Week 1, Day 2
My Lifeline
“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”
(Psalm 119:11)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
(Psalm 119:105)
I turned sixty years old four years ago, and my son-in-law, Adam, asked me, “On your sixtieth birthday, what are the top three pieces of advice you would give me?” I said I would have to think about two and three, but I immediately knew my response to number one.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, my personal, intentional, and consistent time with Him is my lifeline! Please be a regular church attender. Participation in small groups is invaluable. Using your gifts and abilities by serving in ministry is crucial. However, NOTHING takes the place of you getting alone with Jesus on a regular basis.
From my experience, there are several important aspects of making this time a part of your life...
Set aside and protect this “meeting” time on a consistent basis. Do not approach it as, “when I get time today, I will do it.” Most likely you will not.
Meet in the same place. Have a designated spot in your home.
Find what works for you. I alternate reading Psalms and Proverbs. I select a book in the New Testament and slowly read through it. At times, I will slowly read the Old Testament, and it may take me one to two years to complete. There are also seasons when I use a devotion book. I enjoy journaling. I listen to worship music. I pray. I listen.
I do not listen to sermons or podcasts during this time. Those can be valuable in our spiritual growth, but I want to hear from the Lord during my personal time.
Do not view this as a “check-list” item. Hopefully, it will be a habit for you, but not a rule or law. This time should be all about your relationship with Jesus!
Watchman Nee, a follower of Christ from China, wrote a small book on Ephesians called Sit. Walk. Stand. All of us need to sit. That’s the essence of this devotion. We cannot walk properly as Christians unless we first learn to sit. From a seated position, we learn how we are to walk and get our “walking orders”. We cannot stand against the schemes and attacks of Satan unless we are regularly sitting, learning how to defeat his schemes and attacks, and being strengthened to stand against them. If you are struggling in your walk, I suggest spending a consistent part of your time sitting. If you are living defeated and fall more than you stand, I also suggest consistent time sitting.
(Psalm 119:11)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
(Psalm 119:105)
I turned sixty years old four years ago, and my son-in-law, Adam, asked me, “On your sixtieth birthday, what are the top three pieces of advice you would give me?” I said I would have to think about two and three, but I immediately knew my response to number one.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, my personal, intentional, and consistent time with Him is my lifeline! Please be a regular church attender. Participation in small groups is invaluable. Using your gifts and abilities by serving in ministry is crucial. However, NOTHING takes the place of you getting alone with Jesus on a regular basis.
From my experience, there are several important aspects of making this time a part of your life...
Set aside and protect this “meeting” time on a consistent basis. Do not approach it as, “when I get time today, I will do it.” Most likely you will not.
Meet in the same place. Have a designated spot in your home.
Find what works for you. I alternate reading Psalms and Proverbs. I select a book in the New Testament and slowly read through it. At times, I will slowly read the Old Testament, and it may take me one to two years to complete. There are also seasons when I use a devotion book. I enjoy journaling. I listen to worship music. I pray. I listen.
I do not listen to sermons or podcasts during this time. Those can be valuable in our spiritual growth, but I want to hear from the Lord during my personal time.
Do not view this as a “check-list” item. Hopefully, it will be a habit for you, but not a rule or law. This time should be all about your relationship with Jesus!
Watchman Nee, a follower of Christ from China, wrote a small book on Ephesians called Sit. Walk. Stand. All of us need to sit. That’s the essence of this devotion. We cannot walk properly as Christians unless we first learn to sit. From a seated position, we learn how we are to walk and get our “walking orders”. We cannot stand against the schemes and attacks of Satan unless we are regularly sitting, learning how to defeat his schemes and attacks, and being strengthened to stand against them. If you are struggling in your walk, I suggest spending a consistent part of your time sitting. If you are living defeated and fall more than you stand, I also suggest consistent time sitting.
Reflection Questions
• What are the major hindrances to you for establishing a personal, intentional, and consistent time with the Lord in your life?
• Do you view yourself as a “self-feeder” when it comes to your personal spiritual growth or are you dependent on other people to feed you? If you are solely relying on others, what is your next step toward self-feeding?
• Do you view yourself as a “self-feeder” when it comes to your personal spiritual growth or are you dependent on other people to feed you? If you are solely relying on others, what is your next step toward self-feeding?
Roy has served as Chair of the Heritage Leadership Team for 28 years. He and his wife, Cheryle, are small group leaders. Roy also enjoys mentoring and discipling younger men.
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1 Comment
My answer to the 2nd question depends on the definition of the term Self-Feeder:
Am I a self-feeder by seeking out devotionals, videos, or podcasts that help me learn more & get exposed to other viewpoints & scholarly material, or does that make me dependent on others?
Either way, I do feel I need to spend more time reading the Bible, without other’s thoughts included all the time.