A Quiet Time - The Reason For A Quiet Time

• Planning a Personal Time of Devotion - No one truly born of God doubts that it is a commendable practice to have a daily quiet time with the Lord; in fact, it is absolutely vital to Christian growth and development. The Bible associates the man of God with a disciplined devotional life. As David proclaimed in Psalm 57, a fixed and established heart produces stability. How many of us can really claim to have a fixed heart? In order to walk with the King of Kings and reap the blessings and promises of God each day, our attention must be focused on Him. A missing element in this endeavor might be a workable plan on how to begin and maintain personal devotions called a quiet time.

Psa 57:7 “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

• THE REASON FOR A QUIET TIME - The Lord Jesus spoke these words to testify to the value of the quiet time. He is telling us that the whole Bible is for the whole man. Therefore, we cannot afford to miss any part of it, regardless of the difficulty of certain portions of the Bible. Communion with God in the light of His Word is vital for our spiritual foundation, spiritual correction, spiritual counsel, and victory in spiritual conflict.

Matt 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”

• Spiritual Foundation - God has built into every child at birth the insatiable desire for the very thing by which that child lives. If there is no desire for the sincere milk of the Word, then there is no new birth. It is impossible to live the Christian life without a daily quiet time because God has put into our spiritual life and nature a hunger for the Word.

I Pet 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

• Spiritual Correction - Nothing will cleanse and correct like the Word of God. The Lord planned the correcting and cleansing power of the Word.

2 Tim 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for...correction”

Psa 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word”

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you”

• Spiritual Counsel - The more we read the Word of God, the more His teachings in righteousness are understood and obeyed. No one is guided by the spirit unless he seeks guidance in the Bible. All wisdom and knowledge is embodied in Jesus Christ and He is revealed on the pages of Scripture.

2 Tim 3:16 “All scripture... is profitable... for instruction in righteousness”

Psa 119:169 "Give me understanding according to thy word,”

Psa 73:24 "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel”.

Jam 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him”

• Spiritual Conflict - In spiritual warfare we are to have on our defensive armor, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. The weapons we are to use are prayer and the Word of God. How did the Savior overcome the devil in the wilderness? He spoke the Word of God every time (Matthew 4). Jesus is God; He could have destroyed the devil in the wilderness, but He did not. He depended on the Word of God and the Spirit of God– and He defeated the devil. Isaiah said that his ears were open to hear the voice of his Lord; and thus, he was not rebellious.

Eph 6:11-12 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Eph 6:17-18 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Matt 4:3-11 "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

Isa 50:5 "The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back."