QUIET TIME

Text: Matt 6:6, Mark 1:35, Luke5:16.6:12.

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed”. Mark 1:35.

Quiet time is a time set aside in a certain place where one can be alone and draw near to God.
It is a specific time in which one seeks the face of the Lord to know him personally; to worship him and to understand him better. It is a time of concentrated and uninterrupted fellowship with God in a solitary place where no one can disturb or interrupt. It is a time to turn to God in faith and call on him through Jesus Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Having a quiet time with God involves deeper friendship and intimacy with him. It involves thanksgiving, praise, worship, adoration, confession, supplication, scriptural meditation, prayer and intercession.

It is advisable to have a regular time, a fixed place and a bible reading plan for an effective quiet time.

As regards timing, it depends on you but early in the morning can be most suitable. Psalm 5:3, "My voice shall thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." If your quiet time is early in the morning it enables you to start the day with God. Just make it a priority and be consistent. The duration depends on you but as much as possible, spend quality time with God. But do not let the time erode into other things.

It is advisable you choose a place where you will be able to pray aloud if you like to. A place where there will be no distraction of any form or kind. Jesus did this severally. Mark 1:35. He separated himself from the crowd into a solitary place and moved to God to seek him and pray and to hear from him. Jesus admonished us in Matt 6:6, "But thou, when thou  prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Brethren, rewards are even attached to having a quiet time, therefore give it a priority.

It is also advisable to have a Bible reading plan. Scriptural reading can either be chapter by chapter or topic by topic or using a daily devotional or any bible based daily guide.  List what you intend to pray about as the Holy Spirit directs. A reading plan will really help you to be focused. You also need some materials for your quiet time such as the Bible, a hymn book, a devotional book, note book and a pen to write with.

As you meditate, you may need to record what comes out of your meditation. You have to focus on Christ alone and be mentally alert. Don't go into quiet time when you are already exhausted because you may not be able to concentrate and flow very well.

Some processes are involved. You may start with thanksgiving, and move on to praise, worship and adoration, confession and scriptural reading. Read slowly and with understanding and ask the Holy Spirit to interpret what you read for you. After reading, you have to spend time meditating on what you have read. List the areas in which the word has touched you and pray on them. You need to be still before God, and as you wait quietly, God may want to speak with you. So be patient.

Record whatever God says to you and obey what he tells you. As you meditate and listen to God, there may be a command to obey, kindly obey it or a promise to claim, claim it. You may be reminded of a sin to avoid, avoid it and repent of it. There will always be a lesson to learn. Pay attention to it and live by the word. Do not rush out on God. Wait and pray aloud and pour your heart to him. As you pray along, just believe he has heard you and avoid doubt. Remember to intercede for others, families, leaders and nations. End your quiet time with thanksgiving and faithfully believe your prayers have being answered. Go over whatever you have written down as the Lord speaks to you and work on it accordingly. Quiet time is a daily exercise, give it a priority and always go with expectation.

Benefits.
It enables you to be focused.
It builds in you perseverance and endurance.
It moulds you into Christ like character.
It enables you to study the word, meditate on it and have more knowledge of the word.
It creates an atmosphere for dialogue between God and you regularly.
It helps you to ignite your faith and depend totally on God .
Rewards from God await you as promised in Heb 11:6.

Brethren, always look forward to your quiet time because it is an opportunity to have a bond of love with God through Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Always go with expectation because you won't live the place as you went in. Your quiet time is personal and should not be substituted with the family altar. It is very important to create time to be with God alone and be faithful to doing it.

Prayer.
Heavenly Father, as Jesus was always withdrawing himself from the crowd to a solitary place to seek you and commune with you, grant me the grace too to be able to seek you diligently and on daily basis. I want to commune with you Lord and have a bond of Christ love with you on daily basis. Father, let it be so, as my dependency is on you totally. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.