Quiet Time Tips

Happy Thursday, girls! Today I want to share a quiet time plan you can use to help you dig deep this year. In order for me to have a good quiet time, I have to have some kind of plan or agenda (must be the teacher in me). I don't do really well just opening my bible and reading. If you are like me, this plan may really work well for you. This is actually the plan that Marian Jordan uses on her website: redeemedgirl.org. It is called R.E.A.P. (Read, Examine, Apply, Pray).*

All you need is your Bible, a journal, a quiet place, and an open heart. This method is best used with a Bible reading plan. You can find these everywhere online, but some good ones are at biblegateway.com or if you have the Bible App on your phone, they have many different plans to reading the Bible in a Year. You can also find Yearly Bibles that have the reading plans mapped out for you.

Here is how the R.E.A.P. method works:

Read
*At the top of a sheet of paper (or in a journal), write the day's date and leave a space to write the title of your entry later.
*Pick a scripture to study either by using a Bible reading plan or by coming up with one on your own.
*Prayerfully read the text. Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
*Next, spend some time reflecting and writing about what you've read in your journal pages.

Examine
*Write down the key Scripture (or two) that stuck out to you.
*Write down what this scripture says and why it matters.
*Write down thoughts on what you've read from the entire section.
*Ask the Important Examination Questions as you Read the Text:
      *Who? (Audience, Speaker, Subject)
      *What? (Context, Purpose, Problem)
      *When? (Time, Duration, Season)
      *Where? (Setting, Situation, Location)
      *Why? (Motivation, Purpose, Intent, Lesson, Truth)
      *How? (Call to Action, Example to Follow)

Apply
*How does this text apply to your life, circumstances, and relationship with God? Write out how you will be different today because of what you have just read.
*Respond in your journal to the following questions and anything else that comes to mind.
     *What do I learn about God from this scripture?
     *What do I learn about myself from this scripture?
     *What commands/instructions/should I obey?
     *What truth can I apply to my life?
     *What sin do I need to confess?
     *What error can I avoid?
     *What promises can I claim?

Prayer
*Write out a personal prayer based on your time in God's Word.

This is just an outline that you can use. There may be times that you can't answer all of these questions. This is a flexible plan! The most important thing is that you are spending one on one time with God. Let Him guide and lead you.

Continue to look for more ways to dig deep this year on the blog.

Loving Jesus together,
Morgan

"The secret to true beauty is spending time each day with the Beautiful One (Jesus)." ~Marian Jordan, from The List.

*You can print this quiet time plan out at redeemedgirls.org under Podcast and Quiet Time Tips

**The R.E.A.P. method is from a sermon by Pastor Matt Carter fromt he Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX.