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Here are four tips to create more time for your devotions with God:

“Tip # 12  Get your calendar out and set an appointment with God every day for the next thirty days.

I have my time set one my calendar. I have the reminder come up which forces me to click yes (I did it), no (I did not), or I can defer it for one hour from now…

Tip # 13  Take a simple inventory of where you spend your time.  How many hours do you:

sleep?
work each day?
spend in exercise?
spend in leisure?

How many minutes do you spend with God?

Consider how much time you should spend with God this week.  Next month, evaluate yourself again. Set a goal to spend ten percent more time with God then you did last month.

Tip # 14  Take a 3 x 5 card and add this to it:

Write this across the top.  I spent ____ minutes with God today, and He taught me _______

Carry that card with you during the day.  Refer to it at meals and at bedtime.  If your family has a conversation at a meal, then use this card to speak about what God taught you today to reinforce it…

Tip # 15  Find a Bible study tool or short reading plan to try for one week…”
(Used by permission by John O'Malley Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles)

Tomorrow I will share with you tips to overcome the Obstacle of Comprehension.

Image courtesy of: Nick Kenrick..

Obstacle # 4:  The Obstacle of Time— I want to read it, but I just do not have enough time in my day to have memorable or meaningful Devotions.

We give our time to the right things and necessary things; we surrender to our schedules and obligations…

The Psalmist said in Psalm sixty-three, he sought God early in the day…He speaks of how his vision, praise, and memories are affected when he spent time with God.  He spoke of how his rest was directly to his spending time with God…

I believe it is not about wishing, wanting, having, or making enough time.  It is about making a reservation in your day to meet God…

• Determine your best time of day–a time when you are not distracted by the day…

• Make an appointment with God–a time not shared with anything or anyone else…

• Reserve time for reflection–a time where you process and assimilate what you read…

• Reserve time to listen–the Bible is God's letter to us…

• Reserve time to speak with Him–at the end of your reservation with Him, share with Him your heart's difficulties and desires…

Schedule ten minutes where you will shut the world out and sit with God and listen to Him… Here are some simple guidelines:

• Read one passage of Scripture.  Start with a Psalm; look for his reflection in that passage.

• As you read the verses, remember you may need to read it several times to hear HIs voice and get a sense of the message of His words.

• Pause in prayerful reflection and say, “Godm, this is what I hear in your passage.  Is there more you want me to see, learn, or know?..

There is not a Biblical standard for minutes spent with HIm. 

I am suggesting a ten-minute reservation with God to get you started.  Then in the following weeks, as you are comfortable doing so, increase the time you reserve with Him to fifteen minutes each day…

Meet HIm early.  Meet Him often.  Meet Him regularly.  There is no substitute with your daily reservation with God.

(Used by permission by John O'Malley (Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles)

Image courtesy of: Imagens Evangélicas

Continuing  from yesterday's tip # 10 of Reset yourself:

• Reset your expectation of your walk with God:…The Holy Spirit impresses each reader in the way they need to hear and learn…

• Reset your expectations about the time you pray…Prayer is talking to God about what is in your heart and listening to Him speak through His Word…

• Reset your expectations about your Bible reading…Let your Bible reading be more about what you retain and live out versus how much you read and left out of your life…

Tip # 11:  Fill out a 3 x 5 card and carry it with you…

• Write this statement across the top of the card and this verses below it:

I will not compare myself to others in any area of my life.  It is not wise.

I don't dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves.  I'm not that kind of person.  They compare themselves by themselves.  When they do that they, are not wise.
(2 Corinthians 10:12 NIRV))

• Turn the card over and write this statement across the top and the verse below it.

I will choose hope and praise over the noisiness of my emotions.

Any other choice will frustrate me.

My spirit, why are you so sad? Why are you so upset deep down inside me? Put your hope in God.  Once again I will have reason to praise Him. He is imy Savior and my God.
(Psalm 42:5 NIRV)”
(Used by permission by John O”Malley Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles)

Tomorrow's post will talk about overcoming the Obstacle of Time.

Photo By Imagens Evangélicas

Image courtesy of: Yay God Ministries

Obstacle # 3: The Obstacle of Comparison— I feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or guilty when I hear others speak of a beautiful time of Devotions, and I compare my devotions with their's…

You feel like quitting because you can never match up to their picture-perfect devotions…You close your eyes, take a deep spiritual breath, and you realize just how much life interferes with everything you do to have a closer walk with the Lord…

Tip # 8 Release yourself…

Release yourself from other people's picture frames and live in the picture frame of God's grace and mercy.

Tip # 9 Remind yourself…

It is not what the lens captures that matters in life, but what is important is what your mind captures from God's Word and what you hide from it in your heart…

Tip # 10 Reset yourself...

Be Realistic and Reset your expectations from the Word of God… Hope is a choice you must make when disquiet invades you.
(Used by permission by John O”Malley Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles)

Look for Tip # 11 in my next post.

Image courtesy of: torbakhopper

“Obstacle # 2:  The Obstacle of History—I seem to miss the meaning of the passage I read.  I think it is because I do not understand the background or history of the Bible…

For me, it begins with prayer.  Let me tell you what I say. “God, I know there are things here I am not getting.  I need your Holy Spirit to teach me this. Please guide me.”..Pick a resource: it can be online, digital eBook, or bound.  Ask your pastor or Sunday School teacher: “Is there something in the background of this passage that would help me understand this section?..

Tip # 4 Remember the Culture.

Culture is the system of beliefs, values, and ideas of a people in a certain time period…Eastern Culture will often times see things through a prism of what brings shame and what restores honor…

Tip # 5 Remember the Context.

Learn to read the Bible by paragraphs not just the numbered verses… If you ignore the Context, you will miss the meaning and teaching…

Tip # 6 Remember the Conflicts.

The sin nature of man is in Conflict with the righteousness of God… When you read a passage and the Culture is so different and the Context is not easily grasped, remember that man's will and desire is selfish.  God will Correct those who are wrong.  He will forgive and restore those who Confess their sin…Stay Close to Him.  Keep your heart and spirit Contrite.

Tip # 7 Remember your Companion...

One of Comforter's (Holy Spirit's) task is to bring all things to our remembrance.  He dwells within us and guides us to truth.  When I am stuck on a verse or passage of Scripture, I pray.  I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me to see or recall what I an not seeing…When I am reading in another section, the Holy Spirit brings to mind what I was stuck on and shows me the Connection.”
(Used by permission by John O'Malley Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles)

The next post will tell you how to overcome the Obstacle of Comparison.

Photo By torbakhopper