Category: QuietTimes

Ben’s QT Thoughts (Part 1)->me:  The last two days I have spent time in 2 places – 1) Deep study into the parable of the Wheat and Darnel Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30) and Jesus’ explanation of the parable to the Disciples (Matthew 13:36-43).  2)  The start of the book Pastor Steve suggested – The Praying Life by Paul Miller.  What has been awesome is that what I am learning through book is helping me to hear the Lord in His gift of understanding regarding the passages I have been stewing on.  I cannot recommend this book enough.  I am already on chapter 8 and I can’t stop listening.  I am applying what Paul Miller suggests in the ways to pray and it is already having an impact.  The passage on the Wheat and Weeds is one of the great times where Jesus clearly explains the parable.  In a nut shell, A sower planted good wheat seeds and while the workers were sleeping, the enemy planted weeds among the good wheat seed.  The weed seed (Darnel) was very similar in appearance to the wheat while growing but still discernable.  The workers wanted to pull the weeds but the sower said ‘no’, because some good wheat might be uprooted when pulling the weeds.  The sower said, ‘Wait until the harvest and then I will tell my reapers to gather the  weeds up first and toss them into the fire and then gather the good wheat into my storehouse.’  Part 2 will come this afternoon.

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit.” Matthew 13:22 ->me: This time the soil is good, but it is already taken up.  So, here is where my mind went today when I read this passage and dwelt on it.  God’s seed of Truth and the Living Word is being thrown out, but I am the one who is in charge of my soil.  QUESTION: What is the frequency in which God (the sower) is sowing His seed?  Is it only in season (once in a while) or is it being thrown out all the time.  ANSWER: Don’t really know yet (more reading to do and it is possible that I can’t know).  RESPONSE:  I must have my soil always ready!  If my soil is full of rocks (indecision and a lack of total surrender and dependence on God -> easily swayed with unbelief and discouragement) then I must do the work to remove the hard material that keeps the roots from going deep (I think God fills in the gaps the rocks leave with good soil if I allow Him).  If my soil is choked out with the thorns, thistles, and weeds of earthly pleasures, pursuit of wealth, fleshly desires, and coping devices – then I must starve them of the food and water (attention) they are getting.  I do this long enough and those thorns, thistles, and weeds will die and leave beautiful soil behind.   Lord God, help me identify the rocks just under the surface of the soil and have the strength to starve any remaining weeds in my soil so that I may receive seed that will produce 100 times that which was sown.

“As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy; yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.” Matthew 13:20-21 ->me: This word from the Lord is so helpful to me today in understanding those in my life who are living this out.  To start a race does not mean you have finished the race. Here the word is received (but not ‘understood’) with joy, but joy without understanding and commitment cannot last the course.  Affliction, trouble, and persecution come from the outside and persecution is deliberately inflicted, and usually implies a religious motive. Falls away is literally ‘is tripped up’; it is not a gradual loss of interest, but a collapse under pressure.  My test comes when trial presents itself, when opportunity to reflect Jesus comes when it is not popular to do so, in the quiet moments when no one is looking, and ultimately when I am faced with impossible odds.  Do I pass the test by staying true to the One Almighty God of the Bible?  Do I stay grounded and pursuing of the character of God even when things are going perfectly?  In one swoop the Lord has helped me understand those around me who exhibit this ‘seed’ and at the same time has shown me I am in true fellowship with Him understanding, deeply, the gravity of the Spiritual implications of God’s, character, word, truth, and grace.

“For this nation’s heart has grown gross (fat and dull), and their ears heavy and difficult of hearing, and their eyes they have tightly closed, lest they see and perceive with their eyes, and hear and comprehend the sense with their ears, and grasp and understand with their heart, and turn and I should heal them.”  Matthew 13:15 ->me:  Ummm, wow.  I am pretty blown away to come upon this verse today in my quiet time.  I look around and see all the passion and focus on the political and social issues of the country and here we have Jesus answering the disciple’s question – “Why do You speak to them in parables?”.  Today I started my journey through the 13th chapter of Matthew, the 8 parables taught by Jesus.  He started with the parable of sower and the various types of ground the seed landed on.  What really hit me was what Jesus said about why He uses parables “To you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Matthew 13:11  This is profound!  To you it has been GIVEN to KNOW – this is another instance where as a true follower of Jesus, in fellowship with Him, I have an ability to comprehend and understand the spiritual ramifications of Jesus’ teaching while others do not.  Thank you, God in Heaven, for the ears that hear your voice and the eyes that have the ability to see You in Your purposes.  As I venture out tonight and spend time with co-workers for the 4th of July, help my family and myself reflect You…that you might grant others the ability to see the secrets and mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven!

“Someone said to Him, Listen! Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.  But He replied to the man who told Him, Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?  And stretching out His hand toward [not only the twelve disciples but all]His adherents, He said, Here are My mother and My brothers.  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!” Matthew 12:47-50 ->me:  This last week I really began to see what Jesus was talking about in this passage.  Spending time with kids and adults who are sold out to service to the King, in service to Him, helps you see that when we are bound together in Spiritual purpose the relationship will be stronger than blood.  Our relationship with the Lord and each other will last into eternity while our biological family relationships are only for here on earth.  I don’t think that Jesus was trying to insult His family; I think He was just taking the opportunity to make a big point.  I am so thankful that a majority of my earthly family is also my eternal family…a double blessing. 

“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit shall not and cannot be forgiven.  And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy One, will not be forgiven, either in this world and age or in the world and age to come.” Matthew 12:31-32 ->me:  The Lord, through His word, taught me something new today.  So thankful for this as 63 of us head down to Ensenada, Mexico to minister to the people there.  Here in this passage, Jesus has just healed and freed a man who was possessed by a demon, blind, deaf, and dumb.  The Pharisees just got done telling the people that the way Jesus was throwing out demons was on the authority of the prince of demons.  Of course this is crazy and not even logical; as Jesus quickly educates them.  Then we have these 2 verses saying you can blaspheme and slander Jesus but not the Holy Spirit.  Wait….what? Is the Son of man then on a lower level, less than divine, that he can be slandered with impunity? No. After some careful reading and understanding of the words used here in the Greek I think I have clarity on why.  The incognito character of Jesus ministry means that failure to recognize Him for what He was might be excusable  The difference is then between failure to recognize the light and deliberate rejection of it once it is recognized as such;  unforgivable blasphemy versus unwitting sin.  This is what makes turning on God’s Spirit within you so dangerous.  I think this is recognized most when people reach the point where they rationalize their fleshly thinking; calling evil good and good evil.  Scary.

“For I desire and delight in dutiful steadfast love and goodness, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of and acquaintance with God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 ->me:  Today I was reading Matthew 12:1-7 where Jesus and His disciples were walking through the fields of grain and the disciples started picking the grain off the top of the shoots and eating it.  The Pharisees immediately condemned them, pointing their fingers at them and accusing Jesus for allowing them to break the Sabbatical Law. Jesus never disputes that their law was broken, yet He talks about the real focus of what the law existed to do -> to set apart the Jews as a people unto God.  Then He brings down the real reason the picking of the grain is not important…it is because dedication to the Lord Himself is God’s desire.  Jesus is essentially saying, “I am here before you and my desire and delight is in your dutiful steadfast love and goodness…not the sacrifice of giving up food to hunger.  Choosing Me and learning more about Me is better than your burnt offerings…I AM HERE!”  Verses 6 and 7 says – “Something greater and more exalted and more majestic than the temple is here!  And if you had only known what this saying means, I desire mercy [readiness to help, to spare, to forgive] rather than sacrifice and sacrificial victims!”.  This is so awesome.  Jesus is IN me and I am IN Him.  As a believer and washed by His blood there is no longer a need for ceremonial cleanliness or burnt offerings; I have the cleansing of Jesus’ blood which is eternal.  I love my BIBLE!!  Thank you God for giving us, who live during this time, the full word of God to know you better.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.” Matthew 11:28-30 ->me: Today I come to the end of chapter 11.  I spent all of my time this morning on these 3 verses, trying to get all the likely meanings of heavy-laden and overburdened.  Most of the commentaries I read pointed to the weight of legalism that was upon the Jews by the Pharisees.  The constant changes in case law meant that there was always some new religious law you needed to heed to.  Jesus spends three verses to communicate the following – 1) Come to Jesus, being with Him will allow you to rest.  2) Share Jesus’ load.  A yoke is meant not only to bear weight but to apply the weight across more bearers.  Jesus is saying ‘wear my yoke with Me; pulling the weight with My help is easy’.  3) Bearing the yoke with Jesus means learning about Him; learning that He is gentle and humble.  4) When you wear Jesus’ yoke, bearing the weight produces goodness and useful outcomes.  Putting on a yoke also locks you into ‘doing’; any direction you move, your actions produce effort against the work to be done.  When you wear Jesus’ yoke you are guaranteed to be inline with the work He is doing.  What does it mean to take on His yoke?? -> According to the verses above it is to LEARN (find or receive instruction) OF/FROM HIM.  Kinda goes with my previous QTs huh?  🙂

“All things have been entrusted and delivered to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son deliberately wills to make Him known.” Matthew 11:27 – From verse 15 through 24, Jesus reproofs the Pharisees and the cities that He had been in an done wondrous works.  Even though they saw him heal the sick, mend the lame, and made the blind to see; they still had a mind set against Him.  Jesus even talks about how Sodom will have a better chance at the judgement than them because the Pharisees and Galilean cities have not excuse.  They have so much more information regarding the power of God and will be held to account.  In today’s verse above I am reminded to seek to be like Jesus and follow Him. He says here that ‘no one fully knows the Father except the Son….or anyone the Son deliberately wills to make Him known’….Whoa!  Jesus can will that I might know and understand the Father fully?!  Jesus is the way to know Him and the Father more.  Quiet Time after Quiet Time this last week, God’s Living Word is reminding me to continually seek to know and be like His Son.  Jesus is the One who can reveal, He is the Word, I must KNOW the Word.

“And if you are willing to receive and accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come [before the kingdom].  He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing.” Matthew 11:14-15  ->me: Today I have been reading Matthew 11:7-11.  This is the point at which Jesus is talking to the crowds as John the Baptist’s disciples are returning to let him know that there is no one after Jesus; that Jesus is the one spoken of in Isaiah.  Jesus is explaining the role that John the Baptist was given by God to prepare the way for the coming of Himself.  John was baptizing those who were accepting the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob as the One True God, or recommitting their lives to this fact…why is this?  It was so that the voice of God and His Spirit would be loud in their hearts letting them know that Jesus was the Messiah; the same Messiah spoken of in the revelation of the prophets of old.  This goes to re-affirm that NO ONE comes to Jesus unless the Father calls them!!  Epiphany!!!  John the Baptist was sent to preach repentance and baptism so that sinners could hear the voice of God in their hearts calling them to His Son!!  This is why you must seek God to find Him…more importantly, His Son!  Wow, just wow!!  Now that Jesus has come, died, and rose again to live at the right-hand of the Father in heaven, we have direct access to the Father through Him!  This is why John the Baptist is no longer needed.  We can fall at the foot of the cross, releasing our pride before Him to accept the Grace and mercy the Father offers through the Blood Jesus bore on the cross for us.  Seeking God today mean crucifying our ego everyday so that we might receive grace and blessing through humility; being strong only by His strength alone.  You, God, will give me perfect peace when my mind is steadfast on You, because I trust in You! (Isaiah 26:3)