Write it down and send it to someone
Before we started Vision Baptist Church, I began to send a daily prayer to Austin Gardner who would soon by my Pastor. He sent me back his daily devotional writings. I had never seen anything like what he was sending me. It was a series of prayers based on different verses from his daily readings. I was not only inspired by what he wrote, but also how he made the personal application of each verse. I shamelessly copied his method and adopted it as my daily practice.
This morning I read day number 23 in my 170 day reading plan. I read Deuteronomy 2 through 8 and made devotional notes on 9 verses and sent them to Austin, Chris and Tony. I will read 2 chapters in my Spanish Bible later this evening. I am on a 170 day plan to read the Spanish New Testament and Psalms.
Here is an example out of what I wrote today.
Deu 3:24 O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
I rejoice in these words for I know that there is no God that can do what you do. You are all powerful and all mighty. I pray that you would show your power this week in our church and in our services. Bless our pastor with your power and do great things in and through his ministry. Make your name great in Alpharetta.
I have over 300 pages of devotional notes like these that fuel my Sunday School class, my offering devotions, my Businessmen lessons and career and professional classes.
My top three reasons for starting this today!
1. I want to know as much as I can, for myself, about the God that loves me and died for all mankind.
2. I need accountablility in my life. Actually, I need tons of accountability in my life.
3. I learn so much from the devotions of the other guys that I swap with.
Write it down and send it to someone. Be sure to get one back.
I really like this idea. I am going to start doing this in my daily study time and making sure I send it to someone. I do a lot of writing in my study time but have never really thought to send it to others.