How To Establish A Daily Quiet Time
Written by: Lois Turley
The maple tree is prized for its cool summer shade, its beautiful woodgrain, its red fall foliage, and its delightful sap. It has weathered many storms by sending its roots deep. The maple spends its days absorbing nutrients from the earth and the sun, and drinking moisture from God's bounty.
The cold winter nights are essential for the tree to be able to produce its sweet syrup in the Spring. The colder winter, the greater the sap production. But the cold winter night doesn't hurt the maple because it has stored God's nutrients in its trunk.
We could learn a lesson from the maple. We live such shallow lives, indulging our flesh but neglecting our spiritual needs. Then we wonder why our leaves are sparse, our woodgrain is blemished, our foliage is faded, and our sap is bittersweet.
God said, "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:13. Just as the maple drinks the moisture that God provides, so do we need to drink from God's fountains of living waters in His Word instead of looking to the world to quench our thirst.
Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4. God' has given us His Word in the Scriptures. How different our lives would be if we would take time to feed on the Spiritual nutrients there!
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Psalm 1:1-3.
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8
A daily Quiet Time with God helps us achieve the purpose and serenity we all look for. Just as we need nutrients from food for our physical bodies each day, we need nourishment of God's Word for our emotional and spiritual needs. We need to send our roots deep into His precepts in order to weather our storms. We need His guidance and wisdom for our cold winter nights.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO HAVE A QUIET TIME?
Some people spend a portion of their lunch hour alone with God. Young mothers often snatch the time while their children are napping. People who commute for long distances to work often use this time to pray and listen to an audiocassette of Scripture. The disadvantages of this method are the inability to take notes while driving, and the fact that most people don't work seven days a week.
The time you choose to spend with Him will be based upon whatever your schedule allows. Ask God to help you find the time that is best for you. The most important thing is that you set aside a definite time. It is too easy for our good intentions to get lost in the shuffle of life is we don't make a definite commitment here. Plan to spend some time listening to Him through Bible reading. Plan to spend another portion of this time talking with him through prayer.
If you miss a day, you will find that things seem more complicated, stressful. Don't despair, just ask Him to forgive you if you missed your time with Him through neglect. Ask Him to help you get back on target the next day.
WHAT IS A GOOD TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE TO USE?
The King James Version (KJV) has stood the test of time. It is all the English speaking world had for centuries. Because this is the translation that God allowed to be provided to so many for so long, many people feel that we should not depart from it. Its poetical beauty is unmatched by any other translation.
However, because of its archaic language, many people find the KJV difficult to understand in our day. There are several good translations available today.
The New King James Version (NKJV) is very similar to the KJV, retaining much of the poetical beauty and original form. But archaic words are updated, making it easier to comprehend.
The New International Version (NIV) is a personal favorite of mine. The New American Standard Version (NASB) is also a good translation. These two translations are easy to understand, yet they retain a formal beauty in language.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) published by the American Bible Society is another good translation, written in a more everyday language.
If you choose to study from a translation other than the KJV, it is best to use a copy of the KJV alongside your other translation, so that you are always comparing with the translation that God has allowed to be the standard for so long.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD DAILY DEVOTIONALS?
There are many good study Bibles available today. Here are some free online devotionals. If you are interested in get FREE devotional books, see our online book store.
Daily Devotional Links:
Experiencing God
Our Daily Bread
Back to the Bible Daily Devotional
HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH DAILY DEVOTIONALS?
There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs. This book contains the most profound wisdom man has ever known.
Plan to read a chapter each day, one for each day of the month. Read the one that corresponds to that day. For example, on the 17th of the month, read Proverbs 17.
If you miss a day, you don't have to try to catch up. Just read the Proverb for the appointed day. You may want to read these Proverbs in a different translation each month.
A Psalm a Day to Drive the Devil Away
Years ago a pastor shared this item. I have no idea where the original source is, but it has been helpful to many. Just read the Psalm listed each day, and start over the next week. You will read the same seven Psalms every week. These Psalms were selected because they are so meaningful to the issues we face today.
Monday-Psalms 73 "Problem of the prosperity of the wicked"
Tuesday-Psalms 103 "Praise for all God's blessings"
Wednesday-Psalms 37 "Cool it! Walk by faith"
Thursday-Psalms 139 "God's all-seeing eye"
Friday-Psalms 122 "Joyful anticipation of God's house"
Saturday-Psalms 51 "The need for cleansing"
Sunday-Psalms 43 "Cleansed, and ready for worship and service"
Ideas for Branching Out
Don't limit yourself to only Psalms or Proverbs however. You need a plan that will nurture you from all the Spiritual food groups of God's Word. Here are some ways to accomplish that:Use the concordance in the back of your Bible or a Bible promise book (several types of these are available in Christian bookstores) to find all the promises you can in the Bible. Determine which promises are unconditional and which ones are based upon a condition that we must meet.
Use your concordance to study the lives Bible people. Try to determine what made them great, or what made them fall short. Notice how God worked in their lives, and their responses. Learn from their examples.
Read and study one book of the Bible at a time. Read a chapter, or just a few verses each day. If you are new to Bible study, try starting with the book of St. John, then read Acts and continue on through the New Testament. Then go back to Genesis and begin reading the Old Testament.
When you come to the "begets and begots" and other passages which seem boring, just skip over these for now. God has them there for a reason, and some day you will want to go back and explore the truths hidden underneath their surface.
If you come to something you don't understand, just try to apply the things you do understand. None of us understands the Bible completely. It has very simple as well as very profound truths in it. God will gradually teach us more and more as we read it. The things that are hard to understand at first will become easier to understand as we study the Bible as a whole.
Tuesday-Psalms 103 "Praise for all God's blessings"
Wednesday-Psalms 37 "Cool it! Walk by faith"
Thursday-Psalms 139 "God's all-seeing eye"
Friday-Psalms 122 "Joyful anticipation of God's house"
Saturday-Psalms 51 "The need for cleansing"
Sunday-Psalms 43 "Cleansed, and ready for worship and service"
Ideas for Branching Out
Don't limit yourself to only Psalms or Proverbs however. You need a plan that will nurture you from all the Spiritual food groups of God's Word. Here are some ways to accomplish that:Use the concordance in the back of your Bible or a Bible promise book (several types of these are available in Christian bookstores) to find all the promises you can in the Bible. Determine which promises are unconditional and which ones are based upon a condition that we must meet.
Use your concordance to study the lives Bible people. Try to determine what made them great, or what made them fall short. Notice how God worked in their lives, and their responses. Learn from their examples.
Read and study one book of the Bible at a time. Read a chapter, or just a few verses each day. If you are new to Bible study, try starting with the book of St. John, then read Acts and continue on through the New Testament. Then go back to Genesis and begin reading the Old Testament.
When you come to the "begets and begots" and other passages which seem boring, just skip over these for now. God has them there for a reason, and some day you will want to go back and explore the truths hidden underneath their surface.
If you come to something you don't understand, just try to apply the things you do understand. None of us understands the Bible completely. It has very simple as well as very profound truths in it. God will gradually teach us more and more as we read it. The things that are hard to understand at first will become easier to understand as we study the Bible as a whole.
HOW CAN WE PRAY FOR YOU?
Our prayer team loves to pray for the needs of our readers! We would love to pray for you too! Email your prayer requests to us and a member of our prayer team will pray with you in a one-on-one private email setting. Need additional support? You can join our private Facebook group of other like-minded women who support and lift each other up.
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This article is Copyright ©1981-2010 by Lois Turley from the original website "Hope Undivided" (no longer in existence). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Labels: Bible Studies, Blog, Foundations Of Faith
posted by Denise @ December 05, 2022
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