It. Never. Fails. Someone has a better idea. Their “philosophy” is better than mine. Often times though, particularly in our social media world, people with better philosophies have just that: a philosophy. There is no action. No change. Just an idea.
Not long back I was listening to a guy tell me his philosophy of evangelism. He shared some trendy new perspectives that would make any old evangelism professor cringe. It was the BEST…according to this guy. Then…the telling question (or at least my “Dr. Phil” version of it): “How’s that working for you?” The silence was deafening.
Yesterday I wrote about the power of disciplines. Some probably never made it through the article since disciplines and routines are too restrictive for them. In the article, (published HERE if you haven’t read it) I promised to share my daily Bible reading (i.e. devotional) discipline…both for the accountability (you can ask me about it since I am “on the record,”) and because it may be useful to you. Here goes:
My day generally begins around 5:30 AM. That’s when the
coffee finishes brewing.
Coffee. Obviously, this is important or the book of Hebrews wouldn’t be in there. [Think about it].
Prayer. 2-5 mins. This is more about me talking to God. “Lord, help me to see and hear from you today. Give me wisdom and clarity. Speak to me. Give me the courage to accept You and Your Word as you speak.”
I read 4-5 devotionals first. 8-10 mins. (Chambers, Piper, Blackaby, Heart of Worship, and some short-term devotional on varied topics throughout the year. Topics like manhood, leadership, marriage, prayer, praise, etc.) These devotionals seem to prime my thinking and the part of my brain that applies truth.
Bible Reading Plan. 15-20 mins. I read the daily chapters from my plan. (Today was Genesis 9-12; Proverbs 3). While reading, I underline, highlight, and write notes in the margin if my mind is carried to a place.
Take Note- This is not a deep dive reading process of cross-references or word studies. It is the Scripture at a 5,000-foot level. I am looking for big-picture themes and verses that catch my attention.
[Also, I try to read in a different translation every year to keep it fresh. This year is the CSB].
I journal (as led) and pray things that God brings to mind. 15-25 mins. A lot of my journaling is archived here on this site. I also have many notes in my Evernote App that are too seminal to share on this site, or that God is working on me with. My journal notes could also be a prompt for deeper study. That is the bulk of my journaling. As for prayer, this part is about reflecting and listening.
Extra-biblical reading. (10-20 mins) I read highlights of articles in Baptist Press (I am a church guy after all). I catch the headlines of the news. (honestly, I used to read more but I find the news to be pretty myopic and biased…particularly in an election cycle). I may read articles from favorite theologians, academics, preachers, and some entertaining weirdos [smile]. This time may also include catching up on the latest “twitter rant” or select readings from different-minded publications (I’d put the Huffington Post and half my twitter feed in here).
A couple of considerations:
I try not to hurry. As you can see, I average around 40-60 mins for the first five items, and 10-20 mins for the extra-biblical stuff. My deadline is 7am. I have to get ready for work and head into the office.
This is a morning discipline for me. I find my mind is sharpest in the morning, so this is my early routine.
I don’t have the “extra hour” either.Yep, someone was thinking it. I’d do that but I don’t have time in the morning! Well, neither did I. So, I changed my other routines. I go to bed earlier than most and skip a lot of late television.
This works for ME. Remember, this is not my philosophy but my activity. It may not work for you. It may be too long, or too early, or too “anything.” Don’t mimic what I do because I do it. Do what works for you, but DO IT in a disciplined manner.
Two quick cautions:
Don’t set the bar too low. I know some guys tell me that they do their Bible while driving in the morning. I listen to audible books and podcasts too, but this time of devotional discipline is DEVOTED (see what I did there) to the Lord. It is His time. I even have a favorite place to do it. Even if it were 15 minutes a day devoted to Him…might it be worth it to focus on Him rather than the person who almost ran you off the road texting? [smile]
Don’t get discouraged. If you set a lofty goal and can’t hang with it, adjust it. Shrink it to what you CAN do. Build from there if you find it necessary. That’s what I did.
There’s another tool to help you with this…but I will save
it until another day. [shameless tease to get you to subscribe].
I have a routine. For the most part, I stick with it…
(sorry) routinely. This routine involves my morning habits, the way I
dress, the foods I eat…nearly every area of my life.
I know people who hate routines. They find
them boring. They see them as killers of spontaneity. If something is routine,
they will (again…sorry) routinely avoid it.
Still others, many who have excelled in leadership, swear
by routines. Some leaders advocate routines because they reduce decisions on
less important matters. For instance, if you wear a uniform, you never stare at
your closet wondering what to wear. If you eat out (only) every Friday evening,
then you eliminate the question of what restaurant to visit Saturday through
Thursday.
While I have a routine, I am not a slave to it; rather, I use it as a tool to help me achieve the goals that I have adopted. Meal planning (diets) work this way. If my body reacts well to a certain regimen of foods, I may set a routine of eating only these foods. This routine means I intentionally preclude other foods because they are not part of my routine. In this example, the diet is not dictating my life; rather, it is the roadmap I placed in my life to get me to an objective.
Such is true in my spiritual development. I believe
that biblical knowledge (study of the Word) is essential to sanctification (becoming
like Christ). [See Romans 7]. Sanctification is essential to effectiveness in
God’s Kingdom work (mission). [See 1 Corinthians 9. esp. v.23] Effectiveness in
mission is my objective. It requires sanctification which requires knowledge.
So, I read the Bible. Routinely. I want to be an effective husband, dad,
grand-dad, disciple-maker, teacher, neighbor, etc. These are part of God’s mission
in and through me. So, again, I read the Bible. Routinely.
Another word for routine is discipline. My discipline
(which takes about an hour a day to accomplish) has been built over years. When
I started, it was about 15 minutes. Prayer. Proverbs. A chapter or two from the
New Testament.
Two final thoughts:
If I were beginning a new exercise regimen, I
would not expect to spend two hours, two times a day in the gym…the first
week. I’d be lucky to work out for an hour, three or four times per week. If I
tried to keep up with the biggest and strongest on day one, I’d quit by the end
of the first week.
Second, I blow it from time to time. I get busy,
oversleep, have a sin issue that prevents me from hearing God, etc. If I miss
my routine for a day or two, I catch up on my reading. If this persists beyond
a couple days, catching up will prove impractical. In such a case…I will fast
forward to the plan for that day and pick up from there. What I cannot do is
QUIT and declare that I’ll try harder next year. That’s defeating. It doesn’t
work. So just skip to the right place and begin again. God won’t hate you if
you admit to sleepwalking through parts of Leviticus or the genealogies…though
there are some cool nuggets in there to find if you can discipline yourself.
Anyway, that’s me. Tomorrow I will share my actual routine
(which will surprise some of you). Mostly I share for accountability, but it
may also have some parts you want to add to your discipline.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu
2020 is a year of promise. It is a year of opportunity. It is a year of great potential. These affirmations are not simply some new form of “positive thinking.” They are truth. Every decision we make has great potential…for good or evil. Every adopted pathway will lead us closer or further away from the desires we have in our hearts.
The beginning of a new year is an
exciting time. In some sense, we leave behind the previous year and step off
into the prospect of something better.
One thing that can become an obstacle to our opportunities though…is the task of the first step. There is a popular leadership axiom that relates to the “paralysis of analysis.” Some leaders cannot lead because they are fixated on examining every possible outcome before committing. They want to see every option and have every fact “nailed down” before beginning. Truthfully, most never lead because these desires for security are elusive. None of us have all of the information. None of us knows the future perfectly. We can predict. We may even predict well…but only God truly knows.
Other leaders seem to have a Midas touch. They always find opportunities. The experience more than their “fair share” of success. Often, the difference is not related to strategy or ability but initiative. THEY TOOK THE FIRST STEP.
This year, do not allow indecision to deter you. Choose a path and take it. If it is a mistake, turn around and choose a different path. Make a decision. Fulfill YOUR destiny…the thousand-mile journey (if you will) …by acting to take the first step.
Today, I acted toward one of my goals for 2020 which is to read the Bible in its entirety. I have done this many times before. In fact, it is an annual devotional discipline that I incorporated several years ago. However, neither my past achievement nor my future intentions will achieve the goal. So, today I affirmed the decision and read the first four chapters in Genesis. The greatest journey…begins with a single step.
This is the fifth installment of my reflections on a recent trip to South Asia on mission. You can read the previous installments HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. If this is a blessing to you, let me invite you to drop by MY SITE and subscribe to email content to be delivered directly to your inbox whenever it drops. Also, I’d love for you to like and share comments on the posts if you are so inclined. In the ecosystem of social media, your approval helps to ensure that a broader audience can see this information. Yes, a simple click and comment can help spread the good news. Thanks in advance!
One of the debrief questions that a host team asks prior to departing a country is “what stories will you tell?” With so many wonderful experiences, it is always a challenge to zero in on just one or two; however, the question does prompt reflection and calls for a conclusion.
For me, there were several key moments. Watching my
interpreters and sharing team partners move with such boldness and grace would
be one. Time with dear friends sharing a meal would be critical as well. Praying
for sick, injured, anxious, and hurting people is always impactful. In fact,
one such story began this way.
At a home we were visiting, we asked if there was anything we could pray for…an illness or sickness where we might ask God’s mercy on their behalf. The reply was familiar: “No, we are fine. Everything is good.” After thanking God for his blessing, I shared the gospel and stories of hope from the Scriptures. As we were wrapping up, one woman in the home “came clean.” She shared that she had been married for four years but had not conceived. She wanted us to pray for her to have a child.
It was not my first time to pray for this type of request. I
had heard similar stories several times in the week. But this one was special.
The members of our team gathered around this woman to pray, including a
pastor’s wife who was also in the same childless. My heart was grieved. I
thought, “There can be nothing harder for a childless woman than to pray for
God to give another woman a child.” But pray she did. When we finished praying,
my suspicions were confirmed as I saw her wipe a tear from her own eyes.
The image did not leave me. Here is a woman who knew the grace of God personally being challenged to pray that God grant another woman the greatest desire of her own heart! I thought, “What a picture of the fruit of the gospel.” In many circles, there would be jealousy. Or resentment. Or bitterness. For this pastor’s wife, there was only brokenness, grace, and intercession—intercession for God to be merciful toward another woman.
The next day, this pastor and wife asked our team to pray for them, that God would also grant them a child. My commitment was that I would join them in praying daily for God’s mercy in granting them the desire of their heart.
Only a recipient of grace can truly pray for God’s grace toward another. I saw the fruit of the gospel reflected so clearly at this moment and was invited to bear a pastor’s family’s burden with them in the days ahead. What a privilege to partner with them in prayer and know that God hears and loves and always answers according to His own wise counsel. What a privilege to have a front-row seat as God moves.
If you wish to see God grant victories, you must first enter the contest. CMA
I don’t want this to come across in an offensive manner. Honestly that is not my intention; however, I suspect someone may bristle at this observation. Let me apologize in advance for the means but not the message. Westerners, and American Christians, in particular, are becoming increasingly “soft.” We have become so enamored with comfort, ease, compromise, peer-approval and the like, that any obstacle, challenge, resistance, or disapproval is considered “bad.” A false gospel has even taken root in the Christian marketplace promoting a “weird” understanding that if something isn’t easy and doesn’t result in abundantly blessed comfort, it lacks the fingerprints of God’s approval.
Such an idea is foreign to the Scripture; In fact, the
opposite is true. I, for one, was encouraged by the resistance we experienced in
South Asia since I found in it, evidence that we were “on the right track.”
It happened that we were “sharing” during an annual festival season across the country we were working in. During this festival, idols are erected in every village and daily “worship” takes place. All in all, this festival raised the spiritual resistance climate in several unentered places we were “sharing.” On one particular day, I noticed, as we entered an area to share, a man bearing the markings of a radical religious sect. He immediately zeroed in on our group. I was familiar with this sect as I had many dealings with them in another part of the country well-known for its religious persecution. My spidey-sense kicked in and I knew we were in for a treat. This village was the first where our teams were asked to leave and not share Jesus. The next village gave us a similar invitation to leave and still another on the next day.
Why?
Simply stated, the “enemy” hates us because he hates the One whom we serve and speak of. He hates God. This enemy walks about the earth as an intimidating adversary, looking for those he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Demonic forces are real and look for weaknesses in the witness to exploit.
I loved the response of our team: kindness but not
cowardice. Sure, we will leave, but not without praying that God would open
blind eyes, set captives free, and demonstrate His redemptive plan with power
and grace. Yes, we will leave, but not without exposing the village to the
aroma of Christ.
See, we know that whenever you get close to punching the
enemy in the face, he squeaks up! He recoils and then retaliates! It is the
nature of how things work. So, rather than cowering or becoming discouraged, we
should find encouragement and purpose in the resistance by the enemy. After
all, if the devil doesn’t push back against your efforts…you must ask yourself
“why?” Are you simply not a threat, or are you still on his team?
By the way, while one of three sharing teams was being kicked out, the other two were in the village and leading people to profess faith in Christ. Yep! We were on the right track!
When the enemy gets in your face and roars, smile with the
greatest of confidence… “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the
world.” (1 John 4:4).
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