Quiet Time Archives

1st The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy (Psalm 147:11).

2nd Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

3rd  Benefits of Spending Time in God's Word

4th He knows and He cares  (one perspective)

5th Meekness - The Fruit of the Spirit

6th Refreshing News

He takes pleasure-

The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy (Psalm 147:11).

As I read my portion for this morning this verse was among the passages I read. It is refreshing to realize that our Heavenly Father is not only honored and glorified when we obey Him but He also takes pleasure in us, He enjoys us when we obey Him!

It is important to obey Him for the right reason; because of a true heart of gratitude for His unspeakable gift to us, even that redemption that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. But when our hearts are right and we desire to be close to Him in our spirit and practical walk then we are ready to serve and obey Him unto His pleasure---and ours as well!

I have thought often of the concept, "the exhilaration, the joy, the thrill, the pleasure, the passion of...........obeying Him!! We sometimes think that only doing our own thing brings these kinds of emotions, but that is a lie! The pleasure that selfishness or sin brings is a snare and a deception unto grief and guilt and sorrow.

But serving Him, fearing Him (loving and respecting His will and way) only brings joy and true pleasure that is very desirable, even addictive!

How different and wrong to settle for "grieving" the Holy Spirit with our sin, selfishness, or disobedience (Ephesians 4:30).

May we each know the pleasure we can bring Him and determine to do it always. It is then we will find....

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22).

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Blessed is the man-

1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:1-6).

How good to know that the principles here are timeless, they apply to all dispensations. Do you have this delight, this love of the Word my friend? Does not even our apostle, the Apostle Paul, echo these same words?

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually
(1 Thessalonians 2:13).

And also in I Timothy 3:16 and 17?

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
 

It is undeniable that to love the Word is to love Him that gave it, and to love the Word is to seek to obey form the heart He who bought us with His own blood and wants to bless us more than we can ask or think.

Why not start delighting in Him and seeking Him today?

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Benefits of Spending Time in God's Word According to Psalm 119

The following list was compiled by my beloved late wife, Sarah Louise, now with the Lord.

1.   God’s Word establishes my way ................................. Vs. 5

 2.   God’s Word purifies my way..................................... Vs. 9-11

 3.   God’s Word gives me counsel.................................... Vs. 24

 4.   God’s Word removes everything false in me............... Vs. 29

 5.   God’s Word produces reverence for God.................... Vs. 38

 6.   God’s Word increases my courage............................. Vs. 46

 7.   God's Word comforts me in affliction........................ Vs. 50

 8.   God's Word guards me from panic, keeps me calm..... Vs. 61-67

 9.   God's Word teaches me discernment & knowledge..... Vs. 66

 10. God’s Word makes me resourceful............................ Vs. 79

 11. God's Word cultivates patience.................................. Vs. 87

 12. God's Word keeps me spiritually revived.................... Vs. 93

 13. God's Word accelerates my understanding.................. Vs. 98-100

 14. God's Word creates a joyful heart ............................. Vs. 111

 15. God's Word sustains me when I feel helpless.............. Vs. 116

 16. God's Word enables me to honor what is right &
       hate what is wrong....................................................Vs. 128

 17. God's Word causes me to walk in the light, truth......... Vs. 133

 18. God's Word Surrounds me with delight in
       spite of difficulty.......................................................Vs. 143

 19. God's Word develops discipline of prayer................... Vs. 149

 20. God's Word rescues me when I am defenseless.......... Vs. 153-154

 21. God's Word fills me with praise without &
       peace within; a tender heart.......................................Vs. 164-165

 22. God's Word draws me back when I stray....................Vs. 176

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He knows and He cares  (one perspective)

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!    Did you ever think you could keep something from God? That He might not know what we are doing or thinking? It seems that sometimes, though we know better, we trick ourselves into believing that He is not aware of our wrong or selfish or impure or covetous thoughts.
23 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee…..Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:1-17, 23, 24).

    Did you ever think you could keep something from God? That He might not know what we are doing or thinking? It seems that sometimes, though we know better, we trick ourselves into believing that He is not aware of our wrong or selfish or impure or covetous thoughts.

    What would it be like if our God really did not know all our thoughts? Would you want a god like that; would that be good? We both know that we would not be happy or blessed with a god like that and we should be thankful every day for all He is, even our Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Righteous, and Perfectly Holy, Perfectly Wise, Perfectly Loving, God!

    This, at the very least, means that He is the only one who can help us because He alone knows exactly what is going on and what to do, and, He cares!

    Let us not be of those who are living a shaded life, a double life of sin, and self-deception or pride. Let us not be of those who are not sincere and really not living as those who ‘love His appearing.’ Let us not ‘make provision for the flesh,’ and think that He does not know or does not care, for He does. And He, like a truly loving and mighty Heavenly Father, will do what is needed to bring us back to a right walk with Him.

    But let us be positive; not fearing the negative because of intent to do wrong but rather anticipating the blessing of God intending to do what is right, what His Word directs us to do, and thus allowing Him to…

“...lead me in the way everlasting.”

(Coming next, the other perspective; His living care through trial)

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MEEKNESS - FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22,23).

  What exactly is meekness? Can you define it? The common understanding is that it is timidity and weakness, but this is not the scriptural meaning. The Greek word is Praotes. Its basic meaning is gentleness, mildness, meekness. A further explanation of its scriptural meaning is that meekness is firstly an attribute that must be exercised toward God! It is mildness, but mildness in the sense that one will not dispute and contend with God but accept His dealings as good! Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words goes on to say it is a temper of the soul and an inwrought grace of the heart which does not fight or struggle against God. The term in no way implies weakness!

  As this attribute is exercised in the spirit before God, it then can and must also be exercised before man by displaying only the love and grace of God in acceptance of what He allows, even if we are ill-treated. We are never to react in like kind with the flesh, but rather we are to accept these things as from our Heavenly Father.

  A look at some verses on the subject will show it is an attribute that God desires and rewards in every age! Matt. 5:5 speaks of those (Jews displaying meekness) who will inherit the earth (Israel's earthly kingdom). In 2 Corinthians 10:1, Paul beseeches us by the gentleness and meekness of Christ where we see our Lord was meek-not weak! There are times when the word seems to take into its context of mildness the idea of tenderness and humility, such as in Gal. 6:1. What a joy to be able by the Spirit of God to display fruit so different than that which we produced in the flesh! Interestingly, in Gal. 5 the subject is that we produce and display this fruit only by walking in the Spirit not by keeping the law (cf. Rom. 7:4, 6)!

Donald Webb
(From Amazing Grace, November 2003)

REFRESHING NEWS

As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country (Proverbs 25:25).

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints (Colossians 1:3, 4).

How Paul's heart was lifted to God in thanksgiving as Epaphras, or perhaps Onesimus, shared the good news! The Colossian saints were standing faithful to Christ and bringing forth fruit, since the day they heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth! This dedication to Christ, verse 5 says, was "for [on account of] the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel". The blessed gospel of the grace of God was indeed bearing fruit among those who had accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Paul had similar rejoicing toward the saints at Rome as he declares, "...your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:8). Perhaps the most remarkable of all are the saints at Thessalonica. In the first Epistle written to them, Paul says that they were an exemplary church in that they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. From them sounded out the word of the Lord in "every place" so that Paul needed not say anything of their faith. But Paul had left Thessalonica in a storm, when after only three Sabbath days the persecution from unbelieving Jews was so great he had to flee their city. I Thessalonians 3 tells how Paul sent Timothy back to establish them and to know their faith. Would Paul be disappointed when Timothy returned? What would the news be? Verse 6 gives the refreshing answer. Timothy brought "good tidings" of their faith and love and Paul was "comforted" by their faith! How those who minister God's Word to His people know the weight of verse 8: "For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord."

Might we who are saved be the glad tidings of joy to others because of our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Donald Webb
(From Amazing Grace, October 2001)

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