Quiet Time: Worth Everything

Worth Everything

Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5

This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. – 2 Thessalonians 1:5

I work with a pretty tough group of guys.  Whenever someone complains at my secular job he’s sure to be chided with, “You can’t be a sissy and work here.” Now, this is all in fun, but it is our way of keeping one another from focusing on the negative. It looks like I’m part of a pretty tough bible study team too.

Our small group bible study is working through a book titled “Living Victoriously in Difficult Times”. We choose our topics together, and believe it or not, this tough subject was the one everyone decided to tackle and 2 Thessalonians 1 is where we jump in on first meeting together.

This portion of the letter from Paul encouraging the Thessalonian Christians by reminding them that their suffering was not in vain and that they were being held up as examples for other believers stunned me. 

If I understand it correctly, it looks like suffering has a cleansing effect on a believer, however, it also stands in condemnation to those causing the suffering that their day of reckoning will arrive soon enough; the persecutors will be punished and the persecuted rewarded.

In his commentary, Matthew Henry captures the underpinning theme pretty well, “Religion, if worth anything, is worth everything”  I think Mr. Henry would agree; you can’t be a sissy and be a Christian.

Quiet Time: Be Noble Minded

Be Noble Minded

Using The Straightedge of Scripture

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. – Acts 17:11

“Douglas, don’t check your brain at the door”, my dad would say when he thought I was being a little too gullible. He taught me to check everything against the straightedge of Scripture. (Knowledge is an obvious “must have” while journeying with Jesus).

I like what a pastor said, “Beloved, the key to adequate living is not the Bible plus a lot of stuff, it is the Word of God pursued with readiness and eagerness and searched out every day of one's life. It's a daily diet...a daily diet.”

I’m so encouraged that many of the visitors to Brother Doug’s Devotions use the blog as a daily quiet time. However, I sincerely pray that the devotions generate a hunger in each of us to dig deeper; to be fearless explorers.

Like the Berean Jews, may we be noble-minded and ready to receive the message God brings with great eagerness while examining the Scriptures to see if what we are taught is true.

In other words, “Don’t check your brain at the door - see if it's so.”

PRAYER POINT: Perhaps, a terrific daily prayer would be to ask the Lord to revive us (Psalm 119:25) and to purify our hearts renewing a steadfast spirit with us (Psalm 51:10). To build in us a desire for the Word like a bottle to a baby (1 Peter 2:2). To cause us to hunger and thirst after righteousness as we never have before (Matthew 5:6). 

Quiet Times: Think On These Things

Think On These Things

Packing for the journey #2

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. – Philippians 4:8

The red digital numbers projected on my bedroom ceiling are just beginning to come into focus and I see that it’s way too early to be awake on a holiday morning. A scripture verse that the Spirit prompted me to memorize a few years past is dancing through my mind to the little tune I gave it. (Sometimes I set scripture to song to help me recall certain passages)

This sort of thing happens to me fairly regularly. I count it a blessing and suppose it is what the Word means when it says that the Holy Spirit will teach and help me to remember the things God has said to me (John 14:26).

Well, since I’m still packing for the life journey with Jesus and deciding what “Dos” I should have along with the “Don’ts” mentioned a couple of blogs back, I figure Philippians 4:8 would be a good one for refining a “Head for Heaven” (see First Things First).

Here’s the plan:

Before watching, listening to, or otherwise taking in or attempting at accomplish anything, I will ask myself the following questions:

1.       (TRUE) Does this square with what the bible says is true? (Psalm 25:10)

2.       (HONORABLE) Does this bring honor to me or the person/thing I’m engaging?(2 Cor. 8:21)

3.       (RIGHT)  Does this turn me from evil to do good? (Psalm 19:8)

4.       (PURE) Does this contaminate or purify me or the person/thing? (Titus 1:15)

5.       (LOVELY) Does this bring beauty? (Psalm 84:1-3)

6.       (GOOD REPUTE) Does this smack of immorality? (Proverbs 3:3-5)

7.       (EXCELLENCE) Does this encourage excellence (virtue and quality)? (2 Peter 1:5)

8.       (PRAISE WORTHY)  Can I praise God for this?(Psalm 117:1-2)

I almost fear thinking where this is headed, because, frankly, some of the stuff I like for entertainment, not that it’s all that bad in the eyes of most people, I’m not so sure would square with the list. And, some of the things that I spend time doing, are now looking like a real waste of time and effort.

“And that’s a good thing”, as my friend Clyde would say.

So, I’m gonna keep packing, because I know I’ll need this for the journey.

Quiet Time: Jogging With Jesus (How to have a quiet time)

Jogging With Jesus

(How to have a quiet time)

Read: Luke 21:37-38


And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him (Jesus) in the temple to listen to Him. – Luke 21:38

I like to jog. Honestly, I’m not very fast, but I do keep my heart rate up in the 150s for at least thirty minutes; that’s what the experts say to do in order to receive maximum benefit from the run. But, you know what? I didn’t like to jog before I got a heart rate monitor. That’s something else I learned from the “experts”. They suggested novice runners purchase a monitor to help them establish a sustainable speed. (Sustainable being a speed that they could maintain for at least 30 minutes) You see, most new runners push themselves too hard and soon stop trying before they’ve established a sustainable routine. I think that’s kind of what happens to us when we first feel the need to establish a daily quiet time. We dig in with vim and vigor, but no plan. So, we overdo it, only to find ourselves discouraged and our bibles back on the book shelf.

A daily quiet time is more than a good routine or a box to check on a list of things to do. I like to think of it as simply a moment to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Christ. Now, I know that doesn’t sound very “spiritual” but that’s really how I look at it. Every morning I try to start my day by sitting quietly at the kitchen table with the Word to see what God has to say to me. It’s really not that hard. Sometimes I get a lot out of it and sometimes I can barely keep my eyes open, but I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s become a very meaningful part of my daily routine; kind of like jogging with Jesus.

There’s been a lot written on how to have daily devotions so I doubt that I’ve got much to add, but, here’s some stuff I’ve learned from Christ followers who’ve enjoyed a long walk with Christ:

1. Establish a place for your quiet time. (I like the kitchen table)
2. Establish a time. (I like early mornings before anyone else in the house is up)
3. Establish a method. (“Our Daily Bread Devotional” is what I use when I’m not studying for a specific reason like my church’s small group get together)
4. Make it personal. (tell God what’s on your heart, ask Him to open your eyes to what He has to say that day, and listen…really listen – this takes time)
5. Write it down. (Capture what God’s speaking to you. Keep a journal. You’ll be amazed how God has worked in your life when you go back and read what you’ve written several years later)

Here are some websites that may help:

Our Daily Bread: http://odb.org/
Bible Gateway, online bible: http://www.biblegateway.com/
One Year Bible; I like to use the “Living Standard Version Bible” for a read through the bible experience to kind of get an overview of what it’s all about and how it all ties together from Old Testament to New Testament. I often use it as a good read before going to bed at night. It usually takes from 15-20 minutes to read the selected sections. http://oneyearbibleonline.com/index.html

When I first started out, the longest I could run without slowing down to a walk was about 10 minutes. It took a while, but after several weeks of pounding pavement I finally reached the coveted 30 minute mark and have been able to maintain a sustainable and “enjoyable” routine ever since.

So, don’t get discouraged. To coin a phrase, “Just Do It”.

In all labor there is profit,

But mere talk leads only to poverty (Proverbs 14:23).

Quiet Time: Ryan Braun and the Bible (Don't jump to judgment)

The Gavel
by Andrew Scott

Ryan Braun and the Bible (Don’t jump to judgment)

8 Do not go out hastily to argue your case;

Otherwise, what will you do in the end,

When your neighbor humiliates you?

9 Argue your case with your neighbor,

And do not reveal the secret of another, - Proverbs 25:8-9

From Yahoo to ESPN everyone’s talking about Ryan Braun and his new found “innocence”. Seems like just a couple of days ago Ryan was all but convicted and stamped guilty of elevated testosterone levels (read: steroids) by major league baseball, as well as, the press. Yet, turn on any sports channel this evening and you’ll see a confident Braun touting his innocence from a podium on the first base line at the Brewer’s spring training camp in Arizona. According to David Brown of Big League Stew, “It's the first time an appeal of this nature at the major-league level has been sustained”. Seems everyone might have done well by listening to King Solomon.

Solomon pointed out the danger of jumping to conclusions before hearing all the facts. He also noted that it’s much better to work things out privately, if at all possible. Unfortunately in this modern world of tweets and 24 hour instant information, private is a four letter word.

The media machine “leaked” Ryan’s test results before all the facts were in. It seems his urine sample wasn’t sent to the lab for analysis within the specified time frame. I’m sure the time frame is in place to protect both the player and the league from accusations of tampering. So, I guess that’ll be the next “leak”; how someone tampered with the sample, that is.

Frankly, I don’t know Braun, and my favorite baseball team is the Tampa Bay Rays, so, the whole incident seems a bit over blown to me. However, we can all benefit from the wisdom in Proverbs and insure that we’re not accusing people or jumping to conclusions without hearing all the facts. Better yet, let’s just leave the judgment thing to God. He’s the only one who knows the whole truth and nothing but.

Quiet Time: Dream It - Do It

Dream it – Do it

It will be as when a hungry man dreams— And behold, he is eating; But when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied, Or as when a thirsty man dreams— And behold, he is drinking, But when he awakens, behold, he is faint And his thirst is not quenched. Thus the multitude of all the nations will be who wage war against Mount Zion. – Isaiah 29:8

My wife and I recently visited Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Frankly, I usually try and avoid theme parks but Disney offered a deal to Florida residents that was hard refuse. I think one would be hard pressed after about an hour of walking around the picturesque avenues and shops not to see a prevalent quote displayed throughout the park by the founder, Walt Disney, “If you can dream it you can do it.”

That just sounds good doesn’t it? I mean, isn’t that exactly what we want to hear? After all, from the time we were old enough to comprehend ambition’s siren call we’ve been told, “You can do anything you put your mind to” and “There’s nothing you can’t do if you’ll just apply yourself.” And, of course there’s the spiritual version, “Name it, claim it, believe it; insert christianeze verb here ____, and you can have it!” But what if I name it and claim it, then apply myself, and finally put my whole heart and mind into something only to discover that I get exactly what I want, and in the getting I lose my grip on the cloak of Christ (Matthew 9:19-21)? Worse yet, what if I begin to treat my walk with antipathy rather than avidity in Christ?

I remember hearing another quote that really got my attention; “Satan will give you whatever it takes to keep you from following Jesus.” This does appear to a valid view in light of Christ and Satan’s conversation during the wilderness temptation (Luke 4:5-8). So how do I strive to be my best without becoming overly connected to, or ambitions for, the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17)?
How do I guard against covetousness without becoming complacent? Here’s my personal and I’m sure over simplified prescription:

1. Seek Christ first and foremost (2 Corinthians 5:15)
2. Reject selfish ambition (Philippians 2:2-4)
3. Be my best for Jesus (Colossians 3:23-24)

(Proverbs 22:29) seems to speak to the benefits of being our best in whatever God gives us to do without losing our spiritual integrity.

Dream it – do it…all for Jesus.

Quiet Time: Think Weak - Be Weak

Think Weak – Be Weak

For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you. – Proverbs 23:7

I believe in speaking God’s truth to challenges. Whether it be the motivation to continue a daily fitness routine or facing something a bit more serious; the process is the same. We can face the moment by affirming God’s truth over it, out loud, if possible. “I can do all things through Christ…” (Philippians 4:13), “I am (fill in your challenge here) for the glory of God” (1 Peter 4:11), “Do not fear man…fear God” (Matthew 10:28), or whatever scripture is appropriate for the need of the moment. This helps us not only to meet the challenge with a positive attitude, but also bolsters faith in remembering where our strength lies.

We may not be much to look at by worldly standards, in fact, God likes to use the dauncey (slang for strange, odd, or just plain not cute) to proclaim His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27). The fact is, we may indeed be physically weakened; however, spiritually we are strong, bold, and built for battle.

May I be direct? I think that Satan enjoys it when a believer operates from a position of defeat. It makes that Christian less of a threat and turns him into a weakened wimpy warrior (Ephesians 6:12).

God is the immutable, omniscient, Lord over all, and He is on your side. So, don’t buy the lie. Instead, assert the truth.


Because if you think you’re weak, you will be weak, and you are not weak!