Absorbing God Word
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Applying God’s Word
I love this scripture, because it speaks to me about the importance of staying in communication with God. I wrote about this last week saying, “Over the years, my faith in God has grown by meeting with Him and meditating on His “Word/Truth”.
Before I gave Jesus my heart, I rationalized that giving Him one hour a week at church was enough. I wouldn’t be married today, if I told my wife I’d see her for one hour each week. When I did decide to make prayer a priority, I started with 5 minutes a day.
Communicating with God has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. It has also been one of the most rewarding. There are times when it seems flat, confusing, boring, or frightening. There are other times when it is interesting, exhilarating, mind blowing, and even euphoric. Like any great relationship though, it takes “WORK”.
Accountability in prayer is critical. Presently, Louise and I hold one another accountable. We both use a prayer journal daily, which also helps hold us accountable. We have a format of prayer that we use each morning. I originally used a format called ACTS, which stands for Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. The most important thing though, is showing up. If I don’t show up, nothing happens.
Accounting of God’s Word
Am I keeping my appointment with God each day? Do I have a designated place to meet with God? Am I doing all the talking or have I learned to listen more?