STEP 3:  Establish a Quiet Time

You need to grow in your new faith in Christ. And to do this, it is important for you to establish a quiet time.

By "quiet time" I do not mean a peaceful moment in a bubble bath. I mean getting alone with God and His Word.

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, we sometimes find it easy to live our lives with little or no regard for the God who saved us-or for His Word.

The Bible is the revelation of God's mind to you. It's what He wants you to know and do. Not only did God give His Son-the Living Word-to save you, He gave His Book-the Written Word-to guide you.

 Many people own a Bible, but they never read it. For most people, it's an out-of-date book, good for their grandparents but not for them. Someone has said that if everyone blew the dust from their unused Bibles simultaneously, we'd all be killed in the dust storm.

To be sure, some sections of the Bible are difficult to understand, and some are not as exciting as others.

Once John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progress, said something like this: "I have sometimes seen more in a line of the Bible than I could understand; and yet at other times the whole Bible has been to me as dry as a stick."

Still, every section of God's Word has something to say to us, and that makes every passage very important.

When should you have your quiet time? It's important to read the Bible as often as possible. But I have found it helpful to have a specific time each day when I shut everyone out except God.

For me, that specific time is early in the morning. My mind is less cluttered then and my day is less complicated. Besides, God deserves me at my best, and the best part of my day is the first part. "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You" (Psalm 63:1).

Perhaps you will find another time of day suits your life-style better. That's fine. But make sure you establish a time and stick to it.

What should you do when you have your quiet time? Here is my six-step plan. It helps me make my moments with God and His Word more meaningful.

1. Start with prayer. Ask God to prepare you to meet with Him. If there is something in your life that you know displeases Him, confess it. Let Him forgive you so that nothing will hinder your communion together.

2. Read a specific portion of Scripture-perhaps a chapter or two. If you are not very familiar with the Bible, you may wish to start with the New Testament. Many people think that the Gospel of John is a good place to start. I also enjoy reading one or two of the Psalms every day.

3. After you have read a passage, meditate on it for a while. Think about what you read, and ask yourself what it means. What does God want you to do? Remember, even though you may not understand all you read in the Bible, you can still obey what you do understand.

4. Write down questions about the passage as you read. I always keep a pen and paper nearby when I read my Bible. I write down the things I have learned from my reading and also the things I do not understand. Later I can find the answers to my questions from someone who knows about the subject, or I can find an explanation in a Bible commentary or some other Bible reference material.

5. Then read the passage again. Reading it the second time usually brings to light things you didn't notice the first time. This is a great way to learn on your own; for as you read, you'll have God's Holy Spirit as your teacher (John 14:26).

6. Finally, pray again. Thank God for sending His Son to die for you. Thank Him for giving you His Word-the Bible-because without it you would have no answers to life's big questions. Thank Him for teaching you from the passage you have just read.

One last thing. Many new Christians start a quiet time each day with great enthusiasm. But they soon get too busy. Their days fill up with activities, and other responsibilities press in upon them. And somehow God gets squeezed out.

Consistency is the key. The person who merely samples the Word of God never acquires much of a taste for it. You must come back to the banquet table of God's Word daily, just as you come to a table daily to eat physical food. Once you start, don't quit!

Come to your Bible regularly. Open it prayerfully, read it expectantly, trust it implicitly and live it constantly. It is true! The Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't. Take this third step for the new Christian-establish and keep a quiet time.

Previous Step     10 First Steps       Next Step