Quiet Times Search

Search Quiet Times via a keyword or string
Keyword(s):
Number of Studies:


Searching for "isaiah" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "0" to "25". (108 found)

2008-02-28 - Power of Gratitude - Thank God Im a Country Boy
What ever background we have, we can not change it

Cultural heritage - Jesus from Galilee and Nazareth
Job - Jesus was a carpenter son's
Appearance - Jesus "nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2)
Speech - Disciples "are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?" ( Acts 2:7 )

Why?
"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise" (1 Corinthians 26-29)

Jesus understands and sympathizes - No one knows more about temptation than he.

Let he happy for how God made us and use it for his glory

2008-03-15 - Be Still My Soul - Exciting Personal Bible Study
What happen to the days when you could not wait to learn more from God's word?
When was the last time you regretted having to close your Bible and go on to other activities?

Excuses:
  • Days of excitement are for young Christians
  • Mature means being dead and lifeless
  • See other older Christians not doing well and assume that is our fate
Paul: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12-16)

The only way to a deep, growing relationship with God - which includes feeding on His word.
Some are not put forth the effort required to dig deeper; have become lazy
Some are satisfied with what they already know and are content being spoon-fed.

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews 5:11-6:3)
We need to train ourselves (1 Timothy 4:7; Hebrews 5:14)
"This the one I esteem he who ... trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2)

2008-03-20 - Be Still My Soul - Bible Studies That Changed my Life
Author, Sam Laing, describe different times in his life when quiet times were life changing including:
  • Gospel of John - John 13-17
  • As a young ministry intern, Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus
  • As a mature Christians, David and the Psalms
  • After failure, Isaiah 40-66
  • Entering forties with cynicism and anger, Book of Ecclesiastes
  • All the time, study of Jesus
Never tire of reading about Jesus - his words, poise, love, and balanced character

2008-04-17 - Falling in Love with God - Experiencing the Spirit
What does it mean to NOT experience the Spirit?

Paul had six questions (Galatians 3:15)
  • Who has bewitched you?
  • Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or believing what you have heard?
  • Are you so foolish?
  • Trying to attain your goal by human effort?
  • Suffered so much for nothing?
  • Does God give you his Spirit because you observing the law or because you believe?
Paul's point: You are falling out of love with God

Our works will never validate our relationship with God
Only relying on the Spirit, can we feel free to have deepening relationship with God

Spirit helps with:
Help not have a heart of stone - Ezekiel 36:24-27
Speak to us not to fear - Haggai 2:1-5
Encourage one to return to God - Isaiah 44:22

No phone calls, sermon, nor spiritual book can move my heart live the Spirit

Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing - John 6:63

We are never alone on this journey - constant source of strength, wisdom, truth, and refreshment

2008-05-24 - Purpose Driven Life - What Drives Your Life?

What shouldn't drive our life (will miss God's purposes for your life):

People are driven by guilt

Allows the past to control their future
God's purpose is not limited to our past

God turned a murder (Moses and Paul) into a leader and a coward into a hero

God specializes in giving people a fresh start

People are driven by resentment and anger - Resentment always hurts you more than it does the other person

People are driven by fear - from unrealistic expectations and high-control situations

People are driven by materialism - Your value is not determined by your valuables

People are driven by the need for approval - those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it

Living a purpose driven life, knowing your purpose:

  1. Gives meaning to your life
    • I have laboed to no purpose - Isaiah 49:4
    • My life drags by - day after hopeless day - Job 7:6
    • My life makes no sense - Job 7:16
  2. Simplies your life
    • You have just enough time to do God's will - too much to do means you doing things you shouldn't be doing
  3. Focuses your life
  4. Motivates your life
  5. Prepares you for eternity


2008-05-28 - Purpose Driven Life - The Reason for Everything

The ultimate goal is to give glory to God

God's glory = the expression of his goodness and all his other eternal qualities
Through history, God has revealed his glory
God's glory is best seen in Jesus Christ

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23
I have created them to bring me glory - Isaiah 43:7
Jesus brought glory to God by doing everthing he was told to do by God - John 17:4

  1. We bring God glory by worshiping him - Use your body to the glory of God - Romans 6:13
  2. We bring God glory by loving other believers - Accept others as Christ accepted you - Romans 15:7
  3. We bring God glory by becoming like Christ - We become more and more like him, reflect his glory even more - 2 Corthinians 3:18
  4. We bring God glory by serving others our gifts - Do it all with all that God has given you - 1 Peter 4:10-11
  5. We bring God glory by telling others about him - Bringing people to Christ through his grace, God receives more and more glory - 2 Corinthians 4:14

Giving glory to God will require us to change our priorities, schedule, relationships, and everything else

 



2008-07-26 - 30 Days at the Cross - Wisdom and Power of God

Will the cross ever make sense to the world?

Will all the wisdom of the world, no one has found God
Man destined to frustration by God himself to show themselves helpless without God

Jews sought a miracle worker general ignoring scriptures like Isaiah 53
Greeks described god as apatheia - total inability to feel; looked don on uncultered Christians

God's plan was never to impress prideful scholars or to find acceptance among the rulers of the ages

Some things never change:

  • Graduate student in the laborary for 100 hours - OK
  • Athlete who trains 6-8 hours a day - OK
  • Executive working 60 hours a week - OK
  • Someone passionate about Christ - Bad

Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing
Man without the Spirit does not accpet spiritual things - 1 Corinthians 2:14
God has blinded the minds of unbelievers - 2 Corinthians 4:4

God didn't come to impress the world. Are you?



2008-07-30 - 30 Days at the Cross - Heights of Humility

World often assumes humily with being quite, soft, weak, a loner, apathetic and without convictions

Does this sound like Jesus to you?
Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on the cross - Philippians 2:8
Death on the cross was considered a curse - Deuteronomy 21:22-23
He allowed himself to be cursed
He put his trust in him who judges justly - 1 Peter 2:23

With humility, you give up yourself, but in the process you find God and yourself

Questions and answers about humility:

  1. Where does God dwell? with the humble and concrite - Isaiah 57:15
  2. Who does God esteem? he who is humble, concrite, and trembles at his word - Isaiah 66:2-3
  3. Who receives God's grace? not the proud but the humble - James 4:6
  4. Who does God lift up? those who humble themselves under God's mighty hand - 1 Peter 5:5-6

 



2008-08-25 - Teach Us To Pray - God Almighty
There is no other rock - Isaiah 44:6-8

God is the Almighty God
  • Nothing he cannot do
  • No victory he cannot win
  • No tragedy he cannot overcome
  • No mountain he cannot move
When we see God work in other's lives we ask:
  • How did you do that?
  • Give us the recipe
  • Whisper the secret
Simply decided to pray more, God did more
More we pray, more God can answer
He is not confined to small boxes and humanistic limitations

2008-08-31 - Teach Us To Pray - Hungry and Thirsty (part 1)

True prayer is a yearning for God
Most people in the developed world have never been really hungry and do not know what it is like

In the Bible a hunger for God always ends in prayer
My soul yearns for the courts of the Lord - Psalms 84:1-2
My soul thrists for you like a parched land - Psalms 143:6

God invites us to find satisfaction in Him
Come all you are thristy, come to the waters - Isaiah 55:1
He will satisfy your needs - Isaiah 58:11
Are you trying to find satisfaction some other place?

 



2008-09-14 - Teach Us To Pray - Our Daily Bread
Many of us have little concern about having food
Other things can distract us like: finding a job, paying off debt, development of our children
Satan schemes to blind us God

Worry definition:
  1. to torment oneself
  2. to fret
  3. uneasiness or anxiety
What daily worries plague me?
If the enemy can get us to be preoccupied, it destroys our effectiveness as disciples

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom - Isaiah 40:28-31
Our Father is the God of the universe; nothing is too great for him

2008-11-09 - Man of Prayer - Spiritual Protection (part 2)
When a farmer planted a vineyard in Israel, he would build a hedge around it to keep foxes, pest, and other predators out

God refers to Israel as His vineyard and he has built a hedge around it
When Israel slipped into idolatry, God would remove the hedge and the nation would be attacked
Example in Isaiah 5:5

The instant we pray for protection, it is in place = we know this by faith
If not, I leave my family and I open to attack


2009-03-11 - Promises of God - I Will Sustain You
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he who will sustain you - Isaiah 46:3-4

God has promised that whatever life brings, he will be faithful with us to the very end

He was telling the Jewish nation that he was there at the beginning and he will be with them all the way through

He remains faithful to them whatever the circumstances

2009-03-12 - Promises of God - Carry and Rescue
Paul: My God will meet all your needs - Philiippians 4:19

God most certianly allows us to have needs
He allows situations where we are left to wonder how things will turn out
He has not promised to keep us free from need

As we grow older, all kinds of needs are created

I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you - Isaiah 46:3:-4

Old age and gray hairs = symbols of all the things we can not control and tend to worry us

I will rescue you: deliver us from danger - did not promis we wll never be in danger

From every evil attack and bring me to safety - 2 Timothy 4:18


2009-03-26 - Promises of God - Hearts at Peace
God makes clear his offer of peace

Does God promise pleasing circumstances to those who trust him? No

Paul, from a prison cell, said the Philippians could "peace of God which transcends understanding" - Philippians 4:7

Peace came from trusting in God - Isaiah 26:3

Trust is essential
Must imitate childlike humility - Matthew 18:3-4

Children are generally are at peace
They do not worry about the mortgage, stock market, bills
They are content to let mom and dad tackle those issues

We have to believe that God is in charge and he knows what he is doing

2009-05-09 - No one like him - His Submissiveness
Not a characteristic most see in Jesus

Mark 1:4-9 – Jesus was submissive to John – standing in line with everyone else

Submission comes to tests our hearts

Isaiah 53:7 – Jesus submitting to arrogant/self-center religious/non-religious when he was on his way to die

2009-05-24 - No one like him - Kingdom Attitudes (part 4)
The Pure in Heart

About genuineness and sincerity

The grace can not from us alone
Create in me a pure heart O God - Psalms 51:10

After being forgiving and giving we start seeing ourselves as good - must have pure motives

The Peacemakers

True peace only comes from God - Isaiah 11:1-9
No without the other attitudes

The Persecuted

If you live like this, people will not like you
Ironically being a peace-maker will get you hated
Jesus was the Prince of Peace
Attitudes not natural; not to do but to be

2009-06-08 - One Another - They Will Know You
John 13:24-25
  • Jesus served humbly as their servant - his life was all about love
  • All men will know you as a disciple by your love of one another
  • Distinctive mark by which Christians are recognized
  • Does not say "they will know by your doctrine"
Isaiah predicted this love:
  • People would beat tools of division into tools of peace - Isaiah 2:4
  • Impossible unity - Isaiah 11:6-9
  • Men would protect each other - Isaiah 32:2
Men can do spiritual things for selfish reasons:
  • Praying for show - Matthew 22:29
  • Studying the scriptures - Matthew 22:29


2009-06-09 - One Another - Fellowship and Carrying Burdens
Fellowship - bring to mind casual conversation or other lightweight associations

Greek word for fellowship is koinonia = to partnership and deep involvement
Word also defined as "sharing together in the common life"

Word used outside of NT to describe marriage

The root word - Koinon = "common" or "in common"

Galatians 6:1-2
  • NT letter deal with relationships more than any other subject
  • Carry each other's burden - burdens produced by sin
  • Christians are to be involved to know what sin's others are struggling to overcome
  • Helping your brother to overcome a sin is a fulfillment of the principle of Christ
  • Jesus carried our burden - Isaiah 53:4-6; 1 Peter 2:24


2009-12-22 - First the Kingdom - The Only Door (part 1)
Everyone who walks with God must come as a beggar

Examples:

David - conquered his enemies and ushered in a golden age
  • Described himself as someone who could do nothing without God
  • This poor man called and the Lord saved him from his troubles - Psalms 34:6
  • God is his help and deliver - Psalms 40:17
  • I am poor and needy - Psalms 109:22
  • Modern thinkers might say he needed some self-esteem 
  • God said he was after his own heart
Isaiah
  • Woe to me, I am ruined for I am unclean - Isaiah 6:5
  • Today we can go to church wanting to be told how good we are
  • God forgave his sins and sent him on a life mission full of purpose


2010-01-05 - Kingdom First - Helping Others to Make Peace
Highest calling as peacemakers is to help other make peace with God

We have been fitted with the feet of readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - Ephesians 6:15
Are proclaim peace to others - Isaiah 52:7

Jesus shed his blood so we could have peace
He calls to die to ourselves so others can be made right with God

Not superficial "world peace" but true peace in the heart of each man and women

2010-03-17 - To Live is Christ - Considered Rubbish
Not only did Paul give up his religious past and performance, he gladly counted everything else a loss too
He would give up any claim of such things so he could gain justification by grace

He considered them rubbish  - Philippians 3:8-9
skubala = human waste or dung (KJV)
He was saying the same thing as Isaiah - all righteousness acts are like filthy rags - Isaiah 64:6

The good we do is not rubbish but it is if those works are seen as the source and trusted in
Our obedience, which is imperfect, does not make us right with God
Christ's righteousness saves by faith

The message of the cross calls us to sacrifice everything to Christ, who sacrificed everything for us

Without his sacrifice, our sacrifice would be worthless to God and to man


2010-05-19 - Desire's Journey - An Invitation to Desire

Christianity is not an invitation to become a moral person or a program to get us into a reforming society

Christianity begins with an invitation to desire

What do you want me to do for you? - Luke 18:41
Jesus continually took people into their hearts - to their deepest desires

What does Jesus choose to talk about with the women at the well?
Her immorality? No
He speaks to her about thirst - John 4:10
Lets talk about your heart's thirst since the life you've chosen isn't working

All you who are thirsty, come to the waters - Isaiah 55:1-2
Message had gotten lost by the time Jesus' showed up
Jew of the day were practicing soul-killing, lifeless religion of duty and obligation

No wonder Jesus was feared. He came along and started appealing to desire

To the lost - Jesus spoke of finding your way
To the weary - Jesus speaks of rest

Again and again Jesus took them back to their desires
Ask and it will be given to you - Matthew 7:7

What is it that you want? - Would have fallen on deaf ear if his message was unrelateable



2010-05-29 - Desire's Journey - Mocking Desire
We want the adventure without the risk - ex. Only 5% of SUV ever go off-road

Idols usually come in pairs:
Nearby idol - gives a since of control
Faraway idols - provides the taste of transcendence
But the idols are impostors - we are taken by the array of choices we have but never have to stop and look at what we are doing

Is your desire truly and deeply satisfied with these idols?
Does the relief come more through the temporary absence of desire?
We have found a powerful drug - distraction

Sometimes we don't want to take a good, hard look at what we are really doing
Used wood to make fire and cook with - then made an idol??? - Isaiah 44:16-17, 19-20


2010-06-03 - Desire's Journey - Hardest Lesson to Learn

God promises evern man futility and failure
God guarantees every woman relational heartache and loneliness

We spend much of our time attempting to end these curses
We say, "I can make it work" and "I won't do what they did, I will overcome"

It can not be done
No matter how hard we try or have a clever plan - we can not arrange the life we desire

Will life ever be what I so deeply want it to be?

We must have life - we can not arrange for it

People avoid the lesson:

  • Changing jobs
  • Changing mates
  • Changing direction in life

...rather than facing the truth - Isaiah 57:10

Some have seen that this will not work, yet they have faded into resignation, bitterness or dispair
They take their revenge on God by killing their desire

How do we accept that it can't be done with an open heart?
How do we sustain desire in the face of failure and loneilness.... Hope



Next 25 >>