Quiet Time: Day Four

There are a few things that will keep me in bed and allow me to feel justified in skipping my quiet time.  The first of those is no coffee or creamer. How can I be expected to get up at 5:30 when there is not coffee or creamer to enjoy?  I mean that is the most important part of quiet time, right?  

The other very frustrating thing to me is when I don’t have everything I need to have quiet time exactly the way I want to do it.  For example, if I were to say, leave my bag at the office, with my journal, iPad, and headphones in it...how can quiet time be good if I don’t have what I need.  

Obviously, these are ridiculous, all I truly need for quiet time is me and Jesus, but in reality, they do give me EXCUSES not to get up and meet with Jesus.  So this morning I woke up to realize I didn’t have my bag but chose to grab an old journal with an empty page and my (gasp) paper Bible. If I am missing my Air Pods I will turn youtube on our t.v. and let it roll all morning with a worship Playlist.  Let me tell you it is a great atmosphere setter to have worship music blasting while we get ready for the day! I highly recommend this. In fact, I leave mine all day so the dog can enjoy some powerful worship as well.  

Worship

Today my worship was Resurrecting by Elevation Worship. As I worshiped I began to pray about new life in Christ.  I love to allow these worship songs to guide my morning, to help me focus in on who Jesus is.  I just close my eyes and listen to the words, to let them sink into my heart and bring some truth! I love to worship so much...if only I had a good voice. 

S.O.A.P. 

I picked back up in Luke 4, one of my favorite chapters in the gospels.  This is the account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.

Scripture: Luke 4:6 

“I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please.”

I am only putting one verse here because it is a very long chapter and there are so many different ways to go.  It is easy to get overwhelmed. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed with the amount of scripture you are reading, back it down and focus on one verse!  It is o.k. To change it up, remember there are no rules. 

Observation:  At this time the authority on Earth belonged to the Devil, but it would eventually belong to Jesus.  He would win it through his death and resurrection. The temptation, here again, was to rush the process.  To take the short cut and do things not according to God’s plan but according to a human way of thinking. The easier way, the quicker way, the way without pain.  Jesus was not fooled and continued to trust in His Father’s timing.  

Application: God’s way > not my way. Always tempting to turn that around.  Jesus overcame this through worship and service. (Luke 4:8, Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.) When we stay committed to God’s plan we stay in His presence and in his plan.  Worship and service happen in the house of God.  

I have never seen this before, it is fresh for me.  God has created us to battle the enemy’s temptation through worship and service to him.  It keeps us in step with God, in His timing. 

Prayer:  Lord help me to commit to your plan.  When I am impatient when I want things my own way.  Help me to trust in you completely. I don’t want to do things my own way, I know your way is better. 

I continued in my prayer this morning focusing on some areas I know I have been frustrated with the timing and the process.  I prayed for my husband and my children as well as a few other things. I was feeling heavy yesterday about a couple of situations that people are going through so I spent some extra time praying for those sweet ladies this morning.  I focused on hearing what God would lead me to pray for. Don’t stress in your prayer, the Holy Spirit will lead you when you listen. Remember prayer is a conversation between you and God, talking and listening.  

Keep going, friends!  It only gets better and better.