HOW TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL QUIET TIME      DFO [GN789]

Excerpts from 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods by Richard Warren, Victor Books

         The regular quiet time during Jesus' ministry was a source of His strength. Personal fellowship with His Father in Heaven was the top priority of Jesus' life (see Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 22:39-44). He was never too busy for it; in fact, when His ministry was the busiest, that's when He made certain that He kept in daily touch with the Father. If Jesus needed this time with God, how much more we need it.
         Every great man or woman of God throughout history has spent much time alone with God. Anyone who has ever been used mightily by the Lord was a man or woman of the Word and prayer. Regular quiet time was the one thing they had in common. The common denominator between Moses, David, Daniel, Paul, Calvin, Wesley, Finney, Moody, Spurgeon, Billy Graham, and all of the great saints of history is that they all spent much time with God in personal fellowship. Their writings and ministries clearly show this.
         Someone has said, "If you want to find out what a man is really like, find out what he is like alone with God." Martin Luther, the father of the Reformation, once said, "I have so much to do today that I must spend at least three hours in prayer." The busier he was, the more time he needed with God. If you're too busy to have a quiet time, then you're too busy!
         "But I don't have the time!" is an excuse we hear so often. Every person in the world has exactly the same amount of time each week--168 hours--and you will spend some of those hours on things you think are important. You don't have time for everything; you must make time for things that really count. It's not a matter of time, but a matter of priorities. What is really important to you?
         The key to making time for the quiet time is your commitment to Christ and the Kingdom of God. Jesus stated, "Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mat.6:33). Put God first in your life and you will have more time. Don't let anything rob you of that time of fellowship with the Lord. Preserve it at all costs. If Jesus Christ is first in your life, you ought to give Him the first part of every day. Your quiet time should be the absolute number one priority commitment of your life.
         One privilege of the quiet time is for us to get direction from God for our daily lives. This was David's attitude in life: "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psa. 25:4-5; see also Psa.73:24; 143:10). The quiet time is a great opportunity to receive counsel from the Lord.
         In this fast-paced age of hurry, we need a time when we can slow down, collect our thoughts, evaluate what is happening around us, and get direction from the One Who knows the end from the beginning. It has been said that all the troubles of man arise from his inability to sit still. On a number of occasions Jesus invited His disciples to "come apart" with Him for a while that they might recuperate physically and spiritually. In this modern day and age, if you don't "come apart" periodically, you will literally come apart! It is also interesting to note in the Gospels that often Jesus explained His teachings to the disciples when they were alone with Him (see Mark 4:34).
         Also, the quiet time is a time to commit our day to the Lord. Solomon urged, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths" (Pro.3:5-6; see also Psa.37:5). Ask God to show you His will for the day; commit your schedule to Him and ask the Lord to guide you in the upcoming activities. You might even ask Him to help you budget your time so you can get more done (see Psa.90:12). Ask Him to help you sort out the necessary from the unnecessary (see 1Cor.10:23).
         It is only as you are in touch with the Lord daily that you will see life's problems and opportunities from the right perspective. Only through your meeting with Him will He be able to guide your life more effectively. One of the most important requests you can make while committing your day to the Lord is to ask Him to prepare and direct your witnessing opportunities that day.

         In order to get to know someone intimately and to enjoy him personally, you must
         * Spend quality time with him.
         * Communicate meaningfully with him.
         * Observe him in a variety of situations.

         These same criteria apply in getting to know and enjoy God too. Remember that it is hard to have a love affair in a crowd; you need to get alone with that one person. That's why the Bible speaks of our relationship with God through Christ as a love relationship. In fact, it is called a marriage--He is the Bridegroom and we in the church are His bride.
         Are you anxious to get alone and share intimately with Jesus? If not, you should be. Make it your goal to meet Jesus in your quiet time; not just to learn about Him, but actually to meet with Him. Expect to meet Him each morning, for He's there waiting to meet with you!
         Sometimes we get so busy working for God or with our own affairs that we forget just to love Him. God once said through His prophet, "Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number" (Jer.2:32). We particularly forget God when we fail to read the love letter He has written to us--the Bible.

How to Have a Meaningful Time with God
         If we are convinced that a quiet time is needed in our lives, then how do we go about having one? We may become motivated to do it, but may not know how. We need to consider four essential elements of a good quiet time:
         * Start with the proper attitudes.
         * Select a specific time.
         * Choose a special place.
         * Follow a simple plan.

Start with the Proper Attitudes
         In God's eyes, why you do something is far more important than what you do. On one occasion God told Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1Sam.16:7). It is quite possible to do the right thing, but with the wrong attitude. This was Amaziah's problem, for "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly" (2Chr.25:2).

Select a Specific Time
         The specific time has to do with when you should have your quiet time and how long it should be. The general rule is this: The best time is when you are at your best. Give God the best part of your day--when you are the freshest and most alert. Don't try to serve God with your leftovers (leftover time). Remember too that your best time may be different from someone else's.
         For most of us, however, early in the morning seems to be the best time. It was Jesus' Own practice to rise early to pray and meet with the Father. "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" (Mark 1:35).
         In the Bible, many Godly men and women rose early to meet with God. Some of these were:
         * Abraham--Genesis 19:27
         * Job--Job 1:5
         * Jacob--Genesis 28:18
         * Moses--Exodus 34:4
         * Hannah and Elkanah--1Samuel 1:19
         * David--Psalms 5:3; 57:7-8
         (See also Psa.143:8; Isa.26:9.)

         Throughout church history many Christians who were used most by God met with Him early in the morning. Hudson Taylor said, "You don't tune up the instruments after the concert is over. That's stupid. It's logical to tune them up before you start."
         The great revival among British college students in the late 19th century began with those historic words: "Remember the Morning Watch!" So we need to tune ourselves up at the start of each day as we remember the Morning Watch.
         If Jesus is really in first place in our lives, we ought to give Him the first part of our day. We are to seek His Kingdom first (see Mat.6:33). Doctors tell us that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. It often determines our energy levels, alertness, and even moods for the day. Likewise, we need a "spiritual breakfast" to start our day off right.
         Finally, in the morning our minds are uncluttered from the day's activities. Our thoughts are fresh, we're rested, tensions have not yet come on us, and it's usually the quietest time. One mother sets her alarm clock for 4 A.M., has her quiet time, goes back to bed, and then rises when everyone else in the household gets up. Her explanation is that with kids around the house all day, early morning is the only time when it's quiet and she can be alone with God. It works for her; you need to select a time that will work for you.
         You might even consider having two quiet times (morning and night). Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, used to have code letters for his night quiet time--H.W.L.W. Whenever he was with a group of people at night or home with his wife and the conversation seemed to be ending, he would say, "All right, H.W.L.W.," after which a passage of Scripture would be quoted without comment and all would go to sleep. H.W.L.W. stood for "His Word the Last Word," and he practiced that through the years as a way of ending a day with one's thoughts fixed on the Lord (Betty Lee Skinner, Daws, Zondervan, p.103).
         Stephen Olford, a great Christian and minister in New York for many years, said, "I want to hear the voice of God before I hear anyone else's in the morning, and His is the last voice I want to hear at night."
         David and Daniel even met with the Lord three times each day (see Psa.55:17; Dan.6:10).
         Whatever time you set, be consistent in it. Schedule it on your calendar; make an appointment with God as you would with anyone else. Make a date with Jesus! Then look forward to it and don't stand Him up. A stood-up date is not a pleasant experience for us, and Jesus does not like to be stood up either. So make a date with Him and keep it at all costs.
         The question is often asked, "How much time should I spend with the Lord in the morning?" This is a matter that should be decided between you and the Lord. If you've never had a consistent quiet time before, you may want to start with seven minutes (Robert D. Foster, Seven Minutes with God, NavPress) and let it grow naturally. After all, you were created to have fellowship with God, and there are 168 hours available during any given week. Here are some additional guidelines:

         * You must grow in this relationship as you do in any other. So begin with a consistent time and let it grow; it's better to be consistent with a short time than inconsistent with a long time.
         * Don't watch the clock. Clock-watching can ruin your quiet time faster than almost anything else. Decide what you can do in the Word and prayer during the time you have selected; then do it. Sometimes it will take longer than you have set aside, and sometimes less time. But don't keep looking at your watch.
         * Emphasize quality, not quantity. It's what you do during your time--15 minutes or two hours or anything in between--that's important. Aim for a quality relationship with the Lord.

Choose a Special Place
         The location, where we have our quiet times, is also important. The Bible indicates that Abraham had a regular place where he met with God (Gen.19:27). Jesus had a custom of praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him" (Luke 22:39).
         Your place ought to be a secluded place. This is a place where you can be alone, where it's quiet, and where you will not be disturbed or interrupted. In today's noisy Western world, this may take some ingenuity, but it is necessary. It ought to be a place

         * where you can pray aloud without disturbing others.
         * where you have good lighting for reading (a desk, perhaps).
         * where you are comfortable. (If possible, try not to have your quiet time in bed. That may be too comfortable!)

         Your place ought to be a special place. Wherever you decide to meet with the Lord, make it a special place for you and Him. As the days go by, that place will come to mean a lot to you because of the wonderful times you have there with Jesus.
         You don't have to be in a church building to have quiet time. People have had their quiet times in their cars parked in a quiet place, in an empty closet at home, in their backyards, and even in a baseball dugout.

Follow a Simple Plan
         Someone has said, "If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!" To have a meaningful quiet time, you will need a plan or some kind of general outline to follow. The main rule is this: Keep your plan simple. Don't let it detract from your time with Christ.

Some Closing Thoughts
         * Vary your plan. From time to time change your methods. Don't fall into the trap of performing a method instead of getting to know Christ.
         * Spend a whole quiet time in thanksgiving. Sometimes when prayer seems hard and heavy, spend your time just thanking God for Who He is and what He has done. Psalm 145 is a good example of that--the psalmist asked nothing for himself. Or just sing some songs of praise to God.
         * At times you may want to spend your whole quiet time memorizing Scripture and letting God speak to you in this special and challenging way.
         * Remember your main purpose--to get to know Christ. Don't let your quiet time become a legalistic exercise in "doing your duty." Remember that you are there to meet Jesus and to get to know Him.

How to Deal with Common Problems in Your Quiet Time
         As soon as you start a quiet time or even commit yourself to having one regularly, you will encounter problems and difficulties. Why? Because Satan will fight you tooth and nail to keep you from your daily meeting with the Lord. He hates nothing more than a Christian getting down to business with God, because he knows that such believers are dangerous to his kingdom of darkness. We want to deal with four of the most common problems:
         * The problem of self-discipline
         * The problem of dry spells
         * The problem of concentration
         * The problem of discouragement

The Problem of Self-discipline
         Perhaps one of the greatest and most common problems you will face is the discipline of getting out of bed in the morning to have the quiet time. It is the "Battle of the Blankets," which faces you the moment you wake up, and has to do with the question, "Am I going to get out of bed to have a quiet time?"
         The Devil will exaggerate to you about how tired you are, and when the Devil and the flesh team up, it really takes work to get out of bed.

The Problem of Dry Spells
         Another common problem of those who have just started having quiet times is that they don't seem to get much out of them. It has become the "Battle of the Blahs" with them. This difficulty may be overcome by realizing that they can never judge their quiet time by their emotions. Emotions may lie; feelings may come and go. So they shouldn't depend on their feelings. If they only have a quiet time when they "feel" like it, the Devil will make sure they never feel like it.
         Yes, some days will seem rather bland. On other days you will think that Heaven has opened up and you're part of the innumerable angelic host, singing praises to God. So don't expect to have a great and glorious "experience" every morning. As Billie Hanks says, "It's hard to get spiritual goose bumps in the morning."

The Problem of Concentration
         Once you've won the two previous battles, the Devil will attack you by sending many distractions along the way. You will now have to fight the "Battle of the Brain," for your mind will try to wander in all directions during the quiet time. You will be bothered by noises, lack of sleep, poor lighting, tensions with others, worry, and a million other things that you "just can't forget." Here are some suggestions for conquering this problem:
         * Be sure you're thoroughly awake. Take a shower, splash cold water on your face, or do some exercises.
         * Read and pray aloud.
         * Walk while praying. You will not fall asleep standing up, so move around.
         * Keep a notebook handy. When you're reminded of something else, write it down and come back to it after your quiet time. Then you won't have to worry about forgetting it.

The Problem of Discouragement
         By far your greatest problem will be your struggle to stick with your morning quiet time. Nothing is more difficult to maintain regularly--for the world, the flesh, and the Devil will work together to keep you from it. When pressures mount and you find that you have too many things to do, what are you usually tempted to drop first? The most important thing--your quiet time.
         Satan's most vicious attacks will come in the area of being diligent in your quiet time. He knows that if he can keep you out of the Word, then he has defeated you. If he can keep you from spending quality time with the Lord at the start of a day, then he's won the battle, for he knows that he will have no opposition from you.
         Dropping your quiet time is usually the first step in spiritual backsliding. Many lukewarm Christians have said, "It all started when I began neglecting my quiet time."
         In ministering to others, you can never take another person farther spiritually than you have gone yourself. If you have no input from the Lord each day, you will have nothing to share with others and will not be able to help others grow.

Conclusion
         What if you miss a day? Don't worry about it if it happens occasionally. Don't go on a guilt trip. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom.8:1). Don't get legalistic, because missing one day does not make it a flop. Don't give up. If you miss a meal, it doesn't mean that you should give up eating because you're inconsistent. You simply eat a little more at the next meal and go on from there. This same principle is true with your quiet time.
         Psychologists tell us that it usually takes us three weeks to get familiar with some new task or habit; it takes another three weeks before it becomes a habit. Now the reason why many people are not successful in their quiet times is because they've never made it past that six-week barrier. For your quiet time to become a habit, you must have had one daily for at least six weeks.
         William James had a famous formula for developing a habit (Selected Papers on Philosophy, E.P. Dutton & Co., pp. 60-62):

         1. Make a strong resolution (vow). You must always start with a strong, decided initiative. If you begin halfheartedly, you'll never make it. Make a public declaration by telling others about your decision.
         2. Never allow an exception to occur till the new habit is securely rooted in your life. A habit is like a ball of twine. Every time you drop it, many strands are unwound. So never allow the "just this once" to occur. The act of yielding weakens the will and strengthens the lack of self-control.
         3. Seize every opportunity and inclination to practice your new habit. Whenever you get the slightest urge to practice your new habit, do it right then. Don't wait, but use every opportunity to reinforce your habit. It does not hurt to overdo a new habit when you are first starting.

To these suggestions I would add one more:
         4. Rely on the power of God. When it is all said and done, you must realize that you're in a spiritual battle and you can only succeed by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. So pray that God will strengthen you, and depend on Him to help you develop this habit for His glory.
         If you've been convinced that this is what you need to do, would you pray the following?

A Prayer of Commitment
         "Lord, I commit myself to spending a definite time with You every day, no matter what the cost. I am depending on Your strength to help me be consistent."

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family