How to Have a Meaningful Quiet Time

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Psalm 119:97Psalm 119:97 says, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” Because it is Jesus Christ Himself who makes us more like Him, it is crucial to spend quality time with Him and in His Word, and there are five factors that go into having a meaningful quiet time.First, it must be early in the day, at our most optimal time, when we are preparing for the day.We must:-Be physically alert, so we can think clearly.-Be morally pure and clean, so we can blamelessly bow before a holy God.-Be mentally aware, so we can be receptive to what He has to say.We should have our quiet time in an isolated place; somewhere we can shut the door on the world, to avoid distractions. Adrian Rogers says, “What you are when you’re alone is what you are. The mark of your prayer life is not how well you pray in public, but in private. Your Father who sees you in secret will reward you openly.”We also need the right tools: a Bible we can read and understand, a journal to record your time with God, and a second journal to record prayers. Practically, it’s also good to have a notepad to write down your spiritual instructions for the day.Having prepared for a meaningful quiet time, how should we proceed?1. Get quiet; take a deep breath and focus your thoughts on the Lord.2. Get into the Word of God; read the Bible before praying.3. Meditate on it; reading for quality, not quantity.4. Record what God has given you through His Word in your journal.5. Record instructions, goals, and decisions revealed from your time with God.6. Pray; pour out your soul to God with reverence and honesty. Tell Him everything; He already knows.7. Share what you’ve learned. We ought to be in the habit of exhorting and encouraging one another.8. Obey what God tells you. Our spiritual lives run on revelation and obedience. One does not run without the other.Apply it to your lifeIs your quiet time with God meaningful to you? Have you properly prepared and set yourself up for a fruitful time with the Lord? Consider these steps today, and talk to God.