Sunday, January 21, 2018

Todd Galberth's "Decrease" Devotional Notes: Day 21

In an earlier post on Todd Galberth's "Decrease" devotional, I focused on how a horizontal relationship with people was an important reflection of a vertical relationship with God. Today's section however was all about going "Vertical," how to begin a relationship with God and how to keep it consistent.

Todd Galberth - "Decrease" devotional / Todd Galberth online store 

Todd explained in this section that the primary way to keep the spark alive in our relationship with "Our Father" (today's "Medicine Music" by Bethel) is to make time to pray. This devotional has been instrumental in teaching me how to do that more effectively. Using "Decrease" as a guide has made my prayer life more clear-cut. Over the course of the last 21 days, I've used each section, especially the "Pray This With Me" portion, as a springboard for my own personal prayer time.

Another thing Todd pointed out is that we have to use our prayer time to speak God's Word over ourselves. In the devotional, each day's lesson is, of course, grounded in scripture. It helps that each section opens with a specific passage that fits that particular message. I often find myself using the opening scripture as a point of reference when I go into reflection/prayer.

As you can tell from these posts, each day's reading gives me something new to think about while strategically building on the previous day's message. Each of Todd's points stacks up and then folds nicely into one cohesive overarching theme: Decrease. I said it before, and I'll say it again: "Decrease" is more than just a declaration, it's effort and dedication. If you really want to go "vertical," you have to lift Him higher--higher than your own will, higher than your own wants, higher than your doubts, confusion, insecurities, and every other force in your life that wants you to stay where you are.

I turned the last page of this devotional today, but the book doesn't close here. I plan to continue to apply the principles I learned in these 21 days to several areas of my life. I'll reread this devotional whenever I need a reminder that God is ALWAYS bigger, stronger, and more important than anything I'm doing or dealing with. I want to minimize my desires so that God can maximize His light in my life. I hope you'll do the same.

Let's close this out with a prayer:

Lord, do a clean sweep of my heart. Remove everything that tries to keep me from Your promises for my life. Teach me how to fully submit to You. From now on, I'm making You my top priority. No more excuses. I apologize for all the times I failed to put You first. I place my heart, my plans, my hopes and dreams in Your hand where they belong. Don't let my will get in the way. Purge my spirit of every thought and desire that is not in line with Your agenda. Maximize Yourself within me so that when people see me, they see You. Let my declaration of 'Decrease' be an action word that I put in motion every day of my life. Thank You for the work that You have done, are doing, and will do in and through me. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

Check out yesterday's notes here. Also, I made a playlist of all of "Decrease"'s Medicine Music on YouTube. If you purchase the devotional (If you haven't, what are you waiting for?!), it makes it easier to have all the music in one place. Listen to the playlist here.

3 comments: