DEVELOPING YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE THROUGH
“QUIET TIME”
The contents:
1. Introduction
2. What is Quiet Time
3. Biblical Examples of the observers of Quiet Time
4. Strategy/Successful principles for Quite Time
5. Seven Steps to an Effective Quiet Time
6. How to Interpret the Bible
7. Jesus’ Prayer pattern for Quiet Time
8. Making Quiet Time an Important Habit of your Life
9. Help me Oh God.
1. Introduction
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am directed into teaching of this topic in order to have personal spiritual development the more and to steer up the habit of studying the Bible and Praying the Bible in you. I am very grateful for the life of Dr. Francis Akin John of The Church Growth and Dag Heward-Mill who taught me how to observe the Quiet Time and as a Leader deemed it fit to share it with you so you can benefit from the power of Quiet Time. A life without the Bible and Prayer is not a problem for Satan, because Satan likes anyone who does not take his/her spiritual life so serious. Know for sure that Satan feared both Men of the Bible and Men of prayer.
May God grant unto us divine understanding as we create time to study and pray to His Holy name (Amen).
2. What is Quiet Time? (Joshua 1:7-8; James 1:22-25; Exo. 34:29; Lk. 5:16)
Quiet time is time you spend with God alone.
The relationship with God which is built in a daily appointment with Him, reading the Bible and Praying to Him- it is called Quiet Time. As in any relationship that is of value and that if going to grow and develop, communication is essential. We need to talk to and listen to the Lord in order to grow spiritually. In this way we will be building relationships with the source of life and truth, i.e. God the TRINITY (Father, Son &Holy Spirit).
When should one observed Quiet Time?
The time to meet with God is Quiet Time, therefore you need to have no interruption when you are on it. It is best to have your Quiet Time alone, not joint stock or co-operative society (Mat. 14:23,; 6:6;Mk. 1:35). It is suggested to be taken early in the morning. It is good to open the day with communication with God our creator first before speaking with men whose power is very limited. Or it can be observed at any other time that you can be alone to do one-on-one Bible reading and prayer without interference.
BENEFIT OF THE QUIET TIME
• Helping to grow on daily basis – Matt. 4:4
• Getting to know God and having a living relationship with Him – Gen. 1:26; 2:7
• It equips one for the day
• It is a means to becoming like Jesus – II Cor. 3:48
• It is a key to overcome sin – Psalms 110:9
• It is the time of covenant renewal
• We get instruction and direction from God
• It shows to God that we LOVE Him and He Does the same
• We receive spiritual food and nourishment from God
• Our spirits is renewed, encouraged and strengthened.
• Jesus modeled fellowship with God – Luke 5:16
3. Biblical Examples of the observers of Quiet Time
The Bible is our goal and the standard, the below are the examples of the great Men in the Bible for us to follow, because they had Quiet Times even Jesus Christ did.
• Moses had Quiet Times with God – Exodus 34:1-10
• Adam had Quiet Times until He Backslid – Genesis 3:8-10
• Joshua was commanded to have a Daily Quiet Time – Joshua 1:8
• King David had Quit Time with God – II Samuel 12:16-20;Psalms 63:1,6
• Jacob had Quiet Time – Genesis 28:10-22; 32:21-30
• Prophet Micaiah knew the Habit of Quiet Time – I Kings 22:24-25
• Jesus Christ our Model – Mark 1:35; Matthew 6:6
4. Strategy/Successful Principles for Quiet Time
Everything has how to do it, so also the things of God. For one to have an acceptable and successful Quiet Time, the below must be strictly taken into consideration.
1. Select a specific time – Psalms 5:3
2. Have it in a quiet and secret place – Matt. 6:6
3. Enter into God’s presence in the attitude of worship – Psalms 100:4
4. Discipline your flesh not to rule over you – I Cor. 9:29
.
5. Be fully equipped with these material:
(i) A complete Holy Bible (Bible with Old and New Testament)
(ii) Notebook
(iii) Writing Materials
(iv) Musical Instrument or Singing Book
5. SEVEN STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE QUIET TIME.
1. Pray to Begin your Quiet Time (Exo. 34:6-8; Ps. 119:18).
It is time to give the Lord praise and worship for His goodness. Pray thanking the Lord for another day. Thank Him for who He is, what He has done and what He can and will do. Now ask God to speak to you.
2. Read a Passage from the Bible, Expecting God to speak to you
Read the passage for the day expecting God to speak to you from it. Thare are several ways of choosing your daily Bible reading passage.
How to choose your daily Bible Reading passage
(i) Choose a Book from the Bible of which you read a few verses every day.
You must always remember where you ended so you can continue from the same place on the next day.
(ii) Choose a personality from the Bible whose life story you follow.
It is good to select any book of Bible and read it continuously. It will help you to ger the whole picture and can enjoy your quiet time more. Select about 8-10 verses, don’t select whole chapter, as you may not be able to cover it all. Select small paragraph according to passage.
(iii) Take the passage suggested in your daily reading guide.
You can use the Daily Reading Guide to bring you into reading of the Bible. The Daily Reading Guide such as Our Daily Bread, Our Daily Manna, Daily Sunday School Lesson, etc.
3. Meditate
Meditation is an act of think through and Soberly Reflect on what you have read
If you do not think about what you are reading you will lose a major blessing of the Word of God. 2Tim. 2:7.
KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MEDITATION
1. Read the passage slowly
2. Do not read a very long passage unless it is necessary.
3. Stop at any verse that strikes you and think about it.
4. Think about the meanings of the words that you are reading.
5. Think about how the Scriptures apply to life in your generation.
6. Whisper to the Holy Spirit-“Help me to understand the word and give me wisdom and understanding” (Eph. 1:17)
7. Decide of a practical way to implement the Scriptures that you have learnt.
4. Move into Deeper Bible Study and make further References to things that strikes you during Your Quiet Time:
You have got to a place where you spend lots of time in Bible Study and this is why you need a good reference Bible. You can read the Paragraph for 2-3 times for better understanding of the passage. This Bible Study Method is also called ASPECT method. In the paragraph ask the following question:
A – (About God) – What can you learn about God through this passage?
S – (Sin) - Does it talk about any sin?
P – (Promise) - Is there any promise in the word?
E – (Example) - Is there any example, I can follow?
C – (Command) - Which command I need to obey?
T – (Teaching) - What can I learn from this Passage?
5. Use Your Bible Reading Guide
You may refer to your Daily Bible reading guide as suggested earlier on. These Bible reading guides are very helpful in developing a regular quiet time habit.
6. Write down whatever the Lord tells you
It is important to develop the habit of writing the things that God speaks to you down. This is the reason you have to get a Notebook for your Quiet Time. As you read the word of God, you must have the faith that what you learn from the passage is the direct words of God for you for the day.
7. Pray over the revelation you received from the Passage
The last stage and which is the most important aspect of the Quiet Time is serious prayer over the revelation you have received in the Passage. It is of no use the read, received an insight but failed to pray it out. During the prayer time, God will speak to you through His Spirit. There are things God needs to tell you directly through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is real and you must believe in Him as well.
6. HOW TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE
The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Word of God. Therefore Holy Spirit is the one who can lead us into the correct understanding. It is however very important to interpret the Bible correctly when you are observing your Quiet Time (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Keys to Interpreting the Bible Correctly
i Read the text in its context
* Each word must be read in the context of other words in the verse
* Each verse must be read in the context of the Chapter
* Each Chapter in the Bible must be read in the context of the whole book
* You can make the Bible say almost anything you want it to and anything taken out of its context becomes an oddity (Example: You can make the Bible to say that there is no God, if you pick Psalm 14:1; only the fools say there is no God).
ii Do not spiritualize meanings of words
You must try as much as possible to take the language of the Bible/Passage read at its face value, if you do this you save yourself from being fooled or deceived. Do not try to allegorize/spiritualize the meaning of any word; you do not have the reason to do it. Say only what God says and stop where God stops.
iii Believe what you read
God spoke with Moses on many occasions and eventually led Israelites out of captivity. You have to believe the miracles for your own sake and for any human reasoning going against the messages are just the way to miss your miracles (Exod. 14:14ff).
iv Look for the original Hebrew/Greek words
In order not to misinterpret the word you are not sure of the meaning, you are advised to go for original Hebrew or Greek words. You are to be more careful when you are interpreting the word of God so that you do not prepare heresies before the people of God.
v Consider secular material that throws more light on Scripture
There are literature, historical, geographical and archaeological materials that can give more information and insight into the word of God, use them for your good.
vi The need for the background of the Writer/Bible Character
It is very good to know more about any person, place, or the time mentioned in a particular verse or chapter in the Bible.
Let’s take Paul’s letter to the Romans for example – Romance 13:1-3. He was addressing the believers to subject themselves to the higher authority of Emperor Nero (Romans oppressive and dictator by then). This is yet another writings from Paul while he was in the Prison – Philippians 3:1.
vii Interpret all punctuation marks properly and adequately
All full stops, commas, colons and semicolons have important role to place wherever they are found in the Bible, so read them as they appear if not you will miss or dilute the real meaning of the sentence.
viii Reading before and after the interested word/verse
If you will get the actual meaning of any confusing sentence or verse, you are advised to read verses or even chapters before or after such a verse.
ix Using the Scripture to interpret the Scripture
The Scripture can not contradict itself unless the teacher does not know what to do with the Bible. When you see different parts of the Bible which seem to be difficult to understand do not struggle with isolated scriptures, it must be interpreted in the context of another part of the scriptures. Example – 2Peter 3:8-9 and Proverbs 6:16-17 (God is not interested in murdering and also He is not a murderer but has set aside a day for the judgment. He is only interested in our right attitude towards Him and our neighbours).
x Help from the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is the greatest Teacher, so you can always call and rely on Him for the right and accurate meaning of the word or the passage at large (John 16:13).
7. JESUS’ PRAYER PATTERN FOR QUIET TIME
The Disciples of Jesus watched Him when He prayed on a certain place and when He finished one of them asked Him to teach them to pray. This particular Disciple proved to us that there is always the how to do anything and to be successful.
The below was the response of Jesus Christ – Mathew 6:9-13
“Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debt, as we have forgiven our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever (Amen)”
Let us now see the Jesus pattern of prayers in six different ways (6 ‘P’s):
Praise – I give God my love. “Our father in heaven, Hallowed be thy name”
It is a normal thing for Jesus to pray daily and praise daily.
The Psalmist says “I will enter His court with thanksgiving in my heart; I will enter His court with praise. I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad” (Ps. 100:1-3).
“In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” I Thess.5:18
We thank God for what He has done
We praise God for whom He is
We worship God as service to Him
Purpose - I give God my will. “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven”(Matt. 6:10)
James said, “You ask and you receive not because you pray with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” James 4:3
Please note that God will not answer any prayer that is not in line with His purpose for your life. When you miss His purpose you have definitely miss the power of prevailing prayer.
God must rule in your life
God must be the Lord of your life
You must desire to live with God’s purpose for your life
Find His purpose for your life in His word
Pray His purpose for your life
Walk in His purpose for life
Walk with His purpose for your life
Walk to fulfill His purpose for your life.
Provision – I give God my worry. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:12)
“Blessed be the Lord God who daily leadeth us with His benefits even the God of our Salvation” Ps. 68:19. Your daily bread refers to your daily necessities of life such as good food, nice clothing, good housing etc.
Pardon – I give God my sins and hurts. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” Matt.6:12
All of us are sinners –“All have sinned and come short of God’s glory” Rom.3:23. God forgives the sin of his children as far as His children are willing to forgive those who have offended them. Forgiveness is reciprocal. The level at which you forgive others also determines the level at which God will for give you. If you find it difficult to forgive others, God will equally find it difficult to forgive to forgive you.
Protection – I give God my fear and temptation. “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from Evil one” (Matt. 6:13)
Every Christian needs protection from the attack of Satan and his cohort. Satan can attach a Christian with fear and temptation. We are not supposed to fear his attacks. “For greater is He that lives in us that He that lives in the world, Apostle Paul said “In all these things we are more than conqueror” (Romance 8:37).
“We are not given the spirit of fear but a spirit of power, of love and self discipline” (2 Tim.1:7).
Partnership – I give God the praise. “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matt. 6:13). God wants every one of His children to participate in His kingdom, power and glory.
You are a member of the kingdom
You are a worker of the kingdom
You are a leader of the kingdom.
In summary your prayers should be:
I give my love to God.
I give my life to God.
I give my worry to God.
I give my sins and hurt to God.
I give my fear and temptation to God
I give my praise to God.
8. MAKING QUIET TIME AN IMPORTANT HABIT OF YOUR LIFE
What is a habit?
A habit is something that you do without thinking about it or intending to do it.
Every good Christian has many good habits and these good habits are what have made him/her into what he/she is. All great men have habits that have made them great.
Daniel in the Bible developed a good praying habit – Daniel 6:10, and He succeeded in His life time.
Jesus our role model succeeded basically on His praying habit -
He prayed when He was entering into the Ministry – Matthew 4:1-11
He prayed when to choose His Disciples –
He normally prayed daily – LK 5:16
He prayed when He completed His earthly Ministry – John 17
He prayed before His arrest – Matthew 26:36-41
He offered His last prayer on the cross for the born and yet unborn children – Luke 23:34
THINGS EVERY CHRISTIANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HABITS
1. A habit is an act that is repeated easily without thinking or planning.
2. A habit is an act that becomes your custom whether you are conscious of it or not.
3. A habit is often an insignificant act that seems to have no power to affect the future. This is why
Many people do not recognize the concepts of having good habits as a powerful tool for future
Accomplishments.
4. A habit can either be good or bad, natural or spiritual. Spiritual habits are things like morning prayers and having a daily quiet time. Natural habits are things like brushing your teeth and having your daily bath.
5. Good Habits are repeated as easily as bad habits.
6. Bad habits lead to consistent failure and defeat without the person realizing what he is happening.
7. Good habit lead to consistent success and victory without the person even realizing what he is doing.
8. Bad habits are easy to form but difficult to live with. Good habits are difficult to form but easy to live with.
9. Every successful Christian has a number of good habits that have brought him to success.
(Form your own good habits for others to emulate).
10. Habits are a safety procedure for Christians. When one is under pressure, the leader may not have time to think of what to do or how to act. It is a good habit of prayer or quiet time that may lead him out of difficulty.
9. HELP ME, OH GOD!
Let us go before the Almighty God and pray it out for a good habit, for us to be able to fit in into His kingdom.
We need the help of God to do His will in order to live a fulfill life.
• Paul prayed for help – Romans 7:24-25 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin”’
• This is Thomas’ declaration after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ “My Lord and my God” John 20:28
• Peter cried out “Lord save me” Matt. 14:30.
• King David prayed to God after He sinned “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit. (Ps. 51:10-12).
This is my prayer “My father, it is your Spirit Oh God that can help one to do your ways, come and help me to do your perfect will now and for ever”.
I pray that God grants every one of us the right Spirit to observe our Quiet Time appropriately and accurately (Amen).
Author: PASTOR V.S.O OBISESAN
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