Where do I Start?

Developing a consistent prayer time with God.

Whether you’ve been a Christian for a day or decades, if the idea of having a consistent prayer life is new to you, I recommend doing the following:

• Set a fixed amount of time, preferably before you start your day. It can be 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or whatever time is repeatable. The point is that you carve out a chunk of time and give it to God.

• Spend a few moments uncluttering your mind; get in tune with God.

• Pray the biblegateway.com/passag…. It’s okay to pray “me,” “my,” and “I” in place of “us,” “our,” and “we,” or leave them in. What is important is that you talk with God.

• Begin your Bible study in the book of St. John. You can read the Bible online, in a gold-gilded-edged study Bible, or paperback; the media doesn’t matter. Bookmark where you finish so you know where to start tomorrow.

• With your Bible open, pray, and ask Jesus, your Lord, to guide your reading.

• Begin your Bible study. It might be a few verses or a chapter. It is not the amount that is important; it’s your understanding. If you didn’t understand what you read, read the same verses in a different translation - biblegateway.com/passag… are all useful translations.

• Pray fervently. Now that your soul and spirit are tuned into God, you can pray with great vigor. Confess your sins to God, pray for unsaved family members, pray Bible verses back to God, and ask God to give you opportunities to share your faith with others. Basically, pray using the faith God has given you. Expect to see answers to your prayers.

• Finish by asking God to help you understand and grow spiritually from what you read.

That’s how you can begin your lifetime of sequestered (hidden away) time with God.