Quiet Times Search

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

1. Is marriage approved?
2. Is there one God or more than one God?
3. Should our good works be seen or unseen?
4. Was Christ's mission peace or not?
5. Was Christ's testimony of himself is true?
6. Was Keturah Abrahams' wife or concubine?
7. Where did Cain get his wife?

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

1. Did God put all rulers in power?
2. Is God present everywhere, sees all things, and knows all things?
3. Should we observe the Sabbath?
4. Should we practice physical resistance?
5. Should work be done on the Sabbath?
6. Was Jesus the only one to ascend into heaven?
7. Was John the Baptist Elijah?
8. Was there one or two men seeking Jesus?
9. What is God's anger like?

Sacrifice - we think of pain, suffering, loss, and the uncomfortable concept of denying self
We hear: "Do what feels good"

Sacrifice is a voluntary presentation of ourselves to God to be used for his purposes
Jesus sacrificed his comfortable position with God to serve, heal, love, preach the good news

 We can respond in serveral ways to the sacrifice of Jesus:

• Pretend it never happened
• Can decide to hide from the challenge
• Immerse ourselves in other thoughts
• Stand back with our arms folded
• Understand the facts but no personal acceptance or responsibility

Christ love needs to compel us - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Hiding is dishonest. Spectating is hypocritical. Committing is powerful.

What happens when you offer your body as a living sacrifice?

• It produces many seeds - John 12:24-25
• Life truly becomes life
• Our joy is multiplied
• It effects us and other for enternity

What types of sacrifices is God asking of you right now?
Is there is anyone, anything, any place, or any position you are holding on to?

• 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

• 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

Joy set before him endured the cross - Hebrews 12:2-3
Jesus was a joyful person; even at the cross - at the cross it seemed that everything was going wrong

Yet joy joy was still in the heart of Jesus:

• He knew God was in control
• He didn't agrue with God
• He didn't need explaination
• He didn't need to justify himself
• He entrusted himself to the one who judges - 1 Peter 2:23

When we try to take over God's role - there is no joy
Jesus prayed for his disciples to have the full measure of his joy - John 17:13

Even the violent scene of the cross brought about joy and hope
What will you allow to steal your joy?

• Made himself nothing
• Took the very nature of a servant
• Was made in human likeness
• In the appearance of a man
• Obedient to death

• Consumed with finiding fault with God
• Reject God rather than questioning ourselves
• Thinks he could do a better ob

1. Start with a fresh look at the cross
2. Remind yourself of the humility shown by Christ
3. Want reconciliation more than anything
4. Confess your sin first

• Nothing he cannot do
• No victory he cannot win
• No tragedy he cannot overcome
• No mountain he cannot move

• How did you do that?
• Give us the recipe
• Whisper the secret

Three verse opened a whole new way of understanding Jesus:

• Jesus praying: Abba, Father, everything is possible for you - Mark 14:36
• We can cry Abba, Father  - Romans 8:15
• Because you are sons we can cry Father - Galatians 4:6

Prior to Jesus it was never used as a reference to God; even scandalous if used
Simular to "da-da" in English
Before Jesus, there was no one who could tell us what he could about God

• Decisions - Nehemiah 2:5
• Plans  -Nehemiah 4:9-16
  
• Actions - Nehemiah 2:18

Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:13, and Luke 4:42 - shows us that Jesus often went to solitary places to pray

Solitude is essential in developing a deep relation ship with God
Be still and know I that I am from God - Psalms 46:10
Do you have a special place where you meet with God?

Psalms 5, 38, and 42 are examples of how open and expressive David was with God
He shared everything from joy and delight to anguish and dispair
How open are you with God?
God wants our hearts
As a result, we are much more open and real with others

We get fired up by sermons, fellowship, and music - Jesus went to be alone
There is nothing in your life that God cannot change

Prayer times make special memories
Israelites setup stones to remind them of what God had done - Joshua 4:7

Ideas for times with God:

• Write a love letter
• Sing a song you composed
• Write on a ballon, let it go
• Hang a poster and write the things God has done

• Even when there was a large crows of disciples - Luke 6:17
• Even when the is a entire town gathered - John 4:2

• For the strength to live this way
• For the trust needed to believe
• For the supplies necessary to meet every need
• For the godliness to live as the Bible directs

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

• Satan would be destroying himself
• Or He was telling the truth

There is no greater privilege and responsibility than to pray for our spouse and children
It boggles the imagination to see how the quality of our family life can be affected by exercise this privilege

Powerful spiritual forces of evil try to undermine God's foundational institutions like the family

Bible clearly teaches that our struggle come from the spiritual forces outside conscious perception - Ephesians 6:12
Praying sometimes make things worst (at the beginning) because Satan is on the attack

Each of us need to realize that how we pray for our spouse is limited only by our creativity
If you want the kind of relationship that God intended you to have with your wife, prayer will be a major factor in seeing that desire realized

When we have been faithful in praying for my children, we have a great sense of peace about their lives
Christian dads have a tremendous privilege and a straggering responsibilty to pray their children

It is important to understand certain principles apply to receiving our daily bread
If we meet God's conditions, we can have confidence that He will provide

1. Need  to have a proper relationship with God - Become a Christian
2. Fellowship with Christ - authentic spiritual communion with Christ
3. Obedience and faithfulness to God's commands

Haggai 1 - we need to consider our ways

• Planted much, but harvested little
• Eat, but never have enough
• Drink, but still thirsty
• Put clothes on, but never warn
• Earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it

Because of there repentance, they were rewarded:

• I am with you - Haggai 1:13
• I will bless you - Haggai 2:19
• I will provide for you - Haggai 2:15-19

• Search me
• Know my heart
• Test me
• Know my anxious thoughts
• See if there is any offensive way
• Lead me to the way of everlasting

• God can discern our errors
• Forgive our faults

Two enemies we needed to be protected from - Flesh and Satan

Flesh - lead us not into temptation - there is an internal struggle

I know that nothing good dwell in me - Romans 7:18
Our tenency to be self-centered (our old nature)

Almost every internal struggle we face in our spiritual lives is a product of this fallen dimension of our being

Activities of the flesh -  Galatians 5:19-21

• change your life for the better
• put you in a state of relaxed serenity
• help you overcome the nagging undercurrent of guilt
• give you new insight
• let you meet life's challenges with confidence and courage

Nothing we experience in the physical world will ever give us the the joy of our experience in the presence if God

David - "In your presence is the fulness of joy" - Psalms 16:11

Fullness of joy is what all men long for
There is one preeminent way to be with God - prayer

Some men have been created with personalities that are very logical and others are oriented to feeling and intuition
These inherent distinctions will shape our relationship with God

As our prayer lives develop, we each need to discover what dimensions of prayer are most effective for us
Lord's prayer provides a framework

• Lacked confidence - 2 Timothy 1:8
  
• Could lose motivation - 2 Timothy 1:6-7
• Got ill frequently - 1 Timothy 5:23
• Tended to be lazy - 1 Timothy 4:13-15
• Need someone to believe in him

Some kids act as if we do not exist:

• Tell them to do something - no action
• Repeat action - same results
• Verbal agreement - nothing happens

This is also disobedience

There should be no repetition of commands and expect action
If this is not your expectation and pattern, your kids will learn to be lazy and slow to obey

If you allow this to go unchecked, it will ultimately destroy a child's character and wear you out as well

Be consistent - put up a fence and leave it there

Parents must always be unified - never argue in fron of the kids - otherwise they will play you against each other

Make a definite plan - have a family meeting and talk about your expectations

Walk on the narrow/middle road of parenting - not child abuse; not a lack of discipline either

• Are they giving their all?
• Are they working hard?

• Don't let your kids do all the work for other
• Don't do all the work for them
• Give allowances apportioned to age, responsibilities, and faithfulness in carrying them out

• What happens when there is someone else better lookig?
• What if their suffer a disfiguring injury?
• What happens when they get older?

• Give God credit for every gift God has given your child including appearance
• Teach them continually about this - gives them a humble appreciation
  
• Teach them the value of what is inside

• God is honored
• God's presence is sought and experienced in daily life
• Prayer is an ongoing reality
• The Bible faithfully read and obeyed
• There is love for God's church and is fully involved in its fellowship and ministry
• There is times of worship, praise, and study
• The children have their own times of personal Bible study
• The parents spend regular times with each child to disciple them to Christ
• A group that is dedicated to helping other become disciples of Jesus

• Genuine in our love for God
• Consistent in our walk with him
• Wholehearted in our dedication

1. Prayer
2. Discipling times
3. Family devotionals
4. Devotion to Church
   
5. Evangelistic lifestyle
6. Children's Quiet Times

Family worship is an abolute must if we are to build a spiritual household
It is a time for the entire family gathers to sing, pray, study the Bible, draw near to one another and worship God

Two or three come together in my name, there am I with them - Matthew 18:19-20

Shouldn't be anything but a boring or irrelevant hour
Should be dynamic, fun, down-to-earth, and creative

Plan devotionals with your spouse - select relevant to the current needs
Time to confront sometimes but mainly to teach, train, and inspire

Last about 45 mins
10-20 of singing - various selections
The lesson with plenty of discussion
Acting out the Bible and role-playing
Close out with prayer

• Have people into your home
• Draw people into your family life
• When they see what there is - teach them where it comes from

• Cain and Abel - murder by his own brother
• Jacob and his twin brother Esau - folly from their parents' favoritism
• Jacob's sons turning against their younger brother Joseph
• Family of David - torn apart by lust, rape, incest, murder

1. Respect
2. Openness
3. Fabric
4. Atmosphere

Refers to the building a structure and rhythm into our famiy schedule
Times when the whole group gets together

Mealtimes
Everyone is there for dinner - someone is missing, there is a very good reason
Talk about significant things that happened during the day
It is the simple things that build fabric

Stop letting people read the paper, watch TV or do homework during dinner
Disallow running off to different rooms
Stop making appointment that take you away
Allow no phone calls
Make dinnertime an event - work hard to keep it special

Create family traditions - do things that uniquel to our family
Make birthdays a big deal - does not have to be expensive

Jesus was always able to look beyond people's outward behavior to the need within

How does a person who is harassed and helpless behave?

• Some irritation
• Little mistrusting

He saw beyond the paralytic's phyiscal condition to his need for forgiveness - Mark 2:5
He saw the invaild's need for hope at the poolside - John 5:6

When we see a crowd who is harassed and helpless we see - problems, problems, problems
When Jesus sees a crowd who is harassed and helpless he sees - harvest, harvest, harvest

Wiser to evangelize the "suburbs" because there are less "problem" people - NNNNOOOO!!!!
Jesus was not swayed by this thinking

Jesus saw the potential in people, not the problems - why see inspired such change

People need a shephard and Jesus responded and raised up other shephards - Matthew 9:38-10:4
Compassion is passion that leads to action

Are you meeting needs or do you alwaysfind yourself reacting to the way people treat you?
Make a list of needs you see where you are - make a plan to meet those needs

We want to be know but we keep a safe distance
Jesus has X-ray vision to our hear and see right our heart

John 4:39 - Samaritan women:

• She was minding her own business
• Ran into Jesus and was never the same
• Will you give me a drink he asked - the fact that he (a Jew) spoke to her told her (a Samaritan) that there was some very different about Jesus
• Whoever drinks from living water will never thirst again - John 4:13-14
• He confronted her sin and help her see the emptiness of her life
• He wanteed her to see who she was without God
• Due to her discomfort, the woman tried to change to subject
• Jesus skillfully drove out her fears with his love -  brought her back to the conversation of life
• She shared with others

We too can be afraid of seeing who we really are
When we opened up and were forgiven,  we couldn't wait to tell other either

To set people free, we must be like Jesus:

• Relate to them in deep ways
• Not studying the Bible superficially - not helping them see who they are without God
• Ask the difficult questions
• Expose sin so they will see their deepest need for Jesus

Jesus' love and acceptance allowed the woman/us to be real and to change

Some people's needs could be quickly dealt with: "Heal my blindness" or "Let me just touch your garment"

But not Nicodemus, Jesus knew it would be a long night - John 3:1-3

Nicodemus, was a man looking for something:

• Groun up learning about God
• Surrounded by a system caught up in traditions
• Knew the Bible stories
• Very active in the Jewish faith
• Jesus capured his attention by his teachings and his works
• Felt that there was something missing

Could this be right? Could Jesus be the Messiah?

Jesus was straight to the point: I tell you the truth, you must be born again - John 3:3
He needed a wake up call - Same lesson we need today - we need a new birth
He was part a system of legalism  (following rules with seeking the heart of God)
People trying to earn what God desired to just give them

Nicodemus knew he could get time with Jesus and he did
He receieved the answer and Jesus taught him the depth of God's love

Who was intrumental in answering your questions and healping you see the truth?
What sacrifices do you see that they made for you?
Are you doing the same for others?

Jesus overcame temptation by using scripture, prayer, and he called others for encouragement from others

He deliberately sought out support and encouragement from his 3 closest friends
He also expressed his disappointment at their failure to help

We desperately need relationships for encouragement EVERY day - Hebrews 3:12-13
Tempatation comes every day

There is no excuse in an age of modern technology for getting in touch

• the accuser
• the adversary
• the enemy
• an evil spirit
• the father of lies
• a murderer
• the power of darkness
• the prince of this world
• the ruler of darkness
• the spirit that in the children of disobedience
• the temper
• the god of this work
• the wicked one

• Abraham's desert wanderings
• Moses' shameful flight to Midian
• Jacob's marital woes
• Hannah's years of barrenness
  
• Ruth's widowness and loneliness
• David's years as a fugitive

• Whomever asks
• Whenever we are asked
• Freely and from the heart
• Expect nothing in return
• Anonymously

• What if someone takes advantage of me?
• Will there be anything left for me?
• What if I do not get anything in return?
• What possible difference can I make?

1. There is but one mediator between God and man - 1 Timothy 2:5
2. God sent Christ to reconcile sinful man back to Him - 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
3. This God did this by offering Christ as the sacrifice  for our sins - 1 John 4:9-10
4. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins - Ephesians 1:7
5. Jesus is the only way to God - John 14:6

Not like any other prophet, priest, or preacher

There were others that were close to him (Stalin…)

• Not only one to be called to preach - ...“so I can preach there also. That is why I have come” - Mark 1:38
• “Only in his hometown…is a prophet without honor” - Mark 6:1-5