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Category Archives: Prayer

Why You Need to Keep a Spiritual Journal

Journal 2

Spending time in God’s presence is not an option, if we want to hear from God.  As we quiet ourselves in His presence we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clearly.

The question is, what happens when you leave the place of prayer?  Do you remember what you heard in the Lord’s presence a week later?  How about a month or even a year later?  How can you thank God for fulfilling His word to you, if you don’t remember what He’s said?

As you seek the Lord’s presence, you’ll find more and more that He wants to speak to you.  He wants us to be a people who hear His voice.

Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”
Habakkuk 2:2

It’s God’s desire to reveal Himself to all believers.  If you’re listening, you may receive a word from Him concerning your personal walk, your home life, your ministry, or your career.  The Holy Spirit may speak to you about new ventures to launch or old things to cut out of your life.  The point is, whenever you hear from God for your life, write it down!

It doesn’t matter if you’re sure it was God’s voice, or if it was only a slight impression.  Maybe your heart was stirred over a certain passage of Scripture.  Perhaps you feel a leading to do something new for God.  It doesn’t matter how weak or strong the feeling is – it needs to be recorded.

So often we miss out on God’s best because we forget what we heard, or we alter it along the way.  It’s good to be able to look back in a journal and see the conversations we’ve had with the Lord.  Make it a point to bring a journal along with you in your prayer times  – and use it to record what you’ve learned.

Very often, I look back through my journals.  It gives me encouragement as well as insight onto the path God has me on.  I need to review the things I’ve learned in the presence of God.

Keep your eyes and ears open.  God will speak to someone who is prepared to listen.  Keeping a journal shows that you value the voice of the Lord.  Begin today recording what you learn in your private times with Him.

Question: Do you keep a spiritual journal?  How has it helped you?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2012 in Encouragement, Prayer, Word of God

 

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You Can Camp With God

In Scripture we read about how different men and women encountered God in the wilderness.  Did you know that this is still something we can experience today?  In this post I want to describe it to you.

The Bible is full of accounts of the people who met with God in the outdoors.  Here is one such encounter.

Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.  When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”  So he named that place Mahanaim.
Genesis 32:1-2

The name Mahanaim means double camp.  Jacob acknowledged that there were two camps where he was staying.  There was his camp and the camp of God.  This is important because now that Christ has risen, we are in a “double kingdom.”  We live in the world, yet at the same time we are in the kingdom of God.

Wherever we go, whatever we do, we take this heavenly kingdom with us.  Whether we realize it or not, we have access to God’s kingdom at all times.  Our problem is usually the distractions that keep us from seeking the spiritual.

I just returned from a camping trip.  I spent a night, alone, in a nearby state park.  I set up my tent at a secluded site and settled in.

The purpose was to get alone with God for a while.  You might think that this sounds a little extreme.  Maybe it is, but I’ve found that I can hear from God better without all of the distractions in my familiar settings.

When God gets me by myself like this, He can (and does) get my undivided attention.  There are times He deals with me about things I may have been neglecting.  Sometimes it’s about God teaching me something new, or giving me insight into the Word.

This trip I can truly say that God showed up in the camp.  There were some things that He worked through with me and I received an “extreme makeover.”  Looking back, I wouldn’t have missed that time with the Lord for anything else.

If you read through the Gospels you’ll find that praying in the wilderness was a major part of the life of Christ.  I believe that this is one of the secrets of His intimacy with the Father.  I want to follow His example.

The good news is that this type of encounter with God is available to every one of us.  If you are able, I encourage you to give it a try.  Go out with a tent and other supplies. Bring your Bible and a notebook.  Then expect to meet with God.

I believe that He honors our desire to seek Him intimately.  The Lord loves the quality time we spend together.  Then He can deal with things that take time to work through.

I can truly say that spending alone time with God in the outdoors is an incredible blessing.

Question: Have you encountered God in the outdoors?  Could you share about it?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

 
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Posted by on September 28, 2012 in Prayer, Times in the Wilderness

 

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Follow Me – Book Review

“My neighborhood is in total spiritual darkness and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Have you ever felt like that?  Do you see the enemy’s kingdom taking over your town, your schools or your local businesses?  Do you feel helpless?  There is an answer.

I was having breakfast with a friend of mine by the name of Dr. Randy Sprinkle.  During the course of our conversation, he told me about a book he had written.  The title was Follow Me – Becoming a Lifestyle Prayerwalker.

I knew about prayerwalking.  My church had been involved in it for a couple of years.  We talked about it for a little while.  Later on, he gave me a copy of his book.  I thanked him, knowing that part of his ministry was going to churches and teaching on prayerwalking.

I must admit that the book lay on my shelf a while before I began to read it.  Now that I’ve read it, I wish I had done so sooner.  The book is absolutely life-changing.

It’s one of those “must read” books.  Every believer needs to grab hold of the principles taught in these pages.  That is especially true if we want to see the power of God manifest in our cities.

The book is just over 120 pages.  But don’t expect to get through it in one sitting.  It wasn’t designed for that.  It’s written in the form of six weeks of 5 daily devotions.  That’s why it can change your life.

Each day it starts with prayer.  Then it’s followed by reading the Scripture, meditating on it, and getting some teaching.  Next, it helps you to plan how you are going to implement what you just learned as you go throughout your day.  The last part of each daily segment is an evening reflection that asks you think about what you did during the day.  It’s a very powerful plan.

This book is well written and keeps you interested.  Dr. Sprinkle gives teaching, examples, testimonies, and encouragement.  I looked forward to my time in this book each day.

The fact is that we need to be a people of prayer.  Not the “hands off” kind that keeps a safe distance from the ones in need.  We need to be out praying on our streets.  That’s how we win the spiritual battle for the souls around us.

We need to stop looking for someone else to do the work.  Wherever you live, you are called to intercede.  This book will equip you with everything you need to bring spiritual change to your area.

In Dr. Sprinkle’s words, prayerwalking is a “strategic, world-transforming activity that calls believers out of church buildings to intercede for the work of the kingdom while quietly walking through local neighborhoods and mission fields around the world.”

The book is available on Amazon.  Click here to order Follow Me: Becoming a Lifestyle Prayerwalker.

Question: Have read this book?  How has it helped you?  Have you seen any results?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”.  This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will help my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
 
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Posted by on September 18, 2012 in Book Reviews, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, The Church

 

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