Fri.12.5.14...How to Prevent the Word from being Dead in your Head

Have you ever felt like you were just reading, but not really relating to the Lord?

I sure have. But several years ago I found a great way to prevent the intake of God’s word from just being dead in my head. It’s prayer reading. It’s so simple. Hopefully, you’ve already enjoyed doing such. This will be a great practice to pass on to your protégés and also share with loved ones. Let’s take a short passage to illustrate prayer reading- Proverbs 2:1-6. Here’s how it reads from the NIV-

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,

turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—

indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Now here’s how one might personalize it and turn it into prayer reading-

Heavenly Father, I thank you that I am your son whom you want to mentor. What a privilege! I am your son whom you love. Your word reveals your best way for me.

So I will accept your words; O may I never reject them.

I will store up your commands within my heart. I’m doing that with my 3x5 cards with my brothers. This has been such a blessing.

I will turn my ear to wisdom. Jesus, in you are all the treasures of wisdom.

I will apply my heart to understanding. And I also ask your help to do so.

Yes, I call out to you for insight and understanding. For I need your help. Sure, I can learn a lot of facts through prayerless study. But to make your truths live in my life requires you. Please forgive the many times I’ve settled more for content than communion.

Help me to look, not only for understanding, but for you. For Lord, you are more precious than silver. I will search for you and your ways in your word as for hidden treasure. Jesus you are the treasure hidden throughout the Older Testament and you are in open view in the New.

Thank you Lord for your promise that my searching will not be in vain. I will find you and understand the fear of the Lord.

Yet Lord, I admit that I still feel like a pilgrim on the far edges of your court. I see you, but only from a distance. But thank you Lord, one day it will be face to face.  

So prayer reading involves-personalizing the pronouns, praying it back to God, admitting when we fall short of the standard, asking for his forgiveness and help, seeking Christ as the hidden treasure, claiming his promises and praising him.

1. Now it’s your turn to prayer read. Read anywhere within the first 9 chapters of Proverbs and take only one, two or a few verses and write and post your personalized prayer. No one is grading you. You’ll do fine. Try it, you’ll like it!

2. Pick one of the verses you especially liked or even a phrase from it and write it on your 3x5 card (or your smart phone version of such Sam:). Just write "Did It" when you did it. Then seek to review it throughout the day, reflecting on it and praying to God regarding it. This is the way we can commune with God in his word day and night as we saw in Josh.1:8. 

3. Respond to the question at the very end of this blog. Thanx!

Congratulations on a perfect game Wednesday! Everyone commented on the blog that day. Way to go! I am so pleased. This is the fellowship of the flaming heart that I've always longed for. As you know, Monday and Tuesday were practice days. Then you were simply listed alphabetically. Now you are on one of two teams- Alpha Force vs. Delta Force.  Within each Force you will note that they include 2 Fire Teams. (Yes, you can pick new names:) You will also note that Alpha Force and Delta Force are tied at 18 out of 18. What does that mean? Remember, you all were given credit for Monday and Tuesday practice games. Then Wednesday everyone participated. So that's 3 days x 6 men on each Force = 18. Thus, 18 out of 18 possible points. Way to go! So keep up the good work. Your teammates are counting on you :) There's an old adage we're trying to incorporate here- "Keep it simple; make it fun!" So let's have fun. Speaking of which, you can be looking forward to a fun get together in about a month. We'll make the announcement regarding it soon.

		G=God's Word	R	E	A	T
		Wednesday
	Alpha Force	18/18
	Fire Team 1
1	Jack Rogers	Y
2	Daniel Contreras	Y
3	Roger Vinlasaca	Y
	Fire Team 2
4	Israel Fuentes	Y
5	John Pallozzi	Y
6	Sam Vargas	Y
	Delta Force	18/18
	Fire Team 3
1	Mark Estrada	Y
2	Mike Pagan	Y
3	Dave Heidekruger	Y
	Fire Team 4
4	Eddie Morales	Y
5	Ismael Andrade	Y
6	Gary Remson	Y

Congratulations on a great first week of Officers/Coaches Training. We've begun by focusing on the vital priority that we and our proteges need to cultivate- communion with God through his word. We will introduce a second vital priority connected to it this coming week, Monday through Friday. 

So what about the weekends? Sundays you can certainly read anywhere you wish. But we will bless Pastor Mark by making his passage our M3 passage that day. Bring your Bible and pick out a verse or phrase that grabs you and add it to your 3x5 card. Want to earn brownie points with Pastor Mark? Show him your 3x5 card after the service. 

But what about Saturdays? We designed Saturdays to be a day for you to pursue your own personal interests in God's word. Also you will get credit for the fruit of your discoveries. You'll actually have an entire week to complete these enjoyable GDPs (Growing Deeper Projects). We'll help you every step of the way. You will succeed. So for now, what would be one subject in scripture you would like to learn more about? (Include this in your blog comments. Thanks.)