Some R & R

The importance of Sabbath

Some one once said, "If. You don't come apart, you'll come apart."     So Wendy and I needed a break from a busy fall and winter of ministry and thanks to some wonderful folks in our church we were able to  obtain a condo in Florida for a week at a pretty reasonable price.  

I seem to know only one speed and that is flat open, peddle to the metal.    I work hard and when I get a chance, play hard.    The other day, we  rented a speed boat  and spent several hours bombing around Tampa Bay.  Full throttle of course.  They don't call them piddle around boats, they call them speed boats.   Only when you are going full tilt do they level out and give you a relatively smooth ride.  That is until you  run across the wake of a really big boat, then you can take a little air.    We were fortunate enough to have a dolphin give a little demonstration of it's jumping abilities right close to our boat.

As a high energy guy,  I've had to learn the importance of sabbath and how to practice it in my daily life.    As I've already  already indicated

As a high energy guy,  I've had to learn the importance of sabbath and how to practice it in my daily life.    As I've already  already indicated,  I usually operate wide open and slowing down is not easy for me.    Yet the truth is that God did not intend for us to operate wide open all the time.   In fact,  He built the concept of Sabbath right into the Creation Order.    When God had created everything, He saw that it was very good and rested on the seventh day.   So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:3)

We often think of the Sabbath as  applying only to the Jewish people.  Of course it was part of their covenant relationship with God as His choosen people but the idea of Sabbath  as part of the Creation Order is meant for all of us for all time.   We just were not designed to go flat out all the time.   This is important for us to remember in  a driven culture like ours where we feel we must always be productive.   The fact is that God has designed us for Sabbath.   We are designed to  need to come apart, lest we come apart.

Even Jesus, in the midst of His busy, and essential ministry, had to come apart to recharge His physical and spiritual energy.    In Mark chapter one Jesus has begun Him ministry.  He is assembling His team of  Apostles and is conducting a heavy ministry of healing, casting out demons, and teaching the gospel.  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.  And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (Mark 1)    Even the Son of God while on earth recognized the need of Sabbath.  He needed to recharge His physical and spiritual batteries.  

There is much more we could say about Sabbath but there are two important aspects that I want to mention here.    1) Physical Rest    and  2) Spiritual Refreshment

1. Physical  Rest
Our bodies just were not meant to go flat out 7 days a week and that's part of the reason God mandated one day in seven as a day of rest.    At one time our culture here in North America.    Stores closed on Sundays,  businesses ceased to operate and there was no school.     Today, it is vastly different.     Culture goes flat open 24/7 and to me at least,  it seems like our whole culture is tired.

Each of us ought to seek to slow down at least one day a week.      It may not always be possible to do that on Sunday  (The Jewish regulated Sabbath in Saturday)  but there should be one day a week for rest.  

Of course it is a bonus when you can take a week like we just did to unplug (literally.    My cell phone was turned off and only for emergencies.   I limited internet use to finding our way around and for only important communications.    I only opened  essential email.   Three to be exact).      We enjoyed some wonderful activity but were careful not to busy ourselves all day long.     Sometimes we sat on the deck, took a walk or read.       A home it always seems like we are in a sense of rush running from one event to another.     Sabbath meant we had a much lighter agenda that gave our bodies time to rest.

2. Spiritual Refreshment
The other aspect of Sabbath is spiritual refreshement.     The opportunity to slow down, to reflect on life and commune with God is a vital aspect of Sabbath.     Sometimes you just have to slow down to do that.     I know for a fact that business in ministry can be detrimental to your spiritual well being as I know that business in the pursuits of life can also be.      Sabbath means you take time to slow down and listen to the voice of God.

This week for us was not a prayer or spiritual retreat,  it was a vacation,  but slowing down did allow us time to reflect,  to think about where our lives are going, and to spend some extra time in unhurried communion with God and reflection on God's  Word.    

The Sabbath my friend was meant for you and I.   It's not  a legal requirement of the believer,  neither is in an unnecessary option.     God instructed us to keep the Sabbath because He knows we need it.   It is good for our souls,  good for our walk with Him and good for our bodies.  

The Quiet Time Series

Part 7
 

The Bible And

The Quiet Time (C)

The Word of God is central to your Christian maturity. However, it is not just the intellectual understanding of the Word that you need, you need to apply it to your daily life. James said, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).     He says we deceive ourselves if we are not doers of the Word.

In the previous Posts on "The Bible And The Quiet Time" we pointed out that there are three major aspects to Bible Study.      1) Observation: What does it say? 2) Interpretation: What Does It Mean? 2) Application: How Does It Apply?

The reality is that in your regular daily Quiet Time you most likely don’t have time to do any kind of real in depth study.     So, though it is always important that you understand what the passage is really saying and what it really means; in your Quiet Time you’re really looking at the Application aspect.      You want to know how does it apply to your life today.

Your daily QT doesn’t have to be complicated so let me share with you a simple Acrostic that you can use to help apply any verse or passage of Scripture to your life.     It’s called SPECS? and it involves a few simple questions you ask yourself about the passage and your life.
　

•    S Are There Any Sins To Forsake

•   P  Are There Any Promises To Claim

•    E  Are There Any Examples To Follow

•   C  Are There Any Commands To Obey

•    S  Are There Any Stumbling Blocks To Avoid

•    ?  What Should I Do Now.

You won’t necessarily have an answer to every one of these but they will help you dig the application out of the passage.     For example, you may read 1 Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality."     You will want to examine your own life to see if any form of sexual immorality is seeping into your life.     What are you watching? What web sites are you visiting?     Are you getting too friendly to someone who is not your spouse?     Be very specific about the sin you need to forsake and then in your note book record your action plan.     For instance "I will install a net nanny on my computer" or "I need to eliminate some of the novels I’ve been reading. Remember, be specific.

Sometimes the application is not quite so obvious.     Suppose you’ve been reading the story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus.     Okay, so you haven’t gone and sold Him out but as you think about Judas’ life you may realize he is not a very good role model.     As you think about it you realize that perhaps Judas had stronger allegiance for money then he did for the Lord. So you begin to think about where your allegiances are.      Is there anything more important to you than the Lord?     Write it down in your note book and then write down what you are going to do about it.      "My love for _____________ seems to be drawing me away from Christ."     Maybe you need to adjust your schedule.     Perhaps you need to limit or eliminate something from your life.

Remember, be very specific in answering the SPECS? questions and be very specific about what you are going to do about it.    Also remember that you cannot live the Christian life on your own and you can not transform your own life.     This is not about self improvement.     You need the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you so be sure you acknowledge that.     Ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply the Scriptures to your life and for Him to transform you after the image of Christ.

I don’t what you to forget what we talked about in the previous Posts about "The Bible And The Quiet Time" but you can use the SPECS? very consistently in your daily QT.      In fact for many years my QT Journal had SPECS down the side of the page and I’d use it every morning in my QT.

As you use your SPECS? Your QT will be something you look forward to as you see God transforming your life, not instantaneously, but little by little, deeper and deeper, almost without realizing it, as you apply the Word of God, God will be transforming your life after the image of Christ and bringing you to spiritual maturity.     God bless you my friend.

If you have any questions about the QT or if you have any comments or suggestions that others might like to hear,  please click on the "Comment" section and share them.   There are people from around the world who read  Pastor Rick's Study who might benefit from what you've learned or have the same kinds of questions that you have.    My purpose in spending so many Posts on the Quiet Time is because I believe it is the single most important thing you can do for your spiritual growth and I also know it is the single greatest area where Satan will attack you.     So leave your comments below and lets help each other.



(In the next two Posts we’ll finish off the "Quiet Time Series" with a look at " Prayer And The Quiet Time).