Using Your Computer to Help Develop Your Daily Quiet Time."

Does that title seem a bit odd at first glance? We so often hear about problems people have with computers that many people automatically assume that while their computer may not necessarily be a "tool of the devil" they would have a hard time imagining using a computer to help their spiritual growth. To be honest, I used to spend so much time playing around on the computer, it took time away from important things in life. I finally realized that I needed to do something different and use my computer to help me draw closer to God, not use it to fritter away my time doing nothing all the time! Of course, I still use it for fun and recreation, but God has helped me use my computer as a tool for spiritual growth.

The first thing we (my wife and I) did was look to see if there was an update to a Bible program we had. [We found one at Parsons Technology Since then, I have found another source using the NIV at International Mission Board will send out a daily e-mail with a list of the missionaries who have birthdays on that day. We subscribed to the Birthday list but the list manager has a few other choices of prayer lists for you. We pray for the missionaries with birthdays each day. We get a thrill when we see the names of missionaries that we have known personally or have studied in our various mission studies.

But the heart of Spiritual Growth for me has been a growth and intensification in my personal prayer life. We set up a prayer list that we read through and pray for daily. I can't tell you how many times I used to tell people that I would pray for them, or for a specific need, the blissfully go on my merry way and later forget my vow until I see them again. Then, breathing a hurried prayer for the need I had so blithely promised to remember, I would approach the person in question and say, "I've prayed about your need, how are things going?" Now, I move from the phone to the computer, or cut and paste from my email or an Instant Message and put it on the prayer list. Since we are in the habit of praying more regularly, we tend to remember oral requests and rush home to put it on the computer list once we are told of a need. But, there is more to this than just making a list.

In addition to keeping a list of prayer requests, it is much easier to keep a list of answered prayers. We just cut and paste the request and show how it was answered on a list at the bottom of the prayer list. At present, the prayer needs and the answered prayer list are almost the same length. Not bad, but is there more that we can do using the computer to help us pray?

Since so many of my prayer requests come from friends on the computer, I often e-mail those friends for updates or to let them know that I am praying for them. I use a Word Processor that allows hyperlinks and set up an e-mail link to them. I click the link while I am praying, and my e-mail program gets the letter addressed, ready for my input after praying. I can also use this linking capability to keep up-to-date information on prayer requests...especially from missionaries who have sent prayer letters or requests to us. This helps me pray more intelligently and specifically. When I write missionaries to ask them what is happening on their requests, they know that their concerns are being brought to our Heavenly Father.

This list is set up in categories: Lost, Needing Church Home, Church Friends, Internet Friends, Missionaries, Family Needs.... I have it set up for my needs, but you could set up any categories that are important to you. Not all of those who are lost are in the "Lost" category. This is true especially if a friend has asked me to pray for someone. Since they have a ministry to that person, I put them under that person's name. In order to remember to pray for their salvation, their names are in BOLD Print. I do this because reaching people who are lost requires boldness, and this method reminds me to be bold in sharing with them. I am not always bold, but I am always reminded of that nned to be bold!