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Searching for "eyes" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "0" to "25". (56 found)

2008-03-12 - Be Still My Soul - Time Outdoors

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



2008-04-03 - Falling in Love with God - Fear

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



2008-04-08 - Falling in Love with God - Jesus: Their All
1 John 1:1-4

Jesus: that which:
  • Was from the beginning
  • We have heard
  • We have seen with our eyes
  • We proclaim
"No one ever spoke the way this man does" - John 7:46

Christ was their happiness
Christ was their peace
Christ was what they wanted to experience in life
They were committed to experiencing Christ

Paul's joy of completing the task the Lord Jesus has given him - Acts 20:16-24

They did not chafe at the cost of following Christ - cost was a chance to grow

2008-07-17 - Purpose Driven Life - Becoming a World-Class Christian (part 3)
Shift from "here and now" thinking to eternal thinking

Eternal thinking will keep us from majoring on minor issues
We fix our eyes on what is unseen - 2 Corinthians 4:18
Deal sparingly on things the world trusts on you - 1 Corinthians 7:31
Let's strip off anything that holds us back - Hebrews 12:1

Invest in the future (in heaven)
Store up treasure in heaven - Matthew 6:20-21
Real treasure in God in heaven and the friends we can bring with us - 1 Timothy 6:19

2008-09-02 - Teach Us To Pray - Full Of Faith

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



2008-09-25 - Teach Us To Pray - Warriors Who Change the World

The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge and and ordinary man takes everything either as a blessing or a curse!

Prayer is the difference between being spiritually dynamic and spiritually dead; between being victorious over Satan and being victimized by him

Three wasy to pray that makes a powerful difference:

Pray according to God's purpose
God wants us to pray about things that mean the most to him

Pray in Praise of God
Our God stands in greatness before us and how we pray is as important as what we pray
When we pray in praise to God, he always makes a difference in our lives

Pray for the Passion to Produce
He is Lord of the Harvest and it is also God's will that there be a harvest - Matthew 9:38

We must understand how important prayer is in the eyes of God



2008-11-18 - Raising Awesome Kids - Second Thing Second
Assuming God is first, who is next on our list? Our spouse

Devotion to our lifetime companion must be the greatest earthly love of all

Kids are our flesh and blood, but we are one flesh with our spouse

Some make up for the affection by pouring all their love into their children
Makes them arrogant and/or insecure
Bag the excuses, example: too busy, take an honest look at your marriage

Little eyes and ears are fine-tuned to our frequency and they know

They love it when we love each other - it gives them a sense of peace, happiness, and security

Much of the anger and rebellion issues in kids can be traced back to marriage problem


2008-12-08 - Raising Awesome Kids - Respect (part 2)

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



2009-01-11 - Raising Awesome Kids - Repect: Eliminate Critical, Harsh Talk
Reckless words pierce like a sword - Proverbs 12:18
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor - Proverbs 11:12
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your months - Ephesians 4:29-32

So thing we just plain need to get rid of:

Harsh words
Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken - Matthew 12:36-37

Name calling
Would you use the same words if Jesus was in the room? Let that be the test.

Rudeness
Love is not rude - 1 Corinthians 13:5

Get rid of all actions, looks, and expression related
God hate haughty eyes - Proverbs 6:16-17
These are signs of disrespect

Recognize > Confront > Eliminate from their behavior

2009-01-29 - Jesus with People - God Come Looking
John 9:25 - One thing I do know, I was blind and now I see
  • Many people would have not stopped to chat
  • Most would have averted eye contact
  • Jews saw blindness as punishment for some sin - John 9:2
  • Jesus saw an opportunity to heal and teach - so God might be displayed in his life - John 9:3
  • Jesus acted but not predictably - felt something moist and hear go wash
  • Blind man simply went - true blind obedience
Man's responses:
  • Simple honest - I was blind but now I see - John 9:25
  • Childlike innocence - Do you want to become his disciples too? - John 9:27
  • Boldness - John 9:27
Jesus did more than just open the blind man's eyes that day; he open his heart as well

2009-06-04 - No one like him - Count Cost (part 1)
Not a question of how hard or difficult but if it is true
Not all struggling is bad
Jesus calls us to:
  1. Be ready to be uncomfortable
  2. Be ready for big changes
  3. Be ready to follow the narrow road
  4. Be ready to give up anything
Does it work?

Jesus was not out of touch – Matthew 9:36
Jesus had a clear view of love and generosity – John 10:33
Kingdom now in the present age

Fix our eyes on Jesus
We need to deal with OUR heart

Jesus did not just come to amaze
He came to call people to change their lives

He was upfront with commitment level
Must deny self
Kingdom is the greatest thing to possess
It will cost you all you have
Must carry his cross
Commitment must surpass relationship with family (Jesus: you must love me more)


2009-10-24 - Repentance - What It Is (part 1)
What is repentance?

Repentance is the first word of the gospel

Na,,ham = most often used of God’s repentance
Shu, b = a physical turning or returning of an object
epostrepho = a Greek work similar to Shu, b

metanoia = used as the first word in the gospel (change in mind and attitude)
  • meta = after, change, implies there was a before
  • noia = denotes the faculty of physical and intellectual perception, then also the power to arrive at moral judgments

“he came to his senses” – Luke 15:17
“he opened their minds” – Luke 24:45
“open their eyes” – Acts 26:18
“set their minds on things above” – Romans 8:5

2009-11-10 - Repentance - Transfigure Our Minds (part 3)
Issue with Lust
  • Old Way: “Treat … younger women as sister, with absolute purity”
  • New Way: “…strength to comprehend with all the saint what is the breadth and length and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge”
Difference: metanoia!
  • Understands that he a citizen of the kingdom of heaven
  • Jesus is Lord of the kingdom
  • Jesus delivered him into the kingdom through his blood
  • His sins placed him in Satan’s domain
  • Live gratefully for Jesus rather than self
  • Should anticipates the King’s glorious return
  • Want no one to perish
  • Should no fear man
  • Only agenda is God’s agenda

Apply spiritual disciplines with dramatically different results

How would Jesus think?
Once you see the world through God’s eyes your mind and heart become so transformed that you “automatically” respond to every situation differently

Questions
  1. What influences have shaped your worldview?
  2. How has the world tried to squeeze your mind into its mold?
  3. How can you resist – even reverse – this persistent pressure from the world?
  4. Why should you “gird the loins of your mind”?
  5. When and how did Saul/Paul repent?
  6. What is the difference between a fleshly mind and a spiritual mind?
  7. At a popular level, what is the difference between WWJD and WWJT?
  8. Why are spiritual disciplines more effective after one has experienced the paradigm shift of metanoia?


2009-11-19 - Repentance - Its Time To Go Home (part 1)
Psalms 51 – has become an anthem of repentance for generations

David worldly sorrow:
2 Samuel 12:
V9 – why have you despised the word of the lord?
V10 – you have despised me [God]
V12 – You did it secretly
V14 – You have utterly scorned the Lord

How to repent? – Consider what God does
Establishes foundation of grace and kindness – 2 Samuel 12:7-8
Provides role models – 2 Samuel 11:11
Sends prophets – 2 Samuel 12:1
Creativity opens our eyes – 2 Samuel 12:5-6
Exposes and Convicts – 2 Samuel 12:7

2010-01-02 - First the Kingdom - Healthy Heart
What is your spiritual diet?

The Word is what purifies us
It discerns the thoughts and attitudes of the heart
It will diagnose and sanctify us

Keep our hearts pure by living according to God's word - Psalms 119:9
David had a steady diet of the Word

To keep a healthy heart:

1. Maintain a healthy diet - David "set before his eyes no vile thing" - Psalms 101:3
  What do we need to cut out of our lives?

2. Need exercise to make our heart strong
  • Be honest; Be vulnerable when it is not easy
  • Server when it is not convenient
  • Forgive when treated unfarily
A strong heart is a heart that is always being put to the test for God

2010-01-28 - Kingdom First - Personal Responsibility (part 2)
When talking about removing the plank from our eye so we can remove the speck from someone else, there are two extremes:
  1. Becoming inwardly focused, see only our problems
  2. Trying to help other straighten out their lives without being open to the same help ourselves
How do I get a sober estimate of myself?

A. Look daily into the mirror of God's word
Foolish to just look at the word of God and not let it transform you - James 1:22-25

B. Pray fervently for God to open your eyes and give you insight into your heart and life
An incredible prayer about searching our heart - Psalms 139:23-24

C. Be open with those in your life
Be quick to confess sin - James 5:16

D. Have a humble attitude toward challenge in your life
Let this be our goal - Psalms 141:5

2010-02-28 - One Another - One Another In Groups (part 2)
Look for the Spirit's work in all things - 1 Thessalonians 5:6-19

The Spirit is always at work - John 5:17
Guard against the tendency to look at your group through unspiritual eyes
God chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong - 1 Corinthians 1:27
Don't just hang those you click with, God wants to teach us through people who are different from us

Support spiritual leadership - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Ask your leader(s) if he/she feels your support and encouragement - how you can more fully show it

2010-03-16 - To Live is Christ - Profit to Loss
If anyone want to talk about 'confidence in the flesh', Paul was ready to take them on - Philippians 3:4-7
Paul used the events in his life to show just how empty all human achievements in before God

Heredity reasons (how Paul was more than others but counted them a loss)
  • He was circumcised the first day it was possible (eighth day)
  • He was an Israelite
  • He was from the tribe of Benjamin (most honored tribe of all)
  • He was a Hebrew of Hebrews - carefully passed on Hebrew language to children
Hard work reasons (how Paul was more than others but counted them a loss)
  • He was extremely zealous - Galatians 1:14
  • He vigorously opposed the church
  • He was faultless in the eyes of others
He considered it all a loss = Greek: "the thinks that were gains to me, I counted loss"
If anyone had a right to glory in the flesh, Paul did, but he clearly saw that no one has that right

2010-03-20 - To Live is Christ - Enemies of the Cross
The acceptance of Jesus leads to joy and not to be naive - Philippians 3:17-21
Be thankful but still have our eyes wide open

The cross stands as a constant reminder of the battle between good and evil
Jesus did not just hang out at the cross - HE DIED there because of his enemies
And the war goes on

To act as though we do could do enough to earn salvation - undermines Jesus' sacrifice
To act as though grace is a license for sin - undermines the purpose of the cross - Romans 6:17

Enemies of the cross = people with minds on earthly things

Philippians had a unique blessing of having Roman citizenship outside of Rome
Our real home country is heaven and our loyalty is to the King of Kings

2010-07-02 - Desire's Journey - Great Restoration (part 3)

The kingdom of God brings restoration
Life is resotred to what it was meant to be

Eden was exactly as God meant for it to be
Jesus came to make all things new - Revelation 21:5
He does not say he is make all new things, rather, the things that been broken will be restored
Not new glass or crutches but new eyes and legs

Jesus called himself the Son of man to state clearly that he was what man was suppose to be
What happens to him when he dies? He is resurrected as himself, not some else - only healed and very much alive
Creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed - Romans 8:19

 



2010-07-31 - Desire's Journey - Keeping Heart (part 1)
We have similar path we follow
  1. God shows up
  2. The lights turn on for those who respond
  3. Their heart is lifted; grateful tears flow
  4. Faith, hope, and love seem like the only way to live
  5. The next week, it is though nothing happened
Forgetting is not a small problem
Forgetfulness does not come against us like an enemy in battle formation
It comes unnoticed

We are warned about forgetfulness in the scriptures

The pattern so predictable, we have come to expect it:
  1. God delivers his people from the Egyptians by his display of power - plagues, passover, red sea
  2. Israelites celebrate with singing and dancing
  3. Israelites complain about the water supply
  4. God provides sweet water
  5. They complain about the food
  6. God drops breakfast from the sky
  7. They complain about the water again
  8. God provides water from a rock
And on and on for 40 years

Be careful and watch yourself closely so that you don't forget the things your eyes have seen - Deuteronomy 4:9


2010-08-08 - Waking Dead - At War (part 3)
Until we come to terms with war, we will not understand life
We will misinterpret most of what is happening around us:
  • Difficult to believe God's intentions are eternal life
  • Hard to not feel that we are blowing it
  • We will accept some awful things as God's will
  • God is ignoring our problem or just does not care
Most people get stuck at some point because God appears to have abandoned them
We have to realize we are part of a story and the situation we are in right now will change

We won't understand our life until we see it as a battle - warring against your heart

The issue is: we can not see things as clearly as we ought to - but we need to
The attack on our hearts weighs down our lives and glory is being held back
We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart

2010-08-09 - Waking Dead - The Heart's Eyes

Do not lose heart, fix our eyes on what is unseen - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

We are losing heart, all of us, daily

Someone was trying to shutdown Paul during his ministry - 2 Corinthians 11:23-27
He was looking at what he could not see

Life is an illustion - there is a way of looking at life and be able to live from the heart no matter what
How? By seeing with the eyes of the heart - Ephesians 1:18

Jesus spoke in parables to our hearts:

  • A sower went out to sow some seed
  • A man fell into the hands of robbers
  • Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one
  • There were ten virgins with ten lamps

Jesus spoke in a way that will get past all intellectual defenses
Civil War: Fought between 1861 to 1865 vs stories of the lives lost during that time

When you tell a story, you speak to the heart



2010-09-09 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 1)

The heart of our enemy: determined to hinder and harm and ruin God's image bearers

God is serious about life - Isaiah 45:2-3

  • He will level the mountains
  • Break down the gates of bronze
  • Cut through the bars of darkness
  • Give us hidden treasures
May seem overblown or metaphoric
What if we looked at the passage through the eyes of the heart?
We are in an epic battle - things are not what they seem

This is God personal mission - Isaiah 61:1
  • Bind up the brokenhearted
  • Proclaim freedom for the captives
  • Release from darkness for the prisoners

What is the hidden treasure? Our hearts
Our hearts are not darkness but hidden by darkness



2010-12-27 - Repentance (part I)

Luke 13:1-5, 6-9

  • Jesus preaches that without repentance, we will all perish.
  • He likewise expects to find fruit every time there is true repentance.
  • The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, signifies a “turning,” a “change of heart and mind.”
  • When we discover we’ve been going the wrong way on a one-way street, we immediately turn around (repent) and go in the opposite
    direction. In this case, we turn from a selfish life that has marginalized God to a life that makes God the center of our devotion, our faith, our obedience.

Luke 3:7-14

  • The tangible fruit of repentance is the evidence of a changed mindset.
  • John the Baptist insisted on repentance before baptism.
  • If you were to ask John, “What should I do?” how would he respond to you?

Acts 26:15-21

  • Jesus gives Paul the charge to “open their eyes” so that “they may turn” and prove their repentance by their deeds.
  • Repentance involves a new perspective, a turning of allegiance, and fruit.


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