Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus
If Jesus is your Savior, then you have "passed from death unto life" and have been "born again" so that you are a child of God, a "new creation in Christ. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17
So Jesus is your Lord and you love Him. And of course you seek to please Him and obey Him in all that you do. You are now going "God’s Way" instead of "your own way." So where do you find God’s direction for what He wants you to do? In the Scriptures (the Bible). Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4 And the Bible is your spiritual food which you need all of the time, at least once a day. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby." 1 Peter 2:2
So a key part of your spiritual growth is to be constantly reading and studying the Word of God. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16 The "blessed" (or, "happy") man’s "delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night." And then as a result, "he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:2-3
If your schedule will permit you to read the scriptures and pray first thing in the morning (or right after breakfast), this is a very good way to begin the day. "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3 If you read a Psalm or two in the morning, either alone or, preferably, with someone else, your mind will focus on God instead of on yourself and the day will go better.
And then later in the day you find time for your regular Bible study alone. Read systematically, verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter. A good way to begin is to start with the Gospel of John (4th book in the New Testament) and then read straight through to the end of the New Testament. After that, then read Genesis, Exodus, and Proverbs.
It’s also a good habit to read your Bible right before going to sleep at night. You drift off to sleep thinking about what you’ve read and thanking God for His goodness. "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me." Psalm 3:5
