What television programs do you plan to watch this week? What sporting events do you plan to attend or view this week? What lunch dates or shopping trips have you planned with friends this week? Any movies you have earmarked to “not miss”? Do you set aside time for checking emails during the day, and Facebook, and playing some online games or perusing ‘Pinterest’?
Do you remember some of the first dates with your spouse? Would you have overslept or not gotten off the couch, or turned off the television, to make that date? Would you rather have stayed on the computer than spend time with the one you so loved? Of course not! That’s because you preferred your future spouse more than any other, right? How much more should we prefer the One Who first loved us?
John 15:7-8 (AMP) “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.”
Jesus chastised some people because they weren’t keeping His word alive in their hearts. They weren’t trusting God and clinging to Him and His word. Jesus said that if we really believe Him, we will keep His Word alive in our hearts. This is accomplished by studying and meditating on it. God’s Word is His thoughts and when we give His Word first place in our lives, His thoughts become our thoughts and we will experience the good plans He has for us.
John 5:38 (AMP) “And you have not His word (His thought) living in your hearts, because you do not believe and adhere to and trust in and rely on Him Whom He has sent. [That is why you do not keep His message living in you, because you do not believe in the Messenger Whom He has sent.]”
The enemy wants to wear us out with life, news, technology. Even the best students of the Word are being distracted today. But we can use technology to our advantage! We can all find five minutes to spend in the Word each and every day. Just five minutes. As we spend time in God’s word, we will just naturally find ourselves wanting to spend more and more time with Him, just as we wanted to spend more and more time with our spouse as we fell in love.
When reading God‘s Word, say the words OUT LOUD. Let your spirit man hear the words. The Word is alive and will not return void.
Isaiah 55:11 (AMP) “So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Hebrew 4:12-13 (MSG) “God means what He says. What He says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s
Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.”
God doesn’t need or require a long period of time with us; however, He does want some of our time every day. He wants to tell us how much He loves us, wants to teach and encourage us, and reveal where we need to mature. He wants to fill us with joy and hope and to be thanked and worshipped. He wants us to be still and know that He is God. (Ps. 46:10)
So, set aside a specific time of day for your Bible reading. It can be first thing in the morning or last thing at night. You know what suits your schedule best. Set a time and do this for 21 days. Research says we make a habit of anything we do for 21 days. If your spouse called you tonight and said, “I want to speak to you every day by phone,” would you dare miss that opportunity? Well, God is calling you. Will you answer Him?
Written by Claudia Bessmer and Chris Turner
