DeanTrune

The following is a web version of instructions on putting together a Spiritual Journal. Each section takes the form of a notebook divider tab for the Spiritual Journal prepared by Dean Trune. Each of the six (6) divisions are listed below. Actual notebook divider tabs can be acquired by sending $5.00 to the address at the bottom of this page. The money generated by this project does not go to Dean Trune.

Daily Journal

I am not looking to be more religious but to be more intimate with God. Intimacy with God will only occur as I take an honest daily assessment of my heart. This section of my Spiritual Journal focuses on putting God in the center of my daily schedule and assessing my heart from His perspective.

"You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with your whole heart." --Jeremiah 29:13

Directions: I begin this section each day by writing out specific prayer requests for the day. These prayer requests change from day-to-day. I am looking to see God move supernaturally everyday of my life. If I don't pray specifically then I cannot expect to see how God specifically answers my prayer requests. I normally have between three and ten specific prayer requests for each day depending upon my schedule.

Next, I study God's Word. I typically study through a book of the Bible taking a few verses each day. I will begin each day with the next verse and write down thoughts or phrases or ideas (gold nuggets) that are applicable to me. I continue reading and studying until I have four or five things written down which could mean that I have covered one verse or ten verses. The number of verses that I cover each day is not important. It is more important to me to find a "gold nugget" from God's Word that has application to my life that day. God will invariably teach me something that day about one of the "gold nuggets" that I wrote down in the morning.

I return to this page the next morning to answer the following four assessment questions:
What was significant about what I studied in God's Word? Which gold nugget did God use to teach me today?
How did God specifically answer prayer? How did God answer the specific prayer requests that I wrote out?
What happened in spiritual warfare? How was I being tempted? I can normally remember at least three.
Overall, what did God teach me today? I sat in God's classroom for 24 hours, what was His teaching theme.

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An Example From My Journal

Specific Prayer Requests:
God would deeply anoint the workshop and the sermon and I would see God humble hearts supernaturally
I would have a humble servant's heart
Shane and Joel would allow God to move them
God would bring revival to this church
I would be supersensitive to the Holy Spirit
safe, trouble-free, and timely travel
Denise would know what God desires of her
God would raise up someone to fund a project
Tera would say "yes" to Jesus
Sunday January 31, 1999

I Peter 5:13-14

We have been chosen together
Greet one another
Love one another affectionately
Peace is ours in Christ

(What was significant about what I studied in God's Word?)
1. Peace is ours in Christ

(How did God specifically answer prayer?)
2. God deeply anointed the workshop and the AM worship. I saw God supernaturally move and humble people's hearts. Over 25 people stepped out at the invitation. God helped me with a humble servant's heart. Joel allowed God to move his heart. I saw God bring revival to this church. God helped me be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. God graciously provided safe, trouble free, and timely travel. Denise knows God wants her in ministry. Tera became a Christian today.

(What happened in spiritual warfare?)
3. pride, disappointment, impatience, doubt

(Overall, what did God teach me today?)
4. God can powerfully move hearts.

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Listening Journal

In this section of my Spiritual Journal, I record what I sense God "telling" me in my listening times with Him. When I have a "restless" spirit I attempt to stop and listen or when He wakes me in the middle of the night, I grab my journal and Bible and spend time listening.

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." --John 14:26

"whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'" --Isaiah 30:21

Directions: After getting quiet before God, I write down the date. God will either lead me to pray for someone or He will lead me to a particular scripture from His Word. If God leads me to a particular scripture, I write it down and either write out the passage or write out some notes from the passage. Often God will put a scripture passage in my mind and I normally do not know what it says until I turn to it and read it. Typically, the scripture passage will speak to something currently happening in my life or something that is about to happen. I love to come back to this section and review what God led me to write.

Here is an actual entry from my joumal:

March 23,1999
Judges 12:5-6
The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. They found out who was an Ephraimite by asking questions and telling them to say "Shibboleth".

Conclusion:
be shrewd as foxes and innocent as doves
speech can betray us
recognize the enemy
ask the right questions

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Fasting Journal

I believe that a Fasting Journal adds another dimension to the spiritual discipline of fasting and helps to maintain a better focus during a fast.

"But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." --Matthew 6:17-18

Directions: Determine the length of the fast and the type of fast. Write down the dates, the length, and the objectives of the fast. As God provides insights or answers prayer, write them down.

Example:
February 22,1999 1-day fast

Kim's heart would be passionate for God
Staff and finances for Harvest
God would supernaturally bless our time in Australia
Our newsletter would be sent out this week
A humble and trusting heart for me

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Prayer Journal

I have spread my long-term prayer list over six days. I intercede for some people all six days and for others anywhere from one to three times each week.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you." --Matthew 7:7

"You do not have because you do not ask God." --James 4:2b

Directions: I determine if God wants me to intercede for someone before I add them to my prayer journal. If the requests are short-term in nature, I put them on a card and place in the front pocket of my Spiritual Journal. I try to update that list every two to three weeks. For the long-term prayer requests listed in this section, I try to update them every two to three years. I break down my long-term prayer requests into the following categories:

Wisdom: I pray for wisdom in a different area each day.

Family: I intercede for my family daily.

Ministry: I intercede for my board and staff daily.

Churches: I intercede for different churches during the week.

Overseas Ministries: I intercede for various overseas ministries either twice or three times duririg the week.

U.S. Ministries: I intercede for various US ministries anywhere from once to three times during the week.

Government: I intercede for the President and his wife three times each week and the judicial system three times a week.

Non-Christian groups: I pray for several cults and anti-Christian groups three times each week.

Friends: I intercede for a variety of friends once to three times each week.

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Meditation

Meditating on God's Word brings it to life within our hearts. There are some amazing promises for those who meditate on God's Word.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night He is like a tree planted by the water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." --Psalm 1:2-3

"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." --James 1:25

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" --Hebrews 5:14

Directions: List out the passages that you have memorized and review them at least once a month. Add to your meditation list on a regular basis. I put my meditation list on a computer-spreadsheet with thirteen columns. I use one column for the passages that I have memorized and one column for each month of the year. I simply check off each month when I review the memorized passage.

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Divine Appointments

God intentionally brings people across our path. I believe He does so on a regular basis because He wants us to intercede for them. These are people who sit next to me on airplanes, wait on me in restaurants, or stand next to me in a line. I usually make this request, "God always brings someone across my path who has something in their life that I can be praying about. What could I pray for you?" I call them divine appointments. I keep a list of the divine appointments that God provides. I ask for a prayer request and I commit to pray for the request for a month or two. I usually pray for the request for over a year.

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; making the most of every opportunity." --Colossians 4:5

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you may have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." --Philemon 6

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." --Ephesians 5:15

Directions: Write down the date of the divine appointment, the person's first name (and last if you receive it), and his/her prayer request. Pick a day of the week to intercede for your divine appointments.

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Developed by:

Dean Trune
Impact Ministries International
4597 Chippewa Drive
Okemos, MI 48864

(517) 349-7783
[email protected]