“That I may know Christ….” (Phil. 3:10, NIV) “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Christ—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and clearly.” (Phil. 3:10, Amplified Bible) Steps for a daily quiet time—Pray about it. Ask the Lord to help you find the best time and place, and to help you make and keep your commitment. Begin your quiet time with a brief prayer of surrender (5-10 minutes): Worship—tell the Lord why you love Him (Lord, I love You because…). Confess specific sins—and ask for His help not to repeat them. Surrender your life—acknowledge that you belong to Him, that You want His will to be done. This prayer will establish your personal connection with the Lord, and open the door for continued prayer throughout the day—praying for yourself and others whenever your hands are busy and your mind is free. Find a Bible you can easily understand. The Life Application Bible has wonderful notes and is available in many different translations and paraphrases. Spend a few minutes reading your Bible. Open it with a prayer asking the Lord to help you understand and apply what you read to your life. If you don’t have time first thing in the morning, sit down with your Bible at a quiet moment later in the day. Select a reading plan that will help you read through the entire Bible in a year or two. Tim LaHaye’s book How to study the Bible for Yourself has an excellent one, encouraging us to read whole books, more than once. He suggests beginning with the New Testament, and spending about 15 minutes reading 2-5 chapters a day: 1 John, read 7 times John, 2 times Mark, 2 times Galatians through Philemon, one time each Luke, Acts, Romans, one time each The New Testament, beginning to end, twice You might choose to use a devotional book that is based on scripture. One we highly recommend is Time with God. It will take you through the entire New Testament in a year. Each day’s reading is only two pages, including a few verses from the Old Testament and a few paragraphs from a Christian author, such as Chuck Swindoll. |