How Do You Read The Bible: Quiet Time

This week we talked about the importance of a devotional life.  We also talked about ‘quiet time’.  I tend to have a distaste for overused ‘Christian’ terms, especially when they are removed from their Biblical roots.  So, is ‘quite time’ even a Biblical concept?

Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I think these two verses give us an idea of what the lives of a disciple of Christ should look like; meditate on the Word day and night & pray without ceasing.  They are lofty goals and they far exceed a small block of ‘quiet time’.  So how does the concept of quiet time play into this?

Quiet time is really an opportunity to fellowship with God free from distractions.  Our lives are busy & full of distractions so any time we can set aside to focus on our relationship with God is highly beneficial.  Consider that our faith is founded on not a set of religious laws, but on a personal relationship with Christ.  Alone time is so important to build that relationship.

It’s like when you were dating your spouse.  You probably couldn’t wait to see them & learn more about them.  If suddenly they stopped returning your phone calls & texts, you never would have built the relationship…actually you probably wouldn’t be married to them at all.  Even now as married couples, how important is communication & time alone with each other?

Also, I think quiet time is a good way give the Holy Spirit room to work.  In John 14:26, Jesus talks about sending the Holy Spirit as our counselor to ‘teach us all things’.  Because we live in the world & have all these competing forces that are not of God pushing against us, it’s easy to drown out the teaching of the Spirit.  A good quiet time that includes prayer & Bible reading are tools for the Spirit to mold us in the image of Christ.  So, quiet time is also an appointment for the Spirit to work on us.

Lastly having a quiet time where the Spirit is speaking to you through prayer & through your Bible reading gives you something to think about throughout the day.  In group someone said that they often read a verse in the morning about patience & then they find they need that patience throughout the day.  A good quiet time sets the tone for your life to reflect  Joshua 1:8 & 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

If you would like to dig deeper into the why & how of quiet time, read this: https://bible.org/article/quiet-time-what-why-and-how

Prayer Requests: October 6th

Mike - Results from clinical trial on breast cancer drug for Lynette (mom's sister)
Shaun - Relief from shoulder and neck pain
Brandy - Energy with new baby
Women's Retreat

Praises:
Andy - Healing up after surgery
Shaun - Job going well and client book is up
Rainy - Regina coming to Retreat
Kellie - Approved to go to Retreat on time

Please pray for these requests during the week and let us know of any progress

How Do You Read The Bible?

Last week we talked about why you should read the Bible.  You may have read your Bible for years or it may be something you’ve never done.  No matter your experience, there are ways to get the most out of the time you’re investing in Bible reading.  So, what is the best way to get the most out of reading your Bible?

Meditate On It

Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success

Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

·         Can you/do you have a specific devotional time?

         o   A consistent time, place, & plan
         o   You need to have the Word to meditate on
·         You can do lots of things         
         o   Read; there are Bibles for every level

         o   Hear, watch
         o   Memorize - ‘It is writtens’
         o   ** Googling what’s on my mind & what does the Bible say about it **

Rightly Handle It

2 Timothy 2:15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth

·         Use a method
         o   Pray, Observe, Interpret, Apply
              §  Lean on the counselor (the Holy Spirit)
              §  “What does the text say?”, “What does the text mean?”, “What should I do about this text?”
·         Understand the context
         o   Matthew 18:20
              For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them
             §  So God isn’t there when you pray or the Holy Spirit isn’t God?
             §  This is about church discipline
         o   Read the passage, not the verse
         o   ** Causes weak minds to be confused...example of cults **
·         Dig deeper
         o   Get a study bible
         o   Lean on Google, tag Bible
         o   Great commentary resources on biblehub.org

Dividing Soul & Spirit
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart
·         Letting your Bible read you
         o   How is the Holy Spirit convicting you?
            §  Bible reading gives ‘room’ for the HS to work
         o   ** Example of retreat, Nehemiah 4 speech **
·         Overcoming your heart
         o   Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
         o   'God is God; I am not God
         o   Your heart will continue to lead you into poor decisions
            §  How can Bible reading overcome that?

C.H. Spurgeon :: Morning and Evening

"Search the Scriptures." — John 5:39

The Greek word here rendered search signifies a strict, close, diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold, or hunters when they are in earnest after game. We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching-much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men. The rabbis wisely say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word, yea, upon every title of Scripture. Tertullian exclaims, "I adore the fulness of the Scriptures." No man who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and mine until we obtain the hid treasure. The door of the word only opens to the key of diligence. The Scriptures claim searching. They are the writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimatur- who shall dare to treat them with levity? He who despises them despises the God who wrote them. God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles to become swift witnesses against us in the great day of account. The word of God will repay searching. God does not bid us sift a mountain of chaff with here and there a grain of wheat in it, but the Bible is winnowed corn-we have but to open the granary door and find it. Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of surprises. Under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to the searching eye it glows with splendour of revelation, like a vast temple paved with wrought gold, and roofed with rubies, emeralds, and all manner of gems. No merchandise like the merchandise of Scripture truth. Lastly, the Scriptures reveal Jesus: "They are they which testify of Me." No more powerful motive can be urged upon Bible readers than this: he who finds Jesus finds life, heaven, all things. Happy he who, searching his Bible, discovers his Saviour.

Why Know The Bible: Renew Your Mind

I read an article this week that talked about the health benefits of walking.  We tend to sit too much & walk too little.  Even if we hit the gym sporadically, it can't counteract the negative effects of sitting like walking everyday can.  Just like our physical health, our mind needs the Word daily to counteract the negative effects of this world.

Romans 12:2 NIV

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

One of the best reasons to know the Bible is explained in Romans 12:2 where Paul calls us to 'be transformed by the renewing of our mind' to know God's will. He doesn't say we need to attend church more or do more religious things, but instead focuses on the space between our ears.  I think this verse gives us direction to one of the most important ways we can become more righteous, which is emulating God's morality.

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10 & Psalm 14:3 that no one is righteous.  So righteousness is something every one of us has to learn.  Psalm 145:17 also tells us that God is completely righteous. 2 Timothy 3:17 says scripture can train us in righteousness. Because the Bible is the inspired word of God, it's the most direct way to understand and learn righteousness.

But how else to we learn morality?  Throughout our life we continue to learn morals. Our community, our friends, our family, things we watch & read all shape us morally. I think this shaping happens slowly and is a stronger force than we realize.  And considering even the best of us only spends a few minutes a day in the Bible, outside influences have more time to work on us.

And as we become more righteous, we learn more about God's will. Staying in his will is incredibly beneficial for our lives. Psalm 91 goes into this in great detail.  Who wouldn't want these incredible promises!

Prayer Requests: September 29th

Avery Stanford - Healing from pneumonia
Andy Stavros - Healing and pain management from back surgery
(Liz & Mike) Lynette - Healing, deliverance and peace during a battle with breast cancer and peace for Mike's mother during genetic testing.
Matt - Smooth transition, peace and calm during the process of changing jobs
Shaun - Widsom and discernment, the covering of the conflict & increased sales
Rainy's sister Regina - Open heart to accept invite to women's retreat, prayers for her salvation
Kristen's friend - Open heart to accept invite to women's retreat
Brandy - Smooth and peaceful baby transition
Kellie - Approval from work to attend women's retreat

Please pray for these requests during the week and let us know of any progress