Many Christian people, new converts, workers and leaders alike are lacking this great and sweet experience of beginning every day from the presence of God. Some call it quiet time, but that terminology though short and acceptable, hides the real meaning of the exercise.
(a) The Meaning:
This means waking up a great while before day break on everyday basis, washing off and coming to God’s presence with the Bible, song book and jotter. As one settles down, one begins with singing the songs that glorify the Lord with all of ones faculty. Having blessed the Lord for while, he/she now moves to read concentratively, considering, and meditating and taking notes, and he/she reads on, punctuating the exercise with serious prayers borne out of the message or lessons from the word (cons. Mk.1:35) etc.
(b) The Necessity
The mind of man is the seat of all activities (Prov.4:23). It is that which determines what type of man one is ( ). The mind could be fervent either toward God, righteousness or other spiritual things, or toward the world and sin. It could be adamant. The list is legion.
The condition of the mind of the Christian depends on what treatment that is given to it, or what is allowed to come unto it. With the daily activities of speaking, eating and hearing, and the mightily activities of sleeping and (sometimes) dreaming bad dreams, the mind is dulled seriously. Faith in God, awareness, and every good thing is hidden/latent. For the man to go out vibrant again, love God, eschew evil readily, retain vision, etc, he must sharpen the heart (mind) everyday by beginning everyday from the presence of God, as already described.
(c) Hindrances To Beginning Everyday From His Presence
The following will hinder:-
(i) not having enough sleep before waking, resulting in dozing, as one is trying to sin, read or pray
(ii) stuffing the stomach with food, resulting in being heavy and not able to stand against early morning tendencies.
Hearken: Today, break every yoke and pass over to the other side of beginning everyday from the presence of the Lord (comp. Heb.12:1-2)