Organizing My the Best Part of My Day
At the end of last week I wrote about the first part of my day being the best part of my day. The first part of my day is the best part of my day because that is when I spend concentrated time alone with the Lord. For those of you who are interested, provided below is a brief summary of how I spend my time alone with the Lord. Perhaps you can use the tool for your personal quiet time.
I divide my time into six segments:
STUDY: First, I read the Scripture. I read my New Testament Bible reading for the year. CrossPoint is presently working through the Gospel of Luke. I usually read the passage several times, check the cross-references, and make notes in my Bible or journal. Next, I take a few minutes to study a key passage(s) the Lord has recently used to speak to me. Some current key passages include Psalm 130; Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 10:35-45. Finally, I take a few minutes to work on my Scripture memorization. This time of reading, studying and memorizing usually takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, or longer.
PRAISE: I spend the next 10 to 15 minutes of my time alone with God praising Him. Praise is acknowledging who God is; it is attributing to God who He is. During my time of praise I use songs, hymns, CDs, and Scripture. Some of my favorite Scriptures of praise include: 1 Chronicles 28:10-14; Psalm 100, 139, & 150; Colossians1:15-20; & Revelation 5:11.
THANKS: I spend the next several minutes giving thanks to God. Thanksgiving is expressing gratitude to God for all that He has done. Thanksgiving is easy once you get started. I try to think of a dozen items for which I can express thanks. My whining throughout the day decreases the more I give thanks.
CONFESSION: I spend a concentrated time asking the Lord to reveal to me the sin in my life that demands confession. Psalm 139:23-24 is a great passage to pray while asking the Lord to reveal to you what to confess. Confession is agreeing with God about your sin. Confession is not a matter of informing God about your sin; He already knows about our sin. Confession is a matter of agreeing with God about our sin; admitting to Him that it is wrong. Confession is the key to communion with God. I have found I can never spend enough time confessing my sin.
OTHERS: By now I have invested an hour or more in study and prayer. It is usually at this point I have the urge to get on with my day. Most of the time I resist that urge, because this is when my prayer life becomes dynamic. This is when I pray for others. I pray first for my family, then for my friends. I conclude by praying for you, my sheep.
MYSELF: I learned a long time ago to wait to the end to pray for myself. When I do, I usually cannot recall my needs; they seem to dissipate as I pray for others. After spending concentrated time praising God, giving thanks, confessing sin, praying for others, there is usually very little to pray about for myself.
This method for a quiet time can become burdensome if you used legalistically. If you follow the Spirit, however, it can be very liberating. Any time you follow the Spirit, it is liberating.
Keep the faith.
I divide my time into six segments:
STUDY: First, I read the Scripture. I read my New Testament Bible reading for the year. CrossPoint is presently working through the Gospel of Luke. I usually read the passage several times, check the cross-references, and make notes in my Bible or journal. Next, I take a few minutes to study a key passage(s) the Lord has recently used to speak to me. Some current key passages include Psalm 130; Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 10:35-45. Finally, I take a few minutes to work on my Scripture memorization. This time of reading, studying and memorizing usually takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, or longer.
PRAISE: I spend the next 10 to 15 minutes of my time alone with God praising Him. Praise is acknowledging who God is; it is attributing to God who He is. During my time of praise I use songs, hymns, CDs, and Scripture. Some of my favorite Scriptures of praise include: 1 Chronicles 28:10-14; Psalm 100, 139, & 150; Colossians1:15-20; & Revelation 5:11.
THANKS: I spend the next several minutes giving thanks to God. Thanksgiving is expressing gratitude to God for all that He has done. Thanksgiving is easy once you get started. I try to think of a dozen items for which I can express thanks. My whining throughout the day decreases the more I give thanks.
CONFESSION: I spend a concentrated time asking the Lord to reveal to me the sin in my life that demands confession. Psalm 139:23-24 is a great passage to pray while asking the Lord to reveal to you what to confess. Confession is agreeing with God about your sin. Confession is not a matter of informing God about your sin; He already knows about our sin. Confession is a matter of agreeing with God about our sin; admitting to Him that it is wrong. Confession is the key to communion with God. I have found I can never spend enough time confessing my sin.
OTHERS: By now I have invested an hour or more in study and prayer. It is usually at this point I have the urge to get on with my day. Most of the time I resist that urge, because this is when my prayer life becomes dynamic. This is when I pray for others. I pray first for my family, then for my friends. I conclude by praying for you, my sheep.
MYSELF: I learned a long time ago to wait to the end to pray for myself. When I do, I usually cannot recall my needs; they seem to dissipate as I pray for others. After spending concentrated time praising God, giving thanks, confessing sin, praying for others, there is usually very little to pray about for myself.
This method for a quiet time can become burdensome if you used legalistically. If you follow the Spirit, however, it can be very liberating. Any time you follow the Spirit, it is liberating.
Keep the faith.
1 comment:
Just wanted to say "Thanks!" This has been very helpful!
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