Quiet Times Search

• Prayer
  • Jesus often let His disciples see Him conversing with the Father (They ask, not forced)
  • Unless they grasped the meaning of prayer and practiced consistently – not much would come from their lives.
    
• Using Scripture
  • He never ceased to use the Scripture in His conversation with them.
  • 66 references to the Old Testament
  • 90+ Old Testament references speaking to others
  • Jesus could freely recall scriptures by heart
• Everything that he did and said had some relevance to evangelism
  • Revealing the truth
  • How to deal with men
  • Disciples may (at the time) have not known that they were being taught
• Jesus was the Master of His own teachings
  • Presentation was not flashy; the truth was the main attraction.
• Disciples observed how to:
  • Jesus drew people to Himself
  • Won their confidence and inspired their faith
  • He called them to the way of salvation and He called them to make a decision

• ignore it
• postpone it

• Choose God over self
• Realize we have broken his heart
• Our response is to be broken, vulnerable, contrite, and humble
• No other response makes sense or brings healing

• To seek the person out
• Speak frankly
• Make every effort to build unity - Ephesians 4:3
  

The Greek word for encourage is "Parakaleo"

• It is used 28x in the gospels and acts
• Most frequent is the sense of "to beg" or "to plead" or "to comfort"
• Command form is translated "I urge you"- end of the first part of a letter or begging of the second section
• Depends on the speaker
  • Parent asking for healing for a sick child = to beg or plead
  • Leader addressing a group of disciples = to encourage

Greek Lexicon

1. To call to one's side; Come-on-we-can-do-this attitude
2. Appeal to, urge, exhort, encourage
3. Entreat, implore, comfort, and cheer up

Old French word encoragier = to put courage in

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

As a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert - Jeremiah 2:2-3

If you're writing a romanc, love is the goal - you must allow for the possiblity of betrayal
This is what God call us our turning away from him

Hebrews thought God would be satisfied with some religious rituals and rule keeping

You said, "I will not serve you!" - Jeremiah 2:20
You have forgotten me and trusted in false gods - Jeremiah 13:25-27

True love never fails
God will fight for his beloved

I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her - Hosea 2:14

• The story continues - we are headed somewhere; bad times = the story has taken a tragic turn
• It can't be done - I can not arrange for life I prize - this frees our hearts
• It is coming - The life I prize is coming, what I am aching for now, but it is coming
• Battle and journey - We are at war; watch your heart; Don't just let anything in

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

• Peter was one of Jesus' best friends

• Went to see the Transfiguration (with James and John)
• He came along to see Christ raise Jarorus' daughter from the dead
• Jesus went to Peter in the garden of Gethsemane for strength (but failed)

• Guilt would have made it had to pray
• Made it more difficult to tell others about Jesus

• leb = heart
• shabar = broken

• Describes a bush whose twigs are broken off - Isaiah 27:11
• Describes idols of Babylon shattered on the ground - Isaiah 21:9
• Describing a broken bone - Isaiah 38:13

• Tienanmen square
• East Germans slamming their picks axes into the Berlin Wall

• Continued to claim to be God's Son
• Take care of his mother's needs
• Extend grace to the repentant thief

The soldier's heart was eventually moved and said - "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

Nothing short of Jesus' laying down his life would have brought this cynical soldier to his knees

• "Too young"
• "Not good speakers"
• "Claimed weakness"
• "Claimed faithlessness"

• Peter: Do I know enough?
• John: Will I be loved?

• Question: What do you think the heart of what Jesus is saying in these scriptures?
• Question: Biblically speaking, because someone goes to church  does that make them a Christian? Are they a Christian because they are a good person? What if they know a lot about the Bible, does that make them a Christian?
• That means you are saying that the majority of people in the world are lost. How does that make you feel?
• Make God feel said but God has a plan for them - 1 Timothy 2:1-6

• v22 - The miracles Jesus did proves he was God's son
• v23 - He died on the cross for your sin
• v24 - God raised him from the dead
  

• Confess with your mouth (acknowledging God and everyone around you that you nor anything else will be the Lord of your life,expect Jesus)
• It is not the confession that justifies you, it is your heart that God is looking at.

• Be thankful - Colossians 3:15
• Be slow to speak and anger - James 1:19-20
• Do everything in love - 1 Corinthians 16:14
• Do everything without complaining or arguing - Philippians 2:14-15
• Do not be proud or conceited - Romans 12:2
• Do not lie - Colossians 3:9-10
• Do not take revenge - Romans 12:19
• Do not conform to the world - Romans 12:2

• Make your love increase and overflow for each other - 1 Thessalonians 3:12
• Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling - 1 Peter 4:9
• Pray for each other - James 5:16
• Serve one another in love - Galatians 5:13
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs - Ephesians 5:19
• Spur one another on toward love and good deeds - Hebrews 10:24
• Stop passing judgment on one another - Romans 14:13
• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ - Ephesians 5:21
• Teach[one another] - Colossians 3:16
• Wash one another’s feet - John 13:14; John 13:34-35; John 15:12; John 15:17
• When you come together to eat, wait for each other - 1 Corinthians 11:33

1. The source of your behavior - Proverbs 4:23
2. The source of your speech

• Out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks - Luke 6:45
• How can you who are evil say anything good? - Matthew 12:33-37

3. The source of all evil behavior

• What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean' - Mark 7:20-23
• Every inclination of the thoughts of his heart were evil - Genesis 6:5

• John 10:30,38 - I and the Father are one
• John 14:10-11, 20 - It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
• John 17:11, 21, 23 - Father, just as you are in me and I am in you

• John 7:16 - My teaching is not my own
  
• John 12:49 - For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me

• John 8:16 - I stand with the Father, who sent me
• Romans 8:5 - Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires

• John 14:24 - These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me
• John 12:49 - Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it

• John 5:19 - Whatever the Father does the Son also does
• John 13:15 - I have set you an example that you should do as I have done

• Mark 10:21 - Go, sell everything you have and come follow me
• Luke 13:34 - How often I have longed to gather your children together
• Luke 19:41 - As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.

• John 9:4 - As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me
• John 4:34 - For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God,
• Luke 19:10 - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
• Mark 1:38-39 - I can preach there also. That is why I have come

• God is glorified through a selfless life of good deeds - Matthew 5:16
• God is glorified when we selflessly bear fruit - John 15:8
• God is glorified through selfless obedience - John 17:4
• God is glorified when we selflessly suffer for righteousness - 1 Peter 4:14, 16
• God is glorified through selfless service to others
  • 1 Peter 4:11 - If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
  • Luke 17:15 - Praising God in a loud voice.

• Lying is against God’s nature (character)
• His enemy (Satan) is the Father of lies (John 8:44)

• When we lie we are using Satan’s weapons
• When we decide to tell the truth over lies we are choosing God over Satan

1. We should never make pack (agreement) to conceal the truth
2. We should strive to please God (speak the truth) not Satan (lie)
3. If you tell the truth you don’t have to have a good memory (lies create more lies)

1. What should make us rejoice in persecutions?
2. Have people insulted or spoken evil of you because of Jesus?
3. How did you feel?
4. Who else has been treated this way?

1. How should we expect to be treated?
2. Why does the world hate us?
3. What makes people feel guilty when they see us become disciples?

1. What made Peter and John so bold?
2. Has anyone tried to stop you from teaching, speaking or worshiping Jesus?
3. How have you responded?

1. Jesus was persecuted out of envy (MARK 15:10); the apostles were arrested out of jealousy.
2. Why will we be persecuted or slandered?
3. By whom?
4. What was the apostles' reply when they were told to stop?

1. What did Jesus share with his disciples?
2. Are you this kind of a friend to other Christians?
3. Do they really know all about your life?

1. What does it mean to speak freely?
2. Are you opening your heart to others?
3. What are some feelings you aren't expressing to anyone?

• Hobbies
• Other short-lived romances
• Addictions

1. The longing for adventure that requires something of us
2. Desire for intimacy - to have someone truly know us for ourselves

It is the core of our spiritual journey

Any religion that ignores it survives only as guilt-induced legalism, a set of propositions to be memorized and rules to be obeyed

What does these desires have to do with God?

Hasn't God left us with them to draw us closer to him?

WHo is he who will devote himself to be close to me? - Jeremiah 30:21

God looks for people who will devote themselves to being close to him
Some of the greatest men of the Bible were described as God's friends

• Enoch - walked with God for 300 years before took him away - Genesis 5:22-24
• Noah walked with God - Genesis 6:9
• Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend - Exodus 33:11
• Abramham was God's friend - James 2:23
• Daniel was God's friend from the first time he prayed - Daniel 10:12
• Solomon prayed that his words would near to God day and night - 1 Kings 8:59
  • And God answered him - 1 Kings 9:3

Nehemiah had an intimate friendship with God:

• Referred to God's convenant of love - Nehemiah 1:5
• He pleaed for God to hear him - Nehemiah 1:6
• Had personal confession of sin - Nehemiah 1:6-7
• He reminded God of his great deeds - Nehemiah 1:8-10
• He appealed to God - Nehemiah 1:11

We need to choose to let go of childishness and foolishness
When I became a man, I did away with childish things - 1 Corinthians 13:11

Clinging to childhood while growing into manhood is like trying to run in opposite directions at the same time aka the “Peter Pan Syndrome”

Teen years are often wasted and fathers have become silent.

Rather than initiating serious conversations with wiser men, they goof off with fools in sports bars

Too many men want the freedoms, rewards, and privileges of manhood but only the responsibilities of boyhood

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ - Ephesians 4:14-15

Do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature - 1 Corinthians 14:20

The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands - Isaiah 32:8

Fathers, start spending more “heart to heart” time

ATTENTION

Get their attention, ask important questions like:

• Tell me how you are doing.
• What have you been up to lately?
• What are you most excited about right now?

Make a little one-on-one time with Dad

AFFIRMATION

Kids, as well as adults, want the approval and praise from their dads

They want their father’s "blessing” in their lives.
To bless means "to speak well of"

God: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” - Mark 1:11

It is important that you communicate to them, “You are my son (daughter) and I dearly love you. I am very pleased with you.”

Anytime you greet them or talk to them, your countenance, the look in your eyes, and your tone of voice either says, “You are a delight to me” or “You are an irritation to me.”

You should praise them privately, one-on-one, and publicly in front of others. “That is awesome! You are really good at that,” needs to come from your lips as their biggest cheerleader. Regardless of your past, step up to do this now!

AFFECTION

Father pours out His unconditional love on us (Romans 5:5), and so should we to our sons and daughters.

Interact with them in ways that make them fully see, hear, and feel your love.

not only the discipline of a father but also his warm affection and tender love.

Boys who feel loved by their dads are bolder, stronger, kinder to others, and more secure

Girls who feel valued by their dads are more radiant, less desperate for a boyfriend, and more careful whom they marry.

So invest in them, take them places, flood them with tender affection, leaving no question in their minds about your genuine love for them.

If you and your wife had two children and trained them to faithfully live for Christ, and both of them raised two more children to faithfully live for Christ as well, then those same ten generations could produce 1,024 faithful believers.
When you speak into your children’s ears, you are speaking into the ears of your great-great-grandchildren as well.

Teach the Word “diligently” to your children “when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” - Deuteronomy 6:7

Instruct “to fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments” - Deuteronomy 6:2

Love, truth, and respectful fear go hand in hand.
To fear Him is to be soberly aware of His awesome authority over us.

Fearing the Lord transforms our thinking.

Summary

Rebebekah went back with Eliezer and she married Isaac.

Observations

Genesis 24:49 - Tell me yes or no, then I know what to do next
After sharing his faith in verses 34 to 48 about how God blessed his faithfulness, Abramham's servers did not want to waste any time - he wanted a straight answer on which direction they would choose. Sometimes it is difficult to get a straight answer but he did not want them to waiver in this very important decision. Sometimes we guard our hearts to share because we do not want to sound "too religous" but Eliezer just shared his heart and was not concerned about their opinons.

Genesis 24:50 - The Lord has obviously brought you here, there is nothing we can say
There is no reason to fight the Lord. When they saw what had happen before them, they were conveicted that the Lord was speaking to them that day. Eliezer was full of faith and excitement for what the Lord had done and he could not help but to share it with them that day.

Application

The God should be obvious in our lives. Do people see God in us and if so is it obvious or is there doubt in their mind? In order for me to reach out to others, my life needs to show Jesus. When I speak and invite others to church/Bible study does it come as a surpise or an invitation or extention of what I am already doing?

Prayer

Pray to be real with people and to share my faith without reservation. 

Everyone must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence - Jonah 3:7-8

The biggest enemy of godly leaders is not leading by example

Leading by example has always been one of a leader's greatest goals

• Want children to speak kindly? Speak kindly to them
• Want your coworkers and employees to be more consientious about their work? Show up on time and work deligently until you leave

Jonah warned the Ninevites of God's coming judgement and wrath

Their king responded by instructing his people to:

• Observe a time of fasting
• Pray
• Repent

...in hopes that God would change his minds and spare the city

The king of the Ninevites humility and leading by example saved his city from judgement and wrath

When you do as you say in life, you make it far easier for everyone around you to do the same

My darling, you are as beatiful as Jerusalem - Song of Solomon 6:4

Solomon understood the value of speaking passionately to his beloved

His words overflows with love, affection, intimacy, and passion

It models the kind of inimate coomunication you can enjoy with your wife

The words should be personal and thoughtful - take the lead!

How do you rate the passion and fun in your marriage?

• Red hot
• Still glowing
• A fading ember
• Growing cold
• Pile of ashes

Speak, your servant is listening - 1 Samuel 3:10

Samuel is an example of a man who learned to hear the real voice of God

1st time God called - thought it was Eli's voice
2nd time God called - thought it was something he ate
3rd time God called - Eli instructed him to say to the voice, "Speak, your servant is listening" - 1 Samuel 3:9

Samuel did what he was told and his Father gave him instructions for his first act as a prophet

Samuel began a long and fruitful life of listening for God's voice

How do you learn to hear from God?

• Open your Bible
• Humbling yourself
• Making yourself available
• Letting God know that you are actively listening

Jeremiah: Great is his faithfullness and his mercies begin afresh each morning - Lamentations 3:22-24

He surveyed th ruins of the once great city of Jerusalem

Jeremiah saw death and destruction all around and felt a pain we can only imagine

He found it within himslef to speak to his one Source of hope

Jeremaih recognized God had granted him life and could hope for better things from the hand of his heavenly Father

Where do you place your hope when you or loved ones encounter pain and difficulty?

By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city - Daniel 4:30

Breakdown of how much we learn from our senses:

• 1% - taste
• 2% - touch
• 5% - smell
• 11% - hearing
• 83% - sight

Nebuchadnezzar was given a dream and Daniel told him what it meant - the king's pride would result in a severe bout of divine discipline

Daniel begged the king to give up his pride so that God could relent

God had given Nebuchadnezzar an opportunity to humble himself

God immediately accounced that the king would no lose his kingdom and be sent out to live a wild animal

Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way from taste and smell of grass since could not learn from sight

Are you teachable? When God speaks to you, take it to heart

Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? - Judges 6:13

Gideon wondered aloud where all of GOd's miraculous works

God had a specific plan in mind for Gideon but before he divulged it God a task before him

At first Gideon questioned his ability to take on such a huge task but in the end he led his people to throw off the Midianites yoke of oppression

What happens when someone's burden becomes their calling?

God often puts burdens within you so that you will feel moved to step out and speak up

After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus - John 3:1

If you really want to get to know someone, you have to ask lots of questions

Necodemus wanted to know Jesus and found a Jesus at night with some uninterupted time with him

He learned a lot about how Jesus was not just a good teacher but the Messiah and Savior of the world

Before the evening ended, Nicodemus knew Jesus

From there, he:

• Stood up for Jesus - John 7:50-52
• Took part in Jesus' burial - John 19:39

Do you really want to know Jesus?

You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak - 2 Chronicles 12:5

The Bible includes many examples of God sending men to free his people from their sin and rebellion

Shemaiah to a message of freedom to his people - All that was required was for them to turn to God

It was difficult message for Shemaiah to give such a message to his home country of Judah

Shemaiah's willingness to speak God's message made a difference:

• The leaders listened
• Judah humbled themselves
• God relented on his plan to destroy Judah - 2 Chronicles 12:6-8

When you have the courage to give a difficult message to hear, you can make a difference in your world

All of us have strayed away - Isaiah 53:5

Jesus Christ was the perfect example of that kind of giving

Isaiah saw this example of a humble, suffering servant from his own time

He depicts a man who willingly subjected himslef to unspeakable suffering on the behalf of others

How does Jesus' selfless giving motivate you? 

Don't you care that we're going to drown? - Mark 4:38

A storm came up that deeply worried even the expereinced fishermen on board

Jesus remined so calm he slept through the worst the Sea of Galilee could deliver

The disciples didn't have a sense of Jesus' ultimate distiny of the cross

Jesus knew his purpose for coming to earth and there was nothing that could keep him from fulfilling it.

He calmed the storm by speaking to it and the disciples learned - When Jesus accompanies you, you have nothing to fear

Have I ever... Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong - 1 Samuel 12:3

Samuel earned a reputation for unimoeachable honesty that served him well

At Saul's coronation, he asked the people to declare if Samuel was honest and person of integrity

Everyone knew the answer and didn't hesitate to give it - YES!

Samuel could speak to the people with great authority because he had carefully maintained his reputation as an honest man

How can Samuel's example help you to choose honesty?