What do you do at 9:30 pm? - Bill White | Emmanuel Reformed Church

What do you do at 9:30 pm? - Bill White

Well, you know what I do at 9:30 pm now - not that I do it real well. As I shared yesterday, I'm committed to learn how to pray this year about the things that are important to me, and 9:30 pm is my prayer time. As I spent time last night with the Lord, I was struck by how I don't want this to become some new legalism or some new fad. I prayed out of Psalm 63, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you." May God have mercy on me as I seek him this year. And may he have mercy on you, too.

So what about you? I'm guessing for you, your step towards growing as a disciple probably won't be at 9:30 pm. But when will it be, or where? What are the one or two things you are looking to add to you game this year, or to subtract? We would all be honored to hear your thoughts and stories, even if they are brief.

Posted on Sun, January 4, 2009 by Bill White

4 comments (Add your own)

1. Lee Howell wrote:: Just wanted to share this that tied in: I am up early reading Wild At Heart for our Mini-Church. As I read Chapter 11, Eldredge, the author, is talking about going over the wall in his own way; "Living the Adventure." One line I wanted to share from page 207; "The goal of Christian discipleship is the transformed heart, we move from a boy who needs the Law (because we can wander outside God's law looking for a false adventure, ex. cheating on a spouse) to a man who is able to live by the Spirit of the Law." (ref. Galatians 5:16-26)

I can reflect that sitting at the foot of the wall can become boring and have tragic consequences if I implicate God as causing the boredom and ignore His laws when I attempt to escape. I so thank you Bill for getting over your walls and encouraging us to join you on the fun side of the life God intended - able to be free to live by the Spirit of the Law and seek adventures. I am grateful for the mental/spiritual picture of the Wall. I pray it helps me/us get off our butts and step out and over -within God's design.
Mon, January 5, 2009 @ 4:59 PM
2. Almita wrote:: I must admit that before I joined the prayer team (under protest), I was at a wall, also. Lottie MacGruder, who was in charge of the Noon Service prayer team at that time, insisted that I come up front to partner with the other prayer team members. This was not my 'cup of tea'. I much preferred being an unseen prayer team member. But when I finally consented, I began to grow in my relationship with the Lord Jesus - simply because I was confronted with the true fact that I had nothing to give to those that came forward for prayer except what God gave to me. This propelled me and compelled me to seek the Lord for His help. There is nothing like frequent conversations and scriptural devotions to develop a deep friendship with and love for our Lord and Savior. Just being able to not only respond in writing to prayer requests, but to actually pray with others gives me opportunity to hear myself repeat God's promises and faithfulness - which in turn is giving me the "push" I need to keep climbing that wall of complaisancy.
Wed, January 7, 2009 @ 12:46 PM
3. Jason Brown wrote:: I'm starting to implement my personal discipleship plan with a few brothers this week. We are doing one of those "read-the-Bible-in-a-year" programs -- if you're interested in getting the one-year plan we're using, you can e-mail me at jason.brown@erc.la. It involves reading 4 chapters a day. Additionally, we are committing to pray for 5 minutes every day. As a part of this prayer time, we are asking the Lord to make us great in His Kingom.

Each of us is also picking one other action step that is unique to each one of us. I feel like I need to be in better shape physically, so I'm committing to running 3x week. I think that discipline in the physical realm will help my discipline in the spiritual realm. Of course I'm down-and-out with a cold right now, but I will start running once I feel better.
Wed, January 7, 2009 @ 12:53 PM
4. Tonya wrote:: God has been trying to deal with me on how I handle my stress. I tend to vacillate between carrying worries as though I am the way, the truth, and the life, or trying to avoid dealing with the things that I feel stressed about. Avoidance and self-protection are lifelong flesh issues for me, ones that God had really set me free from a few years back. Unfortunately, I have let some of my dysfunctional coping methods creep back in.

So my motto for this year is "Less worrying, more trusting." The most practical way I'll be implementing it is this. I often keep a running list of things I'm avoiding in the back of my mind. They sit there, nagging me and drumming up guilt that usually prolongs the anxiety much more than if I just did whatever "it" is. Now I'm taking the list out of my head and putting it into a notebook. I add to the list whenever I think of something I've got to do and get that feeling of dread. I've also made a list of projects around the house, for work, etc. that I'm always intending to get "around to." And every day, I have to mark at least one thing off that list.

So far I've had a dentist appointment (which should actually count for about a month's worth if you ask me), made a phone call I've been avoiding, set a few other doctor's appts, and sent an email I was dreading. I also cleaned out a drawer. It feels freeing to be running toward the subjects of my anxiety rather than be chased by them.

Less worrying, more trusting.
Thu, January 8, 2009 @ 5:06 PM

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