Lets review what we have learned:

God created everything beautiful and perfect.  The man and woman in the Garden of Eden were perfect.  They didn't know anything bad.  They had dominion over all of God's creation.  But the enemy of God and all mankind, in the form of a serpent, came and deceived Eve and tempted Adam.  They disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, so they changed their nature to an earthly, temporary and sinful one and sin entered the world and also death.  And we as their descendants inherit the sinful nature.

We learned how sin brings consequences.  It separates us from God and everything that is good.  It is destructive and brings death.

Then we learned that God provides the solution to humanity's dilemma because we cannot save ourselves.  He commands the perfect sacrifice in His only begotten Son, Jesus.  We saw that Jesus took our place, taking our sins, our punishment, and death for us. This sacrifice satisfied the wrath that God had against sin.  And it offers us free reconciliation.  We can be saved from the consequences of sin by accepting this gift from God.

Lastly, we learned that a decision needs to be made.  It is what God requires and it must be done out loud.

I hope that through these lessons you feel that you have not only gone down a path that you have long sought, but that you have achieved something that you have long needed.

Now I am going to ask you for a favor that will benefit you greatly.  Can you go to bed 15 minutes earlier to help you wake up at least 15 minutes earlier in the morning?

I ask you because to grow in the Lord, it is necessary to spend time with Him.  And this is the reason:

If you cannot see who enters your house but you hear his/her voice say "Hello, I'm here"

How do you know that she is your mom, or he is your dad, or your wife or your husband?  You know because you recognize their voice.  And why is that?   Because you've spent a lot of time with them and you know them.  Equally.  You need to spend time with God to know Him.  It doesn't take much time and you can even do it wherever you want...in bed when you wake up, at the kitchen table before everyone else gets up, on the living room couch while everyone is still asleep.  15 minutes alone with the Lord.

What I am going to ask you to do is vitally important.  It develops discipline, draws us nearer to the Lord and your new spirit man will grow in the knowledge of God.  It may seem inconvenient, awkward or even burdensome at the beginning.  That’s the natural earthly man wanting the easy way to God.  That natural man is right now ruled by the flesh.  Remember that the flesh was not saved.  It still wants what it wants.  It still has those sinful desires.  But as your spirit grows and gets stronger, it will rule over your flesh.  But it will always try to come against your spirit man which will be in communication with God.  This is a life long process.  Believe me when I say after 46 years of being a Christian, that old flesh still fights the spirit.  So don’t be concerned about it.  Just know that as God works in you, if you are faithful to draw near, your flesh will just be a “noise” in your ear that you will conquer.  It will not rule your thoughts, your desires, your words or your actions.

Are you ready?  Do you really want to draw near to the Lord?  Will you commit to spend 15 minutes to do it?  Are you willing to make that sacrifice for the Lord Who is so Good to us to take our sin and death away from us and continues to bless us? 

I hope so.  This will be one of the best things you will do ever in your entire life.

What you need is...

A notebook that has 3 sections, pen or pencil.  Or if you’re more technologically savvy, you can choose an app like “Notebook”.  I have used the app “Notebook” for years and it is super for doing what we are going to do.

If you have a notebook, give your notebook a title... My Spiritual Diary.  This notebook will be used for this only.

If you have the App Notebook this is not necessary.

THE FIRST SECTION:

FOR THE NOTEBOOK

In the first section, you will title that section: Adoration, Confession, Gratitude, Petition

FOR THE APP

Add a book and label it Adoration, Confession, Gratitude, Petition.

THE SECOND SECTION:

FOR THE NOTEBOOK

In the second section of your notebook, title it VERSES TO MEMORIZE.

FOR THE APP

Add another book and label it VERSES TO MEMORIZE.

THE THIRD SECTION

FOR THE NOTEBOOK

In this third section write the title INTERCESSION

FOR THE APP

Add another book and label it INTERCESSION

Have this ready for your 15 minutes in the morning.

This may seem awkward, burdensome and even inconvenient at first.  But believe me, it will become better than coffee in the morning.

TOMORROW MORNING:

In the morning... pray for understanding.

This is just a few seconds asking God to give you understanding of your time with Him. That’s it.  You don’t have to use many words with the Lord because He sees your heart.

IN THE 2ND SECTION OF YOUR NOTEBOOK titled VERSES TO MEMORIZE

Write the date.

Write Psalms 119:11

"In my heart I have treasured Your word, so that I do not sin against You."

IN THE APP

1.  Open the book labeled VERSES TO MEMORIZE and add (+) a PLAIN TEXT NOTE and you can label it week 1, or #1.

Every morning after praying for understanding, you will turn to the 2ND section or open the app to the book labeled VERSES TO MEMORIZE and read the verse 3 times slowly and try to learn it.

You will do this for a week.

After reading the verse 3 times do the following:

•  Open your notebook to the first section of your notebook or open the App to the book labeled ADORATION, CONFESSION, GRATITUDE, PETITION. 

• If you are using the App, open that book and add (+) PLAIN TEXT NOTE.

There you will write down the ONE OF THE VERSES you are going to read. For example, on the first day you will read John 1:1-8.

If you don't know where to find the verses, see the contents at the beginning of the Bible where all the books of the Bible are written with the page where it is found.

The books are divided into chapters. Each chapter has verses marked by numbers.

When you get to that book, look up the chapter and then the verse or verses.

Write the verse that stood out to you or open your Bible app (I use e-sword because it has devotionals by great Bible teachers, a schedule for reading through the Bible in a year and commentaries from renown theologians.)  and copy the verse that stood out to you in this section, the first section labeled ADORATION, CONFESSION, GRATITUDE, PETITION. 

If you are using the App, write the Scripture that stood out to you (I chose verse 5 so I would write John 1:5, then on the next line copy the verse.)

•  So, after reading the verses listed for that day and writing that one verse that stood out to you the most, just THINK/MEDITATE on that verse that you chose. 

FOR EXAMPLE (I chose vs 5):

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

(John 1:5)

This is what I think about that verse:

This Verse tells me that Jesus is the Light that came into the world.  The world was in darkness.  They did not understand and could not understand that He was the Light because of the darkness they had.  The darkness is dominated by the enemy of God.

That’s all you have to do with that verse.  Just think on it.  You might think about it during the day as you go about your tasks of the day.  It only takes a few seconds.

•  Now is the time to pray.  Still in the first section labeled ADORATION, CONFESSION, GRATITUDE, PETITION.

*Under the Scripture that you wrote, write Worship: Lord, You are_____ (write what you sense in your heart.)

*Then under that write, Confession: Lord, please forgive me for_____ (write for what you need forgiveness.)

*After that write Gratitude:  Lord, thank You for _____ (write for what you are thankful.)

*Lastly, write Petition:  Lord, help me to ___ (Write your petition.)

​

If you’re a very private person, it is not necessary to write what goes in the blank as long as you have said to the Lord what goes in the blank.

We are not going to do anything with the 3rd section at this time.  Let’s do the above for a week first.  Then we will work with that section.  At first, the above may take time, until it becomes routine.  But it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes.

You may ask why do I have to write the verses.  The reason for that, especially in writing the Scriptures is that the more senses you use, the more you’ll be able to remember.  You will be using your sight, your voice and your tactile sense in writing.  All these will help you remember the verses. 

If you are using the App, finding the Scripture, reading it, copying it and pasting into your App book also help you remember it.

Here is the list of Scriptures to read and choose one Scripture in each of the readings to write in section 1, ADORATION, CONFESSION, GRATITUDE, PETITION for the next 7 days:

Day 1: John 1:1-8

Day 2: John 1: 9-14

Day 3: John 1:14-23

Day 4: John 1: 24-37

Day 5: John 1: 38-42

day 6: John 1:43-51

day 7: John 2:1-11

It is not necessary to start on Sunday or Monday. But it is important to start every 7 days with a new memory verse which I will give you before the 7 days are over.

I hope that you will commit to growing nearer to the Lord.  Before the 7 days are over, I will give you a list for the 2nd week of Bible reading and a Scripture to learn.  I will also explain more why this is so important.  It is a commitment not to me, but to the Lord.  Your commitment is part of drawing nearer to Him.