OUR THOUGHTS:
Spending a whole day (or at least a few hours) in a quiet place, without disturbances, taking your Bible, a pencil and notebook with me has been a very meaningful and satisfying experience for me. Following an outline is helpful, so you don’t have to wonder, “What do I do next?”
If you have never tried it, I encourage you to make a regular practise of Spending a Day the Lord.
Usually our days are filled with the demands of life crying for our attention, but today, whether for four, eight or 12 hours, your only priority is to be with your Lord, to bask in His love, to thank and worship Him, to listen to Him, to intercede for others, to lay your life and activities before Him and let Him give directions.
The Bible promises us in James 4:8,
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
He is waiting for you! Don’t rush. The objective is to spend relaxed uninterrupted time with God, not to go through a format. These are mere guidelines. Let God be your guide.
Preparation
- Find a place where you can be alone and free from distractions.
- Bring your Bible, a notebook and pen, a hymn book, song sheets or cassette tapes.
Thanksgiving and Praise
- Begin with Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:4 tells us, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”
a. Thank Him for His patience and forgiveness.
b. Thank Him for the privilege of coming into His presence.
c. Thank Him for what He has done in and through your life in the last year.Make a List
Take time to list what God has done for you. Be specific. Think through every area of your life.Search My Heart
Ask God to search your heart. Psalm 139:23,24
a. Confess any sins the Holy Spirit reveals. Psalm 19:12
b. Remember the certainty of forgiveness. 1 John 1:9
c. Make certain you are walking and praying in the Spirit. Ephesians 5:15-20Become Still
Become still before the Lord. Psalm 46:10
a. Consider who God is. Psalm 103
b. Praise Him for His attributes. Psalm 145
c. Rejoice in your fellowship with Him and that He delights in you. Proverbs 15:8
d. Read passages of scripture and pray them back to God. Psalms 146-150
e. Sing to the Lord. - Revelation
Ask God to reveal the world to you from His point of view as you read. Psalm 33
Intercession
Pray your way around the world with unhurried, detailed intercession for others.
- Begin with your non-Christians, friends, relatives, neighbours and others the Lord puts on your heart.
- Pray for those in authority – federal, provincial and municipal government leaders. 1 Timothy 2:1,2
- Pray for Christians using Paul’s prayers in Philippians 1, Colossians 1, Ephesians 1 and 3.
“By intercessory prayer we can hold off Satan from other lives and give the Holy Ghost a chance with them. No wonder Jesus put such tremendous emphasis on prayer!” -Oswald Chambers
Personal Life Evaluation
Ask for understanding as you read an entire book of the Bible. Record insights God gives you.
Inquire of God what He thinks of your life and wait. Listen for His answer.
Evaluate the use of the time, talent, treasure, education and experience God has entrusted to you. Are they glorifying to God? Do you need to modify some of them?
Discuss with the Lord your joys, your sorrows and decisions you are facing. Find promises and directives in the Bible which you can record.
“The greatest answer to prayer is that I am brought into a perfect understanding with God, and that alters my view of actual things.”
~Oswald Chambers
Concluding Your Day with God
Praise and thank God for the fellowship you had today.
Schedule the next “Day with the Lord” in your appointment book.
Share with someone about your day.