Lie No. 19: I Can Make It Without Consistent Time In The Word And Prayer

It is a common phrase at my church that the key to a fruitful Christian life is regular, reflective, consistent time in the Word and on your knees. I believe there are two reasons our pastors feel the need to reiterate this to us as a congregation over and over and over again. One, because it's absolutely true, and two, because despite it's simplicity, it is easily forgotten.

"If [Satan] can get us to try to 'live the Christian life' without cultivating an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, he knows we will be spiritually impotent and defeated. If he can get us to do a great many things 'for God' without consciously seeking the will of God through His Word and prayer, we may stir up a lot of religious dust, but we won't do Satan's kingdom any real damage." p. 122

Whether we will admit this one out loud or not, we have all acknowledged it through our actions at one time or another. Every day that we choose to attempt to live life on our own without a planned, conscious approach to the throne, we are saying that we don't need God and that we are fully capable of getting through that day on our own. I think most of us, moms especially, seem to view a quiet time as a privilege, something we "get" to do if we have enough time left somewhere in the day for it. We feel like we are being selfish somehow if we tell our kids that they have to wait so that mom can sit down for 15 minutes in peace and read her Bible and pray. We have to understand that time with the Lord is not something that we just hope for like we hope for a peaceful bubble bath; it has to be something that is NUMBER ONE on our list of things to do, without question. If we combine this thought with yesterday's discussion of God's "to-do" list, there will never be a problem not only fitting in a quiet time, but prioritizing it. I guarantee you that this is one thing God has at the top of ALL of our lists.

If you desire to spend time with the Lord, He WILL give you the time that you need. That's not to say that the Enemy won't try to make you believe otherwise, and he is a very convincing liar; but if you are consulting God's "to-do" list instead of your own, you WILL have plenty of time to read your Bible and pray.

"I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food." Job 23:12 (emphasis added)