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).

The Quiet Time Series

Part 6

The Bible And The Quiet Tim (B)

Well, its been a while since our last Post.    I hope you have enjoyed the Quiet Time Series and that you have found it helpful. The last time we talked about why the Bible is important to your QT and the attitude with which you should approach it.
 

In this Post I’d like to give you some very practical tools to use in your Quiet Time.    But first let me give a word of caution regarding a pitfall that we can all very easily fall into. In fact, I think it might be the single biggest mistake we make when we open our Bibles.

You see, the purpose of Bible Study is not to fill your head with more knowledge or facts. Now don’t get me wrong, you will gain Biblical knowledge in ways that you won’t with simply reading the Bible.　 However, knowledge is not the ultimate goal, life transformation is.

The Purpose of Bible Study Is Life Transformation

Our aim in Bible Study is to see Jesus, to get to know him and to allow Him to change our lives.    In Bible Study we should be seeking to hear the voice of God, to bow to His will and to enthrone Him in our hearts.    It is as we encounter God in the Scriptures that our lives are transformed after the image of Christ. 

Receive with meekness the implanted word,

which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

  

When we receive the Word it ought to lead to being transformed into His likeness.    Old habits begin to go, attitudes begin to change and our outlook on life is transformed as we become more like Him and He is enthroned in our hearts.

 

The Aim of Bible Study Is to See Jesus and

Allow His Word to Transform Your Life.

  

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Obviously we’re not able to cover everything about Bible Study here.     In fact you can take a whole course on Methods of Bible Study at College and I’m even working on writing a course on "How The Study The Bible For Yourself."     However, here are some basic tools that will really help you get the most out of your Bible Study during your QT.      So, grab yourself a pen/pencil and a notebook and lets get started.

There are three parts to Bible Study

Observe the passage by asking the question: What do I see?"

Interpret the passage by asking the question: "What does it mean?"

Apply the passage by asking the question: "What do I do?"

　

Observation: - What Does It Say?

Your first step is observation.    Here you’re not looking for answers but rather trying to understand what the verse or passage says and in particular how would the original readers have understood it.     The question you are asking yourself is, "What does it say?"

You may have read the passage a dozen times before but don’t assume you know what it says.     Read the passage and note the context.     That is, read the verses before and after so you get the setting of the passage you are studying.

All observations are valuable.    Write them down.     Use the questions of good journalism; Who? What? When? Where? Where? Why? How?     Here are some questions you can use as a guide.

• Who is writing or speaking and to whom?

• What is the passage about?

• What are the commands?

• What are the promises or cause/effect relationships?

• What are the repeated words and ideas?

• What problems were the recipients facing?

• Where does this take place?

• When does this take place?

• Why does the speaker or author say/write what he does?

• What do I learn about God?

• What do I learn about Jesus?

• What do I learn about the Holy Spirit?

• What do I learn about me (or mankind)?

Try to answer the questions by reading the passage over, and looking at surrounding verses.     For some of the tough ones you can (for your QT) use a one volume Bible Dictionary or a Commentary.     However, don’t go to these first.     Do your own investigation and you’ll have joy discovering it for yourself and it will stick with you better.
 

Interpretation: - What Does It Mean?

Your second step is Interpretation.     Now that you know what it says, you’re looking to figure out what it means.    The question you are asking yourself is, "What does it mean?"

You’ll want to discover the "Big Idea", that is, what is this passage about?     What’s the big idea the author is trying to communicate.     Write it down in your notebook.    In fact, I encourage you to summarize it in 4 words or less and write that down.

You’re looking for the principle truth being taught in that verse or passage and you want to capture it in a snap shot of no more than 4 words.

Steps to Interpreting the Passage

To help you interpret the passage, answer questions like the ones listed below. Use as many or as few as you need to.

• What are the meanings of the words?

• What does the immediate context suggest?

• What does the broader context suggest? (chapter and book)

• What do other cross references suggest?

• What is the cultural meaning? (What did it mean to those to whom it was originally addressed?

Once you’ve tried to interpret the passage and get the meaning for yourself, you can check out a commentary if you like, but don’t do that first. By doing your own investigation first you will really begin to find Bible Study an exciting and joyful experience.

Once you understand the meaning of the verse or passage you are ready for the third step.

Application: - How Does It Apply?

The Third step in Bible Study is Application. Remember, the purpose of studying the Bible is to encounter God and have our lives transformed.    The question you are asking yourself is, "How does it apply to my life?"    I have found it profoundly beneficial to always apply scripture to my life or to the circumstances I observe around me. 

Every verse applies to your life.

Not ever verse applies to your life.

Once you understand what the passage is saying you will want to ask yourself " how does this truth apply to my life?"     That raises the question, "does every verse apply to me?" Well, the answer to that is a categorical, ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Let me explain.

Suppose your study includes Matthew 27:5 where it talks about Judas hanging himself. Does that apply to you? 

Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple

and departed, and went and hanged himself. (Matt 27:5)

 

If you’re not careful you may conclude that the application is to go out and hang yourself just like Judas.      I wouldn’t recommend you doing that.    Okay, this may be a bit of a stretch but you get the point.    This verse does not directly apply to your life.    However, if you see this in context you might conclude that a practical application here is that we must be aware of the consequences of willful sin, well then it does apply to you.    At this point you ask yourself about possible areas in your life where you are in willful disobedience to God’s revealed will.

"What should I be doing in response to this passage?"
 

In the next Post, I’ll share with you a simple plan for applying the Word of God for your life in a very practical way.    For now, remember that at the end of your QT you should always be asking yourself, "What should I be doing in response to this passage?"     I have always found it to be very helpful to write in my notebook what I am going to do in response to what I’ve just studied. More about that in the next Post. God Bless You!

Because of Calvary
Pastor Rick

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)

Doctrine: Path To Walk On
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)

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.

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

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

Pastor Rick

　
(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.)

 
 

The Quiet Time Series

  Part 4

Making The QT Work

Christian biography abounds with the fact that those who have moved the world for God have been people of sustained devotional habits.    Yet those of us more ordinary saints often find it difficult to maintain our QT.     There are so many obstacles to overcome.      We have to be determined to stick it out.

In the last Post we talked about why the QT  is important and that we need to be determined to have our QT daily.     Let me lend a word of caution here.      Most people don’t achieve the goal of 7 days a week.     It’s wonderful if you can attain that but most people don’t.     Yet, as I pointed out last time, it takes at least 4 times a week in order for there to be transformational change in our lives.     Consistency is so important.

My goal in this series is to give you some practical tools that will make your QT enjoyable, productive, and life changing. Let’s look at two important factors. 

THE LENGTH OF YOUR QUIET TIME

People often ask, "how long should my Quiet Time be?"       The fact is that there are no hard and fast rules here.      At first even the thought of just a few minutes might be daunting as you ask yourself what you’ll do to fill the time (more about that in future QT Posts). However, as you learn to have an effective QT and experience God’s presence and reap the benefits of your QT, you’ll be looking for ways to lengthen your time alone with God.

The fact is, if you start out thinking you need to spend an hour or even half an hour in your QT you may get discouraged very early and if you get discouraged before you really get started you may be tempted to give up all together.     I don’t want that to happen to you so here are a couple so suggestions.

7 Minutes With God

Years ago I came across a tract called "7 Minutes with God".     No one ever showed me how to have a QT so I found this tract extremely helpful as I began my own devotional life. Here’s how it can work 

½ Min – To Quiet Your Heart and Ask God’s Direction
              Take the first 30 seconds to ask God for direction.
              Ask Him to meet with you and open His Word to you.

3 Min – Reading & Meditating On A Brief Passage Of Scripture

             Read a few verses or a chapter from your Bible.   You can start with the Gospel of John and read through the book chapter by chapter.    At the church where I Pastor, we're encouraging people to read through three essential New Testament books three times through the year.  

Click here to obtain a PDF of "The Essential New Testament Reading.                

                  
* In a future "Post" I’ll be talking about what to look for as you read. For now, look for what it teaches you about God and how it should apply to your life.

3 Min – Praying

Next,  spend 3 minutes just talking to God like you would a trusted friend.     Start out by Praising Him for who He is and just worship Him.     Then share the concerns of your heart for yourself and others and ask God for wisdom to handle all that comes your way today.

½ Min – Committing The Day To God

Finish your time with God committing your day to His glory.     Ask Him to help you honour Him in all you do.

After awhile you may adapt this for your own particular personality and style.      This is intended as a guide to get you started not a straight jacket to constrain you.     The important thing is that you connect with God through His Word and prayer.

Start with 7 minutes and commit yourself to that.       As time goes on you’ll want to lengthen that. Below you’ll find an expanded version.

15 Minutes With God
1 Min – To Quiet Your Heart and Ask God’s Direction

10 Min – Bible Study - take notes

3 ½ Min – Praying

½ Min – Committing The Day To God

As you learn to connect with God you’ll want to think not about how much time you have to spend with God but about what is the maximum time you can carve out of your day to spend with Him. It’s like going to the Gym.      You start out slow and build up.

AIM FOR QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY

Make connecting with God your goal.      Your goal is not to complete a QT, it is to meet with God and to worship Him.     If you miss a QT, don’t get bogged down in guilt.     That accomplishes nothing and is the Devils tool.      If you miss tomorrow, then pick it up the next day.     Spend as much time with Him as you can.

THE PLACE OF YOUR QT

Don’t underestimate the importance of where you have your Quiet Time.     You want to be alone with God with as few distractions as possible.     Most of the time I can’t have my QT at my work desk because there are too many reminders of the work I have to get done that day.     Your QT spot will become a special place in your life where you will meet with God and He will make you more like Jesus.     My wife tells me of her memory of her Dad.     Every morning he would get up early to put the fire on and then sit in the rocking chair to read his Bible and then kneel and pray. As a little she would come downstairs every morning and see her Dad kneeling in front of the rocking chair.  It was his special place to meet with Jesus.

 It Should Be A Place Of Seclusion 

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 1:35)

It seems it was the pattern of Jesus to get alone to pray and I’ve found it important in my own life to be alone with God.     The consciousness of the presence of others will distract your concentration.      If you live in a busy house or dorm its not always easy to get alone. Sometimes getting up early helps to overcome this problem.

Sometimes you might have to be very creative in order to find that secluded spot.     I love to get into the woods or down by the lake but that not always possible.     It might be that you get up early before others, get yourself a cup of coffee, grab your Bible and note book and head for the big chair.     You might close the door to your home office or go to the laundry room.     I’ve heard of some people who have built themselves a little prayer closet in the basement.

But you, when you pray, go into your room,

and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father

who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret

will reward you openly. (Matt 6:6)

 

It might seem impossible to find such a place but at least try to be alone in spirit like Susanna Wesley who would just throw her apron over her head.

It Should Be A Place Of Quietness

There are two kinds of noises that we should avoid.    Avoid "speech".    Don’t have the morning news playing in the background.     Other voices seem to have a way of drawing our attention.     You want to avoid this because your goal is to focus on the voice of god. The other noise to avoid is "music".     That tune will get stuck in your head and not allow you to focus.     Now there is a place for listening to Christian music to help you worship God but for now lets leave that behind.     As much as possible you want to avoid all sounds that will distract you.

 

It Should Be A Place Free From Distractions

You want to focus these few moments on God so you want to avoid all distractions, especially distractions of the eyes that might pull you away.     I guess that’s why some people have developed their own prayer closets.

I think the idea is that you want to plan for concentration.       Be comfortable but don’t get too comfortable especially if its early in the morning and you might tend to fall asleep.     I just bought a big reclining chair which I won’t use in the mornings for this very reason.  It is just too comfortable.      If you do fall asleep get up and change your position.     I love to pray on my knees but for some people that would put them in danger of falling asleep on their knees.     I like to get up and walk around the room as I pray.   Find what works for you.

BE DETERMINED

The world makes not time for the Quiet Time so you must determine in your heart to cultivate your relationship with Christ.     The pressures of life will seek to crowd out the QT so you must be prepared.       The Devil will resist you. You must resist him. You must fight back because spending time alone with God is the most important thing you will do in any given day.     Here is a bit of a summary.

1. Determine That You Will Have A Daily Quiet Time

2. Choose A Set Time Each Day

3. Select A Practical Place

Nothing is more important in your day then your time with God.      Remember, God wants your friendship. Time alone with Him each day is not only good for you, it is precious to God.

Nothing Is More Important In Your Day Then Your Time With God.

Making The Quiet Time Work 

Part 3

 Quiet Time Series

Alright,  so we've seen that God actually longs for your friendship and how important the QT is.    However,  It’s one thing to recognize the importance of the QT to our spiritual growth.    It's another thing to actually start doing it.   It’s one thing to desire intimacy with God and for us to enjoy fellowship with Him, it’s a another thing to actually experience it.    Most of us need some help getting started.

Over the years I’ve had so many people say they would have a regular QT but they don’t know how to get started.     No one has ever shown them how.     I can’t be with you in person but my hope is that over the next few days as you come back to "Pastor Rick’s Study" I’ll be able to help you deal with some of the practical aspects of having a regular and consistent Quiet Time where you actually connect with God.     However, please realize that it takes time and the more you do it the better you will become and the more natural it will feel.     Best of all, you’ll discover new ways of connecting with God and your daily QT will become an exciting time you’ll look forward to.    So, let’s get started.

REASONS FOR THE QUIET TIME
There are many reasons to maintain your QT but let me give you two primary ones.

God Personally Invites You To Commune With Him

How exciting is that.    God wants and longs for your friendship.    If your favourite celebrity invited you to dinner or to hang out together, wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity.   Sure you would.    How much better that the God of the Universe wants to hang out with you.
Remember, God is graciously inviting you to commune with Him. He wants your relationship with Him to be cultivated.

Times Alone With God Are Vital To Spiritual Growth

There is just no away around it.    You need time with God to build your relationship.
 

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him,

he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

 You cannot, I repeat, you cannot, grow spiritually without intimate connection with God Himself. Period.    If you neglect this principle, you may talk the talk, you may have the surface appearance of a growing Christian but the tall tell signs will eventually appear in hour life.     It may not show in overt sin, or open rebellion but it will show and you will know it in lost intimacy.


WHEN TO HAVE THE QUIET TIME?
This question always comes up and I’m though I don’t think there is any hard and fast rules there are some good guidelines.

It Should Be Daily And It Should Be Regular

Daily of course is ideal but realistically is probably isn’t going to happen for most of us.    A recent survey of over 600,000 believers revealed that a minimum of 4 times a week is what it takes to foster real life transformation.     Just like you have to eat food on a regular daily basis to be physically healthy, so you need to feed your soul daily.

The question then is, "what part of the day should I have my QT?"     Here are a few suggestions.

•  Do It At The Time Most Convenient For You
There is no Biblical mandate as to the best time. Pick the time that works for you

•  Do It In The Morning If You Can
There are lots of examples of great people who had their QT in the morning. Jesus is one. King David was another,  Martin Luther, John Wesley, Pastor Rick.    Well okay, maybe the last one isn't so great but I find the morning is the best time as do many others.
 

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. (Psalm 5:3)

 In the morning your mind is fresh.    At least for most people.     However if you are not a morning person, if your mind doesn’t wake up until your body has been in motion for a while then you might find having your QT in the morning to be less than productive and you’ll want to find a time of day when you are more alert.     All of us have a natural body rhythm and we should devote quality time to building our relationship with God.

I find that having my QT in the morning works best (though I am a night owl by nature).  It starts my day off right.     Let’s face it, every day comes with new challenges and we need God’s strength and God’s mind to face those challenges.     I have also found that my days are so full of commitments and time demands that if I don’t have my QT in the morning before my day starts, it’s probably not going to happen.

Now, there is a cost to having an early morning QT.     We live in a world that has no time for it.     Your boss is not likely suggest you take a few moments out of the work day to spend some time with God.    Your kids are not going to volunteer to leave you alone while you spend time with God.   (Though Susanna Wesley would throw her apron up over her head and her 16 or so children knew she was communing with God and was to be left alone until the apron came down).    The activities of life will just crowd out the QT.     Whether its in the morning or at some other time, you’ll have to carve out time for your QT and the morning seems like the best time to do that.

Now here’s the catch.      Who wants to give up that sleep?     And unless you have assurance that God is calling you to meet Him in the morning, the first temptation will be to turn off the alarm and get a few more minutes sleep.

Nothing In Life Is More Difficult To Maintain

As The Early Morning Quiet Time.

You may find yourself saying, " I find it difficult to get up early", so it will take some discipline and you may need to change your bedtime routine.       Go to bed on time.     Late nights are the relentless enemy of the QT.     Believe me, I know.    I am a night owl so I have to fight this on a regular basis.     The Devil will fight you every step of the way and you need to fight back.      Pray the night before and ask the Lord to help you awake in the morning.     Let your last thought at night and your first thought in the morning be of your Saviour.

The bottom line is that the morning may be the best time but, whatever time of the day you choose, stick with it and be regular.      Make it a regular habit at the same time each day.

In the next Post I’ll give you some practical suggestions as to how much time is sufficient and just what to do during your QT.     Meanwhile, get started.     Take a few moments in the morning (or whenever you choose) and start out by asking God to guide you and meet with you.     Then spend a few moments reading your Bible asking God to teach you something about Him (more of that in future Posts).      Think about what you’ve read and meditate upon it though the day.     Finish your time off by giving God praise and talking to God about the things and people that concern you.

God Bless you as you build your relationship with the God of the universe and be sure to check back tomorrow as we talk about the actual mechanics of your QT.

God Bless You
Pastor Rick

 

THE WONDER OF

GOD'S PRESENCE

# 1 The Quiet Time Series  (Part 2)

"The Most Important Thing You Will Do Today

Is Spend Time Alone With God."


 

The Quiet Time is a time you set aside each day to spend alone with God and is a most important factor in your spiritual maturity.    As we saw in our last Post, it is an amazing wonder that God actually longs for our friendship and fellowship and therefore it is vital that we cultivate this friendship.   Let’s take a look at why cultivation is so important and the real goal of the QT.


Cultivating The Wonder
Of course every friendship needs to be cultivated. God’s daily approach to His people requires daily response and a yielding of the will.    Your friendship with God needs to be cultivated every day.    He invites you to out with Him and spend time with Him.

Your friendship with God needs to be cultivated every day.

 The question is, "are we prepared to make the sacrifice of time in order that our love for Him may grow steadily to maturity?"    When we come before Him in the right spirit, every moment we spend is more than worth it.     Neglect everything else before you neglect to cultivate your friendship with God.

Neglect everything else before you neglect to cultivate your friendship with God.

 I am struck by the fact that even Jesus cultivated His friendship with the Father. He enjoyed spontaneous and unbroken communion with the Father and yet He constantly found it necessary, even in the midst His incredibly busy ministry schedule, to put aside definite times for prayer and quietness in order cultivate this friendship.
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 1:35)

When talking about the Quiet Time, the most common response is, "I don’t have time."    It’s not as though Jesus was not busy, yet He protected these times of intimacy with the Father. We too, in the business of life, must protect our Quiet Times with God.     It is in fact the most important thing you will do in the course of a day.


The Secret Of The Wonder
Jesus counted His times alone with the Father not only necessary but also as precious and joyful and hallowed times.    The Quiet Time is not only necessary but it is precious.     The reason it is precious is because it brings you right into the presence of God to enjoy His fellowship.     The real joy of the QT springs from the sense of His presence.     It is the Divine Presence that gives joy to the QT.

The real joy of the QT springs from the sense of His presence.  

It is the Divine Presence that gives joy to the QT.

 In order to experience and enjoy His presence, I have learned to ask myself several key questions.

Am I Coming Before Him Fully Aware That I Come Only Though The Blood Of Jesus?   The only right I have to come into God’s presence is the shed blood of Christ for my sins.     My enjoyment of God’s fellowship is based on my union with Christ.

Am I Coming In Faith That God Will Really Meet With Me?   Attitude is everything.    If I don’t expect to meet with God personally, I probably won’t.

Am I Coming To Commune With My Saviour, Or Simply To Bring My Shopping List?   The purpose of the QT is not to get stuff from God.    Stuff is so fleeting and will soon be gone. Stuff soon becomes the idol that steals your heart.    What you’re really after is the enjoyment of God’s presence.    In fact I believe that seeking God’s face and experiencing His presence is the secret of a successful, exciting QT.

The Quiet Time soon becomes barren if it becomes routine.
 

 The Quiet Time soon becomes barren if it becomes routine.    The object of the QT is to enter God’s presence to hear His voice and enjoy His presence.    When you focus on God Himself and experience His Divine Presence it is shear bliss that will strengthen you for your daily journey.

Yes, God longs for you to draw near to Him.    He longs for you to experience the depth of His love and mercy and joy of His presence.     He wants to bless you with al the riches of heaven. He wants to bless you with His presence.    May your heart long after Him.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. (Psalm 42:1)

 

(In the next "Quiet Time Series" blog we’ll look at "How To Make The QT Work For You").