Valuing God's Voice

Recently I've been listening to podcasts by Pastor Robert Morris from Gateway Church (near Dallas Texas).   In his message Value His Voice I was challenged that I don't really value God's voice like I should.  He shared one of the most practical ways to meet with God to hear His voce and He also shared a recorded Testimony from a guy (presented by Pastor Bill Hybles) at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.  It was a moving testimony how they guy made time to be with God and to Value His Voice.  And How God spoke to him and changed His life.  So between these two (Which I've listened and re-listened to this podcast a handful of times in the last two or three days), I challenged myself to do these seemingly practical things to make time with God.  One big challenge with finding time with God, is that I can just move things around in my morning schedule and oh what do you know it's time to leave and I didn't get to it.   So I took Pastor Morris's first step: Make an appointment.  I made an appointment with God.  I set a time, date and place with God.  I said, "God I'm going to meet with you at 7:00am in my office at the church on Sunday the September 18, 2016." And I made time to be there at 7:00am.  I had wanted to take a drive from the church to Sunnyside nursing home and back prior to church so that I know better how to get there when I go in the afternoon, but I didn't want to be late for my meeting with God.  So I went to bed at 8:20pm the night before and got up at 4:40am. I left at 5:30am, drove to the church, then to Sunnyside and then back to the church for 7:00am when the church was opened and my appointment with God was.  I made time for God.    I spent about 40 minutes being still and worshiping, then 20-30 minutes reading His word followed by a time of Prayer and writing what He spoke to me.  By then it was 8:30am, time for Church's Corporate prayer time.  It's so powerful to spend such time with God.  I will do it so that I may hear his voice.

Again, I set an appointment with God this morning.  I knew that the church opened at 7:00am, and that I had to spend an hour or so setting up the Kindergarten room by 8:30am, so I needed to be there earlier if I wanted a good amount of time with God.  So I set an appointment with Him at 6:00am in my car in the Church parking lot on Monday September 19, 2016.   I put it in my calendar and made it official.  I then went to bed at 7:40pm the night before and got up at 4:20am (I highly value sleep and try to get 7-8 hours of sleep at night - but when I get up this early I need at least 8-9 hours of sleep - So I set appointments based off of the guarantee that I will, if it is His will, get my needed sleep).  I left a little late, a bit after 5:30am, and arrived at the church at 6:09am.  I immediately jumped into my time with God; stillness and worship, reading His word, and praying and writing.  By 7:30, I went and started to set up the kindergarten room.