Quiet Time: High Expectations

High Expectations

Now he called his name Noah, saying, "This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed." – Genesis 5:29

No parent knows how his son or daughter will turn out. We usually begin the journey of parenthood by simply wanting the baby to be born healthy. But it isn’t long before we develop high hopes and expectations (sometimes unfair presuppositions). 

Noah’s dad had high expectations for his first born son. Upon Noah's birth, he declared, “Finally, a man to help give us a break from all the hard work we’ve been doing!” Think about it, Noah wasn’t even a toddler yet and his dad had him working the fields!

It is good to want the best for our kids (Prov. 23:24). It is right for us to mentor them in their walk with the LORD (Prov. 22:6). Just keep it real. 

No parent knows how his kid will turn out, but every parent can turn out for his kid. 

Quiet Time: Wise In The Word

Wise In the Word
Reason Reboot

Read: 1 Corinthians 14

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. – 1 Corinthians 14:20


Neither ignorant nor intimate of evil need I be. Wise in the Word, now that’s for me!

Christians are often derided for being simple minded in the things of this world. Sometimes I wonder about this, because I know so many of us who are pretty good at being bad! Frankly, I think we should be simple in worldliness. What are we missing, really? However, I think its shameful when a Christ follower is simple minded in the things of the Word.

We simply must spend time allowing the Word to wash our minds (Ephesians 5:26). Don’t we get plenty of a humanist world view daily to require at least a small amount of time with Jesus so that He can reset our thinking?

It may not be a bad idea to have a quiet time with the Lord in the morning, then another at lunch time, and one more sometime in the evening.

Come on Brother Doug, that’s just too much - too over the top? May-be. I just know that when I miss my time with Him, I miss a lot and life just isn't the same.

Song Series: Happy Am I

Happy Am I

Read: Hebrews 13:1-6

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”        – Hebrews 13:6

I have such fond memories of what some ministries used to call “Children’s Church”. For those of you who’ve not heard of this concept; basically, it was a church service for grade school age kids. We had our own children’s pastor, bible games, flannel graph story times (as close as we got to high tech) and of course, music. Now that I think of it, we even had our own child led worship team.

Basically, it consisted of a trio of us boys who figured out how to sing in harmony. We got pretty good at it and were invited to sing a little ditty called “Do Lord” for the adults in the “Big Church” service. Stevie, Billy, and I stood around a single microphone accompanied by Bob and Avis Swartz on organ and grand-piano respectively. What a hoot! But, singing aside, I think we kids really did learn a lot about Jesus through these kid-centric times together.

We understood that our happiness wasn’t found in hitting a ball better than Bobby or getting better grades than Greg. Our joy wasn’t dependant on being better than anybody or anything at all; joy was found in walking with Jesus. After all, we grew up intimately knowing missionaries, like the Bells, who had very little money but a whole lot of happiness, even after spending three decades in a foreign land. We saw that walking with Christ costs something, yet also observed how the dividends far outweighed the sacrifice. I guess, as kids, we just accepted what the bible had to say as fact; and that was that. Not a bad way to live, actually.

Songs, flannel graphs, and walking talking examples encouraged us to believe that Jesus was enough, so as kids, we believed. Like one of our favorite children’s church songs simply stated, “Happy am I, Jesus is mine forever”.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me. He was enough then and He’s enough now, even when I begin to worry about “Big Church” people stuff.

Happy Am I

Happy am I: Jesus is Mine Forever,

Never to leave: always in each endeavor,

Leading me on - in a life ending never.

Giving a smile, every mile, - happy am I.

Happy am I: all of my sins forgiven,

What a great day: Life is now worth the living!

One of these days, I'll be enjoying heaven,

Now that I know, upward I'll go - happy am I.

Happy am I! How can I help but shout it?

Every day - telling the world about it;

Jesus is real - only believe, don't doubt it.

Then you will be happy like me; happy am I.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3bzNZng1Uc&feature=related