2010 has arrived!!! The time has come for us to begin this wonderful adventure together in God's Word! We begin this Sunday, January 3rd with Psalms chapter 1. How fitting that the word tells us how blessed we will be if we "delight...in the law of the LORD..." and "meditate day and night" in it.
I have recommended that we use this portion of our reading as a launchpad into prayer. Each day, every day, it is important that we spend time with the LORD in His word and in prayer and the Psalms can be an excellent way to enter into that time of worship and communion with the LORD!
Some of you might ask the question, "How can we use the Psalms to enter into prayer?" That is an excellent question and I would like to take a moment to offer up one example. As you begin find a quiet place if you can where you can be alone and avoid interruption. Determine to turn off your cell phone, or any other distraction if you can. Once you have found your spot you might begin something like this, "Heavenly Father, thank You for this time, thank You for allowing me to meet You here. Please bless this time and help me to draw near to You in it, communicate Your heart to me, and help me to be open to the leading of Your Holy Spirit. Amen." The exact words are not important, use your own, but ask God to lead and direct your heart as you read His word. Then read the Psalm, in this instance Psalms 1. After reading and thinking about what you have read, you can then use the Psalm as a launch pad into prayer. That might look something like this, "LORD, thank you for Your blessings. Please help me to be a person who does not listen to the council of ungodly people, please help me not to stand in the path of sinners, or to associate with the scornful! Please help me LORD to delight in Your law, help me to meditate on it and understand it. May it be in my heart and in my mind both day and night. LORD please make me like that tree that is planted by the rivers of water, may I drink deeply of Your Holy Spirit. Please LORD, make me fruitful in your service and prosper my way that I may be both blessed, and a blessing to others. Thank You Lord that You know my way, and that You have declared me righteous in Christ Jesus my Lord." Then from there, just continue in prayer lifting up to the LORD those things that are on your heart.
So there is your example, I encourage you to apply it as the LORD directs you in your prayer and Bible reading time this year. I am eager and excited to see all that the LORD is going to do in our hearts as we look deeply into HIS WORD together this year! May the LORD continue to bless you as you continue to seek His face!
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