Quiet Times Search

• Solitary place - no bothered for a curtain amount of time
  
• Can walk and pray
• Can pray out loud

• Albums of pictures - when God poured out his love
• Printed memorabilia
• Special events - birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms

• My days are swifter that a weaver's shuttle - Job 7:6
• My days are swifter than a runner - Job 9:25
  
• Man born of woman is of few days - Job 14:1

Jesus went to God early in the morning
If Jesus needed to do this, how much more should we?

Excuses:

• I'm not a moring person
• I have to leave for work early
• I have to get the kids off to school
• I don't want to be legalistic

How does spending the early morning with God help build a closer relationship with him?

• Show the priority of this relationship
• Our waking thoughts determine the tone and course of our day
• Quietest times of the day
• Emotion have had time to recover
• Able to clear our consciences of guilt
• Cast our burdens upon the Lord
• Able to draw from his power for the day ahead (Psalms 5:1-3)

Hard time getting our of bed?

• Go to bed at a decent hour
• Set a definite wake up time
• Be responsible for getting out of bed - your responsibility
• Do whatever it takes to wake up
• Take an early morning shower
• Two clocks, far from bed

Do you realize that nearly all of the people we read about in the Bible spent most of their time outside?

• Star-studded evening would tell how many descendants Abraham would have - Genesis 15:5
• Looking at God's creation - humbled Job's pride - Job 38:4-7

FInd park, trails, and open spaces.
Open your eyes, listen, breath the realivily clear air

When is the last time you:

• Took in a sunrise or sunset
• Watched the changing cloud formations
• Listen to the songs of the birds
• Strolled through the leaves of fall
• Listen to the snow fall as they gently fell to earth
• Took a good look at the flowers of spring
• Stopped to watch the a powerful thunderstorm
• Stood in awe of the sparkling  stars

Psalms 19:1-4; Psalms 65:8-13

Time outside with God is just what many of us need and nothing else will suffice

What is fasting? - voluntary abstinence from food in order to draw near to God

Fasting - frequently practiced by those who have walked closely with God:

• Moses - fasted for 40 days as he received the law (Exodus 34:28)
• David - fasted for the life of his newborn (2 Samuel 12:15-22)
• King Jehoshaphat - declared a national fast under a miltary emerency (2 Chronicles 20)
• Esther - called for God's people to fast during a extermination attempt (Esther 4)
• Daniel - fasted to confess his and God's people sin (Daniel 9)
• Nehemaih - fasted for the condition of Jerusalem to improve (Nehemiah 1)
• Jesus - fasted for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry (Matthew 4:2)
• Antioch church leaders - fasted for to bless their ministry efforts (Acts 13:1-3)
• Paul and Barnabas - dedicating newly appointed elders (Acts 14:23-24)

 Jesus warned about the mere appearance of fasting - Matthew 6:16-18

Advice

• Decide how long before hand
• Begin  with shorter fasts
• Be care with those taking medication or those with a background of anorexia or bulimia
• Do not indulge in a large meal immediately after a fast

A "world fast" is an idea to remove yourself from movies, sports, television, newpaper, other outside info

 Reason to fast:

• Humble ourselves
• Show our dependance on him
• To devote time and focus to our spiritual lives
• To ask for God' guidance
• To ask for God's help
• To overcome spiritual lukewarmness
• To pray for a particular need
• To express gratitude and thanksgiving
• Breakthrough in our faith

• Your relationship with God does not depend how you have a quiet time
• We should learn to pray short prayers throughout the day
• If we don't remember God throughout the day, can become legalistic about our quiet times

• Study one book of the Bible - Make a simple outline; sometimes we lose patience in our understanding - keep working at it
• Study a section of a book - ie Sermon of the Mount; Jesus and the disciples in the upper room
• Study one chapter of the Bible - Hebrews 11, 1 Corinthians 13, and others
• Study one verse - This is really deep! compare it, cross reference words, look up meanings
• Study one topic - understand and master; use topical, chain-reference, and concordance

• Pattern, not a formula - not meant to be recited, rebuked by Jesus
  
• May seem awkward at first - stick with it
  
• Be prepared to spend more time in prayer when you use this prayer - wider range of subjects
  
• The structure reveals the genius of God - Begin looking to God; then deal with ourselves; once again focus on God
  
• Notice the use of "us" - personal, but not self-centered

• We are longer slave but sons ans daughters
• We can approach him with confidence because of Jesus

• With Jesus as the high priest,  we can confidence to enter the into the throne room of God
• Can gain a heavenly perspective
• Praise God that his resources there are limitless

• Being holy, set apart, above us
• Prayer is not just asking for something but for honoring Him

• Kingdom has not come to every nation and place nor every person
• Pray for God to open doors, speaking boldly, with wisdom
• Pray for those who server and in leading roles

• God wants us to pray about surrendering to his will
• Challenges is our life must not be avoided but have a surrendered life
• Read some command and ask yourself if you are following them
• Jesus never asked for strength to go to the cross but only that he might surrender
• Besides pride and rebellion, unbelief keeps us from doing God's will

• Bring specific needs to God
• Must depend on God daily for our spiritual and physical needs
• Pray thorough your todo list and details
• Jesus said we could do nothing apart from God - John 15:5

• Lack of confession results in a hardened heart
• We will not mature if do not do this soul searching
• Be specific; ask others for forgiveness if needed
• Extend forgiveness; can not be forgiven by God otherwise

• What are your weaknesses? Have you faced them?
• Draw on God's power before Satan strikes

• Return again to praising and glorifying God
• All power rests in his hand

We can not be close to God in prayer if we deal only in generalities
God indeed wants to answer our prayers - how will we know what God is doing if we pray in generalities?

Abraham - Genesis 18 - prayed to save the city if there were 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, even 10 righteous people

Our lack of specific praying reveals a distance in our relationship with God

• More specific in your gratitude - become more grateful
• More specific in confession - understand the sin you are commiting
• More specific in your requests for friends and family - see how God will work

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

• We always thank God - Colossians 1:3
• Overflowing with thankfulness - Colossians 2:6-7
• And be thankful - Colossians 3:15
• Being watchful and thankful - Colossians 4:2

• Answered prayer
• Blessings of family and friends
• Health
• Material blessings
• Church

Loving God is a journey

Father draws us to himself - John 6:44

Father does not change - James 1:17
Hard to understand God when we are so inconsistent

It is OK for a journey to have highs and lows

Why love God?
Why not just obey him?
Why not just "gut out" our journey with God? Because we are commanded to

What touches you most about God?

• He never quits
• Always a refuge
• Always will take you back
• He will make sure you know where you are
• Champion of the truth and the underdog
• Tender with the weak and brokenhearted
• Hammer the arrogant and pround
• Never makes a mistake

Despite all the good qualities of God - our relationship with God still takes work

The other emotional response that undermines our love for God

Perfect love drives our fear - 1 John 4:18
Fear greatly affects our ability to love; renders lifeless our love for God

Fear one of the most powerful and universal tools Satan uses for:

• Keep man from the knowledge of God
• Experience of God's power
• Experience grace in our lives
• Taking our eyes off of God and onto our circumstances and insecurities

There is healthy fear (like fearing God) but unhealthy fear is one that controls us and causes us to turn away from God's direction
Fear is rarely rational

• Why are you so afraid - Matthew 8:26
• Don't be afraid - Matthew 14:27
• Don't be afraid - Matthew 17:7
• Don't be afraid - Matthew 28:10
• Don't be afraid - Mark 5:36
• Don't be afraid - Luke 5:10
• Don't be afraid - Luke 8:50
• Don't be afraid - Luke 12:7
• Don't be afraid - Luke 12:32
• Don't be afraid - John 6:19-20
• Don't be afraid - John 12:15
• Don't be afraid - John 14:27

God understands the destructive nature of fear
He simply commands us to deal with our fears through our relationship with him

• Are Hardworking
  
• Have Persevered
• Are Intolerant of Evil
• Endured persecution

• Holiness was a simple issue between you and I God; not "having to be open"?
• When your relationship with God was more private than public?

• "We are not compatible anymore"
• "We have both changed"
• Think about an old boyfriend or girlfriend

• Because of Jesus we can be one with Him
• He has not changed
• He is thinking of me, I am I thinking of him?

• Lost a position
• Lost his wife
• Lost a wise counselor
• Lost a friend
• Lost self-respect

• Lost hope in your relationships - God may want you to rediscover how He can meet all your needs
• Lost hope in financial stability - God may want you to rediscover how to totally depend on him
• Lost hope in someone changing - God may want you to rediscover his expectations for you
  

• Spirit was present at creation
• God anoints men with his Spirit
• Spirit credited with giving David the plans for the temple
• Engendered Jesus in the womb of Mary
• Was at Jesus' baptism in the form of a dove
• Lead Jesus into the dessert
• Did the healing in Jesus' ministry

1. Marked by close acquaintance
2. Relating to one's deepest nature
3. Innermost
4. Marked by informality
5. Very personal

Get Out of Here

Sometimes the first step in restoring our hearts is simply to get out of the house
Why go outside?

• Quiet - able to meditate
• Parents - able to get up before the kids do
• Nature is full of inpsiration
• Much more freedom outside

Turning back the clock

 Rewrite the sins and people I sin against; what I was forgiven of (not an exercise in guilt but gratefulness

Secret Scriptural Weapon

You have to work at understanding the cross
Insights of yesterday about the cross need to be consistently refreshed
God never spoke louder than he did on Calvary

Memorizing scriptures and writing them on index cards

Ephesians 3:20 - When each word is accented, the scripture can have new meanings

Best for Last

Create a treasure chest:

• Baptism photos
• Special note from friends
• Wedding Vows
• Memorabilia from children being born

Scrapbook of the heart of God - testament to God

When does seeking really start?

Romans 3:11 - there is no one that seeks God
John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father draws him

Studying the Bible is simply allowing ourselves to be sought by God

If it was our own effort - baptism may seem like the end of the quest

We need to active learners

When we were young, we understood obligation  - "I gotta go to school"
After high school, we may go to college and narrow our focus of learning and become passive learners

• We listen to the voice of our experience as the final authority
• We learn mostly from our mistakes
• We learn when we are forced to out of control - crisis, illness, death

Treasures are for those who will continue to seek forever; not for those who want tips and tricks for being "effective"

If there were ever a moment to be a passive learner, it would be when you walk with Jesus

Luke 11:1-13 - where would we be if the disciples had not asked about praying to the Father? - not know how to address the Father

We need to take responsibilty to get deep and ask questions