Your Daily Devotional for July 21, 2006

 

July 21, 2006

 

Loving Without Judging

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

 

John 7:24

 

Think back with me to the good old days of being a kid. Remember in grade school when you would choose teams and play games? There was always one kid no one ever picked. Did you ever wonder how that kid felt? Maybe you were that kid. Kids are notorious for judging others, but we grown ups can do it as well.

 

Have you ever looked down on someone because of how they dressed or for what they didn’t have? Did you ever stop to realize that you have something in common with them? You both need the Saviour! Jesus said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world…” The word world in that verse literally means “the earth and all its inhabitants.”

 

When Jesus came to die on the cross, He came for all of us, regardless of race, age, gender, or economical status. The last part of that verse says, “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The word whosoever means “all, any, every, the whole, anyone, everyone, whomever.” We all say that Jesus died for everyone but do we really believe it?

 

When was the last time you tried to hurry past a strange-looking person at the mall? Jesus died for them. How many times have you picked a different check-out line because the teenager behind the cash register may have looked different than you? Jesus died for them too. We must realize that everyone deserves a chance to hear the Gospel and get saved!

I once read the story of a new mother. She said, “As we were getting ready to leave the restaurant we had been eating at on Christmas Day, little baby Erik became enamored with a homeless man who sat near the door. I tried to get him outside before anything happened, but before I knew it, he had jumped from my arms into the old man’s arms.

“Erik, in an act of total trust, love, and submission, laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands, full of grime, pain, and hard labor, gently cradled my baby and stroked his back. He said in a gentle voice, ‘God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.’

 

“I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, ‘God please forgive me.’ I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking ‘Are you willing to share your son for a moment?’ when He shared His for all eternity.”

 

Friend, do you judge people by the way they look like on the outside? God sees everyone as the human being that He created. He loved the world enough to die for every single person! Whether it’s the mentally disabled person at the store or the wild teenager at the mall, Jesus loved them so much that He died for them. May we never think ourselves higher than anyone else, and may we never let a person’s outward appearance hinder us from telling them of God’s love for them. They are still going to spend eternity somewhere!

 

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Your Daily Devotional for July 19, 2006

 

July 19, 2006

 

Liberating Grace

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

 

Galatians 5:1

 

Many people today are taking grace and liberty to an unbiblical extreme. They are denying the Word of God. They are saying, “Listen, I am under grace, and I have freedom. I can live however I want to live.” Consequently, they are going right back into a life of bondage because they are abusing their liberty and turning the grace of God into an excuse for wicked living. Friend, may I remind you today that a Christian who is confused about grace is not free. Second Corinthians 3:17b says, “…and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

 

I thank God today that we are saved by grace, and our sins have been forgiven. I thank God for the liberty we have to serve Christ out of a heart of love. You see, grace is not a license to sin. Titus 2:11-12 states, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

 

Biblical grace not only liberates the believer, it purifies his life. Someone once said, “The demand for absolute liberty brings men to the depth of slavery.” This is true not only in our country, but also in our Christian life. God’s grace teaches us to live in a way that pleases him. The Christian who is confused about grace might talk all day long about freedom, but he is in bondage if he is following grace to an unbiblical extreme.

 

We must guard against the teachings of grace that deemphasize holy living. Biblical grace is not an opportunity to sin. As Christians, we should say, “By God’s grace, I want to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Let’s purpose today to be more like Christ in our actions, attitudes, and relationships. Let’s purpose to live our lives in holiness before God. Only then will we be liberated by biblical grace and experience the freedom of a holy relationship with the Lord.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 17, 2006

 

July 17, 2006

 

From His Heart to Our Hands

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.”

 

I Chronicles 28:2, 29:3

 

Helen Keller was once asked what could be worse than being born blind. She calmly answered, “Being born with sight, but having no vision.” Friends, today in these verses we see David’s vision for the work of God. He wanted to build a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant and a place of worship for the people of Israel. He had a burden to build this temple in the final days of his life.

 

God did not allow him to build the temple because he was a man of war, but He allowed his son Solomon to build it. In the first verse, we see that David had opened his heart: “As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD.”

 

Not only was David willing to open his heart but David was also willing to open his hands. The second verse says, “Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.” David gave his own wealth and possessions to further the work of the Lord.

 

When God affects your heart, your hands will be opened. In order for God’s work to be furthered for His glory, we each must be willing to let God work in our hearts and open our hands. We need to release everything that we have in our hands and reach out to God for Him to fill our hands.

 

When my daughter Kristine was younger, I remember her coming up to me one day, crying hysterically. I could tell by the look on her face that she was in pain so I began trying to see if I could find the problem. I didn’t see any skinned knees or elbows or any cuts, so I began to try to calm her down. Finally, I noticed that she had her hand tightly grasped in a fist. When I asked her about it, she told me that she had a splinter in her hand. I went and got the tweezers and a needle to try to get it out, but the minute she saw that needle she started crying even more and would not open her hand for me. No matter how much I wanted to help her, she would not let me get that splinter out.

 

Most Christians’ hands are tightly closed to God. They do not realize that we have a Heavenly Father who asks us to open our hands so He can replenish and provide for us. All we must do is trust Him and open our hands. If we keep our hands tightly closed to God’s blessings, we can never see His work done through our lives. Why would you want to hold on to the little things of this world when you could have all the blessings of Heaven?

 

Friend, what are you holding onto today? What is so important to you that you will not give it up to better serve God? God wants you to let go of those things and to look to Him to fill your hands. The Apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” Ask God to empty your life of the trivial things and to fill your life with His blessings today.

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Your Daily Devotional for July 16, 2006

 

July 16, 2006

 

Committed to Continue

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

 

Genesis 2:23-24

 

In this passage, Adam and Eve were united together by God. God had made Eve from Adam’s rib, and He brought Eve to Adam so they could live a life as one. We see that Adam totally accepted her.

 

In verse 23, “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man,” the word “now” implies that finally, at last, he had someone to complete him. Also in the phrase “bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh,” Adam is recognizing that she is a part of his very own self; they together would become one.

 

True love always involves total acceptance; it does not involve conditions. Adam didn’t ask God to change anything about Eve. He accepted her for who she was. This is a picture of God’s love for you and me. God is totally committed through Jesus Christ to you and me today.

 

We see in verse 24 the idea of total severance—leaving that which was before and moving forward without looking back. If we aren’t careful, we can build insecurity in our mate by constantly referring to the way it was before marriage, and constantly making our spouse less important than friends or hobbies. We need to do everything in our power to leave that which is behind and be faithful to move forward with our spouse.

 

We need to be totally committed to our spouse. Mark 10:7-9 says, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”  As a married couple, we need to be inseparable.

 

I would challenge you to never use the word divorce as a part of your vocabulary. In the heat of the moment, you can throw that word out and it will be the word that sticks with your spouse the most. Do you know how to avoid becoming an alcoholic? Avoid the first drink. Do you know one way to avoid divorce court? Don’t ever mention the word. Determine that you are going to cleave together inseparably.

 

Time Magazine once reported on the supposed peace accords between PLO and Israel. One Jewish settlement named Netzaian was located in the heart of the Gaza Strip.  The Hamas militants had been plundering the settlement and families had been murdered.  A school teacher, Shlomit Ziev, who lived in Netzaian, was interviewed. She had the finest teaching degree from America and she could have taught anywhere in the world, but she said, “I don’t live where it’s comfortable; I live where it’s important to live.”

 

Parents, be committed to your children. Husband and wife, commit to staying together even when things get difficult. Christians, commit to being faithful to the Lord. Is it important to you to be committed to the principles of God? If it is, then it will be very evident in your life. Friend, I would encourage you to commit to continue in your marriage and in growing more like our Lord Jesus Christ every day!

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Your Daily Devotional for July 15, 2006

 

July 15, 2006

 

Following the Wrong King

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.”

 

1 Samuel 8:4-6

 

First Samuel chapters eight through twelve record for us some of the saddest days in the history of Israel. From the nation’s birth, Jehovah God had been the leader of the Israelites. Now the nation no longer wanted to be led by the Almighty God. The elders gathered to meet with Samuel the prophet and demanded that a king rule over them.

 

How this must have displeased the Lord. Verse seven says, “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” God alone wanted to be the object of their worship. He alone was worthy to be praised as their Lord and King.

 

Over time the elders of the people began to follow the wrong king, and they forsook the One who had been faithful to guide and deliver them through their many hardships. What caused them to make the wrong choice? Why did they turn their back on the King of Heaven?

 

One reason for their wrong choice was their complaints about Samuel’s family. Here was  all kinds of immorality and wickedness. My friend, we will all be disappointed by a mentor or his family, but that is never a legitimate reason to abandon godly principles.

 

Another reason the Israelites followed the wrong king was because they compared themselves to other nations. Paul told the Corinthian church that “Comparing themselves with themselves they are not wise.” God is our standard. He should be the focus of all those who claim Him as their King.

 

The Israelites were also confused about who they rejected. They were not just rejecting the prophets, they were turning their back on the God of Israel. First Samuel 10:19 says, “And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us.”

 

Israel followed the wrong king, and because of their decision, they lost the blessings and empowerment of God. Many of us today are choosing the wrong king. We are following those  people and philosophies that are in opposition to God and His Word. Our lives will only be blessed and fulfilled when we follow the one and only King of Kings. May I ask you this question today—Who are you choosing to follow?

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Your Daily Devotional for July 14, 2006

 

July 14, 2006

 

Truly Seeking God

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

 

Psalms 55:16-17, 22

 

Have you ever entered God’s presence with a million different things on your mind? Do you ever just whisper a quick prayer and then run on with your life? Did you ever feel as if you didn’t really get anything from God? Did God forget to show up? Or, did you not let Him speak to you?

 

All too often, we become so engrossed in our busyness that we fail to stop and truly seek God. We may read a small portion of our Bible then pray a quick, rehearsed prayer, but never meet with Him. We need our time alone with God if we are to ever make it through life. We need that daily refreshment of His promises and truths.

 

How are we to truly meet with God in a world filled with appointments, deadlines, and endless meetings? Well, first of all, we must designate a specific place. Choose a place where you can meet God alone. Make sure it is a quiet place with no disturbances.

 

Next, choose a specific time. Some people can get up early and be awake enough to meet God, while others are more alert at night and can talk with Him then. Whichever one fits you, designate a time when you meet God. This is an official appointment! Don’t be late or miss it!

 

Also, choose a specific posture. Daniel knelt in faith and prayed toward Jerusalem (the sanctuary of the Lord). Daniel 6:10 says, “…and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God…”

 

Finally, decide upon a specific attitude. Daniel gave thanks unto God for all that He had done for him. We have so much to thank God for! Let your praise be one of thankfulness and honor. Do you think that God will be truly praised if you are in a bad mood or if you have a bad attitude? God deserves the very best! Leave all that behind before you enter your specific meeting place.

 

In one region of Africa, the first converts to Christianity were very diligent about praying. In fact, the believers each had their own special place outside the village where they went to pray in solitude. The villagers reached these “prayer rooms” by using their own private footpaths through the brush. When grass began to grow over one of these trails, it was evident that the person to whom it belonged was not praying very much.

 

Because these new Christians were concerned for each other’s spiritual welfare, a unique custom sprang up. Whenever anyone noticed an overgrown “prayer path,” he or she would go to the person and lovingly warn, “Friend, there’s grass on your path!”

 

Do you truly seek God in your devotions or are you allowing grass to grow in your path towards God? Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Take time today to write down your specific time, place, position, and attitude, and allow this to be your start to truly seeking Him.

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