A Word (or two) from Mark

We can so easily be discouraged from simple things like reading our Bible and praying. Lets admit that to ourselves. When we struggle with some sin in our life and someone tells us to read our Bible and pray, we say “I have done that”. It didn’t help. That can leave us discouraged about making progress. But for all of our failures in the past is there any more basic step? The answer is no. Reading and Studying God’s word and prayer are foundational to all of the other kinds of things we can do to grow in the way of Jesus. So if you have been struggling to say yes to Jesus… start here. Get your Bible and something you can use as a journal. Start in the gospel of John. Read one chapter a day. After you read the chapter write out what God said to you. Write out what you are experiencing and feeling. Write out what you are facing in the day ahead. After that Pray about everything you are going to do that day. Pray for the people you will meet, and the work you will do. If you miss a day, don’t get bent out of shape. Just do it the next day.

After you have done that for two weeks in a row… pick up a copy of Embracing the Love of God. We have some in the church lobby. There is a study guide to go with it. Add that to your time with God. Read in the scriptures, read in “Embracing” and journal. At the end of Embracing the love of God there are some additional spiritual disciplines you can experiment with. Try some of them. See what they begin to do in your life.

This is not a pat formula. This is not a recipe that you have to follow with precision. These are just steps that people have taken for centuries in the way of being alone with Jesus. Take one and see where it leads you next. Feel free to post some other ways you have said Yes to Jesus.

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