In the same way that we have different gifts, talents and personalities, each of us has a unique way that we best learn and study.

When I attended a course on how to train people in groups, I was taught to make allowance for individuals’ different learning styles. [1]

This is why I don’t just talk during my training sessions; I also incorporate visual aids and other media, give opportunities for practical application and encourage questions and discussion.

Schoolteachers are taught about learning styles and encouraged to incorporate them into their classroom environment.

What would happen if we began to apply these same principles to discipleship, Bible study and our devotional life?

Do You Know what Your Learning Style is?

You may relate to one of these 3 main learning styles:

1. Visual—you learn best by seeing—reading, diagrams, visual media and other visual aids.

2. Auditory—you learn best by hearing—lectures, audio media, discussions.

3. Kinesthetic—you learn best by doing—hands on, activities and an emphasis on practical application.

The Visual style can be broken into two further categories: Visual and Reading/Writing. [2]

At the end of this post I will give you a link to an online questionnaire to help you discover your primary learning styles.

How Using my Learning Style Renewed my Devotional Life.

I have shared recently how our devotional life—vitally connecting to God through prayer and studying the Bible—can suffer when we feel we have to do it out of duty, to please God or people. [3]

A few years ago, I became exhausted and my devotional life waned—especially Bible reading, study and journaling.

When I was picking up the pieces of my life, I reflected on where I had gone wrong.

One of the things I noticed was that I had been trying to conform to a set method of journaling for my personal Bible study.

The method I had been using did not come naturally to me.

My personal learning style is primarily visual. Being creative, I also need an unstructured way to record what I am learning from the Bible.

I put aside my A5 lined journal, purchased an A4 unlined notepad, and began to use diagrams and mind-maps to visualise what I was learning about a Bible passage or topic and to record what God was saying to me.

Life began to flow back into the time I spent with God’s Word!

Devotional Methods are Tools, not Rules.

It is vital that we understand that devotional methods, such as journaling styles, are not rules to be followed.

Instead, they are tools that we can choose to use—if they suit our unique wiring—that can help us connect to God and His Word.

There is a common misconception that one particular devotional or journaling method is better than others.

For example, some churches provide SOAP journals for all of their congregational members.[4]

SOAP is a simple and effective devotional tool that everyone can (and should) learn. However—let’s not stop there!

The limitation of SOAP journaling is that it assumes a Reading/Writing learning style. And this does not come naturally to many of us.

So let us teach, encourage, model and provide resources for Bible study that incorporate all learning styles.

And let’s validate the unique ways that people connect with God, rather than endangering their relationship with Him by leading them into performance.

Marlene Le Fever, who teaches about learning styles, tells the moving story of an old African-American man who approached her at the end of a session.
“Teacher!” he said. “Iffen somebody’d a tol’ me when I was a kid that God made my mind right, I’da’ done something for my Jesus.” [5]

Using a Questionnaire to Discover Your Personal Learning Style

You are created to uniquely connect with God and His Word, the Bible.

Do you know what your learning style is? Sometimes, we are aware of our primary learning style but can also benefit from using a questionnaire to help us confirm this or discover our secondary learning style.

I have included a link below to an online questionnaire that can help you discover your learning style. [6]

Following are the basic learning styles and some ideas of how to make the most of these in your Bible study and in journaling.

Ideas for Bible Study Using the 4 Main Learning Styles

VISUAL – You learn by seeing

• Journal using diagrams and pictures. Try mind-mapping your Bible study
• Make use of colour coding, indexing and highlighting in your journal
• Bible teachers that use vivid (picture) story telling will suit you
• Use your imagination when reading Bible stories (create an internal movie of the scene)
• Parts of the Bible have been filmed using the NIV text—try Matthew or Acts on DVD. Ask at the Christian bookstores what is available
• Illustrative Bible study tools and dictionaries
• Locate good teaching DVDs

AUDITORY – You learn by hearing

• Read portions of Scripture aloud to yourself
• Process what you are learning in the Bible verbally—you can do this through praying about it, sharing with others or simply musing your thoughts aloud
• Try a conversational journaling approach, where you talk with God about what you are learning and write what you ‘hear’ Him saying to you (e.g. prayer journaling)
• Listen to the Bible on MP3 or CD—purchase or download free from the Internet
• As above, but Bible teaching (Ensure that the teaching is sound and not slanted towards a particular doctrines or agenda)
• iPod or MP3 player while walking, using public transport, doing housework, etc

READING / WRITING – You learn with words

• Traditional forms of devotions may suit you
• Try daily devotional booklets
• Practice journaling (SOAP or similar)
• Selective Bible reading (character studies, books, portions)
• Sequential Bible reading (read the Bible in a Year – look-up or One Year Bible formats)
• Bible teaching or study books
• Use written study tools such as commentaries, dictionaries—in text form, software or online

KINESTHETIC – You learn by doing

• Find a good devotional that includes Bible references and reading, and includes life application principles
• Teaching and study tools that have practical life application will suit you.
• Write ‘action points’ in your journal from your Bible studies or teaching that you receive. This will help translate what you learn into everyday life. Follow them through
• Teaching with real-life case studies and stories will be helpful
• Cross-reference devotional and instructional teaching in the Bible to historical Biblical accounts of actual characters. For example, a study on wisdom—who demonstrated wisdom in the Bible and what did they do?
• When studying with others, discuss real life situations and case studies. Try role play.

If you have found this article or recommended resources helpful, I would love your feedback, as I am in the process of developing further studies and resources to aid people in this area. Do you know what your learning style is? Are the above lists helpful, or do you have other ideas?

Please contact me using the comments section of this blog or use the contact form here to email me. If the comments section is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] Cert IV in Assessment & Workplace Training

[2] In 1987, a researcher called Neil Fleming split Visual, which originally included learning through reading, into two categories: Visual and Reading/Writing. Visual encompassed learning through diagrams and symbols, whereas Reading/Writing referred to the traditional, text-based style of learning. This distinction is helpful in examining fresh approaches to devotional study. Fleming, N.D. and Mills, C. (1992), Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection, To Improve the Academy, Vol. 11, 1992., page 137.

[3] See the following posts:

Does Your Devotional Life Need Resuscitating?

8 Signs Your Devotional Life May Be Caught In A Performance Trap

[4] I recommend the SOAP method of journaling personally. See the following post:

When Your Devotional Life Is Dry: How To Fall In Love With The Bible Again

[5] Le Fever, M. Learning Styles, Reaching Everyone God Gave You 2002.  Cook. p 11,

[6] Take the VARK learning styles questionnaire online at
http://www.vark-learn.com/

For more information on learning styles, see also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog http://propheticpeople.com/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

Two years ago I experienced burnout. I can now reflect with gratitude on the things that I learned during and following that period—and the wonder of God’s grace as He has led me back to a place of health spiritually, emotionally and physically. [1]

One day during that time I remarked to someone that I was struggling in my devotional life. This was met with a shocked response—it seemed to be incomprehensible that as the prayer leader of our church, I could be having difficulties with Bible study and prayer!

What Is a Devotional Life?

Our devotional life is the substance of our personal relationship with God as a Christian. It includes communication with Him through conversation and other forms of prayer, as well as Bible reading and study.

A healthy devotional life both feeds and is drawn from an intimate love relationship with God.

Because our devotional life has to do with our personal times with the Bible and in prayer, it is easy to cover it up when it is not going well.

The Elephant in the Room

In church life, our devotional difficulties can become like the proverbial elephant in the room that everyone knows is there, but nobody wants to talk about.

This is frequently true of Christian leaders. When our lives become busy with ministry it can be easy to spend our devotional time preparing for ministry to others instead of relating personally to God.

Sometimes leaders find it difficult to openly encourage others’ devotional lives because they are struggling with their own.

Your Devotional Life—A Quick Diagnostic Tool

If you would like to grow in your devotional life or help others in this area, you might find the following categories helpful. Does one describe your devotional life right now?

A. ‘L-Plates’—Learner

**You are a new Christian and would like to learn how to begin a devotional life for the first time

**You may have been a Christian for a while but have not yet developed a devotional life

**You would like to study the Bible for yourself but are unsure where to begin or what study tools are available

**You have not yet developed a regular connection and prayer time with God.

B. Resuscitation

**Your devotional life, or some aspect of it is ‘dead in the water.’ You need rescuing!

**You have stopped having time for God; you may even have lost heart and given up on a devotional life altogether

**There may be external reasons in your world for your lack of a devotional life—stress relationally, vocationally, and educationally. Your world is spinning around and you feel powerless to stop it

**You may also be avoiding a devotional life due to a nagging sense of condemnation or you may feel displeasing to God.

C. Renewal

**You have some measure of activity in your devotional life

** You may be irregular or haphazard in your approach to devotions

**You may need help in one or more areas of prayer, worship, Bible reflection and Bible study

**You may be stuck in a rut, and feel your devotional life is not as good as it could be

D. Turbo Boost

**You have a regular devotional life that includes prayer and Bible study

**It may be starting to lose its shine and you could do with encouragement and a fresh boost

**You would like to know how to go to the next level in prayer or Bible study

** You could do with some more ideas and tools to help you. [2]

There is no right or wrong answer, only real and honest answers. Most of us have struggled with our devotional life seasonally if we have been Christians for any length of time.

Why is Your Devotional Life Important?

Your devotional life is vital because it connects you relationally to God. It is the place of conversation, where you learn to know Jesus not only as Saviour and Lord, but also as a Friend.

To assist you with some motivation, here are some more reasons why your devotional life is important:

1. Jesus demonstrated and talked about a devotional life with God

Prayer was a regular part of Jesus’ life. Jesus also had an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures and understood how these related to His life and His personal journey. Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23; Luke 21:37, Luke 5:16

2. It is your primary source of spiritual nourishment and growth Psalm 1:1-3

3. It provides protection from sin and strengthens us in times of crisis and temptation Matt 26:40-41, Ps 119:11

4. It helps you with guidance, in your everyday life as well as with important long-term decisions John 10:27

5. A healthy devotional life results in fruitfulness (others around us benefit from our devotional lives) John 15:4, 7

6. It plugs you into God, your Source of power John 7:37-38

It is through your devotional life that you hear God personally speak to you about what he wants to do in and through you.

You also grow in wisdom and Christian maturity as you get to know more about God and his ways through the Bible.

We wouldn’t locate the water mains to our home and wind the supply right down to a trickle—but this is what we do with God’s power in our lives when we do not plug into Him with a healthy devotional life.

Next week I will look at how performance can kill our devotional life and what we can do when it has been reduced to a routine.

Questions to Consider

1. Which position—L-Plates, Resuscitation, Renewal, or Turbo-Boost—do I most relate to?

2. What are some factors that have contributed to me being at this place?

3. Is there someone caring who I can talk to and pray with about this—and with whom I can be mutually accountable to grow in this vital area?

If you are a leader, consider providing a safe place for others to discuss where they are in relation to their devotional lives.

Do you have any ideas or experiences to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a note in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes

[1] I have shared some of my journey relating to burnout in the blog. The following post reviews some of the reasons behind it:

http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/09/05/no-longer-an-orphan-how-i-discovered-the-fathers-love/

[2] Journaling can be a helpful tool to assist in renewing your devotional life. I share about two different types of journaling here:

Prayer Journaling:

http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/01/29/activate-your-prophetic-gift-through-prayer-journaling/

SOAP Journaling:

http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/02/04/when-your-devotional-life-is-dry-how-to-fall-in-love-with-the-bible-again/

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog http://propheticpeople.com/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

‘Can we remain confident in God’s love and His purpose for our lives when crisis looms or disaster strikes?’

The Day David Lost Everything

(1 Sam 30)
If anyone ever had cause to believe that God had abandoned him during a time of crisis, it was David.

David returned with his men to their hometown Ziklag, to find it had been attacked, looted and burned by Amalekite raiders. Their wives, children and possessions had been captured and taken away by their enemy. (1 Sam 30:3)

The Bible tells us that David and his men cried aloud until they had no more strength to weep.

And then, seeking a place to lay blame as grief turned to rage over the loss of their families, David’s men turned on him. They began to talk of stoning him in retaliation.

It had to have been one of the worst days in David’s life.

These dire circumstances had arisen from a leadership decision that David had made, which resulted in his men being away from their families during the time of attack. It appeared that he had failed to protect his own.

He could have given up.

But instead, David’s response resulted in breakthrough—the recovery of their families and possessions and the destruction of their enemies. It also helped position David for his ascent to the throne of Israel.

How did this incredible turn-about in circumstances happen? And what can we learn from this Bible account when faced with our own crises?

4 Things you can do in Times of Crisis

1. Don’t Cover up the Pain.

‘All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.’ Ps 38:9

David wept—he expressed his grief and anguish and let it all out.

One of the things we learn from David’s psalms is that we can be completely honest before God. The psalms teach us that we can ask God the hard questions, cry out our pain, and even express our doubts and rage.

But the Psalms do not stop there, and neither did David at this time.

2. Choose to Trust in God and Find Strength in Him

At this lowest point, we are told that David ‘found strength in the Lord His God.’ (1 Sam 30:6)

David held to the truth that God was still present with Him—that he had not been abandoned.

When we are faced with trials, danger, natural disasters or even spiritual warfare, God is with us. He is our Father. When we have no strength left of our own—He is our source of strength.

This is the ultimate test of trust.

David was overcome with grief, but instead of allowing his feelings to dictate his response, he chose at that time to turn to God.

Trust is not a feeling; it is not something that we need to look within ourselves to supply.

Trust is based on the sure knowledge that God is completely trustworthy.

David wrote in the Psalms, ‘The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.’ (Ps 18:2)

3. Ask God Questions and Find out what He is Saying

David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” (1 Sam 30:8)

Does evidence seem to point to God having abandoned you? To His destiny for your life not being fulfilled? Are people around you, like David’s men, expressing a negative opinion?

David did not respond to the talk of his men; he did not respond to his feelings or the circumstances he was presented with. He responded to the word of God.

When faced with a crisis, we can ask

• What is the truth in God’s Word—the Bible—that I need to believe about who I am, and about who God to me right at this time?

The next question is

• Father, what is Your specific word to me right now?

Through Jesus, we have a personal relationship with God and He wants to speak with us.

Take time to listen. [1]

4. Remember who you are and Whose you are—and Respond Accordingly

During a time of crisis, it is time to dig deep and to rediscover the foundations of our own history with God.

It is time to remember the call, the gifts, and the grace on our lives.

We know that David did that, because his response to this trial came out of the gift and anointing God had given to him from the very beginning.

We see that he responded firstly as a worshipper, then as a leader, and then as a warrior.

Perhaps he remembered protecting his sheep from the lion and the bear. Maybe he recalled slaying Goliath with a stone and the word of God—or the times God had rescued him from Saul and his armies.

David’s own history told him that even though the odds against him were great, they were no match for God and His word.

David took 600 men with him to pursue the enemy. When he had to leave 200 behind who were too exhausted to continue, the odds against him increased yet again.

But they not only succeeded in overcoming the enemy, they regained their families and possessions and a great deal more—all the plunder the Amalekites had captured from other places.

When crisis hits, take time to reflect on what God has done for you and through you in the past. He is faithful.

Your Story is not Finished yet

This crisis not only resulted in a victorious outcome, it came just prior to the fulfilment of the destiny on David’s life.

Ziklag was burned and their homes destroyed. This was a devastating event. However David asked God for guidance and was later led to take his men and their families and settle in the city of Hebron.

It was in Hebron that David would be anointed King of Judah, and later of Israel (2 Sam 2:4, 5:3)

Choose God, choose His Word, and you will find that the pathway through the crisis you are currently facing leads to your destiny.

There is another chapter ahead of you.

When problems or disasters take place—as the book of Job reminds us (Job 42:10)—life does not end there. Sometimes, it begins.

Notes:

[1] I have found that journaling is always a great tool to record conversations with God, and this is particularly true in times of testing. To find out more about journaling, these posts may be helpful:

When Your Devotional Life Is Dry: How To Fall In Love With The Bible Again

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

Do you have any ideas or experiences to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a note in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011   Enliven Blog  http://propheticpeople.com/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

Now that Christmas is behind us, the thoughts of many of us are turning to the New Year.

• What lies ahead for us?
• What are God’s plans for our lives in the coming year?
• What promises does our Heavenly Father want us to lay hold of?

Many people are looking for prophecies for the coming year. They want to know what the prophets are saying.

Like them, you may be searching for that special word from God that your heart connects with; a prophecy that His personal message for your own situation.

Reading prophecies from others can be encouraging—but there is something even better available to you and me. We can hear God’s voice for ourselves [John 10:4-5].

I am going to share some keys on how to receive a word of encouragement for you directly from God for the coming year.

But first, here are some personal stories to let you know how powerful even a simple and straightforward word can be.

A Word From God can Change Your Life

One regular visitor to our church office this past year brought me a great deal of joy. It was Brian—a retired, single man whose life has been transformed by a word from God.

As 2009 drew to a close, Brian’s life was the same is it had been for a long time. He describes it now as a life characterised by sadness. Brian found himself unable to stop continually dwelling on hurts and pain from the past.

Reading the book ‘The Shack’ at around this time gave Brian hope that his life could be different. A word came to him: it was ‘Freedom.’

Then one of our prayer leaders gave Brian a printed copy of my blog post on how to receive a personal word from God for the year 2010. At the top of the page was a space that read, “2010: Year of ______ “

One Sunday at church, our pastor’s message brought life to Brian’s soul. He responded to God and heard the Father speak personally to him, ‘I will set you free.’ From that moment, Brian was powerfully delivered.

He then wrote on the blog article, ‘2010, Year of Freedom.’

During the following months, Brian would often bring in the printed blog post and show me the words ‘Year Of Freedom’ along with a growing list of scriptures he added to the page in his own handwriting.

God’s Word was building his faith, enabling Brian to continue in the victory Jesus purchased for him on the cross.

A Word From God Can Herald Breakthrough

Late in 2009, I was participating in a prophetic worship night at our church, when I had a vision.

I saw myself smashing down a massive plate of glass that had a nice, smiling, but superficial image of me on the front. Behind the glass, another, real, ‘me’ was waiting to break out: a warrior and leader, who would call people to serve Jesus and join His army.

At that moment, to my amazement, a team member took the microphone and sang a prophetic song of the Lord calling His people to war.

Realising that the act of smashing down was symbolic of repentance, I took time to repent of projecting an image of myself that I felt would make me acceptable to people and to God. This image was an idol, standing in the way of being all that my Father had created me to be. It was keeping me trapped in a lifestyle of performance. [1]

As 2010 approached, I was praying about God’s purposes for the coming year and the vision kept coming to mind, along with the words, ‘Break Out.’
I felt that God’s word for me was that 2010 would be a ‘Year of Breaking Out.’

The Hunk felt that God was saying something similar to him.

‘Breaking Out’ proved true for us on many fronts. We broke through some stuck places spiritually, as a couple, and in our finances. New ministry opportunities began to emerge for me personally.

A Word From God Can Sustain Us in Times of Trial

But the fulfilment of God’s word is not always comfortable.

In May 2010, ‘Breaking Out’ was to prove painful as I felt that God was leading me to lay down a ministry leadership role.

I shared this with mentors and leaders in my church, who confirmed this guidance was from the Lord. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was evident in the decision and in the handover to a new leader.

For a short time, I felt lost. I knew I had broken out into a new place, but had no way of defining what that was. Knowing that God ordained my ‘Breaking Out’ helped me to trust Him for my future.

It was not long before the Holy Spirit revealed the Father’s plan. As I enter 2011, an exciting new door of ministry is opening to me. [2]

How You Can Receive Your Own Word From God for the New Year

Here are some simple steps to waiting on God for a personal word for the coming year. Of course, you can receive a lot more than a single word—however, I have found that encapsulating God’s message for your year in one or two words can help you remember and focus on His purpose for you throughout the year.

1. Pray and ask your Father to give a word concerning His promise and plans for your coming year

There are many ways in which you might receive a revelation. He might speak through a through, scripture, a picture, an idea or some other way [3]

2. Pray and ask the Lord for any further insights about the word.

I like to look the word up in a dictionary or thesaurus to clarify the meaning, as well as pray and seek out scriptures that reinforce what God is saying

3. If the word goes beyond simple encouragement and compels you towards action or change, remember that principles of interpretation and accountability apply to the word [4]

What you can do with your word

1. Write down or journal about how you received the word and what it means to you.

2. Share it with those around your life who can rejoice with you when it is fulfilled and encourage you on when times get tough

3. Keep it in front of you throughout the year.

4. Review the word and its outcome at the year’s end. As I have done, you can reflect upon what God has done in your life throughout the year and how the prophetic word has been fulfilled.

Would you like to share your own experiences or word from God? Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

For further prophetic inspiration for 2011 see my post, 2011 Can Be A Year Of Visitation From God

[1] If my thoughts about performance resonated with you, the following post may be helpful:

No Longer An Orphan: How I Discovered The Father’s Love

[2] I will be announcing this in a few weeks time. It’s very exciting… Stay tuned!

[3] For more about this topic, check the following post:

How To Receive A Revelation From God

[4] As I did in the above story, I advise submitting what appears to be a directive word, or guidance, to your church oversight. For more about how to determine whether a word is of God, the following posts may help:

4 Things You Can Do With Your Personal Prophecy

How Can You Tell If A Personal Prophecy Or A Dream Interpretation Is From God?

Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
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1. Prophetic Teaching:
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• regular blog posts containing teaching that will help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles on related spiritual gifts and spiritual renewal
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© Helen Calder 2010    Enliven Publishing

http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

‘God is looking for men and women of maturity…
But there is no maturity because there is no birth.
There is no birth because there is no pregnancy.
There is no pregnancy because there is no conception.
There is no conception because there is no intimate relationship.
There is no intimate relationship because we busy ourselves seeking satisfaction apart from God.’

David Ravenhill [1]

I have kept an early edition of the Morningstar journal in my shelf for many years, for the value of the single paragraph above.

It speaks truth to something deep inside of me—a truth I find myself returning to regularly in my quest for spiritual renewal.

And that is, that at the heart of life-giving prophetic ministry—or any ministry, and even life itself—is intimacy with Jesus.

Face To Face—God’s Purpose from Beginning to End

We are created for a FACE TO FACE relationship with God. We see this at the outset—from the very moment of creation.

Genesis 2 V 7 says:
‘The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’

Every other creature was created by the word of God, but God fashioned Adam from the ground and breathed life into him,

And from the moment of that very first FACE TO FACE encounter, Adam lived.

After Adam and Eve sin, in Genesis chapter 3, you see God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. It has evidently been His custom to walk and talk with Adam & Eve… FACE TO FACE, but now Adam and Eve have hidden their faces in shame from God

And you see throughout the whole of the remainder of Scripture, God is working, through His plan of redemption, to restore that FACE TO FACE relationship that was lost.

He accomplishes it by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin. And there on the cross, in one eternal moment, THE FATHER TURNS HIS FACE AWAY from Jesus.

Jesus bore our sin, and the punishment of separation from God that was due to us, in order that our own FACE TO FACE relationship with God might be restored.

And even now, that process of restoration continues until the final fulfillment will take place when we enter eternity…

The Apostle Paul explains it like this in 1 Corinthians 13V12:
‘Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see FACE TO FACE. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.’

Even though the ultimate fulfillment of our FACE TO FACE relationship with God is in ETERNITY, God WANTS to share a close relationship with us now.

• It is the purpose He created us
• It is the reason Jesus went to the cross

And this being the case, I want to know what a FACE TO FACE relationship with God means. In the certain knowledge that I have yet more to discover, I also want to know what I am missing out on.

Responding To God

We cannot meditate on this truth without considering our own personal response. For me, right now, that is twofold:

1. Soaking—Taking time to Worship and to be Refilled.

When Jesus was resurrected, He met with His disciples and FACE TO FACE, He breathed on them, saying ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’

Receiving His breath, His Spirit, His life, into us is an integral part of having a FACE TO FACE relationship with God.

For me that means spending time with God, with no other agenda apart from being with Him, receiving His Spirit, enjoying His Presence.

2. Conversing—Intimate Conversation with God

I am personally being challenged that God wants to speak to me FACE TO FACE a whole lot more than I have imagined He does. I recognise that doubts and fears have stopped up the flow of His voice, His revelation, to me.

So I will be digging into some journaling this week—with a specific focus.

Here are some ideas for how to do this, if you would like to join me:

• Start your journal with the words ‘Lord what do you want to say to me today?’
• A thought or idea may come to you immediately—in which case, start to write. But if not, wait for the Holy Spirit to give you a revelation—a picture/vision, a Bible verse or story, a word, feeling or idea. Write what you see or what comes to mind and also what you believe God is saying to you.
• Write your response to Him. You may even want to ask another question. It is your conversation with God.

Remember to weigh up carefully any revelation you receive. Keep up your regular Bible reading and always reflect on what you are receiving in the light of what God says in His Word.

[1] The Morningstar Journal Vol. 3 No.4 1993, ‘The Birthing of a Ministry, David Ravenhill.

*************************************************

Related Posts:

Face to Face With God: Can I Have a Relationship Like Moses?

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

Spiritual Renewal: How To Receive An Impartation Of The Holy Spirit 

How To Exercise Your Prophetic gift Pt 3: How Can You Tell Your Revelation Is From God?

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

I read a statistic recently that 35% of church-going people in Australia rarely or never read the Bible. Only one in 5 read it every day.

What does that say about how we Christians view the Word of God?

We need a Bible revival!

How My Devotional Life Dried Up

One year ago, I was suffering from burnout.

My devotional life was one area that had suffered. Sure, I still picked up my Bible every day… but the joy had gone out of my devotions.

The act of doing devotions had become a duty. The Bible’s content had become yet another barometer of Christian performance—instructions on how I should live my Christian life. And I had nothing left to give.

To be honest, I was not only burnt out, I was bored.

I have been acquainted with the Bible since childhood, have read it many times over and still today read it from cover to cover. I have studied it both personally and with the help of great Christian teachers.

But I had lost my passion for God’s Word.

During the course of this year, I have experienced renewal in my devotional life.

How To Fall In Love With The Bible Again

Here are some keys that have helped me recover my love for God’s Word:

1. Realise Something Is Missing

Jesus said ‘ask, seek, knock,’ (Matt 7:7-8) but we will never do any of those things until we become conscious that we have a need.

Until we realise that what we are experiencing in relation to the Bible is less than what it could be, we will never change.

It was only when I realised how dry I was and how dead my devotional life had become that I decided to do something about it. I began to ‘Ask, seek and knock.’

2. Reconsider the Value of the Bible

Recently I read a news item about a real-life ‘slum-dog millionaire’. This man was living in a slum whilst he had access to millions of dollars.

Like this guy, I had been living like a spiritual pauper whilst sitting on a fortune—God’s Word.

As I began my seeking time, I went through Psalm 119, in which David expounds the wonders of God’s Word. One of the verses that stood out to me was, ‘Your word has given me life’ (Ps 119:50).

Being revived by God’s word is a recurring theme in this Psalm, with the Hebrew word, ‘chayah,’ meaning to revive, nourish, restore to life, and give life to, being used 16 times in relation to God’s Word.

When it comes to the Bible, life is a verb! The promise of being revived—or ‘lifed’—through God’s Word kept me on track. There was obviously something in my devotional life I had missed.

3. Relate to the Bible the Way Jesus Does

The next breakthrough in my journey came when I had an idea to take a look at how Jesus responded to the Bible in the Gospels. Perhaps by studying His response to the Bible, I could see what I was missing.

Jesus knew the scriptures intimately and used His knowledge of them to teach others. But more than this—He lived them.

Jesus walked in perfect fulfillment of God’s Word. The Old Testament described every details of His life from birth to death, His character, His purpose and mission and His redeeming work on the cross.

As I considered Jesus’ response to the scriptures, it occurred to me that just as Jesus walked in fulfillment of God’s Word, so should I.

The Bible explains my origins, my value, my redemption, my call, and my destiny. The Bible is the story of me. And it’s your story, too.

I have known the scripture as a place of instruction, upbuilding, protection and power to live the Christian life. I have understood the Bible as the story of Jesus, the story of redemption, the story of Israel and the church.

But this simple revelation—that the Bible is the story of me—is the one that helped bring me back to life.

4. Reconnect Creatively With God’s Word

When my children were small and had been sick, they sometimes lost their appetite for food.

I would give them smaller portions of tasty food that would tempt them to eat, and help strengthen their appetites.

It is important, when we have lost our appetite for God’s Word, to provide ourselves with fresh inspiration, and new tools or methods to help us study.

Here is one tool that can be used for Bible study and journaling:

The SOAP journaling method

SOAP is an acronym:

• Scripture
• Observation
• Application
• Prayer

To use this journaling style, read your portion of scripture—it may be a daily reading or a passage or book in the Bible you are currently studying

S = Choose a verse that has particularly spoken to you and write it in your journal

O = Note down your observation—what God is saying to you personally through the verse

A = Record how you can put what God is saying into practice in your life

P = Now write a brief prayer in response to what God has spoken to you

Over the next few days I will be using the SOAP method in my own journal and write my observations in the comments section of this post.

Related posts:

How Using Your Learning Style Can Revitalise Your Bible Study

Does Your Devotional Life Need Resuscitating?

8 Signs Your Devotional Life is Caught in a Performance Trap

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

What is Prayer Journaling?

Prayer journaling is writing down your prayers and questions, and then listening to the Holy Spirit and recording God’s answers. It is a great way to activate your prophetic gift.

I have to confess that I approached the practice of ‘Prayer Journaling’ this week with a bit of trepidation, even though I have used this method of journaling before. It feels presumptuous, writing down God’s ‘answers’ to my prayers and questions.

Does God really want to speak to me conversationally? And how can I know for sure what He is saying?

In John 10:27, Jesus said, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’.

As I set out, I am encouraged that God desires an intimate relationship with me even more than I want it with Him—He created me to fellowship with him and to hear His voice!

How to Practice Prayer Journaling

It’s important that you set aside some private space for this kind of journaling. Try to eliminate interruptions and distractions as much as you can.

I personally find that some quiet background worship music helps me focus if I don’t have the luxury of silence in my home, or wherever I happen to be.

It is vital when approaching this journaling practice that you deal with any issues between you and God—forgiveness, repentance and so on—before you start out.

Reading the Bible and praying in the Spirit can help you prepare for your prayer journaling time.

In your journal, you write down your prayer or question to God. Some examples are:

• What would you like to say to me today?
• How can I grow?
• What would you like me to do?
• What are You saying about…

Then, focusing on Jesus, you listen for the Holy Spirit’s answer, and write down what you believe He is saying.

How the Holy Spirit Speaks

Remember that the Holy Spirit brings revelation to us in many ways. He may speak through a picture coming to your mind, a feeling, a Bible verse, an idea, word or impression.

I find that the Holy Spirit’s ‘voice’ usually comes as a series of light, gentle impressions. I need to tune in to these to hear what He is saying.

Although it is good to weigh up the revelation and thoughts as they come, too much analysis will halt your journaling.

Give yourself the freedom to write without editing. Yes, what you record will inevitably be a mixture of your own and God’s thoughts. Remember that any prophecy is imperfect and subject to judgment.

When you have finished, review your journaled ‘message from God.’ Now you can sift through your writing for the nuggets of heavenly wisdom God is giving you. I like to use a highlighter to mark important parts where I believe God is particularly speaking to me.

Use the same criteria for your prayer journaling that you use when weighing up any prophetic word.

If you believe you have received guidance through this kind of journaling, it is vital that you check this by sharing with mature Christians and leaders around your life who will give you honest feedback and help you process it.

Some strengths of this kind of journaling are:

• Fosters intimacy with God
• Helps you become familiar with the ways the Holy Spirit speaks
• Great practice for tuning in to receiving God’s revelation
• Helps you receive guidance and prophetic insight for yourself and others
• You have a record you can refer back to of what God has said to you in your prayer time

Some weaknesses of this journaling method are:

• It does not use the Bible in the journaling process
• Less suitable for newer Christians who do not have a thorough grounding in the scriptures (I recommend the SOAP journaling style for new Christians)
• This style will not suit everyone, e.g. it will be harder for those who are perfectionists or tend not to process thoughts conversationally.

Because of these weaknesses, I advocate the use of other journaling methods in conjunction with this one.

Prayer Journaling and Habbakuk

A leading proponent of prayer journaling is Mark Virkler, who teaches journaling from Habakkuk 2:1,2.

Virkler maintains that God speaks through a flow of spontaneous thoughts, and that as we tune into those we can hear what He is saying.

Just as God instructed Habbakuk to write down his vision, we can also record what God is saying to us through journaling.

The Challenge

Over the next week, I will be trialling prayer journaling as a method, and recording my journey in the comments section of this post. Why not join me?

To review my comments and share your own journey throughout the week, check back here.

For an article on Prophetic Activation In Small Groups, check out the Free Resources Page.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Do you want to develop or sharpen your prophetic gift? Journaling is an easy but powerful tool for prophetic activation. It can help you grow your gift of prophecy.

Journaling is basically recording any insights you receive from God during your prayer and Bible study times.

Some ways journaling can help you grow in your prophetic gift are:

• It encourages you to listen to God and become familiar with his voice (John 10:4). You can also practice receiving revelation from God and processing it.
• Journaling helps you remember what God has spoken to you by providing a record to refer back to
• It provides a means of focus, discipline and accountability
• You can practice putting what God is saying into a clear and communicable form—an necessary skill for prophecy
• You can look back later and see what, in the case of prophetic revelation, has come to pass—this helps sharpen your gift.
• Journaling provides a record from which you can pray God’s purposes into being
• You can get more revelation when you journal. Once you record what you have received, it frees your mind so that you can be open to hear more of what God is saying.
• You can use what you have received in your journaling time to share with others
• It brings glory to God when the things you have journaled take place
• It provides a safe place to practice receiving and processing prophetic revelation without the pressure of public exposure
• You can use what you have heard from God to help you walk with Him and obey Him (Hab 2:2)

Journaling in scripture

For an example of journaling, we don’t have to look past the Bible itself. Much of scripture is prophetic revelation recorded in written form.

What Do You Need for Journaling?

The type of journaling you choose should suit your personal style. There are also a variety of media you can use to help you journal. These include:

• Writing in an A5 or A4 journal
• Typing and recording your journal using a computer.
• If writing or typing is difficult for you, you can record your journaling in small, bite-sized files using a recorder, MP3 recorder, or mobile phone, then name and store them for later reference.

Journaling is essentially private, but if you would like to share from your journal, another media you can use is the Internet. Some of my blog posts started out as journal entries.

It is best to keep your journal notes together in one place, such as a notebook, journal or single folder on your computer. This way, you can refer back to them later.

Types of Journaling

You don’t have to stick to any one type of journaling. Choose a journaling style that best suits you.

Some simple options you can use for written journaling are:

• Freestyle writing
• Bullet points or lists
• Mind-mapping (my current personal favourite). This is where you place your central idea or scripture at the centre of the page, and record other ideas from there as ‘branches’. Because you don’t have to record consecutively, it takes the pressure off, you can put down your ideas as you think of them randomly, and create some order later if you like.

Two popular methods that can assist you with the journaling process are:

1. SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)

2. Prayer journaling

Remember that journaling methods are tools, not rules.

The Two Week Journaling Challenge

I will be reviewing the prayer journaling and ‘SOAP’ methods in the next couple of posts.

I am not currently using these two journaling styles (I use mind-mapping). But I will use these methods for one week each as I blog about them, and describe my experiences in the comments section of each post.

It would be fun if you would join me on this ‘two-week journaling challenge.’

Consider some of the benefits I have mentioned in this post. Journaling can help you sharpen your prophetic gift, and it could change your life as you hear from God.

Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
Here are 3 things that can help you:

1. Prophetic Teaching:
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• regular blog posts containing teaching that will help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles on spiritual gifts, prayer, spiritual renewal and supernatural Christian living

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3. E-books to Help you Develop Your Gifts:

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Check out our e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing