Simple guidelines for daily time in God’s Word and prayer: when to read, what to read, the questions to ask of a passage, how to mark your Bible, and how to pray through the day.
A quiet time is a very important aspect of a believer’s life. Without your daily feeding from God’s Word, you will become a weak Christian. History testifies that no one ever became a strong, stable, vibrant Christian who did not study the Bible on a regular basis. Follow these simple guidelines and you will be on your way to a successful Christian walk.
Proverbs 8:17Select a certain time of the day to read, preferably early in the morning.
Proverbs 8:17 · KJV
17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Psalms 119:18Pray and ask the Lord to open His Word to you.
Psalms 119:18 · KJV
18Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Read a portion, a chapter or two, in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Suggested starting points are Genesis and Luke. Also, it is recommended that a believer read one chapter in the book of Proverbs according to the day of the month. That is, if it is the 15th of the month, then read the 15th chapter. Ask yourself questions during your reading, such as:
Who is doing the talking?
What blessing is being obtained?
What sin is being committed?
Is there a promise that can be claimed?
Why did the Lord put this in the Bible?
Is there an application to my life?
Mark important scriptures by underlining, highlighting, or circling the verse number. Use quotation marks to set off key phrases. Write notes in the margins of your Bible of concepts you have learned. Put a question mark in pencil beside a verse that you do not understand and ask someone older in the Lord to explain it to you. Do not be afraid to mark in your Bible. Underline verses in red that deal with salvation and in blue or green that deal with growth. It will help you in the future as you begin to teach others. Strive to learn the Word so well that you master it. It will take a lifetime.
Jot down on your Daily Outlook any worthy thoughts that the Lord spoke to your heart as you were reading. (By the way, make many copies of the Daily Outlook form and use them on a daily basis to challenge you in your walk.)
Complete the lower portion of the Daily Outlook by reflecting back on yesterday’s activities to discern what took place.
Psalms 55:17; Daniel 6:10Pray that the Lord would lead you today. Develop a habit of praying three times each day. Try to pray for at least five minutes each time.
Psalms 55:17 · KJV
17Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Daniel 6:10 · KJV
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Periodically, approximately every 3 months, evaluate yourself using the Quarterly Analysis. Challenge yourself on areas that need improvement. Pray to the Lord for grace to help you overcome in areas in which you seem to be weak.
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