I'm taking a Personal Christian Development class at Indiana Bible College and this class has helped me have a better understanding of what I need to do to be more Christlike. Much of what I'll be talking about today I have learned from this class.
Personal Devotions is a basic discipline everyone should be familiar with. What are devotions? A devotion is when you set time aside for God, this is when you can speak to God through prayer and when God can speak to you through his word. People may say that personal devotions aren't necessary for holiness. On the contrary, is eating right and exercise essential for good health? Yes. Easily put, personal devotions is the good food and exercise for our spiritual health, just as you would exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy body; devotions will benefit you. How? You will get spiritual growth and formation, you will get encouragement and understanding when you need it and you will receive communication and correction. Devotions will also manifest a priority that is set in your life, a relationship that will be maintained and a willingness to hear from God. When you do a personal devotion you are giving God the time he deserves, in that he will speak to you and your relationship will grow because your communication is opened up. You set up a certain time everyday and make it a top priority to talk to God. From these two you'll develop a willingness to hear from God and you'll be in tune with the voice of God, being aware and able to acknowledge when he speaks to you.
Donald S. Whitney says in his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (I highly recommend this book) that Bible reading, praying, silence and solitude go hand in hand with devotions. "Prayer means to pray with God till you are like him. If we really pray, we will become more like God, or else we will quit praying" E.M. Bounds. Whitney puts disciplines out plain and simple. "Disciplines without direction is drudgery." He gives the example of a boy who is learning to play guitar. He isn't motivated until he hears a great guitarist. But even then, if he doesn't put that new found passion into practice it's worth nothing. Disciplines are the same way. If you do them but do not have the right intentions you will not get anywhere in your walk with God and you'll wonder why nothing is happening or why your prayers aren't being answered or why you can't hear God speaking to you. It's because your eternal intentions aren't right and therefore you won't see any change. Maybe doing devotions is just a way for you to get your prayer wish list to God, "Well God I've been reading my Bible and doing a devotion daily, why aren't you answering my prayers?" You should do devotions to better yourself and to grow in your relationship with God. Only then will your prayers be answered and your problems will dissipate. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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