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). 

Quirt Time: Get Out There

Get Out There

Joy for the Journey

For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. - Psalm 92:4

There's a popular commercial with the tag line, "Get out there!"  I like it, and try to get outside as often as possible. 

My daughter and I spent Monday hiking at Robinson Preserve. It was hot and humid but we had a great time watching the mullet leap and the various wading birds dip for fish in the salt marshes. You know, it almost seemed like everything, even the bugs, were happy to be alive. But,  for us humans, joy can be such a fleeting thing.

I passed several fender benders, flat tires, and broken down vehicles on the way to the preserve and thought how terrible the car owners must feel having such trouble on the last day of a holiday weekend.  To make it more real, how'd you feel the last time you got sideways with someone you love?  No, I don't suppose it takes much for us to get down in the dumps. May-be that's one reason God created so many wonderful places to explore.

Could that be a clue? That joy can be found if we are willing to explore, to actually look for it? 

I think I will make a list of blessings for which only God can get the credit. Then, begin to praise Him  for the works of His hands.

TO DO: Explore and take joy in what you find. Then praise the Creator and pack the joy for the journey.

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: First Things First

Click the pic to see Baily Boy

First Things First
Packing for the journey #1

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6:33

I have a coworker who loves to stay at home. He shared with me the other day that whenever he has a weekend off from work, he pretty much just hangs around the house. He tends the garden, swims in the pool, cooks burgers on the grill and basically just chills. He said, "You know Doug, I just don't like going out as much as I like staying in." Frankly, I can relate.

Right now, I'm sitting beside the pool in my back yard, a golden sunrise peaking over the corner of my roof warms my face and causes my photo grey glasses to darken. I have a cup of coffee with a spot of honey, and I'm watching my dog attempt to get my attention to toss the ball with him. I love having nothing to do and nowhere to go, don't you?

As a bi-vocational worship leader who often works six days a week at my secular job (if there is such a thing), I don't have many times with nothing to do. I recently listened to a sermon from a local  pastor that encouraged me to find one day a week for sabbath rest as part of seeking first God's kingdom. Now, I know I'm not under the law. Jesus fulfilled the law for me; and, I also know that when "you have an ox in a hole you've got to get him out" (Luke 14:5) So, I don't feel guilty when I do work; duty calls. However, I do want to seek first God's kingdom, and that means  my top priority in life is to seek what is eternal.

This will be the first item on my list of things to pack for my journey with Jesus:

1. A heart for heaven.

Quiet Time: Tangle Free Living; Unencumbered

Tangle Free Living

Unencumbered

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us – Hebrews 12:1

I recently finished reading "Awol on the Appalachian Trail" a book by David Miller who through hiked the 2000+ mile trail from Georgia to Maine. He began the trail with heavy pack of provisions and miscellaneous camping gear but pared it down to the bare essentials before he was half way through his journey. Every unessential ounce was considered a needless burden, an encumbrance, that would slow his progress from reaching the ultimate goal of finishing the hike before winter.

That's kind of a funny word, isn't it? "Encumbrance" You don't hear much about  encumbrances or sins these days; much less setting anything aside. It seems like only pro athletes and master artists are expected to lay something aside to pursue a prize, which is usually an abundance of money, fame, or  stuff. 

Yet, here I am; a common everyday man, being challenged to “lay aside encumbrances and sins”. That is astonishing! My life and the way I live it actually matter to God. It's as if He knows that too much of a good thing can be bad for me. Imagine that.

Since I like making lists and checking things off, I thought it might help me better understand the meaning of Hebrews 12:1 if I listed the biblical cross references that seem to shed more light on the subject. So, here’s my “Things to Toss” list:

Get rid of:

• Unhealthy relationships (codependent) (Matthew 10:37-38)
• Worries, riches and pleasures. (Luke 8:14)
• Abundance and superfluous possessions. (Luke 12:15)
• Worldly lusts (Romans 13:13-14)
• Defilement (2 Cor. 7:1)
• Wanting riches (1 Timothy 6:9)
• Malice (a desire to harm another) deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander (malicious rumors) (1 Peter 2:1)
• Loving the world: an intense desire for having what the world has to offer and a “look at me” attitude. (1 John 2:15-16)

Well, that’s a fairly straight forward list of things not to pack on this journey with Jesus; the “Don’ts” if you will. But, being the kind of Christ follower who likes to have some “Do’s”, I suppose the next step is to make a list of things to insure are included in my daily walk with God. 

 

Quiet Time: Why Be Good

Why Be Good?

¹⁵ and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. – 1 Corinthians 5:15

A Jehovah’s Witness once asked me at the end of a long conversation about being saved by grace, “Doug, if you really believe in grace, what’s your motivation for right living?” In other words, “Why be good?” I replied with my life’s verse (2 Cor. 5:15) and followed up with, “Randy, Jesus is my reason, not just for being good, but for a life worth living.” 

Why be good? 

Be good for Him who gave His life and lived again that we might live through Him.