10 daily habits that will help you connect with God: Open your Bible everyday

Howdy! This habit is the one that I am the most passionate about out of the three we've covered so far because it is the heart of everything we have been talking about: Relationship. The Gospel. Spending time with the Father. All of these things flow from scripture and simply argued: how is God supposed to lead His children through a broken world and love them to Heaven if He can't communicate with us?

Friends, that's what the Bible is and the purpose of it all in one. Wait Jess, didn't you say last week that prayer is how we communicate with God? Yes, I did! The key word here is we. One of the best pieces of advice that I have ever received (and the advice that gets me excited to read my Bible (not perfectly) every morning) came from my pastor. "If prayer is how we talk to God, then His Word is how He speaks back to us." WHAT?! ISN'T THAT WILD?! The God over all creation wants to speak to you personally through His written Word. He loves you. He pursues you and doesn't want to leave you in the dark. He wants to lead you to the light, who is Jesus, that allows you to have life forever with Him. HE WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU and He wants to you to know how to live a righteous, holy, full life. Wow. Crazy. I just love our God so much! I could talk about Him all day!

Okay Jess, focus! Now that we know what the Bible is and God's purpose behind it, let's dive in!

Daily habit #3: Open your Bible Everyday

Why is it a big deal to read daily?

I'm glad you asked! There are several reasons listed in scripture, let's look at them.

Reading and knowing the Scriptures is a command

I know. It seems like the entire concept of spending time with Jesus is a command... that's because it is. Praying and reading the Bible are things called spiritual disciplines and God does expect this of us because while God is Father and friend, He is also Lord. Simply, the Creator gets to tell the creation what to do.

Alright Jess, we know the drill... show us the scriptures!

• "Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." Joshua 1:8 (New Living Translation)

• "But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalms 1:2-3 (New Living Translation)

Relationship v. Religion

A commanding God can seem harsh at times, and this is usually where people's view of Christianity gets jumbled. A relationship with God is just that: a relationship, not a religion.

So, what's the difference?

The Webster Dictionary defines religion as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. Key word: controlling. When we think of religion, most of what comes to mind are rituals, practices and rules. And while, yes, God has rules, standards and expectations He expects His children to follow, it is not because He is controlling or power hungry or wrathful. Please hear me: God IS love-- that's His character, and like He says in Joshua 1:8, only when you obey Him are you successful. See, the rules, standards and expectations He has set in place are not to hinder or hurt us, they are in place because He loves you and He, as the Creator, knows and wants what's best for you physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Remember what I mentioned earlier? He wants to lead you to having a full life and He knows these guidelines will give you fullness of life, not take fullness out of your life.

Coffeeshop Conversation // Meditate on the Word

So, let's back up and consider the term "meditate." Both of Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2-3 tell us to meditate on the Word day and night. What does this mean? Meditating on the Word simply means remaining in God's word so that His Word remains in you, like Jesus talked about in John. One of my favorite analogies for spending time meditating on God's word also came from my pastor. "You can think of reading God's Word like a coffeeshop conversation. If God was sitting across from you at a coffeeshop, these are the words He would say." AHHH! THAT'S SO FUN!!!

Wait Jess, what does that mean? Well, personally, when I go to a coffeeshop, I usually go to meet one-on-one with a friend. The setting is very intimate, the conversations are vulnerable, and we are both so present with one another because we getting to know each other's heart. When we open our Bibles and start reading God's Word, we've entered into an intimate, vulnerable conversation with God, and the scriptures are His heart that He is sharing with us. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."(English Standard Version) The Word of God is alive and active, so this means that when you are reading His Word and allowing Him to speak to you, His Holy Spirit is present with you, convicting and sharpening you to look more like Jesus.

That's why I love coffeeshops. Every time I go, I am reminded of how personal our God is and how I could never escape His presence. God is genuinely friend and He is THE COOLEST coffeeshop date to have! (Psalm 139:7)

Call to Action

So, friends, open your Bible daily and meditate on His Word. Engage in conversation with Him so that He can lead you in the way of life. And remember this last piece of advice:

Reading the Bible will begin as a discipline, but you will begin to fall in love with Him over and over again, and all of a sudden, spending time with Him will become reflex.

XOXO,

Jess :)