How to have a meaningful Quiet Time by Rick Warren

 

How to have a meaningful Quiet Time by Rick Warren

The quiet time is simply a daily time of personal fellowship with God through the word and prayer.  It is a time we deliberately set aside in which to meet with him.  The objective is that we might grow in our personal relationship with God, so that we can know him, love him and become more like him.

WHY WE SHOULD HAVE A QUIET TIME

The Bible gives 3 reasons:

·         Because we need fellowship with God

·         Because it is our privilege as Christians

·         Because we gain tremendous benefits from it

 

Because we need fellowship with God:

 

We are now rightly related to the eternal God of heaven and earth so we must have regular fellowship with him in which we get to know him and love him more intimately.  Why is daily fellowship with God so important?

 

·         We were created to have fellowship with God.  Genesis 2 and 3

·         Jesus Christ died on the cross so that fellowship could be restored – 1 Corinthians 1 verse 9 and John 1 verses 3 and 4

·         The regular quiet time during Jesus’ ministry was a source of his strength – Mark 1 verse 35, Luke 5 verse 16, Luke 22 verse 39 – 44.  Jesus was never too busy for it; in fact, when his ministry was the busiest, that’s when he made certain that he kept in daily touch with the Father – John 5 verse 30.  If Jesus needed this time with God, how much more we need it.

·         Every great man or woman of God throughout history has spent much time alone with God.  Moses, David, Daniel, Paul.  John Calvin, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Dwight L Moody, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham – all their writings and ministries clearly show this.  “If you want to find out what a man is really like, find out what he is like alone with God.”  Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do today that I must spend at least 3 hours in prayer.”  The busier he was the more time he needed with God.  If you are too busy to have a quiet time, then you’re too busy!

·         We cannot be healthy, growing Christians without daily fellowship with the Lord.  The quiet time is not just a nice suggestion; it is a vital necessity for a child of God.  It is absolutely essential for Christian growth and maturity.

 

The Bible is the necessary food for your soul.  Job considered the Word of God more necessary than his daily food – Job 23 verse 12. 

 

Jesus quoting the OT declared that man needs to live by very word coming from God – Matthew 4 verse 4 and Deuteronomy 8 verse 3. 

 

Peter called the scriptures nourishing milk – 1 Peter 2 verse 2

 

Writer to Hebrews thought of the word as solid food – Hebrews 5 verse 14

 

If you are not having a quiet time you can conclude:

 

·         You are missing out on the privilege for which you were created

·         You are rejecting that which Jesus died for to make possible

·         You will never experience the same power and refreshment Jesus did

·         You will never be used greatly by God

·         You will remain a weak and sickly Christian all your life

 

The key to making time for the quiet time is your commitment to Christ and the kingdom of God.  Put God first in your life and you will have more time.  Don’t let anything rob you of that time of fellowship with the Lord.  Preserve it at all costs.  If Jesus Christ is first in your life, you ought to give him the first part of every day.  Your quiet time should be the absolute number one priority and commitment of your life.  Matthew 6 verse 33 “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

 

Because it is our privilege as Christians:

 

The quiet time allows us 4 great privileges:

 

·         We give devotion to God

·         We get direction from God

·         We gain delight in God

·         We grow more like God

 

We give devotion to God: Psalm 29 verse 2 “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness.”  Psalm 95 verse 6 “Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”  So much is said today about following Jesus, but little is said about the cost of discipleship.  The other error is the overemphasis on working for God and neglecting the worship of God.  “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” Matthew 4 verse 10 and Deuteronomy 6 verse 13.  Worship comes before service. 

 

God deserves our devotion.  Revelation 4 verse 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power.”  Because God is our Creator and Redeemer he deserves to be worshipped and praised.  We should go to our quiet times each day out of love for God not out of a sense of duty. 

 

God desires devotion from us – Jesus told the woman at the well “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4 verse 23.  God seeks our worship

 

The Saviour desires fellowship with us – Revelation 3 verse 20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him and he with me.”  Jesus stands outside the door of our lives wanting and longing to have fellowship with us and receive our worship.  He is like the ideal human father who wants to spend time with his children.

 

We get direction from God.  “Show me your ways O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25 verses 4 and 5.  The quiet time is a great opportunity to receive counsel from the Lord.  On a number of occasions Jesus invited his disciples to “come apart” with him for a little while.   Jesus often explained his teachings to the disciples when they were alone with him – Mark 4 verse 34.  When we get direction from God in our quiet times, he causes us first to consider our ways.  Psalm 139 verse 23 and 24.  The quiet time is also a time to commit our day to the Lord.  Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6.  One of the most important requests you can make while committing your day to the Lord is to ask him to prepare and direct you to someone to whom you can witness that day.

 

We gain delight in God.  Enjoy God and bask in his presence.  Psalm 16 verse 11.  The secret to real joy is knowing God personally.  Do you really know Christ, or do you merely know about him?  To know him intimately was the apostle Paul’s number one priority in life – Philippians 3 verses 7 – 10.  To get to know someone intimately and enjoy him personally you must …

 

·         Spend quality time with him

·         Communicate meaningfully with him

·         Observe him in a variety of situations

 

That is why the bible speaks of our relationship with God through Christ as a love relationship: Christ is the Bridegroom and we in the church are his bride.  Make your goal for the quiet time, not just to learn about Jesus but actually to meet with him.  Expect to meet him each morning, for he’s there waiting to meet with you.

 

We grow more like God.  How?  First, we are made holy like God through the word.  Our growth in sanctification comes through time spent in the scriptures, getting to know God intimately.  Secondly daily growth comes as the word builds us up – 2 Timothy 3 verses 16 and 17.  Third we grow as our minds are transformed from thinking the world’s way to thinking God’s thoughts after him - Romans 12 verse 2.  Fourth through the promises of the word we become more like God – 2 Peter 1 verses 3 and 4.  Fifth we grow through the help given us by our Christian leaders, who teach us the word – Ephesians 4 verses 12 and 13.  The ultimate goal of the quiet time is for us to grow to be just like Jesus Christ.

 

Because we gain tremendous benefits from it:

 

·         Joy – Psalm 16 verse 11, Psalm 119 verse 47, 97, 162 Jeremiah 15 verse 16

·         Strength – Isaiah 40 verses 29 and 31

·         Peace – Psalm 119 verse 165, Isaiah 26 verse 3, Isaiah 48 verse 18, Romans 8 verse 6

·         Stability – Psalm 16 verses 8 and 9, Psalm 46 verses 1 – 3, Psalm 55 verse 22, Psalm 57 verse 7

·         Success – Joshua 1 verse 8

·         Answered prayer – John 15 verse 7

·         Others will notice the difference in our lives – Acts 4 verse 13

 

HOW TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL TIME WITH GOD

 

How do we go about having one?  We may become motivated to do it but may not know how.  4 essential elements of a good quiet time:

 

1.     Start with a proper attitude

2.    Select a specific time

3.    Choose a special place

4.    Follow a simple plan

 

Start with the proper attitude

 

In God’s eyes, why we do something is far more important than what we do.  It is quite possible to do the right thing but with the wrong attitude.  2 Chronicles 25 verse 2 Amaziah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but not wholeheartedly.” 2 Chronicles 25 verse 2.  When you come to meet with God in the quiet time you should have these proper attitudes:

 

·         Expectancy – Psalm 63 verse 1

·         Reverence – Habakkuk 2 verse 20

·         Alertness

·         Willingness to obey

 

Select a specific time

 

The specific time has to do with when you should have your quiet time and how long it should be.  The best time is when you are at your best.  Give God the best part of your day – when you are the freshest and most alert.  Don’t serve God with your leftover time.  In the bible many godly men and women rose early to meet with God.  Abraham, Job, Jacob, Moses, Hannah and Elkanah and David.  Hudson Taylor “You don’t tune up the instruments after the concert is over.  That’s stupid.  It’s logical to tune them up before you start.”  Be consistent in it!

 

·         Don’t try for a 2-hour quiet time at first – you’ll only get discouraged.  Start small and let it grow!

·         Don’t watch the clock

·         Emphasize quality not quantity

 

Choose a special place

 

Abraham had a regular place where he met with God – Genesis 19 verse 27

Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives – Luke 22 verse 39

 

It ought to be a place where:

 

·         Where you can pray aloud without disturbing others

·         Where you have good lighting for reading

·         Where you are comfortable

 

Your place ought to be a special place and a sacred place.

 

Follow a simple plan

 

·         A bible – a contemporary translation with good print preferably without notes

·         A notebook – for writing down what the Lord shows you and for making a prayer list

·         A hymnbook

 

Relax – wait on God – don’t come running into God’s presence and start talking immediately

Request – pray briefly – short opening prayer to ask God to cleanse your heart and guide you into time together

Read – section of scripture.  Read slowly, repeatedly, without stopping, aloud but quietly, systematically, to get a sweep of a book

Reflect and remember – meditate and memorize

Record – write down what God has shown you

Request – have your time of prayer - P for praise, R for repent of your sin, A for ask for yourself and others, Y for yield yourself to God’s will.

 

·         Vary your plan

·         Spend a whole quiet time in thanksgiving

·         Spend a whole quiet time in Scripture memory

·         Remember your main purpose: to get to know Christ

 

HOW TO DEAL WITH COMMON PROBLEMS THAT ARISE DURING OUR QUIET TIMES

 

·         Problem of discipline

·         Problem of dry spells

·         Problem of concentration

·         Problem of discouragement

 

Discipline – battle of the blankets

 

·         Go to bed early!

·         Get up immediately upon waking

·         Be aware of quiet time “robbers”

·         Go to bed with thoughts of scripture

 

Dry Spells - battle of the Blahs

 

Never judge your quiet time by your emotions!  Emotions may lie: feelings may come and go.  So, you shouldn’t depend on your feelings.  If you only have a quiet time when you “feel” like it the devil will make sure you never feel like it!

 

Dry spells are caused by:

 

·         Disobedience

·         Physical condition

·         Trying to do too much in a hurry

·         Being in a rut

·         Not sharing your insights with others

 

Tell God about it!  Just be honest and admit it to him. 

 

Concentration – battle of the brain

 

·         Be sure you are thoroughly awake

·         Read and pray aloud

·         Walk while praying

·         Keep a notebook handy – if you are reminded of something else write it down and come back to it after your quiet time.

 

Discouragement

 

Biggest problem will be the struggle to stick with morning quiet time.  Satan’s most vicious attacks will come in connection with being diligent in your quiet time.  He knows that if he can keep you out of the word, he has defeated you.  If he can keep you from spending quality time with the Lord at the start of a day, then he’s won the battle because he knows that he will have no opposition from you.  Dropping your quiet time is usually the first step in spiritual backsliding.  If you have no input from the Lord each day, you will have nothing to share with others and will not be able to help others grow.  How to overcome:

 

·         Consider making a covenant with the Lord.  Covenant to have a quiet time not because others are doing it and not as a duty but because you know that Jesus Christ wants to meet with you.

·         Put it into your weekly schedule

·         Expect and be prepared for the devil’s excuses and attacks

·         Leave your bible open the night before at the passage you intend to read in the morning

 

Don’t get legalistic, because missing one day does not make it a flop.  Psychologists tell us that it usually takes us 3 weeks to get familiar with some new task or habit; it takes another 3 weeks before it becomes a habit.  Most people have never made it past that 6-week barrier!  For your quiet time to become a habit you must have had one daily for at least 6 weeks.  Developing a habit:

 

·         Make a strong resolution (vow)

·         Never allow an exception to occur until the new habit is securely rooted in your life

·         Seize every opportunity and inclination to practice your new habit

·         Rely on the power of God