Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day Thirteen: Journaling

Some of you have asked about journaling. The Bible neither commands nor suggests that the believer should journal. However, we would not have the scriptures that govern our life if someone did not write them down.-Amen?

Personally, I think journaling is a good exercise. Writing down your prayers, thoughts, and events in your life can be simple yet profound. The act of writing them down is beneficial, but the best part comes in reading them afterwards. You can see how you reacted in a difficult time, remember how God has blessed you, and see how you have matured throughout your walk.

I will put an excerpt from my journal in March 2008. This excerpt was when we were just beginning the initial stages of HPC El Paso. We had no building, no worship leader, and very few people on the team. This was the day before our very first team meeting when Esther and I first shared the vision of HPC El Paso.

At this point in my life, I was unemployed but with a dream that God placed in my heart. I normally journal about one scripture, but this day for whatever reason I journaled after I read two passages of scripture. These are short entries but they need not be long. I typically journal my prayers and sometimes record events from our lives that are special to me.

3/18/08
Read Mathew 26:57-68
"Jesus, you were rejected for being the Messiah. I pray that you strengthen Esther and I so that we can stand with you...whatever the cost!"

Read Psalm 46:1-11
"Lord, I thank you for being my fortress. I shall not fear what happens on Earth for you are in control. We (the church) are secure in you! Be with us, inspire us, encourage us, protect us, and fill us with your Spirit as we preach the Gospel to the nations!

I will post one more journal entry before we finish our 30 days of prayer and fasting. I hope this helps see how easy yet how meaningful these acts of journaling can be.

Prayer Focus: Pray that we let the Word of God empower us as we draw closer to Him.

2 comments:

Michelle said...

it'll be interesting to read these entries a couple years from now or even months from now and see the work that God has done.
Thanks

Pastor Buck said...

Yes that's right, so are you going to start journaling?