How to Have a Quiet Time with God

'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable

things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

There are many ways to describe the act of spending time each day connecting with God

Spending time with God is how we come to know him...

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

John 17:3 (NIV)

Spending time with God is how we come to know him...

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship

of sharing in his sufferings... Philippians 3:10 (NIV)

Spending time with God is how we come to know him...

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a

liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4 (NIV)

Spending time with God is how we come to know him...

Do you want more and more of God's kindness and peace? Then learn

to know him better and better. 2 Peter 1:2 (TLB)

Spending time with God is how we come to know him...

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly

life. We have received all of this by coming to know him...

2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)

The only real reason to have a

daily Quiet Time is so we can really

KNOW GOD

Helps for how to have a

QUIET TIME

#1...Select a Time

Questions to ponder...•Am I a morning person or a night person?

•When is the best time for me with the least distractions?

God, my time with you will be...

___________

#2...Select a place

Questions to ponder...•Where is the best place for me with the least distractions?

•Will you need access to table, books or a computer?

•Will the place help you to stay alert?

God, my place with you will be...

___________

#3...Select a Bible

Questions to ponder...•Translations

#3...Select a Bible

Questions to ponder...•Translations

Graded Reading Levels

•King James (1611)........................................... 12th

•New American Standard (1971).........................11th

•Holman Christian Standard (2000).....................9-10th

•New International (1978)................................. 7-8th

•New Living (1996)............................................ 6-7th

•Message (2002)............................................... 4-5th

#3...Select a Bible

Questions to ponder...•Translations•Study helps

Commentary notes are designed for biblical understanding (Disciple’s Study Bible, Bible

Knowledge Commentary) or for application (Life Application

Study Bible, Men’s or Women’s Study Bibles)

God, the version(s) of the Bible I will look into is/are...

___________

#4...Select a Bible reading plan

Questions to ponder...•What is the depth of my knowing?

NEW BELIEVER.........................................SEASONED VETERAN

•What am I needing to discover about God? WHO HE IS, HOW TO RELATE TO OTHERS,

FAITH, APPLICATION, OBEDIENCE, ETC...

•What is going on in my life? IS THIS A

BUSY SEASON, A SLOWER SEASON, A SEASON OF STRESS, A SEASON OF REFLECTION, A SEASON TO PREPARE, ETC...

#4...Select a reading planTypes of schedules found at

http://faith.propadeutic.com/schedules/index.html

• This schedule takes you through the entire Bible in canonical order (from Genesis to Revelation) in 300 days. This is a basic "through-the-year" technique

• Use this one if you'd like to read the Old Testament in the morning and the New Testament at night.

• A similar schedule allows you to get through the New Testament twice on your way through the OT.

• To keep from getting bogged down, you could read the OT on weekdays and the NT on weekends.

• The classic devotional approach: Old Testament, New Testament, some poetry, and a proverb or two.

• A chronological approach will have you jumping around a lot, but places psalms, prophets, and letters in their historical context.

#4...Select a reading planTypes of schedules found at

http://faith.propadeutic.com/schedules/index.html The following are shorter reading schedules covering portions of the Bible, if

there's a certain section you'd like to zero in on:• Through the Old Testament in Six Months. (130 verses a day) • Through the Old Testament in Four Months. (200 verses a day) • Through the New Testament in Three Months. (90 verses a day) • Through the Pentateuch in 50 Days. (120 verses a day)

(The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Old Testament.) • Through the Psalms in 50 Days. (50 verses a day) • Through the New Testament in 40 Days. (200 verses a day)

(This is a good way to observe Lent.) • Through the Former Prophets in 30 Days. (150 verses a day) • Through the Latter Prophets in 30 Days. (160 verses a day) • Through the Gospels in 30 Days. (125 verses a day) • Through the Epistles in 30 Days. (105 verses a day)

#4...Select a reading plan

Devotional Guides

God, the Bible reading plan I will

use to begin knowing you will

be...

___________

#5...Respond to His Word in Prayer

Simply put, prayer is talking to God...•We pray without ceasing (1 THES 5:17)

This is spontaneous connecting with God

•We pray with a purpose (MATT 6:9-13)

This is praying with objectives in mind

How to Pray with Purpose...

• First, respond to what God has said to you in his Word

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us

realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do

what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

How to Pray with Purpose...

• First, respond to what God has said to you in his Word

• Pray in all the important sub-categories–Adoring who God is...

–Confessing our sin and shortcomings

–Thanking him for what he has done

–Supplying of the needs of others and ourselves

How to Pray with Purpose...

• First, respond to what God has said to you in his Word

• Pray in all the important sub-categories

• Keep a prayer list or journal–Keeps you organized and mindful–Daily vs. Weekly supplications

God, I will grow in purposeful prayer by

___________

Will your quiet time be

RELATIONSHIP

ORRITUAL