image from King's Harbor Church

• When you love someone, you’ll spend time with them. So we should devote some time each day to spend with the Lord.
• We should shut out everything else and totally give that time to God.
• This time should be regular and consistent.
• Begin by reserving 15-30 minutes a day just for the Lord and you, alone.
• Make this time a priority.
• Schedule a time. WHEN WILL IT BE FOR YOU?
• Prepare for it. WHERE WILL IT BE? Put your Bible there tonight. Have it ready for tomorrow.
• Start by praying first. Ask the Lord to help you make this time meaningful.
• Read through the Bible consistently. Don’t skip around. Start in John 1. A Chapter a day.
• Have a notebook handy. What is God saying to you through what you’ve read?
• Pray afterwards, asking God what He wants you to do with what you’ve read.
• Be consistent. Short times each day are better than long times scattered out.
• Expect interruptions. The devil will mess with your plans. Be ready.
• Focus on the One you’re meeting with, not the act.

How do you have your time with the Lord? What are some pointers you can share with us?

This post Spending Time with Jesus originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

I’ve decided that I’ll share portions of these prayers with you from time to time. Here’s a bit of the first prayer, aptly titled The Valley of Vision.

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

This post The Valley of Vision originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

(Thanks to ChurchMag for the link)

This post The Bible in 50 Words originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

When it comes to fiction, my reading preferences usually fall into the thriller genre, something fast-paced. Almost Heaven would not fall into that category. However, it does fall into another small category of mine: one of the best I’ve read.

Fabry has written a gem. Almost Heaven places its reader into the ”so real you can feel it” world of Billy Allman. Billy is a country boy from West Virginia. In the humdrum backwoods of nowhere, his entire life is tragic. We find tragedy in his family, in his friends, and in Billy himself. Unknown to Billy, there’s an angel, Malachi, who has been charged to watch over him. But as the story moves on, Malachi seems to be helped more by Billy than the opposite. Malachi and the reader both learn more about the thing Billy has most: faith.

The story traces Billy’s life from his first tragic event as a nine year old, to a potentially deadly one when Billy is in his forties. And throughout, there’s always the simple faith of a simple man shining into the darkness surrounding them all.

Fabry has done an excellent job in building the character of Billy. Before one gets very far into the story, Billy lives through those pages. I don’t think I’ve connected with any character of any book as quickly and completely as I have with Billy. And the story surrounding Billy draws you in. You’ll find yourself going through each emotion and pain with Billy. You’ll also find yourself celebrating the victories.

This is easily one of the best works of Christian fiction published in the last few years. Fabry is a master at building characters full of life. The message he weaves into Almost Heaven is realistic and redemptive. You can’t go wrong reading this book. I highly recommend Almost Heaven to you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This post A Review of Almost Heaven by Christ Fabry originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

Liparulo’s latest supernatural thriller takes the reader from an archeological dig in the Sinai to the catacombs of Paris. The 13th Tribe, using the latest 21st century technology, is both pursuer and pursued. The family of former Army Ranger and bodyguard, Jagger Baird, find themselves pulled into the pursuit, and Jagger is not happy. With the lives of both his son, Tyler, and his wife, Beth, hanging in the balance, Jagger is joined by the mysterious Owen Letois to set things right.

Liparulo brings another great read to his fans, infused with the underlying principle of grace. Who will find it? Who will refuse it?

Liparulo is one of the best at Christian supernatural fiction. While perhaps not as strong as his previous works, the book is still hard to put down. If you’re a fan of Liparulo, or of any faith-based thriller author, you can’t go wrong with The 13th Tribe.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This post A Review of “The 13th Tribe” by Robert Liparulo originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

Here’s some photos I took in the Kibera slums in 2008.

Photo Album: Nairobi, Kenya 2008

PDF Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2218698/bibles_for_africa.pdf

This post Our PreTeens Need Your Help originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.

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This post Huge Youth Event at LifePointe March 4 originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.

Hearing Only One Side of a Story – http://frankviola.org/2012/02/10/onesideofastory/
Have You Heard? – http://frankviola.org/2008/12/16/guest-article-have-you-heard/

This post Gossip and Slander in the Church originated at robwestbrook.com. See more like this at robwestbrook.com - adventures of a mississippi church planter.