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Listening To and Praying God's Word

For the past few months I have devoted many of my bulletin articles to issues concerning our personal time with the Lord, or what I usually call ‘my quiet time’ or ‘personal devotion time’. This morning I want to speak again to this issue to try and clear up one issue that I may have been vague on and to add a new element or aspect to the issue of quiet times.

First, I would like to draw a distinction between devotional time and Bible study. Both are great and both are needed for growth in your spiritual life. Bible study, however, usually involves writings about the Bible instead of the Bible itself alone. Let me give an example. Many of us own Study Bibles. They are great resources and the notes at the bottom of the page can be really helpful. But during my devotional time I use a Bible with no notes in it. That is, I simply read quietly and patiently waiting for the voice of God to echo in my heart. If I do not understand every single phrase or historical reference, it is ok – I simply keep reading in expectation. Notes are good, but they can distract our mind and give it a chance to leave behind the intended goal of the quiet time.

Secondly, I want to suggest as many others have in the past, that we keep our Bible open in front of us as we pray. This is especially true if we have been meditating on a passage of Scripture in order to battle a certain sin. As you pray you can read God’s word back to Him, confess your misunderstandings, ask forgiveness, and plead for clarity and answers. Twice this week I used verses of Scripture right in the middle of my prayers and both times I felt God’s peace wash over me while I prayed.

I sincerely hope that this adds to the richness of your devotional life,

Pastor Mitch

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