A Discourse on Daily Devotions

Daily - Every single day, no exceptions other than extreme emergencies.

Devotions - Meaning that you had a ‘face to face’ meeting with God. In other words, you made contact with Him just as much as you would make contact with one of the most important people in your life, such as your spouse, parent, or child.

The Bible very specifically instructs us to receive our food with the Word of God and a prayer of thanksgiving. This prayer sanctifies, ‘sets apart’ the food for God’s intended purpose.

The Bible speaks very specifically about daily meditation on the Word of God.

1. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1:2 NKJV)
2. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. (Deut. 6:7 NKJV)
3. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Jos. 1:8 NKJV)

The Bible describes the devotional practices of several individuals, including Jesus.

1. Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. (Acts 3:1 NKJV)
   About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" (Acts 10:3 NKJV)
   The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. (Acts 10:9 NKJV)
2. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (Dan. 6:10 NKJV)
3. Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. (Mk. 1:35 NKJV)

Best Illustration: In terms of importance, daily devotions are to our spiritual well-being what the following items are to our physical well-being:

1. Oxygen

2. Water

3. Light

4. Sleep

5. Food

6. Shelter

7. Safety

Argument from Results:

1. Don't expect to grow in grace if you don't read scripture. - Attributed to Spurgeon

2. The old children’s song, read your Bible pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow. Neglect your Bible, forget to pray, and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

3. The greatest and most powerful of Christian witnesses have been fervent prayers, and attentive students of the Word.

Personal Experience: I have yet to find a single thing in all the world so important to a person’s life as a daily meeting with the Creator.

If you have ever set any goal for yourself do you imagine you would have benefited less if you had substituted daily devotions for that goal?

If you have pushed yourself to meet career-related goals, and neglected devotion to God, what or who is your God?

If you have pushed yourself to attain physical fitness goals for your body, could you not do the same for your soul? Which is eternal?

If you have told yourself that a daily meeting with God will not enhance your future in heaven, pray tell me what you think will? Those who think there is not something to be lost by lethargic Christianity need to re-read the New Testament.

If you struggle in your Christian life and yet fail to meet with your Heavenly Father as often as you brush your teeth or comb your hair, do you really assume that some other activity will help your life on earth more? Do you need any more convincing?

Don’t accept excuses from yourself. Acceptable excuses could include:

1. I haven’t slept in the last 24 hours ---- you need to go to sleep, not have devotions.

2. I haven’t eaten in the last 24 hours ---- you need to eat, not have devotions.

3. I am so sick that I cannot count to 20 in my head --- you need medical attention, not to have devotions.

Don’t give up because you aren’t doing ‘enough’ to be worth it.

1. Just 5 minutes 7 days a week for thirty years equals over 900 hours alone with God. That is more than many Christians spend with the Lord their entire lives, and it is consistent over time.

2. You can spend an hour brushing your teeth once a week and it will never do for you what a few minutes a day will do for you.

3. Never give up --- Dr. Lee Roberson said it best, “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins!”

Write something down.

1. Journaling is a habit you will NEVER EVER REGRET!

2. Journaling allows us to look back and see how we have progressed, or see if we have progressed at all.

3. Electronic trackers don’t record feelings, you have to write (or type).

4. A life that wasn’t journaled is a life that wasn’t lived.

Pray a Praise Prayer ---- if you do nothing else, praise God every day.

1. A praise prayer is just praise to the Lord, and nothing else.

2. Even if it is only one line, a few words, DO IT DAILY!

3. This is an amazing key to victory in the Christian life.

4. A day without praise is a day without purpose.

Don’t forget to meditate and memorize.

1. If you don’t think you can memorize anything, start small. Memorize one verse a year. If you can’t do that, then you can’t remember your name, address, phone number, or date of birth.

2. At any given time you need something to ‘mull’ over in your mind that is about Scripture. If you don’t know how a cow/sheep chews the cud, do some research. That is meditation. Just keep chewing!

Don’t get stuck on programs.

1. Devotionals and devotion plans are good tools.

2. Have you ever started a fire? These resources are fire starters, but they can’t maintain a blaze.

Follow the example of others.

1. Encouragement is at your fingertips.

2. Don’t despair, reach out!