How likely is it that the number of bad days a person has is directly related to the missed days of quiet time and time alone with God? I’ve been horrible about my quiet time lately and today was a horrible work day. I am not sure that one person, or any one thing, really set me off but I was not pleased to be at work today. The implication is not that God is “paying me back” or disciplining me (although this may very well be true) but that I continue to fall farther away from His holiness the more time I spend away from Him.
Does God let me fall away to teach me a lesson or show me how dependent I am upon Him? I think these things are certainly true but I also believe that my sinful nature does not want to be close to God. It is more comfortable to do things of the flesh — especially since that is what I have known for so many years. I am comforted by the fact that I recognize this and abhor the distance between God and I. I want to be close to Him — which fights against my sinful nature. I am so deprived and incapable of good, it is reassuring to know that God loves me no matter what. He will always be there for me to pick me up when I fall. Again, He isn’t doing this out of jealousy or mind games — He disciplines me because He is my Father for eternity. He wants me to be the man that He knows I can be. It is incredibly comforting to know that He is in charge and will instruct me in the right ways in all situations.
Our Sunday sermon was an interesting piece on our lack of praise and worship to the Lord. Luke 17:11-19 (Ten Healed of Leprosy) was the passage that demonstrated how typical we are in our day. A great analogy was given of a father helping his son play golf. When the boy can’t seem to hit the ball, his father will come behind him, help him swing and hit the ball. We can all related to that scenario. We would all praise the boy for a job well done. It is the same with our Father — He comes and wraps His arms around us yet we want to give ourselves the praise for a job well done.
In the story given to us from Luke, only one of the lepers that were healed return to give thanks to Jesus (interestingly, the Samaritan — not one of God’s chosen people). Jesus asked him where the others were and why they had not returned. It is the same with us — we do not enter into an intimate relationship with our Creator, we get involved when it is convenient for us. I think about that a lot. Why do I do the things I do — spiritually speaking? Do I do it because I feel closer to the Lord? So that others can see me do it? It makes me think I am doing the right thing? Whatever the means, I have to be obedient with a closeness and intimacy with God — not just an obedient heart that will follow whatever instructions are given to me. God loves me and He wants to talk to me more about things going on in my life. Besides my wife, who else is there for me always to discuss whatever is going on? Why would I push that away, or shun away from that? My depraved nature is ridiculously powerful. 
I thank God for the message this morning that made me think more about how often I thank God for the blessings He has given me — not just the superficial ones. It is eye-opening to know that God is watching me every second of the day and is patiently waiting to talk to me.
Father God, thank you for giving me your only Son so that I can talk to you. Thank you for loving me more than I can imagine loving anything. God, I want to draw closer to you and have a passionate relationship with you. Please help remove those things in my life that would draw me away or push me away from you. Thank you Father for my church and my friends. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Paul relates more to the Jews in this passage as he talks about his “kinsmen” (at least in the flesh). He is testifying with all of his integrity that he would rather be separated from Christ than have all of his brethren (Israelites) separated. He knows that this is not possible, yet he wishes it to be true. He wants the Jews to come to Christ but he knows that they are rejecting him and following the Pharisees.
I catch interest in the phrase “my conscious testifies with me in the Holy Spirit”. The part I am focusing on is the “in the Holy Spirit”. Why does Paul put this part in the verse? Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and he wanted people to know that he was not lying to them or to God. He truly wished for his brothers to be united with Christ. It pained him to know that they rejected the Savior and that they would have to live eternity separated from Him because of that disbelief.
Paul also talks about all of the blessings that the Jews had bestowed upon them, by God, as the chosen ones — the giving of the Law, the temple service, the promises, etc. Jews were falling from the Lord and he knew there was nothing he could do about it other than share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ was even born of Jewish decent (as he points out in verse 5). The Jews were stuck in their old theology of the old covenant and were blind the truth of Jesus Christ.
Father, open my eyes to your truths. Every day, I am so busy going from one place to another, I do not take the time to appreciate your blessings and your truths. Father, I ask that you open my eyes and my heart to your truths. Help me see clearly. I do not want to be whitewashed as the Pharisees but I want to be holy in Your sight because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
Today didn’t go too bad… I prayed several times at work today. Nothing spectacular, but I did find that “Breath Prayers” helped considerably. I prayed that the Lord would use me greatly. I prayed that God would let me be His instrument. I don’t recall taking the time to hear the Lord talk to me, but I know that He heard me.
I also prayed for the people at my company. I prayed that they would be led by God’s wisdom and not by our own prideful decisions. God is great in leading us down the right path, while we will find the wrong path every single time. I thank the Lord that He is in control and determines the right direction for me.
The sermon today was on praying. Our pastor used 1 Thes 5:17 as the verse to discuss praying. “Pray continually”, he said. I was thinking about that passage and how important those two words are to every man. I pray less than 5 times a day, less than 10 minutes total. There are 1,440 minutes in every single day. Why is it that I can find 10 minutes a day to lay down and relax, talk on the phone, play games that I want to play, etc. yet I can’t stop to give the Lord 10 minutes of every single day. That’s just sad.
I also felt convicted about something that our pastor about called “Breath Prayers”. I believe he gave credit for this catch phrase to another author, but I cannot recall his or her name. Regardless, the concept is simple:
- Read — read my Bible
- Hear — listen to what the Lord has to say to me
- Answer — respond to the Lord
- Write — write what catches my attention or stands out
- Pray — create a quick prayer that can be repeated in under one breath
Once I have the prayer in my memory, repeat it over and over, every chance I get all day long. Interestingly, I did a horrible job of this on Friday/Saturday but found myself closer to God and hearing Him on Saturday night when I was doing my quiet time. (Oh yeah, I had breakfast with my pastor on Friday morning and had a “preview” of the sermon.)
All men are called to pray continually. The NASB translates this to “pray without ceasing”. Do I really think that 10 minutes (or less) a day constitutes praying without ceasing? Am I really hearing this command that the Lord has given me? Paul gives us the instructions of the Lord — are we taking it seriously?
Father and Heavenly Lord, I praise you for the majestic creation of this world. You are everywhere all of the time, yet you care so much about me that you know every single detail about me. Father, I thank you for giving me the ability to talk directly to you through prayer and to hear you respond through your Word. Father, please forgive me for not taking your Word seriously — I am not praying continually and I need to do just that. Father, I know that if I prayed more consistently and deliberately, I would have a better relationship with you. Father, I long for that closeness with you. Please, grant me that relationship and that closeness with you. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.