Today was the first day of a two week challenge to read my bible and pray that i have decided to journey into. I serious need this. For a good while now 6months I havn't really regularily read much of the bible and havn't had had a regular prayer life. To help me achieve this I am reading a couple of books and have a general plan to try and help me out.
THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD- A Practical Plan for Personal Prayer
Dick Eastman
1978
Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
1978
Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
In this classic Dick Eastman talks about the power of prayer and the need for prayer and reccomends that you give an hour to God in prayer. And breaks this hour into 12 parts..5 mins each. These "points of focus" help you to be intentional in what you are doing. These parts are
- Praise
- Waiting
- Confession
- Scripture Praying
- Watching
- Intercession
- Petition
- Thanksgiving
- Singing
- Meditation
- Listening
- Praise
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE
Rick Warren
2002
Zondervan, Grand Rapids Michigan
Apart from those books I plan to read the Bible and blog about what I read...
Rick Warren
2002
Zondervan, Grand Rapids Michigan
The most basic question everyone faces in life is Why am I here? What is my purpose? Self-help books suggest that people should look within, at their own desires and dreams, but Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance comes from understanding and fulfilling God’s purposes for putting us on earth... Warren enables them to see the big picture of what life is all about and begin to live the life God created them to live.
Using biblical stories and letting the Bible speak for itself, Warren clearly explains God’s five purposes for each of us:
- We were planned for God’s pleasure, so your first purpose is to offer real worship.
- We were formed for God’s family, so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.
- We were created to become like Christ, so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.
- We were shaped for serving God, so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.
- We were made for a mission, so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.above From Purpose Driven Life Website.
Apart from those books I plan to read the Bible and blog about what I read...
3 comments:
I thought that first book by Eastman sounds quite interesting. A couple years back I was meditating at the Sir Chinmoy Centre on K Rd, and I found, that when told to meditate for an hour, that it would be really easy to time in, or alarm clock it, and then you would be concentrating on that instead of the meditating. So I devised my own personal solution, I wanted to release myself from the confines of the clock/time, yet still use it to control how much time I actually spent meditating. I used a candle, and timed an hour and measured how much shorter it was after burning. I then marked out using a small wedge cut in the candle for every hour, and then when I meditated, I focused on the flame, and out my peripheral vision could see the slight wedge cut. That would give me a great indication of how long I spent meditating.
So when I read that you should do each of those, 5 minute sessions, I kept thinking how I would clock watch, and that's not the point of it. You want to concentrate for small periods of time. I admire that. Quite a bit.
I kinda went fuzzy at the end of my comment, and lost track of what I was saying. But yuo should get the drift.
hey si, thanks for commenting..
Yeah I havn't read it all only the introduction and the first chapter today. so i don't know if its any good. so far so good. i have been tricked before with books that are a bit dodge or that i just dont agree with. well see what this ones like...
wow meditation.. explain that to me.. im guessing its like my prayer time.. execpt when i am praying i am i guess projecting my thoughts toward god, by way of addressing them to him. i am interested in meditation tho.. what are your expreriences from it..
pro's and cons?
The aim was to not think about anything but the flame, or plant, or whatever you stared at. I used it as a brain relaxing excersize. And it worked really well when I did it.
We sort of do the same thing at Karate. At the end of Karate we kneel and sit strong and think of everything we have learnt for the night while calming down. It works wonders at remembering things and solidifying training.
I wasn't thinking when I was meditating. I was just, pausing life, and taking a breather. I liked it. But I never kept it consistent. So I let it go.
No cons. I think one would say its a time waster? I'm not much of a Con Man myself. Focus on the Pro's, and then you're life will be all about them.
Ciao!
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