Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Download MP3 (right click to save)
It used to drive me crazy in a staff meeting. I'd be going over a dozen details, and deadlines, and assignments. Invariably, the world became divided into two distinct groups of people; those who write it down and those who don't. Now, if I'm giving you instructions I don't want to see your eyes. I want to see your head down, writing something. I mean, I have to write things down. I ask our team to keep phone logs so I can know what was discussed in important conversations. Someone told me one time, "The weakest ink is stronger than the strongest memory." Well, that's true. In those staff meetings I began to notice a very distinct trend. Those who wrote it down got things done. Those who didn't write it down didn't get it all done by any means. For me, for most people, if you don't write it - you lose it.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Writer's Cramp."
Our word for today from the Word of God is in James chapter 1 beginning at verse 22. God says, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom (that's the Bible) and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does."
Now this book - this Bible - is not just stories and doctrines. It's living, it's powerful, and it's a life-changing tool in the hands of God. There are a lot of people who hear it, a lot of people read it, a lot of people who agree with it, and they think they're okay with God. But the Bible says if that's all you do you're deceiving yourself unless you're doing what you just read. And James identifies a major reason we miss what God wants to do in our lives through His Word. We forget what He said; we forget what we read.
This talks about not forgetting. How can you read God's Word, have it affect your life, and not forget? Listen to these three words: write it down. How often do you commit to writing something your Lord has said to you? If you don't write it, you lose it.
My life with Jesus took a quantum leap the day I bought a notebook to go with my Bible. Probably one of the most important decisions I have ever made. I have filled a lot of notebooks since then, but I cannot encourage you enough to keep a spiritual diary; a written record of God's working in your life. Let me describe the beginning of a God day for you. Two tools: the Bible and your Jesus Journal. On the front of it why don't you put these words: something like My Times With Jesus. You say, "What would I do with it?" Well, here: one, ask the Lord to guide you to some book of the Bible He wants you to be studying for the next few days or weeks, knowing what's going to be going on those next few days or weeks.
Secondly, ask the Author - God - to show you something that you can immediately put to work in your life that day. Then thirdly, read a few verses. Read them two or three times, then start writing. Start writing what God is saying in these verses, but in your own words; in fresh non-religious language. Restate it; write it to the Lord.
Then write to the Lord what you're going to do differently today because of what you read. Make sure that you've written the verses and the date down, and then pray through what you've just said and what He said to you. Then tomorrow repeat the process and the next day.
See, now you've looked into God's mirror and you've taken a strong step not to forget what you saw. Isn't it time you begin to keep a written record of God at work in your life? It's exciting! Especially when you're in a down time or a major decision time, you open your Jesus Journal and you see on those pages how God has been speaking to you over these months or even the years.
Don't let your life with Jesus shrivel because you had spiritual writer's cramp. Even if you hate to write, write what He says, because it's too important to forget. And those who don't write it lose it. God's words to you; you don't want to lose them.