Q & A Segment (Quiet Time)

QUESTION

     Several of my friends talk about having a “quite time” each day. I do read my Bible frequently but not in this sense. Is a quiet time all that necessary?

ANSWER

     Let me answer your question by first saying that the most important thing in my life is an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

     A quiet time is focused time spent with God that nurtures that relationship. The more hurried our pace and busy our schedules, the more we need to spend time alone with the Father.

     A quiet time should include several common biblical threads. Always, you should make reading, studying, and meditating on the Scriptures your primary focus. God talks to you through His Word as the Holy Spirit guides you. It is truth for daily living, and it fortifies you to face each day’s challenges and opportunities.

     Prayer should be a regular part of any quiet time. Prayer is talking to God, and this is the real stimulus for communion with the Father. He wants to hear from you. He enjoys your fellowship. Your prayer may include confession of sin, praise for God’s goodness and faithfulness towards you, and specific requests. Be honest. Be real. God is not threatened by your anger, disappointment, or questions, He can handle it.

     Some people like to include another devotional tool in their quiet time. I think this is fine so long as it does not displace the Word of God and communion with God.

     A quiet time is usually best observed by scheduling a particular time of day. I cannot think of a better way to start the day. However, others prefer to have their quiet time in the evening. Again, the important thing is to do it regularly and consistently.

     I also think it is helpful to spend your quiet times in the same place each day as often as possible. When you do, a sense of sacredness develops. When you sit down at the kitchen table, the den, the living room chair, or wherever you choose, you will find that you are ready to spend time with God.

     Expect to hear God. Anticipate answers to prayer. Persevere when the dry seasons of the soul strike. That is when you need God’s refreshment most.

     Above all, remember that a quiet time is time spent with God. You are fellowshipping with your personal Savior, Deliverer, and Friend. Get to know His as well as you can. Also, you must keep a focused mind and have a willing heart to allow the Holy Spirit to grow your relationship with God.

Presidential Executive Order

     Below are some excerpts from an e-newsletter by US Congresswoman Kay Granger from the 12th District of Texas.

     “On March 16, 2012 – President Obama issued an Executive Order that gives an unprecedented level of authority to the President and the federal government to take over all the fundamental parts of our economy...all of our water resources, construction services and materials, our transportation system, food and health resources, our energy supplies, even farm equipment, can be taken over by the President and his cabinet secretaries. Under this Executive Order the Government can also draft U.S. citizens into the military and force U.S. citizens to fulfill “labor requirements" for purposes of “national defense/emergencies.” There is no Congressional oversight on this Executive Order.”

   

     Listen: Congress must act within 90 days or this Executive Order automatically becomes law, and time is running out.

     I believe this President is putting the Federal Government above the law, which is never supposed to happen. This type of Martial Law imposes a government takeover on U.S. citizens that would typically only be reserved when national defense/emergencies already exist.

          So where is the outrage here? Come on America let’s Wake Up our Nation is in serious trouble with leadership that is selling us out – God help us is my prayer!

    

      I would hope that those of you, who still believe in the Nation’s Founding Fathers principles (God, Family, and Nation in that order) which are the very essence of America’s freedom and life, would follow God’s Prescription. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God tells us “If My people, which are called by My Name (meaning believers in Christ), shall humble themselves, pray, and seek My face (Please understand this is referring to Prayer of Repentance); then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (This is God’s prescription for spiritual sickness).      
     You see this is America’s problem; we are spiritually bankrupt as a Nation, in need of national healing. Let me ask you can God depend upon you to do YOUR PART – PRAY? Or will you just sit back with your head in the sand, tweeting and texting about things which really have no eternal value.

Speech (Does it Matter?)

     If you recorded yourself, what would the playback reveal concerning your speech at the end of the day? Our conversation can reveal much regarding our spiritual commitment. Do we truly believe in and live by the truth of the Scriptures, or does our language mirror an ordinary worldview? A positive confession, based on the Scriptures, bolsters our faith and encourages others.

     We may be in a bad financial situation. Do we complain about our personal state? Or do we confess the truth that our “God shall supply all (our) need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19)? Listen: Our confession in such circumstances mirrors our genuine belief in the power of God and His Word which sustains us (and others), encourage, and build truth into our lives.

     A positive confession is a testimony to others. As they hear our trust in God verbalized, they are confronted with the truth.

     Our words and lives are sermons that preach to everyone around us. What we say can point an unbeliever to Christ while keeping our spiritual compass fixed on Him.

     Let your speech be an accurate sounding of God’s truth.