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by Michael Parrott (Author)
His Heart, My Heart - Devotional Transformation introduces you to the Devotional Life from Matthew 6:5-13. While the importance of the Devotional Life can be caught, the practice of it must be taught. We need to re-tool or re-boot our personal time with God so it moves through the stages of discipleship in response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit begins this process the moment a believer comes to faith in God through accepting Jesus Christ as his or her Savior and Lord. It is at that time that the Holy Spirit begins drawing a believer into communication with God as his or her Father by crying out "Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6). This cry is not a quiet voice but a loud one. This is a cry of prayer. Calling God Father and being drawn into His presence in Heaven, before His throne is just the start of spending time with Him that will continue on into eternity (John 17:3). This also begins the transformational process and sustains it. That means that learning prayer as the Devotional Life as found in Matthew 6:5-13 is critical to all true, daily, transformation. As God transforms you there will be changes that take place in your practice of the Devotional Life through each stage of the discipleship process. You will move from "self-focus" to "others-focus" and finally to "God-focus". While these build upon each other, many today are stuck in the "self-focus" stage of discipleship and this will be reflected in their time with God too. We tend to define the Devotional Life according to our own personality strength - a strong thinker, feeler, or doer. The result is that we make time with God all about us. Yes, it is true that God wants us to have new thoughts about Him and His ways. He also wants us to feel close to Him and loved by Him. And of course we are to do things as He prescribes. However, the goal of spending time with God is not just to benefit us personally. It is designed by God with a unique goal, destination, in mind. Therefore, we need to re-tool our Devotional Life in light of His teaching on it. In this book you will discover that the practice of spending time with God was the only skill the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them. But, of critical importance here, it must be taught. Chapter one will explain the Devotional Life as Prayer. Right in the center of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches this practice. This is the first discourse of five that Jesus teaches on Discipleship in the book of Matthew. This skill occurs in other Biblical books as well as in early church teaching (cf. Didache - a 120 AD church manual) as the first thing a new disciple needs to learn. In this book you will also discover how the Devotional Life of Prayer changes through each stage of Discipleship as the author walks you through his own 47 year journey. Finally, you will take 40-days to walk word by word, phrase by phrase, and verse by verse through Matthew 6:5-13 to be trained in the Biblical Devotional Life. In the appendix you will find tools on how you can lead others through this book in a one-on-one or small group structure over seven weeks. This forms the foundational transformational structure for moving towards making disciples who make disciples. Come enjoy the journey and experience a Devotional Transformation that will continue for the rest of your life to daily transform you into His image for His glory.
Author Biography
Dr. Michael Parrott is married to Tracey and they have four adult children and seven grandchildren. He holds a D.Min. in Outreach and Discipleship from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (2010), a M.Div. in Pastoral Theology from Western Seminary (1981), and a B.S. in Biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University (1974). He served for 30 years on the full-time staff of CRU High School and has been a CRU Affiliate Staff since 2004. He taught both undergrad and graduate classes in practical theology at Cedarville University for 13 years. In 2017 he began His Heart, My Heart Transformations in order to promote among believers humble hearts that pray and shepherd leaders who can lead others through all the stages of discipleship to make disciples who make disciples. Through offering both one-day training on Devotional Transformation and on Shepherd Leadership Transformational Training as well as on-going consultations with individuals, small groups, churches, and para-local church organizations it is the author's prayer that God will send "times of refreshing from Him" and that we would see God "rend the heavens and come down" as it says in Isaiah 64:1 as believers align their hearts with God's heart.
