The Issac Challenge Day 9- Waiting

So i'm a bit behind in writing up what I read..

Chapter 3
Waiting
The Act of Soul Surrender

"A young woman by the name of Madame Guyon had grown weak in her desire for God. She inlisted the help of a Old Franciscan Monk. After some time he commented to the woman.." Your efforts have be unsuccessfull, becuase you have sought without only what you can find within. Accustom yourself to seek God in your heart, and you will not fail to find him. This was Madame Guyon's introduction to the most vital element of prayer, that of silently waiting in the presence of God. All who would be used of God must learn the secret of silence."

"If we read the biographies of the great and wise, we shall find they were people of long silences and deep ponderings. Whatever the vision, of power, of genius there was in their work, was wrought in silence. And when we turn to the inner circle of the spiritual masters-the men and woman, not necessarily gifted or distinguished, to whom God was a living, bright reality which supernaturalized their everyday life and transmuted their homeliest actions into sublime worship-we find that their roots struck deep into the soil of spiritual silence"

Bridgid E. Herman

"We cannot be made a blessing to others without perceiving that virtue has gone out of us, and unless this is constantly renewed with loving communion with Heaven, our service becomes little more than dead works, and out message loses the ring which bespeaks its divine origin."

Unknown

"Work is not food for the spirit any more than for the body. Amidst a multitude of works the worker's soul my wither, and his activities will prove this in due time"

J. Gregory Mantle

Scriptural insights into the ministry of waiting..

• "I will wait upon your name" Psalm 52:9
• "My soul finds rest in God alone" Psalm 62:1
• "My souls waits for the Lord more than watchman wait for the morning" Psalm 130:6

The Isaac Challenge Day 10

"Praise is a life long love affair .."

Steven Jamison

So on Wednesday(day 8) I wrote this in my journal..

..."I wonder God if I really have to do this praise stuff outloud.. I guess the meaning of the word praise is aloud.. I feel a bit silly to be honest..

David wrote his thoughts down.. I feel like they can be more concrete if I write them down.. hmm..."

As it turns out I didn't have much of a problem praising outloud. I have always felt a bit silly praying outloud and so I told god that. But as I read the steps for praise I had a few ideas..

Praise
Step One

1. Set aside, a period of time specifically to praise God at the beginning of your prayer.
2. Select a specific theme for praise, such as God's righteousness, His Word, or His creation.
3. Drawing on your selective theme, declare vocally all this is God.
4. Expand your theme as much as possible. Allow god to reveal new themes for worship as your time of praise develops.

One was the way that I can just sit and stare at my girlfreind jasmine and tell her how amazing she is, how beautiful she is, how talented and go on for ever about silly little things she does. All of this comes with ease and yet it is from the heart and is I think a part of love. So I tried that with God.
I began just stoking on God, telling him as things came to my head why I love him and how stoked I am to be one of his children.

The second thing came to my mind after reading step 4.. Allow god to reveal new themes for worship.. so I asked God to help me and then into my head pops the idea to focus very closely on some part of creation. I love creation and so it wasn't hard. I used a Husky Puppy that I had photographed the day before and began to describe and thank God for all the minute tiny details, its fur, its eyes, its feet, the pads on its feet, their colour and texture and the amazing creation that such a small dog is..

This really helped me in my quest to try and praise God vocally. Praise is endless. The possibilitys for praise and ways to praise God are countless. If you get stuck you can always ask God for ideas.. or ask a freind how they praise God.. indeed

"Praise is a life long love affair .."

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...