Spiritual Disciplines and The “Quiet Time” The Life: Practical Insights for Christian Living MITACF Large Group February 22, 2002

Discipline: The Other Definition

What is a spiritual discipline? A habit or regular pattern in your life that repeatedly brings you back to God and opens you up to what God is saying to you. - from (part of crosswalk.com)

Examples of spiritual disciplines - community- prayer- journaling - a sabbath- bible study- confession - fasting- worship- solitude - keeping a budget- celebration - and more …

Those seem constricting. Isn’t the Gospel about freedom? What disciplines ARE NOT: What disciplines ARE NOT: “What it means to be a Christian” “What it means to be a Christian” The way to start a relationship with God The way to start a relationship with God Things to do to earn God’s favor and love Things to do to earn God’s favor and love Ways to make up for your sins Ways to make up for your sins There is nothing you can do to achieve these things – they have already been DONE for you by Jesus. There is nothing you can do to achieve these things – they have already been DONE for you by Jesus.

Those seems constricting. Isn’t the Gospel about freedom? What disciplines ARE: What disciplines ARE: The tools that help you to know God more deeply and that He uses to mold you more and more into His image. The tools that help you to know God more deeply and that He uses to mold you more and more into His image. Learned habits that free us to focus on the object of the activity – God – rather than the mechanics of the activity itself. Learned habits that free us to focus on the object of the activity – God – rather than the mechanics of the activity itself. The ways our lives as Christians, our restored relationship with God, play out daily – the ends, not the means. The ways our lives as Christians, our restored relationship with God, play out daily – the ends, not the means.

The “Quiet Time”: The Swiss Army Knife of Spiritual Disciplines Definition: An unhurried time of the day where you intentionally seek solitude in order to talk to and hear from God through prayer, the Bible, listening, and meditating.

Let’s Get Practical: The “Quiet” The “quiet” is an important part. Find a place where you can spend it alone with God, unhurried and without distraction. The “quiet” is an important part. Find a place where you can spend it alone with God, unhurried and without distraction. A priority for Jesus: “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 A priority for Jesus: “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

Let’s Get Practical: The “Time” Find a time and schedule it and stick to it, just as you would anything else in your life. Find a time and schedule it and stick to it, just as you would anything else in your life. Make it the priority: “If what’s happening at 10pm at night is more important than my time with Jesus in the morning, then I’ll do it” - Dawson Trotman Make it the priority: “If what’s happening at 10pm at night is more important than my time with Jesus in the morning, then I’ll do it” - Dawson Trotman Find a regular time & start with a workable expectation. Find a regular time & start with a workable expectation. “Start with 10 minutes faithfully applied everyday, and let God expand your capacities” -Dave Schmelzer “Start with 10 minutes faithfully applied everyday, and let God expand your capacities” -Dave Schmelzer

Let’s Get Practical: The “Time” First ½ of your time: Seek God in the Bible. First ½ of your time: Seek God in the Bible. Second ½: of your time: Hear from and talk to God in prayer Second ½: of your time: Hear from and talk to God in prayer

Bible Study Observe: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Observe: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Interpret: What’s the context? Is there something that strikes you? Is there something different from what you expected? What is the passage saying? Interpret: What’s the context? Is there something that strikes you? Is there something different from what you expected? What is the passage saying? Meditate and Apply: God, what does this mean in my life? Meditate and Apply: God, what does this mean in my life? Be careful of using the Bible as your fortune teller. Be careful of using the Bible as your fortune teller.

Prayer Have a normal conversation with God. Come to him and speak like you would with your parents, your friends. Have a normal conversation with God. Come to him and speak like you would with your parents, your friends. No special language needed. No special language needed. If it helps, follow a structure If it helps, follow a structure e.g. A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) e.g. A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication)

Practical Tips Too tired? Too tired? Try to find a time during the day. Try to find a time during the day. Lose focus when you pray? Lose focus when you pray? write down your prayers write down your prayers speak out loud speak out loud use a pattern like A.C.T.S. use a pattern like A.C.T.S.

Practical Tips Hard to find a “quiet time” because you have roommates? Hard to find a “quiet time” because you have roommates? Find a place on campus Find a place on campus Don’t know where to start? Don’t know where to start? Ask people here what they do Ask people here what they do

Practical Tips There is no “right way" to have a quiet time. There is no “right way" to have a quiet time. If you find your times dry, come to God with your desire to know Him more. He wants that, too. If you find your times dry, come to God with your desire to know Him more. He wants that, too.

Not natural? Well, a discipline is like learning to play an instrument … “It takes 3 weeks for you to become familiar with a new task. Then it takes another 3 weeks before it becomes a comfortable habit. Many people never make it past the 6-week barrier of having a quiet time” – Vineyard 201 “It takes 3 weeks for you to become familiar with a new task. Then it takes another 3 weeks before it becomes a comfortable habit. Many people never make it past the 6-week barrier of having a quiet time” – Vineyard 201

Remember: Jesus = Emmanuel = God With Us “… you do not leave God when you go from the quiet place any more than he leaves you. A ‘quiet time’ is a ‘tuning in’ time. You should not switch off the radio once you have tuned in to God’s wavelength.” - John White

Remember: Always Think About Why You’re Doing This A quiet time is not a time for you to set aside to do something. A quiet time is a time for you to set aside to meet with Someone.