God wants to communicate with us each day and uses the Bible, His written Word, to share His heart with us. Ask God each day to speak directly to you from the Scripture portions you read. Be expectant, and let your continual exposure to God’s Word reshape your attitudes and behavior. Use the outline below to help you as you spend time with the Lord
A Guide to Having a Daily Quiet Time or Devotion With The Lord
4 things you will need: a Bible, notebook or journal, pen or pencil, and a quiet place.
When? Have your daily devotion time when you feel you will be most alert and focused and when it is best for you and your schedule. Make it a priority every day.
It is recommended to begin and end with prayer and praise. To remember this, think of a sandwich in which prayer and praise are the two pieces of bread holding together your special daily time with the Lord. In between the bread (your prayer and praise); you will find three words that begin with ‘R’. These three words can be used as a reminder to guide you as you spend time daily with the Lord. As you work through the three ‘R’s, you will enjoy a wonderful spiritual meal with God and learn great truths that will enable you to grow and stay spiritually strong. God will speak to you through His word. To be a true disciple of Christ you must spend time with the Lord and in His word. This is a must for every believer.
Prayer & Praise
When you begin your time with the Lord it is good to start with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100:4). You can begin by thanking God for another day of life, for his many blessings and for His love, mercy, grace and power. We all have so much to be thankful for. After a moment of thanking God in prayer, then begin to praise Him. Praise Him for who He is and how great He is. Tell Him how wonderful He is to you. At this time you can also sing a few worship songs to the Lord. Use this time to really focus on the Lord and loving Him.
The first ‘R’ – stands for Read
At this time, get your Bible and begin to read through it systematically. There are many Bible reading guides available to help you to read through the New Testament or the entire Bible in a year. We have several options for you to choose from. Just click the link on the left to download a PDF of the reading guide you prefer. As you read your devotions write down the Scriptures you read at the top of your notebook/journal and any part of the Scriptures that really stood out to you.
The second ‘R’ – stands for Receive
As you are reading God’s word, what do you believe God is specifically saying to you? What are you receiving from God? Is it a promise from God? Is it a command you are to obey? Are you being encouraged, corrected, challenged comforted or inspired? Are you learning something new about God, yourself or in dealing with others? What wisdom, revelation or truth are you receiving from God and how does it apply to your present circumstances? Write it down.
The third ‘R’ – stands for Respond
After hearing from God through His word you must respond. You are to be a doer of the word not just a hearer (James 1:22). How will you respond? Should you trust God more in some area of your life? Should you confess a sin? Should you simply rejoice in the new truth you discovered that will help you in the future? Should you take time and pray about something? What action should you take? Respond. Write down what you are to do.
Prayer & Praise
At this time thank and praise God for what He has shown you. He has spoken to you through His word. At this time you can also pray for any other needs that you have and for others. Ask in faith and believe God will answer your prayers (Mark 11:24). After you pray, be sure to wait upon the Lord and listen for Him to speak to you (Jeremiah 33:3). Write down anything you feel the Lord is telling you. Remember, whenever God speaks to you it will always be in agreement with His written word.