Quiet Times Search

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

We "should always pray and not give up" - Luke 18:1

Disciples who are not close to God are simply not being perisistent

Examples of persistent prayers:

• Elisha - prayerd 7x before the promised rainfall came down  -1 Kings 18:42-45
• Jesus - returned three time to the garden of Gethsemane to surrender to God's will - Matthew 26:36-FF
• Paul - prayed three times before given an answer he did not want - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
• Early church - prayed all night for Peter's deliverance - Acts 12:1-17

• Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor; he reclining at the table with them - John 12:2
• Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table - Luke 22:14
• Here reclined at the table with them - Luke 24:30

Performance trap - termed as perfectionism (not measuring up = sin)

Guilt and imagined guilt come from performance based - must learn to understand God's grace
Guilt-ridden people are not joyful people, poor advertisements for God's kingdom

Good thing to do our best but when mixed with pride is a wrong turn
Ex. Parental pride = making children reach a goal that unattainable

Rejection (or fear of) - is the root of most of our insecurities
We either pull back or prove ourselves through performance
Much of our competitiveness come from this source

Performance-oriented tries to conceal insecurities with a superimage of self
Deep-down we want love and acceptance
Real love is unconditional

Unless we are open about our negative points we will never reallty feel loved

Paul opened up his life:

2 Corinthians 6:11-13

• Spoke freely
• Open wide his heart
• Not withholding affection

The truth transforms us

Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth

Everything around you exists because "God said so"
Job - I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread (Job 23:12)

Must accept the Bible's authority

• Compass to be relyed on
• Counsel to listen to
• Benchmark for evaluating

Unrealiable authorities (at the Garden of Eden as well):

• Culture - "everyone is doing it"
• Tradition - "we' ve always done it"
• Reason - "it seems logical"
• Emotion - "it just feels right"

Must assimilate its truth

Allow yourself to be transformed by the truth

1. Receive God's Word - Consider carefully how you listen - Luke 8:18
2. Read God's Word - Read it as long as we live - Deuteronomy 17:19
3. Research God's Word  - Write down insights, ask questions
4. Remebering God's Word - Remember what is important to you; memorize; resist tempation
5. Reflect on God's Word  - Meditate, focused thinking

Must apply it principles

• We can fool ourselves that studying is doing
• Applying the Word is hard work
• Alway good to write down an action step from the result of your studying
  • Personal (involves you)
  • Practical (can be done)
  • Provable (deadline)

• Write down insights God teaches you
• Reason we must relearn lessons is forget them
• Keep a firm grip on what you have heard - so you don't drift - Hebrews 2:1
  

self-denial - decision to consistently lay down our lives - not a popular topic
No one can follow Jesus without it

Jesus' struggle in Gethsemane was fought and won in prayer - Matthew 26:36-46
Without self-denial there would be no cross and no salvation:

• Forgave his tormentors - Luke 23:34
• Ministered to a criminal - Luke 23:34
• Provided for his mother - John 19:27

Any limitation we put on self-denial will surely limit our usefulness to him

• Simply save himself and let everyone fend for themselves
• Come down in hope that they would believe
• Settle on improving their lives but not saving them

• Jesus also loved the world that he gave his only life - Love
• He cared deeply for others
• He knew he could bring salvation to many

Reading from 2 Kings 6:15-17

We can relate to Elisha's servant, he lacked faith
When we lack faith, we only see the world around us and the challenges that life is throwing at us
When you wallow in faithlessness, your Bible study lack power and your eyes skim the pages without absorbing the words

As Elisha's servant looked down at the Arameans, he turned in despair to Elisha
He admitted that he needed help
Because of his humility, he found the help that he needed

Do you collapse in a heap of self-pity or discouragement?
Do you go out and get the help you need?
Do you babble like a Pharisee or have you gotten gut-level honest with God about how you are feeling?

Elisha's servant got humble and trusted his leader
As he looked out again, he saw the Arameans surrounded by the army of heaven

Problems always look less daunting when you get God in the picture and decide to be full of faith

How can we tell if our oldrer chidlren are disrepectful?

• Slamming doors
• Rolling eyes
• Muttering
• List is endless

Our children honoring us is to show honor to God and his plan
As our children come to respect our authority, they learn to respect God himself

Claim your authority! Expect to respected!
If you not expect it, you will not get it

Children really want deep down inside - the confidence from knowing their limits
They want to know how far they can go

First principle = first time obedience

Second principle = Parents never lose
They want to see their limits
Apologize when warrented but never give up in the battle of wills

Sometimes the whole issues comes down to the "mother of all battles"
Compromise is one the most devastating mistakes parent can make
When we do this, we sow the seeds of rebellion - Ephesians 6:4

If you have failed in this area:

1. Read about passages about obeying
2. Talk to them about obeying the first time
3. Explain this has not been the way but will be now
4. Pray together
5. From that time on be different

It starts with 'No'
Sometimes we excuse it by saying, "Well, you'rejust tired"
Shows lack of willpower and fear - compromising ways by raising an isecure, definant, spoiled brat

The key is to break their defiance with crushing their spirit
Be lovingly firm and we can never let them wear us down
Make sure they know it is in their best interest to obey

Tearful, self-pity can drive parents to guilt, rage, and frustration - this is a form of disobedience
This is an attempt by the child to break down the parent - we must not give in
It is a character flaw that one day will produce an unhappy, victim mentality adult

Do everything without complaining of arging - Philippians 2:14-16
This is what God expects from us and we should expect it from our children

Family worship is an abolute must if we are to build a spiritual household
It is a time for the entire family gathers to sing, pray, study the Bible, draw near to one another and worship God

Two or three come together in my name, there am I with them - Matthew 18:19-20

Shouldn't be anything but a boring or irrelevant hour
Should be dynamic, fun, down-to-earth, and creative

Plan devotionals with your spouse - select relevant to the current needs
Time to confront sometimes but mainly to teach, train, and inspire

Last about 45 mins
10-20 of singing - various selections
The lesson with plenty of discussion
Acting out the Bible and role-playing
Close out with prayer

Instead, speak the truth in love - Ephesians 4:15

An open family is a close family
No simmering backlog of unresolved problems - children should free to speak their minds at any time

Children should believe that we care enough to give them our full attention; will not fly off the handle
This establishes an open door policy with them

Openness is not limited to parents and children - includes the children with one another
Never allow conflict between kids to go unsettled
Send them off to talk about it - Mediate if needed

King Saul - filled with jealousy and envy and held in his feelings
His patteren was to think one thing and say something else - 1 Samuel 18
Resulting in complete emotional and spiritual breakdown

Parent should be concerned for a child that holds everything in
Have open talks during your family devotional times
Establish an atmosphere of freedom and openness

When the paralyzed man came down through the roof - damaged the house of Peter and Andrew - how would you respond?

Jesus demonstrated his love for people in the way he deals with the crowds

Everywhere he went, Jesus drew a crowd
He spoke with authority, conviction because he deeply cared about people

We need to care enough to gather a crowd - People need to be our focus
They need to be in our homes, in our Saturday plans, and focus of our lunch hour

Jesus with the Religious
Their slavery to legalistic minutiae angered him - Matthew 23:23-24
Their stubborn hearts distressed him - Mark 3:1-5
Jesus desire was for them to be saved

Jesus with the Faithful
Jesus gets the greatest joy from interacting with people who believe
Centurion - the faith he was looking for - Luke 18:8
What fires Jesus up? Faith

If we follow Jesus, the smallest seed of faith that we see in others should encourage and excite us.

Who big is your crowd?
Do you see the faith of others?
Is Jesus amazed by your faith or your lack of it?

Luke 18:22-24
Wouldn't all Christians love to meet someone who comes across as this man does initially?

Most of us would say, "can we study the Bible?"
Jesus had a very different responce because he knew his heart

Sell everything and follow him = It's not what you do but who you are
For him to have a heart set fully on following Jesus - it meant a willingness to seel all
Following the exchange, it became clear - the man was out of touch with himself and God

Jesus did challenge him but he also loved him
He pointed the man to the narrow way
At the same time he drew him close want to give him strength, faith, and hope

Jesus does not get into a lengthy theological debate
He saw weaknesses the man had to deal with if he was going to enter the kingdom of God

Each of us lacks that "one thing" deep down that we must give up and following Jesus
Something we don't know what it is but God will reveal it - Hebrews 4:12-13

John 1:42

Usually when you meet someone, you introduce yourself - Jesus knew Peter and changed his name!

Jesus looked at people differently than they look at themself

Jesus knew he would fail but he never gave up on Peter.

What name might Jesus give you?