Many Christians think if you read from some little booklet with religious thoughts and a Scripture or two, you’ve had devotions. Usually such booklets are laid out according to the days of the month or week.
But what if I don’t want to read somebody else’s predigested thoughts on X day of the month?
What about getting into the Bible itself?
That brings up a can of worms, doesn’t it? Where do you go? Isn’t the Bible a minefield?
What if you decided to read through the Bible just to get familiar with it? It’s worth doing so if you haven’t before.
There are schedules and charts to help you read the Bible in 90 days, six months or a year. But don’t be intimidated, and don’t give up if you can’t stick to a rigid plan.
Try reading the Bible for 17-18 minutes a day. You’ll be surprised how quickly you get through it.
A few minutes a day isn’t much to ask. We spend much more time grooming our outside than we do our inside. Think about it.
If you’re depending on your pastor’s sermons or Sunday school material to feed you spiritually, that’s just not enough. We must be in the word of God every day if we’re going to draw closer to God and do His will.
Once you’ve started getting into the Scriptures daily, you’ll get hooked. It will help your prayer life, too.
I like listening to several chapters in an audio version of the Bible. I also enjoy listening to carefully selected sermons from a few Bible teachers.
I do use a devotional book as well. It’s produced by the publishers of our church’s Sunday school quarterly for adults. I don’t read it daily though. Often I read several days of content at a time.
Let me put in this cautionary note. Don’t assume you’ve got your dose of godliness for the day just because you’ve read somebody else’s thoughts from a devotional book, e-mail or blog.
I’m not against devotions, if you want to call them that. Bible study is my preference, and it should take more than five minutes while you’re snarfing down your toast, half way out the door in the morning.
I suggest you get a good study Bible for notes and outlines that will help put the Scriptures in proper context as well.
When is a good time to get into the word? There are verses in the Psalms about seeking the Lord early in the morning. While I find early morning to be a good time for quiet reflections and prayers, you may want to set aside another time of the day. But do set aside time.
If you use a devotional of some kind, use that in the morning. Then do other methods of Scripture study later in the day. You won’t regret making this a priority.
It’s cliché, but it’s true that prayer is when we talk to God, and Bible study is when He talks to us. Once you’re into the Bible regularly, you’ll be surprised how the Holy Spirit works in your mind and heart.
All religions encourage meditation and time for solitude. Why should false religions have the edge on believers in Christ when it comes to being devoted to devotions?
Better yet, how about being devoted to the Lord Himself? You’ll discover that daily communion with Him becomes a pleasurable necessity. Don’t miss it!