This past weekend my wife and I celebrated a milestone in our relationship. 20 years ago, we started dating while in high school. The two of us have been inseparable for more than half of our lives. We went back to the place we went on our first date and reminisced about all we had done together over the last 20 years. High school days when we were struggling to make our relationship work. College when we were learning to be adults. The struggles of the early years of marriage. The days when we were told we could not have kids. The joys of God's blessings as parents. And everything in between.
The one thing we looked back on, and still cannot believe we strongly considered, was getting married the week after we graduated high school. We were at the beach with friends following graduation and the idea was floated around by the two of us. We thought we would just elope and start our lives together since we were out of high school. Our rationale was we could find a way to pay for our own college tuition and still enjoy the benefits of being married. We talked about it during the week, and thankfully for the two of us, we decided to not get hitched and instead wait until after we finished college. We were married after college and the rest is history.
Looking back on it now, nearly 18 years removed and with much more life experience, we are both confident we made the right decision for us. Had we married then our marriage may not have withstood the challenges of the first five years of marriage, which are challenging under the best of circumstances. We probably would not have gone to college and we probably could not have afforded to visit the fertility specialists that resulted in our two sons. Our lives would have been drastically different than they are today. All because of one choice. All because we would have said "Yes" instead of "No."
I tell that lengthy example to point out that the choices we make determine our destination in life. Poor decisions will inevitably lead us into troubled waters. Wise decisions will help us avoid those same troubled waters. From one minute to the next we are faced with choices that affect us, our spouse, our children, our family, our friends, our co-workers, and unknown strangers. We can list millions of hypothetical scenarios, but I am sure you get the point. Your choices determine your destination. Poor decisions will bring you to a destination you probably would not want to be at. Wise decisions will bring you to a destination you can be happy with.
The Bible speaks very strongly to the point of making wise choices. The book of Proverbs tells us the importance of wisdom and understanding over foolishness. Many other places in the Bible we read about the benefits of making wise choices. So how do we make these ever important and life-preserving wise choices? Simply put, we use godly wisdom. In the book of James, we are told that if we do not have wisdom and we need it, then we "should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Through this promise, God offers to help equip us to make wise choices that will impact our lives in positive, God-honoring ways.
The longer I pastor and the longer I live, the more I find myself praying this specific prayer. Seeking God's wisdom to lead our church, to lead my family, and to make wise decisions in every part of my life that reflects God's glory and His will for my life. I have found Him to be more than faithful to this promise in James 1:5. Do I always follow the wisdom given to me? No. Do I pay the consequences for making unwise choices? Yes. But do I follow much more of the godly wisdom given to me now than I did 20 years ago? Definitely. In another 20 years, I hope to follow more of God's wisdom than I do today.
I encourage you today to start making it a habit of making wise choices and asking God to give you the wisdom you need to make those choices. Down the road, you'll be glad you did and you'll be able to see the benefits of choices made that kept you from going down the wrong path.
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I recently turned my radio back on in my truck after having it off for several months. This sounds a little odd considering I like music and have always listened to the radio. For several months now I have spent my time on the road in a different way. I usually spent much of the time I was on the road in thought and prayer. Concerns about our church, church members, family, our farm, and many other things had preoccupied me. The music was a distraction to my thoughts, so I turned off the radio. During this sabbatical from the radio one thought seemed to recur more often than others. This recurring thought was more of a nightmare than anything, but nevertheless this thought was about the Godless generations being raised in our country.
Don't get me wrong, I realize there have always been those who were raised to believe something contrary to what the Bible teaches. I realize there are plenty who were raised outside of the church because their parents and family never understood what God did for them by sending Jesus to die for their sins. Even though this group continues to grow, those aren't the people that came to mind while I drove.
The ones that came to mind were those who were being raised by parents who have faith in God through Christ, but are not raising their children to do the same. In the Baptist denomination, we believe you cannot lose your salvation in Christ based on a particular sin you may commit. (I realize there is a deep theological discussion that can go on about this topic but this is not the point of today's post.) With that being said, there are an alarming number of people who were raised in church, professed their faith in Christ, and have now grown to adulthood. Many of these adults are now parents who seem to not take their faith very seriously and their children are paying the price. The parents have a relationship with God through Christ, even if it is a cold relationship at best, but nonetheless they have the security of salvation. Their kids are left in the cold spiritually and don't know about the love, peace, and grace that God offers them through Christ. The sad reality of this is that there will be parents watching in heaven as their children are judged by the Righteous Judge and are thrown into hell (Revelation 20:15).
Please don't think that I am one of those preachers who try to scare people out of hell. I've never approached ministry that way and I never will. But the truth of the matter is, there are generations of children being raised in our neighborhoods who have no understanding of salvation, while mom and dad rest easy in their salvation security. There will be a judgment one day and there will be people, without faith in Christ, who will be thrown into hell. Some of those watching the judgment will see the very children they raised be cast into eternal punishment. Godless generations are being raised by those who profess to be Christians. Isn't that the greatest and saddest of ironies?
In nearly 13 years of ministry, I have watched as many parents with good intentions succumb to the pressures of this life and give up raising their children in church where they are exposed to the Gospel. But as the old saying goes, "The path to hell is paved with good intentions." If you are one of those parents I plead with you to get your act together and start doing what you know to be right. Raise your children in church and live a life worthy of the faith you've placed in Christ. If you need to repent and return to God, then get serious about your faith and do it. The greatest benefit will be knowing you've raised a child that has faith in God, rather than one who will be separated from Him for all of eternity.
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Last Friday I did something I never expected to do. I brought our farm's cattle trailer and parked it in the side yard at my house. I had agreed to help a friend move some livestock early on Monday morning and wouldn't have the time on Monday morning to get it from the farm. So I dropped the trailer beside my garage in the yard until Monday morning. The only thing is that trailer looked really out of place in the new development we live in. Yes, others have utility trailers, campers, or boats in their yards. But as I've jogged in our neighborhood I've never once seen another livestock trailer. I was a bit amused by the fact that our family had to be the only ones in the neighborhood to have a livestock trailer and how much that trailer seemed to be out of place.
When it comes to the Christian, they are to be as out of place in this world as that livestock trailer was in my neighborhood. For the believer in Christ, we are to be a peculiar people who stand out from our surroundings. We are to be "in the world, but not of the world." Our thoughts and actions are to be completely different from the world around us. The reason being the Christian's priorities and beliefs are completely different from those of the world. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world." This means we are not to be molded and shaped into something that resembles the attitudes, beliefs, and motives of this world. Instead we are to resemble Christ and His holiness. No we won't ever be perfect like Christ, but we can strive for the type of holiness He exhibited here on earth. This holiness, when practiced in today's secular society, will stick out like a sore thumb. Others will take notice and, in a good way, you'll find yourself out of place.
Start today to conform your life to the standards of heaven rather than the standards of this world. When you do, you won't mind being out of place.
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Over the recent snowy weekend, my oldest son and I binged on Netflix and watched the first season of the superhero TV show The Flash. I enjoyed watching the earlier version more than 25 years ago and enjoyed watching the reboot with my son. In case you're unfamiliar with this particular DC Comics superhero, here is what he does. He runs really fast and defeats the bad guys. Not much to it but it does have a good story line in this recent adaptation.
As with most superhero stories, there is something physically different about the hero that allows him to take on his newfound powers and be the superhero he was designed to be. On the most basic level there is something inside of the superhero that needs to be awakened to bring to life the powers they will use to save the world. For some it's bombardment by gamma rays. For others it is a scientific anomaly such as a radioactive spider or a super soldier serum. And for others, like the Flash, it is a bolt of lightning and an explosion at a scientific research facility that gives them their powers. On the inside though there was the beginnings of a superhero long before they came into contact with their superpower catalyst.
Every person whoever lived has had something similar inside of them. Some suppress it and say it isn't there. Others accept it and allow it to impact their life in an unbelievable, superhero-type way. A man named Blaise Pascal, who lived more than 300 years ago, described this interior "thing" best. He said, and I paraphrase, there is a God-shaped vacuum inside human heart that can only be filled by God. This Christian philosopher shared in modern terms what the Bible has told us for more than 2,000 years. There is a longing in the human heart for God that can only be satisfied by God. In Acts 17:27 (NIV), Paul puts it this way, that God created man in such a way "that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." God designed us with an internal GPS pointing us toward Him. Ecclesiastes 3:11(NIV), written by the wisest man ever, King Solomon, says "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men." So not only has God placed a desire in us to pursue Him but also a desire to spend eternity with Him.
The best thing any of us can do is to give in to our internal, God-given desire and pursue Him. We ought to first pursue Him through a relationship through Jesus Christ (you can learn more about doing this here). Once you've started to pursue Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then pursue Him daily. Spend time in prayer and converse with Him. Read and study His Word so you know what He expects of you and what He wants to teach you. Also, spend time worshiping and serving Him as you grow in your relationship with Him. As you do, you'll find the God-shaped hole in your spiritual heart filled by Him and you won't need to fill it with the meaningless things of this life that will leave you empty spiritually. So choose today to fill that longing inside of you. Either through starting a relationship with Christ or by practicing the spiritual disciplines that are necessary to fill that God-shaped hole in your spiritual heart.
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This year has been full of surprises. Our region of the country has experienced a severe drought for months. The presidential election did not turn out like many thought it would. Laws were put in place to make sure people knew which bathroom they needed to use. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908. A year of surprises is a good description for 2016. One surprise that some are finding out about as the month of December starts is that Christmas is on a Sunday this year. For some this is a surprise they didn't anticipate and frankly, they'd rather do without it. To others, they embrace the fact that the day we celebrate the Birth of Christ is on the day Christians set aside for worship each week.
So far I haven't heard of any churches in our area that are canceling church altogether on Christmas. Many have an adjusted schedule of services but most every church in our area has plans for worship on Sunday, December 25. Since there will be churches having services on Christmas Day, I encourage you to go to church on Christmas. I know, "But Pastor, ___________." You can fill in the blank. There are plenty of reasons people can give for not going to church on Christmas Day (some of those reasons, I mean excuses, are used throughout the year). Consider setting aside the excuses and worshiping God on Christmas. Here are just a few reasons why you should attend church on Christmas Day.
It's Christmas Day!
If there is ever a day when people should gather in God's house to worship Him then Christmas Day should be at the top of everyone's list. We worship God because of the relationship we have with Him through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. Without Jesus' birth there would be no death. Without the crib there is no cross. Outside of Resurrection Sunday, the occasional Christmas Sunday should be a priority for Christians.
Order your Sunday around your faith, not around your culture.
For nearly 2,000 years Christians have set aside the first day of the week, Sunday, as their time to worship the risen Savior. Christians have been prioritizing their schedule, their very lives, around their faith and worship of God for two millennia now. Why should we now start prioritizing our faith around our culture's view of a holiday many celebrate for the wrong reason? They shouldn't. In a world that demands so much compromise from Christians to "fit in", worshiping God on Christmas is a small way to stay true to your faith.
If you aren't a Christian, attending church on Christmas Day will help you understand the real reason for Christmas.
Our culture has slowly changed the view of Christmas from being a day focused on the greatest Gift given by God, to a day focused on material gifts. What has been lost in translation is that Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth started a 33 year progression through which Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life. Because of that perfect and sinless life, Jesus was able to die on a cross in our place, so we can have our sins forgiven. With our sins forgiven we receive eternal life and a right relationship with God. All of this is possible because of a tiny baby born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago (Luke 2). If you attend worship at a church on Christmas Day, chances are that the pastor will elaborate on this and help you make sense of any questions you might have on Jesus and Christmas.
I realize that for most people Christmas is a very hectic time of the year. There is rushing from this family event to another get together. Presents to put in the car and food to cook. Miles to travel and plenty of rushing around. But let me share one last piece of advice with you. If you go to worship on Christmas Day, the presents will still be there to be opened when worship is over. Lunch at Grandma's house will still be ready to eat. But more importantly, you will be able to slow down and focus for a little while on the God who gave us Christmas in the first place. And you never know, you might come away with a newfound appreciation for what you're celebrating on Christmas Day.
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Before we had kids, Misty and I always joked about how our kids would have terrible competition streaks. Misty and I have always been competitive, even in the least little thing. As our boys have grown we've watched their competitive fires grow too. They compete to see who can get to the car first, who can hit the most shots on a basketball game, or who can win a board game.
Recently, I witnessed what is possibly the oddest competition ever between our sons. It was a week when our town picked up both the recycling and trash at the curb. As we pulled in that afternoon, I dropped the boys off at the end of the driveway and told them to roll both cans back to the house. And what did they do? You guessed it. They competed to see who could get back to the house quickest with their can in tow. That is either really ingenious or really sad. You choose. But regardless of your view of it, our boys had once again made everything into a competition.
When it comes to childhood games and other trivial matters, it is okay to be competitive. Competition is important in many ways in life. In technology and business it drives innovation. But when we start to let competition with others drive other areas of our life we run into trouble. When we try to compete with others, whether we admit we're competing or not, we find ourselves turning God's blessings into catalysts for sin. If we aren't happy that others are making more money than us, then greed sets up in our hearts. If our neighbors have newer cars or nicer toys, then we allow jealousy and covetousness to take hold of our mind. These sins, and many others, start to take root in our lives because we've allowed what should be seen as blessings to stoke the fires of sin. We should see the blessings God has placed in our life as exactly that, blessings. We shouldn't see them as something lesser than our neighbor's. We shouldn't allow the competition or comparison games to take our eyes off what God is doing in our lives. If anything, we should be thankful for what God has given to us and happy for the blessings He's given to our neighbor.
In Philippians 4:11 (NIV), the Apostle Paul tells us, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Paul new the secret to being content, whether giving to his missionary work was up or down, whether he had food or was hungry, and whether his sandals had holes or not. Whatever circumstance Paul found himself in, He had learned to be content. His secret to contentment was shared in verse 13. He said his secret was, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Paul was able to be content with every circumstance in life because of the strength he received from Christ. When his neighbor had a newer donkey or the latest in Roman fashion, Paul knew he could be content because of the strength Christ gave to him. Through that strength he could resist, envy, greed, jealousy, and coveting. We should take note of Paul's secret to contentment and put it to practice in our own lives. When we do we'll find ourselves less worried about what we have compared to our neighbors and more content with God's blessings in our own lives.
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About 6 years ago, me and the boys went hiking. We wanted to hike from the peak of Mount Mitchell to the peak of Mount Craig. Mount Craig is the 2nd highest peak in the Appalachian mountains and about 1 mile south of the summit of Mount Mitchell. For a 4 and 5 year old, the hike over rugged terrain was very taxing. Like many of our hikes, the boys didn't want any help and were capable of doing the hike on their own two legs. When we reached the peak of Mount Craig, we followed our normal hiking tradition. This tradition is this: dad breaks out snacks and a drink for the boys while they rest and dad takes pictures. These two fearless hikers plopped down on a big rock on the side of the trail, just opposite the marker for the summit of Mount Craig, and enjoyed their hard earned snacks and drinks. The rest and the refreshments helped sustain the boys for the return trip to the car over the same rugged terrain.
Last week I was reminded of this picturesque day as I prepared for this past Sunday's message. There was a good sermon example involved on the return trip from the summit of Mount Craig. So I went back to look at pictures I had of the hiking trip and saw the boys eating their snacks. I remembered how rejuvenating that break was for the two of them. Sometimes a break is exactly what we need.
Last week I spoke to a person who shared with me about their need to take a break from their church and participation in the work of the church. The person I spoke to had valid reasons for why they needed to stop serving in their church. Some were health related and others were personal in nature. As the person shared with me about their need to take a break from their church I agreed with them that sometimes we do need a break.
Sometimes when we find ourselves exhausted physically and spiritually the best thing we can do is take a break. If that means resting on the side of a trail to recoup for a few minutes, then do it. If it means stepping away from responsibilities at church to keep from being burnt out, then do it. If it means taking a few Sundays away from your regular church experience, then do it. The rest we receive from stepping away can do more than bring us refreshment, it can bring us clarity of mind. It can help us put in perspective the things that were causing our burn out. It can help us see what is really important in the grand scheme of things. It can show us where we need to dedicate our efforts in the work of the Kingdom and what we need to avoid doing. Through it all we see that God is able to work in our time of rest and refreshment to help sustain us for the long journey of faith ahead of us.
Let me close with this one warning. Yes you heard a pastor say it isn't a bad thing to take a break from your regular church experience for a few Sundays. This didn't mean not worshiping God. This means finding a different worship experience so you can gain some rest and perspective. The intention of rest is to continue down the path after being refreshed. Once you've gained your rest and perspective dig back in at your church and worship God with a rejuvenated spirit. Also be sure not to fall into the trap of getting out of the habit of going to worship God on Sundays. Because there are too many people in that trap already!
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A few years ago I saw on Facebook that a church planter I know up north had led his church in a day they called "Don't Go To Church" Sunday. The idea behind it was not to go to a church building on that Sunday but to go be the church. They went out into the large city their church resides in and gave out water and food. They also shared living water and bread from heaven. The concept of "not going to church" wasn't lost on me. I've heard Bible teachers and preachers over the years make the same kind of comment with a different perspective than the church planter mentioned above. But there is plenty of truth in the statement...you need to stop going to church.
You should stop going to church and start going to worship. Now that sounds a little picky in the language used but it's the truth. Too often believers see the hour between 11:00-12:00 on Sunday, or whatever hour the service may be, as their required church time to stay in God's good graces. God doesn't want you to go to church, He wants you to join other believers and worship Him. Our worship of God is all about Him and nothing about us. It's not about what I like. It's not about what I hope to get out of the service. It's about my heartfelt devotion to God being poured out as a sacrifice on the altar before a holy and righteous God who is worthy of my worship. So Sunday, stop going to church and start going to worship.
You should stop going to church for the preacher and start going for the message. It's a sad but true fact that when there is a change in church leadership some people stop attending church. It's also sad but true that when the pastor is gone on vacation or preaching at another church that some people don't attend church. It is impossible to completely separate our worship experience from the pastor God has placed in leadership over our church. But when we find ourselves not attending church because the pastor is not there, we find ourselves falling into the trap of idolatry. We are starting to worship the one who leads worship rather than the only One worthy of our worship. A few years ago our church had missionaries share during the message time on a Sunday morning. I advertised this with our congregation for a few weeks and was concerned that our attendance may drop because the pastor wasn't the one who would be preaching. To my surprise we tied our highest attendance to date that year and had several who were out sick. That is the mentality we have to have, that regardless of who is sharing the message we are coming to hear God's message. So Sunday, stop going to church for the preacher and start going for the message.
You should stop going to church for the style of music and start going for the praise of God. I've heard it said "I can't worship unless it's _____ kind of music" or "I can't worship God unless it's ______ type of a service." To those who would say that I would tell you that "Worship is not about you or what you like, it's about God." Yes, we should have our preferences in how we worship God and hear from Him. But when we limit our worship because we limit our mode of worship, then we limit our reception of God's message. Music is only one small part of the worship experience. Worship involves prayer, preaching, testimonies, giving and so much more. If you are only attending a church because of the style of music, I encourage you to stop going to church for the style of music and start going for the praise of God.
My intentions with today's post is not to ruffle feathers. My intentions are that we all really examine our motives for why we attend the church we attend. What we as believers should do is find a local body of believers where our family is ministered to and the truth of the Bible is taught. We should throw ourselves into the life of the church so we can truly worship God there. That way regardless of who is behind the pulpit or the song being sung we are connected in spirit with God, pouring our heartfelt devotion out to Him. So Sunday, you need to stop going to church!
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Sunday morning I ate a banana as I drove to church. When I finished the banana I thought what am I going to do with this banana peel because I don't want to hold on to it for the drive to church. Not wanting to litter or reenact a scene from Billy Madison, I knew I couldn't throw it out the window. But for a moment the idea to toss it in the weeds along a vacant piece of property did cross my mind. The next thought that caught me off guard was the fact that I thought to my self, "Just say, 'Plant a banana tree' and it will be okay." Now that sounds like an odd phrase to say and I admit it is, but I can't take credit for coming up with it. When I was a kid I had a cousin who was 10 years older than me and I remember riding with her in her car. On more than one occasion I remember not having a place to put some piece of trash or apple core or banana peel and she said if you toss it out the window and say "Plant a banana tree" then it's not really littering. In the mind of a kid it sounded legit, so out the window went my trash. My parents quickly fixed this bad habit, but I couldn't believe that after nearly 30 years this phrase came to mind when I thought about tossing something out the window of my truck. In any case, I laid the banana peel down in the truck and tossed it in the trash at church.
As a kid I thought that I could rationalize my littering by saying a simple phrase as I committed the act. The act of trying to rationalize actions that we shouldn't do, let's call them sins, has been around forever. Man has always found a way of rationalizing his sin so he doesn't feel so bad about it. We do it to make our sin more palatable to us and so we become desensitized to it and can move on with our lives without the guilt. The problem is sin is sin. Regardless of whether we try to justify or rationalize our sin, sin is still sin. The old phrase that comes to mind is "You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig." Dress it up however you want, sin is still sin. Regulate it. Legislate it. Gain society's approval of it. Sweep it under your own spiritual rug and it doesn't change the fact that you're sinning. Pick the sin that you rationalize on a daily basis and realize that your rationalization doesn't hold water with God.
The problem with rationalizing our sin is not just that we become desensitized to something that should bring repentance. The problem is that as we justify and rationalize our sin, we don't seek forgiveness for that sin because we view it as acceptable. When we don't seek forgiveness for our sins, then a spiritual gap widens between us and God. We become less sensitive to His Holy Spirit's leading in our life. Our hearts harden towards God and it makes us more vulnerable and susceptible to more sin in our life. In the end, we end up distancing ourselves from the one who has the cure for our sin problem. We end up distancing ourselves from the one who loves us unconditionally. We distance ourselves from the victorious life He wants us to experience.
1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Right here God tells us in His Word that no matter what sin we commit, even the ones we rationalize and grow accustomed to committing, He will still forgive us. Choose today the sin you find yourself rationalizing and come to grips with the reality of what you're doing. See your sin the way God does, as something you ought to avoid at all costs. Seek His forgiveness for your sin and seek His help to rid your life of that sin. It won't be easy but in the end you'll be glad that you did.
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I recently spent time washing my truck after it saw the bad side of driving through a cow pasture. Dirt, dust, and cow manure can make for an unsightly truck. When I had finished washing it and had done a final inspection for any spots I'd missed, I put my cleaning supplies up. I walked around one more time to see if I had missed anything and low and behold I did. I found that in my rush to get done I had forgotten to wash the wheels. They weren't too dirty so I thought I'd wait until the next time to wash them. No harm, no foul, right? Wrong! By the time I washed my truck again the front wheels on my truck had accumulated a large amount of brake dust. As I was cleaning the wheels I noticed how thick the break dust was but also how shiny the wheel looked as I began to clean it. As I found myself nearly halfway done with one wheel, I drew a line down the middle of the wheel with my rag and snapped a picture. It was remarkable how bad the tire looked when I neglected cleaning it.
Our spiritual life faces the same type of problem when we neglect to seek forgiveness from God for our sins. You and I sin daily. This means we disobey some aspect of God's rules each and every day. We can't get around it because we are sinful beings with a natural bend towards sin. The fact that we sin every day is a constant reminder of the fact that, even after we become a Christian, we daily need God's grace and forgiveness.
Prayer is one spiritual discipline that we should practice every day. Yes, we should share our requests with God, praise Him, and thank Him for His provision. But in addition to that we ought to also daily seek His forgiveness. In my humble opinion, it ought to be the very first thing we do in prayer before we do anything else. Why? Because our sin separates us from God. If we are separated from God spiritually because of sin, then how are we able to lift up our prayers of praise, thanks, and request with an attitude of humility and holiness. We ought to seek out the forgiveness of God first and foremost in our times of prayer, as well as doing it daily. This practice will not only help keep us spiritually clean, but it will help draw us closer to God with each passing day. It will help us see more clearly the sins that trip us up on a daily basis and we can seek to avoid them.
If we don't see God's forgiveness on a daily basis we'll find ourselves like the tires on my truck. At first things don't look to bad, but before long we are covered up with unconfessed sin that separates us from God. This separation makes it harder for us to draw close to God and makes it harder for us to hear the Holy Spirit leading, guiding, and directing us.
Commit today to making prayer a daily habit (if you haven't already). Also commit to seeking God's forgiveness first and foremost in those times of prayer, so you can be drawn closer to Him and more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In the end, you'll be glad that you did!
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