QUIET TIMES

[irishcowboy]

a challenge was put out a month ago this saterday at our mens group meeting....

that challenge was that we spend some time each and every day in the Word.

I took the challenge as did several others..... the way i took it was in addition to what i was already doing...... the challenge was not to place a time frame or time limit or a number of pages or chapters or verses, but just spend time in the word each and every day.....

I am being held accountable to another person that also took the challenge, i report to them and also encourage them to keep reading/studying..... and by reporting my progress or status of my reading, it is almost like making me do it, even if it is out of pride that I can keep going, it will make it easier to get into the word....

even thou i have other studies i am doing, I am doing this and when i started, i thought i would make it thru a couple books, the first few days, was the most difficult... since then there have been times that I had to force myself to stop so i could get some work done. even if I am tired, and have not yet done my reading ( i try to read in the morning ) I will stop adn at least get a chapter done in the evening..... like was said above, even 5 minutes.....

thru out he day i do ready and study and sing and worship, that is what God wants, is a personal relationship with us, not a master slave, but a Father son, Father daughter......

there are many things that a person can subscribe to on the net, and receive them in their email, such as Cross Daily, God's Work ministries, GrassFire, Guidepost on line, JVI ministries, Prime Time with God, Cross Soliers, and lots of other things a person can have emailed to them every day, which gives them a way to look at the Word of God while checking their email ....

mainly, just communing with God on a daily bassis and a person will want to do it more then just a few minutes..... kind of like running, as a person first starts, it is hard to get one lap done on the track, and then two laps, then three, then one mile, after that one mile is not a problem, and a person heads for two miles... and their time decreases, and their distance increases, and pretty soon, they reach a high that can only be experienced by those that strive to reach higher standaards, a high that comes after the second wind and then the high of hitting and breaking thru the WALL.......... the more you run the more you want to run.... the more you get to know God, the more you want to get to know God....

mike

[J.C.]

I also, when tempted, ask Jesus Christ to Defend me. You know:

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He is my shepherd and he will defend His sheep from the wolves!

[J.C.]

Oh and I have just recently got really serious about studying the Word, and I have started with the Gospels first. I was bouncing around, but I was not really learning what I wanted to know. So i figured Christ is the most important thing so I should start with Him. However, I am not totaly exclusive to the gospels, I do read and cross reference through the letters. As far the OT, I have not even touched that, well as far as studying goes.

[Christ's Free Servant]

mainly, just communing with God on a daily bassis and a person will want to do it more then just a few minutes.....  kind of like running, as a person first starts, it is hard to get one lap done on the track, and then two laps, then three, then one mile, after that one mile is not a problem, and a person heads for two miles... and their time decreases, and their distance increases, and pretty soon, they reach a high that can only be experienced by those that strive to reach higher standaards, a high that comes after the second wind and then the high of hitting and breaking thru the WALL.......... the more you run the more you want to run.... the more you get to know God, the more you want to get to know God....

mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mike,

Thank you so much for sharing these words. This is so true!! If people could see what you see. So many people think of a QT as a chore or a duty, but if they could think of it as spending time with the love of their life what a difference it could make! The more time I spend with God the more I want to spend time with him. You have said it so well!

[Christ's Free Servant]

Oh and I have just recently got really serious about studying the Word, and I have started with the Gospels first. I was bouncing around, but I was not really learning what I wanted to know. So i figured Christ is the most important thing so I should start with Him. However, I am not totaly exclusive to the gospels, I do read and cross reference through the letters. As far the OT, I have not even touched that, well as far as studying goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

J.C.

Thanks so much for sharing! I understand that it is best to begin with the gospels, but the OT is so rich in truth. But, it can be tedious sometimes and difficult to get much out of it as far as practical Christian living until you have spent more time in the word. I would suggest maybe beginning in Genesis and reading through the OT one book at a time and read a chapter or two a day along with the NT. I have been doing that and it helps a lot to have both. Or, read the Psalms or Proverbs along with either the OT or NT passages you are reading. I think it helps to have some variety. But, that's me! Thanks again for sharing!

[Christ's Free Servant]

I also, when tempted, ask Jesus Christ to Defend me. You know:

Psa 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He is my shepherd and he will defend His sheep from the wolves!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

J.C.

I, too, often quote the 23rd Psalm when tempted. My weak area is the fear of man, so when I am tempted to fear I quote the part about "yay though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me..."