The Secret

by Dag Heward-Mills

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Copyright 2008 Dag Heward-Mills

Published by Dag Heward-Mills on Smashwords.

E mail Dag Heward-Mills

info@daghewardmillsbooks.org

evangelist@daghewardmills.org

Find out more about Dag Heward-Mills at:

http://www.daghewardmills.org

http://www.daghewardmills.org/healingjesuscrusade/

http://www.daghewardmills.org/lci/

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Contents

Chapter 1 - Your Personal Time with God

Chapter 2 - Three Strategies for a Successful Quiet Time

Chapter 3 - Seven Steps to an Effective Quiet Time

Chapter 4 - Eight Powerful Effects of Quiet Time

Chapter 5 - Do not Lose Your Only Chance for a Personal Relationship with God

Chapter 6 - Avoid Shallowness by the Power of Quiet Time

Chapter 7 - Obtain Wisdom Keys through the Power of Quiet Time

Chapter 8 - Insist on a Daily Prayer Time

Chapter 9 - Develop the Most Important Habit of Your Life

Chapter 10 - Insist on a Daily Bible Study Time

Chapter 11 - Tools for an Effective Quiet Time

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Chapter 1

Your Personal Time with God

“Quiet Time” is the time you spend with God alone. If anybody were to ask me what the greatest secret of my relationship with God is, I would say without any hesitation that, it is the power of the quiet times I have with Him everyday.

In this little book, I want to share with you how to make quiet time an important habit of your life.

Seven Secrets of Quiet Time

1. During your quiet time you develop the most important relationship of your life.

A natural relationship develops between any two people who spend quality time together. Spend quality time with God. Many Christians do not know the importance of this time with God.

2. Having a quiet time makes you develop the most important personal habit of all time: a regular time with your Creator.

I have a quiet time everyday and I spend quality time with the Lord.

3. During your quiet time you draw near to

God and He draws near to you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 4:8

4. A quiet time makes you read the most important book in the world.

The Bible is the most important book in the world. It is the most outstanding volume known to the human race.

5. A quiet time is your personal school of the Word.

During your quiet time, you sit and learn at the feet of the greatest teacher Jesus left us - the Holy Spirit. He will teach you many things and show you many wonderful revelations in the Word.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth...and he will shew you things to come.

John 16:12-13

6. During your quiet time, you increase in your personal knowledge of the Scriptures.

..add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

2 Peter 1:5

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ...

2 Peter 3:18

Your personal quiet time gives you the opportunity to add knowledge to your faith.

7. During your quiet time, you experience the presence of God.

Adam experienced the presence of the Lord in the Garden of Eden until he backslid.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God...

Genesis 3:8

Chapter 2

Three Strategies for a Successful Quiet Time

Strategy #1 – Set a practical, unchangeable and regular time for your quiet time.

Set a regular time when you meet God. It is very important that you set a regular time for your quiet time.

Notice that Moses had his quiet time in the morning.

And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

Exodus 34:2,3

Strategy # 2 – Withdraw from the presence of other people.

And no man shall come up with thee,…

Exodus 34:3

A quiet time is a time when you are alone with God. You cannot develop a personal relationship with someone unless you are alone with the person.

Strategy #3 – Create an atmosphere that is conducive for fellowship with God.

You can do this by playing good worship music in the background.

Chapter 3

Seven Steps to an Effective Quiet Time

Step #1 – Pray to begin your quiet time.

Pray thanking the Lord for another day. Thank Him for who He is, what He has done and what He can and will do. Now ask God to speak to you.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psalm 119:18

Step #2 – Read a passage from the Bible expecting God to speak to you.

There are several ways of choosing your daily Bible reading passage.

How to Choose Your Daily Bible Reading Passage

1. Choose a book from the Bible from which you read a few verses every day.

You must always remember where you ended so you can continue from that same place on the next day.

2. Choose a personality from the Bible whose life story you will follow.

A few verses from passages about Moses, for example, will give you much revelation for your life.

3. Take the passage suggested in your daily reading guide.

When I first became a Christian, I depended on Our Daily Bread devotional for my quiet time.

Step #3 – Meditate (think through and soberly reflect on what you have read).

If you do not think about what you are reading, you will lose a major blessing from the Word of God. Paul told Timothy to think about the Word of God.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

2 Timothy 2:7

Seven Keys to Effective Meditation

1. Read the passage slowly.

2. Do not read a very long passage unless it is necessary.

3. Stop at any verse that strikes you and think about it.

4. Think about the meanings of the words that you are reading.

5. Think about how the Scripture applies to life in your generation.

6. Whisper to the Holy Spirit.

Say, “Help me, Holy Spirit, to understand your Word. Father, give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.”

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Ephesians 1:17

7. Decide on a practical way to implement the Scriptures that you have learnt.

Without thinking of a way to apply the Scripture directly, you will often not benefit from your quiet time.

Step #4 – Move into deeper Bible study and make further references to things that strike you during your quiet time.

Look through the passage again for as many of the following as possible:

1. What does the passage teach me about the nature of God: the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

2. Is there a promise for me to believe, and to claim, taking careful note of any conditions attached?

3. Is there a command for me to obey, or a good example for me to follow?

4. Is there a warning for me to heed or a bad example for me to avoid?

5. Is there a prayer for me to pray or remember?

Step #5 – Use your Bible reading guide.

These Bible reading guides are very helpful in developing a regular quiet time habit. You will benefit from anointed teachers whose ministry will help you to grow.

Step #6 –Write down whatever the Lord tells you.

It is important to develop the habit of writing the things that God speaks to you about.

Step #7 – Now spend time praying to the Lord. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

During the prayer time, God will speak to you through His Spirit. There are things God needs to tell you directly through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is real and you must believe in Him as well.

Chapter 4

Eight Powerful Effects of Quiet Time

1. A daily quiet time breaks down evil strongholds.

The strongholds in most Christians’ lives cannot be broken down by one powerful sermon. Anyone who does not have a regular quiet time has a lot of things in his life that need to be burnt and broken down.

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jeremiah 23:29

2. A daily quiet time leads to the cutting away of unwanted aspects of our lives and character.

Christians who just listen to sermons on Sundays are very different from those who have a regular quiet time.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

3. A regular quiet time puts a weapon into the hand of the believer.

Satan has a good laugh at Christians who are unarmed and exposed. The daily act which Satan hates and fears is when you arm yourself daily with the sword of the Spirit.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Ephesians 6:17

4. A daily quiet time will bring great spiritual growth.

It exposes you regularly to spiritual food. The Word of God is milk for your soul (1 Peter 2:2). It is bread for the hungry (Matthew 4:4), it is meat for those of full age (Hebrews 5:12-14) and it is sweeter than honey to the taste (Psalm 119:103).

A spiritual x-ray of a large charismatic church will reveal tiny undeveloped Christians who shout Christian slogans and clichés and hail their pastors as though they were pop stars or soccer heroes. Is it any wonder that Christianity today is a far cry from what it used to be? There is very little sacrifice. There is very little advancement of the kingdom. And there is so much carnality. Carnality is a sign of immaturity.

Why is so much of the Body of Christ immature? Because most Christians do not have a daily quiet time.

5. A daily quiet time brings healing.

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 107:20

The Word of God has a way of healing us of our pain and wounds. God will touch you where it hurts if you will allow Him, and He will heal you of every situation in your life.

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health [medicine] to all their flesh.

Proverbs 4:20-22

6. A daily quiet time produces faith in the average Christian.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

The more you read the Bible, the more you will believe in God’s power to save. The Bible is replete with hundreds of stories about God’s deliverance.

7. A daily quiet time produces power for the ordinary Christian.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16

When you expose yourself to the Word of God you are exposing yourself to a supernatural power. God is actually in His Word.

8. A daily quiet time can make you wiser than your enemies, your teachers and the elders.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Psalm 119:98-100

A daily quiet time will give you the right perspective of life. You will be delivered from delusions about what life has to offer. It will guide you and convert your soul. You will see life from a different perspective. A daily quiet time will make you wiser than the average person around you.

Chapter 5

Do not Lose Your Only Chance for a Personal Relationship with God

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 7:21-23

One of the least understood statements of Jesus is, “I never knew you.” These people were prophesying in His name. They were doing many wonderful works in His name but Jesus said, “I never knew you.” I have always wondered how it is possible to do the works without knowing God. Dear friend, you had better believe what Jesus said.

It is possible to be a member and to do great things but not know God. A daily quiet time will make you have a personal one to one relationship with the Lord. Nothing else can make you have a personal relationship with the Lord. Coming to church a thousand times is different from having a personal or one to one interaction with the Lord.

It is this personal interaction with the Lord which most Christians lack.

It seems that God is more interested in the personal relationship than in the great public works that we do in His name. A quiet time will make you have that personal knowledge of God. A daily quiet time will prevent you from going to Hell. A quiet time will save you from the delusion that working for God is the same as knowing Him.

There are people who work for me but who do not know me personally. I have employees who hardly know me. They may recognize me when I come around, but they do not have a personal relationship with me.

Definitely, there is a difference between those who just work for me and those who have a personal relationship with me. How come I have a personal relationship with some of my pastors and shepherds? The answer is simple. Some of these people make the effort to be close to me and to interact with me personally. It is time to know Him personally. The only way is to have a regular daily quiet time. Do you expect God to come to you to develop a relationship with you? Certainly not! It is up to you and I to draw near to Him on a daily basis.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…

James 4:8

When you meet someone in public and shake his hand, you can hardly say you know him. In my home, I have a picture which my mother-in- law took with former U.S. President Clinton. When she showed it to us, we said, “Wow, when did you meet him? How did you get to know him?”

She smiled and told us about how she had a brief interaction with him and had taken the picture at a conference. The picture gives an impression that he knows her. But the reality is that he does not know her at all, and she does not know him either. Meeting someone in public does not mean that you know the person at all. Knowing about someone is different from knowing the person. There are many people who know about me but do not know me. Some people who see me from afar may have the impression that I am proud. Some people may hear me speak and think that I am a difficult person. May God forgive me for my sins! However, some people who know me personally may have a different impression.

Knowing God from afar is very different from knowing Him personally. Your impressions from afar will only change when you get closer to Him.

The way you can develop that personal relationship with God is not in public at a church service. You do not develop a personal relationship with God by attending conventions and crusades.

You cannot develop a personal relationship with anyone by interacting in public. There has to be communication at a personal level. There has to be a personal interaction! There has to be a quiet time. You can know God personally by spending time with Him during your quiet time.

Chapter 6

Avoid Shallowness by the Power of Quiet Time

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

Mark 4:16,17

Many Christians are shallow. We are loud, noisy, “praisey” people with lots of positive confessions; and yet, there is little depth in most of us. It is time to come out of shallowness.

Seven Symptoms of Shallowness in Christians

1. A lack of knowledge of the Scriptures

Most Christians do not know what the Bible says about many things. People are in churches shouting and singing but they have no depth. No wonder Charismatic Christians are easily swayed by the next wave of sensationalism.

2. Inability to quote Scripture

Quoting Scriptures is different from knowing where things are in the Bible. Any Christian of depth will be able to quote Scriptures.

Every Christian should have a version of the Bible from which he quotes accurately.

Amazingly, most of the Christians who fill charismatic churches cannot quote these Scriptures. Scripture memorization is essential. Jesus Christ memorized Scriptures. In the book of Matthew, chapter 4, when the devil tempted Jesus, He accurately quoted Scriptures from Deuteronomy and paralysed the devil with them.

3. Inability to pray for at least one hour a day

Shallowness is caused by failure to interact with the Lord. Anyone who has some depth with God spends at least an hour every day in the presence of the Lord. When you know God, one hour will be too short for you.

4. Inability to lead and teach after being a Christian for two years

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Hebrews 5:12

After someone has been a believer for some time he is expected to also share the things he has received. Paul clearly said that there is a time when a believer is expected to be a teacher. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again…” (Hebrews 5:12).

The failure of the majority of believers to rise into Christian leadership is simply a sign of shallowness in the congregation.

5. A lack of interest in Christian books and tapes

Shallow Christians rarely read Christian books. A Christian book will take you deeper; it will take you higher in the Lord.

6. Inability to worship God

Many Christians mumble and stumble along as the worship leader leads the congregation in worship. The reality is that they do not know God and have no personal desire to worship Him.

It is just a part of the service that has to run its course. They wait for the entertainment that will come from the pastor’s jokes. Ask yourself, “Am I a worshipper?” Can you sing the song alone in your home?

7. Inability to fellowship regularly

The shallowness of many Christians is once again manifested in their inability to regularly fellowship with the Lord and with others.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

They struggle to attend church every Sunday and often arrive late. It is almost as though they have a chore to do.

We will have a deeper relationship with our God as we have a daily quiet time. Shallowness will be taken away from the church and Christianity will have more meaning for us all.

Chapter 7

Obtain Wisdom Keys through the Power of Quiet Time

1. A quiet time will show you that there are two kinds of wisdom: human cleverness and the wisdom of God.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

James 3:13-17

2. A quiet time will show you that human cleverness is a poor substitute for the wisdom of God.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:20-25

3. A quiet time makes you move progressively away from human cleverness and towards the wisdom of God.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

1 Corinthians 3:18,19

4. A quiet time introduces you to real wisdom

because you begin to fear, respect and obey

God.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

5. A quiet time is the key to God’s wisdom and therefore to your promotion.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 4:7

6. By having a quiet time, you exalt wisdom in your life and therefore bring yourself to honour.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

Proverbs 4:8

7. A quiet time is your key to wisdom and therefore your key to victory.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Ecclesiastes 9:18

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

8. A quiet time is your key to becoming wealthy because you have access to the wisdom of God.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Proverbs 8:18,21

Chapter 8

Insist on a Daily Prayer Time

Quiet time is not only a time for Bible reading and study but also a time for daily prayer. No matter how important you are, you need to communicate daily with the Lord. There are some Christians who only pray but do not study the Word. Such people cannot develop a wholesome relationship with God. It is a combination of the Word and prayer that builds up a daily quiet time.

Ten Reasons for Daily Prayer

1. Prayer is very important.

Someone once said that it is more important to know how to pray than to have a degree from the university. There are many things that are important in this life. A good education is important. Money is important. A good marriage is important; but, a good prayer life is most important!

Let this enter your spirit – In all your getting, get prayer! In all your activities, make room for prayer!

2. Great men like Daniel prayed during their quiet time.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Daniel 6:10

3. No one is ever too busy, too blessed or too successful to pray.

You may have a busy lifestyle and you may be a very important person; however, I do not think that you are busier than Daniel was. Daniel was a Prime Minister, a leader in the nation. However, he felt that he was not too busy to pray three times a day.

If you think you are too busy to pray, then you are deceiving yourself. If you do not pray, it is because you do not want to pray. It is because you do not think that prayer is important now! Daniel was successful; yet he prayed.

4. Daily prayer is our source of power and protection.

You must realize that it is prayer that releases the power of God on our behalf.

Jesus knew the power of prayer. That is why He spent long hours in prayer.

…that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Luke 3:21

I see the heavens opening over your life! Never forget this, the heavens opened when Jesus prayed! Both physical and spiritual blessings rain upon you when you are a prayerful person.

5. Daily prayer is important to acquire and sustain the blessings of God.

Do you have anything that you are proud of? Have you achieved anything in this life? Let me tell you that it is by the grace of God. By the power of prayer, you will achieve many great things. It is by prayer that you will sustain what God has placed in your hands.

6. Daily quiet time prayer is the most effective because it is habitual.

A man called Dostoyevsky said, “The second half of a man’s life is made up of the habits he acquired in the first half.” Pascal said, “The strength of a man’s virtues is made up of his habitual acts.”

If you are going to be a great person in this life, you need to have good habits. An action becomes a habit when it is repeated many times; sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. It becomes your custom! Jesus went to church on the Sabbath because it was His habit. The Bible tells us that Jesus had customs or habits.

…as his custom [habit] was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day,…

Luke 4:16

Daniel had a custom of praying three times a day.

…he [Daniel] kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayer…as he did aforetime.

Daniel 6:10

Develop your prayer life until it happens spontaneously. Develop your prayer life until you pray habitually without even thinking of what you are doing.

7. Quiet time prayer will sustain you in troubled times.

Why do we wait for trouble before we pray? Would you take someone as a serious friend if he only called you when he was in serious trouble? In times of peace, he had no time for you.

God is looking for someone who will fellowship with Him in both good and bad times. The more I preach, the better I become at preaching. The more you pray, the better you will become at praying.

In times of crises, you will find yourself rising up to the occasion and delivering powerful prayers that bring results.

8. Quiet time prayer is needed for national leaders.

There is no doubt that the world is ruled by wicked spirits in high places. The earth is covered with human beings at war with each other on a daily basis. Famine, wars, epidemics and disasters abound! You just have to keep your eyes on the international news and you will hear about another major disaster.

Dictators of all kinds abound in many nations. Like snakes, which shed their skin, many dictators of yesteryear have a new democratic look but are still tyrants and despots at heart. Many national leaders are actually under the influence of evil spirits, and that makes them do the things they do. It is important for us to pray for these leaders so that our nations prosper.

The right person at the helm of affairs will make a lot of difference to our nations. I believe that the presence of a prayerful person like Daniel made a lot of difference to that nation.

9. Quiet time prayer will help you to develop the ability to pray for long hours.

Years ago, the only prayers I knew about were those that the priests read out to us in church. The longest I could pray was thirty to forty seconds and that was when I recited The Lord’s Prayer. There were three prayers I knew how to pray: The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and a Prayer to the Angel of God! However, as I grew in the Lord I learnt how to pray for myself. I can now pray for several hours at a time.

I always remember the first time I prayed for three hours. I was a student in Achimota School (Prince of Wales College) in Ghana. I was in the midst of a crisis and I needed the intervention of the Lord. I can also remember the first time I prayed for seven hours. I was a sixth-former in the same Achimota School. I prayed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I enjoy praying for long hours. Jesus prayed for three hours in the garden of Gethsemane.

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed…And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? He went away again the second time, and prayed…And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Matthew 26:39,40,42-44

In this Scripture, Jesus was surprised that the disciples could not pray for one hour.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matthew 26:40

Jesus prayed all night before He chose His disciples.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Luke 6:12,13

Long prayer may not be an explicit instruction in the Bible, but it is implicit throughout the Word.

10. Quiet time prayer will help you to develop a very personal relationship with God.

Many Christians can only pray when they are in a group. They cannot stay in a room on their own and pray for one hour. That is a great handicap. There is a difference between praying alone and praying with a group of people. Both types of prayer are important.

If you can pray for three hours on your own then you can pray for six hours with other people. It is easier to pray in a group. Each time you expand your ability to pray alone, you are expanding your ability to chalk great achievements in prayer.

Chapter 9

Develop the Most Important Habit of Your Life

“The second half of a man’s life is made up of the habits he acquired in the first half.”

Dostoyevsky

“The strength of a man’s virtues is made up of his habitual acts.”

Pascal

A habit is something that you do without thinking about it twice. Every good Christian has many good habits. These good habits are what have made him what he is.

All great men have habits that have made them great. Our Lord Jesus had habits that made Him great.

The Habits of Jesus Christ

1. Going to church regularly

The Bible teaches us that He had a habit of going to church on the Sabbath day.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luke 4:16

2. Going on prayer retreats

Jesus also had a habit of going to a particular garden for retreats. It was a place that He often went to, and everyone knew His habit of praying in the garden.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

John 18:1,2

Daniel also had some good habits. The Bible says Daniel prayed at specific times of the day. It was something he was used to doing. It was one of the greatest secrets of his life.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Daniel 6:10

You can decide to make a daily quiet time the most important habit of your life!

Chapter 10

Insist on a Daily Bible Study Time

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:11

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Romans 15:4

Oh, the lost art of Bible study! It is sad to see that many Christians do not even read the Bible. Since many people do not read the Bible, they obviously do not study it.

In this chapter, I will show you how you can study the Bible effectively.

Three Types of Bible Study

1. Microscopic Bible Study– reading very short passages, meditating on single verses and words; examining the meanings of these verses and words using the English, Greek and Hebrew dictionaries and concordances.

2. Topical Bible Study – this is done by studying individual topics like faith, love, patience and loyalty.

3. Telescopic Bible Study – this involves studying the Bible from a broader perspective.

How to Have a Microscopic Bible Study

1. Analyse each single word in the verse you are studying.

2. Find out the meaning of every single word in the verse with a dictionary.

3. Check your Bible for any related verses. Analyse these verses also.

4. Look for any corresponding Greek or Hebrew words and find their deep meanings.

5. Ask yourself the following questions:

i. What does this verse mean?

ii. What does this verse mean to me in my specific circumstance?

iii. What is God telling me personally?

iv. What is the verse saying?

v. What is the verse not saying?

vi .How can I apply it to my life?

vii. Is there a command for me to obey?

viii. Is there a warning in the verse for me to heed?

ix. Is there a good example to follow and a bad example to avoid?

x. Is there an allegory (story, parable) for me to interpret?

xi. Is there a promise for me to believe?

xii. Is there anything for me to pray about?

xiii. Who can I share this with?

6. Take note of all punctuation and quotation marks.

7. Never take a verse out of context.

How to Have a Topical Bible Study

1. Define the topic using a very good dictionary, e.g. Oxford or Webster’s. Any topic can be chosen, for example: patience, zeal or love.

2. Look for all the verses that refer to the topic and read them aloud.

3. Study all these verses microscopically.

4. Find the following:

i. The Why and Why Not of the topic. For example, “Why have patience?” or “Why not have patience?”

ii. The How and How Not of the topic. For example, “How do you have patience?” or “How do you not have patience?”

iii. The Where and Where Not of the topic. For example, “Where do you practise love?” or “Where do you not you practise love?”

iv. The When and When Not of the topic. For example, “When should you be zealous?” or “When should you not be zealous?”

v. The What and What Not of the topic. For example, “What is love?” or “What are the things that are not love?” e.g. Love is not sex; sex is not love.

vi.The Who and Who Not of the topic. For example, “Who should you be patient with?” or “Who should you not be patient with?”

5. Look for types of the topic.

For example, “What are the types of love?” Phileo, agape and eros.

6. Look for examples of the topic.

Look for examples of patience in the Bible.

Look for examples of zeal, e.g. Jesus.

7. Look for problems/mistakes related to the topic.

What are the problems that come when you do not walk in love? What problems do people have when they do not have patience?

How to Have a Telescopic Bible Study

1. Read a whole book in the Bible at a time, preferably in one sitting; because you are reading large sections, it would be easier to read more modern versions of the Bible.

2. Build up a complete picture.

3. Locate the central theme, key verses or passages.

4. Do a microscopic Bible study on key words that you come across.

Chapter 11

Tools for an Effective Quiet Time

1. Bibles

You will need several Bibles to have an effective quiet time. Examples of good Bibles to have are: Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible (King James Version), Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible (King James Version), New International Version, The Amplified Bible and the New American Standard Bible.

The Bible is God’s book for us today. As you read it, you will hear the voice of God speaking to you and you will discover new revelations, which will affect your life.

2. A Notebook

And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

Exodus 34:1

You need to write down the things God says to you. I have a book in which I write the things that God shows me. Sometimes, I am surprised at the many revelations and instructions that the Lord has given me.

I write down the dreams, visions and the words that God gives to me.

3. A Dictionary

Both Oxford and Webster’s dictionaries are good dictionaries to have.

You will always be surprised to learn the meanings of words which we often assume we know.

4. A Concordance

Every Christian should have a Strong’s Concordance since it is exhaustive.

5. A Good Attitude

Recognize God as the author (Hebrews 1:1,2). Focus on Jesus as the central figure in the Bible (Luke 24:27,44).

Be willing to receive instructions from the Lord (2 Timothy 3:16).

Allow God to change you (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Grow in the Lord by this simple and yet powerful habit of the quiet time. It will differentiate you from others. It will lead you to the best things God has for you. You will fulfil God’s call on your life and you will discover great riches from the Word of God. You will be amazed at what can become of you. Grow in the Lord!

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Other Best-Selling Books by Dag Heward-Mills:

Loyalty and Disloyalty

Leaders and Loyalty

Transform Your Pastoral Ministry

The Art of Leadership

Model Marriage

Church Planting

The Mega Church

Lay People and the Ministry

These titles are also available in Spanish and/or French. Information about other foreign translations of some of the titles above may be obtained by writing to our email address.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Your Personal Time with God

Chapter 2

Three Strategies for a Successful Quiet Time

Chapter 3

Seven Steps to an Effective Quiet Time

Chapter 4

Eight Powerful Effects of Quiet Time

Chapter 5

Do not Lose Your Only Chance for a Personal Relationship with God

Chapter 6

Avoid Shallowness by the Power of Quiet Time

Chapter 7

Obtain Wisdom Keys through the Power of Quiet Time

Chapter 8

Insist on a Daily Prayer Time

Chapter 9

Develop the Most Important Habit of Your Life

Chapter 10

Insist on a Daily Bible Study Time

Chapter 11

Tools for an Effective Quiet Time