Quiet Times Search

Real servants do every task with equal dedication

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart - Colossians 3:23
You are never too [fill in the blank] to be a servant
Jesus specialized in menial tasks:

• washing feet
• helping children
• fixing breakfast
• servng lepers

Small taks often show a big heart
Little things determine big things
Race to be a leaders is crowded but the field is wide open for those willing to be servants

Real servants are faithful to their ministry

Servants finish tasks, fullfill their responsibilities, and complete their commitments
Can you be counted on by others?
We want to God to say, "Well gone, good and faithful servant" - Matthew 25:23

Real Servants maintain a low profile

Put on the apron of humility, to serve one another - 1 Peter 5:5
Not about show  - If we are trying to please men (including ourselves) we can not be a servant of Christ - Galatians 1:10

Servants are content with quietly serving in the shadows
Wouldn't find many true servants in any Halls of Fame or Who's who books

Be confident that nothing you do for God is a waste of time or effort - 1 Corinthians 15:58

Servants think about their work, not what others are doing

They do not compare, criticize, or compete with other servants; same goal and same team
When you are busy serving, you don't have time to be critical
Our job is not to evaluate - Lord will determine the sucessfulness  of his servant - Romans 14:4

If you serve like Jesus, expect to be criticized
The service of the sinful (pouring perfume on Jesus) was though to be a waste but just though of it as significant - Matthew 26:10

Servants base their identity in Christ

They are loved and accepted by grace, servants don't have to prove their worth
Jesus washing feet - Jesus understood his worth and the task did not threathen his self-image - John 13:3-4

Insecure people are always worrying about how they appear; want others to serve them instead
Only God's approval counts - 2 Corinthians 10:18

Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation

Serve the Lord with gladness - Psalms 100:2
The Father rewards anyone who serves him - John 12:26
He will not forget how hard you have worked - Hebrews 6:10

The only really happy people are those who have learned to serve

• Prove the truth
• Argue the case
• Press for a verdict

• Easier to relate to than principles
• Capture our attention
• People are naturally curious about experiences they never have had
• Builds a relational bridge
• Bypasses intellectual defenses

1. What my life was before Christ
2. How I realized I needed Jesus
3. How I committed my life to Jesus
4. The difference Jesus has made in my life

Voluntary surrender is not easy; never comfortable nor enjoyable
Christ can not be formed in us until we are crucified with him - Galatians 2:20 ; Galatians 4:19

Rebellion comes from man's desire to be God
Satan tried to delute the solution to create powerless religions
Our lives do not change at the deepest level and have the same problems as the world

Only when we are sick of our old nature will we be convinced to totally sell out to God
Death to self seems preferable to life

Most of our cires are designed to produce our surrender
Jesus served through suffering - Hebrews 5:8-9
Can not mature without surrender - Hebrews 12:5-11
Many harships come so we enter heaven - Acts 14:22

So how do we go about taking up our cross?

1. Absolutely commited to the concept - John 12:23-25
2. Be committed to prayer about surrender - "I surrender" and "Help my lack of suddender"
3. Be committed to a relationship with another disciple - Share convictions and be open
4. Be committed to stretching your comfort zone - Do things you can not do without his help
5. Realize that surrender brings about absolute freedom - life through death will cease the puzzling paradox

We enjoy accomplishment: meeting a deadline, A on a test

Imagine the incredible feeling God must have experienced when he first viewed his own creation:

• Enjoyed developing Israel into a beautiful bride - Ezekiel 16:1-4
• Joyously san through the angels when his Son was born - Luke 2:8-14
• When the church was born - Acts 2

How would iy affect your prayer life if you had a deep conviction that God enjoys his relationship with you?
Sometime I feel like a bother to God, a frustration to him or a source of disappointment

God Enjoys Hearing Us Talking to Him
The longer we are in the Lord, the more secure and real we should be in our prayers
David communicated whatever he felt - God was able to discipline him to be the "man after his own heart"
Do you enjoy the fact that you can be totally real with God?

God Enjoys Watching Us
Parents enjoy children playing soccer, sing in a play, and read the Bible
God is the same way

True prayer is a yearning for God
Most people in the developed world have never been really hungry and do not know what it is like

In the Bible a hunger for God always ends in prayer
My soul yearns for the courts of the Lord - Psalms 84:1-2
My soul thrists for you like a parched land - Psalms 143:6

God invites us to find satisfaction in Him
Come all you are thristy, come to the waters - Isaiah 55:1
He will satisfy your needs - Isaiah 58:11
Are you trying to find satisfaction some other place?

1. Realize God has chosen you - Choose you for the purpose of telling the world about him - 1 Peter 2:9
   
2. See God in everything - Train your mind to look at God and not self - Colossians 1:11-12
   
3. Express and verbalize your gratitude - Psalms 39:4-5
   

• He knows what is in our hearts
• He knows what we are really seeking
• He knows what we need

• He questioned the wisdom of God's choice
• Argued his lack of eloquence
• Says he does not want the responsibility
• He is honest - he gives God something to work with - Exodus 4:13

• Why do you hide yourself in trouble? - Psalms 10:1-2 - logically does not make sense but this is where David was
• Later, he works it out in prayer (v17) - LORD, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:13, and Luke 4:42 - shows us that Jesus often went to solitary places to pray

Solitude is essential in developing a deep relation ship with God
Be still and know I that I am from God - Psalms 46:10
Do you have a special place where you meet with God?

Psalms 5, 38, and 42 are examples of how open and expressive David was with God
He shared everything from joy and delight to anguish and dispair
How open are you with God?
God wants our hearts
As a result, we are much more open and real with others

We get fired up by sermons, fellowship, and music - Jesus went to be alone
There is nothing in your life that God cannot change

Prayer times make special memories
Israelites setup stones to remind them of what God had done - Joshua 4:7

Ideas for times with God:

• Write a love letter
• Sing a song you composed
• Write on a ballon, let it go
• Hang a poster and write the things God has done

• Even when there was a large crows of disciples - Luke 6:17
• Even when the is a entire town gathered - John 4:2

• For the strength to live this way
• For the trust needed to believe
• For the supplies necessary to meet every need
• For the godliness to live as the Bible directs

After asking for help from the Holy Spirit, then focus on the relationship with
Prayer is primarily a vehicle of relationship

Pater (greek) = father
Abba (aramaic) = intimacy and endearment = daddy

Holy Spirit in our lives is a spirit of adoption by which God give us our spiritual birthright (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6)

He delights when we come to Him as our Father, Abaa, Daddy:

• Mr. Bentson - wrong
• Mr. Benson - contact
• Benson - co-worker
• Chad - friend
• Dad - daughter
• Honey - wife

The closer you are, the better responce you will get
He delights in your desire to spend time with Him

This relationship is critical to a healthy and vitaul prayer life
His fatherhood becomes real in my life
Bridge the gap between what I know in my head and what I experience in my life

There is no greater privilege and responsibility than to pray for our spouse and children
It boggles the imagination to see how the quality of our family life can be affected by exercise this privilege

Powerful spiritual forces of evil try to undermine God's foundational institutions like the family

Bible clearly teaches that our struggle come from the spiritual forces outside conscious perception - Ephesians 6:12
Praying sometimes make things worst (at the beginning) because Satan is on the attack

Each of us need to realize that how we pray for our spouse is limited only by our creativity
If you want the kind of relationship that God intended you to have with your wife, prayer will be a major factor in seeing that desire realized

When we have been faithful in praying for my children, we have a great sense of peace about their lives
Christian dads have a tremendous privilege and a straggering responsibilty to pray their children

• Such a life is attractive
• They will want to be like you
• Will see something inside is real
• Will see the difference

• Don't reject him
• Don't ridicule him
• Teach him to relate confidently to other boys
• Teach him sports and manly skills

• God cares for them
• God knows all about them
• God takes delight in them
• He longs to be close to them

How can we tell if our oldrer chidlren are disrepectful?

• Slamming doors
• Rolling eyes
• Muttering
• List is endless

Our children honoring us is to show honor to God and his plan
As our children come to respect our authority, they learn to respect God himself

Claim your authority! Expect to respected!
If you not expect it, you will not get it

Children really want deep down inside - the confidence from knowing their limits
They want to know how far they can go

Israelites - if only we had meat; we never see anything but manna - Numbers 11:4-10
Any grumbling we do is really grumbling against God

God met the needs of the Israelites but he punished them for their attitude - Numbers 11:33
God did want to their needs to be known
Complaining springs selfishness and ingratitude

Must teach our kids to be grateful
Also teach them to express their wishes, opinions, likes and dislikes in a pleasant, positive tone of voice

vWhat are we to do when our children disobey us?

1. Verbal correction or reprimand
2. One-warning rule - if your instructions are not followed, give one verbal warning
3. Immediate Correction - the closer to the time of the offense, the more effective the action; delays also creates a tense, fearful atomsphere
4. Temporary Isolation

Great with kids who love to be in the middle of the action
Don't let them ruining everyone else's fun

One way they learn to gain control over us - let them have their way
We are going to have a great time - they will realize that no one is mourning their loss

Character

• Start early to build on good points and strengthen any areas of weakness
• Even a child is know by his actions

Beliefs and faith in God - Trust God in prayer / stand for the truth

Attitudes

• Teach them to love life
• Expect them to do their best
• Teach them to expect God to move powerfully

Values - good morals - honesty and purity - if learned young - they will not abanon them

• Some need to realize that our kids are not likable
• Don't let your kids be social outcasts, weird, or rude
• Some kids think they are hilarious when they are not
• Other act strangle to get a attention
• Some are are bland wall flowers

• God is honored
• God's presence is sought and experienced in daily life
• Prayer is an ongoing reality
• The Bible faithfully read and obeyed
• There is love for God's church and is fully involved in its fellowship and ministry
• There is times of worship, praise, and study
• The children have their own times of personal Bible study
• The parents spend regular times with each child to disciple them to Christ
• A group that is dedicated to helping other become disciples of Jesus

• Genuine in our love for God
• Consistent in our walk with him
• Wholehearted in our dedication

1. Prayer
2. Discipling times
3. Family devotionals
4. Devotion to Church
   
5. Evangelistic lifestyle
6. Children's Quiet Times

We want to be know but we keep a safe distance
Jesus has X-ray vision to our hear and see right our heart

John 4:39 - Samaritan women:

• She was minding her own business
• Ran into Jesus and was never the same
• Will you give me a drink he asked - the fact that he (a Jew) spoke to her told her (a Samaritan) that there was some very different about Jesus
• Whoever drinks from living water will never thirst again - John 4:13-14
• He confronted her sin and help her see the emptiness of her life
• He wanteed her to see who she was without God
• Due to her discomfort, the woman tried to change to subject
• Jesus skillfully drove out her fears with his love -  brought her back to the conversation of life
• She shared with others

We too can be afraid of seeing who we really are
When we opened up and were forgiven,  we couldn't wait to tell other either

To set people free, we must be like Jesus:

• Relate to them in deep ways
• Not studying the Bible superficially - not helping them see who they are without God
• Ask the difficult questions
• Expose sin so they will see their deepest need for Jesus

Jesus' love and acceptance allowed the woman/us to be real and to change

Jesus had compassion and healed the man with leprosy - Luke 5:12-18
Jesus is filled with compassion - Mark 1:41

Jesus was different:

• He hurt for those whose lives were devastated by illness
• He went to great lengths to be with them
• Helped and encouraged them
• Made himself available to them and spent many hours with them - Mark 1:32-34

What Jesus did we can also do (beside healing):

• Include those who are sick when you can
• Find ways to serve
• Help and encourage

Society shrinks back - hospitals are not our favorite place
Jesus reached out his hand and touched
The sick need real involvement in their lives

Somehow, we think that the person is responsible for his or her condition
In some cases yes, but we can not oversimplify God's working in our world

Job "friends" did not understand what God was doing
How unsearchale his judgement and his paths beyond tracing out - Romans 11:33

How can I imitate Jesus by "reaching out" in compassion to the sick?

In his torment, he sees the need of his mother and he entrusts her to John's care - John 19:25-27

Jesus let John know that he trust him and needs him to take care of his mother
God in the flesh yet her express his need to John's help

John was transformed from "son of thunder" to "Apostle of Love"
John later teaches us that if we say we love God but no our brother that we are a liar - 1 John 4:19-20

The problem with not feeling close, real, or trust is our issue

How close, real, and trusting are your relationships?

What do your relationships with people tell you about your relationship with God?

Upon hearing about the death of his close friend Lazarus, Jesus wept...

Jesus really felt the emotions that we feel
He fully divine and fully human at the same time
He knows what it is like to experience loss, pain, hurt, and fatigue

Why did he cry? Scripture does not say. Could be because:

• He felt the hurt of Mary and Martha
• He was expressing the hurt of the loss of his friend
• He was antipating his own death

Who are your deepest relationships in the church?

When Jesus first heard the news about Lazarus, Jesus declared that his illness was not going to be fatal - John 11:4

When Lazarus died, the disciples probably thought that he really blew it this time

Good thing Jesus called lazarus by nameotherwise every corpse in cemetery may have come out

The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead foreshadows Jesus' own resurrection after three days in the tomb

Jesus is a victor over death
The phrase goes: Two things are certain - death and taxes

While some could not pay taxes for a while; no one but Jesus can conquer death

Do you fear death? How does your relationship with Jesus change the way you once thought?

1. We must admit that we are sinful
2. We must realize Jesus has called us to follow him and be righteous
3. Humbly commit to change
4. We must change

• Asked about your doctor's educational background?
• Arrived at the airport early to check the aircraft mechanic's work?

Expectation

Mark 1:1

• He expected a lot out of Himself
• He knew he was born to save the world
• Wallow in self-pity, to cower in fear, or simply giving up is inappropriate behavior

Mark 1:2-8 - People consistently live up to the perceptions others have of them

Encouragement

Mark 1:9-11

• He told him that he was special
• God is a god who initiates love
• How would we change if we realized the amount of love God has for us

Mark 7:14-23 - He had no stomach for the misdirection spread by the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law

High Expectations

• He let them know that they were spiritually stupid.
• How many of us are willing to rebuke when asked a stupid question by people who should know better?
• Jesus was determined that these men would rise above the rank and file.
• He got upset and urged them to change
• The dreamer never gives up the dream.

Blame

• The responsibility for our actions resides with us, the decision makers, and not with our environment.
• We are not simply a product of our environment; environment is determined by our choices.
• We cannot rightly blame others or fate or circumstances for our behavior
• We must take responsibility for the consequences of our decisions
• Changes in people occur from the inside out. · Involves helping people to acknowledge what they are really like deep down and then to deal with their inner self
• We cannot on our own change our own or someone else’s heart.
• We must realize how desperately we need God’s intervention in out lives.
• The Bible exposes, in a unbiased way, the true qualities of our hearts.
• Deep character changes in our lives fuels our faith.

Hardline

Mark 8:34-9:1

• Attitudes generally do not float in isolation – whistling teapot principle
• Jesus chose the most challenging words spoken by any leader.
• Words used:
• "If anyone…"
  • "…he must…"
  • "…deny himself…"
  • "…take up his cross…"
  • "…whoever wants to save his life will lose it…"
• His primary concern was for their immortal souls. No wonder he had such impact!!

Affirmation

Mark 9:2-13

• People are encouraged when they realize that we are indeed in line with the expectations of our superiors.
• They will also be inspired when they understand that their support for us is essential for the overall success.

1. No battle to fight
   
2. No swords and castles
3. Without a great battle in which a man live and die - fierce part goes underground

• We doubt very much that we have and real strength to offer
•  If we did offer what we have it wouldn’t be good enough

• physical contact
• sandpaper of my whiskers
• to test their fathers

• We do not know how to initiate boys into men
• We are not sure we really want to

• slavery stopped
• Nazis were stopped
• Who gave up their seats on the Titanic?

• Career
• Belonging
• How well he plays sports
• Yes, even women