Do you want a closer walk with Jesus this year?

Happy New Year, friends!  A fresh year… A fresh month… A fresh week… In the midst of gearing up to get back to “normal”, have you set some spiritual goals for yourself this year?  If so, would one of them happen to be phrased somewhat like this: “I want to have a more consistent Quiet Time”? 

Are you desperate to spend some time with Jesus in this new year, but not sure how to do it or where to start?   An intimate fellowship with The Lord, time in His Word, soaking in what He has to say to you and responding to Him as if you are “best friends” is offered to each one of us.  We just have to take the time to invest in our relationship with The Lord.

Like building any friendship, it takes an investment of time, energy, and purpose.  But friends, it is SO worth it!  I’m still seeking ways to walk more intimately with The Lord, but here’s a little of what I’ve learned on this subject so far:

If you have time to snooze in the mornings, you have time to spend a moment with Jesus.  If you’ll set your alarm back just 10 minutes earlier, and get up when it goes off, you can start your day filled and refreshed – rather than tired and cranky.  I promise.  You can never out-give God.  You give Him those precious 10  minutes, and see just what He gives you in return… strength, encouragement, hope, a plan for your day, inspiration, peace… to name a few.

Soon, you’ll find that 10 minutes just isn’t enough, and you’ll see such a “return” on your investment, that you’ll be craving more and more time with Him.

Need a Jump Start?  Here is a plan for 10 Precious Minutes with the Lord.
Have these items handy:

A Bible (easy to read & understand version – I LOVE the Amplified, Holeman Christan Standard, Message, and NIV)

Paper – I use a spiral notebook or several sheets of notebook paper folded up in my Bible for these moments with God. 

A Pen or Pencil  (highlighter optional)

Here’s the plan:

1 minute – Submit yourself to the Lord.  Bow yourself to Him, acknowledging Him as your King and Authority over you.  Give yourself and your day to Him.  Ask Him to speak to you.

1 minute – Praise God for three of His Characteristics and Thank God for three ways He’s blessed you.  Quickly write the date and record these on your paper. 

1 minute – Ask God to create in you a clean heart (Ps. 51:10). As He reveals any unconfessed sin, repent of it lay it before Him.  (Of course, this is more than a minute long process – it’s an every day, all day long process.  This minute just opens the door for the Lord to speak to you throughout the day about your sin. As He convicts you of sinning.  Repent right then. Don’t wait until later.  Confess it. Ask for forgiveness immediately, and stay clean throughout the day.  It’s like washing your hands each time they get dirty, instead of waiting till the end of the day or the next morning.  There are times we all need a long, deep spiritual cleansing, and I encourage you to set aside a special time with The Lord to do that.)

2 minutes – Ask God to fill you, cover you with His armor, shine through you, and speak to you. 

“Fill me” – Colossians 2:10 says in the Jewish New Testament, “It is in union with Him that you have been made full.”  Especially when we are rushed and stressed, we tend to run on empty.  It is in union with Jesus – this time together with Him before anything else depletes us – that we are made and kept full.

“Cover me” – Using Ephesians 6:10-14, put on the armor God has provided for you to wear in Victory!  You might want to list the armor pieces at the top of your notebook paper so you can quickly go through and picture each piece.  I picture myself putting them on piece by peace, as I speak each piece aloud, thanking God for this awesome protection.

“Shine through me” – Pray that you will “Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

“Speak to me” – Pray Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I might see wonderful things in Your Law.” and get ready for God to reveal Himself to you through His Word.

(Now, you’re about 5 minutes into the 10.)

3 minutes – Read God’s Word.   Have a specific place in the Bible in mind, so you won’t waste your time randomly searching.  I’m going through Psalms right now.  Other wonderful books are Proverbs, John, James, Philippians… they are all so wonderful, it’s hard to choose one.  But for this quick quiet time, I would encourage you to stick to one of the books mentioned above. 

There is just something special about getting a Word from what I like to call “the raw Word of God”.  Now, I LOVE devotional books and Bible studies… and I encourage you to find time through out your day to add a Bible study or devotional book reading to your life. But if you truly have only 10 minutes, I encourage you to spend them in God’s Word first and add what someone else has written about God’s Word later.  {If you have The Holy Spirit living within you, He will speak to you just as He speaks to those who write those devotions and Bible studies… That is…if you ask Him to then get in His Word.} 🙂
Start at the beginning, and read for 3 minutes or until you have some type of “reaction” (Wow! or Oh, You are so Good, Lord! or I am so sorry! or I never thought of it like that before… or even, I don’t understand…)

1 minute – On your paper, under your praise/thanks, write the reference for what you just read, then write your reaction.  This makes Scripture come alive, because God has just spoken to you, revealing His Truth to you in some way, and in your reaction, you are responding to Him.  It’s like you are writing to each other.  This is so important, because as we get busy, we tend to forget the wonderful things The Lord revealed to us.  Having them written down, gives us a reminder of and a visible picture of God’s activity in our lives at the moment.  These types of papers are a treasure to me.

1 minute – Pray these truths into your life.  Ask God to help these truths be a reality in your own life.

As you begin your day, after the 10 minutes is up, continue to talk with Jesus about the day ahead, about your family, and pray that these same truths would be found in the lives of those you love and those heavy on your heart.  Drive to work with Him… fold the laundry with Him… acknowledge The Lord in your daily life … lingering in His presence as you would your best and dearest friend…  the presence of His fellowship and the awareness of His personal involvement in your life will be a sweet blessing and reward for seeking Him!

No matter how busy the day ahead becomes, or what lies ahead, this 10  minutes with the Lord will help jump start the day with the breath of the Lord God Almighty propelling us forward in His strength, joy, and fellowship.  If you give Him those precious 10 minutes, I can’t wait for you to see just what He gives you in return… 🙂