10,000 Hours....42 Days With Jesus

In my last blog, 10,000 Hours...It's Going To Cost You, I posed the question,

"Who is willing to pay the price?"

Since then I have had something brewing on my heart.  That something was to start 2014 by giving Jesus 1000 hours of our time or focus.  But HOW to do that was the issue.  

My first thought was to cut off all entertainment and devote all that freed up time to prayer and the Word.  Then I considered creating a calender check list and schedule.  Then writing a to do list for those who were twiddling their thumbs as they sat around with nothing to do. Then every week blogging assignments...then...then...then...

Can you say complicated?

It almost reminds me of how the Pharisees took just 10 commandments and after adding in their two cents that law became a terrible burden and a yoke that brought no one closer to God.

So this is what I'm going to do and if it helps you at all feel free to join me.

The Bible says all of the law can be summed up in two commandments...

Love God with everything that is in you and love your neighbor as you would love yourself. (Matt 22:27-40)

Starting Jan 1, 2014 for 42 days I am cutting off television, movies, surfing the Internet, other mindless forms of entertainment, and dedicating the time I would have spent doing that to seeking the Lord OR blessing other people.  The two greatest commandments.

Why 42 days?

42 days is roughly 1000 hours. Imagine if the church dedicated 1000 hours at the beginning of every new year?  And what if at the end of 42 days we did not go back to the same old ways of doing things but increased in our time with Him and our love for people yearly?  The spiritual growth in knowing Him and loving and serving people would be amazing!

But wait you can't possibly spend 24 hours every day doing nothing but seeking God or helping others...or can you?

This is where I where I will need to focus, listen, and get my daily marching orders from the Holy Spirit.  Time with God is not so difficult most of the time as I have a daily prayer time...more time with God requires that I simply pray and read (or worship) as opposed to turning on the television. Being sensitive to the needs of others requires that I listen to that still small voice and do God lays on my heart.  Make that phone call,  send an encouraging text, write a letter, pray and fast for others, give that right gift. 

I'm a Christian but I don't really pray or read my Bible.

Then this is a perfect time to get started.  You're at zero time with God right now.  Can I honestly tell you something?  You are in a dangerous place and you need to create a discipline of daily prayer.  Do we honestly think we can go to heaven simply because we believe in God?  The demons believe in God but have no relationship with Him nor a place in heaven. Prayer and Bible reading draw us into relationship with the Lord.  You cannot have a relationship with someone you don't know.  Please consider this scripture...

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matt 7:21-23

But you have to sleep.

The Bible says

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he gives his beloved sleep Ps 127:2

I believe as I spend my days seeking the face of Jesus and striving to do HIS will that when it is time to sleep He will not only watch over me but all that I have put in His hands.  As I lay my head down with God as the last thought of my day He will honor my efforts and work on my behalf as I sleep.  So yes our work still has an effect as we rest daily.

Ok,  but what about work?  How can you focus on God and work at the same time?

I am blessed to Have a job that doesn't require much thought.  So as I work I am able to meditate on scripture, sing, or pray in tongues.  But for those who need to think as they work remember this...

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.  Col 3:22-24

If you dedicate every day to doing your best work for the Lord, keeping your Christian testimony, and shining your light so that others may be drawn to Jesus,  this is also acceptable to God.  Your focus will still be on Him and others.

I do suggest starting your day with prayer and Bible reading before you go to work.  Also turn off talk radio or Christian pop music in your car and worship God on your way to work and back home.  Consider praying in tongues as you drive.  If you have a 15 minute drive to work you will have prayed in tongues 30 minutes a day.

But I don't watch TV or movies much, or surf the Internet?

Find out what is preventing you from giving more time to God and people and cut it out of your life or at least limit the time you spend on that thing.  I also suggest organizing your time better.  We are all given 24 hours in each day and a bulk of that is wasted somewhere.  Keep a to do list, a calender, or reminder notes of what you need to accomplish each day and don't waste time doing things that will keep you from the Lord.  If you want to do this it will require effort.  It will cost you.

Family?

I heard a man say Americans have no idea how to fellowship with their own families.  We are so entertainment/media driven that our idea of intimacy involves movies or spending money.  If your spouse will do this with you then cut off the television/video games for 42 days for everyone.  At first it will be uncomfortable but as we ask the Lord to show us how to really bond with our own spouse, our children, and our church family I think we will all be surprised at how creative and intimate we can be with one another.  

Kids don't spend time reading, drawing, creating, playing like they used to.  This will be a good time to expand their thinking on how to spend their time.  

Also there used to be a time where families would gather together and read the Bible.  Would that be such a bad thing to introduce to our children?

What else can I do with my time?

Exercise, go on a date or take a walk with your spouse, cook supper together and sit at the table as your eat, bake cookies, work on your home and yard, have people over for a pot luck and fellowship, talk, clean out your car, visit the elderly or the sick, dejunk...in other words there are things God has made us stewards over that we are neglecting.  There is plenty to do but the main thing is more time with the Lord.

Listen if you have been feeling that you want more intimacy with God, you want to know His will for your life, you want to be Spirit led, AND the thought of turning off the TV for 42 days distresses you then you NEED this more than you know.

42 DAYS WITH JESUS STARTS JAN 1, 2014. 

YOU HAVE UNTIL 11:59 P.M. DEC 31, 2013 TO COUNT THE COST.

 

10,000 Hours...It's Going To Cost You!

10,000 Hours.  I got Malcom Gladwell's book (Outlier's) and read the chapter on 10,000 hours.  Last week I wrote a brief blog concerning my fascination with this. 

As I read the chapter my take away was the fact that the time spent was not random nor casual.  But people who wanted to master a skill were very purposeful and focused in that time.

 For instance violinist with the potential to become world class soloists started playing at about five years old just like everyone else. Also they practiced roughly two to three hours a week just like everyone else.  However as they grew older the amount of practice hours increased until they were practicing well over thirty hours per week....UNLIKE everyone else.

By the age of twenty these elite performers had logged in 10,000 hours while their peers had only logged in 4,000-8,000 hours of practice.

Also those at the top did not just practice more than everyone else they also worked much harder at it than those who did not reach the top.

For those who desire to become great in the kingdom this information should speak to us. 

Those we consider consider to be spiritual giants have logged in hours and hours of dedicated prayer and service to God.

God used them greatly not because they are or were more talented or gifted but because of they are simply more available and willing to work harder than most Christians.

John Wesley, Martin Luther, William Seymour, Brother Lawrence, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Leonard Ravenhill...these are just a few names that came up when I Googled men of prayer.  We may not know their total story but if their names are familiar it's because they spent time (lots of time) with God and dedicated their lives to serving Him. 

Do you want to be great?  It's going to cost you.

Who is willing to pay the price?

Luke 14:28