Category: improve quiet time

5 More Reasons Why I Meet with God in the Morning

Recently I wrote an article entitled Why I Meet with God in the Morning. In that article here, https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/03/17/why-i-meet-with-god-in-the-morning/ (sorry for the little “g” as this is out of my control when I transferred the link), I used as much Christian persuasion as I had to influence you the reader to continue in your morning meeting with God or to change your schedule, make an adjustment so that you would begin to meet with God in the morning.

Since that writing, I’ve been reminded by even more reasons. If you weren’t convinced by the last article, this one may bring you to your point of decision. I ask you, will you meet with God in the morning?

Reasons 6-10:

6. Urgent – To be available for the Spirit to do work that only He can do – I may miss the best plan God has for me. We are humans with our own wills. Even as Christians, we often don’t want to do God’s will. Our plans are more dreamy and include more of our loved ones or match our talent or degree, fulfill our desires, and any other myriad of reasons. In Philippians 2, Paul is urging the believers to carry the Light of Christ into the world. The only way we can do this is by obeying God’s will and plan for our lives. Verse 13 continues…” for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” It’s about God. If I’m not showing up for my meeting, God can’t do the work of changing me so that I learn to want what He wants. Our desires change when we meet with God.

7. To understand the love and hope offered to me – It is unfathomable. But when I spend time with Him, He supernaturally enables me to experience His particular love toward me. Down here, we only know human love. To know the love of God, we need to spend time with Him. Romans 5:5 says, …” and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

8. For all the benefits of reading God’s Word, the Bible – If you have not read Psalm 119 in its entirety, your enthusiasm for God’s Word will strengthen if you will spend some time there. It is profound the many benefits the author gives of God’s Word in this one chapter. Besides this chapter, unless you read the Bible, you will not know the value of its truths and God’s heart for you and the lost.

9. Increased dependency on God and less self-dependency – God is holy, we are not. He is sovereign, strong, and able. We are hard-headed and prideful and would do well to admit our need for Him sooner. We typically don’t know what to do. Although we will do anything sometimes other than wait on God. When I humble myself and ask, the solutions come, and I don’t live with regret because of the consequences of taking matters into my own hands. Yes, God gives us brains and some common sense. But He is God. And He requires our hearts, and anything less is unacceptable to Him.

10. To keep my priorities straight. – Many of us are the worker bees in God’s Kingdom. But even that work pales compared to the work Jesus has done and continues to do in our lives. He is Lord, and we do well to remember we are not serving ourselves. We serve the Creator of heaven and earth who is over all and in all(Ephesians 4:6). Spending time in the morning gets my head and heart in line and conscious of His work around me and in me.

***Bonus reason***

11. We are often tired, weary, and unaware – My mind needs to be renewed in His word. I need to acknowledge the strength that only He can give. I need to learn from Him(Matthew 11:28). And I need Ephesians 6 to remind me I have what I need to fight the battle, and sometimes the battle, the resistance is me.

One can certainly have a devotional at night. My husband and I do. It ties up the day and brings a whisper to the evening that welcomes bedtime. These reasons and those in the previous article can’t be achieved when we are tired from the day and lying in bed. As Christians, we have a loving, heavenly Father who has a plan for our lives. Our sacrifice and intention to meet with Him in the morning give us an opportunity for transformation in our hearts and minds(Romans 12:1-2) so that we can live lives that bring Him glory.

“My quiet time is not a gift I give to God.
My quiet time is a gift God gives me.
I don’t offer him my quiet time. I simply offer him my time, my self. He’s the one who provides the quiet spirit.”
― Emilie Barnes, Fill My Cup, Lord… With the Peace of Your Presence

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. If you aren’t one of my faithful readers, it’s easy to become one. Just add your email below, and hit subscribe, and each time I publish, you will receive the article in your email first. Blessings.

©Valerie Rumfelt

Why I Meet With God in the Morning

How do you feel when you are out alone and discover your phone battery is low and you didn’t bring a charger? While this happens to all of us occasionally(or maybe just once, a lesson learned), none of us like to feel vulnerable and detached from those we love.

The lack of readiness and vulnerability the above scenario alludes to is how I feel when I miss my morning quiet time. Of course, there are mornings when it isn’t possible because, occasionally, life happens, something out of the ordinary like an early flight, a medical procedure, a hospital stay, and a variety of other situations.

Think about your typical morning routine. Do you wait until the last snooze to get out of bed? Is having an occasional morning quiet time all you expect of yourself? Maybe no one ever challenged you when you were a new Christian to set aside time every morning to spend with God.

Why am I writing about meeting God every morning? Because living life intentionally is important. Mornings are important. Your morning routine, or lack of one, can change your life. One sets you on a successful, Spirit-led trajectory—the other results in a sluggish, unfocused drift. Meeting with God first changes my life. Meeting with God first before you accelerate into your day should be a priority for every Christian. Over time this excellent habit will change your life.

Lamentations 3:23 proclaims that God’s mercies are new every morning. We hardly know this when we rush to leave the house. We cannot run on automatic and expect to see God working in our lives. The Bible says that God loads us daily with benefits(Psalm 68:19). Our spiritual eyes are alert to see all He gives us on any given day when we spend time with Him each morning.


My phone illustration reminds me I want to stay connected to the Source. I want to be connected to God through reading His word and prayer. I want to absorb His Word and use His Word to pray for His desires over my life.

My relationship with God is first. My relationship with God is a friendship, and friendships require time and investment. But this relationship is not like meeting a friend you haven’t seen in a while and catching up on things. Not at all. The all-powerful, all-knowing God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, your soul rescuer, your Redeemer, the One who died for your sin and is alive today to be your Helper and Comforter, He is the One you meet. The One who provides you everything you need to love and serve Him on earth, and to keep you faithful because He is faithful(Hebrews 10:23) until He comes again.

That old quote about we become like those whom we keep as our company is true. We become like our closest companions. My dearest companion is Jesus. My first priority of the day is to meet with the One who saved my soul. I Corinthians 15:33 says, ” Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'” “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20). I will become more like Jesus as I spend time with Him.

Today, I’m writing to persuade you to consider adjusting your morning routine to include a morning quiet time in your home before you leave to begin your day. Even if you have to change your alarm, sacrifice a little, and wake up before anyone else in your house, I can testify that this is one habit you won’t regret. Solitude, alone with God, is transformative.
Just getting to this point, I’ve given so many reasons! I could name a hundred. But here are 5 reasons I meet with God in the morning:

  1. I get to meet with God, the Creator of the universe who loves me. Like the music director said in Psalm 42:2, … “When can I go and meet with God?” The author of this statement longed to meet with God. If you don’t have that longing. It’s ok. Show up. And one day, you will. Meeting with God each morning gives me time to worship, let go of worries, and strength to wait on God’s plans. It also gives me comfort and guidance to start taking His steps into a new day(Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 37:23). Truly, God’s Word is a lamp and a light(Psalm 119:105) showing me the way.
  2. The Bible tells me sinless Jesus often went away for prayer and to be alone with the Father. It stands to reason that if Jesus needed to meet with God, then we who are sinners need to meet with God(Mark 1:35). How can I take up my cross daily and follow Jesus if I don’t look to Him at the beginning of each day(Luke 9:23)? Jesus gave me an example in His life that I can follow.
  3. Philippians 2 urges me to imitate Christ. Surrendering and choosing humility are settled in my time with Him. My wrong thinking, bad attitude, and rebellious spirit dissolve and lose their hold on me as I confess my sin and let His Spirit reign in me. God changes my heart, and it needs it every single day. Any real change in my life comes not through a rushed or skipped time with God but through self-examination, cries to be changed as I pray scripture and pour out my heart, and worship to the only One with transformative power.
  4. Jesus promises to be with me always, but when I choose to meet with Him, I sense His presence. Through the Holy Spirit, He responds to my willingness and provides all I need to follow His plan in this quiet time. I get to gaze upon His beauty, majesty, and splendor(Psalm 27:4). I would miss this joy if I were in a rush, flying down the road to work.
  5. I need the Lord. My time with Him brings me emotional and spiritual health. I need the spiritual protection of Ephesians 6 to stay alert to the devil’s schemes. When suffering and trial come, the investment I’ve put in to meet with God pays off because I can trust God. Meeting with God equips me for the day that He knows all about and that I know very little about. The Lord desires me to grow up in my salvation( I Peter 2:2). These few reasons I’ve given here can’t be achieved in exhaustion at the end of the day or midday rush. I often meet with God throughout my day or even at night on my bed. Those are extra times, not the main time. If every day is a trip, then I need to consult my Guide before I take the trip.
  6. BONUS REASON: “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” John Bunyon
    The above quote might be a one-sentence summary of this article! Having a morning quiet time has nothing to do with works unto salvation. God has a plan. We are Christians. Jesus told us to follow Him, which means He is the Leader. A leader is a first position, meaning you meet with your Leader first. Intentionality, a desire to understand God’s plan, and a desire to get a sound mind before heading out into the dark world are intelligent actions. Learning to lean on Jesus and longing to hear from Him bring honor to Him and spiritual reward to your life. I know myself and need the Holy Spirit to change, transform, and prepare me to go out in the dark world. I must take spiritual responsibility for my life. Jesus already did the work of achieving my salvation. The very least I can do is meet with Him. Why not start a new, life-long, redemptive, results-driven habit to meet Him every morning?

“My quiet time is not a gift I give to God.
My quiet time is a gift God gives me.
I don’t offer him my quiet time. I simply offer him my time, my self. He’s the one who provides the quiet spirit.”
― Emilie Barnes, Fill My Cup, Lord… With the Peace of Your Presence

©Valerie Rumfelt

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Diagramming Scripture

Diagramming Scripture

  • Names of God
  • Action words
  • Words of intention
  • A command for us
  • Characteristics about God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit
  • Characteristics about us in our rebellion
  • Characteristics about us after we are redeemed
  • Characteristics of God’s Word
  • Consequences of rebellion
  • Results and rewards of obedience
  • A promise from God
  • The words IF, THEN, THEREFORE, ALWAYS, BUT
  • Things God will do and things we are to do
  • Place your name where there are personal pronouns.

Diagramming Scripture is another way to interact with scripture to make it come alive for you personally. It’s a partner with Scripture Writing. Use your favorite pens and circle, underline, draw arrows, or squiggly lines in your scripture writing. Have fun highlighting truths, and enjoy the colorful results of finding all that you can in your scripture writing for that day. Then apply the scripture to you, making it personal, acknowledging how the truths impact your life. Pray the scripture back to God and thank Him for the power of His Word.

©️Valerie Rumfelt

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You Will Love Scripture Writing

Scripture Writing was a newly discovered discipline that I added to my journey with Jesus years ago. Amazement filled my heart when I discovered people who combined their creativity with intentionality to produce countless options of monthly guides for writing the holy scripture.untitled

Every day is a new day, a new beginning. You can start new practices and routines any day. Do you need a new spiritual habit that promises to yield instant results? Scripture writing is for you!

Here are 8 reasons why you will love scripture writing:

1. Interacting and writing God’s Word is supernatural and transformative.

2. Writing God’s Word gives your brain time to capture the meaning.

3. Writing God’s word is inspiring and encouraging.

4. Reproducing the scripture in your handwriting makes them personal, helping you own the verses.

5. Focus is put on God at the beginning of the day, and you sense His presence.

6. Peace comes as writing slows you down to think and let His Word absorb in your mind.

7. Order and focus are added to your quiet time as you write that day’s scripture.

8. Anticipating the next set of scriptures each morning keeps you coming back for more.

Before you begin, you will want to find a notebook and pens designated for this spiritual practice. Find a scripture writing for the month here.  Print it. Find a favorite spot in your home where you can practice this uninterrupted.

Now you are ready to begin:

  • Set your alarm to add this to your schedule
  • Get your coffee or tea or breakfast
  • Go to your special place
  • Locate the passage in the Bible 
  • Look at the passage for that day
  • Read it silently
  • Write it
  • Read it aloud to yourself
  • Diagram the passage (see blog above)
  • Ponder what God is saying and begin your prayer time

By the time you take these steps, insight comes.

Before you leave to get busy with your day, take time to write a few thoughts or a prayer to God. You may have questions, a prayer of thanks, confession, or a commitment to obedience.photo-1481624362406-b7817fa45ecf Photo by Unsplash

Other tips:

  • Capitalize the pronouns related to God or Jesus.
  • Place your name in the verses where there are personal pronouns. Look for action words or commands, promises. 
  • Minimize phone usage. What’s the point of quiet time? This is your intentional time with God, the Lover of your Soul. Make your adjustments and make your time with Him a priority.

WARNING:

If you haven’t had a very intentional quiet time with Jesus, expect obstacles and opposition, but don’t allow those to discourage you. Hearing from the Lord through His Word, and praying to Him are the most important things a Christian does to grow and abide in Him. It is the essence of who we are as His people. It develops us into who we can be for His Kingdom’s use. Don’t give up.

BLESSING:

You will feel accomplished and have new freedom in your spirit as you put this practice in your life. Interacting with God’s Word is a good practice. Even if He convicts you of sin, just confess it. Ask Him to help you be more like Him. Jim Elliot said, “Why do you need a voice when you have a verse.”

“the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

If you have a Bible that’s falling apart, you’ll have a life that’s not.

Adrian Rogers

©Valerie Rumfelt

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The Practice of Prayer

If you are a Christ follower, then you know that spending time with the Father through Bible reading and prayer is not a legalistic exercise, but you cherish this practice; it is life to you.

As carelessly as some followers approach reading His Word, there can often be little attention given to prayer unless in a crisis. A Christ-follower can engage with God through the power of His Holy Spirit in prayer. If you only go to God when something immediate is wrong in your life, then you are no better than the characters on a soap opera. I used to watch them, and characters prayed only in a crisis to a god they didn’t know. So, how do we keep from being or becoming people who only pray in crisis?

  1. Expect results. Prayer is a discipline. I know that sounds like “eat your vegetables,” but to get out of “crisis mode only” with prayer, you will need to practice. Now that is not to say you can’t pray at other times. You can pray all day long, anytime. But praying as a choice is necessary to learn how to pray effectively.
  2. Expect to hear from God. We all fear that God might speak to us in our prayer, and we aren’t sure we want to hear what He has to say. But once you pray intentionally, you become fearless. Your faith strengthens and you are willing to accept any instruction, comfort, or guidance He gives. Even if something is hard to hear, you can pray about it.
  3. Expect better relationships. Prayer keeps you honest before God. It stands to reason that if you are honest before God, your relationships will get more honest, and more peace will be produced in your life. Every relationship problem may not be solved, but you will have more peace.
  4. Expect to use the Bible in your prayer time. Use the scripture you read earlier in devotions. Or find a passage particular to your situation. Praying scripture is a submissive choice to agree with God that His Word is true and true for you.
  5. Expect answers to your prayers. God honors those who honor Him and He is waiting to hear from you. The more you pray, the more answers you will get. He will answer prayers that are for your good and His glory which is directly connected to His will for your life.

None of this means that you’ll be spared suffering. God is not a genie. But a fervent prayer life will sustain you in suffering. True followers of Christ will suffer in this life. That is theologically based right out of God’s Holy Word, but your prayer life will give you strength and wisdom for each trial.

Do you need to get on your knees?

I choose to get on my knees because something supernatural happens there. It’s a humble posture; once again, I have no trouble thanking God for who He is. Praise comes out of my mouth easily. I confess my sins. Isn’t this what you’d expect to do in prayer? It goes from being a stiff “have to” step in my quiet time to a desire to know Him and enjoy His presence.

I hope these tips will encourage you to enter into God’s presence with expectation and gladness.

“True prayer is a way of life, not just for use in cases of emergency. Make it a habit, and when the need arises you will be in practice.”

Billy Graham

©Valerie Rumfelt

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Soul Survival Everyday

Psalm 25 is hidden in my heart, but recently when I revisited it, the first nine words grabbed my attention like a diamond in a well-lit jewelry case. My eyes and heart were fastened to it, and I could not move further into the verse or chapter. Here are the first nine words to this beloved Psalm:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul…

This is what saturated my mind as the Spirit of God had me slowed to a stop on these words.
God is the only One trustworthy to care for my soul.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul…

The Spirit undoubtedly directed David’s heart, and David knew that God was his absolute help for the eternal core of his being, whether in peace or crisis.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul…

Why wouldn’t I, too, lift up my soul to the only Soul Lifter?

Is there anyone more trustworthy than the Lord? 

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul…

To experience what David knew in the very first line of this Psalm, then certainly we have to go to the Lord to lift our soul to Him. We can not remain unaffected by this great God we know.

We can not hide in our super busy life avoiding Him.

We can not be puffed with pride in our significant space.

We can not run by Him in ministry mode.

We can not excuse our presence with Him because of a caretaking call.

We can not rest in complacency in our relaxation room. 

No, we must choose to go to God.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Are you overwhelmed that you can even approach God? 

God is available to every follower of Jesus. He is our Father, and He is there for us anytime, any day, any season of our life. But we must choose to stop our life, and go get His life each and every day.

Why not every morning say to Him…

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

The soul actually demands as much attention as the body…the soul was made for God, and without God, it is restless and in secret torment.

Billy Graham

©Valerie Rumfelt

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5 Promises for Peace and Transformation

Covid19 is still here. It’s impacted our lives, and I don’t need to tell you how. It’s quite hard to believe all the changes. We are wondering will things go back to normal. Here are some questions to ponder.

Am I still the same?

Am I changed?

Am I closer to Jesus now?

Do I love His Word more?

Do I hear God speaking to me?

Is there sin in my life that I need to confess and take action to flee?

Of course, we can always choose to be alone with God. A pandemic doesn’t have to be the reason. Do you have gaps in your days because of Covid? These are opportunities. And Jesus is better than any lottery ticket. He is dependable.

When all around you changes, He is not and will not. He can’t. Hebrews has a verse full of stability and promise, which says, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” A world to our expectations is not part of the deal. Actually, in John 16: Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The other morning as I was in my quiet time, I came across all of these gems. Maybe reading these will inspire you to fellowship with God through His Word. There are many more scriptures like these that give testimony to the benefits of reading God’s Word. Ponder these few.

  1. Who knew memorizing it could help you not to sin.

2. This verse clearly explains the usefulness of reading and applying Scripture.3. Wow, let’s pray we love reading God’s Word more than food. 4. Jeremiah expresses a desire to read the Scripture and expresses the benefit. If you don’t have this desire, then pray for it. That is a prayer God will answer.5. Scripture comes straight from the Lord. Living by it is wise—every word.

Today is the day to invest your time in reading God’s wonderful word. I have several blogs on this website on writing scripture which guarantees to slow down the brain and bring peace. Here’s one. FREE PRINTABLES are at the top of this site for you to work and enjoy. Suppose you don’t have the desire to get more of God’s Word in your life, pray for it. If you live in sin, you can’t hear from God, even if you are a believer. Confess that sin, get out of the sin, and start again living a life that brings glory to Him.

The Bible was not given for our information, but for our transformation. D. L. Moody

©Valerie Rumfelt

 

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Improve Your Quiet Time

If you are a follower of Jesus, then having a quiet time is something you do. It’s part of who you are as His follower. It’s a time for Him to talk to you through His Word and time for you to speak to Him in prayer. This is the relationship we all learn about, and yes, it’s that simple, and yet it is profound.

I’m an advocate of a morning quiet time. It gets the day started right by filling your soul with His powerful Word, leaving your burdens with Him, and humbling yourself and letting Him lead the way.

God’s Word is not dull, but sometimes this discipline could use some variety. One thing I started a few years ago is scripture writing. Writing scripture affects my spirit, much like a good night’s rest feels. A sense of well being emerges and the truth of scripture seems to magnify before me.

You can add this practice to your quiet time, simply choosing passages in the Bible to write. But, there are some great minds out there who have made it super easy by compiling lists of scripture by the month. Just google “scripture writing,” and you will find the options. Choose one, make a copy of the plan, gather a notebook and pen, and you’ll be ready to start this new adventure with scripture.

So let me tell you how I use scripture writing:

  • I find the passage in the Bible, and I read it, sometimes out loud.
  • I write the scripture passage in the notebook. As I write, I try to absorb the words and meanings.
  • Often, I place my name, where there are personal pronouns. This technique personalizes it for me.
  • I look for keywords such as repeated words, words that describe the human heart, words that describe God’s heart, a command, a list, action words, consequences, or a promise and more.
  • I circle, underline, make squiggly markings around these elements. Out beside the scriptures, I write any question the scripture prompts, a praise, a statement the Holy Spirit is pressing on me. I call all this diagramming Scripture.
  • After “diagramming” the passage, I may write out a prayer based on the scripture.

This entire process takes only a few minutes. By the time this is done, God’s spoken through the passage, and the activity of prayer follows. Sometimes I make the scripture passage the start of my prayer time. The scripture writing I’ve used most recently is https://theplanningwoman.com/scripture-writing-plans-2020/

Having a morning quiet time is a daily spiritual discipline that involves you interacting with our holy God. Time spent with God brings assurance of His Presence all day and guides you in His way. Beyond transforming your mind, your life will bring more honor and glory to Him because you met with Him. Embrace your time with God each morning.

The secret to a happy life is giving God the first part of your day, the priority to every decision, and the first place in your heart.

 
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©Valerie Rumfelt
 
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