How to spend time with God

1
How to spend time with God

• Jesus went to a lonely place to pray. If He was
  God, how much more do we need this?
• Matt 1423, Mk 646, Lk 516

2
Time with the Lord sets our Compass

• We can be with another person in the same room
  and not connect with them.
• In the same way, we can do Christian activities
  and not connect with the Lord in the process.
• We can sing worship songs, listen to teachings,
  and go to meetings and not really connect with
  God or encounter Him in a real way.
• Setting aside time with the Lord (without
  distractions) is not only a great activity in and
  of itself, but it trains our hearts to connect
  with the Lord throughout the day.

3
Leave the flesh and go to the Spirit

• Find a quiet place with no distractions
• Lay down all of your rights
• Give up all control
• Let go of all of your plans
• Forsake all of your opinions
• If there be therefore any consolation in
  Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
  of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
  Phl 22 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded,
  having the same love, being of one accord, of
  one mind. Phl 23 Let nothing be done
  through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of
  mind let each esteem other better than
  themselves. Phl 24 Look not every man on
  his own things, but every man also on the things
  of others. Phl 25Let this mind be in you,
  which was also in Christ Jesus Phl 26 Who,
  being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
  to be equal with God Phl 27 But made
  himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
  form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
  of men Phl 28 And being found in fashion
  as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient
  unto death, even the death of the cross.

4
Become Converted

• And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be
  converted, and become as little children, ye
  shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt
  183
• We are not always childlike and humble
• When we are not humble, we are not abiding in
  Christ.
• Become like a child
• Needy - Hungry
• Dependant - Trusting
• Small - Easily led
• Unknowing

5
Believe the Truth

• You are clean because of the blood of Jesus -
• 2 Cor. 521
• You are a treasure to God - Matt 1344
• No matter what youve done or where youve been,
  the Lord still desires to be with you and love
  you Luke 1511-32
• You are in Him and He is in you. There is no
  distance to travel. 1 Cor. 130, Col. 127

6
Believing is not forceful

• Believing is not making something true, but it is
  letting go to what is already true.
• You are already clean because of the blood of
  Jesus.
• You are a child of God, whether you are aware of
  it or not.
• We will know by this that we are of the truth,
  and will assure our heart before Him in whatever
  our heart condemns us for God is greater than
  our heart and knows all things. 1Jo 319, 20

7
Learn to Receive and Enjoy

• Eph 314-21
• From a small place of humility, let go and trust
  the Lord.
• Receive Him
• Enjoy who He is
• Gaze at Him
• Take in His love for you
• Become lost in His presence and the person of
  Christ.

8
From the Spirit, not the mind only

• Paul make a distinction between our spirit and
  our minds.
• For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but
  my mind is unfruitful - 1 Cr 1414
• What is the outcome then? I will pray with the
  spirit and I will pray with the mind also I will
  sing with the spirit and I will sing with the
  mind also. 1Cr 1415
• With all prayer and petition pray at all times in
  the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the
  alert with all perseverance and petition for all
  the saints, Eph 618
• You must learn to connect with God with your
  Spirit, not just your mind.

9
Helps and Hindrances

• Stillness
• Surely I have composed and quieted my soul Like
  a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul
  is like a weaned child within me. Psalm 131
• Avoid past and future (only this moment is real)
• Exodus 314 I AM
• Learn to Wait on God.
• My soul waits in silence for God only From Him
  is my salvation. Psalm 621

10
Become Like Mary

• Luke 10-38-42
• Covet your time with the Lord and enjoy it.
• Let it become the most important part of your day
  and of your life.
• Realize that it is really the only thing that is
  necessary.
• Become addicted to His life.

11
The role of scripture in time with the Lord.

• The Bible is the perfect word of God.
• It is God breathed and God inspired.
• And that from a child thou hast known the holy
  scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
  salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
  All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
  and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
  for correction, for instruction in righteousness
  1 Tim 315,16
• The scriptures are not Christ Himself
• "You search the scriptures because you think that
  in them you have eternal life it is these that
  testify about Me. And you are unwilling to come
  to Me so that you may have life. - John 539
• We should use scripture to lead us to Jesus
  Himself
• He will also lead us to the scriptures.

12
Deepen your capacity for God.
Your heart is like a container. Our hearts are
often filled with things that are not God. As
you empty your heart of the things that are in it
(yourself, the world, lusts for other things,
fear, etc.) - it becomes available for the Spirit
of Jesus to fill it. Lets deepen our capacity
for knowing the Lord and having His life in us
and among us.