Does your devotional walk every become routine? Mechanical? Do you ever find yourself going through the motions, but rushing and not really enjoying personal fellowship with the Lord?
Last night in Senior High Bible Study we studied how to conquer “impersonal Christianity”—a Christianity that knows about God but doesn’t really develop personal intimacy with Him. Each of us is responsible for developing our personal walk with God, and in doing so, I challenge you to keep it personal (be transparent before Him, He already knows you), keep it consistent (daily or close to it), and keep it fresh (do whatever you must do to keep from losing interest.)
Along with those three suggestions, here is a quick list of 20 ideas that might help you break out of the mechanical and develop your walk with God in a new way. We handed these out on a card at the end of Bible Study, and I hope they will encourage you:
1. Read the Bible in Places Where You Can Understand It—don’t be afraid to read another passage if you’re getting bogged down in a complex portion of the Bible.
2. Read Good Books about the Bible or Biblical Truths—lose yourself in a good book that contains a lot of scripture.
3. Use a Bible Software or Study Tools to Help You Understand—things like Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary of the Bible is free online. Take advantage of the insight of others.
4. Read the Bible from a Big Picture Perspective—read a whole book or lengthy passage, rather than just a short chapter.
5. Ask God to Teach You Something that You Need—expect Him to answer this prayer and speak to you.
6. Make a Record of the Things that God is Teaching You (Journal)—whether by hand or on computer, write down what God is teaching you.
7. Tell Someone Else Something that God Taught You (Godly Friends)—what a great use of social networking and a great conversation starter with a friend.
8. Talk to God Openly and Take Time to Listen to Him—don’t be afraid to sit quietly before the Lord and listen.
9. Literally Take a Walk with God and Talk to Him—walking will keep you awake and engaged.
10. Make a List of Prayer Requests and Record When They Are Answered—there’s something very special about looking back on all those answers.
11. Listen to Godly Music and Think about the Message—great Christian music will take your heart to a very special place with God.
12. Listen to Preaching or Teaching from Past Events—what a great use for an iPod.
13. Read Biographies of Great Christians—discover how others developed their lives for the Lord.
14. Spend Time with God in Places You Like—the beach? A park? If you enjoy being there, He will enjoy being there with you!
15. Include God on Other Activities of Life—God is with you all day, so He doesn’t mind if you talk to Him while you fold laundry or mow the lawn.
16. Give God the Time You Give to Some Other Form of Media—He’s more important than Facebook, TV, cell phone, and video games all combined!
17. Give God Quiet, Uninterrupted, Unrushed Time—find moments when you aren’t in a hurry and give those to God.
18. Plan Specific Times to Spend More Time with God—have you ever set aside a larger chunk of time just for the Lord? Try a few hours or a half a day some time.
19. Write Out Scripture or Prayers/Letters to God—what a great way to place God’s Word into your heart and to record your walk with Him.
20. Don’t Quit if You Miss a Day—if you missed yesterday, that’s ok… God is still waiting to spend time with you today.
This is a short list, so help me out. What are some ways you have creatively developed your walk with God? Share them below…
