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A highlight of the Key Men’s Invitational (KMI) men’s conference that I just attended was listening to Max Barnett, 82 years old, talking about quiet time and scripture memory. He said, “I wish I could convince all Christians to practice these two disciplines.” Here are some highlights about the daily quiet time:

• When you believed, Jesus came in. That’s a fact. You are qualified to make disciples because Jesus is in you. You should feel inadequate. But Jesus is adequate (John 15.5). If you took a branch off a peach tree because you wanted peaches every year, the next year all you would have is a stick! 
• God lives in me. The disciplines are tools. Even if there are periods that I can’t do the disciplines (e.g., Marine boot camp!), I still have Jesus. I don’t trust my quiet time. I don’t earn favor with God by the quiet time. I already have favor with God.
• God is the power. Every one of us can be fruitful if we will learn to trust him (2 Corinthians 12.9).
• I want time with God every day. I need God. 
• The principle is to have fellowship with God. Quiet time is a method.
• God desires our fellowship before service: (Mark 3.14, Acts 4.13 (“with Jesus”))
• Sometimes we don’t have much hunger for God. Some are always on their phone! Feed what little hunger you have with the Word.
• Don’t expect an outstanding experience every day. But “keep your head in the trough.” Find the time every day. First thing in the morning is best, but if not, find another time.

These are good words, and Max encouraged me to renew my commitment to spend quality, intentional time with God. You can download my quiet time template here–it’s similar to what Max taught when he came to sharing his method. Max also recommended following a daily reading plan similar to these: The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan gets you through the whole Bible in a year and 5x5x5, just the New Testament.

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15.16, NKJV)