The 'Isaac Challenge' Day 1

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.

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 other book I am reading is

THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE
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...

The Isaac Challenge

Today I embark on another 'Isaac Challenge'...

Isaac Bent was my youth leader when I was 12-13. Me and one other guy and Isaac would go and have 'sunday school' which usually included some extreme challenge on the playground at Vardon Rd School in Hamilton and then would be followed by sitting on the steps talking about girls, and jesus and the bible and Issac trying to help us be awesome.

He once gave me a challenge.. he said
"read your bible for two weeks and let me know how it goes, let me know if anything bad happens during that time".

I have done this a couple of times before and so today I start again. At a time in my life where I am in a new city, and asking myself and God some big questions, I know I really need to be reading the Bible and praying.

So this is now public so I can't not do it. For the next two weeks I am gonna try my hardest to have a 'quiet time' with God. Time set aside to focus on God, to read the bible and to talk to God about whats going on, to journal. If possible before anything else in my day.

I'll try and blog about it and let you know my thoughts and developments. It's gonna be good.