Many people seek to find their answers in the world rather than seeking them through a deep intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. Developing a daily discipline of reading His word and learning to understand what He has done for you will help you to develop a real relationship with Him.
In the Kenneth S. Wuest translation of the New Testament, we can see that we are told to build our faith through prayer. “But, as for you, divinely loved ones, building yourselves up constantly in the sphere of and by means of your most holy Faith, and as constantly praying in the sphere of and by means of the Holy Spirit, with watchful care keep yourselves within the sphere of God’s love, expectantly looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ resulting in life eternal.” (Jude 20,21)
Everybody, should make prayer part of their daily life. How should you fit this into what you feel is a life which is already to busy for anything else? Some time ago I read a short article by David Bryant where he suggests seven key areas which we should incorporate into our “Daily Devotional” time with the Lord. Below is a summary of Bryant’s suggested areas and a period of time in which you should commit yourself to the Lord each day. It is important to remember that you can spend as much time as you need to in each of these areas but it is not necessary to spend hours at a time each day in prayer. You can go through this process in 15 minutes or take an hour, but always remember that the Lord wants a real relationship with you and wants you to make time for Him in your life. After all, He created the Heavens and the Earth and He is the one who breathed life into you.
Rejoice – and praise Faithfor what He has done in your life and in the lives of others, in what He is doing, and what He is going to do to revive His Kingdom.
Review – read the scriptures He wrote to learn all you can about the nature of who the Lord is, and who He created you to be.
Repent – confess to the Lord on your behalf, and on behalf of the whole church, the specific ways in which we are preventing the Lord from having a deep intimate relationship with us.
Resist – Focus in prayer on those areas where Satan is attempting to undermine the mission of the church, so as to diminish the potential for local and world revival.
Request – From the immense reservoir of Biblical promises, intercede for full revival in the church – both your own and in other nations.
Recommit – reflect on all that you have learned from the Lord and all that you have said to Him, and commit yourself back to Him to be used in answer to your prayers, whatever the cost. Also, recommit to set the pace for others to pray with you in the same direction.
Record – keep a journal and record whatever you sense God has said to you during your prayer time. As you keep this journal, it will be a reference point which will allow you to see how the Lord is working in your life and how He responds to your prayers. You can use it as a guide to help you understand how He is calling you to walk in obedience and how He has given you encouragement for yourself and others.
