Inspired by the challenge in scriptures to pursue our faith with all the intentionality and intensity of one who is running in such a way as to get the prize (1 Cor 9) we spent a large proportion of our time together Sunday simply PRAYING. God definitely moved in our time together. One of the guys in my sophomore small guys small group shared that he experienced God for the first time this Sunday. His words were, 'I was just sobbing there in my seat and I figured people around me were looking but I just didn't care . . . it was awesome!'
In case you missed it or need a refresher here is the summary of how to have a 'CHAT' daily with God:
C onfession
H onor
A sk
T hanks
Confession – First we confess. In Psalm 139 we see an example of confession as David goes to God and says, "Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Part of your regular prayer life should include going to God and letting him reveal to you where you have sinned. And when we acknowledge our sin and confess it to Him and commit to turning from that sin he forgives us. He wipes our slate clean. He makes us righteous before him.
Use these next couple moments to ask God to show you your sin. Then, if you are willing, gives these sins over to him and ask him to forgive you. This is confession.
Honor – Next we Honor God. The Psalms are filled with examples of honoring God. Songs, poems and words are written simply to express back to God how great He is. When we honor God we reflect on who He is and what He is like. To Honor God is to Worship God. In honoring God we praise him for being him, for being holy, pure, merciful, loving, good, compassionate and on the list goes. In honoring God we grow to know Him for who He is which also helps us to remember who we are. Many would say that honoring God is the highest aim of prayer, and the most important thing we can spend time doing as well.
Take a few moments and reflect on one or two qualities of God. While this might be new for you, worship him and praise him in your heart the best way you know how for who He is.
Ask – Third, we ask. Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." And James 4:2 says, ‘You do not have because you do not ask God.’
When our motives are right the Lord loves to give good gifts to us when we ask. In asking we acknowledge that we are dependent upon God and in need of his intervention in our life. Even in those requests God does not grant us we learn much about who He is and what He wants for our life.
Take these next few moments and write down some requests you have to God.
Thanks – Lastly, we give Thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, ‘give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.’
If you don’t have much joy or gratitude in your life it is because you haven’t learned to regularly spend time thanking God. Regularly thanking God for everything you are grateful for will completely change your outlook on God and life. Perhaps write down as many things as you can possibly think of to thank God for, or maybe you'd rather spend several moments reflecting on one thing you are grateful for. Either way, this is how we give thanks.
*CHAT is a tool created by Tara Rummler, Student Impact of Willow Creek Regional Campus in McHenry County.