Anyone else out there understand that?
Even this entry, as important as it is, takes valuable time away from what I consider to be the MOST important use of my time- ESPECIALLY on SonDay AMs. And I was fighting off the urge very well this morning, until God spoke very clearly that right now, he wants me to write this word from him.
Where is my church? Where are my people? On the day they have set aside to worship me, so many are still in bed trying to get those last few "precious" minutes of sleep. I want to meet with you- even before the larger group gathers, to prepare you; to use you to prepare the atmosphere in my house for my people who don't yet know me and rid it of your enemy's presence which so often trips you up from my greater purposes and keeps you from reaching the heights of worship I desire.
Can you give up those precious minutes of sleep for me? Would you come to be with me just a little earlier? You'll never get there before me; I'm always there waiting for you. I have been waiting.
I'm still waiting.
Can you give up those precious minutes of sleep for me? Would you come to be with me just a little earlier? You'll never get there before me; I'm always there waiting for you. I have been waiting.
I'm still waiting.
You know, I've made it my practice to spend SonDay AMs in my chapel for the last 15 years. I fast and pray for God's people in my corps to experience God and let him change them. I've seen results. But mostly I've seen the change in my own life as I've come to cherish this special time with God.
Anyone out there listening? Anyone willing to put yourself out a bit, one day a week? Anyone willing to take up this challenge of mine; this request from your God?
Then start next SonDay. Get up early, get ready, skip breakfast
and head to your corps chapel to worship and pray. If you don't have access at that time of morning, I'm sure you can get your CO or Sgt Major (praise God for faithful Sgt Majors!) to open up the building a bit earlier than usual for this purpose. If you're faithful enough, maybe they'll eventually give you a key. Maybe they'll join you. Maybe we'll start something that will spread all over the Army world and we'll see that revival that God has promised and so many of us have been praying for. Who'll be the first?Trust me- God will already be there and he'll be glad you came.
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To anyone taking up this challenge, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know. Keep me posted on what God is saying to you; what happens in your corps services; who joins you, etc.
Can You Hear Me?
4 comments:
What you describe is something our family has done for a few years now. We observe SABBATH beginning at 6pm Saturday - 6pm Sunday. Here's what we do: everything needs to be done prior to 6pm Saturday - homework, housework, sermon prep, corps prep(when we were in a corps), ironing...everything. Then, we have a nice dinner as a family (this has expanded to a SABBATH observance of almost 20-25 young adults each week in our home). On Sunday, we wake up, get dressed and spend time with God; fully prepared and able to enjoy his day. Following the meeting, we come home, relax together and enjoy a day of rest. It has revolutionized our lives!
Very nice! It's a little more than what I'm seeking here, but certainly sounds worthwhile.
Except for the Saturday part, your suggestion sounds a lot like what my parents practiced on SonDays when I was a kid growing up.
Oh the days of being in the Bangor chapel at 8am...even the days when I didn't get there until 8:45! Its good, Doug. No, its great! The Lord blesses that time and definitely showed me so much when I was there and observing this.
I don't have a Corps building to be at on Sundays, but I can definitely be up earlier than I am to pray for those from my Corps and the one that I'll be attending that morning.
Good Challenge, Doug. I'm in, and will keep you posted on how things go.
I am in! welp i will try, at least be earlier then 10 of 10! cuz i remember this morning you saying sundays is the hardest day to get up, and i tried tricking myself into thinking it wasn't, cuz i comfortably get up at like 9 or 9:15, thats pretty easy, thats almost like a sleep in.....so i think it will be a good idea for me to get myself up to come and pray, i need to take every opportunity to pray, and so im for this challenge, make my sunday routine less east, and give all of my worship to JEsus!
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