Quiet Times

Matthew 14:22-23 
²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  Later that night, he was there alone, 

Introduction 
Genesis 15:1 says, “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision ‘Do not be afraid, Abram.   I am your shield, your very great reward.’”  The promise the Lord makes to Abram when He makes a covenant with him is that He will be Abram’s “Great Reward.”  God promises that He is the great reward, the ultimate payoff.  Not a means to an end, but an end in Himself.  Our relationship with God is what it is all about.  The point of following Christ is not simply to “get to heaven” but to spend eternity in relationship with God.  He promises us that the time we invest in building a relationship with Him will be worth it.  “Quiet Time” is what we call the time we intentionally spend in communion with God – in prayer and the reading of Scripture.  Explained below are reasons we should spend quiet time with God:

1. Allows Us to Know God and His Ways 
   The Bible is God’s Word given to us.  It is His revelation of Himself. As we study God’s Word, we learn His ways, His nature and character.
   • ​Psalm 119:15 
   • Psalm 119:33 
   • Psalm 119:37 
2. Keeps Our Way Pure 
   As we focus our attention on God and meditate on His Word, we gradually look less like the world and more like Christ.
   • ​Psalm 119:9-11
   • Psalm 119:105 
   • James 4:8 
3. Renews Our Mind 
   As we spend time with God and understand the Scriptures, the lies of the world, the flesh and the devil are exposed and the Truth of God is illuminated.  By saturating our minds with the Truth, our minds are renewed and transformed.
   • ​Romans 12:1-2 
   • Matthew 22:37 
4. Firmly Root Us 
   When our lives our rooted in God’s Word, we are like trees grounded in His love.
   • ​Psalm 1:1-5 
5. Helps Us Discern God’s Will 
   As we grow in God’s love and study His word, we learn to understand His will and obey it. 
6. Provides Us Power in Spiritual Warfare 
   Knowing God and His Truth will enable us to ward off spiritual attack and resist believing the lies of the enemy.
   • ​Ephesians 6:10-20 
7. Enables Us to Refute False Doctrine 
   Christians are often bombarded with teaching that distorts God’s Truth and misrepresents His character.  By spending time with Him and reading His Word, you will be able to stand up against such false teachings.
   • ​Ephesians 4:14 
   • Hebrews 13:9

Seeking God Daily 
Daily time spent pursuing God is a spiritual discipline that is learned over time as you seek to know Him more.  It is often difficult at first to set aside time to seek God, because it requires the sacrifice of time that could have been spent elsewhere.  But as you practice the discipline, you will find that it is actually difficult to go without it.  Here are some prerequisites that will help you be successful in setting aside daily time to commune with God:

1. Prayer. Ask God to birth in you a desire to spend time with Him in prayer and find joy in reading His Word. 
2. Accountability. Have someone hold you accountable to spending daily time with the Lord.
3. Discipline. Commit to spending consistent and quality time with God.
4. Prioritization. Organize your day around your quiet time.  Perhaps you should make it the first thing you do in the morning.  Treat it as you would any other important appointment.

The Importance of Having a Plan 

1. If you want to get somewhere (closer to God), you first have to figure out how to get there.  Failing to plan is planning to fail.
2. Structure ensures consistency in your daily quiet time with God.  Procrastinating your quiet time will often result in you spending little or no time with God.
3. Having a plan gives you a place to go in your quiet times, rather than “wingin’ it” or “playing it by ear.”  
4. It allows you to see what you have learned after you are done. 

Practical Next Steps 
Scripture does not specifically tell us how long our quiet times should be.  Though, it is important to keep in mind that if we want to be transformed by God’s Truth – rather than being conformed to the world – ample time should be spent in Word and prayer.  Ten minutes with God is probably not enough.  Try spending half an hour with Him – twenty minutes reading and reflecting on Scripture and ten minutes in prayer – and go from there.  As you make spending time with God a habit, it will flow more naturally.  There are many ways to focus your time spent with God.  Here are a few that you can consider:

1. Book Study.  Go through a book in the Bible with a commentary or study guide.
2. Topic Study.  Survey an important theme or concept in Scripture and study what different verses throughout the Bible say about it.
3. Memorization and Meditation.
4. Organize Your Prayer Life.  Some people find journaling helpful to record notes on Scripture and organize prayers.
5. One-Year Bible 

​Conclusion 
Quiet times are life changing experiences.  As you set aside daily time to seek God in prayer and the study of His word, you will begin to see your life, you attitude, and your relationship with God change.  Your mind will be transformed. Approach your time with God as a discipline, consistently seeking Him.  

Application Questions 

1. Do you spend time with God daily?  What does it look like?
2. How can your quiet times with God be improved?  What are the next steps to ensure these changes are made?

Memory Verses 
Psalm 119:9-11
Psalm 1:2
Romans 12:1-2 

How does this study reinforce your belief in the gospel?