Make It a Habit

The Day Is Near

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
 

— Romans 13:11

The Word says that Jesus had a habit of going up the mountain to spend time with God. Lke 22:39 says, And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed Him.

Jesus formed a habit of communicating with God every morning.

It has been said that if you do something consistently for 30 days, it will become a habit. You can either make or break a habit by consistently doing the same thing. Follow Jesus, and form a habit of starting your day with prayer.

Prayer Starter: Father, I want to make a habit of spending time with You. You are my Source of help and strength, and I can’t have any real success in life without You. Help me to today to begin spending regular time with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Written Word of God

Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart

— Psalms 119:2

In order to know God—what to expect from Him and what He expects from you—you must know His Word. It’s not possible for God to say one thing but do another. He cannot lie, and He’s always faithful to perform what He has promised.

I know many people who have studied God’s Word diligently and whose lives have been changed, but I also know many who, although they would like their lives to improve, won’t discipline themselves to study and learn the Word or to speak the Word.

Spending time with God by studying the Word is your choice, and only you can make it. When you make that choice to seek Him with your whole heart, it won’t take long before the desire to really know God and His Word becomes a natural response.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to take steps today to make Your Word a priority in my life. As I move forward, give me a true hunger and desire to know You more intimately. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Come Closer!

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

— James 4:8 (AMP) 

Not everyone is willing to pay the price required to be close to God. Not everyone is willing to simply take the time required or make the investments needed for spiritual growth.

God doesn’t ask for all of our time. He certainly wants us to do things we don’t consider “spiritual.” He designed us with bodies, souls (minds, wills, and emotions), and spirits, and He expects us to take care of all these areas.

Exercising our bodies and caring for our souls takes time and effort. Our emotions need to be ministered to; we need to have fun and be entertained, and we need to enjoy being with other people. Our minds need to grow and be renewed daily. In addition, we have a spiritual nature that needs attention. To stay balanced and healthy, we must take time to take care of our entire being.

I believe the whole issue of intimacy with God is a matter of time. We say we don’t have time to seek God, but the truth is that we take time to do the things that are most important to us.

Even though we all have to fight distractions every day, if knowing God and hearing from Him is important to us then we will find time to do it. Don’t try to work God into your schedule, but instead work your schedule around time with Him.

Getting to know God is a long-term investment, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get instant results. Be determined to honor Him with your time and you will reap the benefits.

Prayer Starter: Father, I can’t live without You. Help me to put You first in my life and take the time to develop a deeper, more intimate relationship. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.