Quiet Times Search

• 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

• Voice of guilt that reminds me of the past
• Voice of doubt tries to tell me about the future
• Voice that says we are weak and can not do it
• Voice that judges me of wrong doing and bad motivation
  

• Father spoke to Jesus - "who he was well pleased" with
  
• Father gave him the Holy Spirit in form of a dove
• Father gave the authority of both Heaven and Earth
• Jesus wrote the names in the book of life
• Jesus begging God on our behalf
• Jesus directs the spreading of the message
• Jesus saluted the martyr Stephen
• Jesus sent light to blind Saul

<strong>Get Out of Herestrong>

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

<strong>Turning back the clockstrong>

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

<strong>Secret Scriptural Weaponstrong>

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

<strong>Best for Laststrong>

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

Falling in love with God - is attainable

We will find what we seek:

• If we seek relief in salvation, this is what we will find
• If we seek acceptance and a community, this is what we will find
• If we seek wisdom and insight, this is what we will find
• If we seek effective ministry, this is what we will find
• If we seek God more and more deeply, this is what we will find

What are you seeking?

 Lord searches every heart; if you seek him, he will be found by you - 1 Chronicles 28:9-10

How many times have we tried to do something with seeking him first?

None of us can be "strong" without seeking
Talent, experience, and insight are cheap gifts and can never take the place of a heart that seeks after God

There are many decisions that you need make about your relationship with God:

• How much time should go by without special prayer time?
• What am I trying to accomplish in my Bible study?
• What do I need to allow the message of God really soak into our heart?
• Where can I go and be really free to wrestle emotionally with the will of God?

If God's people will humble themselves pray and seek his face, he will hear from heaven and forgive us - 2 Chronicles 7:11-16

Even after the temple was built, God was concerned whether his people will still seek him

<strong>God himself was often "felt" but not "found" - He has the same concern todaystrong>

Difference: being members / having a deep personal and individual relationship with God

In his pride the wicked does not seek him - Psalms 10:1-4

One thing I ask: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, gaze upon the beauty - Psalms 27:1-9

Nothing will satisfy like seeking his face

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

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

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

Jesus calls for unlimited forgiveness - disciples plea to increase their faith

If on-goning relationship difficulties - maybe one or both are too concerned about who sinned the most rather than focusing on reconciliation

With a willingness to forgive, we cannot be forgiven by God - Matthew 6:14; Matthew 18:23-35

<strong>We must forgive in the way that God forgives - Colossians 3:13strong>
<strong>He forgives quickly, completely, and repeatedly - and then forgets the sin - Hebrews 8:12strong>

• Marriage counseling - one view, then a different view
• Forming opinion without all the background information
• Good leader - realizing he does not know everything about every subject
• Been hurt by others - assume others are the same way

• Practice until our character is different - Hebrews 5:14
• Patience if did not get it right for ___ time
  
• Trust God that this change is for our own good - Romans 8:28

• Deny self daily
• Repentance - when we don't respond to God's grace - God will find a way to help us to repent
  
  • Through kindness - Romans 2:4
  • Through discipline - Hebrews 12:5-11
• Persevering though suffering - James 1:2-4

• Cried regularly - Hebrews 5:7
• Open about disappointments - Luke 19:41-44
• Open about struggles - Matthew 26:36-46

• Too focused on positional goals in the church
• Excel at work or school - not working for the Lord but working for self - Colossians 3:23
• Too much pressure for a child to succeed - Train a child in the way he should go - Proverbs 22:6
• Allowing secondary motivation become the primary motivation

• Negativity oftn excites stronger emotions
  • Easily swayed by the negative report
  • Forgot God's amazing miracles and victories
• Negative thinking is a pervasive tendency
• Majority of people inevitably practice negative thinking
  • No wonder so many people reacted negatively to Jesus
  • How many were confident that the resurrection would follow? Next to nil
• Negativism is deceptive to observers - seems normal
• Negatives are often mixed with positives to sound better
• Leaders have a responsibility to determine the thinking of the group
• Negativity is tragic in its results - destroys faith and unity of the group

• Disappointed often? Selfish often!
• Frustrated at others often? Selfish often!
• Angry when others have things against you? Selfish once more!

Can easily become sentimental when talking about salvation:

• Family, people you are emotionally connected with
• Thinking about people in remote parts of the world
  • It would be cruel to share the gospel with someone who hadn't heard it and was saved
  • Like not throwing a life jacket because you think they will be alright
• Religous people - would you be willing to stand before God with - infant baptism or non-disciple life?

All have sin and have fallen short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23

<strong>Being "broader" than the Bible puts you on the wrong roadstrong>

God will be the judge and he has given us the basis of his judgement - John 12:48

Extremes:

• We become judgmental and reason like Pharisee; we are policeman, God is the judge
• Lose our conviction religious doesn't equal salvation

• Even though he did not know where he was going
• Even though he was pass age to have kids
• Even though he God said to sacrifice his son
• Abraham reasoned... spiritually

• We can change
• Our children can change
• Our marriages can change
• Our hearts can change
• We just can't give up

God planned:

• Where you would be born
• When you would be born (waiting patiently for Juniper)
• How long you will live
• Who your parents would need to be for you to come the way you came

God was thinking of you even before he made the world, that is why he created the world

God's purpose even took in account sin and human error.

<strong>If there was no god, we would all be accidentsstrong>

The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us - Romans 12:3

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

People are driven by <strong>guiltstrong>

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 <strong>resentment and angerstrong> - Resentment always hurts you more than it does the other person

People are driven by <strong>fearstrong> - from unrealistic expectations and high-control situations

People are driven by <strong>materialismstrong> - Your value is not determined by your valuables

People are driven by the <strong>need for approvalstrong> - 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
   • <strong>You have just enough time to do God's will - too much to do means you doing things you shouldn't be doingstrong>
3. Focuses your life
4. Motivates your life
5. Prepares you for eternity

This life is preparation for the next - realizing this will help you live differently

• Place a higher premium on relationships
• Use your time and money more wisely
• Your priorities will become reordered

God has planted eternity in the human heart - Ecclesiastes 3:11

<strong>The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appearsstrong>

The most damging aspect of contemporary living is short-term thinking
Only time most people think about eternity is at a funeral

This world is not our home - Hebrews 13:14
Every moment in this body is time spent away from our eternal home - 2 Corinthians 5:6

• Abraham - offering his son
• Jacob - working for Rachael
• ...and many others

• Adam and Eve - failed when tempted
• David - failed several times
• ...and many others

• Major changes
• Delayed promises
• Impossible problems
• Unanswered prayer
• Undeserved criticism

Life is a temporary assignment

It is descriped as a mist, a fast runner, a breath, a wisp of smoke

Compared to eternity, life is extremely brief
Earth is only a temporary residence
Christians should carry spiritual green cards

<strong>With this understanding. worries lost their grip on our livesstrong>

In order to keep us from getting too attached God allows us to feel much discontentment and dissatisfaction in life
It is a fatal mistake to assume God's goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success

• Paul was faithful - ended up in prison
• John the Baptist was faithful - was beheaded

Some would consider them foolish and lost everything but they gained everything - God and heaven

In heaven we will ask ourselves:

• Why did I place so much importance things so temporary?
• What was I thinking?
• Why did I waste so much time on thing that will not last?

• Peace
• Freedom
• Experience God's power

• Abraham - allowed to question and challenge
• David - God patient during his accusations
• Job - allowed to vent his bitterness
• Moses - told God exactly how he felt

• Must be based on the truth (Not Idols)
• John 4:23 - Based on Spirit and Truth

• With ALL of your heart and soul
• God sees the attitudes of the heart
• Biggest distraction in worship is yourself
• Best style of worship is the one that most authentically represents your love

• Be different - think about the meaning
• Be specific - I love you, praise you (why?)
• Make a list of names for God
• Avoid repetition, cliches
• Be sensitive to unbelievers

• Offer your bodies - Romans 12:1
• God says "Give me all you got"
• "I'll be with you in spirit" - Body and spirit can not separate until death
• Real worship costs - cost us of our self-centeredness

• Good and loving - Job 10:12
  
• All powerful - Job 42:2; 37:5, 23
  
• Every detail of his life - Job 23:10, 31:4
  
• He is in control - Job 34:14
• Has a plan for my life - Job 23:14
  
• He will save me - Job 19:25
  

• 4 commandments  - deal with your relationships with people
• 6 commandments - deal with your relationships with God
• All 10 commandments deal with relationships!

• Lose fellowship with God
• Expose my pride and insecurity
• Set myself up to be judged by God
• Harm the fellowship

• 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

• Truth we need to grow
• Support when we need guidance or when we fail
  
• Environment we need to practice Christ-likeness

God wants you to grow up - some grow older but never grow up (Ephesians 4:14-15)

Nothing shapes your life than the commitments you make
Many are afraid to commit to anything and drift through life

<strong>God's part and your partstrong>

Our part is to: Continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling - Philippians 2:12-13

Our role = "work out" salvation (grow - in a body workout we have our body but we make it better)
God's role = "work in" us

<strong>Changing your autopilotstrong>

Becareful what you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts - Proverbs 4:23
Changing what you think, changes you

Going on a diet, exercising does not work if you do not change your thinking - "I am going on a diet"

The way you think determines the way you feel - which influences how you act - Ephesians 4:23

Babies by nature are completely selfish
Many never grow beyond that kind of thinking

It is not the amount of biblical information and doctrine you know
Deeds must be constant with our creeds / Beliefs backed up with Christlike behavior

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)

<strong>Must accept the Bible's authoritystrong>

• 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"

<strong>Must assimilate its truthstrong>

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

<strong>Must apply it principlesstrong>

• 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)

There is always a way out
He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome - 1 Corinthians 10:13

<strong>Refocus attention on something elsestrong>

By resisting, you actually reinforce it
Don't fight the though, change the channel
Power of suggestion - the more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you
Temptation begins by capturing your attention - Satan can't get your attention when you are focused on something else

<strong>Reveal your struggle to a gold friend or support groupstrong>

If you fall, a friend can help you up - Eccelesiastes 4:9-10
Hiding your hurt intensifies it
Satan wants you to think that your temptation is unique - We all fight the same temptations - 1 Corinthians 10:13
The reason we hide our faults is pride - everything is under control

<strong>Resist the Devilstrong>

He will flee when you resist - James 4:7
Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil
Satan can not make you do anything, he can only suggest
Use the Word of God as your weapon against Satan - Jesus simply answered Satan with scriptures
Don't ever try to argue with Satan - he better at it

<strong>Realize your vulnerabilitiesstrong>

The heart is deceitful above all things- Jeremiah 17:9

Don't carelessly place yourself in tempting situations, avoid them - Proverbs 14:16

• When am I most tempted?
• Where am I most tempted?
• Who is with me went I am tempted?

1. We are slow learners - Israelites are a great example of this
2. We have a lot to unlearn (bad habits) - Taking off the old self and putting on the new self - Romans 13:12 

• We can not grow without a humble, teachable attitude

3. Growth is often painful and scary

• There is no growth without change
• There is no change without fear or loss
• There is no loss without pain
• Must let go of old ways in order to experience the new way

4. Habits take time to develop - Practice and devote yourself to growth - 1 Timothy 4:15
   

• Write down insights God teaches you
• Reason we must relearn lessons is forget them
• Keep a firm grip on what you have heard - so you don't drift - Hebrews 2:1
  

• Gift-envy - wanting a gift that someone else has
• Gift-projection - expect others to the same gifts as we do

• Enthusiasm - what you love to do; no one has to motivate
• Effectiveness - passion drives perfection

• Average person possesses from 500 to 700 different skills and abilities
• Brain can store 100 trillion facts
• Can handle 15,000 decisions a second