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Searching for "luke" in the Quiet Time Archive
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2008-02-26 - Power of Gratitude - Uncommon Peace
What enables us to have such uncommon peace? - Commonality

  • Relationship with God
  • Decision to make Jesus Lord of our lives
  • Basic mission - to seek and save the lost
If we in a battle together, we are unlikely to attack one another

Stay committed to God with the mission and discipling firmly in place, our unity will remain

Three warning signs, if not doing:

A. Daily diet
  • Time in the Word daily - Acts 17:11
  • Daily prayer - Luke 11:1-4
  • Share our faith daily - Acts 17:17
  • Open with our lives daily with one another - Hebrews 3:12
B. Lack of commitment
C. Lack of discipling

2008-02-29 - Power of Gratitude - Bon Appetit
Satan works to both deceive us and accuse us - People tend to have a deceived or an accused conscience

Too many of us seem to think that God turns away from us when we are doing bad and turns back when we repent
Fathers are much more engaged when their kids are not doing well

God ran to the Lost Son - Luke 15
Gave his only Son when we were not doing well - John 3:16-17
Christ died for the ungodly - Romans 5:6-11

At the point the mind changes - our conscience should be cleared
Sin is serious - that is what the cross is all about
Feel the burden of sin long enough to be convicted and move to repentence

2008-03-10 - Be Still My Soul - Quiet Time

Jesus deeply valued his time alone with God

Jesus sought out quiet time
"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" - Mark 6:31b
"Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" - Luke 5:16
Occasional devotions are OK but should never replace our private time with God

Jesus found a quite place
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father" - Matthew 6:6
If you have no quite place - your relationship will be shallow and limited

Jesus urged alertness
Jesus pleaded with them to be awake and alert in prayer - Mark 14:37-42
Be "clear minded and self-controller" so that we can pray - 1 Peter 4:7

How long? until a sense of peace and closeness with God

How much time in prayer and study? mix it up; our relationship should not become stale

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you" - John 15:4-8



2008-03-11 - Be Still My Soul - Time Away

Jesus often withdrew

  • Jesus often withdrew - Luke 5:16
  • Spent the night praying - Luke 6:12
  • Jesus was praying in private - Luke 9:18
  • Jesus... took Peter, John, and James .. to a mountain to pray - Luke 9:28
  • Withdrew to mountain by himself - John 6:15

When was the last time you withdrew an entire night, day, or week?
We wonder why we are stale, unmotivated, joyless, and weary and have not grown
It takes awhile to detact from the world

A retreat can be unforgetable, life-changing time
You have to plan it to make it happen, Satan will try to stop you



2008-03-13 - Be Still My Soul - Times of Fasting

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


2008-03-27 - Be Still My Soul - Persistence

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


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



2008-04-06 - Falling in Love with God - Rediscovering each other
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him - Luke 24:13-32

They did not see Jesus because they lost hope and did not see him in a new light

There is no joy like rediscovery - ex. rediscovering your spouse

Some today:
  • "We are not compatible anymore"
  • "We have both changed"
  • Think about an old boyfriend or girlfriend
We need to "rediscover" our spouse if we have lost hope

We need to "rediscover" Jesus if we have lost hope of connecting with him again
  • Because of Jesus we can be one with Him
  • He has not changed
  • He is thinking of me, I am I thinking of him?


2008-04-20 - Falling in Love with God - Communion
Biblical communion at some meals:
  • 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
To fall in love with God, we need to relax and "recline at the table" with our maker
We need to let our guard down

Our relationship with God must be a feast, not a protein shake or an energy bar

Intimacy with God must a priority above all else

2008-04-30 - Falling in Love with God - God Finding Us

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



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

2008-05-10 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Money - Root of All Evil?, part 2
There are spiritual challenges for both those who have money and those who don't

God promises to give us what we need, but not what we may want

1 Timothy - need for contentment with the basic of life

Examine:
  • How much have we accumulated?
  • Why have we accumulated it?
  • How much are we using?
  • How are we using it?
  • How attached are we to it?
Colossians 3:23 - work for the Lord
Seeking advancement or seeking to please God?

How content are you with what you have? - Philippians 4:12

1 Timothy 6:9-12 - not just avoid but flee from the love of money
 - Some use people, and love money
 - God uses money and loves people

Who is master in your life? God OR Money - Luke 16:13

Avoid the extremes of loving it and envying those who have more than you

Use money to the fullest extend to serve him and bless others

2008-05-15 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Disappointed
Mathew 23:37 - Talks about how Jerusalem killed the prophets and those God has sent to them

Disappointed people are not happy people

Disappointed = depressed or discouraged by the failures of one's hopes
Disappointment in others exposes a basic selfishness; by definition is rather self-focused

Most assume that God often views us with a disappointed heart
Luke 19:41-42 (parallel verse to Matthew 23:37) - If you only had known on this day what would bring you peace

Are you often disappointed in yourself or others?
Humility is needed - Selfishness and pride is the opposite
  • Disappointed often? Selfish often!
  • Frustrated at others often? Selfish often!
  • Angry when others have things against you? Selfish once more!
Look not to your own interest, but the interest of others - Philippians 2:3-4

Disappointment is un-Godlike; Concern is the godly quality which comes from self-denial and agape love

2008-06-15 - Purpose Driven Life - Created to Become Like Christ
You are created to become like Christ

Jesus' mission is restore the full image that we have lost
God's ultimate goal for your life on earth in not comfort but character development
If we forget this, you will become frustrated by your circumstances

You exist for God's purpose, not vice versa

Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives - Philippians 2:13

We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work

Obedience unlocks God's power
God waits for you to act first
Make every effort - Luke 13:24; Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:3; 2 Timothy 2:15

Ephesians 4:22-24 - Responsibilities in belonging like Christ:
  • Choose to let go of old ways
  • Must change the way we think
  • Must put on the "character of Christ by developing new, godly habits

God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us
  • Truth we need to grow
  • Support when we need guidance or when we fail
  • Environment we need to practice Christ-likeness
In many religions, the mature isolate themselves, not those who are being like Christ

Being like Christ is a long, slow process of growth - You are a work in progress

2008-06-17 - Purpose Driven Life - Transformed by Truth

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)

 



2008-07-03 - Purpose Driven Life - Thinking Like a Servant (part 1)

Service starts in the mind

Servants think more about others than about themselves

Not thinking less of ourselves, thinking of ourselves less
Forget yourselves; lend a helping a hand - Philippians 2:4
This is what it means to "lose your life"
Jesus emptied himself; taking the form of a servant - Philippians 2:7

Self-denial is the core of servanthood
Unfair situation; use the occasion to practice the servant life - Matthew 5:41

Servants think like stewards, not owners

Remember the God owns it all
No servant can serve two masters - Money not "should not", "can not"
If you have been trusted with the world's weath, than you can be trusted with true riches - Luke 16:11

 



2008-07-09 - Purpose Driven Life - Made for a Mission (part 1)
Your mission is both shared and specific

Mission = Latin word for "sending"
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you - John 20:21

Jesus understood he was on a mission:
  • As a teenager - I must be about my Father's business - Luke 2:49
  • On the cross - It is finished - Luke 19:30
God wants to redeem human being from Satan
We have been sent to speak for Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:20

Your mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission on earth
He call us not only to come to him but go for him


2008-07-11 - Purpose Driven Life - Made for a Mission (part 3)
Your mission give your life meaning

The nest use of your life is to spend it for something that outlast you.
My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me - Acts 20:24
The is some people that only you can reach

God's timetable is connected to the completion of our mission

Some are focus on when Christ will come
No one knows (or will know) the day or hour of the end - Matthew 24:36
It is not for us to know; it is up to us to witness - Acts 1:7-8
Jesus quickly switch the conversations from prophecy to evangelism

Satan would rather have do anything besides sharing your faith
Expect Satan to throw all kinds of diversion at you
Anyone who lets themselves get distracted from God's plan is not fit for the Kingdom of God - Luke 9:62

2008-07-24 - 30 Days at the Cross - Freedom of Forgiveness
True forgiveness - made possible by God

Jesus forgave when it was most difficult by:

Facing the truth

Jesus didn't expect life to be fair
He expected God to be fair
He accepted everything from God without question (in the end)
Judas only received kindness from Jesus
Taught forgiving your brother should be limitless - Luke 17:1-5

Feeling the pain

Jesus was totally honest with his feeling both God and man
Greatest test was at the garden of Gethsemane

Freeing his heart

He trusted his Father and focused on him rather than on his own pain
He yielded to God's sense of justice in the most unjust situation

1 Peter 2:23
  • He made no treats
  • He did not retaliate
We must follow Jesus example:
  • He honest and call sin, sin
  • Allow ourselves to feel the pain - fear or anger
  • Surrender to God or be bitter, resent, or even apathy


2008-07-25 - 30 Days at the Cross - Always Remembering

Passover - it meant freedom for the Jews (from Egypt)
Jesus choose Passover to bring freedom to all through his death

It was a new relationship with God and man
God loved mankind but man hurt God with his sin

Jesus: with my life and death, you have a new relationship, now remember this
It will be forgotten in our lives if we don't make plans to remember

In the midst of our activities and pressure of life, we forget:

  • How much he went through for us
  • That we can be forgiven and start over again and again
  • Why we are doing things we are doing

He took bread and gave thanks for this very reason - Luke 22:19

Give thanks and examine yourself - 1 Corinthians 11:28
Don't forget that in Christ there is no condemnation - Romans 8:1



2008-07-29 - 30 Days at the Cross - Denial Without Regret

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



2008-08-08 - 30 Days at the Cross - Problems or Possibilities
Suffering is a problem for us:
  • We don't like it
  • Trouble figuring it out
  • Try hard to avoid it

We spend too much time asking questions:
  • Why is God doing this to me?
  • Is this from God or Satan?
  • Why does he allow me to suffer like this?
It is the response that matters, Jesus' response was:
  • Jesus, through suffering, was made perfect - Matthew 26:36-46
  • Our Lord sympathizes with our weakness - Hebrews 2:18
  • He was without sin during his sufferings- Hebrews 4:15
  • He forgave during his sufferings - Luke 23:34
  • Accepted God's will for His life
We should not be concerned on why but how we will respond

We should:
  • Consider it a pure joy - James 1:2
  • Know it is for our maturity - James 1:3-4
  • Know it is an opportunity to prove our faith - 1 Peter 1:6
Look for the lesson, make sure your suffering counts for someone
The issue is how you respond and how you will respond in the future

2008-08-12 - 30 Days at the Cross - Mistreatment but Not Misery
No way to be righteous enough, wise enough, or loving enough to avoid persecution
The world can not hate you, it hates Jesus - John 7:7

We never see a hint of retaliation, bitterness, or self-pity
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate - 1 Peter 2:22-23
On the cross: heaped insults (Matthew 27:44) and he is asked God to forgive them - Luke 23:34

How did he get through the cruel and vicious attacks with such grace?
  • He entrusted himself to him who judges - 1 Peter 2:23
  • Kept his focus on the joy that would be his - Hebrews 12:2


2008-08-14 - 30 Days at the Cross - Not for Adults Only
Even when Jesus was on the cross he had concern for his mother

Why didn't he protect her from the experience?
She needed to understand how far we must go to save the lost

Being a Christian parent does not mean you try to spare your children the cross: show them how to get on it
As parents, it is often harder to teach or to call our children to sacrifice than it is to call ourselves to sacrifice

Are you teaching?
  • Love for enemies and pray for them - Luke 6:27-28
  • Sacrifice of sleep for someone
  • Be flexible and inconvenienced for others
We are entrusted to be an example for the very souls of our children

2008-08-17 - 30 Days at the Cross - Do not Come Down!
Jesus was tempted with the words, "save yourself, come down from the cross
If they understood the eternal significance of the moment, they would have cried "No, Jesus! Do not come down!"

Jesus was tempted:
  • 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
What kept him up there?
  • 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

Our mission is the same (Luke 9:23) - must deny self and lose our life for others
We must quit looking for some new,easy approach and decide to love

The world is screaming out: "Save yourself! Come down from the cross!"
Jesus cries: "Do not come down!"

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