I'm sure you've heard the term, but what does it mean. It is one of those pieces of Christian Jargon that it is assumed everyone understands the moment it is spoken. But what is it and is it sufficient?
The idea behind that of the quiet time is of setting apart time out from the business of the world and every day to study listen to God by studying what he has said in the Bible and by praying to him. My worry with the term is that it seems a little passive. In Psalm 1 the Psalmist says the righteous, those blessed with relationship with God by grace, delight in and meditate on God's law. That means they treasure it, they explore it, they mine it for the truths it contains and then think those truths through and apply it to their daily living. That is in no way passive!
It also takes longer than 5 mins. It is not hurried. What we value in our society is not measured by the money we lavish on something but the time we devote to it. We are, or so we are told, money rich but time poor. The irony is that we are being told that when we are possibly the most leisured generation ever! It's just that we cram our time with leisure activities, the TV or other entertainments.
What I treasure will be shown by how much time I give to it. Will I treasure God's words to me?
Showing posts with label reading bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading bible. Show all posts
Monday, 7 September 2009
Monday, 3 August 2009
Making the most important thing the most important thing
In Luke 10v38-42 we see Mary as the model disciple - sat at Jesus feet listening to him reveal God and teach about the kingdom, in contrast to Martha who is distracted by serving. It confronts us with the challenge to make listening to Jesus words important in our discipleship, not to become distracted by them but to treasure time learning about God.
We were exploring yesterday how we do that when we meet to hear the Bible taught. The average Bible Talk lasts 20-30mins – the equivalent of one episode of the Simpson’s or Eastenders. If that’s the only Bible teaching in your week it amounts to 0.3% of your time (even if you go twice its 0.6%). 99.7% is spent sleeping, eating, working, watching, talking, shopping… Do we want to make the most of that 0.3%? How do we?
Be Ready – Before playing sport what do you do? You warm up, you get ready, you make sure that you can play to your full potential without injury and enjoy it. What do we do before we come to Church?
We need to do the equivalent of a spiritual warm up before we get to church and it isn’t about a quiet 5 minutes prayer before the service starts. It starts with reading the passage in the week beforehand, asking questions like what surprises me? What don’t I understand? What would someone who has never read the Bible before make of it?
It means coming well rested, waking up early enough that it isn’t a rush to get here, but also not being tired from the night before, watching late night movies or even Match of the Day will probably not be the best preparation.
Pray as we come that God would show us again the wonder of salvation, reveal where our hearts are hard and by his spirit change us.
Be Here – If you aren’t in church you aren’t being taught, and mp3’s are no substitute. In church we worship together, pray together, praise together, pastor one another and prepare to hear God’s word together. We spur one another on you can’t do that with an mp3. Be in your local church, commit to it and miss it rarely. That way you will get maximum benefit from preaching series and pointed localised application.
If you want to carry out a little test, for the last 3 months or the next 3 just note down every time you miss church and why you have missed it. Then review your diary - it may reveal a dangerous distraction.
Be Listening – Mary doesn’t allow Jesus’ words to wash over her she engages with them. Do we? We are accountable to God for how we listen just as preachers are for their preaching. We need to be checking out what is taught, is it what the passage really says, is it in context, does it fit with the rest of the Bible?
We listen to God’s words taught together and need to be discussing and wrestling with application together. Do we spend time afterwards over coffee discussing what the Bible has taught us and how we apply it, or over fellowship meals afterwards.
Be Changing – Are you brave enough to ask yourself this question regularly; When did I last change as a result of God’s word?
Be Praying – Pray during the week for the person preaching, pray they prepare well, avoid distractions and that God speaks to them, pray for yourself and for each other.
There’s a lot there to think about. Christopher Ash's little booklet Listen Up! is a practical guide to listening to Bible teaching be it good, bad, or heretical and how to encourage good preaching. Its a good place to go to follow this up and take the word of God seriously and make it a priority in your life.
We were exploring yesterday how we do that when we meet to hear the Bible taught. The average Bible Talk lasts 20-30mins – the equivalent of one episode of the Simpson’s or Eastenders. If that’s the only Bible teaching in your week it amounts to 0.3% of your time (even if you go twice its 0.6%). 99.7% is spent sleeping, eating, working, watching, talking, shopping… Do we want to make the most of that 0.3%? How do we?
Be Ready – Before playing sport what do you do? You warm up, you get ready, you make sure that you can play to your full potential without injury and enjoy it. What do we do before we come to Church?
We need to do the equivalent of a spiritual warm up before we get to church and it isn’t about a quiet 5 minutes prayer before the service starts. It starts with reading the passage in the week beforehand, asking questions like what surprises me? What don’t I understand? What would someone who has never read the Bible before make of it?
It means coming well rested, waking up early enough that it isn’t a rush to get here, but also not being tired from the night before, watching late night movies or even Match of the Day will probably not be the best preparation.
Pray as we come that God would show us again the wonder of salvation, reveal where our hearts are hard and by his spirit change us.
Be Here – If you aren’t in church you aren’t being taught, and mp3’s are no substitute. In church we worship together, pray together, praise together, pastor one another and prepare to hear God’s word together. We spur one another on you can’t do that with an mp3. Be in your local church, commit to it and miss it rarely. That way you will get maximum benefit from preaching series and pointed localised application.
If you want to carry out a little test, for the last 3 months or the next 3 just note down every time you miss church and why you have missed it. Then review your diary - it may reveal a dangerous distraction.
Be Listening – Mary doesn’t allow Jesus’ words to wash over her she engages with them. Do we? We are accountable to God for how we listen just as preachers are for their preaching. We need to be checking out what is taught, is it what the passage really says, is it in context, does it fit with the rest of the Bible?
We listen to God’s words taught together and need to be discussing and wrestling with application together. Do we spend time afterwards over coffee discussing what the Bible has taught us and how we apply it, or over fellowship meals afterwards.
Be Changing – Are you brave enough to ask yourself this question regularly; When did I last change as a result of God’s word?
Be Praying – Pray during the week for the person preaching, pray they prepare well, avoid distractions and that God speaks to them, pray for yourself and for each other.
There’s a lot there to think about. Christopher Ash's little booklet Listen Up! is a practical guide to listening to Bible teaching be it good, bad, or heretical and how to encourage good preaching. Its a good place to go to follow this up and take the word of God seriously and make it a priority in your life.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
10th March - Psalm 69
The psalmist is crying out to God for rescue. yet the amazing thing is that he cries out to the God who knows his folly (5) who knows his sin. He does not plead for salvation by merit, there is no idea that he deserves God's rescue. In fact just the opposite this is a cry to the God of grace from one who has experienced his salvation and put his hope in it.
He is adrift, bereft of comforters and friends and surrounded by enemies and those who seek to harm him. So he cries to God, and looks forward to the time when not just he, but all heaven and earth will praise God his saviour.
He is adrift, bereft of comforters and friends and surrounded by enemies and those who seek to harm him. So he cries to God, and looks forward to the time when not just he, but all heaven and earth will praise God his saviour.
Monday, 9 March 2009
March 9 - Psalm 41
As you read this Psalm you can feel the vitriol of David's enemies, the Psalm conveys the pressure that David is under. Yet in that situation facing those pressures his assurance is that it is the Lord who sustains, who protects and preserves, and it is to God that he cries for mercy.
We also see that the whispering campaign of his enemies is unfounded and that their longing is for his death. The moment of greatest despair is v9 as he recalls with broken heart how his close friend, one who shared his bread has turned against him.
But he prays Lord have mercy on me. God is to be praised because he sees he knows and he will bring about justice.
It is a startling insight into how Jesus felt as he goes to the Garden, as he is left alone and friendless, as his close friend betrays him, as he faces the whispering the lies and ultimately the justice of the Father trusting in his Father's will, plan and love.
We also see that the whispering campaign of his enemies is unfounded and that their longing is for his death. The moment of greatest despair is v9 as he recalls with broken heart how his close friend, one who shared his bread has turned against him.
But he prays Lord have mercy on me. God is to be praised because he sees he knows and he will bring about justice.
It is a startling insight into how Jesus felt as he goes to the Garden, as he is left alone and friendless, as his close friend betrays him, as he faces the whispering the lies and ultimately the justice of the Father trusting in his Father's will, plan and love.
Friday, 6 March 2009
March 6th - Psalm 16
David's Psalm is a refuge Psalm, God is his only hope and stay. Without God he would be hopeless and helpless. It is a Psalm stating his confidence and faith in the sovereign God. In which the Psalmist reiterates his commitment and faith in contrast to the futility of serving anyone other than the Lord.
This confidence enables him to praise God, to not be shaken and to rejoice in faith.
This confidence enables him to praise God, to not be shaken and to rejoice in faith.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Psalm 8
I think this has to be one my favourite Psalms. It reminds us to put God in his God place. The Psalmist begins by establishing that God is majestic not just in Israel but beyond its borders, his majesty flows out to all the earth. He has no rival. And as such he is worth praising.
The Psalmist is awed as he recognises the power of the creating God and yet his concern for man, his giving of glory and honour to man at creation in making them ruler over his creation. This realisation prompts the Psalmist to exclaim again how majestic God's name is.
We live in a world which wants to downplay the significance of humans. Children as young as 5 being taught that we are just hairless monkeys. But Psalm 8 reminds us that this isn't so, that God made us and gave us a privileged position and that with that came responsibility - to mediate God's rule, to be God's stewards.
Given that we rebelled against that, that we have thrown off our God given responsibilities, that many will not recognise God as creator it is all the more amazing that God is mindful of man. Mindful enough to send his son for his enemies who had taken all that privilege and thrown it back in God's face. "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
The Psalmist is awed as he recognises the power of the creating God and yet his concern for man, his giving of glory and honour to man at creation in making them ruler over his creation. This realisation prompts the Psalmist to exclaim again how majestic God's name is.
We live in a world which wants to downplay the significance of humans. Children as young as 5 being taught that we are just hairless monkeys. But Psalm 8 reminds us that this isn't so, that God made us and gave us a privileged position and that with that came responsibility - to mediate God's rule, to be God's stewards.
Given that we rebelled against that, that we have thrown off our God given responsibilities, that many will not recognise God as creator it is all the more amazing that God is mindful of man. Mindful enough to send his son for his enemies who had taken all that privilege and thrown it back in God's face. "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Day 8 - Psalm 2
As we come to the Psalms we see the prayers and hymns of the people of God. Psalm 2 reminds us of the utter sovereignty of God. That despite the rebellion and the opposition of the rulers and kings of the earth God remains sovereign. In fact so ridiculous is their rebellion that God scoffs.
However, their rebellion - and ours with them - leads us to a place of judgement, where we and they face God's anger and wrath and it is terrible. It is a reminder that opposing God is not only futile but it places us in danger of judgement.
But it is not a Psalm without hope as God installs his king on Zion, a king who is his son, whose inheritance is the nations and who judges. Israel's king is God's son mediating God's rule.
But it points also to the ultimate King the one promised who would sit on the throne of David forever. What is a right reaction to this King who judges? The right reaction is to kiss him - to make allegiance with him, to serve him in awe. The alternative is to face his anger and wrath.
The Psalm ends with a wisdom statement 'Blessed are all who take refuge in him.' Am I taking refuge in the Son King or am I still under his judgement for my rebellion?
However, their rebellion - and ours with them - leads us to a place of judgement, where we and they face God's anger and wrath and it is terrible. It is a reminder that opposing God is not only futile but it places us in danger of judgement.
But it is not a Psalm without hope as God installs his king on Zion, a king who is his son, whose inheritance is the nations and who judges. Israel's king is God's son mediating God's rule.
But it points also to the ultimate King the one promised who would sit on the throne of David forever. What is a right reaction to this King who judges? The right reaction is to kiss him - to make allegiance with him, to serve him in awe. The alternative is to face his anger and wrath.
The Psalm ends with a wisdom statement 'Blessed are all who take refuge in him.' Am I taking refuge in the Son King or am I still under his judgement for my rebellion?
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Day 7 Jeremiah 31
The exile was an awful moment in the history of God's people, it is a display of the holiness of God the failure of the people but also the love of God as he disciplines them as a father disciplines his son. Throughout the warnings of impending exile are promises of a life after exile. In Jeremiah 30 the Lord has promised that Judah and Israel will be restored, their captivity ended, that their mourning will turn to joy. Chapter 31 continues that restoration and return theme and as you read it you can't help but wonder at the scale of the return.
Then in v31 onwards we see the promise of a new covenant where God would put his law within his people, write it on their hearts and be their God, here all shall know God. Where sin is forgiven.
What a promise for a people facing exile and what an expectation as they returned to the land. But the realisation of this is not immediate, it is only in Christ that this new covenant is sealed. We have much to praise God for.
Then in v31 onwards we see the promise of a new covenant where God would put his law within his people, write it on their hearts and be their God, here all shall know God. Where sin is forgiven.
What a promise for a people facing exile and what an expectation as they returned to the land. But the realisation of this is not immediate, it is only in Christ that this new covenant is sealed. We have much to praise God for.
Monday, 2 March 2009
2 Chronicles 6-7
There is much for us to learn about prayer from Solomon's prayer of dedication. It is key for us in then understanding why the likes of Jonah and Daniel look towards Jerusalem when they pray. They are remembering Solomon's plea to God that if they pray towards the land, city and temple where God has said he will dwell then he will hear, uphold and forgive them.
But God's response to Solomons prayer is all the more astonishing as he fills the temple and appears to Solomon. As God promises he will be attentive to offerings for sin. But as he also promises judgement and destruction of the temple if Israel continues to refuse him.
We come not to the temple but to the Son, we pray not via the temple but through the son by the spirit. Praise God for his mercy.
But God's response to Solomons prayer is all the more astonishing as he fills the temple and appears to Solomon. As God promises he will be attentive to offerings for sin. But as he also promises judgement and destruction of the temple if Israel continues to refuse him.
We come not to the temple but to the Son, we pray not via the temple but through the son by the spirit. Praise God for his mercy.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Day 5 - 2 Sam 7
Another of the great covenants that God makes, this time with David. It is an astonishing covenant especially given what happens to David a few chapters later in the story, which of course the sovereign eternal God knows is going to happen as he makes this covenant.
The promise is amazing, David's descendant will sit on the throne forever, he will be THE ruler. Its why Matthew begins with his genealogy because Jesus Christ is this forever king.
The promise is amazing, David's descendant will sit on the throne forever, he will be THE ruler. Its why Matthew begins with his genealogy because Jesus Christ is this forever king.
Friday, 27 February 2009
Day 4 28th Feb - Num 20:1-13, 21:1-8
It is always striking and saddening to read of Israel's failure and Numbers is one of the books which shows us Israel's failure and makes us aware of our similarity to them.
In Numbers 20 and 21 we read of two incidents that in the New Testament are taken and viewed as precursors, shadows of Christ. As God provides water from the rock, and then after Israel's rebellion and subsequent judgement God provides a means of salvation by faith in looking at the snake.
It tells us of God's holiness and the necessity of his punishing sin, we also see that he does not separate the sin and the sinner, he judges and punishes the people for their sin. However we see again the love and gracious mercy of God as he provides a way of salvation by faith. In John's gospel Jesus answers Nicodemus question 'How can this be?' by picking up and reminding him of this incident with the snake and applies it to his own lifting up, just as salvation is by looking to the snake by faith so whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life.
Salavtion is by faith alone in Christ alone.
In Numbers 20 and 21 we read of two incidents that in the New Testament are taken and viewed as precursors, shadows of Christ. As God provides water from the rock, and then after Israel's rebellion and subsequent judgement God provides a means of salvation by faith in looking at the snake.
It tells us of God's holiness and the necessity of his punishing sin, we also see that he does not separate the sin and the sinner, he judges and punishes the people for their sin. However we see again the love and gracious mercy of God as he provides a way of salvation by faith. In John's gospel Jesus answers Nicodemus question 'How can this be?' by picking up and reminding him of this incident with the snake and applies it to his own lifting up, just as salvation is by looking to the snake by faith so whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life.
Salavtion is by faith alone in Christ alone.
Day 3 - Exodus 12
You can't help but notice as you read this chapter God's provision for his people, God's judgement and God's desire that his people should remember the Passover. God is bringing his people out of Egypt in a momentous way. The judgement of Egypt and the sheltering of Israel under the blood of the lamb shows God; grace and mercy to Israel and his sovereignty and holiness.
(27) What is the peoples reaction to this rescue and impending salvation? It is to bow their heads and worship and to do everything the Lord commanded.
(27) What is the peoples reaction to this rescue and impending salvation? It is to bow their heads and worship and to do everything the Lord commanded.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Day 2 - Gen 12
This chapter is key for our understanding of the whole Bible, certainly the rest of the Torah and the Old Testament is concerned with tracing God's fulfilment of these 4 promises. God is a faithful God who keeps his word.
But it also reminds us that God is a God of grace, as Joshua reminds us Abram was an idolater but God saves him and makes his covenant with him. Abram is not the standard bearer for those who do good things to work their way to God, he is the father of those who are saved by faith in the promises of God.
And the promises themselves are immense and undeserved. As I read the last "and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." it reminds me of the scene in Revelation of multitudes from every tribe and tongue and nation, all blessed through Abraham by Christ.
But it also reminds us that God is a God of grace, as Joshua reminds us Abram was an idolater but God saves him and makes his covenant with him. Abram is not the standard bearer for those who do good things to work their way to God, he is the father of those who are saved by faith in the promises of God.
And the promises themselves are immense and undeserved. As I read the last "and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." it reminds me of the scene in Revelation of multitudes from every tribe and tongue and nation, all blessed through Abraham by Christ.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Lent reading plan
As mentioned earlier why not rather than give up something for lent take up something. Here are readings for the time of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday (inclusive) including one for each of the Sundays. Each day the I'll try to post some basic thought and questions about each to help us prepare for Easter.
Weds 25th Feb- Genesis 3
26th - Genesis 12
27th - Exodus 12
28th - Num 20:1-13, 21:1-8
Sun 1st March - 2 Samuel 7
2nd - 2 Chronicles 6-7
3rd - Jeremiah 31
4th - Psalm 2
5th - Psalm 8
6th - Psalm 16
7th - Psalm 22
Sun 8th - Psalm 31
9th - Psalm 41
10th - Psalm 69
11th - Isaiah 7
12th - Isaiah 9
13th - Isaiah 11
14th - Isaiah 40
Sun 15th - Isaiah 42
16th - Isaiah 49
17th - Isaiah 50
18th- Isaiah 51
19th - Isaiah 52
20th - Isaiah 53
21st - Isaiah 59
Sun 22nd - Zechariah 9
23rd - Zechariah 11-12
24th - Zechariah 13-14
25th -John 1
26th - John 2
27th - John 3
28th - John 4
Sun 29th -John 5
30th - John 6
31st - John 7
1st April - John 8
2nd - John 9
3rd - John 10
4th - John 11
Sun 5th - John 12
6th - John 14
7th - John 15-16
8th - John 17
9th - John 18
10th - John 19
11th - Matt 12:38-45
Sun 12th - John 20
Weds 25th Feb- Genesis 3
26th - Genesis 12
27th - Exodus 12
28th - Num 20:1-13, 21:1-8
Sun 1st March - 2 Samuel 7
2nd - 2 Chronicles 6-7
3rd - Jeremiah 31
4th - Psalm 2
5th - Psalm 8
6th - Psalm 16
7th - Psalm 22
Sun 8th - Psalm 31
9th - Psalm 41
10th - Psalm 69
11th - Isaiah 7
12th - Isaiah 9
13th - Isaiah 11
14th - Isaiah 40
Sun 15th - Isaiah 42
16th - Isaiah 49
17th - Isaiah 50
18th- Isaiah 51
19th - Isaiah 52
20th - Isaiah 53
21st - Isaiah 59
Sun 22nd - Zechariah 9
23rd - Zechariah 11-12
24th - Zechariah 13-14
25th -John 1
26th - John 2
27th - John 3
28th - John 4
Sun 29th -John 5
30th - John 6
31st - John 7
1st April - John 8
2nd - John 9
3rd - John 10
4th - John 11
Sun 5th - John 12
6th - John 14
7th - John 15-16
8th - John 17
9th - John 18
10th - John 19
11th - Matt 12:38-45
Sun 12th - John 20
LENT - don't give up take up
Lent is upon us. Lots of people give something up for lent, I can't help but wonder if this just confirms those outside the church in their view that Christianity is all about denying yourself, missing out on the good things.
Instead why don't we use lent positively and take something extra up. I'm going to try for the next forty days, starting tomorrow to have an extra Bible reading and reflection slot in my day. Its got to be better for me than giving up chocolate or crisps or whatever.
I'll post what I am reading each day and 2 readings worth on a Friday as I try not to blog on Saturday as its family day. Why not join me dwelling on what Christ has done for us?
Instead why don't we use lent positively and take something extra up. I'm going to try for the next forty days, starting tomorrow to have an extra Bible reading and reflection slot in my day. Its got to be better for me than giving up chocolate or crisps or whatever.
I'll post what I am reading each day and 2 readings worth on a Friday as I try not to blog on Saturday as its family day. Why not join me dwelling on what Christ has done for us?
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
The Word became Fresh
The Old Testament can be quite hard to read and understand. We all like stories but sometimes we get so caught up in the stories that we miss the point the Old Testaments narrative is making about God, his purposes and his future.
So when a book that is easy to read interesting and establishes sound principles for looking at such texts comes along it deserves reading. Dale Ralph Davis is an excellent expositor of the Old Testament and he has helpfully written 'The Word became Fresh'. Though designed for the preacher it is a great tool for anyone wanting to learn how to look at the Old Testament. The chapters on how to approach Old Testament narrative and reading with God at the centre are worth the price of the book on its own.
It's one book that I will keep returning to when having to preach Old Testament narrative or just reading it in my quiet times.
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