Sir Godfrey Gregg
Simple Joshua 1:8 Goals
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8
Over the years I have not always been consistent to give priority time to God in disciplined reading, prayer, and meditation on the Bible. Some recent questions from some other seminary wives have driven me back to God’s word for some goals/ideas/ways to grow in this discipline. For whatever they are worth, here are some thoughts that were shared (and this is NOT all-inclusive. . .just some ideas!).
Simple Goals for Growing in Personal Time with God
- Avoid legalism (especially about format, time, location, etc) but be compelled by love to spend more time with God (1 John 4:19)
- Try something and do what works (1 Thessalonias 5:21)
- Look for idle/idol spent moments (things that waste time, or things that you would rather do than read your Bible or pray) and change how you spend them or don’t do those things until you have spent time with God (1 Thess. 5:14)
- Read, meditate, pray and apply (James 1:22-25 and Psalm 1) Allow God to CHANGE you by going that tiny step further by meditating and applying what you read.
- Ask God for hunger, thirst and a willing spirit (James 1:5, Mt. 5:6 and Psalm 51:12)
- Meditate on God’s love, character and works – this can make you long for more (Psalms 103, 116, 111, Isaiah 55, if you need a place to start)
- Ask yourself if you have made a habit of starving yourself so badly by neglecting time with God that you don’t even know what you are missing anymore. Reverse the pattern and make yourself hungry by reintroducing spiritual food.
- Seek godly accountability (Proverbs 13:20, Ecclesatities 4:9-12)
