35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

38  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

I. READ, REFLECT, RESPOND, RECORD

The sine qua non is interaction between God and you, between His Word and your thinking, feeling, and life!

We develop our relationship (availability & responsiveness) with God by spending quality time listening and talking to Him, communicating and appreciating Him.

Cars Cuties Cash Dt !7:16 he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. 18 Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

1Kg 10: 23  So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 26  gathered chariots and horsemen; he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen,  in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 He  made gold/silver as common in Jerusalem as stones...28 Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; 11:1  But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2  from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. 3  And he had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 9  So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice

II. Suggestions For Reflection

Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, How Much?  II Tim 3:16-17 Does this passage show me:

                Doctrine - The Path

                Reproof - Where I'm off the path

                Correction - How to get back on the path

                Instruction/Training - How to stay on the path.

                What God's like?

                What I'm like/should be?

                What He expects of me?

                What I can expect of Him?

III. Suggestions For Reading

Develop a plan; See Standard Suggestions Sheet; Read the passage that's being taught at your church

Your Quiet Time is for God's benefit, then your benefit, and then to help build up the Body. Read the pamphlet My Heart, Christ's Home by IVP.

Join the Book of the Month Club with a friend: spend an entire month in one book of the Bible using your Bible Study skills for your allotted time. Finish your study with the Four R's and share what you learned with your friend.  Find a list of the attributes of God in a Bible Dictionary (under the heading "God, Attributes of")  and look up the verses listed or better yet find you own. For each attribute write a descriptive paragraph about God and how that effects/should effect your thinking, feelings, and actions.

Use a devotional guide for a month like My Upmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, or one of Chuck Swindoll's books. (make sure you do the suggested exercises and look up the verses.) Read a Book of the Bible along with a Commentary (Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books. Walvoord/Zuck.

Use a Topical Bible or Concordance and spend a couple of days studying and responding in areas of need and interest.

IV. Suggestions On Responding/Recording

See the Daily Prayer Pattern on the Weekly Prayer List. See Psalm 5 example. Pray the scriptures back to God in your own words, in the first person, substituting "I, me, my" when appropriate. Take away a doggie bag, by jotting down a key applicational thought (journal/Post-it). Share with someone. Memorize. TOYL

V. Time & Place: Why in the morning?

Puts God first; Gain God’s perspective on your day; Pray thru ToDo list; Morning and Evening sacrifice; Example of Jesus Mk 1:35:

Instruction of Jesus- when do you pray for daily bread; Every Christian biography; Every reproductive disciple; Develops the habit, easier to maintain

Less distractions Look for how God answers throughout day; Allows you to pray more as you do the routine tasks (shower, commute, etc)

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Why is a consistent QT almost universally difficult? What are your best reasons for having a QT? What motivates you to have a QT?

2. Why do QT’s become stale or you don’t get anything out of them? How can you have a feast with God (Milk, Cereal=dry and nourishing, Sizzling steak)

3. What factors/conditions are in effect when you have a great interactive time with God?  How can you make those times be the norm?