Quiet Time with God - Day 2

Just a reminder -- the Four Step Plan for having a meaningful quiet time
A. Start with the proper attitudes
B. Select a specific time
C. Choose a special place
D. Follow a simple plan

Today's Reading -- Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

It is easy to fall into the trap of quick, requesting prayers. We want to pray but don't feel like we have much time or praying may tend to put us to sleep when we pray at bedtime, so we give God a quick thanks and jump right to our list of requests. Our daily prayer time may last anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes, not counting mealtime thanks. But we prayed!

Rick Warren suggests we pray with the attitudes of expectancy, reverence, alertness, and the willingness to obey. God wants us to bring our requests to him, and he expects us to realize the magnitude of his greatness when we do so. Allow yourself to be overwhelmed by God's glory as you begin your quiet time.

Look at David's writing. How many verses relate to God's majesty? Find the requests he made of God. Remembering who God is and all that he has done changes my perspective about the things I planned to request!

Quiet Time With God - Day 1

In case you missed class yesterday, Steve broke away from our Ancient Words series to deliver a much needed reminder of our need for quiet time with the Lord. This week we'll focus on some of the references he gave. Have you had your quiet time yet today?

Today's reading -- Psalm 25

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.

18 Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.

19 See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!

20 Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles! (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

We have more information in the Bible about King David and his relationship with the Lord than any other person in the Bible. Throughout the Psalms he lifts his worries, praises, and frustrations to God, providing a role model for our quiet time.

David reminds us of God's tangible love as he praises him for teaching us, keeping his promises, and forgiving our past sin. Verses four and five are a request that God would show us his ways. How will we be able to learn these things if we don't spend one-on-one time with Him?

It is going to be really easy to be distracted from our plans for quiet time. I hope to get up a little earlier each day to make time. Today I didn't set the alarm earlier because Doug was staying home and I wanted to be able to let him sleep in. I even woke up at the earlier time and I chose to roll back over and sleep just a little longer. Strike one! I've found a way to reschedule and I don't want to let life interfere. Hmm...that sounded a little hesitant...ok, I won't let life interfere!

2 Samuel - Day 5

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 15, 18, 22-24

Today's Devotion

2 Sam 15:30
30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. 31 Now David had been told, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David prayed, "O LORD, turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

It is hard to read this passage and not think of Jesus as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. As David had been betrayed by his son, Jesus was betrayed by one of his twelve disciples. The impact of the betrayals and the expectation of future events caused both to be distraught.

The Mount of Olives is the location of many significant Biblical events. It is believed that this is where an olive branch was retrieved by Noah's dove as the flood receded. This was the watchtower for Jerusalem, and signal fires were built here to signify the beginning of each month. Apparently one of the first sanctuary towns, Nob, was built on its slopes to protect Israelites who had accidentally killed their peers. Some also believe that this is the location from which the descent of heavenly Jerusalem is observed in Revelations (Harper's Bible Dictionary).

David was defined by God as 'a man after God's own heart'. I wonder if God was remembering the time he watched David climb the Mount as Jesus made his final ascent as a man...or was he thinking ahead to the tears of Jesus as he watched David climb? Either way I imagine it broke his heart.

2 Samuel - Day 4

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 5-8, 11-12

Today's devotion
2 Samuel 7:18-26

18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said:
"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD ?
20 "What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 "How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.

25 "And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will be established before you. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Did you ever have great plans to do something for God? David wanted to build him a fabulous temple. He had the money, the manpower, and the ability to give God a magnificent home. Even the prophet Nathan thought it would be a great idea. Why would God deny his offering?

Even if our plans are for God's glory, if they don't fit into God's plans they are futile. There have been times in my life when it just didn't make sense that God would deny something that seemed so right. But I'm learning (I haven't gotten it down yet) that he has a long term view. He knows our hearts and how they may develop pride over our accomplishment or he knows that at some point other factors will mess up our plans.

I don't know that I have ever responded to a 'No' from God the way David did, though. Instead of pouting and arguing with him, David praised him for all he'd been given. In his heart, David knew God had the right answer. I pray that we are able to praise God in all things -- especially when he tells us 'No'.

1 and 2 Samuel - Day 3

Today we finish up 1 Samuel and move on to 2 Samuel. Read 1 Sam 24,26,31 and 2 Sam 1-2

Today's Devotion:

Read 1 Sam 24:8-13

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed.' 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Although there is some controversy over the numbers, Saul was probably 30 years old when he became king and he reigned for forty two years (according to NIV). Because of Saul's failure, David was anointed as the next king most likely within the first year or two of his reign. While David was still a young man, Saul became jealous of his abilities and popularity and began to hunt him down.

It is probably reasonable to presume that Saul hunted David for twenty or more years! All this time David knew that he was chosen to be the next king. Despite the constant fear for his life, David still didn't grab the crown when he had the chance -- two times in our reading today. Unlike Sarah, who decided to help the Lord's prophecy along by offering her maidservant as a surrogate mother, David trusted God enough to believe that the prophecies would come true in God's time.

Have you ever expected to hear about a new job or promotion 'any day now'? Or have you waited for test results, hoping each day that you would hear good news? We struggle to be patient for a week, much less for twenty years! We often want to take matters into our own hands to hurry things along. I long for the confidence that David had -- knowing that God would fulfill his promises at exactly the right time.

1 Samuel Day 2

Today we will read 1 Samuel 13-17 and 20. You can read it here.

There are a couple of parts of this text that together make up our devotion for today:

1 Sam 13:1-3
1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, "Let the Hebrews hear!"


and 1 Sam 16:8-12

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."

12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

I'm reading a new book called Do Hard Things, written by 18-year old twins Alex and Brett Harris. Their theory is that our teens are viewed as slackers who are only interested in drugs, alcohol, and sex because that's what society expects of them. And the 'good' kids, those who don't do those things, are held up as role models even when they aren't stretching themselves to accomplish big things.

There are no 'teenagers' in the Bible. However, if you look at the text, Jonathan couldn't have been much more than 15 years old (his dad was only 30), and he successfully led 1000 men into battle! If you read on, you'll see how the bravery (or maybe naivete) of his youth led him to kill the Philistines at their outpost!

And we've all heard of David -- so young that he was out tending the sheep and was initially left out when his father and Samuel examined the family to determine the new king. A short time later, his brothers were sent into the battle against the Philistines and David was too young to go. Since Jonathan led an army at age 15, I wonder how old David really was! Perhaps he was around 10 years old when he had the courage to act on God's will and kill Goliath.

What did you accomplish when you were a teenager -- I imagine most of us had a good time and just puttered around until we had to be adults after graduation (or even after college). What do you expect of your teens? How do our expectations impact the abilities teens have to do great things?

1 Samuel, Day One

I am starting up the daily devotions again -- sorry for the long 'sabbatical'! If you no longer want to receive them, please send a return note and I'll take you off the list.

Today's Reading:
We have several chapters to read this week in 1 and 2 Samuel. I've divided them into five parts (about 5 chapters per day)-- don't worry, the chapters aren't too long. Today we will look at 1 Samuel 1, 3, 8-9. If you want, you can read them on-line here.

Today's Devotion:

1 Samuel 3:6-10

6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Samuel did not know the Lord when he was called and he hadn't been taught his word yet. Yet God knew the plans he had for Samuel and he called him despite the fact that Samuel wasn't 'ready'. God knew Samuel was ready to learn, grow, and obey. Sometimes that's all we need to be called -- God provides the rest.

Note that God called Samuel four times. He didn't understand the call the first few times, so God persisted until Samuel had received instruction on how to respond. God may be calling us to do great things for him, too, but we don't really understand how to respond to that call. But if we seek the counsel of those who are wiser in the ways of the Lord, they can help us know what steps to take next.

Have you felt the call of God lately? Did you push it away because you didn't think you were ready or did you ignore it because you weren't sure if the thought was yours or God's? As this passage shows, God will call us when he thinks we are ready, not when we think we are prepared. He will keep calling until we respond (at least for a while), and he will be both persistent and consistent in his approach.