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Searching for "better" in the Quiet Time Archive
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2008-02-23 - Power of Gratitude - Trees, Clap your hands
Cows and birds do a far better job of praising God than most humans - they function the way God wants them to function.

Are at least half our times with God directed toward praise?

Pray though Psalms about praise - Read 1-2 verses at a time
  • Psalms 8, 24, 29, 47, 92, 93, 95, 96, 98, 100, 104, 113, 135, 147, 148
The more we talk about something, the more it becomes reality to us.

2008-02-25 - Power of Gratitude - Solitary Places
When gratitude cause us to rise early to spend time with God - seeing one of the greatest fruits
No one says that QT must happen in the morning - it always goes better than the days when trying to work out another time during the day

I learned to pray when I sensed that I would come apart at the seams emotionally unless I didn't

Three things helped with prayer life:
  • Solitary place - no bothered for a curtain amount of time
  • Can walk and pray
  • Can pray out loud
writing can help - proven by therapists -  helps with negative thoughts

There is  no gratitude without prayer

2008-03-16 - Be Still My Soul - Keeping a Journal

Reasons for a journal:

  • It give you a jump start to your day - helps to remember and build on previous QTs
  • Can build on a thought or a theme
  • Reveals our spiritual progress
  • Keeps us focused on our goals and convictions
  • Becomes a seedbed of great inspiration and insight

Practical advice about journals:

  • Set aside a notebook  - better than random pieces of paper
  • Have a place to write down random thoughts and things that need to be done so you are not distracted
  • Keep our goals before you

 



2008-03-17 - Be Still My Soul - Deciding What to Study

How do we decide what to study?

  • How do I need to grow?
  • What is my greatest spiritual need right now?

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Do I need to see Jesus? - Gospels
  • Do I need to be more spiritual? - Sermon of the Mount
  • Do I need more faith?
  • Do I need to learn to others more? - Jesus, John, Peter, Paul examples
  • Do I need to be more grateful? - Psalms/Topical study
  • Do I need to become more evangelistic?
  • Do I need to know God better? - Abraham or Moses
  • Do I need greater assurance of salvation? Grace topical study
  • Do I need to learn how to lead? - Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah, David, Timothy/Paul, and Titus
  • Do I need to renew and revived as an older disciple? Hebrews
  • Do I need to a greater conviction of sin? - David's sins account, acts of the sinful nature, the cross
  • Do I need to repent of sin? Godly and worldly repentance, Paul's repentance, David's repentance
  • Do I need a deeper prayer life? Jesus, Moses, Ahraham, Nehemiah, and Daniel
  • Do I need help as a husband, wife, or parent? Ephesians 5:21-6:4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Peter 3:1-7
  • Do I need help in dealing with suffering or persecution? Early church's persecution in Acts
  • Do I need inspiration or encouragement?  Joshua, Joseph, Peter, Elijah, Elisha, and Daniel

Commit passages of scripture to memory



2008-04-02 - Falling in Love with God - Bitterness

An emotional response (along with fear) that succeed at undermining our love for God

A result of an uncard-for emotional wound

Matthew 18:15-17 - can resolve most issues
Sometimes we are just called on to forgive
Not forgiving is like allowing a physical cut become infected

Examples

  • Esau wept bitteryly when he failed to receive the blessing - Genesis 27:34
  • Israelites incrediblity harsh and treatment from the Eyptians - Exodus 1:14
  • Naomi changed her name to Mara, meaning "bitterness" (losted husband and sons) - Ruth 1:21
  • Hannah wept "in bitterness of soul" because of her infertility - 1 Samuel 1:10
  • David's men because of the loss of their children - 1 Samuel 30:6
  • Job while not understanding the discipline of God - Job 7:11
  • Missing the grace of God cause bitter root - Hebrews 12:15
  • Envy becomes bitterness - James 3:14

Bitterness will actively oppose any attempt to restore our love for God

Bitter or better - a channel of curses or blessings

Disciples need Jesus' example to overcome the pain of the cross

Jesus wants us to have his attitude toward suffering

  • What form do we expect our Christian suffering to take?
  • Are we looking for a Christianity that does not involve suffering?

Bible command us to get rid of all bitterness
Two ways to overcome bittereness:

  • Forgive - Ephesians 4:32
  • Trusting God is at work in all things for our good - Romans 8:28


2008-04-10 - Falling in Love with God - Jesus: Together Forever
No eye has seen,
 No ear has heard
  No mind has conceived
   What God has prepared for those who love him - 1 Corinthians

Our Journey to heaven is like a race:
  • If you start too fast, you can die
  • The most important thing is finishing
  • Cannot compare myself to anyone else or I will get thrown off
  • I think about walking when I think no one is looking
  • Envy people standing on the sidelines
  • Finish line seems to literally pull me along
Heaven is the finishing line that should literally pull me along

Can you imagine what it will be like to see Christ face to face?
He might say something like "I never doubted; I knew you would make it!"

I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far - Philippians 1:21-26

Better than what? Better than all.

2008-05-06 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Emotions and Spirituality
Emotions are God-given and a blessing

Some refuse to get open and honest with their true feeling - from pride and fear

In times of crisis, we usually get past our emotional blockage and express ourselves much better

Negative emotions are not to be trusted
Unless you allow others to break into your closed system of reasoning, the illogical will continue to seem perfectly logical
Satan can use emotions in a damaging way - need to allow others to gain perspective

Emotions are needed and seen in Jesus:
  • Cried regularly - Hebrews 5:7
  • Open about disappointments - Luke 19:41-44
  • Open about struggles - Matthew 26:36-46
Thank God for those who are both emotionally based and spiritually strong at the same time

2008-05-13 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Power of Negative Thinking
They are stronger than we are; we seem like grasshoppers - Numbers 13:31-33
  • Negativity oftn excites stronger emotions
    • Easily swayed by the negative report
    • Forgot God's amazing miracles and victories
  • Negative thinking is a pervasive tendency
  • Majority of people inevitably practice negative thinking
    • No wonder so many people reacted negatively to Jesus
    • How many were confident that the resurrection would follow? Next to nil
  • Negativism is deceptive to observers - seems normal
  • Negatives are often mixed with positives to sound better
  • Leaders have a responsibility to determine the thinking of the group
  • Negativity is tragic in its results - destroys faith and unity of the group
No one remembers the names of the spies, we do know the name of those who avoided or overcame negativeness

2008-06-16 - Purpose Driven Life - How We Grow

God wants you to grow up - some grow older but never grow up (Ephesians 4:14-15)

Nothing shapes your life than the commitments you make
Many are afraid to commit to anything and drift through life

God's part and your part

Our part is to: Continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling - Philippians 2:12-13

Our role = "work out" salvation (grow - in a body workout we have our body but we make it better)
God's role = "work in" us

Changing your autopilot

Becareful what you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts - Proverbs 4:23
Changing what you think, changes you

Going on a diet, exercising does not work if you do not change your thinking - "I am going on a diet"

The way you think determines the way you feel - which influences how you act - Ephesians 4:23

Babies by nature are completely selfish
Many never grow beyond that kind of thinking

It is not the amount of biblical information and doctrine you know
Deeds must be constant with our creeds / Beliefs backed up with Christlike behavior



2008-06-20 - Purpose Driven Life - Defeating Temptation

There is always a way out
He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Refocus attention on something else

By resisting, you actually reinforce it
Don't fight the though, change the channel
Power of suggestion - the more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you
Temptation begins by capturing your attention - Satan can't get your attention when you are focused on something else

Reveal your struggle to a gold friend or support group

If you fall, a friend can help you up - Eccelesiastes 4:9-10
Hiding your hurt intensifies it
Satan wants you to think that your temptation is unique - We all fight the same temptations - 1 Corinthians 10:13
The reason we hide our faults is pride - everything is under control

Resist the Devil

He will flee when you resist - James 4:7
Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil
Satan can not make you do anything, he can only suggest
Use the Word of God as your weapon against Satan - Jesus simply answered Satan with scriptures
Don't ever try to argue with Satan - he better at it

Realize your vulnerabilities

The heart is deceitful above all things- Jeremiah 17:9

Don't carelessly place yourself in tempting situations, avoid them - Proverbs 14:16



2008-06-27 - Purpose Driven Life - Shaped for Serving God
Before God created you, he decided what role he wanted you to play on earth
You were made for a specific ministry.

Created in Christ to do good works - Ephesians 2:10

God does not make junk
God never wastes anything - he did not give you talents and gifts unless he intended for you to use them for his glory

God shapes us:
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experience

We will look at spiritual gifts and heart today:

SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts


He alone decides which gift each person should have - 1 Corinthians 12:11
If you had them all, you would not need others; teaches us to love and depend on each other

Given gifts for the benefit of others
Gift given as a means of helping the entire church - 1 Corinthians 12:7

Two gift problems:
  • Gift-envy - wanting a gift that someone else has
  • Gift-projection - expect others to the same gifts as we do
SHAPE: Heart

Heart = desires, hopes, interest, ambition, dreams, and passion
Heart reflects the person - Proverbs 27:19
You may have interest that no one else has - from God

Don't ignore your interest; consider how they might be used by God

Serve the Lord with all of your heart - Deuteronomy 11:13

How do you know if you are serving the Lord with all of your heart?
  • Enthusiasm - what you love to do; no one has to motivate
  • Effectiveness - passion drives perfection
A simple life is better than a rich life with headaches - Proverbs 15:16

2008-06-30 - Purpose Driven Life - Using What God Gave You

Begin by assessing your gifts and talents

Take a long honest look at what you are good at
Try to have a sane estimate of your abilities - Romans 12:3
Make a list and ask other people

Experiment with different areas of service
When it doesn't not work out, call it an "experiment", not a failure

Consider your heart and personality
Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given - Galatians 6:4

Examine your experiences and extract lessons you have learned

Remember today what you have learned about the Lord - Deuteronomy 11:2
Forgotten experiences are worthless
Paul - "Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not! - Galatians 3:4

Were rarely see God's good purpose - John 13:7

Run with patience the particular race that God has set before us - Hebrews 12:1

Satan can steal our joy by:

  1. Compare your ministry with others - others doing a better job
  2. Conform your ministry to the expectations of others - you are doing better and you full of pride

Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God's commendations - 1 Corinthians 10:12-18

 



2008-07-01 - Purpose Driven Life - Real Servants (part 1)

We server God by serving others
Everyone wants to lead; not many want to follow - we would rather be generals than privates

How can you know if you have the heart of Jesus?
You can tell what they are by what they do - Matthew 7:16

Real Servants make themselves available to serve

Like a soldier, always by for duty - 2 Timothy 2:4

  • Do what is needed
  • Do it when it is inconvenient
  • Gives up control of their schedule
  • Not frustrated because it is whatever God wants

Real servants pay attention to needs

Always looking out for ways to help others
Great opportunities to serve never last for long
Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now - Proverbs 3:28

Real servants do their best with what they have

Servant never make excuses, procratinate, wait for better circumstances
If you wait for the perfect conditions, you will never get anything done - Ecclesiates 11:4
Less-than-perfect service is better than the best intention



2008-08-23 - 30 Days at the Cross - Consumed with Reconciliation
Bible makes it clear: God is consumed with reconciliation
At the cross: it reconciles us to God, then reconciles us to each other

There must be humility on both sides:

God humility (did not need to go the human level but he did for our sake) - Philippians 2:5-8
  • Made himself nothing
  • Took the very nature of a servant
  • Was made in human likeness
  • In the appearance of a man
  • Obedient to death
Man problems with humility
  • Consumed with finiding fault with God
  • Reject God rather than questioning ourselves
  • Thinks he could do a better ob
Only with humility from both God (yes) and man (sometimes) can reconciliation occur.

Do you want to resolve a conflict in a relationship?
Do it Gods way:
  1. Start with a fresh look at the cross
  2. Remind yourself of the humility shown by Christ
  3. Want reconciliation more than anything
  4. Confess your sin first


2008-09-15 - Teach Us To Pray - Changes in Character
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place - Psalms 51:6
Character can grow if we take a sober gut-level check look at who we are

Too often we pray:
  • Help me be a better person
  • Help me to change
  • Help me to love you more
We don;t know specifically what we need to change
When we aim at nothing, that is what we hit

The word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of our heart - Hebrews 4:12-13
Like a mirror reflecting how we look spiritually - James 1:23-25
We also learn the truth about ourselves from other people in our lives - Proverbs 20:5

Ask God to help you see what you need to change
Ask others what things they see in your sinful nature

How badly do you want to change?
It will show by the way you pray
My power is made perfect in weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:9

2008-09-19 - Teach Us To Pray - Direction for Decisions
Most difficult decision are not so much a question of right and wrong but rather what is good, better, and best
When ask according to God's will, he hears us - 1 John 5:14-15

God give wisdom in prayer (James 1:5) and through his Word (Hebrews 5:14)
He will give us wisdom to discern what is best

God also gives wisdom to men and women in his kingdom
It is would be foolish and arrogant to not actively seek out wisdom God has made available
Should imitate leaders faith - Hebrews 13:7


2008-10-03 - Man of Prayer - Relationship

After asking for help from the Holy Spirit, then focus on the relationship with
Prayer is primarily a vehicle of relationship

Pater (greek) = father
Abba (aramaic) = intimacy and endearment = daddy

Holy Spirit in our lives is a spirit of adoption by which God give us our spiritual birthright (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6)

He delights when we come to Him as our Father, Abaa, Daddy:

  • Mr. Bentson - wrong
  • Mr. Benson - contact
  • Benson - co-worker
  • Chad - friend
  • Dad - daughter
  • Honey - wife

The closer you are, the better responce you will get
He delights in your desire to spend time with Him

This relationship is critical to a healthy and vitaul prayer life
His fatherhood becomes real in my life
Bridge the gap between what I know in my head and what I experience in my life



2008-11-10 - Man of Prayer - Final Issues
If there was a medicine that could:
  • change your life for the better
  • put you in a state of relaxed serenity
  • help you overcome the nagging undercurrent of guilt
  • give you new insight
  • let you meet life's challenges with confidence and courage
Of course our answer would be yes - that is prayer
It still takes work and self-discipline - Pain = Gain

We must translate our desire into action

Exercise 3 days a week = too easy to make excuses
Exercise 5 days a week = develop a habit
5 days can then become 7 days more easily because it is so ingrained

Prayer needs to be everyday

2008-12-03 - Raising Awesome Kids - Love Your Children
For some, children are a burden
Some, kill the unborn
Withholding your love is killing them from the inside

Many children their parents problems simply because they do not feel loved

To those who are failing to love their children - now is the time to repent
Otherwise you will ruin your children, wreck your life, and lose your chance of going to heaven

Whoever welcomes a little child welcome me (Jesus)
Whoever causes one of them to them to sin - better to a large millstone around your neck and drown in the sea - Matthew 18:5-6

2008-12-28 - Raising Awesome Kids - Nurturing Confidence (part 1)
Early life is a long struggle for self-esteem
Kids can be viciously cruel to one another

If not watchful, we will be completely oblivious to difficulties our children are facing

Wrong Foundations of Confidence

Physical Appearance

If we make it a big deal, we are setting u our children for problems
They will gauge their self-worth on appearance and judge others that same way
  • What happens when there is someone else better lookig?
  • What if their suffer a disfiguring injury?
  • What happens when they get older?
To build confidence on a solid foundation:
  • Give God credit for every gift God has given your child including appearance
  • Teach them continually about this - gives them a humble appreciation
  • Teach them the value of what is inside
Lord does not look at the things that man looks at - 1 Samuel 16:7

2009-01-01 - Raising Awesome Kids - How to Nuture Confidence (part 2)
Help them improve in areas of weakness
Encourage your children to be well-rounded
Academics are too important to neglect just because it does not come easy

Examples:
  • Women of Proverbs 31 - skills ranged from homemaking to business and management
  • David - shepherd, soldier, political leader, songwriter, and musician

Help them form upbuilding friendships
All young people need to belong to a group
If they are generally outsiders:
  • Teach your children to act differently - to not turn people off
  • Or steer them to toward another group
Don't be afraid to monitor your children's friendships
If you can't help someone be better or if either one of you makes the other a worse person, then you can not be friends


2009-01-07 - Raising Awesome Kids - Devotion to Church

Love the brotherhood - 1 Peter 2:17

If you have a positive, loving attitudes about the church, your kids will too
If we love God's people, more likely to love to be at the church activiities

If you notice that things were not done excellently - pitch in and help make it better

Teach your kids to respect their Bible class teachers
If a conflict with a leader or classmate, solve it quickly

If you have problem with someone - don't speak inappropriately in front of your kids
You will undermine your children's love for God's kingdom

 



2009-04-15 - Promises of God - Importance of Repentance
God's goodness and God's blessing are designed to lead us to repentance - Romans 2:4

God's will is for us to hear about God's faithfulness and his promises and to decide:
  • To please him
  • To change
  • To serve him better
Dynamic relationship between promises of God and our repentance:
  1. God's promises and faithfulness should inspire repentance
  2. We need to rely on the promises even as we commit to repentance
  3. Truly become repentant
  4. We refrain from taking personal credit because we understand we are being recused


2009-04-18 - Why We Need God - He is Our Creator
GOD AS OUR CREATOR...
  1. Knows us better than we ourselves
  2. Even as the manufacturer knows his product better than anyone else
  3. Knows our weaknesses and our strengths
  4. Is the best source to find the answers to such questions as:
a.  Where did I come from?
b.  Why am I here?
c.  Where am I going?
d.  How should I live?


2009-04-27 - Why We Need Jesus - He Offers Us a Better Life
WHO OFFERS US A BETTER LIFE...
  1. A more abundant life - John 10:10
  2. Peace that surpasses understanding - John 14:27; 16:23; Phillipians 4:6-7
  3. Love that passes knowledge - John 15:9; Ephesians 3:19
  4. Joy that is inexpressible - John 15:11; 1 Peter 1:8
  5. Hope that sustains in the face of death - John 11:25; Revelation 14:13


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