The Quiet Time

The feeble state of my spiritual life is mainly due to the lack of time day by day in fellowship with God. - Andrew Murray

This time[fellowship with God] must be treasured, loved, guarded, and nourished. If not, I will bring shame to Christ's name. I must not lose heart or grow weary. My quiet time with Him is the only hope of being accepted as the priest of my home before my wife and children. It is the only hope of not becoming bitter, of not losing my testimony, and of being kept from fear as the world spins out of control. - Keith Daniel

I would like to bring these thoughts up for discussion here as I believe they are of great importance. If what these godly men say is true, then I cannot take this lightly. I have learned, through sometimes painful experience, my own need of what these men are speaking about.

I hope that we can begin to pray for one another in this area of our quiet time and encourage one another with the pitfalls and the blessings of jealously guarding the quiet time with the Lord.

The inner man is renewed from day to day. (2 Corinthian 4:16)

In Christ,

Ron

I have heard Keith Daniel say these things in person....his life and godliness have inspired me over many years. I do not have the walk with God that he has, and I flounder often in my quiet time. I find it especially hard to hear from God during times of prolonged trial.

I didn't want your post to go unresponded to....I think it is a wonderful idea for us to pray for one another in this area. Thank you for bringing this topic up for discussion.

If I've learned anything in the last 17 years of my new life it is this one thing: you will never hear the voice of God in the business of life.

Ruts and Traps:

I know all of these from experience, please don't fall into any of them

1) So and so wakes up at 3:30AM, he had a powerful ministry, I should wake up at 3:30AM, I'll have a powerful ministry. After awhile of doing this the Lord revealed to me that everything that I was doing was all about me and what I can get.

Which leads to...

2) Don't wake up at all. This will cause you to slip into lukewarmness and you can expect to be disciplined by the Lord. After awhile I fell into a depression like state.

Thankfully the Lord used this to bring me to...

3) Waking up to be with the Lord, I don't keep any time tables therefore being with Him in the morning is not a work but a privilege. ** STAY HERE **

Other traps:

4) I used to feel guilty about getting sidetracked in my thoughts because I would mentally be working and pre-worrying (is that a word?) about the day. Eventually I got to the point where IF I was worrying about the events of the day I would simply "Take my burdens to the Lord, and leave them there..." just like the song :-) (key point, LEAVE THEM THERE). Once I submit these things to the Lord, the 'burden' to worry about them goes away.

5) Take some time to wake up! It's hard for me to jump out of bed and pray, I have to have some time to sort out my thoughts (i.e.: I'm normal, praise the Lord).

For years I've read and meditate on the Word first, BUT I HEARD that it was best to pray first so I felt guilty about not doing that. HOWEVER, I just read a George Mueller where he did the same thing. The devil will always tell you that you are doing things wrong, I can assure you of that, expect it!

6) Try not to get into stale patterns, sometimes I feel like the Lord wants me to walk, so I do.

7) Tell NO ONE how much time you pray and fast, there have been times that I got into this trap. If you do this your time with the Lord will get stale, because now it's a time for you be more spiritual than others and brag. Avoid this at all costs!

8) IT TAKES A BIT OF DISCIPLINE to get started, but DO NOT GIVE UP!! This is the most important thing, the devil will lie to you 'this isn't working','you're just doing this as a work' and on and on. I'm telling you right now that THIS IS THE ENEMY!

There are times when I spend many hours, sometimes I can't. One thing you will find that is constant, TIME FLIES! I've spent 5 hours in the Word and praying (in the right spirit), and it seemed like literally 5 minutes. Sometimes I spend 15 minutes, regardless how much time I spent I ALWAYS hate when time is up! :-) Please understand that I am not bragging or boasting, I have nothing to boast over, I'm just telling you my experiences.

This is all that I have for now, but the Lord will direct you personally.

THE BEST THING is getting to know the Lord, and He will teach you to hear His voice. We need Him for everything, we even need Him to teach us to hear Him. :-)

The fruit of this is you will look back on your life and see where the Lord always directed your steps, frankly to me it is the most amazing thing EVER!

This is a brutally transparent assessment of my walk so far, hopefully it will help you, and make your own walk easier!

Bless His name!!

I have heard Keith Daniel say these things in person....his life and godliness have inspired me over many years. I do not have the walk with God that he has, and I flounder often in my quiet time. I find it especially hard to hear from God during times of prolonged trial.

I didn't want your post to go unresponded to....I think it is a wonderful idea for us to pray for one another in this area. Thank you for bringing this topic up for discussion.

I flounder too and I allow the noisy times of trial to drown out the Lord's voice. "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" often seems very appropriate to describe these times. But He is teaching me more and more each day about the how glorious the "quiet time" can be. When I consider that there is a living Person in heaven who thinks of me every day and desires to reveal Himself, it stirs my heart.

Learjet, thank you for posting your experience about your quiet times, I share many of them.

3) Waking up to be with the Lord, I don't keep any time tables therefore being with Him in the morning is not a work but a privilege. ** STAY HERE **

Yes, the quiet time should not be thought of as work but privilege. I have to admit that sometimes my daily time with the Lord seems like work but my desire is that my heart will continuously long for the quiet time as the best time of the day.

I used to feel guilty about getting sidetracked in my thoughts because I would mentally be working and pre-worrying (is that a word?) about the day. Eventually I got to the point where IF I was worrying about the events of the day I would simply "Take my burdens to the Lord, and leave them there..." just like the song :-) (key point, LEAVE THEM THERE). Once I submit these things to the Lord, the 'burden' to worry about them goes away.

Ah yes, the busyness and the wandering thoughts, what a plague to the quiet time. I often try singing hymns or praying through a Psalm to get the mind focused. It does take discipline.

6) Try not to get into stale patterns, sometimes I feel like the Lord wants me to walk, so I do.

This is great advice, I often walk and pray, I've had some wonderful times of fellowship with the Lord this way.

8) IT TAKES A BIT OF DISCIPLINE to get started, but DO NOT GIVE UP!! This is the most important thing, the devil will lie to you 'this isn't working','you're just doing this as a work' and on and on. I'm telling you right now that THIS IS THE ENEMY!

Amen, don't ever give up or get discouraged. The devil will try all he can to discourage you. But we know he's a liar. The worst is when we mess up and fall into a temptation, then he's all over us telling us we need to get it right before we can come before God. But God is just the opposite, He welcomes us into His embrace when we come in brokenness and thanksgiving. Never elevate your faults over the cross, especially when it comes to fellowship.

Please understand that I am not bragging or boasting, I have nothing to boast over, I'm just telling you my experiences.

I thank you for your honest sharing of your experiences. It is always helpful to know that others share the same experiences and hopefully we can encourage one another to deeper times of fellowship with the One who loves us so much.

I have a hunger to know Him more and to just honestly give myself to Him without reservation for His glory. My fears and unbelief are melted in His presence.

In Christ,

Ron

I have some notes on building an altar called quiet time from a Keith Daniel sermon, I thought I would share some of them here;

Genesis 12:1-8;Genesis 13:3-4 - Abraham built an altar and called on the name of the Lord. Have we built such an altar where we call upon God?

Daniel 6:10 - Daniel gave thanks before his God, he had a quiet time 3 times a day, always. All hell will come against us when we build this altar, but God will deliver.

Isaiah 40:28-31; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 55:17 - They that wait...

We are as real and safe as our quiet time.

In Christ,

Ron

Keith Daniel is really an authority in these things. We should fiercly guard our time with God like Abraham who drove away the birds of prey that tried to scavange on his sacrifice. This speaks of wandering thoughts.

Discipline is very neccessary. A disciple exercises discipline or else he a a liability in the kingdom of God.
You are either reliable or a liability.
Some times you do not have an immediate visible benefit from it, but over the years you will be full of scripture and your innermost thoughts become shaped by the word of God.

How Do I build this altar called quiet time?

I must be willing to offer sacrifices to God.

First and foremost, there is the sacrifice of Christ's blood, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. By faith we can come by the blood of Christ, we must be cleansed and pure before Him (Heb 10:19-22)

As we walk in the light we are given there is still a need of the constant cleansing of the blood. This must come first, in humility, the blood.

Second, there is the sacrifice of praise - the experience of the consciousness of God's presence. David gave thanks before His God despite his circumstances, I will enter with thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100:4). Delight thyself in the Lord... (Psalm 37:4). Come immediately into the consciousness of His presence. Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise!

In Christ,

Ron

this is a most excellant Sermon, Quiet Time by Keith Daniel

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=7271