I Was a Defeated, Backslidden Christian!

For many years I lived a defeated, backslidden Christian life, then one day, God sent a woman to knock on my door (one of those "visits" backslidden folks hate so much!) to tell me that if I would read just four chapters a day from the Bible, I would read the entire Bible through, in its entirety, once every year and the New Testament twice.

Her obedience, and wise counsel, changed my life

Since 1981, I have been reading my Bible every day, always picking up today where I left off yesterday.

I made a commitment back then, to establish time with the LORD every day—and have kept that commitment (it was much more difficult at first than it is now).

I always spend time in the Word of God (and visit with the Lord) first thing in the morning.

The first thing I reach for when I get up every day is my coffee cup—the second thing is my Bible.

As I enjoy my first cup of steaming coffee (I usually drink 1 to 2), the Word of God is seeping into my sleepy consciousness as I ease into to full wakefulness and the day ahead.

Without fail, after just a few minutes, Jesus and I are having a good visit (it is always more than just reading—It really is a deeply personal time with the Lord).

Some may object, claiming that getting up a secular job every day makes morning time for the Bible impossible.

I respond that you can't afford not to make time for Jesus first thing in the morning. Devotions for family later in the day or evening are wonderful and should be done, but that does not replace personal time in the mornings.

When my children were young, I had to be finished with my personal time with the Lord before 6am in order to get them ready for school. Then, for many years after that, I had to get up in time to be ready for work five mornings a week. Sometimes my job required me to travel extensively (I remember one period of time when I was on the road for six weeks of the eight!).

My morning visit with Jesus went with me—I did not leave my routine at home (that is value of establishing good habits).

On another occasion I was required to work from 8:00 each morning to 10:00 or 11:00 each night for a short period of time (and had an hour commute each way on top of that). During that time my routine did not vary. So, do not ask me to sympathize with anyone who cannot make time for the Word of God—which is a vital component to our overall relationship with God—because of work schedules, business, or family obligations, or simply because you do not like to read.

Consider this a challenge to all who are serious about putting Jesus first in their lives.

Turn the television off a few hours earlier each night (better yet, turn it off completely) and make time for a family altar and get some much needed sleep. For certain do not allow the television to be what starts your day each morning! Let some of the housework wait—Is housework really more important than putting Jesus first?

Each one of us makes time for things that are truly important to us. If we do not make time for God and his Word in the mornings, it is because our relationship with Him is not important to us—It is as simple as that.