Devotions

Over on my daughter's blog she comments about struggling with devotions. We all do:

“God needs to take center stage right now. I haven’t done my devotions for a day or two and I am stressed!! Maybe that’s why, and maybe it isn’t. But the day will feel like it’s going a lot better if I start my day out with God.

I am really looking forward to studying Hebrews later this year (personal study) so when I read about

Thanks to Theology Blogs I have discovered DOCTRINE MATTERS which is, at the moment, my favorite new-

On my recent trip to Haiti I was brought into contact with Dr. Bob Ewell who works with The Navigators. Years ago I had started building a discipleship framework that ran out for lack of... whatever. But Bob spurred me on to finishing what I had started and to begin intentional discipleship in the church.
One of the first things every new believer needs to know is how to have morning devotions. So I put together a Powerpoint Presentation on How to Have morning devotions.
In Brief the method is simple and to the point.

1. READ the biblical text after Praying for God's guidance with a Pen in hand. Mark anything and everything which "jumps off the page" and speaks to you.
2. REFLECT - that is, think or meditate on what you've just read - turning it over in your head until you can see it's direct application to you personally.
3. RESPOND to God in prayer concerning one item which you've personally gained from. This turns your relationship with God from a monologue to a dialog.
4. RECORD your morning experience - using a notebook, a computer or even a blog, anything that helps you to coalesce your thoughts. Write down the passage and what you heard God say in His word, and record also your action points - what you're going to do about it.
5. REACT - When you were busy thinking or reflecting about the passage you developed at least one personal application from God's word, now it's time to put it into practice for the rest of the day.