Getting Closer to God

Key wellness / self-care / productivity strategies (from this message)

• Use “pre-decisions” to shape your life intentionally (not accidentally).

  • Instead of trying to “do right” only when you’re in the moment, decide ahead of time how you’ll respond.
  • The focus here is spiritual devotion, but the productivity principle is the same: planned commitments beat last-minute intentions.

• Adopt ongoing devotion (not a one-time spiritual task).

  • Devotion is framed as continuous, “single-minded,” and ongoing—like an ongoing practice rather than a once-a-week checkbox.

• Seek God first as a daily “operating system.”

  • The message centers on Matthew 6:33: seek God/His kingdom/righteousness, and fulfillment follows.
  • “God doesn’t get leftovers”—God is to become central (“He is your life,” not a compartment).

• Connect to Jesus consistently to produce “fruit.”

  • Using the vine/branches metaphor (John 15):
    • Jesus = the vine
    • You = the branch
    • Spiritual “fruit” grows when you remain/abide (stay connected).
  • Fruit examples (from Galatians 5) include:
    • love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

• Build a practical devotion routine: pre-decide time, place, and plan.

  • The speaker’s game plan is:
    • Pre-decide a time (a scheduled start for the week’s devotion)
    • Pre-decide a place (a regular spot, even if flexible by season)
    • Pre-decide a plan (use structured resources to remove “what should I do today?” friction)
  • Example tools mentioned:
    • YouVersion reading plan
    • journaling what God shows you and who you’re praying for
    • using podcasts and worship music as part of your routine

• Track your “devotion allocation” (use the 168-hours perspective).

  • A productivity/self-care insight is implied by the “168 hours/week” line:
    • If most time is devoted elsewhere, devotion to God becomes “leftover.”
  • The call is to invest more than minimal time if you want meaningful change.

• Expect resistance and distractions—and plan anyway.

  • When you commit, expect distraction, reasons to quit, and resistance.
  • Reframe it this way: if it’s important, you’ll find a way; if it’s not, you’ll find excuses.

• Practice “throughout-the-day” connection (daily alignment, not just a session).

  • Devotion isn’t limited to 10 minutes/30 minutes/1 hour.
  • Strategy: throughout the day, talk to God, listen, and align your heart—so your work life and choices get guided.

• Use emotional “wake-up” moments to reset priorities.

  • The speaker shares a story about a friend in the hospital to highlight urgency:
    • don’t wait for a crisis to decide what matters
    • pre-decide what will outlast your time on earth

Presenters / sources

• Presenter/Speaker: Craig (referred to as “Craig” in the story portion)

• Sources referenced (scripture):

  • Matthew 6:33
  • Acts 2:42
  • Galatians 5
  • John 15 (vine/branches; includes the concept of “remain/abide”)