“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of your crops” (Proverbs 3:9).

This week we have been looking at some spiritual practices we can undertake to prepare ourselves for God to work through our lives. This is a fitting discussion for the season of Advent, as the church prepares to remember the work of Christ and his coming.

Today, we are going to be looking at the spiritual discipline of giving and tithing.

Tithing comes from a Hebrew word meaning “tenth.” It’s the spiritual practice of setting aside the first fruits, the first ten percent for the local church.

As we enter into this Advent season and as we prepare for the new calendar year, I encourage you to look at your practice of giving and tithing.

• We give and tithe because God commands us to do so.
• We give and tithe because God is the giver of all good things.

The first thing about giving and tithing in a God-honoring way is that it has to be planned and intentional. Giving and tithing in a God-honoring way doesn’t happen haphazardly. It takes thought. It takes planning. It takes intentionality.

Think of it this way: Christmas is right around the corner. By now, most of you have been thinking about what to get for your spouse, children, and people you care about. Why? Because you want your gift to represent how much you love them and what they mean to you. What would happen if you showed up Christmas morning and realized that it was time to exchange gifts and you fetched out whatever you had at home and gave that to your spouse. How would that make the receiver of the gift feel? How would that go?

Yet that’s some do when it comes to giving and tithing. They show up to church and then realize it’s time to give and you give whatever you think is right and appropriate on the spot.

When there is no thought and planning to your giving to God, there is little chance such giving honors God.

Tithing and giving doesn’t happen haphazardly. You have to have a plan for giving, generosity, and tithing. You have to think it through. You have to budget.

As we prepare ourselves for the remembering and honoring the coming of Christ into our world, I challenge you to create a plan for tithing, giving, and your generosity. Don’t be haphazardly about it. Be very intentional. Give your best planning to how you will honor God through your tithing and first fruits.

In fact, the only way you’re going to be able to manage to tithe is by planning and budgeting.

Prepare to honor God through your spiritual discipline of tithing and giving this Advent season.

“Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Jesus tells his disciples three times “When you pray…” (Matthew 6:5, 6, 7).

Notice Jesus did not say “If you pray…” Jesus simply states “When you pray…” Jesus assumes that his disciples pray because there is no way for his disciples to follow God without praying.

There are many ways people can organize their prayer life. In this entry I share with you how I organize my prayer life. The main thing is that you are intentional about prayer and that you have a plan. Set aside time everyday to lift up prayers and to listen to God’s guidance.

During this season of Advent as we prepare and remember the purpose of Christ’s coming, I encourage you to make a plan for how you will engage in the practice of prayer. Simply put, there is no such thing as a follower of Jesus who does not pray. Prayer is one of the most important practices of a follower of Jesus Christ.

Here is my weekly prayer schedule:

• Mondays – I pray for missionaries, ministries, pastors, and friends who are abroad
• Tuesdays – I pray for my family
• Wednesdays – I pray for my friends
• Thursdays – I pray for people in the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace
• Fridays – I pray for our session and deacons
• Saturdays – I pray for our church staff
• Sundays – I pray for our weekend worship services

This way, when I promise to be praying for you, I can make sure that I keep my promise to pray for you.

The key to the practice of prayer is to have a plan. Find a plan that works for you and stick to it. God loves to answer prayer and prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have as Christians for God to guide and lead his church.

I pray for you. You are in my prayers because you are loved.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

I am a fan of biographies. I am interested in finding out more about the people I admire. I want to know their habits, practices, routines that helped them to become the leaders they are.

Some of the common characteristics I find in the people I admire are:

• They are journalers. They don’t just experience life. They spend time reflecting on their life. And, it is in this time of reflection that sets them apart from those who merely experience life as it happens.
• They are readers of books and people. They get themselves around good books and good people and they are masters at learning and studying both great thoughts and great people.

I encourage you to pick up a journal and spend time every day reflecting on what you are experiencing. Reflect on what God is doing in your life.

During this season of reflection and preparation in Advent, one of the best practices you can start along with daily bible reading is the practice of journaling.

Here are four things you can write about to help you reflect on what God is doing in your life:

1. Reflect – what am I thankful for?
2. Rejoice – what am I joyful for?
3. Repent – what am I sorry for?
4. Request – what do I need to be praying for?

I dare you to try it. Get in the habit of journaling and spend time in reflecting and processing what God is doing in your life.

Finally, they say it takes about thirty straight days to do something to create a habit or break a habit.

I challenge you to take the thirty day challenge during this Advent season to create the habit of daily quiet times with God. You will be well on your way to growing and maturing in your faith.