How to Spend Time with God.

The daily habit of spending time with God in personal prayer and Bible reading is often referred to as devotions. This is discipline of spending time with God in prayer, in worship, in reading His Word and reflecting & applying what God is saying to you.

Here is an article by www.quesionsgod.com that gives some helpful advice on implementing a daily devotional time:

How to Do Daily Devotions Successfully

Takes a little planning to get started with daily devotions. There is no set of rules of what your devotional time will look like, but here are some step by step ways to be successful with your quiet time with God.

1. Pick A Place

Lying in bed with the lights off is not the best place as failure is inevitable. Finding the right place is very important for your success. Have a specific place you go to each day for your daily devotions. A comfortable chair in a quiet place in your home with a good reading light. Keep your Bible, a pen, your journal, devotional Book and a reading plan their. The quiet place could vary depending on your circumstances. Over the years found quiet spots in a 2nd bedroom, basement, backyard, deck, a quiet beach, bench in the park and even kayaking out in the middle of lake. Main thing make it work for you and your situation.

2. Pick A Time

There are not right or wrong time of day in doing devotions. First thing in the morning is the best time to avoid interruptions as phone calls or unexpected visitors or children awake. Always great to start your day off with time with God and it definitely makes the day go smoother. If you view your time spent with God as important it will be easier to commit to each day. Some folks enjoy evenings, please do what works for you. Whatever time you choose, let it be the best time of day for you to have quiet time with our Saviour.

3. Pick A Time Frame

Pick a time that you will be successful at. Only you know how much time realistically you can commit to each day.

Recommend starting with 15 minutes and as time passes you may develop into more time.

Just be realistic in your goal. If you aim too high, you will quickly get discouraged.

4. Spend Time In Prayer

Prayer is simply a two way conversation with God. Just as you would talk to your best friend.

Talk to God, tell Him about your concerns and cares and then listen. God talks to us through His Word the Bible, through other people, through circumstances, and a still small voice.

Most of the time God uses a voice inside us to let us know when we are on or off of the right path. Sometimes that after reading the Bible or having a time of prayer you just be still and mediate on God's word by the Holy Spirit.

Or could be in the middle of the night and you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit talking to about something in your life.

5. Spend Time in Worship

Be thankful. God created us to praise Him. Express your praise and thankfulness in a quiet voice or out load. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people... belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

6. Writing in a Journal or Notebook

Journal or writing in a notebook helps put your thoughts down and stay on track. Give it a try and see if it is for you. Myself personally I use a highlight pen on scriptures and leave little notes in my Bible. When I come back to that passage it is a great reminder and am encouraged to note the progress made. Try it and see if it is for you.

7. IMPORTANT: Make Your Daily Devotion Time a Priority

In life committing to something is hard in getting started. From my experience that is one of the most important commitments you can make, having a devotional time with God. IT IS LIFE CHANGING!! GUARANTEED!

8. Be Flexible With Your Plan

Determine in your heart to stick to it, even when you miss a day or so. Just pray and ask God to help you, and then be sure to start over again the next day. Sometimes it helps to re-evaluate steps 1 to 5 to find the right time and place. Perhaps your plan is no longer working for you. Change it up until you find the perfect fit. Soon it will be a regular routine and I can honestly say it is the most important thing you can do each day. The rewards you will experience as you grow deeper in love with God will be worth it.

8. Pick A Agenda

You don't want to wander aimlessly without purpose in your devotion time and not accomplishing nothing. There are many types of way to have a devotion time here. Decide on how you want to structure your devotion and much time spent on each part. This is explained more in the next few steps.

Here are a few helpful tips on how to study the Bible and grow spiritually this year. Ask God to give you the desire and discipline to spend time with God each day.

9. IMPORTANT: DO A BIBLE STUDY OR A BIBLE READING PLAN

This step is the most important step for a successful time with God. Some folks pick up their Bible and open it up and start reading any place and do the same day after day. That is absolutely the wrong way to do just randomly picking a few verses each day. You will have a difficult time in applying what you read and understanding it.

Some resources we recommend for Bible Reading plans are:

Word for Today. – You can pick up a hard copy of this at our info desk on Sunday or our reception desk during the week. It is also available online: https://vision.org.au/the-word-for-today/

On Smart Phones you can download the YouVersion Bible app that has a large assortment of Bible Reading plans.

Make it a Priority in Your life to form the daily habit of spending time with Jesus!

The Best way we can assist you is to get you to answer some of the above questions so let's go!

1. What place are you going to set aside as a place where you spend time with Jesus? ________________________________________________________________________
2. What time slot are you going to set aside for your quiet time with Jesus? ________________________________________________________________________
3. How long are you going to set as a realistic amount of time to initially spend with Jesus? ________________________________________________________________________
4. Have you set aside a journal and pen, Bible, worship music and anything else you may need? ________________________________________________________________________
5. What resource are you going to utilize to help you with your time with God? ________________________________________________________________________

Your Ready to Go!

Go spend time with Jesus.