"Jennifer, how do you do your devotional time?"

I was asked this, this week and here was my response to that question.

I sit down with my pen, my prayer journal and Bible. I begin
writing in my journal what is on my heart....usually with a 'Good morning Lord, thank you for pulling me out of bed'...and then I write down the woes, concerns, or grateful words that are on my heart....I share with Him, exactly what is on my heart.

I often ask him to forgive me for _______fill in the blank______, whatever sin that is apparent to me, ie: struggles w/ people in general, unreasonable people, disagreements with my husband, or lack of patience with my kids...I confess the sins in my life...and then usually engage in asking God 'why is this still a struggle for me STILL?'....'what can I do to stop...show me Lord....what I am I NOT doing that this is still a struggle?'

And depending on what it is, I'll sometimes turn to my concordance and look up a word and study all the verses about it, for example: anger....there's a lot of good ones on that. It's my way of correcting my attitude toward people by putting the truth of how God sees anger. And I'll sit and think about what is in me that is making me deviate from fulfilling what God calls me to do.

Either in that morning devo time, He may show me....or over the next day or two...but I am constantly talking to the Lord...in the car on my way somewhere...I always have my worship playing. Seldomly, am on the phone in the car...I'm usually singing along with the kids, talking to the kids...praying with the kids. Keeping my mind focused on the Lord outside of just my devo time keeps me sensitive to Him speaking to me throughout the day.

I am constantly open to God correcting me. Showing me where I am not walking in the spirit, where I am walking in the flesh: anger, fear, discouragement, etc.

The word says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens. I know this is truth, the truth. So when I come to something that I respond: "I can't...." I sit and contemplate on why I believe I can't...and then I'll look up scripture that disagrees with that feeling.

Our feelings are products of our limited perspective and circumstances. I aim to make decisions and live according to the truth of the Word of God...and when my feelings don't line up with the Word, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me decipher my feelings...what is at the root. Then, when I figure it out by God's help, I really ask God to rip it out of me..."Prune this ____fill in the blank_____ out of me, please God. Remove anything that sits in opposition with the Word of God out of me!"

Daily I am reflecting on where my life is lining up with the Word and where it is not.

I call it: LIVING THE DEVOTIONAL LIFE.

....and I am humble to recognize where I am failing...yet I am confident in my identity in Christ that I can overcome the struggles in my life!!!! I really believe what God says about me more than what I think or others say about me.

God is my Creator...and God doesn't make junk!!!!!

Can you believe ONLY 10% of believers read their Bibles?

I love statistics.
I love math.
I love numbers.

When studies and research are conducted, a true answer can be found, a number established to represent a group of people doing or not doing a particular thing.

You can also put out effort to affect a population and conduct studies and research to objectively find whether or not your efforts were effective. Numbers, research, surveys determine efficiency of your efforts.

I love statistics and numbers.

Last year when I joined the Beachbody company in their efforts to change the STATISTIC of 65% of Americans being obese. I was disturbed by 33% of American children being obese. I wanted to help stop the numbers from increasing.

I was passionate to get people passionate about working out by using a DVD program at home and drinking Shakeology. These two actions when carried out with consistency have the potential to change the statistics of obesity. I had a mission!

However, God blatantly put His finger on my pulse and showed me that all the abilities I had to do what I was doing to stop the trend of obesity were intended for ministry work. My deeper passions were awaken through deeper study of the Word.

This lead me to devote my time I was putting into my Beachbody Coaching business into taking classes at Summit Bible College. Each class, each book, and each final assignment has brought greater revelation to my purpose and calling in life. And I've been plugging away and have grown more passionate about helping the body of Christ be all it can be.

I guess you could say, that I turned my passion to get America healthy and fit into getting the body of Christ spiritually healthy and fit!

So what statistic can I use now to inspire my efforts?

Actually, three weeks ago I read in a book by Billy Graham (the greatest Evangelist) that 11% of Christians/believers read their Bible. This book was published in 1992. So 20 years ago ONLY 11% of the body of Christ was reading their Word!

Last week, I read in a book that published within the last couple of years that 10% of Christians/believers are reading their Bible. So that means with the last 20 years that LESS people are reading their Bible.

You say Jen, it's only 1% less...I love numbers....According to Christianity Today's website**, as of 2010, there were 2.18 billion Christians worldwide.

So, 1% of 2.18 billion is 21.8 million...21,800,000 believers are no longer ABIDING IN THE LORD!!! That's how many tapped out on connecting with the Lord...not the number that represents the total # of people NOT abiding in the vine.

John 17:17 says,

"Sanctify them in truth,

Your word is truth."

That means less are getting sanctified. This number explains why many believers throw in the towel on their families, their finances, their jobs. Could you imagine how economically strong this country would be if people managed their finances based on the Word? Imagine how strong marriages would be if husbands loved their wives and wives respected their husbands, as the Word says to.

This grieves my heart! So let's break it down then....If there are only 10% of believers reading their Bibles...we only have 218,000,000 Christians reading their Bibles...compare that to the 90% who are NOT: 1,962,000,000...Wow...no wonder so many people are turned off by 'us' sometimes.

If we are not getting sanctified by the truth, what are we saying, how are we acting, how are our marriages, our kids, our mental health? Do you see my concern? Why would people be attracted to God, if His people are not attractive? What do you have that unbelievers want?

How can we call ourselves Christians...if we're not following Christ? How can we follow Christ, if we don't even know what He said?

How can we know what He said? It's simple!!!!

 

READ YOUR BIBLE!!!!

It's that easy...A+B=C...I told you I like math.

Time + the Word = Growing in Christ.

It's an easy plan, wake up 30 minutes earlier each day...trade your a.m. Facebook time for time in the Word...and let the Word, the truth sanctify you. Then you know what the truth of God says and you will be greater equipped to go do it!

Trust me folks, I am on a new mission now: To increase the number of believers who read their Bibles...Hmmmm...now how will I pull that off? I'm starting with prayer, which mathmatically and exponentially multiplies your efforts of reading the Word and doing the Word! Just by the way.

Lord, help me, use me to increase that 10% to a greater number so that we can have an even greater, positive influence in the broken, hurting world today!!!! Give the body of Christ the motivation to have quiet time in the mornings with You. Help them open up their minds to what You have to say. Show them that You love them so dearly and want to hear what hurts them, what they need, where they want to go. God, lead Your people into an intimate relationship with You...sow a deep desire into their hearts for You, and lead the right people into their lives that will keep their focus on You. God, save the world by saving Your people, help them catch the vision of Your love, Your heart, and Your mission! Amen.

**http://christianity.about.com/od/denominations/p/christiantoday.htm