Spiritual Prescription ONE TO ONE WITH GOD
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Ps. 5:3.
May I share with you the one method that I have found far better than any other for a meaningful time of fellowship with Christ day by day? I have tried a lot of other methods, and I've found some good ones, but none of them ever surpassed this one.
Take the book The Desire of Ages, on the life of Christ. Begin with a short prayer for the guidance and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and then choose one chapter. At the bottom of the first page of each chapter it says, something like, "This chapter is based on Matthew so-and-so." Look up the Scripture passage and read it carefully. Then read the chapter.
As you read it, try to consider it as something more than a history lesson You're not just thinking of Nicodemus, who lived two thousand years ago; you're not just thinking of some leper from the distant past, or of the disciples away back there. Put yourself in the picture with Christ. Nicodemus--that's you. The leper--that's you. Get yourself into the picture, so that it's you and God. You aren't reading the chapters for information, but for communication. (That's why you can go back and start the book over when you've finished--you're reading for communication.)
When you've finished reading, and pondering what you have read, then pray about what you've read. You can say, "Lord, I read today about Nicodemus. I realize that that's me. I would much rather discuss religion than be born again. But, Lord, I need to be born again. I don't understand all about it, but please accomplish that for me today. Take my heart, my life." You can talk to Him about what you've read. This way, every morning you have something new to pray about, because you have read something new.
If you will take time, alone with God, beginning each day with Him in fellowship and communication, and if you stay with Him, regardless of what happens, you will find the rest and peace that Jesus promised when He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Ps. 5:3.
May I share with you the one method that I have found far better than any other for a meaningful time of fellowship with Christ day by day? I have tried a lot of other methods, and I've found some good ones, but none of them ever surpassed this one.
Take the book The Desire of Ages, on the life of Christ. Begin with a short prayer for the guidance and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and then choose one chapter. At the bottom of the first page of each chapter it says, something like, "This chapter is based on Matthew so-and-so." Look up the Scripture passage and read it carefully. Then read the chapter.
As you read it, try to consider it as something more than a history lesson You're not just thinking of Nicodemus, who lived two thousand years ago; you're not just thinking of some leper from the distant past, or of the disciples away back there. Put yourself in the picture with Christ. Nicodemus--that's you. The leper--that's you. Get yourself into the picture, so that it's you and God. You aren't reading the chapters for information, but for communication. (That's why you can go back and start the book over when you've finished--you're reading for communication.)
When you've finished reading, and pondering what you have read, then pray about what you've read. You can say, "Lord, I read today about Nicodemus. I realize that that's me. I would much rather discuss religion than be born again. But, Lord, I need to be born again. I don't understand all about it, but please accomplish that for me today. Take my heart, my life." You can talk to Him about what you've read. This way, every morning you have something new to pray about, because you have read something new.
If you will take time, alone with God, beginning each day with Him in fellowship and communication, and if you stay with Him, regardless of what happens, you will find the rest and peace that Jesus promised when He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
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