20 Minute Challenge

Regardless of how often we talk about spending time in the Word of God, whether studying, learning, or listening, I find very few Christians who actually spend more than an hour in God's Word everyday. 1 hour of Bible study, everyday, is really not that long; still, not many accomplish it. Do you fall into that category?

Last week our text was Colossians 3:16-17 where Paul exhorts the church to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." My heart was heavy as I wrote that sermon for 2 main reasons.

1. Because I knew I needed to spend more time in the Word - apart from sermon or counseling preparation, doing a book study, or topical search - time that was devoted to just being with the Lord and letting His Word fill me, dwell in me, and meditating on it to the point that it was at home in my heart, never to leave, and always guiding me.
2. Because I knew others were struggling with the same things and I wanted them to be challenged, like me, to change.

One way to get people active in the Word is to issue a challenge; a challenge that they can handle, but that would still stretch and help them with having a consistent pattern of time with the Lord in His Word each day. God gave us that very challenge.

As the Lord led, last week I presented our church body with a "20 Minute Challenge" that I would like to extend to you as well. Spend 20 minutes per day, for the next 20 days, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God. Then, e-mail me at pastor@lightofdenton.com every day with what you've read, and a sentence or two (more if you'd like) of how God ministered, convicted, and encouraged you through His Word that day.

I cannot express what a blessing it's been thus far, not just for me, but for the church as well.
However, as the days go on, I will be sharing more specifically what God is doing through this "20 Minute Challenge"; I pray it will be as encouraging to you as it has been for me.

Whereas we all should be spending much more time devoted to studying the Word of God than 20 minutes a day, I would ask that those who would criticize such an effort, would instead pray for all those involved - and take the challenge themselves. You would be surprised how many days of the week you think you've spent more than 20 minutes meditating on the Word, but when you keep track of it, write it down, and take the time to share what God is doing through His Word and Holy Spirit, (for some) you realize, most of the time, you have just been reading instead of meditating on God's Word - and the difference shows in our fruit, our families, and our lives as a whole.

So, will you take the "20 Minute Challenge"? If you already spend that much, or more, time meditating on the Word of God each day, why not find a brother or sister in the Lord and take the "20 Minute Challenge" together, be each other's partner, and grow from what you're studying each day by sharing it together.

If you do take the "20 Minute Challenge", please send me an e-mail so I can be praying for you, and also let me know if you have a partner to do it with, if not, I would love to fill that role. Either way I know you will be blessed by not just "reading" the Word of God, but "meditating" on it, obeying it, and applying it to your daily life.

PT