Moose Crossing Bible Camp
Devotions
Day 1
How to Have a Quiet Time
Introduction
Meaning of Quiet Time
To a Christian, quiet time is just what the words mean. It is a time of quietness before the Lord--when the Lord can speak through His Word and when the believer can talk with the Lord.
The
Bible says, "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray
to thy Father..."
Matthew 6:6
It is a time of renewing the inner man; a time when we meet God and God meets us and our need.
Reasons for Keeping a Quiet Time
The writings and examples of men of God through history show us the importance of fellowship with the Lord in the Quiet Time.
The practice that our Lord Jesus Himself, who "rising up a great while before day, went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35) is the highest example for us. If He, who was never out of touch with His Father, apart from the busy world, how much more we need it.
Each Christian should make the Quiet Time, preferably, the habit of his life at the beginning and at the end of each day. Before going out to a world who does not know God, we should take time to listen to the voice of our Father from the Bible and talk to Him by prayer.
Through this reading of the Word of God and prayer, the believer confesses his complete dependence on God for:
wisdom
guidance
blessing
supply of needs
We are weak and need strength, fearful and need courage; ignorant, and need wisdom; wayward and need guidance; sinful, and need restoration.
The Quiet Time is when this strength and restoration are supplied. We must guard this Quiet Time and reserve it at all costs, for God.
Day 2
II. Preparing for Quiet Time
A. There must be a Quiet Time
1. No one can say for another what time in our 24 hours is best because our circumstances and schedules are so different. But, there must be a TIME. Important things in our lives are organized and scheduled. We take time for food for our bodies. We must fix a time for Bible Reading and Prayer. There must be a specific time. Decide when it should be and then stay with it!
B. There must be a Quiet Place
We may come from a home with a large family or a small house and may share a room with brothers or sisters. It is difficult to get alone each day at a given time. Perhaps, a small corner of a room or a special spot in the yard would work. But, shut out things that distract, shut the door of your mind to everything else and think about what you read from your Bible.
C. There must be a Quiet Heart
We must have quietness within ourselves. We should not hurry or rush into God's presence. There should be calmness. Read Psalm 46:10 Don't think about other things you need or want to do.
D. There must be a Quiet Expectation
Be
quiet, concentrate, expect, don't hurry.
James 1:5-7
D. There must be an Objective
The object of Quiet Time is not to study for Sunday School or youth group. This is a time to wait on God to show you His will for your day.
Day 3
III. Observing the Quiet Time
The Quiet Time should serve a three-fold purpose:
1. Reading the Scriptures, THE WORD
2. Thinking about what you read, MEDITATION
3. Worship, Thanksgiving, and asking, PRAYER
A. The Word of God
"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may withhold wondrous things out of thy Law." Psalm 119:18
The
Bible should be read carefully and prayerfully.
You might want to read and study it in the following
ways:
1. Book study--chapter by chapter, noticing key verses
2. Topical study--watch and search for certain words such as "salvation", "grace", "sin", "love", etc.
3.
Great and special texts, such as Psalm 23:1,
John 3:16, etc.
4. Great passages, such as John 17, I Corinthians 13, Hebrews 11, etc.
Apply the Truth of the Word to your life and use the Word to light and feed the fire of your devotion to the Lord Jesus.
B. Meditation
Think about what you read. Meditation is to reading what digestion is to eating. As we think upon the Word, it can become a part of our lives. In this way we grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here are some suggestions for meditation:
1. What is the principal subject of the chapter you reading?
2. What is the best verse? Repeat it from memory.
3. What example is there for me to follow?
4. What command is there for me to obey?
5. What error is there for me to avoid?
6. What sin is there for me to turn away?
7. What promise is there for me to claim?
8. What guidance is there for my day today?
C. Prayer
Pray consists of three parts:
worship
thanksgiving
asking
1. Worship
Worship is our heart's thinking about God, focusing on Him and nothing else. It is the overflow of a grateful heart to God for what He is to us.
We worship God for all He is to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord. John 4:23, 24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12
2. Thanksgiving
We should thank God for:
a.
The gift of His Son who gave Himself for us.
b. The Holy Spirit who indwells, teaches, guides.
c. The Holy Scriptures, God's full story of Himself.
d. All spiritual blessings, ours through Christ.
e. All earthly mercies, health, food, and clothing.
f. Answered prayer. Phil. 4:6,7; Eph. 5:20;
Psalm 69:30, 31
3. Asking
By
prayer the believer expresses his absolute dependence upon God to supply all his
needs. God will hear and answer our requests if what is asked is according
to His will. I John 5:14-15;
Hebrews 4:14-16
a.
Pray for yourself. Psalm 66:18; I John 1:9;
James 1:5-7
b. Pray for others. Don't be selfish in your prayer life. Ephesians 1:15, 16; Col. 1:9.
We should pray for:
(1.)
Those in authority over us. I Tim. 2:1-4
(2.) Our family, relatives, unsaved loved ones.
(3.) All who are sharing the Word. James 5:16
Keep a prayer list.
The Red House