December Word of the Month Study: Quiet Time With Jesus

When we conceptualize our products, we try to keep our ears to the ground of what the people may need to hear. This is the exact framework we used when we created the Coffee & Jesus Leather Wristlet.

As Christians, it should be our highest priority to spend consistent quiet time with Jesus in order to hear what the Lord is saying to us. 

If we don't, we risk our connection to Heaven. It isn't a matter of our salvation! Our salvation is secured once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. But after that, we must do our part to draw near to the Lord whenever possible so that we can receive what He has for us. 

Quiet time with Jesus should be as important as that first cup of coffee to your day.  

Let's look at the basic components of quiet time with Jesus. While they are independent of one another in a general sense, they go hand in hand to put power behind your experience.

The Basic Components of Quiet Time With Jesus: 

When we commit to these things, things happen. 

• Studying our Bible to know the Word of God. (See Matthew 4:4)
   
• Engaging in Spirit-led prayer communicates our needs to Heaven. (See 1 John 5:14)
  
  
• Worship is a foundation for spending quiet time with Jesus. (See Hebrews 12:28)
  
  
• Supplementing our quiet time with Jesus by fasting is an incredible way to add power to our prayer and worship. (See Ezra 8:23)
  
  
  

The primary factor here is CONSISTENCY. We simply cannot expect to get all that God has for us, both in word and in deed, if we do not consistently spend quiet time with Jesus. Prayers could be going unanswered, warfare battles may be going unfought, and breakthroughs may be stuck! Commit today to examining your quiet time with Jesus and the habits that form them. Make a special note on where you may be deficient: prayer, worship, Bible study, fasting, or even in your consistency. Pray and ask God to help you become more consistent in your heart so that when you activate them tangibly, you can stick with them. 

This week we are examining how a believer can hear the voice of God with consistent study, prayer, and quiet time with Jesus.

Let's go straight to the Bible first: And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)

Hearing the voice of God is not a superpower reserved for "super" Christians. This benefit is for everyone who is a son of God (See Romans 8:14) Throughout the Bible, we see people of all statutes and standings hearing the voice of God, from larger-than-life characters like Noah, Moses, and the major prophets to smaller characters like the minor prophets, Gideon, and Job. This privilege is available to anyone who seeks Him.

The question is: HOW does someone recognize the voice of God in their quiet time with Jesus?

I can only give you the answer to this from my vantage point of what has worked for me for many years. There are many opinions on this matter and it would behoove the reader to search this out even more beyond this study. For now, let's explore my regiment and prayerfully it will assist you in curating your own!

Starting your quiet time with Jesus at the START of the day is critical.

Let's go to Psalm 5:3: In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly.

Is it mandatory? No. Different schedules have to accommodate different routines. But there is value in starting first thing in the morning. Your mind is rested, the world and its many distractions haven't reached you yet, and you are open to what you may receive. I make it a habit NOT to launch social media or email before I get to my quiet place to not taint anything the Holy Spirit may have planted in my resting spirit. Quiet time with Jesus is the perfect way to set the tone for the day.

Journaling your first thoughts or impressions upon waking can be a great place to start.

Reference Psalm 16:7: I will bless the Lord Who has counseled me. Indeed my mind instructs me in the night. 

The Holy Spirit gives us impressions or guidance while we sleep. This is why it's important not to reach for your phone and fill your mind with worldly things such as the news, social media feeds, or emails. We risk diluting or even losing what may have been planted in us while we slept. The first thing I do when I get to my study place is to immediately journal what was in my spirit. Oftentimes, this will become the area of focus that the Holy Spirit wants you to lean into as your study begins. I like to use the analogy of a fortune cookie: If I were to write on a piece of paper that I would win the lottery next week and then opened my devotional and it told me the same thing, I'd flip out at the accuracy of the response. The potency, however, would diminish if I had not recorded my thoughts first. My reading would then just seem random and while applicable (and exciting!), less powerful. Journaling your first thoughts provides a basis for what you are seeking God for during your study. 

Devotionals have their place.

Devotionals are an amazing tool to supplement your quiet time with Jesus! They are NOT, however, an acceptable replacement for reading your actual Bible. Remember, devotionals are amazing, but they are still the voice of humans. We cannot know if the writers received their words from the Lord. We do, however, have that assurance with Scripture. 

I enjoy utilizing a minimum of three devotionals at a time. Some are book-style, some are online only, and some are prophetic in nature. Why so many? I look for recurring messaging and confirmation between these independent words. For example, if two out of three devotionals directly address my first thoughts as journaled above, God is likely trying to say something to me! (Back to the fortune cookie we go!) I get REALLY excited when that happens. I also journal any devotionals that strongly corroborate my first-mind entry. Those are important to remember. 

Run EVERYTHING through the filter of Scripture. 

The Bible has the last word on everything above. Typically after I have journaled my thoughts from the morning, read my devotionals, and journaled them as needed, I go straight to my Bible. My normal process is to read either five chapters from where I left off before OR to read until the Holy Spirit highlights the Word I need to hear, whichever happens first. You will begin to see a pattern! The Word will either further confirm what you felt in your waking and the devotionals OR it will directly contradict or answer your thoughts. This is what you take to prayer to further understand what God is saying! 

Round everything up with prayer.

After I have completed the process above, I thank God in prayer for His presence with me. I ask Him for clarity and further understanding of what He needed me to hear. I ask for signs and more confirmation throughout the day ahead. I end my study with eyes wide open to anything or anyone that may confirm the word as received. 

While many believers feel that reading a couple of paragraphs of a local devotional book is adequate, I challenge you to go deeper. The reality is, if we can spend hours binge-watching our favorite shows, shouldn't we invest more in our quiet time with Jesus? I challenge you to look at your regiment this week and curate a process of your own. It doesn't have to look like mine, but it should allow for more opportunities to hear the voice of God across different resources. 

This last week we are exploring some practical applications and tips for the "Coffee & Jesus" Word of the Month and making the most of your quiet time with Jesus. Use these to create your own experience or add some of your own. Each person's quiet time may look different and that's okay!

Quiet time should be just that: QUIET.

Look for a place and a time that gives you the quiet and calm you need to get before the Lord. A chaotic house with kids running around, the TV blaring, or cabinets banging ain't it! If that means you have to wake before your household, do what you must to have the space as quiet as possible.

Soaking-type music is perfect at low volume.

instrumental soaking worship music is an amazing way to bring calm and peace to a space while you are spending quiet time with Jesus. There are many options on YouTube, some with Bible verses that accompany the music. 

Get comfortable, but not comfortable enough to fall asleep!

Having a comfortable space allows you to relax and really lean into what you are reading and praying. I personally have a "Quiet Time Table" in my kitchen solely meant for study. I keep my study tools on this table and it is off-limits to anything else. I also keep a prayer blanket for the cozy effect. Common spaces include closets, your personal office, or even outside when the weather permits. 

Gather your resources and keep them handy.

• Your Bible: You cannot have an effective quiet time with Jesus without it. The ACTUAL BIBLE is a non-negotiable. I encourage you to have at least two translations available to cross-reference if you need to. (Note: While I know that there are e-Bibles available, I strongly encourage you to get a paper Bible. There's something about the feel of paper and less temptation to get off track with your telephone.)
• Your Journal: Capture what you hear or what God shows you. Once your day starts, you will forget. 
• Note-taking tools:  Anything from Bible pens to highlighters, index cards or post-it notes, and even washi tape are great ideas. Again, every person's experience is different. Have these things on hand so that you don't get distracted in looking for them. 
• Coffee of course!: There is nothing better than a hot cup of cozy to really make quiet time with Jesus the best experience. Coffee or tea is a great fit! (If you are fasting, please adhere to the rules you've set!)

This week, as we close, I would love to hear from you in our community on how you've curated your quiet time with Jesus experience: the devotionals you are using, the Bibles you opted for, music suggestions, everything! We are in this together and the most important part of course is CONSISTENCY. You've got this!