CONFESSIONS FROM A QUIET TIME LOSER

What is a quiet time loser?  A loser is defined as “a person who fails frequently or is generally unsuccessful.”  I have struggled in the past with having some kind of a quiet time.  It has been hard for me to set aside a regular time when I could be alone with God.  The more I struggled the guiltier I felt.  They guiltier I felt the more pressure I put on myself.  The more pressure I put on myself the sooner I failed.   

I really wanted to be like David to focus my heart and soul on the Lord day and night.  To be able to ...delight in the LORD’s perfections and meditate on Him Ps. 27.4.  But I had no idea how to do that. 

I had been told all “godly Christians” have a “daily” quiet time.  So when I tried and then failed I felt discouraged and defeated.  Please understand I wanted to spend time with God.  But nothing I tried seemed to work.  I tried all kinds of tricks and all kinds of programs.  I tried booklets that had questions to answer.  I tried reading through the Bible in a year.  Everything program I tried eventually ended up in defeat and I felt like a quiet time loser. 

At one point I was convinced that all I needed to do was read 20 chapters a day. It went really well for the 1^st week and then fairly well for the 2^nd week but the third week was very, very difficult.  Finally I realized I could not sustain it and I gave up in utter defeat. 

Finally someone encouraged me to read LESS rather than more.  They suggested that I read through a book of the Bible but to only read a small portion.  I was encouraged to read with the goal of hearing from God NOT with the goal of getting through the chapter or the book.  I also learned to take whatever I had learned or heard from God and turn it into a prayer asking God to make that truth a reality in my life. 

I set my sites on having a quiet time with God 4-5 days a week.  I kept a record of the days I read to hold me accountable to me.  Over time this became something that I enjoyed and really looked forward to.  Not because I “had to” but because I was wanted to. 

If you can identify with this struggle - let me encourage you.  You are not a loser. That is the voice of the enemy. Do NOT Give up keep on seeking after the Lord.  

I also want to encourage you to consider trying one of our Quiet Time Journals.  You can see the descriptions of them on our Facebook page: Walking Together With Jesus.  If you have any questions please send me a private Facebook message and I will be happy to reply. 

Foundations of LAW and ORDER have Collapsed

Sin and disease are ugly.  To see a friend or family member struggling with cancer or some incurable disease is to see just a bit of what the fall into sin has done to our world.  We live in a fallen world and we see that fall vividly portrayed in the hatred and animosity that seems to have become much more common all around us. As a result evil, sickness and hardship impact all of us in some way. There are times when I wonder if there is any hope?   David asked that question many times in the Psalms so we know that it is not a new question? Let’s look at these verses together.

Psalm 11:2-3 (NLT) The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. [3]  The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?”

We don’t know what prompted David’s words in this Psalm.  But we know that many times in his life he faced difficulties and hardships.  There were times when he must have thought those who were evil were taking direct aim at those who were seeking to live for the Lord.  When he was hiding from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, he must have wondered if it would ever end?  In this Psalm he goes on to say that the very foundation on which law and order were based had collapsed.  Watching the news, hearing about the decisions made by our courts, and laws passed by our government left me wondering exactly the same thing that David expressed at the end of vs. 3.   “What can the righteous do?”  I know we can continue to pray for revival - we can continue to share the gospel - we can continue to shine brightly into the darkness.  But is that all?   NO, there is always HOPE with God....

Psalm 11:4, 7 (NLT) But the LORD is in His holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.   ...[7] For the righteous LORD loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.

I Love this reminder that the LORD is in His HOLY temple -AND- that the LORD STILL RULES.  Whatever difficulties David was facing, no matter how bleak things seemed he knew God was still Sovereign.  He accepted the fact that God was still in Control, He was still Ruler over all.  David also reminds us that God sees everything that happens good or evil.  God examines both the godly and the wicked.  The fact that God is Righteous and LOVES Justice is a great reminder.  Things may have gotten seriously twisted in this world and it may appear that evil is winning on every front - but God STILL REIGNS.  Someday all things will come to an end.  Until then on a daily basis I need to remember God still Rules - He still Loves Justice - and some day we will see Him.

PRAYER:  Lord God, please keep me from losing heart. Help me to live each moment of the day remembering that You STILL REIGN.  Please, Lord, help me to honor You by surrendering my own heart to Your control moment by moment, day by day.  

TERRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY

Because I was seeing new cracks in the bricks and drywall I had someone come and look at the foundation of our house.  He pulled out his laser level and did his measurements.  Then he let us know the house was slowly sinking especially at one end.  He gave us an estimate on what it would cost to fix the foundation.  Suddenly it was a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day”.  I had been praying about this problem for over a year asking God for wisdom to know what to do.  I knew there was a problem and that at some point we might have to do something.  But I guess I was hoping that maybe we would not need to.  After work I came home in a subdued frame of mind.  Just before bed I realized I did not have my phone.  I looked all over the house and then drove back to the church to look in my office, and it was nowhere to be found.  My “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” got worse.  My calendar, address book, and many other things are now on my phone and it is the only number where people can reach me away from the office. That night as I went to sleep and every time I woke up I asked God to help me find my phone - and help me to decide what to do about the foundation of our house.  The next day as I was reading my Bible these were the verses I read. 

1 Peter 5:5-7 (NET) ... all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. [6]  And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under His mighty hand [7]  by casting all your cares on Him because He cares for you.  

God makes a couple of things VERY clear.  He hates and OPPOSES those that are proud or arrogant.  However, He gives grace to those who are humble.  Peter says humble yourself... by casting all your cares on Him.  When we choose to lay all our worries and fears on God what we are saying is I cannot handle this - I trust YOU, my God, to care for me.  We are accepting the fact that ONLY God can handle ALL our worries, doubts, fears, stress points, or triggers.  Humility admits that God is big enough to handle anything and everything that we are facing. Rather than focusing on our fear or our stress, by prayer we turn them all over to God.  We know He cares and we know He has the power to act.

 PRAYER:  Lord God, keep me close to You.  Help me resist Satan’s attacks of worry, doubt, and fear.  Please help me to come humbly into your presence with those things that weigh me down.  Help me to Trust You to do ALL that You have promised to do.  Help me to change my focus from my fears and doubts to Your Promise to strengthen and help and care for me. Thank You Lord. 

(PS- I did find the phone the next day in another part of the church and a structural engineer gave us the all clear on our home. PTL)

The Treadmill or Recliner ~ Let GO and Let GOD

Let Go and Let God.  The first time I heard that phrase I thought there it is that is the answer that is exactly what I have been looking for.  I don't need to strive and work and try harder and harder to DO things to please God.  So I let go I kicked back and did NOTHING.  After all that is what LET GO means right?  I had been living on the treadmill striving and struggling to somehow get my walk with God right - NOW I was sitting in my recliner no problem Let God.  The problem was that I was NOT doing anything.  We can NEVER live the Christian Life in our own strength or by our own efforts.  We will FAIL.  But if we think sitting back and doing NOTHING will help us grow we are DEAD wrong.  Let's look at these verses together.

Colossians 2.6-8 (NET) Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives IN Him, rooted and built up IN Him and firm IN your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

We are saved by Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death for us.  That means we put ALL our faith and trust in the Forgiveness He offers us.  We cannot do ANYTHING to save ourselves it is ALL about God’s grace.  But once we are saved the process of walking with the Lord Jesus on a daily basis does take thought and effort on our part.  It is still by FAITH just as you received your salvation CONTINUE to live or walk IN Him.  HOW?  Our roots go down into Him as we take time to be in His Word. (Blessed is the man who DELIGHTS in God's Word Ps. 1.1-3).  If our roots are IN Him and we trust Him for the strength and grace to keep going.  We will be building on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word.   spend with Him helps us to build on that  foundation and we continue to process of growing in our relationship one brick at a time. Like any relationship it cannot happen without conscious effort.   If we are rooted and built up in Him the result is a FIRM established Faith.  Anytime I struggle and doubt I can trace it back to a failure to DELIGHT in God’s Word. 

Growing in our faith will include an OVERFLOWING thankfulness.  Have you ever felt like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh?("good morning if it is which I doubt")  If find that in my own life if I stop and think BEFORE I complain I can always come up with something to be thankful for.  At the very least - I can be thankful that I do not have to run on the treadmill forever to earn my salvation or even to keep my walk with God fresh and growing.   

Let Go - yes let go of trying to EARN my salvation I cannot do that.  Let God - well yes I NEED God's grace to save me but I also NEED God's grace to sustain me.  But that will take continuing effort to DELIGHT in His Word and it will take continuing to BUILD my relationship with Jesus Christ a day at a time brick by brick on the firm foundation which is Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to find that balance between TRUSTING  You and the Effort which I need to put in.  Help me to remember that my Relationship with You will take time and effort.  May I learn to Delight in Your Word and in spending time with You.  Thank You Lord God for Your Saving Grace and thank You for Your daily Sustaining Grace.

WEALTH - DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

Whenever I sit down to pay the bills - there is always a sense of hope that maybe there will be a little more left over this time.  Paying bills is one of my least favorite things to do.  But it is also a constant reminder that I need to be careful HOW I spend the resources we have.  It is so easy in our culture to simply throw it on the credit card and if we can't pay it off when that bill is due we merely let it ride.  Part of the problem is that we do not want to say NO to ourselves.  We would rather say yes and then deal with the economic consequences later.  That is why these verses are such a challenge.  Because even as I struggle to pay bills I understand that I have so much more than most believers in the world.

1 Timothy 6.17-19 (NLT)  Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. [18] Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. [19] By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

Wealth, riches there is very real DANGER in having more than you need.  It is so easy to slip into thinking you are the reason that financially you are doing well.  Paul addresses that by warning the rich NOT to become arrogant and TRUST their money - INSTEAD they must trust God.  After all it is God who gives us ALL we NEED for our enjoyment.  The implication in that is that if I do not have enough money to get the latest gadget or toy or laborsaving device then I don't need it.  I am supposed to remember that God has given me what HE knows I need for enjoyment.  That may require me thinking through more carefully the things that I enjoy.

Paul goes on to say that they should USE or INVEST what God has given to them. They are supposed to be doing good with the resources that God has entrusted to them.  They should be generous and ready and WILLING to share with others. 

The Last reminder is for us to see that this world is temporary and that ALL that we have here cannot compare to the wonder of heaven.  It is a reminder that this life is NOT all that there is.  

 

I Love these quotes - great reminders of the DANGER in pursuing wealth.

"Be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share. No matter how much money you have, your life should demonstrate that God controls the wealth that He has placed under your care." NLT Notes

“Though riches come, and riches go, don't set your heart upon them.  The fields of hope in which I sow  are harvested in heaven.” A Keys

PRAYER: Lord God help me to see clearly ALL the different ways that You have blessed me so that I can fully enjoy them.  Help me to think more about how to be generous and share with others than about how I can accumulate more stuff. Help me Lord to see that this life is an investment NOT for here but for Eternity.

 

IT IS WHAT IT IS???

So the news was NOT what I wanted to hear.  I wanted the Doctor to say you can stop wearing the boot and resume normal activities.  Instead I heard think LONG TERM - months not weeks.  And I had such good plans - none of which included being forced to wear a brace or boot long term.  What do we do when we get bad news?  How do we handle serious disappointment?  Yes I KNOW God uses hard things - hard times - to strengthen us, shape us, and form us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.  But.......  I have said for years the phrase "it is what it is" as a statement that some things you just cannot change. But too many times - for me - that has become a statement of fatalism... oh well I cannot do anything about it so I have to accept it.  Those were some of my thoughts before I read these verses.

1 Thessalonians 2.16-17 (NLT)  Now may OUR Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God OUR Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, COMFORT you and STRENGTHEN you in every good thing you DO and SAY.

After I read these verses today - I had to stop and confess. I have been complaining and by my complaints (subtle as they may have been - being expressed mostly in my thoughts) I have been questioning God’s plan for me.  But these verses remind me that MY God gives Grace and Eternal Comfort, and WONDERFUL HOPE.  Not because the circumstances have changed or gotten better from MY perspective.  But because He gives Comfort and Strength each and everyday. He gives the ability to DO and SAY good things no matter what the circumstances may be.  The question is will I look for those GOOD things that He wants me to do?  Will I seek out ways to SAY those GOOD words that need to be said?  Because the comfort and strength He promised seem to be connected to a willingness to DO and SAY the good things to which He calls us. 

So instead of saying "it is what it is" maybe I need to start saying "God KNOWS what He is doing."  I certainly believe that on a biblical and theological level.  But I need to believe it on the everyday - I have to wear this brace for an extended period of time - level. 

PRAYER: Lord, God thank you for Your comfort and strength especially during hard and challenging times.  Lord all that I am going through comes from Your hand for a good purpose.  Please help me to keep in mind ALWAYS that no matter what is happening I can still DO and SAY good God Honoring things.  May I hang onto the TRUTH that YOU KNOW what You are doing.