How To Develop Your Personal Worship

Dr. George Bannister. Ph.D., D.Min., Th.M., M.Div.

Woodville Baptist Church

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INTRODUCTION:

A- Three types of worship in scripture:

1- Family Worship

(1 Samuel 20:28-29)

1 Samuel 20:28–29 NLT

28 Jonathan replied, “David earnestly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, for we are having a family sacrifice. My brother demanded that I be there. So please let me get away to see my brothers.’ That’s why he isn’t here at the king’s table.”

2- Corporate Worship

(Hebrews 10:25)

Hebrews 10:25 NLT

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

3- Personal Worship

(Psalm 119:147)

Psalm 119:147 NLT

147 I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

(Psalm 55:16-17)

Psalm 55:16–17 NLT

16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

DEFINITION: "Personal Worship (A Quiet Time) is a daily time I set aside to be alone with God to get to know Him through the Bible and prayer."

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF A DAILY PERSONAL WORSHIP TIME:

Your time alone with God should be the top priority in your schedule for five reasons:

A. We were CREATED to have fellowship with God.

(Gen. 1:27)

Genesis 1:27 NLT

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

(Rev. 3:20)

Revelation 3:20 NLT

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

B. Jesus DIED to make a relationship to God possible.

(I Cor. 1:9)

1 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C. Personal time alone with God was Jesus' SOURCE OF STRENGTH

(Mark 1:35, Luke 22:39, Luke 5:16)

Mark 1:35 NLT

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Luke 22:39 NLT

39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.

Luke 5:16 NLT

16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

D. Every person who has been effective in SERVICE for God developed this discipline.

Abraham spent time conversing with God. (Genesis 17, 18)

Moses spent time conversing with God, (Exodus 33:7-11)

Exodus 33:7–11 NLT

7 It was Moses’ practice to take the Tent of Meeting and set it up some distance from the camp. Everyone who wanted to make a request of the Lord would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in the entrances of their own tents. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. 9 As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. 11 Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.

David had a habit of spending time with God. (2 Samuel 7:18-29; Psalm 5:3)

2 Samuel 7:18–29 NLT

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord? 20 “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 21 Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant. 22 “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 23 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. 24 You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God. 25 “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. 26 And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever. 27 “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ 28 For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

Psalm 5:3 NLT

3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Daniel regularly spent time with God. (Daniel 6:10)

Daniel 6:10 NLT

10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Paul spent time with God. (Ephesians 1:16-23; Colossians 1:6-14)

Ephesians 1:16–23 NLT

16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Colossians 1:6–14 NLT

6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. 7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

E. You cannot be a HEALTHY, GROWING Christian without it!

(Matt.4:4)

Matthew 4:4 NLT

4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

(Job 23:12)

Job 23:12 NLT

12 I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food.

(Ps.119:9)

Psalm 119:9 NLT

9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

II. THE PURPOSE OF A DAILY PERSONAL WORSHIP TIME

A. TO GIVE DEVOTION TO GOD.

(Ps. 29:2)

Psalm 29:2 NLT

2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

(2 Ch. 31:21)

2 Chronicles 31:21 NLT

21 In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.

• God deserves our devotion! (Rev. 4:11)

Revelation 4:11 NLT

11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

• God desires our devotion! (John 4:23)

John 4:23 NLT

23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

B. TO GET DIRECTION FROM GOD.

(Ps. 25:4)

Psalm 25:4 NLT

4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.

2 Things To Do In A PERSONAL WORSHIP Time

• Consider your way:

(Pr. 4:26)

Proverbs 4:26 NLT

26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.

(Prov. 3:5-6)

Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

• Commit your day:

(Ps. 37:5)

Psalm 37:5 NLT

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

C. TO GAIN DELIGHT IN GOD.

(Ps. 37:4)

Psalm 37:4 NLT

4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

(Ps. 16:11)

Psalm 16:11 NLT

11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

FACT: The better I get to know Christ, the more I LOVE HIM .

The objective of your Quiet Time is not to study about Christ, but to actually spend time with him!

D. TO GROW DAILY LIKE GOD.

(2 Peter 1:3-4)

2 Peter 1:3–4 NLT

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

(II Corinthians 3:18)

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT

18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

III. HOW TO BEGIN A DAILY PERSONAL WORSHIP (QUIET) TIME

A- SELECT A SPECIFIC TIME

1- The best time to have a quiet time is when I am AT MY BEST.

Reasons for considering an early morning quiet time:

• The example of Bible characters.

(Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Hannah, Job, Hezekiah, David, Daniel, Jesus, etc.)

• It seems logical to begin the day with it.

"The best time to tune your instruments is before you play the concert, not after!"

• It demonstrates that meeting with God is your first priority. You give Him the first part of your day.

• You are likely to be more rested, your mind is less cluttered, and it's often the quietest time!

Whatever time you set, BE CONSISTENT.

HOW LONG SHOULD A QUIET TIME BE?

3 Guidelines

• Start with 15 minutes and let it grow.

• Don't watch the clock!

• Emphasize quality, not quantity!

B- CHOOSE A SPECIAL PLACE

(Luke 22:39)

Luke 22:39 NLT

39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.

(Mark 1:35)

Mark 1:35 NLT

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

C- GATHER THE RESOURCES YOU'LL NEED

A Bible with readable print

Can be a physical Bible

Can be on a tablet, computer or phone

A Notebook - to write down what the Lord speaks to you about, and to keep your prayer list.

Can be a physical notebook or journal (but should be set aside for that purpose)

Can be electronic

Can be one note, or any note-taking app

A Songbook or worship music- to help you refocus!

Can be a physical songbook

Can be a song playlist or youtube playlist

D- BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDES

• REVERENCE

(Ps. 46:10)

Psalm 46:10 NLT

10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

• EXPECTANCY

(Ps. 119:19)

Psalm 119:19 NLT

19 I am only a foreigner in the land. Don’t hide your commands from me!

• WILLING TO OBEY

(John 7:17)

John 7:17 NLT

17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.

E- FOLLOW A SIMPLE PLAN

(A Plan to Get Your Started)

REFOCUS.

Listen to one or two worship songs that will help you to turn your attention to the Lord and His presence. Spend some time asking the Lord to make you aware of His presence, His person, and His power.

RELAX.

Be still and be quiet! Slow down! Prepare your heart. Take a few deep breaths and wait on God.

READ.

Follow a systematic plan for your Bible Reading. Begin reading where you left off the day before. Read until you feel God has told you something. Then stop and think about it.

REFLECT.

You may use the S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S as a method of meditation. Think about what the passage means to your life. Write down your thoughts. Part of reflecting is memorizing verses that speak to you in a special way.

S - Is there a Sin to confess? As I'm looking at this passage of scripture do I see a sin here that I need to confess from my own life. Almost always -- God is so good to show us sins that need to be confessed. I never can come away from the Word without finding something in my life that I need to confess to the Lord.

P - Is there a Promise to claim? The scriptures are full of promises to those who love and follow the Lord.

A - Is there an Attitude to change? Again, God is so faithful to show me attitudes of mine that are to totally out of line with his way of thinking and I need to change.

C – Is there a Command to Obey? Is there a command to obey? God does not give us options in His Word. He does not say, "Would you please love each other if you're having a nice day and everything's going ok." God just says, "Love each other from the heart. You've been cleansed from sin, now love each other." Much of what God gives to us are flat out commands that we are to obey whether we feel like it or not.

E – Is there an Example to follow? Is there an example to follow in this scripture? Think of Paul in prison, feet and hands bound, there fore years. But what was Paul's attitude? To whine and complain? Paul's attitude was joyous. That tells me there's an example that I need to follow. In the difficult circumstances of my life instead of responding with whining and complaining, I'm to respond like Paul did. With rejoicing.

P – Is there a Prayer to Pray? This is also one of the specific ways to meditate but you can also use it in this SPACEPETS step of finding a prayer as you go along and pray it back to the Lord.

E - Is there an Error to Avoid? Do you remember Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts. They did a real stupid thing. They lied to God. Because they lied to God, God killed them on the spot. That tells me that is an error to avoid! I do not want to lie to God. There are consequences. So when we come to Scriptures like that, write it down. There's an error to avoid. I don't want to be like that person. I don't want to follow what they did.

T – Is there a Truth to believe? The same as with commands to obey, there are some difficult truths in scripture. We have the obligation and responsibility to believe them whether we understand them or not. If you come across some passage of scripture and think, "This does not make sense at all" rather than arguing with God about it, rather than saying, "Until I understand it I'm not going to obey it," you just say, "God, this is a truth You've said. I'm going to believe it and trust that in the days and years to come, You will make it clear to me what You meant by this."

S – Is there Something to thank God for? There is always something in Scripture that you can praise the Lord for. It's either about Him, His character, something He's done for you or someone else. Cultivate that heart of gratitude as you read through scripture and meditate.

RECORD.

Write down the date and the scripture passage or passages you read. Write out a personal application statement that is practical, possible and measurable.

"Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through the lips

and the fingertips."

REQUEST.

Conclude your Personal Worship Time by talking to God about what He has shown you and making your requests from your prayer list. Journal new requests in your prayer list or journal. Be sure to date the request.

REJOICE.

Take a look back into your prayer journal or list and rejoice over the prayers that God has answered and ways He has worked in your life. Listen to a worship song that praises God for who He is, expresses thanks for His blessings, or expresses joy for the relationship Jesus has made possible.

II. HOW TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR PERSONAL WORSHIP TIME

A. THE PROBLEM OF DISCIPLINE

Your first problem in establishing a quiet time will face you the moment you wake up each morning: Am I going to get out of bed? ("The Battle of the Blanket")

Suggestions:

1. Go to bed ON TIME.

2. Get up IMMEDIATELY.

3. Be aware of quiet time ROBBERS.

4. Fall asleep thinking SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS.

B. THE PROBLEM OF DISTRACTIONS

Satan will try to use anything to get your mind to wander during a quiet time.

(“The Battle of Focus”)

Suggestions:

• Get out of BED

• Get thoroughly AWAKE

• Read and pray ALOUD

• WALK during your prayer time.

• Keep a NOTEBOOK OR JOURNAL NEARBY.

C. THE PROBLEM OF DRYNESS

Sometimes you will feel like you're not getting anything out of your quiet time.

("The Battle of the Blahs")

Never judge your quiet time by your FEELINGS.

Possible Causes of Spiritual Dryness

1. Your physical condition

2. Disobedience to God

3. Rushing your quiet time

4. Getting in a rut

5. Not sharing insights with others

D. THE PROBLEM OF DILIGENCE

Your greatest problem will be your struggle to stay consistent. I find Satan fights nothing harder than my PERSONAL WORSHIP (quiet) time.

(“The Battle of hit-and-miss”)

Suggestions

1. Make a covenant or vow to God.

2. Schedule it on your daily calendar.

3. Be prepared for Satan's excuses.

4. Leave your Bible open at night to the passage for the next day!

What if I miss a day?

• Don't GET ON A GUILT TRIP

• Don't GET LEGALISTIC

• Don't GIVE UP

It takes 3 weeks for you to become familiar with a new task. Then it takes another 3 weeks before it becomes a comfortable discipline.

(Gal. 6:9)

Galatians 6:9 NLT

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

A PRAYER COMMITMENT

Father, I realize that I was created to have fellowship with you. Thank you for making this privilege possible through Jesus's death. I know that daily fellowship with You is to be the most important thing in my life. I now want to commit myself to spending at least some time every day with you in a quiet time of Bible reading and prayer. I'm trusting in your strength to help me be consistent.

In Jesus's name, Amen."

A WEEKLY LOG

MONDAY ________ Relax! Read:________

Reflect: What God Said to me:

______________________________________________________________________________