Tag: quiet time

Does discipline have a place in the Spirit-led life?

As Cheryl and I have been on this multi-month adventure of looking for work and income, one of the dilemmas we keep coming back to is this: At what point do we trust God and wait for His answers, and at what point do we work it out ourselves? And at what point in working it out ourselves does it become a lack of faith and an act of disobedience?

Neither one of us is afraid of work. We work hard and enjoy work.

On the one hand, the Bible seems to say, “Wait for the Lord” (Psalm 5:3; 27:14; 33:20; Isaiah 8:17, for example).

On the other hand, Paul says that he who will not work will not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Yesterday we attended service at Sanctuary Church where pastor Craig Bowler brought a wonderful message. You can watch that message here.

By the way, I have great respect for men like Craig who spend much time in research and preparation to bring a word from God to their people. Yes, it was the Holy Spirit speaking through Craig. But also let’s not discount the work he put into it. That’s kind of the point of this post.

Craig’s sermon was part of a series on the seven last words of Christ and this week was on the phrase, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28 NIV).

He brought up a point that Max Lucado makes that the six other last words all seem very God-like, but this one just seems so, well, human.

And that is the point, isn’t it? To never forget that when Jesus was on the earth, He was fully God, yet fully human. He had human needs, human desire, human pain, human despair.

He didn’t just float along the earth like an angel. He walked it. His feet had callouses. He had BO. He got tired. He had to rest. He experienced grief. He experienced betrayal. He was human.

And for me, that represents the dichotomy. We are human with physical bodies and a physical home here on this earth. But we (if we belong to Christ) are also spiritual beings with a spiritual home to go to when our physical bodies give out.

We are saved by grace, through faith—not by anything we can do (Ephesians 2:8). But we are also to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Our faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

At the same time we wait on the Lord to see what He will do, we do all we can do in the physical world. We need to do all that we know to do. And we need to make sure we aren’t disobeying Him in anything we do.

I think that’s what God blesses. And that’s where discipline comes in for the Spirit-led life.

I’ve decided to have a “power verse” and a “power word” this week. I’m calling it a power verse just because it sounds cooler than “key verse” or “verse of the week.”

My power word this week is SELF-DISCIPLINE and my power verse is 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

During this time of our lives when so much is in the air, when finances are a mess, when emotions are high, when the temptation to worry is rampant, when schedules are all over the place, when we have so many ideas and thoughts and projects and to-do items that we almost feel paralyzed to start . . . we need to have some discipline and order in our lives where we can make it.

We’re working on making some order and structure and discipline, starting in the areas of spiritual growth and physical training. We’re focusing on training ourselves spiritually by making a quiet time a daily priority and training ourselves physically by making exercise a daily priority. We need to feel that there is some element of structure in a life that seems totally out of control.

Maybe you need that too right now. Commit with us to not give in to fear, but to live in the power that lives within us (the same power that rose Jesus from the dead [Romans 8:11]), to live a life of love in a world of short tempers, and to live a life of self-discipline amidst the chaos and everything-goes philosophy of this world.

How will you live out this verse this week?

Photo credit: NA.dir via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND

Deliverance in 2017

I love the beginning of a new year. The post-Christmas calmness and stillness leads into a joyful celebration of a new year and new ideas and, yes, new resolutions.

While we feel calm and rested we make new year’s resolutions which we cannot possibly keep once the hubbub of life resumes in just a few days.

But hope springs eternal, as the saying goes.

For myself, 2016 was such a bust (and really the past three years were cruddy) that I look quite forward to 2017. Let’s leave the old year in the dust!

As you and I begin 2017 full of hope and promise, I want to encourage you—and encourage myself—to commit—or recommit—to a daily quiet time with our God.

As I was reading Psalm 32 yesterday in my first quiet time of the year, I was struck by how important daily connection with my Father is and will be for the coming year.

If you would, humor me and read this psalm of David below (NIV):

1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

As I read through these verses and meditated on them, I felt the Lord giving me six diagnostic questions to meditate on as I begin the new year.

ONE  Am I seeking God’s forgiveness DAILY? (vv. 1-5)

David spends so much time at the beginning of this psalm singing of God’s forgiveness, and I think we should give the topic some important consideration too. Yes, if you are a Christian, Christ’s death and resurrection paid the price for your sin and you are forgiven. In that sense, salvation is a one-time event. But we do still sin and daily need to ask for God’s forgiveness.

It’s what Jesus talked about when Peter argued with Jesus about washing Peter’s feet in John 13:6-10. Jesus was saying that walking as a Christian in this fallen world will mean that our feet will get dirty and will need to be cleaned. That’s what daily forgiveness is about.

TWO  Am I praying DAILY? (v. 6)

David says “let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found.” We have a supreme privilege as Christians to enter into a friendship with a holy God! In Hebrews 4:16 we read that we can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Why would we not take advantage of this open dialog that we now have?! We need to commune with Him daily.

THREE  Am I seeking God for my deliverance DAILY? (v. 7)

David sings here that our Father is our hiding place, our protection, and our deliverance. Whatever we’re facing in 2017, we can face it with God, knowing that He will protect us and deliver us. Am I daily acknowledging that truth and asking God to deliver me and protect me?

FOUR  Am I listening for God’s instruction and counsel DAILY? (vv. 8-9)

According to verse 8, our God wants to instruct us and teach us and show us the way to go and counsel us. Why? Because He loves us! But the only way He can do those things is if we take some quiet moments daily to listen to Him through His Word and through prayer. This is, partly, how God will deliver me, but I must do my part and listen.

The alternative is to be like a stubborn mule that can only be led by bits and bridles and discipline and punishment. My study Bible puts it well: “God longs to guide us with love and wisdom rather than punishment. He offers to teach us the best way to go. Accept the advice written in God’s Word and don’t let your stubbornness keep you from obeying God.”

FIVE  Am I trusting in God’s unfailing love DAILY? (v. 10)

When I trust in God—in His will for me, in His timing, in His ways, in His purposes, in His omniscience, in His sovereignty—it’s as if I can feel God’s unfailing love surrounding me. Even though circumstances may look grim, I trust in Him. Father really does know best. But at times this is a daily struggle to get to this reality by faith.

SIX  Am I rejoicing in God and His provision DAILY? (v. 11)

This last question is the summing up of all the other questions. Rejoice, be glad, sing. Be thankful and praise God for even minor steps of deliverance and provision. And when you can’t rejoice in anything else, rejoice in God, by faith. Find your joy in Him and in Him alone. Sing and lift up your voice to Him in praise. The Bible is such a help here when we don’t know what else to say.

These six questions all lead to a daily quiet time with the Lord. Make it a goal to daily get in touch with your Father God, with your Creator, with your Lord and Savior. And discover that He is your hiding place, your protection, your deliverance, your forgiveness, your teacher, your counselor. Discover that He is your deliverer and your source of joy and love.

What a quiet time is not

I began this series on quiet time in April and I’m just now continuing. Once every four months sounds about right.

I’m kidding of course, and hopefully your quiet time doesn’t have the same frequency. Strive to have it every day, but don’t beat yourself up if and when you miss a day.

Last time we talked about what a quiet time is in its most basic level. Today I want to talk about what quiet time is not.

A quiet time is NOT:

ONE Another chore to check off the list.

Although it may be helpful to put “Quiet time” on your to-do list, and even more helpful to put it into your agenda and calendar (actually making it an appointment with yourself), it’s not just another item to check off the list, like “Take out the trash.” The most important relationship in your world is your relationship with your Creator. Give this time the importance it deserves.

TWO  A way to gain God’s favor.

It may be tempting for some to see a daily quiet time as an obligation that will gain God’s favor; the thinking goes, that if I miss a day, my salvation could be in jeopardy, or God will withdraw His grace. But our salvation and God’s grace is not based on what I do or don’t do. I can’t get more of God’s favor if I’m faithful in my quiet time, and I can’t lose any of His favor if I miss some days.

THREE  A ritual or superstition.

A daily quiet time doesn’t keep bad things from happening from us. Missing a day doesn’t mean we’ll get hit by a bus. It’s not a good luck charm or insurance against illness and bad fortune.

FOUR  Self-directed thoughts.

When some hear the term quiet time, they may think of a child’s nap-time or a time to turn the tv off and read a book. Or they may think of a time of meditation when they empty their minds, or time to concentrate on their goals for the day. But a quiet time is not a period of self-directed thoughts, but of God-directed thoughts. The Bible helps us with this. The point is, this is not me-time, but God-time. It’s not enough for you to set aside a “time” that is “quiet.”

The objective of a quiet time is to grow in our personal relationship with God, so that we can know Him, love Him more, and become more like Him.

What to do when you feel weak and inadequate

I love the story of the feeding of the thousands with just a few loaves and fishes in Matthew 14:13-21. It’s one of those great Bible stories that I remember being told to me via flannel graph in Sunday School. In this story we see Jesus being concerned for His own rest as well as for the crowd’s hunger. And it’s a huge reminder of God’s strength when I am weak.

In this Scripture I see six things we need to do when we feel weak and inadequate. And, by the way, every Christian should feel somewhat weak and inadequate.

ONE  Withdraw.

Feeling feeble is a reminder that you need God’s strength. Like Jesus, you need to recognize your need to get alone with God. Matthew says “he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place” (verse 13). Each of us needs communion with our Creator. We need regular time alone with our Savior. We sometimes call this quiet time—time spent with God in His Word and in prayer. But there are other forms as well—praying aloud in the car, listening to the Bible read to us, walking in nature by ourselves. Even the most outgoing, extroverted of us needs this quiet time alone. And especially when we’re feeling less than.

(I’d like to add to this, that we also need proper rest, exercise, and nutrition. But that’s for another post.)

TWO  Focus on others’ needs.

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (verse 14). We can’t stay withdrawn forever. God still calls us to have compassion and meet the needs of others. This is especially important when we’re feeling needy ourselves because it takes the focus off of us and onto others. It changes our perspective.

THREE  Find strength in numbers.

We see that the disciples join Jesus in verse 15. We need our family and our brothers and sisters in Christ. For those of us more introverted and less outgoing, the temptation will be to stay in the withdrawn stage above. But you can’t stay there. We need others so desperately. Your spouse can give you insight that you lack. Your small group can come around and support you. Your friends can keep you sane in times like this. But you have to let them in.

FOUR  Give thanks for what you do have.

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves” (verse 19). I believe there’s more here than just asking a blessing over the food. Giving thanks for what we have, even if what we have seems paltry, is a discipline that becomes especially important when we feel needy. In fact, it may need to become just that: a discipline that we stick too. Maybe it involves writing down three things we’re grateful for during our quiet time. Or asking everyone at the dinner table each night what they are grateful to God for about the day. Or making it a habit to write in a gratitude journal before heading to bed. There are many ways to do it, but we need to make sure we change our perspective by focusing on what we’re thankful for rather than being unhealthily fixated on what we don’t have.

FIVE  Use what you have to bless others.

Another way to change our outlook is to use what we have, no matter how small, to bless others. Just as Jesus and the disciples gave away the small amount of loaves and fish (verse 19), we need to give. Sometimes this may involve money, sometimes giving away possessions. It may involve a gift of our time or our expertise. However we give, it will bless us as much or more than it blesses the recipient.

SIX  Expect God to be strong where you are weak.

Just as the loaves and fishes mysteriously multiplied to feed thousands of people (verses 20-21), God multiplies our efforts when we give—even when we feel weak and inadequate. Many times we may never know how far our efforts go. Our contribution may seem small and weak, but Jesus can multiply it to make it more than sufficient. As Paul says, Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

BONUS POINT  Get special help if you need it.

This may take the form of a minister, a counselor, a doctor, whatever. There are times when we need the specialized care of a professional. Please get help if you need it.

What is “quiet time”?

In our church, we talk a lot about the term “quiet time” and the Christian’s need for this daily. But you may be wondering just what exactly is a quiet time and how do I do it? Over several blog posts, I hope to clear some of that up. Today, I just want to focus on what the term means.

Put simply, quiet time is just communing with God. It’s a time we set aside in the quiet of our day to seek to have a conversation with God.

The purpose of a quiet time is simply to build a relationship with God and spend time with Him. The end result is we become more like Him and grow spiritually, growing to love Him more and obey Him more.

At its basic level, a quiet time can be broken down into two parts: Bible intake and prayer. It’s been said that the Bible is how God speaks to us and prayer is how we speak to God.

We emphasize the word “quiet” because ideally it happens in the quiet of our day, usually in the early morning before others are up. Or for some night owls, after everyone else is in bed. But because everyone is different and each person’s situation is different, it might be a not-so-quiet time. You could theoretically have it at McDonald’s while the kids are in the PlayPlace, or in a jet flying over the Midwest (maybe with noise-cancelling headphones?), or in an office cubicle or your car during lunch. Different stages of life may call for adjustments here, but the ideal situation is the quiet of an early morning in your own home.

More important than the place is the attitude of your heart, that you are quieting your inner restlessness to focus on your relationship with Christ, just as Christ did in communing with His Father.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

—Mark 1:35 NIV

What does the term quiet time mean to you?