The Quiet Time Series
Part 5
The Bible And The Quiet Time (A)
So far in the "Quiet Time Series" we’ve looked at why the QT is important in you life and how you can carve out the time to practice the QT. Now its time to move on to some of the mechanics and the tools you’ll use in your QT. Over the next 4 Post we’ll look at, "The Bible And The Quiet Time" and "Prayer And The Quiet Time" in which I’ll try to give you some hints about how to use both for an effective QT. Now remember, the purpose of the QT is not just learn more of the Bible or even to bring your prayer request to God. The purpose of the QT is to spend time with God. Your Bible and Prayer are simply tools to do that and not end in themselves. Remember that less you end up just practising religious ritual.
Obviously the Bible is going to be an important part of your daily QT. Through it God is going to speak to you. Its pretty much impossible to have an effective QT without the Bible, the Word of God.
Why The Bible Is Important
The Bible Is God’s Appointed Way To Speak To Us
Through the Bible, the Written Word, we learn of the Living Word Christ. The Bible is God’s revealed truth and thus God’s appointed way to speak to us. I love the way the hymn writer put it "Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee Lord." As we come to the Bible in our QT our goal is to learn about and meet God through His Word.
The Bible Is Intensely Practical
The Bible is not just good literature. In it God Reveals Himself and shows Salvation, His Will and contains His Promises. The very nature of the Bible is practical and always points us to Christ and salvation. David did not just say "The Lord Is My Light" but "The Lord Is My Light And My Salvation." The light was given to show the way and for practical not academic purposes.
The Bible’s Focus Is Jesus Christ
The whole Bible is focussed on Christ the Living Word. If you ask most people the purpose of the Bible the most likely answer is something like "Love and living a good life." This of course is not correct. Yes it does give us principles for living but the real purpose of the Bible, God’s Word, is to reveal to us Jesus Christ the Living Word. The Bible is given not just so we can study in but that in doing so we might see Christ.
From the first chapter in Genesis to the last chapter in Revelation the Bible is about Jesus Christ. Whenever you read the Bible you should be asking yourself what does it teach you about Jesus Christ.
The Bible Teaches Us How To Live Godly Lives
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17)
Reproof: Where We Got Off The Path
Correction: How To Get Back On The Path
Instruction: How To Stay On The Path
God speaks to us through His Word,
Therefore it is essential to the Quiet Time.
How To Approach The Bible
What should be your attitude when you use your Bible in the QT
We Approach The Bible Different Than Any Other Book
The Bible is different than any other book and therefore you approach it differently. Though God used some 40 writers over a period of some 1,500 years, God Himself is the ultimate author of the 66 books of the Bible and so we want to meet the Divine Author and hear His voice speak us. As the hymn writer put it:
Break Thou The Bread of Life. Deal Lord to Me
As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea
Beyond The Sacred Page, I Seek Thee Lord
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word.
We find Christ beyond the sacred pages of scripture. Studying the Bible is a means to
drawing nearer to Saviour.
The 3 Conditions in Approaching the Word of God
1. We Must Come With An Open Heart
We approach the Bible with the prayer, "Lord, what do you want to show me?" We come with open hearts to hear what God has to say to us from His Word. Those who come with their minds already made up will learn nothing. We can make our Bible Study fruitless when we come thinking we know everything.
When the Pharisees asked Jesus, " Are we also blind?", Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)
1. We Must Come With An Open Heart
We approach the Bible with the prayer, "Lord, what do you want to show me?" We come with open hearts to hear what God has to say to us from His Word. Those who come with their minds already made up will learn nothing. We can make our Bible Study fruitless when we come thinking we know everything.
When the Pharisees asked Jesus, " Are we also blind?", Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)
The Pharisees made the Word of God void by their traditions. The world influences our thinking and our preconceived notions often hinder our understanding. We need to come to the Word with a humble spirit ready to learn. We must allow Him to teach us the things that are hidden from the wise and self-sufficient but that will be revealed to those with a humble heart.
2. We Must Come With Surrendered Wills
Our prayer also needs to be, "Lord, what do you want me to do." When we come to the Word we say with Jesus, "Father, not my will, but your will be done." Our calling is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and do the Father’s will out of humble obedience.
Many of us want to know what God is going to say or require of us before we consent to obey but our approach must be to obey regardless. It is an exercise in futility to go to the Bible and not submit to it’s teaching. Our attitude must be one of absolute submission.
God demands whole-hearted obedience to His will (understanding that this is possible only in the power of the Holy Spirit). None of us get this 100% right but absolute surrender needs to be our attitude.
2. We Must Come With Surrendered Wills
Our prayer also needs to be, "Lord, what do you want me to do." When we come to the Word we say with Jesus, "Father, not my will, but your will be done." Our calling is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and do the Father’s will out of humble obedience.
Many of us want to know what God is going to say or require of us before we consent to obey but our approach must be to obey regardless. It is an exercise in futility to go to the Bible and not submit to it’s teaching. Our attitude must be one of absolute submission.
God demands whole-hearted obedience to His will (understanding that this is possible only in the power of the Holy Spirit). None of us get this 100% right but absolute surrender needs to be our attitude.
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me (John 14:21)
3. Must Come With Faith To Believe
Believe and expect to meet with God, and He will Reveal Himself
3. Must Come With Faith To Believe
Believe and expect to meet with God, and He will Reveal Himself
But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(Heb 11:6)
Faith Is An Indispensable Condition In Approaching God. The bottom line is that you must expect to meet God in your QT. He is going to meet you and bless your life and glorify Himself. Therefore we must come to the Bible, open to learn and hear His voice, to surrender and obey His will, and with faith to believe He will meet us and bless us.
Faith Is An Indispensable Condition In Approaching God.
God Bless You
(In the next Post we’ll actually work at a simple plan to show you how to do simple Bible Study in your QT and apply what you learn to your life. Then in the final two Posts we’ll look at the place of Prayer in the QT.)
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