You can sign up to receive free online material that will help you continue in your daily time with God. Saddleback Church is happy to make these materials available, so don’t hesitate to order whatever might help you.

Click here to sign-up for these resources.



       We have just experienced a wonderful 40 Days of Purpose. Many have spent time with God daily by reading the Purpose Driven Life book. You have developed a pattern or new habit in your life, and it is a good habit. This habit is spending time with God daily in what many call a “Quiet Time.” You have learned about God and related to God and others during these 40 Days. Likely, you have gotten more out of this time than you have put into it, as reading and applying God’s word to your life changes you for the good. Don’t stop now…but you may be wondering “What should I do now?”

       You need to continue to spend time reading your Bible and praying, daily. Keep it simple. Don’t try to spend more than 15 minutes or so. More importantly is doing it consistently. There are many ways you can keep up this new habit. Following are a few suggestions:

       1) On page 324 of your Purpose Driven Life book is a list of Free Resources. You can sign up to receive free online material that will help you continue in your daily time with God. Saddleback Church is happy to make these materials available, so don’t hesitate to order whatever might help you.

       2) There are many daily reading guides that divide the Bible up into suggested readings. You can find these online or at your local Christian bookstore. Look for “One Year Bible’s”. Sometimes this is a lot to read in one day, so you can just read the New Testament part, the Psalm, or whatever part interests you.

       3) Read through your own Bible slowly, remembering that it is not how much you plow through, but how much you are applying to your life. You might want to start in the New Testament, with one of the first 4 books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. These tell the story of Jesus’ life on earth. Then, move on through the New Testament from there. Two acrostics that have been of help to me over the years in Quiet Time are:

              a. PRAY – Pray, Read, Analyze, Yield – Remember the word PRAY, and you have the elements you need to remember for spending time with God. First of all Pray, asking for His guidance as you read. Then, Read a bit. Don’t think that you need to read a lot. A verse, a few verses, it depends on what you are reading, but the point is to learn something that applies to your life. Analyze is where you think about that application, how these verses might want to change your thinking or actions in some way. Yield is again praying in light of what you have just read, submitting yourself and your day to God.

              b. ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication – Remember the word ACTS, and you have the elements you need to remember for praying to God. First or all, worship God through Adoration, thanking Him for who He is. Secondly, ask God to show you any ways you have sinned against Him, and confess these things to Him. Third, thank Him for His forgiveness and for His loving attention to every detail of your life. Fourth, pray for yourself and others – this is called Supplication.

       Just like our physical bodies need food daily in order to grow, our spiritual lives need to take in Bible reading and conversation with God in order to thrive. You have started a great habit – keep it going!

Blessings to you,

Bevan