Being Still Series

Being Still

Gen 1:27, Rev 3:20, 1 Cor 1:9, Mark 1:35, Mat 4:4, Job 23:12, Psa 119:9, Psa 29:2, Psa 25:4

Pro 4:26, 3:6, Psa 37:4, 16:11, 2 Pet 1:3-4, Luke 22:39, Mark 1:35, Psa 119:18, John 7:17,

Gal 6:9,

November 14, 2003

I. I have been preaching about habits that we need to form. Jose preached about seeking God first last week and that walks right into what I am going to preach about this week. And, I didn’t tell him what to preach about. When Jose asked me what he should preach about I told him to ask God, so God lined it all up.

A. Another habit that we need to develop is having quiet time, and if you are like me that is one of the hardest things to do. There is not much quiet time in my life. Something always seems to be happening, or needs to be done.

B. But, that doesn’t make having a quiet time any less important. It is something that we have to learn to do. If we are too busy for God then we are too busy, so I want to go over some things that we can learn about having a quiet time.

C. HOW TO HAVE A QUIET TIME.

D. The first thing might be to learn what a quiet time is. A quiet time is a daily time I set aside to be alone with God, to get to know Him through the Bible and prayer. Your time alone with God should be the top priority in your schedule for five reasons.

E. WE WERE CREATED TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

1. The Bible says in (Gen 1:27 NIV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

2. There was nothing else created that was given the privilege that human beings have given of being able to fellowship, talk to, and communicate with the creator of the universe. And, its what we were created for.

3. (Rev 3:20 NIV) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

4. God s desire always has been and always will be to have fellowship and communion with human beings. That s why we were created, and if we don’t do that we are missing out on our greatest purpose in life.

F. Next, JESUS DIED TO MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP POSSIBLE.

1. (1 Cor 1:9 NIV) God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. When Adam and Eve sinned, the fellowship that God created us for was broken. God had to send His son, Jesus, to earth to make that fellowship possible again by taking away our sins.

2. God didn’t send Jesus to die only to make our going to heaven possible. He did it because He wants a relationship with us and fellowship with us.

3. For us to accept His gift of salvation that costs Him so much, and not make fellowship with Him a major part of it is one of the most selfish things that we could ever do.

4. A quiet time is important first of all because God created us that way originally and then because Jesus died to restore it after it was broken by sin.

G. Third, PERSONAL TIME ALONE WITH GOD WAS JESUS SOURCE OF STRENGTH.

1. Mark 1:35 tells us (Mark 1:35 NIV) Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

2. If Jesus knew the need for constant communication with God and He was the son of God, how much more do we need that constant, everyday time where we re together with the Lord, telling Him how much we love Him.

H. Fourth, EVERY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN SERVICE FOR GOD DEVELOPED THIS HABIT.

1. All through the Bible we re given stories of David and Abraham, Moses and great men and women of God. If you study the verses carefully, you ll see that each of them spent a lot of time alone with the Lord and they were effective in serving Him for that very reason.

2. You can’t be a healthy, growing Christian unless you spend time with God.

3. It s not just a good idea. It s a necessity. Two verses talk about how it s a necessity for us spiritually. (Mat 4:4 NIV) Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"