The Basics

The Basics of Time Spent with God:

(The first step is to make sure you have accepted God’s free gift of salvation)

• Bible Reading
  • Intentionally set aside time daily, if not more, to spend reading God’s Word.
  • Pray before reading and ask God to speak to you through His Word.
  • Write down verses that you don’t understand and ask God to help make them clear. Ask another growing believer, that you trust, about what you are reading.
  • Write down verses that “jump out at you” or mean something special as you read.
  • As you read, journal your thoughts, questions, doubts, concerns, victories, and struggles.
  • If you don’t know where to begin, maybe start with the Psalms or a Gospel like Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
  • One suggestion is to keep scriptures on a spiral bound set of note cards and carry them with you everywhere. When in doubt, pull them out!
• Prayer/Praise/Worship
  • Spend some time thanking and praising (telling God how good He is) God either out loud, through journaling, or silently. Consider spending some time on your knees as you pray.
  • Prayer isn’t about fancy words; it’s about the position of your heart. Speak honestly about EVERYTHING, big or little. Don’t talk yourself out of telling Him something because you think it doesn’t matter. Every detail of our lives matter to Him.
  • Often people say, “Why do I need to tell God? He already knows.” You may KNOW that a close friend earned an award, is going through a hard time, or has just defeated a huge obstacle; but it’s totally different hearing it from the person you care about and love. God wants to have a personal relationship with you. It can’t be personal if you never get personal.
• Books/Devotionals
  • Books and devotionals can be good supplements to time in the Word, but NEVER a substitute. Other people (like me) can have insight on similar issues you face and offer encouraging words, but make sure that these are not the main focus of your time spent with God, but used only as aids.
• Share what you are learning
  • With a mentor, counselor, spouse, friend or accountability partner, share what you are reading and what God is teaching you.
• Remember

You are in a spiritual battle. If you have given your life to Christ, Satan no longer has you, God does. Be wary of the old lies that will sneak in and make you feel defeated. Don’t trust your feelings; trust in the truths of God’s Word. If you get in a “funk”, go back and read your prayer journal, scriptures God has used in your life, and spend time thanking and praising Him. Turning your attention away from yourself and toward God will help your outlook tremendously.