Titus 2 Men And Women

How To Have Daily Devotions
by Denise Lower

This morning, even before I had begun my morning devotions, God impressed upon me to write on my ever present yellow legal pad this statement, Write About Daily Devotions.

Hmmmm.I had been thinking about tonight's first choir practice with me as director. With clear leading from God, I began praying specifically for a spirit of revival within the choir, that would spark and ignite in the whole congregation. In my mind, I thought that was a pretty bold thing to pray for, but very gently and quietly, God spoke to me and said, I created the world in six days, did I not? I can do ALL things, and sparking revival is my specialty! People who know me, know that I do not take things on lightly, that I am the one who rushes in where angels fear to tread, so this request of God to step forward and lead the choir was not out of the ordinary for me, even though as I look on it with my human eyes, it is a seeming daunting task.

I had asked God to humble me. To be able to communicate to the rest of the choir that I was just someone God had given leadership qualities to; and that if I did not use those gifts, that I would not be serving God to the best of my ability, that I was no better than anyone else, that I was just being obedient to the calling of the Lord in my life.

Could a daily walk with God be that important, that God would lead me to connect leading the choir with daily devotions??? Yes!!!!

Well, then God very clearly had me write those words on an entire separate sheet of my yellow legal pad, usually a clear sign that He wants me to write an article.

I was still stumped as to why God would have me write about something that I seemingly have no real knowledge about. Daily morning devotions are just something I do. I trained myself into the habit of doing them and it is just part of my life. I do have somewhat of a method to my study, allowing for moments of God-given inspiration, such as occurred this morning, but I never really considered my method grand enough to pass on to others.

Then it occurred to me that God was telling me that in order for me or anyone else to do anything significant for Him, that we must have a daily walk with Him in order for God to be able to speak to us, through His Word, prayer and meditation. That absolutely nothing will be accomplished for eternity and for God's good, unless myself and others understand that. And that I have been somewhat successful in creating a daily walk with God, so I should not keep that to myself, but share it with others.

I am continually humbled by God's efforts to use me in His work for the Kingdom.

But God, (one of Sharon's favorite expressions that seems to fit here).

I will begin by telling you how I began to have a morning routine. I had heard a sermon several years ago about what to read in your daily devotions. The speaker always used the term in the morning or first thing in the morning and that was good for me, as I am a morning person. However, since being a morning person already, I did not feel like I needed to make any special effort to get up any earlier, I would just add my devotions to when I already got up.

For years, I began my mornings by making a cup of coffee, showering, dressing, then getting on with life. I tried to fit in Bible study while the kids napped, or late at night, but found I never could be consistent with those attempts. I soon found out that devotions did not fit into my morning schedule of the day. Usually by the time I got out of the shower, my small son was up, or hubby was in the way, or the phone rang, or something would happen that would make me postpone my morning devotions, promising to get to them sometime today, which rarely, if ever, happened.

This frustration went on for several months, with very little Bible study or communication with God ever really occurring. Finally, through another sermon I heard, I realized that I needed to consecrate or sanctify (set aside for a specific purpose) some time for the study of God's Word. Then I had to look at my life and try to decide just when I was going to fit in this block of time. I figured at least a half hour. I did not feel 30 minutes was too much time to give back to the God who sent His only son to save my soul from Hell.

I was already getting up wa ahead of everyone else, so I could at least get in the shower and be awake when time was demanded of me. When was that time supposed to open up???? David said in Psalm 63:1a, "O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee", in Psalm 108:2b, "I myself will awake early", and in Proverbs 8:17b, "and those that seek me early shall find me".

And lest we think only the people in the Old Testament got up early to seek God, let us remember Mary Magdalene, that early Easter morning in John 20:1, which states: "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early ". I often reflect on that, and think of what glory she beheld and what she would have missed had she laid abed.

So, after reading all of this talk of early, and knowing that it takes 21 days to change a habit, I forced myself to set an alarm clock for 5:30am every morning, until it became habit for me to wake up just before the alarm went off, a sure sign my body had adjusted and I would get up at that time whether I had set the alarm or not.

Now, I understand those of you who are not morning people, I have raised two of those types of people and my best friend since childhood and my best friend now (my husband) are not morning people. Just plan your alone time accordingly and do itfor at least 21 days. Many people are in touch with God in the wee hours of the morning, when I am safely tucked into bed. Isn't it great that God does not have regular business hours?

Now that I had a time, I could apply the what I would put in my devotions. Here is what I heard to include in daily devotions if you do not know where to start:

1. Begin a Read the Bible through in a Year schedule.

Many are included in the front or back of Bibles, they are available online, Christian book stores have them, sometimes even your church may have one available. Some start with Genesis and go straight through to Revelation, others include some reading in both the Old Testament and New Testament each day. Just use whatever method that suits you best.

2. Read 5 chapters of Psalms daily. This is to keep you sweet and loving.

I know there is an issue when you come to 119, but I generally divide it into two parts, or read it all in one day, or something. God usually works that out for me.

3. Read one chapter of Proverbs by the date. This is to keep you wise.

By the date means on the first day of the month, you read Proverbs Chapter One, the second day of the month, the second chapter and so on.

4. Read one chapter of Acts by the date. This is to give you a spirit of revival.

Often, I replace this with a read through of one of the gospels, which keeps the life of Christ in front of me on a daily basis, or sometimes I will start with Romans, or Galatians or something Paul has written.

Lately I have added a very brief reading in our Sunday School lesson for the week and a very short reading in a daily devotional book our Pastor shared with us, written specifically for women.

You could always go to your church library, your local Christian bookstore, online or to your Pastor or a friend for other suggestions.

I keep one of my ever present yellow legal pads next to me as I'm reading my Bible, and jot down questions and things that God has impressed upon me about a certain passage or thought. These writings have been very revealing to me. Some days I write nothing, some days my pen never stops. What is important is that you write what the Holy Spirit has put on your heart.

I also keep a prayer journal, and after I have let God speak to me through His Word, I talk to Him. I begin by praising God for Who He is. I figure David spent a good part of the Psalms in Praise of God, so I could model my time spent with God after David's. It is also a command to Praise God: Psalm 34:3a, "O magnify the Lord with me",Psalm 40:16b, "let such as love thy salvation (us, the saved, called out Christians), say continually, The Lord be magnified", Psalm 147:1: "Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely." (Comely: good, right, beneficial).

The things I record in my journal are varied. Sometimes they are the earth shaking things that are occurring in my life, sometimes they are the seemingly simple, tiny things, that God would not even bother with. Always they include prayers for others; missionaries, relatives, friends, business associates, etc.

I always go back to the beginning of my prayer journal for that month, or any other entry that is not crossed off, and pray about each of those things daily. When a request has been graciously answered by God, either yes, no, maybe, a blessing, a comfort or God has given me the knowledge that I no longer need to pray in that area, I always cross off that request, write Praise in big, bold print over it  and record the date.

I love to go over my prayer journal and see how many times God answers a prayer, especially the very small ones. God is concerned about every detail of our lives and sometimes I think we forget that. The verse in James 4:2d says, "yet ye have not because ye ask not", not "Ye have not because you ask about only the big things in your life". Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you". James 1:5 states, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him". Then, there is Matthew 21:22, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall recieve."

All of this takes about an hour. I shorten it sometimes by reading faster, by not writing anything down, and sometimes God just leads me to a shorter time with him. He knows what will occur in my day and how much time I need to spend with Him.

The most important thing is to just do it. It doesn't matter when, it doesn't matter how, it doesn't matter at what place in the house. God just wants you to be in constant communication with Him, and Satan will come along at any little provocation and try to stop that sweet, sweet fellowship we have with God. I know, I have, through the devils' wiles, been persuaded to give up my time with God for huge blocks of time. Time that I have been ashamed of when I see the error of my ways. Time that if I had used to seek God's face, could have revealed to me the answer to one of my pressing needs of the time.

Don't delay. Start your time with God. This morning.....or this evening....just start. God has great things he wants you to do for Him and His kingdom. Be prepared by being read up and prayed up.

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