Is Your Bible Study Plan Working?
Today, I wanted to share with you what is working for me right now as far as my daily quiet time. Well, I get up at 5 a.m. and study and pray for about two hours before my morning run. NOT REALLY! I’m teasing you.
When I was a young wife and mom, I attended a few women’s conferences, Bible studies and workshops that usually would share how important it was to get up early in the morning to pray and study my scriptures before my family got up. I would try and just couldn’t keep up. I went for a long time feeling really guilty. I never felt good enough or that I had a handle on my “quiet time.”
I’m not a morning person. I’ve tried to switch over so many times. It just didn’t happen. I’m a night owl. I was ready to conquer the world in the evenings.
It seems lately, I go to bed earlier and earlier and get up earlier than my younger days. I don’t know why, it’s just happening. I remember when I was around my mother in-law, she would usually would have her gown on by 8 in the evening and be up by 5 a.m. ready to start her day. I could possibly be turning that way….we will see as time goes on.
When our kids were young and we were homeschooling, I would get my reading in during the mid-morning or in the evenings.
I will say this, IF… I could go back and do it all over again, I would have worked harder on my morning schedule. The longer you go throughout your day, the easier it is to keep pushing back that special time of prayer and Bible reading to where you even skip it for the day.
Why do we want to have quiet time anyway? For me, it’s important for me to thank the Lord for my blessings and to let Him know how thankful I am to be His daughter. It’s also important for me to confess my sins. Bummer, I’m not perfect and I make a mess of things every day it seems. I then have my prayer requests. Everything from the little girl that I support that lives in another country, my children and their spouses and my grandchildren. I pray for my husband and family members. Praying for our country and the culture that is so crazy is at the top of my list as well. I also have some very personal prayer requests that I take to Him, and I share my heart and I know without a doubt that I will have an answer. It might not be the answer I want, but, I will get an answer.
Here is the plan that is working for me. I have tried many things over the years and this one has worked for me the best.
I begin with a simple prayer in asking the Lord to speak to me through His Word as I read and to show me something that He has for me that very day.
I read a Psalm. I go in order and keep track of where I am each day.
I read a Proverb. I read the Proverb that corresponds with the day. Such as on the 11th, I read Proverbs 11.
I begin Chapter 1 in the Book of Matthew and read a chapter a day through the four gospels. I have enjoyed staying refreshed each day on reading about the Life of Christ.
I read a chapter out of the New Testament beginning with the Book of Acts through Revelation.
I was doing a chapter out of the Old Testament and this year I am reading through the Chronological Bible and will read each days reading for my Old Testament reading.
Depending on what is on my schedule for the day, I may read more than one chapter in my Old and New Testament readings.
I keep a journal by me while I’m reading and I write down a scripture from each reading that speaks to me. Any thoughts that pop up, I write it down.
As I read, I am asking the Lord for wisdom and I apply what I read to my own life.
I have a couple of devotionals that I love to read out of. I have several placed throughout the house that I pick up during my day when I have a few minutes to read.
I try to always be in the middle of a Bible study that I’ve picked out on a subject that am interested in. I’m not part of a group Bible study right now, so, I do this on my own. At this time, I am going through the study by Priscilla Shirer, A Jewel in His Crown. I’ll let you know how it is when I am finished.
I also am always reading something that is challenging me to be a stronger woman of God. I just finished reading a new book by Katie Farrell, Nourish. I haven’t picked out my next book yet. That’s on my list of to do’s today.
I keep this basket in my office by the sofa that I usually sit to read and study. It is filled with everything I need. I have prayer lists, journals, extra Bible, gratitude journal, notepad,markers, pens and even some tissues.
I hope this encourages you to get a Bible study going that works for you.
If I can say anything at all that will make a difference in your life and mine; it would be…….spend time in God’s Word to get to know who He is. You need to know for yourself, not what someone else tells you about Him. Know how He thinks and what He wants for YOUR life and how He wants you to live.
If we aren’t spending time with our Creator, we will fall for anything that passes our way. Trust me, there are some pretty crazy things out there yelling for our attention. Don’t be caught off guard and fall for the enemy and his plan to distract you and cause your faith to waver.
If you have fallen back and started looking elsewhere for answers besides God’s Word….guess what? He’s waiting for you with open arms, no questions asked.
One more thing….if you have a wild and crazy day and you don’t have time to read all that you plan to read in a regular Quiet Time….don’t beat yourself up. Pray and read maybe one passage or do a reading in your devotional and move on. Don’t live in defeat.
I’m excited for you! I would love to hear what you have settle on for your daily quiet time. Design it to fit your life in this season that you are in.
